Winter Newsletter 2020/21
Winter Solstice and the Great Conjunction
Needless to say, 2020 has been one heck of a year. The tension from the preceding years, culminating with all the turmoil of 2020 will be forever branded into our minds. We’ve endured a highly politically charged nation right long side of a global pandemic. The collective shadow has clearly risen to the surface and presented us with a multitude of challenges. Times of crisis are typically accompanied by a tornado of confusion, fear, and conflict. This year was no different, but change may be on the horizon.
On December 21st, Celtics, Druids and pagans have traditionally honored the winter solstice, but this year brought something special to celebrate. The two large celestial bodies of Saturn and Jupiter converged in the sky to make another great conjunction. This occurs every 20 years but, this year it coincided exactly with the winter solstice. Conjunction cycles are often correlated with historical periods. For example, the alignment of the planets, appearing as a single large bright star, are thought to have been the Christmas star, guiding the wise men to Bethlehem. In 2000, the current cycle began with the tragedy of 9/11 in 2001, and is closing in the midst of Covid-19. It’s as though the cycle opened and closed in a cloak of darkness. According to NASA, it’s been 400 years since the two planets passed this close to each other, and 800 years since they could be seen at night.
During the yuletide, we can think of the both the solstice and the conjunction as a giant reset to usher in new beginnings. The solstice marks a time of darkness pivoting into the gradual introduction of light, while the conjunction illustrates a coming together of opposites. Jupiter’s expansive force collides with the contraction of Saturn. Analogously, the open-mindedness from Jupiter merges with a sense of boundaries from Saturn to restore a lost sense of balance. These opposing forces meet to form a new middle ground and a return to wholeness. Even though we’re still in the midst of the second wave of Covid, the energies are in place to seed the winds of change. I can’t help but make note of that literally on the stroke of midnight on the day of the solstice and the great conjunction the democrats and republicans finally agreed on a single thing for the first time in the administration, which was to pass a second stimulus package. To me, it was worthy of mention for at a time when the energy of opposition has been steadfast that any kind of meeting in the middle is truly amazing. But later we had the riots on our nation’s capitol. You may wonder how on earth that event represents any kind of positive change. But when studying energy for years, I’ve noticed that when shifts are about to occur, it’s not uncommon for the downward death spiraling energy to give it one last fight for life. Unfortunately, it sometimes takes a catastrophe for such a large reset to occur and start to regain a middle ground.
Being in the Yule season until Feb, we’re just in the burgeoning stage of a new cycle and energy shift, giving us the opportunity to re-charge our batteries, and re-calibrate ourselves towards a collective value system. The damage from polarization can be restored during our continued downtime where we mourn what’s been lost, fuel our intentions, tend to things we’ve neglected, and chart the course for a brighter future. It certainly won’t be an instant turnaround, but the dust of chaos needs to settle, and reorganize before we move in a new direction. The increased light of consciousness helps us to see things for what they are, accept our circumstances, and move forward. Let’s hold the promise of a happy 2021 filled with hope, optimism, and prosperity with a blossoming spring to follow. Stay tuned for a post about Imbolc on Feb 1st.
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