Sagittarius New Moon, December 16, 2009
Winter Solstice, December 21, 2009
But we do not have to think that human nature is perfect for us to still believe that the human condition can be perfected. We do not have to live in an idealized world to still reach for those ideals that will make it a better place. The non-violence practiced by men like Gandhi and King may not have been practical or possible in every circumstance, but the love that they preached – their faith in human progress – must always be the North Star that guides us on our journey.
President Barack Obama, Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech
A very Sagittarian speech. Shoot for the Stars. Have Faith. Go on the Journey. Commit to the Quest. These are all aspects of the Sagittarian experience.
The Sagittarius New Moon occurs on Wednesday December 16, 2009 at 7:02 am EST and 4:02 am PST.
The sign of Sagittarius calls us to adventure, to expand our horizons, seek different perspectives and learn something new. It is about journeys, goals, philosophies, teaching and higher learning, as well as storytelling and cosmic law. After the re-birth out of the depths of Scorpio, Sagittarius offers us the possibilities of open vistas, penetrating insight and deep meaning in our lives.
Sagittarius and its ruling planet, Jupiter, offer us faith and hope in the Truth of the cosmic laws of Life. That’s why Sagittarius also rules our religious beliefs, because the great religions of the world are meant to teach the eternal truths of the Spirit. It is up to each of us to look at ourselves and see if we are living those truths.
For the first time this year, all the planets have been moving in forward motion. These weeks before and after the Winter Solstice are full of positive energy which we can use to plant a new seed of consciousness at this New Moon. All New Moons are beginning times, and this New Moon highlights a new beginning for our beliefs.
At this time of year, we need to check-in with ourselves to see if our beliefs still serve our life’s purpose. In this quiet time before the Solstice, as the darkness grows to its deepest depth, we need to take stock of our lives and our beliefs. Sometimes we forget that it is our values and dearest beliefs that give us the courage and will to live. During the Sun’s journey through Sagittarius, we get to examine our beliefs and re-center ourselves around them.
With the current economic fiasco affecting so many people’s lives, it becomes imperative for us to look at our underlying beliefs and see which ones no longer serve us, either individually or collectively. It is when we feel that our life is falling apart around us that we especially need to know what we believe in. What we have faith in.
It appears we are all being called upon to go on a collective Hero’s journey. The hero is called to the journey when something in the tribe or the kingdom is out of balance. The hero/ine is the only one who has the courage to answer the call, to make a change, to go into the Unknown to bring back what is missing, the thing that will restore health and viability to the collective.
Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, is concerned with myths and storytelling, because the myths contain the structure of cosmic law. We are being called to the Hero’s Journey because the old king (patriarchal culture) is dying. With Pluto going through Capricorn, the Cosmic Story is letting us know – the Old King needs to die!
The patriarchy is that old king, and it is no longer a viable system of life, for we are ready to grow up and become adults. We no longer need to ask the Father’s permission, nor do we need his rules, which are biased toward the masculine values of power and domination above the feminine values of love and cooperation. In the coming years, perhaps even decades, we can create a truly equal and peaceful society. But it all depends on what we do now with the life we’ve been given.
The question is, do we send off the best and bravest to get the healing elixir to prop up the old king, or do we get the elixir but let the old king die so the new king and queen (a new society) can use the elixir to heal their people and the land. It is our choice.
We are living in mythic times. Whether you believe that we are starting a new 26,000 year great cycle or not, we are living in a time when we have to make serious changes in the way we relate to our world. The energy of the 60s is back, with Saturn in Libra squaring Pluto in Capricorn squaring Uranus soon to be in Aries. Do we use our remarkable creativity and imagination to keep the old king propped up, or do we let him die so new life and a new philosophy about life can emerge? This configuration poises the question: Can you make a unique contribution to society by acting responsibly to your neighbor, to your partner, to your fellow citizens?
The old king (patriarchal corporations and governments) won’t give up power readily – you can see the reactionary energies at play already. We need a new story, because the old story is fighting back. The old king does not want to die. And yet, all mythologies tell us that the more the old king tries to stay in power, the stronger becomes the resistance. Death and change are inevitable parts of life, and as we approach the Winter Solstice, the need to let go of what is dead will become more urgent. Let the old king who rules through fear and desire go, so that the Divine Child of Light can be born within each of you this Winter Solstice.
That Divine Child wants you to live up to your full spiritual potential. Perhaps you will change your perspective so your beliefs can change. You might find yourself open to Wisdom. Perhaps you are called upon to bring fertility and beauty to the world. Or you are a creative voice, a bard who will open people’s hearts to peace and compassion. Perhaps you are a healer, someone who knows animals or people so intuitively that you help them despite the medical establishment. You might be needed to contribute your vision and abilities to your community. Wherever you feel the pull is where you need to be.
