Try not to let the days and nights of this week evaporate in a rush of 10,000 details. We’re still in the midst of significant passages that mark endings and beginnings, and it wouldn’t do to hurry across these thresholds. The most important turning point is the winter solstice on Sunday, December 21, at 6:03 EST. In the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice delineates the return of the light. “Solstice” means the Sun’s standstill, and if you were to mark the position of the Sun as it rises in the east and sets in the west, as our ancient ancestors did for as many years as it took to observe a pattern, you would notice that for approximately four days in a row, the Sun’s position on the horizon is the same. The solstice point marks the moment it comes to a “halt” before it retraces its path for another year.
Many archeological sites around the world are aligned with this solar event, Newgrange in Ireland and the Sun Dagger in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, to name but two monuments that track this enduring solar cycle. Science teaches that this “standstill” occurs because the axial tilt of the Earth along its orbital path around the Sun has reached its aphelion, the farthest point from the Sun. But knowing the science doesn’t interfere with the underpinnings of our seasonal festivals, all of which celebrate the start of another solar cycle, all of which remind us that we are part of a much greater rhythm that occurs in nature, a rhythm that includes our personal stories as part of a grand celestial narrative.
Uranus goes direct just moments before the solstice, and as it makes its “course correction” surges of energy are likely to pulse through the regular routines of daily life. Fasten your seatbelts, strap yourself in, and expect to feel as if you’ve shifted into hyperspace. Although the days prior to this turn around—starting today—are likely to resemble a strange, erratic retrograde something-or-other, we are moving at the speed of light—Uranian light, a spectrum that causes nervous systems to suffers from the strain and stress of keeping up with this transition.
At the moment Uranus moves forward, it sextiles Mars. This is a positive interaction that signals activity, and it’s one of the reasons, if not the main one, that hurrying through a list of activities is probable. I’m not suggesting you slow to a standstill, but I am advising you to make a special effort to stay present as well as participatory. Also keep in mind that children, already too excited by this time of year, are certain to channel these Uranian impulses. Do your best to be patient and kind; children are often conduits for energy fields that are just too big and powerful for their young systems to contain.
This week, as we continue to move across important astral thresholds, do your best to be aware of how you handle these transitions. We are, after all, inhabitants of a relatively small planet, spinning through space at a speed too fast to comprehend. When you consider Earth’s position from the broadest possible cosmic perspective, it is merely a speck of stardust. It’s humbling to realize how insignificant we are, actually. And yet our minds are always busy supporting our importance, urging us to action to substantiate an importance that quickly evaporates within the much bigger picture. It’s an interesting conundrum to consider, especially when we are in such dire need of peace and goodwill. Do your best this week to contribute to the goodwill that is supposed to be the signature of the season and the reason we celebrate the light of the star that holds us in place.
Sun Bursts: If you know your Ascendant and/or your Moon Sign, read that too.
Aries March 21-April 19
Yes, there are a lot of details to organize during the coming weeks, but before you get lost in organization, take a moment to notice just how much you’ve changed during the last 12 months. And while it may often feel as if the shifts are just too much your sense of overwhelm is simply evidence of the scope of your growth.
Taurus April 20-May 20
Saturn insisted on a two-year excursion into relationship issues, and now, as that expedition is about to come to an end, it’s asking you to distill what you’ve learned about what it means to be intimately connected. Keep in mind that this trek includes friendships and family interactions as well as romantic encounters and engagements.
Gemini May 21-June 21
Few among us have the skill to hold steady in the midst of uncertainty, but if anyone has the potential to synthesize the information necessary to be both confident and careful, it’s you. Rely on your innate curiosity to provide the perspective you need to move forward gracefully and compassionately.
Cancer June 22-July 22
Take advantage of the available opportunities to improve your financial situation, even if it means taking on extra work for a limited period of time. This is also an excellent opportunity to invest your time in assessing your money matters with an eye toward ending any patterns that don’t support your natural abundance.
Leo July 23-August 22
Saturn invited you to investigate from the inside out how to feel safe in the world, and because of that invitation, for the last two years you’ve been working on security issues. As this cycle ends, notice what, if any, false survival systems you released or if there are any stagnant systems you’re still clinging to. Finish this process by acknowledging the positive gains you’ve made.
Virgo August 23-September 22
Given your skill in making transitions when needed, use this time to not only reflect on the last year of remarkable changes, but also to organize your plan for future projects. I’m not suggesting you miss this moment; I’m advising you to use this moment wisely by doing what you do best—notice the trees without losing your awareness of the forest.
Libra September 23-October 22
It’s probable you’ll feel an acute acceleration in all your interactions, but especially in partnerships in need of a reboot, if only because they’ve been left a little too long on the sidelines. As you move into the next phase, focus on friends, family, and amorous alliances with an eye toward bringing all of your relations into greater harmony and balance.
Scorpio October 23-November 21
How do you spell relief? Saturn exits Scorpio and doesn’t return for another 28 years! But before you exhale completely, use these last few moments to examine what you’ve learned during Saturn’s journey through your Sign. It hasn’t been an easy time, but if you’ve allowed Saturn to teach you about being you, it’s been a valuable and worthwhile endeavor.
Sagittarius November 22-December 21
You’re in the midst of an interesting astrological two-step—you’re ending an intense hibernation phase, but as you break open your cave, you step into an external integration process. I know this sounds esoteric—and it is. Saturn held you deep in the realms of your unconscious, and now it’s putting you to work realigning your external persona with what you learned.
Capricorn December 22-January 19
Spend more than a moment contemplating what you learned about community during the last two years, especially your expectations at the beginning of this phase in October 2012. Then, thinking about your participation, with the aim of knowing what you released, but also what you decided to hold onto and grow.
Aquarius January 20-February 18
Mars is transiting your Sign until mid-January, making it impossible for you to take a backseat in any situation. Rather than attempting to hold back…hold forth, and share your opinions, ideas, hopes, fears, and dreams. Then be a true leader, and encourage others to do the same. The only rule is remembering to listen with respect, even if you disagree.
Pisces February 19-March 20
In certain ways you are betwixt and between, and while the uncertainty is uncomfortable, it is also useful. Allow yourself to ride the waves, all the while considering your situation from different perspectives. Soon enough you will be able to identify what it is you want and how you want to move forward.
Ralfee Finn specializes in Transformational Astrology. For readings, call 1-888-937-9264, write P.O. Box 343, New York, NY 10025, visit AquariumAge.com, or e-mail ralfee@aquariumage.com.
Copyright © 2014 by Ralfee Finn