While the full effects will take some time to unfold and the old order is still crumbling under Pluto’s guidance, around us the astrological events of the last half of December are associated with a jump in human evolution.

 

A challenging Sun-Neptune square, exact on the 10th of December, may temporarily cloud our judgment and Neptune is still building up to an exact square with the Nodes. This suggests some degree of an ongoing sense of confusion and polarization, although this energy can also be used positively to dissolve all sorts of boundaries. A fiery Sun-Mars trine on the 11th of December is associated with quite dynamic energy and encourages bold moves and courageous action. By the time of the Solar Eclipse, Mercury replaces the Sun in forming an exact trine to Mars in pioneering Aries, bringing fearless energy to bear on a desire for truth and courage in word and action.

 

The New Moon total Solar Eclipse occurs at 3:16 am on the 15th of December[1] at 24 degrees of Sagittarius, a point named as A Bluebird Perched on the Gate of a Cottage. This reminds us of the reward meeting every effort to integrate into a social environment, for those who remain true to their own true selves. While the bluebird is known as a symbol of happiness, it also references the spiritually oriented mind. It suggests that the essential technique for successful living is the development of a consciousness in which peace and happiness abound. Eclipses occur when a full or new moon is positioned close to the nodes of the Moon and this one is occurring at the South Node. Expansive new beginnings follow on from a deliberate process of releasing the past, aided by some energetic clarity provided by Mars in Aries. This eclipse is particularly auspicious for beginning new ventures The wounded healer, Chiron is stationing to go direct at this time reminding us of the importance of reaching common ground.

 

There’s a profound changing of the guards as Saturn ends its rulership’s in Capricorn, where it has been since December 2017, on the 18th December. Jupiter takes its leap into futuristic Aquarius shortly afterwards on the 20th of December, after spending a year in Capricorn. Shorter visits in Capricorn are embarked on by Mercury which enters Capricorn on the 21st of December and the Sun which follows suit at 9:02 pm on the 21st of December.

 

The annual entry of the Sun into Capricorn also marks the Summer Solstice. Then a mere eight hours later at 5:20 am on the 22nd of December Jupiter and Saturn meet up to start both a 20 year cycle and a new 200 year cycle of such unions occurring in air signs. There is a whole new horizon beckoning, with the conjunction of the two social planets, a generational new world view which will, in the longer term, oversee dynamic changes in social and political structures and our values and culture. This renaissance will see innovative technological change, new leaps in our way of viewing the world, and moves towards greater humanitarian collaboration. The shift from the hierarchical materiality of Capricorn into progressive and idealistic Aquarius is aided by a rich and magical symphony of celestial forces at this time. Collectivity, decentralization and people power are some of the higher expressions of Aquarius.

 

[1] Rather than in January as I suggested in my last column.

 

Gillian Dwyer is a Melbourne astrologer Agent 25 of the C*I*A and frequent participant at Kundalini House