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Number 69

 This newsletter has ended up a bit of a monster as there are so many different energies at play this month and I also wanted to alert my readers to the Lunar Eclipse on New Year's Day. For those of you who find this time of year challenging, please take extra special care!

 The triple conjunction of Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune is back in orb making December a potent time for healing. This Solstice Season is also a powerful time for reflection and review with Mercury and Mars turning retrograde by the end of the month and a full moon / lunar eclipse on New Year's Day.  Astrology suggests this New Year may be a more productive time for serious reflection rather than partying as the heavier energies gather momentum as the month progresses.

 The early bird discount is still available for 2010 Astrology classes. Please ring or email for a brochure.

 Blessings

Christine

 

 Christine Rothwell

' 03 9584 6532

Email: christiner@netspace.net.au

Website: www.christinerothwell.com

 The Federation of Australian Astrologer's is holding a conference in Brisbane in January 2010. Follow the links for more information.

 Contents

1. December Overview
2. Mars Retrograde
3. The Summer Solstice
4. 2010 Astrology Classes.

·        Beginner's / First Year on Monday nights

·        Intermediate / Second Year on Thursday nights

·        Advanced / Third Year one Saturday afternoon per month

5. Consultations and Gift Certificates

 

1.    December Overview

 The month starts with Uranus station direct after having spent the last the last four months retrograde. Whenever a planet makes a station and turns direct its energy becomes more powerful and focused. Uranus, the Great Awakener, symbolizes our need for change and our desire to express our individuality. Sit with any impulsive plans for a while before acting on them to make sure they are an authentic expression of your true self, not just a reaction to your circumstances and environment'.

 The Full Moon on December 2 is in the highly social sign of Gemini, amplifying the desire to socialize and party that is so much a part of the lead up to Christmas.  Enjoy this one as the energy gets heavier as the month progresses. The danger here is getting over stimulated by all the frenetic activity and ending up exhausted and anxious. [although most mutable signs can thrive in this environment!!]. Full Moons are potentially times of powerful insights and re-balancing if we can find the time to sit still and reflect on the energies involved. This lunation highlights the Gemini / Sagittarius polarity and invites us to question our thinking and see if we have leaned too heavily to either polarity. Are we too focused on the big picture [Sun in Sagittarius] and needing to get more facts to back up our ideas? Or are we too focused on gathering information [Moon in Gemini] and never getting around to standing back and seeing the bigger picture? 

 The New Moon on December 16 is in philosophical Sagittarius. The New Moon is always a powerful time to set new intentions and the New Moon in Sagittarius is a potent time to take a breather from the festive season and see the bigger picture in our life. It may well serve us to ask our self who and what is really important at the moment.  The New Moon is conjunct Pluto, suggesting a more intense mood and bringing the Plutonic process back into focus. Issues around power, control, trust, betrayal may surface for examination. From the soul's perspective this is an opportunity to know our self more fully and release what no longer serves us. 

Mars, the God of War and archetypal warrior, turns retrograde on December 21. It can be a time of low energy where we lose interest in what we have been doing. We may find that what gave us energy and 'turned us on' no longer works and we feel confused and lacking in direction. Plans and projects may slow down and face obstacles, postponements and cancellations [by us or others] There is always a danger of acting out, or acting impulsively when Mars is retrograde so keep your finger near your pause button and try to think before you act and commit yourself. [More information in section 2] 

Jupiter conjuncts Neptune on December 21 for the third time this year.

The Jupiter, Chiron Neptune triple conjunction has been active since May and December will see the final exact Jupiter/ Neptune conjunction at 24 Aquarius. Chiron remains close and will conjunct Jupiter around the 7th also for the third and final time. Remember, this is one of the most potent healing configurations possible, especially for those consciously working to raise their vibrations and release their fear. Chiron often works homeopathically and presents us with a little bit of the old toxin/fear so we can re-experience it consciously and choose to respond differently, thus moving beyond the old pattern.  Beware that when the influence of this transit begins to wane, the optimism that has buoyed the financial markets may also wane. 

The Sun enters the sign of Capricorn on December 22, heralding the Summer Solstice for those of us who inhabit the southern hemisphere. This chart sees Pluto conjunct the Sun in Capricorn. Please refer back to the comments for the New Moon on December 16 for a discussion of this process. [Section 3 contains more information about the Solstice as well as a Solstice ritual] 

Mercury enters the retrograde loop on December 9 in preparation for turning retrograde on December 27, a process that heralds a new Mercury cycle that will begin on January 5th when Mercury conjuncts the Sun.  The retrograde process takes place in the sign of Capricorn, colouring our mental perceptions with a serious, cautious and perhaps even negative and depressive mood. 

 Currently Mercury is still visible in the evening sky but he will disappear for   about a week when he is lost in the blaze of the Sun - December 22 to January 10 - to re-appear in the sky just before sunrise. In esoteric terms this is the most intense and powerful part of the retrograde process as this when Mercury assumes his alter ego as Psychopomp and Guide to the Underworld. In this role Mercury is associated with the Egyptian scribe Thoth, who has access to the Halls of Record [Akashic records]. Esoteric writers suggest that the retrograde phase of Mercury creates an opening that allows access to the wisdom of our soul and the wisdom of the Cosmos.  

