Sunday night the Sun entered stoic Capricorn to begin its northward journey above the equator. This is referred to as the Winter Solstice and marks the return of the light (when the days grow longer in the northern hemisphere). The moon also joined Capricorn giving us an industrious new moon that made us get down to business regarding work, family gatherings and long range goals. Capricorn is a sign that makes planning look easy. Though they may come off as cool and guarded, its only because of the inward burdens and responsibilities they feel the must shoulder in this life (thank the heavens for their sense of humor). We feel a reflection of this energy as we strive to get many plans accomplished right now. A conjunction of Venus and Pluto in this sign though makes power and work almost seductive. Special note, Capricorns ruler leaves intense Scorpio today for several months (Scorpios, Aquarians, Leos and Taureans get a break but Sagittarians, Pisceans, Virgos and Geminis have some tough lessons ahead). Tonight we get a little break from the grindstone as the moon enters socially aware Aquarius. Ok, here is an anthropology lesson via my many years in college: Many traditions both religious and cultural, mark this time celebrate the growing days with festivals of light, renewal and giving. Many of todays religions are based on personifications of our Sun and its journey through the cosmos. The Christian nativity is but one of many such ideologies based on early agricultural societies interpretation of the stars. For example, on the 21st or 22nd of December, the Sun appears to stop in its tracks at its lowest degree for three days. To the ancients, it was believed to have died on a cross (olden astronomers used a cross to divide the sky. A horizontal line represented the equator and a vertical line stretched between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres). At sunset on the 21st you can see the three stars of the constellation Orion in the east and two hours later view the bright star Sirius (the three 3 stars represent the three wise men who are following the brightest star of all or the host of heaven. On the 25th the sun begins to move north again and is in effect reborn. Early in the morning before sunrise, you can glimpse the constellation Virgo overhead (the sun was born of a of virgin) and the dominant constellations of the night sky at this time are Aries the the ram and Taurus the bull (the sun aka the son was born in a manger). Interesting aint it? Ancient people celebrated the return of the sun because it mean that the days would be getting longer and that spring would return again with its promise of new life as the sun passed over the equator i.e. Passover or basically resurrected on the cross. Many agricultural societies had solar deities (Bacchus, Dionysus, Hercules, etc) who were born of a virgin, died on a cross and were resurrected in spring. Later Christian traditions personified the astrotheology that had always existed in one form or another. The stars became deified and on earth as it is in heaven became our mantra. Here is Capricorn Annie Lennox.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 18:51:02 +0000
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