Lunar Eclipse, Inferior Conjunction, Winter Solstice…..oh my

 

It is rare when three significant astrological transits occur at nearly the same time, any one of which is likely to be important, but that is exactly what will be happening between December 19 and 21 of 2010. On Dec. 19 at 5:23pm PST, there will be the Inferior Conjunction between the Sun and Mercury at 28° Sagittarius. It will be quickly followed on Dec. 21st by the Lunar Eclipse at 12:13am PST and finally by the Winter solstice at 3:39pm, which is when the Sun reaches its southernmost declination and marks the first day of winter. I want to deal with these one by one, but as you read, I hope you will do your best to imagine that they are all happening basically at the same time. It is so rare that these two astronomical events haven’t occurred together in 456 years. They are all going to affect us in some way, though the people who will be affected the most will be those whose charts are aligned with where these three transits are occurring.

The Sun-Mercury Inferior Conjunction

This is the mid-point of the Mercury retrograde cycle and has a dual meaning. The nature of any Mercury retrograde period is to review some area of our life. Obviously, the need to review something means that something new must have been revealed. The Inferior conjunction is usually when there is the revealing of something important, though it may have already come to light. Now, we must take the new information and process it during the next 10-11 days as the Mercury retrograde period comes to an end. So, we are still reviewing, but not in the same way. The second aspect of this period is that often when a ‘seed’ idea is formed in us which beckons us forward. This ‘seed’ is mostly hidden and may not be felt consciously as of yet. It may still be a bit dark, so we might try to sense the new emerging thought-forms, or wait until more is revealed, which occurs at the end of the Mercury retrograde period and develops further in the next two months.

This Inferior conjunction may be full of extra surprises though. It exactly squares that Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in Pisces, which often brings sudden surprises into our lives that can create total game changing events or information. Uranus rules shocks and surprises while Jupiter can bring forth the desire for truth and the willingness to be expanded by that truth. The fact that this Inferior conjunction makes this aspect to both Jupiter and Uranus makes this cycle especially potent and revelatory, though possibly quite upsetting as well. It also can evoke some brilliant ideas and solutions to long-standing problems. It is a very catalytic period and then there is the next transit that amplifies things much further.

The Lunar Eclipse

Only two days after the Inferior conjunction we have the Lunar Eclipse. This type of eclipse happens on the Full Moon and intensifies it. Ordinarily a Full Moon brings something to a head, a culmination of some idea or possibility that begins at the New Moon. An eclipse however is much more powerful than a regular Full Moon. These occur every 6 months, but this Lunar Eclipse is a total one and is at the 29° degree which is referred to as a finishing degree. What this means is that this Eclipse has the potential to bring out deep, radical, cathartic emotions which will lead to much greater clarity in the long run. Whatever happens now allows us to end an old cycle in preparation for a new one to begin. It also will square Jupiter and Uranus, so the same shocks and surprises I mentioned before are likely to continue into today.

It is helpful to know that ‘eclipses begin before they begin.’ What this expression means is that events do not happen in an isolated way. There is a deeper cycle at work right now and if you are especially affected, you have likely been dealing with what is emerging right now for several months and especially the last 30 days. Before the eclipse, things are being set up, taking shape and as events occur, this will trigger more events as people begin to respond to the demands of what has now started.

With Mercury being retrograde as well, there can be delays in communication as well as the likelihood of some degree of miscommunication or misunderstanding. If you are in a situation that is intense with lots of letters, emails, texts, etc. going back and forth, be aware or beware of this possibility. Check facts and don’t assume too much yet. When there are a high degree of shocks and surprises, we can be thrown off balance. I love the quote by Pema Chodron warning all of us not to throw ‘kerosene on the fire’. This is very good advice at times like this. If it is possible, we will do best if we allow things to develop organically. But as I say this, the great news is that this 3-fold set of transits may break open any old stalemates or blocked flows that have kept us stuck in inertia and prevented from breaking free. Changes in moments like these though can be very sudden, putting us on our heels a bit and challenging us to ride the waves of change. We can either try to go with it as a surfer would or we can be rigid and stiff, which will get us nowhere and could cause a breakdown.

The Winter Solstice

While it is true that every three months, there is an important period when the Sun either crosses the equinox point (Spring and Fall) or the Solstice points (Summer and Winter), the one which many astrologers give the most significance to is the one that is happening now. Many astrologers create the chart for the year by basing it on the moment when the Sun enters 0°Capricorn00′. The reasoning for this is interesting and there is quite a bit of history involved. When the Sun reaches its southernmost position, which is located at approximately 23° south in declination and also is called the Tropic of Capricorn, it begins its movement back to the north and the days slowly begin to become longer again. This suggests the beginning of a new Solar year and the emergence of the newly born Sun (Son) after its death at the end of Sagittarius.