Key dates

·        Exact dates: December 27 to January 15

·        Sensitive degrees: 5 to 21 Capricorn

·        Full time of influence: December 9 to February 4

·        Time for insight: January 5 when New Mercury Cycle begins [Mercury conjunct the Sun]

·        Time to act on new ideas / beliefs: January 15 to February 4. 

Remember Mercury retrograde always provides us with the opportunity to free our thinking from habitual ruts and develop a more conscious set of mental attitudes and beliefs. Concerns may arise over the first few weeks and the answers and insight can appear when the new cycle begins on January 5, Sit with your insights until after January 15 when Mercury goes direct. The next few weeks are the time to express your insights and put new plans into action. 

The Full Moon on January 1^st is also a lunar eclipse in the sign of Cancer, creating a somewhat intense energy for the New Year's celebrations. Eclipses are visible wherever it is dark so the eastern coast of Australia will miss this phenomenon that will feature in the European and Asian New Year's Eve festivities.  This eclipse chart has the Sun conjunct Venus and Pluto and Saturn squaring the Sun and Moon - a fairly intense and challenging aspect pattern to deal with any time, let alone on New Year's Eve.  

I would suggest you choose your company wisely and try to limit your alcohol intake, especially if you are holding on to any negative emotional baggage. Emotional outbursts are common at eclipses, especially eclipses in emotional water signs like Cancer. Saturn is the archetypal critic so beware negative / judgemental people as well as your own inner critic. 

Eclipses are especially powerful times for meditation and self reflection so this energy may be better channelled in those directions. Buried and repressed feelings and memories often surface, inviting us to deal with them rather than acting them out or feeling the victim. The main problem here is that New Year is such an intense and public celebration and it is easy to feel depressed at this time of year. If you fall flat, try to be philosophical and use the Saturnian energy constructively: set some new constructive intentions and commit your self to working towards changing whatever is contributing to your depressed mood. 

2. Mars Retrograde

Mars is the Roman God of War and in astrology he symbolizes the action principle and the inner warrior. Normally Mars moves fairly fast through each sign of the zodiac but when he prepares to move retrograde his movement slows and he spends several months in one sign . 

Mars moves retrograde every 765 days [or about 25 to 26 months] for 60 to 80 days. The last time was in October 2005 when it retrograded in Taurus and the time before was in July 2003 when it retrograded in the sign of Pisces and came very close to Mother Earth. This year Mars moves retrograde on December 21 at 19 Leo.  

Mars appears to move retrograde when it is at its closest to Earth, this proximity can release repressed anger, especially at the exact opposition to the Sun which this cycle is January 30. Please take note of this date and try to avoid arguments and tension with family members who you know can be belligerent. The energy of Mars will highlight family tensions so this Christmas will be pivotal in deciding how future Christmases will be spent.  

Key times in the cycle

• Mars retrograde from December 21 to March 11
• Mars opposition the Sun on January 30
• Mars in the retrograde 'loop' from October 18 to May 17. 

Whenever a planet goes retrograde [appears to move backward from our vantage point on Mother Earth] we have an opportunity to develop a new perspective on how we relate to its energy. A doorway opens and we can become develop a more objective viewpoint. It suggests a time of reflection is necessary, especially about how we deal with the affairs of the house where Mars is retrograding.  

When Mars goes retrograde we have the opportunity to become conscious of habitual actions, reactions and responses. We are able to reflect on how we

• Utilize our inner warrior
• Go about getting what we want
• Express or repress our aggressive and competitive urges
• Deal with anger and assertion

… Especially in the house where Mars is retrograding in our personal birth-chart and in relation to any planets it may aspect at this time. 

It may be a time of low energy where we lose interest in what we have been doing and find that what gave us energy and 'turned us on' no longer works and we feel confused and lacking in direction. Plans and projects may slow down and face obstacles, postponements and cancellations [by us or others] There is always a danger of acting out, or acting impulsively when Mars is retrograde so keep your finger near your pause button and try to think before you act and commit yourself. Used productively this is a time to

• slow down and back off
• rethink strategies [especially if there are obstacles]
• reflect on WHAT you are doing
• reflect on WHY you are doing it
• reflect on HOW you are doing it  

In short it is an INVITATION TO BECOME CONSCIOUS of how you are using your energy in a specific area of your life and to decide if you want to continue this pattern. The possibility exists for CHANGE and the BREAKING OF HABITUAL PATTERNS. 

Wherever Mars is transiting in your chart from October 17 to June 7 is found the sign of Leo. Mars retrograde can challenge us around any of the Leonine qualities in both its skilful and unskilful expression. Leo is a fire sign and speaks of our need to feel respected, appreciated and special. It also rules the process of creative self expression.  The Leo challenge is the quest for identity and calls us to develop the ego as a vehicle for self expression while avoiding the traps of egotism and arrogance. Mars retrograde in Leo suggests we may all need to review whether

• we are allowing our self to shine and be noticed
• the people in our life appreciate us
• we are allowing our self satisfying creative outlets
• We are allowing play time to keep our inner child happy! 

