In the midst of so much that is overwhelming -- the dire need to effect immediate steps to slow global warming; mass tragedies and fear-stoking threats (both real and perceived); even certain immediate circumstances of personal life -- I have found myself grateful for a pervasive message coming through the writings of my colleagues at Planet Waves. This morning it struck me that each of them is essentially channeling our current astrology, whether intentionally or not.
The astrology, which I’ll come back to in a moment, involves the Sun in Sagittarius conjunct centaur Pholus and the core of our galaxy; Mercury conjunct Pluto in Capricorn; and even Mars in Libra opposing Eris in Aries. I’ll get to the exact dates and times and interpretations further down. First, consider these thoughts:
Amanda Moreno, in facing the global spiritual mandate to “stop fucking around, compromising our beliefs,” eventually comes back to the understanding that, “we don’t have to shoulder the entire weight of the world, but rather claim whatever part of it is within our reach and make the intention to heal it in some concrete way.” She also linked to this grounded, heartening essay by Clarissa Pinkola Estes (author of Women Who Run with the Wolves). Estes writes:
“One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul. Soul on deck shines like gold in dark times. The light of the soul throws sparks, can send up flares, builds signal fires, causes proper matters to catch fire. To display the lantern of soul in shadowy times like these -- to be fierce and to show mercy toward others; both are acts of immense bravery and greatest necessity.
“Struggling souls catch light from other souls who are fully lit and willing to show it. If you would help to calm the tumult, this is one of the strongest things you can do.”
Planet Waves political-and-spiritual writer Judith Gayle concluded her column this week with this offering:
“Here is the act that pulls back the curtain to expose the little man pulling the levers on our fears: each fear we face gives us an opportunity to strengthen our character, swing wide the bars of our prison of doubt and self-sabotage, and choose love as an antidote to all that ails us. We have forgotten that fear is a choice. We’ve forgotten that we can choose again.
“Do you want to become an activist this season, but don’t know how? Choose love. Pass along a smile, pay it forward, lend a hand. Get involved, offer kindness, model a belief that you can make a difference. Stay open to the highest and most life-affirming possibilities, and share your hopes for tomorrow with those who will listen.”
Actions such as those, simple and small as they may be, serve to keep us connected to each other and to what matters most within ourselves. Sarah Taylor, in writing this week’s tarot reading on Planet Waves, summarizes the card spread by saying that although you seem to have reached a waypoint along your path (which might feel like, or be, an ending of some kind), “There has been an awakening; and soon you find yourself on the next leg of your journey -- one where you may well feel less isolated, and more connected.”
You are not alone -- not alone in your fear, or your faith; not alone in the light you carry within you or in the darkness you may be facing. But sometimes to see the light of another or to perceive the wisdom hidden in the dark, you first have to look into the shadows.
Len Wallick, though he was writing this week about aspects other than those I’m focusing on here, writes, "if you can, proceed with a determination to gather awareness from any personal experience you have with shadows over the next handful of days. If you do, you will be moving not only into light but with it, as you emerge into a new season with the Capricorn solstice next week.”
Seeing shadows is easy; they rest on the surface. Seeing the detail and reality of what shadows mask takes some deeper looking; a willingness to investigate and penetrate what is held there, and to take what you’ve learned (though not the darkness itself) with you for constructive use.
So, by now, you’re probably wondering about that astrology. Right, then. As Len mentions, we are nearing the Capricorn solstice. This is when the Sun enters Capricorn (which occurs at 11:48 pm EST on Dec. 21), heralding the longest night of the year and the beginning of winter here in the Northern Hemisphere.
Each year, on its way to this point, the Sun aligns with the Galactic Core -- the center of our Milky Way galaxy. Our little solar system rests on one of the Milky Way’s spiral arms, way out there. This year, the centaur object Pholus (which has been moving through Sagittarius for a good while now) is nearly aligned with the Galactic Core (GC). The Sun is making a conjunction to Pholus today (Thursday). And although the Sun does not align exactly with the GC until Saturday at 2:41 am EST, it is definitely in the zone now.
So much so, I realized that the echoing messages I was reading on Planet Waves perfectly illustrate Sun-Pholus-Galactic Core. The key phrase for Pholus is “small cause, big effect.” And although this can have negative connotations (for example, in the chart of an oil spill gushing out of control in the ocean, or in situations involving alcohol combined with other volatile factors) I have also experienced Pholus lending its ripple-effect influence to positive experiences, emotions and actions.
Eric Francis and other astrologers tend to describe the GC as our “cosmic homing signal.” Located in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius, the core of our galaxy seems to correlate to that sign’s higher-expression traits of being philosophical, spiritually seeking and optimistic; that is, humane.