Be a visionary – use this time to peer into the darkness and seek a new vision of your future. Sagittarius says: have a different mind, a different perspective, a different understanding of life. What aspects of your life are falling away or dying? Which parts hold deep meaning for you? How does your philosophy of life need to change? Once you let go of your old limiting beliefs, this Sagittarius New Moon can help you find new beliefs to take their place.
This New Moon squares inventive Uranus in Pisces (A ‘materializing’ medium giving a séance.), shaking us out of our complacency and opening us to not only chaos but creativity. ‘Tis the season for surprises! Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, just had its 3rd conjunction with Chiron, the wounded healer, on December 7 at 22* Aquarius (A rug is placed on the floor of a nursery to allow children to play in comfort and warmth.) and will meet up again with Neptune, the power of the collective unconscious and the creative imagination on December 21 at 25* Aquarius (A butterfly with the right wing more perfectly formed.).
These Aquarian planets are sextile this New Moon, forming an open mental channel for this inclusive healing vision to flow to us. We are assured that we will be safe and warm even in the midst of strangeness, for our right-brain is wired to see the Unseen. Open to it, look for dreams, and let the magic of the season flow.
Since Jupiter rules Sagittarius, and Chiron is the centaur who became the constellation of Sagittarius, this alignment with the source of the creative imagination offers us a life-changing vision for the future. It’s interesting that the Climate Change conference, which wants to re-shape how we live and do business, is taking place now.
Mars the warrior is also involved in this New Moon. Mars in Leo is slowing down to turn retrograde on December 20 at 20* Leo (Zuni Indians perform a ritual to the Sun), adding its passionate creative fire to the seeding of the New Moon. Mars retrogrades every 26 months and will be in the sign of Leo for almost 8 months instead of its usual 6 weeks. While in this sign that fosters the individuation process, creativity and personal expression, Mars can help us re-assess our personal goals, determine new strategies and re-align ourselves with our hearts.
While Mars doesn’t oppose the Aquarian planets yet, it comes close enough to pick up their energy, and will most probably spend time taking a look at the new Aquarian vision while it retrogrades back through Leo until March 11, 2010. Perhaps then you will have an idea of how to implement a plan to achieve that vision as Mars comes back through Leo and opposes the Aquarius conjunction degrees next June.
Mars puts us all on that collective Hero’s journey, especially those of us with Pluto in Leo. Mars will go over our Pluto sometime in the next 6 months, and that is the time to pay attention. That’s when desire and evolutionary impulses will be in synch. That’s when to watch for dreams, visions and synchronicities that point us to our personal purpose.
We don’t know what the next years will bring us. We do know, however, that our over-the-top consumer society isn’t viable anymore. So life will change. How it changes is up to us. Each of us has to go on the Hero’s Journey and reclaim our part in it. Will we let big business and government continue to create our social contracts and visions, or will we the people step forward and bring a new vision of life to the world and create a new kind of society – a society and a culture that inspires individual freedom and creativity as well as creating community, caring and peace for each of us.
We are all journeying through life. It is always the Sagittarius New Moon that calls us to look for meaning and purpose in life, to re-discover our philosophy of life. This is an especially good year to do it, since the New Moon falls within a few degrees of the Galactic Center. The Galactic Center is a gigantic black hole, constantly emitting vast amounts of energy which affect the electromagnetic fields of the Earth and its inhabitants. This energy is the evolutionary energy for the whole galaxy. Maybe there are other planets with other beings, which are being tested as we are. Perhaps we are all receiving our instructions for evolution.
This Winter Solstice begins when the Sun enters Capricorn on December 21 (12;47pm EST/9:47am PST). It is a call for us to open up to new ideas and new energies, which are flowing to us, impregnating us if we open to them. So dream a little dream with me. And have a blessed Winter Solstice!
On December 24, the Sun joins Pluto in Capricorn and then on December 25, it squares Saturn in Libra. These energies can be harsh, but they can also inspire us to act for the highest good. So be responsible for your feelings and your attitude toward others and know the true blessings of Christmas in your heart – that you too are the Divine Child of Light.
Oh, and Mercury goes retrograde on December 26!
The Sabian symbol for 25* Sagittarius is: A chubby boy on a hobbyhorse. This image concerns the power of play as a vehicle for grounding the imagination into this reality. It also speaks to the power of the imagination to prepare us for the future. The horse is a symbol of power and movement through space and time. Dane Rudhyar speaks of the ‘anticipatory enjoyment of powers one can only as yet dream of utilizing.’ So this New Moon, PLAY with the imagination. Play with your future. Nothing is set in stone.
The Winter Solstice season is a magical time out of time, a great time for divination, to see how the next year will unfold. If you are a dreamer, you can record your dreams from Christmas to Epiphany (the 12 Days of Christmas) and they will offer you a glimpse of each astrological month in the year ahead. (Christmas=Aries, Epiphany/January 6=Pisces)
And you can set up an appointment with me, and we’ll explore the coming year together. One thing is certain: next year will call on you to step up your game. Let me know if I can help.
Cathy Pagano