It’s a week marked by major shifts, and they’re happening so fast I can barely get my fingers to the keyboard before another occurs. So if you’re feeling shaky, it’s more than the Christmas nog and holiday rushing around, you’re also “getting used to” the new planetary energy. When planets/nodes enter new signs and/or change direction, we need a little time to adjust. So give your self a punsch break, and read on.

Here’s the breakdown: On Monday, the nodes left Virgo/Pisces and entered Leo/Aquarius, Tuesday Jupiter entered Capricorn, Wednesday Saturn moves retrograde, Thursday Mercury enters Capricorn, Friday the Winter Solstice marks the Sun’s entry into Capricorn and Saturday – the final shebang- Jupiter meets with Sun in Capricorn for the first time in 12 years!

I’ve posted these all individually (above), or you can read them as one long letter.

Those Karmic Nodes

Those karmic nodes, the instigators of life destiny, karmic ripening and helpful meetings shift into the signs of Leo/Aquarius this week. Now, they’ve been in Virgo/Pisces for the past 18 months, so the Virgoans and Pisceans among us can now take a bow – the rollercoaster year and a half eclipse cycle is over for you (this was extra tumultuous because your eclipses almost always involved Shock Jock Uranus in Pisces). Now Leos and Aquarians assume the spotlight. Individually, Leos and Aquarians will have the ON/OFF switch thrown (the first one in February 2008) as issues surrounding your personal life (your creativity and life direction) and your one on one relationships absolutely “come to life” by those flickering lights. The nodes in your sign(s) (or on an angle of your chart) indicates you you’re ripe for the next step. You won’t have to worry about how this will happen, as things will serendipitously come together. Just stay firm in your resolve, and keep plugging away at creating your life dream. Collectively, the nodes point to a directional change in our attention. We’ll be using our individual talents to work together, to use our individual creativity (Leo) for the benefit of everyone (Aquarius). The members of our personal and cultural tribe will help us fulfill our destiny(s). So get together with groups, people of like mind and mission. Collaborations have a touch of the genius, as Aquarian energy is forward thinking and progressive. Ask yourself, how can you help your friends achieve their dream, and how can they help you achieve yours?

Cosmic Santa Jupiter enters Capricorn

And for the best news of all, the Cosmic Santa Claus enters Capricorn this week! Everyone loves Jupiter, and why not? He always delivers gifts, BIG ONES. Jupiter is the biggest planet in the solar system, larger than the Sun, large enough to contain all the planets in the solar system within his own! No one will get a lump of coal this Christmas, for everyone receives a big gift from Jupiter. As Jupiter transits one of the 12 sectors of your chart for the next year, an area of your life will light up with his boisterous, fun, expansive energy. This hasn’t happened in 12 years (think back to 12 years ago to determine what this gift might be). Twelve years ago I took my first big trip away from home, to California, where I eventually settled. Today I write you, almost at the end of my 2 month stay in Europe, my second biggest trip away from home. I’m telling you Jupiter’s gifts are generous! As Capricorn is the sign of focused achievement, with ambition, patience and determination (and a 12 year plan) we can make great strides in the coming year. I imagine it like this: periods of disciplined effort and careful attention (Saturn in Virgo, do your homework!) will be followed with bursts of lauded recognition (Jupiter in Capricorn). Capricorn is both a public and private sign, and working long solo hours does eventually land the Goat a corner desk on the top floor. We might all do well to emulate the discipline of goal-oriented Goat this year. But Jupiter does like to take frequent breaks, especially when Saturn goes retrograde… Capricorn is also spiritually resourceful, so going back to our roots and the essence of who we are is a theme – including our good stewardship for our ultimate resource, planet earth.

Saturn Retrograde Is OOO

Saturn in Virgo needs a day off. Okay, maybe a few months – till May. Hey, Saturn deserves it, we deserve it. We’ve been working so hard, honing our craft, putting all the details in order, making that list, checking it twice…It’s the first Saturn in Virgo retrograde, so we could all use some time to sync up with the projects and ambitions undertaken since September. If we’ve been “nose to the grindstone” maybe during this period we can begin to use the big picture energy of Jupiter in Capricorn to enlighten our vision. Saturn presides over the very structures, and now details, of our life, so expect delays in the big projects you’ve been so focused on – possibly to the exclusion of other areas in your life! Use this time to sit with what you’ve been working on and toward. Jupiter in Capricorn asks: are you seeing the forest for the trees? How can I help you envision other paths to your goal? Look over that grand plan again; you don’t need to re-draft your dream, just sit with it. I see Saturn in Virgo as the ultimate architect of our lives at his drafting table he meticulously draws the most energy efficient and scalable model for our dream house. If he were to rush, there’d be too many mistakes to fix later on – and we want to be holistic in our approach not excluding or even diminishing one part of our dream house for another. So give the contractors a few months off, sharpen your pencils. Work smarter not harder. Focus on the vision and the manifestation will happen down the road.