Without getting technical, the GC is theorized to contain a supermassive black hole -- an astronomical phenomena that is both drawing material into it and emitting radio waves. Astrologically, the GC carries connotations of “Source”; that is, whatever it is from which we came and also return to; or, rather, a metaphor for the collective unity of all life as we know it, and the message of that unity that we are so prone to forget.
Meanwhile, the Sun represents your conscious awareness, especially of yourself. Put all that together: your conscious awareness, small causes having big effects, and that message of unity and a “homing signal.” What do you get?
To me, it looks like a beautiful reminder that we often only need to make small actions: the kind word or smile; some small step of healing in your personal sphere; any act of connection; allowing your inner light to shine amidst the chaos, darkness and fear so that others might see it; looking far enough into what can seem like a “black hole” of despair to receive a message of awareness and unity. Those modest steps have the power now to ripple out, to multiply exponentially as they get passed along from person to person, magnifying their positive effect.
No, it is not instantaneous. It’s not even a finite endeavor; this is lifelong work we’re talking about. Yet our lives are made up only of a series of present moments. We can string them together to gain context from the past, and we can extrapolate them into the future to gauge and guide the possible consequences of our actions. Ultimately, we have right now; and you are well aware of how long journeys are made of single steps, each one made in its time.
Speaking of time, there are a couple other astrological aspects in effect at this time, as mentioned. The first I’d like to touch on happens Saturday along with the Sun-Galactic Core conjunction, quite fittingly: Mercury conjunct Pluto in Capricorn, exact at 1:56 pm EST.
Mercury conjunct Pluto relates beautifully to this idea of looking in the shadows (or the black hole) to gain awareness, and taking it with you into the light. The aspect relates to a mind that penetrates deeply and observes keenly; simply skating along the superficial levels of issues will not be satisfying this weekend. Yet this is not generally characterized as a mental tone that gets bogged down or depressed with all that delving; rather, it’s possible to use the agility offered very constructively.
That said, as with all things relating to darkness or power, there’s also the potential to act destructively. Beware of mental power struggles, such as getting so preoccupied with an idea (or something that’s missing) that you waste much of Saturday -- though the obsession should pass easily as Mercury moves along.
More importantly, stay aware of how you speak to others; particularly if you need to persuade them of something, it could be easy to come on strong. You only need to take a look at the field of Republican political candidates to get a sense of how Capricorn colors the less productive side of this conjunction: misusing power by misrepresenting oneself, misrepresenting the past, and man-handling established institutions. That could apply to the illustration of how leaders of developed nations influenced the COP21 climate summit in Paris, also.
In the end, both with those political examples and in your personal experience, a question emerges with Mercury-Pluto: Are you willing to accept what is necessary for growth and development? Remember the idea of a ripple effect and small first steps if that idea invokes anxiety for you.
Finally, because we do so much of our living, learning, growing, changing, loving and light-sharing in relationships with each other, a word about an aspect forming between Mars in Libra and Eris in Aries. These two planets, named after mythological siblings (each of whom had some anger management issues), are moving into an opposition that’s exact Sunday at 6:03 pm EST.
It can be easy to let your desires -- whether for acknowledgement, sex a certain way, an equal say, room for all parts of your identity, or something else -- hide in the shadows. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the prospect of asserting yourself. You might hurt the other person’s feelings; you might disrupt the seeming stability you’ve found or crave; you might have to reveal parts of yourself whose existence you barely admit to yourself; you might not be comfortable taking the lead; and so on.
Yet between the way Libra can compromise Mars’ ability to be direct, and the myth about Eris using covert means to express her hurt and anger over being left out (thereby causing tremendous chaos), it’s a good idea for the next few days to be extra-aware if you’re feeling at all frustrated, thwarted or passive in a relationship. Because those qualities and the current astrology could be a recipe for passive-aggressive behavior to get attention or get desires met. Since this is an opposition, you might find that you’re projecting this state onto another person, or that you’re seeing it mirrored back to you.
Either way, if some part of you is feeling left out or forgotten, remember to be direct about expressing this need. Diplomacy -- a hallmark of Mars in Libra -- is great up to a point, unless the other person is not getting the message. You don’t need to get into a power struggle or get manipulative, sneaky or overly persuasive (the Mercury-Pluto influence). Just make sure you are being clear, honest and accurate, and that you own your desires, frustrations and other feelings.
As mentioned, Pholus is in the picture. And Pholus is harmonious in aspect to both Mars and Eris, lending a hand. A little will go a long way.
This is just as true for expressing what’s missing in a relationship as it is for acting as if to hold the world together with a shared smile, or by walking instead of driving your car. You might have to reach into the dark to see what it is that wants to be brought to the light; and you might have to step from the shadows to let others see your own soul’s glow. But as we approach the longest night of the year, even a single candle can shine far and show you the way home.