Given what I have said, since the square to Jupiter and Uranus is a very important part of this year’s chart, the year itself is likely to have a great many shocks and surprises in store for us. Freedom and independence are likely to be the watchword for the year. Also, these two planets are leaving compassionate Pisces and entering very independence minded Aries. With Jupiter and Uranus strong in this year’s chart, the world is likely to also be emphasizing technological innovation more than ever. China has decided to invest billions in certain specified areas they feel will become more important in the future. Exactly how committed the U.S. is to this type of economic development is uncertain. In the past, the growth of U.S. technology has always been triggered by government investing in the private sector, especially by the Dept. of Defense. This does not seem to be likely to continue in the present political climate.

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We want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Thank you for your interest and support.

The Inferior Conjunction of Venus Retrograde- Endings And Beginnings

In the middle of the Venus retrograde cycle, there is a very important point when Venus itself aligns with the Sun. This is called the Inferior conjunction and occurs at 7 degrees of Aries this Friday, March 27th. What makes this unusual is that there is a New Moon the day before, March 26 at 9:06am PDST.

Any New Moon establishes a new beginning in some area of our life, but Aries is the archetype of Spring, the ultimate new beginning of the entire year as it sparks us into that wonderful optimism and feeling of renewal that lightens our load in those first moments of Spring. Anything feels possible, not only are the days getting longer, but the energy of life itself is growing. The Aries New Moon each year represents the beginning of the ‘feeling of Spring,” but this year the matter is more complicated. While there is certainly all of the feelings associated with this cycle of birth, Venus retrograde is still asking us to focus our lens on what we personally want and need. We are not yet certain as the discovery process continues, yet the Inferior conjunction marks the beginning of the new Venus cycle. But do we know yet what the nature of that new cycle is? No, it is too early yet. We will need to wait and see what is being birthed in us for if its given a chance, it will emerge organically, without effort on our part.

You can see from this that it is a time of extremes. This is very important to remember. Extremes by definition do not last long. So if we know we are possibly in an extreme state about something, or even our life itself, we will be able to recognize that no major decision should be made in this state, unless life is truly forcing us to act. People in despair should take steps to work on that despair rather than succumb to them and give up.

Let me give some examples. I heard from someone today who has been weighing what relationship she might want to have and was being pressured to decide. She asked for time to work things out for herself, but no one wanted to wait. They were feeling the urgency that often occurs during the Inferior conjunction. But the problem is that Venus is still retrograde. It’s not time to be absolutely certain yet. Wisdom tells us that it is best to not allow that urgency to control us, that it is best to wait and allow the process to continue both in us and in the other. Too much pressure will force a situation and the outcome will usually be that the person who feels the pressure will simply walk away since they know they aren’t ready to decide. Often astrologers urge clients to avoid conflicts at this time if it is at all possible. Arguments can occur and rarely will work out well, unless of course, they are truly unavoidable.

What is happening is that personal feelings are very strong right now, but are still internal and care must be taken before deciding to act.

At the same time I’ve said this, there are exceptions. For example if we are offered an opportunity and it is something we want, this may be the time when we will want to take advantage of that opportunity. This cycle does indicate new beginnings after all. So, what do we learn from this? The best way to handle this is to recognize that there is a ‘flow of life’ for each of us, that we can sense it if we are authentic to our own needs, and that we do know what we should do if faced with an important choice. Venus retrograde is exactly the time to inside and determine what our real needs are and to follow that star. If it leads to a new opportunity or relationship, then take it, and if leads to an ending of the old cycle, then that is what we must do. This next few days is a significant turning point. That’s the key idea on which we can focus.

Financial astrologers call this a ‘reversal point.’ For example the stock market has been climbing significantly ever since Venus went retrograde. It reversed its direction which was downward in the months prior. This reversal has been caused by significant policy changes that have created increased optimism that the government is taking the proper steps to get the economy and the financial system back in shape. The next few days could indicate another reversal, but if that doesn’t happen, it could mean that the trends will continue a little longer. The jury is still out on whether the changes are the best ones, so the radical improvements we are seeing in the stock market may be temporary. The next reversal point will be when Venus goes direct on April 17th. As of this writing of the newsletter, the Dow is up 140 points to 7,800 continuing the trend of the last several weeks. Let’s see if that trend changes after the Inferior conjunction.

To summarize, this is a time to enjoy the new optimism you may be feeling, and remain aware that the internal process of discovering what we truly want and need does continue. I hope you all are able to enjoy the emerging season of spring and whatever the new Venus cycle is bringing. And for those going through a tough time, have faith that you will find a way to work through whatever issues you are facing right now. Remember that the intensity you are feeling will soften and reduce and that things aren’t as bad as they may seem.

Announcements

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All the best,
Jim Sher