Mercury Clears Throat, Enters Capricorn

Do you feel the difference a little earth makes? By this time next week, 5 luminaries will be in Earth signs! And it all shows in our attitude, our speech and our perceptions – Mercury functions. If the world just seems different that’s because it is; the issues we’re focusing on become more real and relevant to our immediate surroundings. It’s easier to be skeptical of anything outrageous or abstract when Mercury’s in Capricorn, as this sign digs reliable proof. We’re also more likely, especially in conversation, to do the Saturn thing – keep opinions and perceptions we’re uncomfortable with at arms length (Saturn is the boundaried planet). We know our mind, and our mind and opinions, and they suit us quite well, thanks. Meanwhile, the declarations we do make to the world, reach the world. They’re public, which is why this Mercury is so incredibly self-conscious. So you won’t hesitate to consider how what you’re saying will affect your audience. Our attitudes are probably more influenced by past conditioning, which may’ve grown hardened over time (Capricorn). If we’re a little on the defense, we’re thinking about protecting our turf rather than letting someone touch our vulnerable underbelly, horror of horrors (Capricorn’s opposite, Cancer) where we could get hurt! For this clear-thinking sign, feelings aren’t reliable, they only cloud our thinking. Mercury in Capricorn allows us to be concrete and professional in any conversation, even if we’re holding our heart back a little, only to protect it.

Winter Solstice and Saturnalia Ritual

“Io, Saturnalia!” (“Praise, Saturn!”)

As the Sun increases in light (promise) we draw on our faith that during times of darkness, there will be light again. Faith cultivation is important to Capricorn, the sign who so needs proof, but often doesn’t have any (hello? where’s that Sunshine you promised?) That’s why Capricorns are so darn ambitious and resourceful – they were born during the darkness so must work harder to bring things to fruition. Candles are popular around this time, but they’re also symbolic – we can light a candle to ignite our purposeful flame of spiritual intention.

The long nights encourage us to go within during the Solstice season, to find our internal and bodily rhythm (Saturn) again. With Saturn’s recent retrogradation, arrhythmic rhythms and life purpose hiccups abound, so countering this with some drumming, chanting, or through listening to your own breathing and heart beat. All are ways to find your rhythm when life gets to pressurized or demanding. Remember that pulsations, stop and start beats, comprise the balance of rhythm. We need silent rest, inwardness to move outward. You may march to the beat of a different drummer, but pressure is a sign that you’re not honoring your own rhythm. Another way to greet the season is through ritual…

The Solstice points, the change of seasons, are some of the most magical times of the year, especially apropos to the Sun’s procession into Capricorn is the celebration of Saturnalia. This week long celebration was one of the largest and most popular of public festivals in ancient Rome, and it commemorated the God of Time, Karma and of course, Rewards -Saturn. Like many old traditions of the season, revelers would reverse social standing, the slaves switching roles with their masters for a time, speaking to the mirth-making side of Saturn/Capricorn and the humor that lightens up the dark season. But the best part about this holiday is the communal ritual untying of Saturn from the bondage he’s had us in all year. The ropes tied around Saturn, symbolizing all the limitations endured and hardships faced throughout the year, were untied! Cut! Kaput! You can do this unbinding ritual at home, by tying a string loosely around your body while visualizing the stuck issue that has you “tied up”. Now lift it above your head or cut the cord. The take away lesson is: your limitations can be lifted, or cut at any time.

Sun meets Jupiter, Two Kings Meet and Greet

On Saturday, Jupiter joins with the Sun for the very first time (in 12 years) in the sign of Capricorn. Okay so you know Jupiter is bigger than the Sun, the Earth and all the planets in our solar system…and the Sun is the King! Or Jupiter is King? Some astronomers say Jupiter was once King of his own solar system, as he emits heat from his own internal radiator. These two Kings aren’t competitive, they’re naturally expansive – they amp up our visions for what’s possible in the year to come. In Capricorn, our deepest ambitions swirl around in our heads. Ever wondered how to move mountains with the power of an intention? That’s Jupiter in Capricorn. Hope is on the horizon, the future looks promising. But a promise remains a promise, and a vision remains a vision without the careful planning and persistent diligence of Capricorn. Still it all feels too good right now to worry about doing the homework…so enjoy. Watch a few “lucky” people advance and collect $200!