This is an opportunity to become conscious of our patterns in these areas and DECIDE TO ACT DIFFERENTLY. The time from December 21 to January 30 can be a time when things slow down causing us to experience frustration and self doubt. January 30 is the trigger point in the cycle when tensions can explode as repressed feelings surface. Here we have a choice

• Blame others, hold onto our anger and resist self reflection
• Look within to see what the Higher Self is trying to bring to awareness and gain clarity, perspective and objectivity that can lead to lasting change. 

3. Summer Solstice and 2012. 

At 4.46am on Sunday December 22 [Australian Eastern daylight time] the Sun will reach its maximum declination south as it moves into the sign of Capricorn. This marks the Summer Solstice in the southern hemisphere and the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere.  

This also marks the time each year when the Solstice Sun aligns with dark band of sky near the centre of our galaxy. The peak of this cycle is December 21 2012. This event takes place once every 25,800 years [approx] and is a 36 year process. The end of the Mayan Long Count seemed to be dated to coincide with this event, suggesting that the ancient Mayans had a very advanced knowledge of astronomy and mathematics. To the Mayans this area of the sky marked the original point of creation and was said to be the pathway of the Gods who dwelled in the Underworld, a place they called Xibalba. This black band of sky near the Galactic Centre has been revered by many cultures and is said to symbolize the home of the Gods and the wisdom of the cosmos, similar to the Buddhist concept of the emptiness from which all life in the Universe is birthed. 

The alignment of the Sun with this point has been taking place each December Solstice since 1994 and will continue to do so until 2030. This phenomenon occurs due to the 26,000 year cycle known as the Precession of the Equinoxes. The Sun measures ½ a degree width on the ecliptic [360 apparent path of the Sun through the zodiac] and moves backwards against this circle 1Ò every 72years. Hence it will take 36 years to move across this point. 

So the point behind the December Solstice is now aligned with the dark band at the centre of the Milky Way and has been every December since 1994. Potentially it symbolizes humanity gaining greater access to the wisdom of the cosmos symbolized by the dark band [home of the Gods, source of creation] at the centre of the Milky Way. Accessing this energy will require humanity to experience a collective and personal symbolic death and rebirth on many levels - spiritually, psychically, energetically and intellectually with advances science, technology, healing, communications all likely.  

But the point I want to make is that it is HAPPENING NOW. It is not an isolated event that occurs in 2012. This is the key astrological indicator [but by no means the only one] of what is often referred to as the Shift, the Awakening or Ascension process. 

The Summer Solstice 

The Summer Solstice marks the time of the longest days and shortest nights when the Sun reaches the mid-point of the cycle that began 6 months earlier at the Winter Solstice. The Solstice is a paradox that is well known to those who reach middle age - as soon as the Sun has reached the peak of His power the days begin to shorten even though the hottest days are still to come [Due to a seasonal lag in heating the surface of the Earth].

The Summer Solstice is always a time of review as it mirrors the energy of the Full Moon, both being half way points in the cycle. Traditionally it was a time of rest and relaxation before the hard work of the autumn harvest. 

Christmas is a Winter Solstice celebration; the anniversary of the birth of Christ was placed close to the old pagan Sabbat that honoured the rebirth of the Sun God from the darkness of winter. It is important to find a way to honour the Spirit of Place here in the Southern Hemisphere by acknowledging the energy of summer. 

A Summer Solstice Ritual

[Ring Lucy on 0418 382 924 if you would like to participate in a Solstice Ritual in North Balwyn]

To honour the spirit of place you can have a special Solstice meal [can be December 25] that includes seasonal produce - summer foods rather than heavy winter dishes we associate with Christmas. I light gold and silver candles to honour the Sun and the Moon and offer thanks for the abundance that Mother Earth and Father Sun have given me throughout the year and ask for their blessing for the harvest yet to come. 

If you would like something more reflective, even as part of your Christmas meal, you can invite everyone to share their hopes for the coming autumn harvest and light a candle in a colour that symbolizes the harvest. You could use one group candle or each person could have their own candle in a colour that is personally symbolic of the harvest they desire. As the candle[s] burns, see your desires manifesting and reflect on what may need to be done to ensure an abundant harvest. 

For those of you who would prefer a more private ritual here is another offering. Ground and centre yourself then call to your guides and angels for their guidance and protection. Light a gold candle to honour the Summer Sun then close your eyes. Imagine that you are travelling in the lunar crescent with the Goddess. She invites you to reflect on what you are seeking to manifest in your life and what you need to achieve this. Allow yourself to receive whatever you need with her blessings and visualize your desires manifesting in the weeks and months ahead.

Courses, Workshops and Classes

 Contact Christine on 9584 6532 or christiner@netspace.net.au for a brochure. 

 

Blessings

Christine Rothwell