It is the season of the birth of the Sun: the coming back and bringing into fructification those seeds and plants needing Sun energy for their growth and expression ~ but it is more than that, because behind the Sun, as behind every single body, there is spirit, there is life, and there is intelligence. ~ Robert Crosbie

The Solstice on December 21st ushers us into Yuletide, the Season of light which lasts through the New Year. December 21st is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, when the Sun appears to stand still. For those who pay obeisance to the natural order of the world, the Winter Solstice is a special time of year. It is traditionally seen as a waking time of heart and spirit for those of us residing in the north. After this day, the Sun will pause and then gradually make its way back North again, bringing the return of the light. In the darkness before the dawn, we are confronted with our own soul’s journey, searching for that ephemeral light, either externally with the return of the Sun, or internally with our own sacred path. 

Whether we seek this light through ritual, religion, community, prayer, parties, holiday lights, candles, love and embracing the wonders of nature: this time of year also symbolizes hope for renewal, for rebirth, for the light of wisdom. 

This year the Solstice is then followed by a wondrous Solar Eclipse on December 26th. Solar Eclipses occur at the New Moon when the Sun, Moon and the Earth are in such an alignment that the Moon slips between the Earth and the Sun occulting its light. This is an annular Solar Eclipse, meaning that the Moon appears to be not quite large enough to eclipse the full light of the Sun, creating a ring (annulus) or halo about the Moon where the Eclipse will be visible (Qatar, Saudi Arabia, India, UAE, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore). For those of you who are fortunate enough to see the eclipse, its effects are said to be that much more powerful, although I am sure the influence of the upcoming eclipses will be noticed by many. 

This Eclipse falls in the sign of Capricorn, a sign of stability and gradual growth. What makes this Eclipse so wondrous is its proximity to Jupiter, a planet traditionally associated with luck and expansion. It is made all the more interesting by a separating square to Chiron and trine to Uranus in Taurus. It particularly highlights the Jupiter/Uranus trine which was exact last week. This is a fortuitous transit associated with innovation, freedom and hope for something better. Jupiter/Uranus bring the desire to test your wings and branch out in a new direction. By challenging yourself to see things through a new lens you then allow all sorts of changes to evolve. It could even happen that in some area of your life, you will never see things quite the same again. 

New Moons are times in which it is propitious to plant new seeds of potential, to sow intentions and affirmations, or even make some early resolutions. All the more so with an eclipse, and even more so when conjoined with expansive Jupiter. The Jupiter/Uranus transit further invests the Eclipse with this potential for adventure, a desire to grow and expand our opportunities, and the boldness to hope for something better. 

As a reminder from last week, some of the things associated with the Jupiter/Uranus cycle are: 

• Removing the obstacles that stand in the way of your dreams

• Releasing limited conceptions and conventions that bind you

• Seeing hope where previously you saw only challenges

• Embarking on an exciting adventure

• Opportunities to expand your consciousness and the way you view the world

• Innovative ideas, that free up our lives in some way

• Something that adds a new dimension to your life. 

• An opportunity to broaden your horizons.

If you wish to make intentions with the Eclipse New Moon, it is best to do so after the New Moon which occurs on December 26th (12:18 AM EST; 5:18 AM Universal Time) or December 25th (9:18 PM PST) on the west coast of the United States. Some prefer to wait until they can see a sliver of a Moon just beginning to show. I prefer to do so during the New Moon phase which lasts until December 29th. I also suggest writing out your intentions by hand if you are able, as there is a distinct relationship between the hand and the mind. Once you have written these out, there are various ways of investing these: you can save your monthly intentions in a small notebook, or fold them and place them in a safe place or box. Some say they like to place them under their pillow until the Full Moon (which is a Lunar Eclipse this year!), or burn them and then release them. 

Coming so close to both the Solstice and the New Year, this is an ideal time to make our New Year’s Resolutions for 2020. In addition to the Jupiter/Uranus themed intentions listed above, some Capricorn ideas to think about with the Solar Eclipse might be: 

Improvement: What are the areas of your life where you would like to see some improvement or growth? Capricorn is a sign of slow, but deliberate growth. Having a plan, and creating a strategy are key for this sign. Where do you see yourself heading 1 year from now? What would you like to see accomplished in the next year? 

Self-improvement: One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight, exercise more, or be healthier. Ideally, positive affirmations and resolutions are more likely to gain ground. But one advantage to making resolutions during Capricorn season, is that this is a sign of discipline, organization and determination. Think in terms of what is realistically and rationally achievable, and then set your goals and follow through with them. Another key to Capricorn is that slow and steady wins the race. It’s more about lifestyle changes that you know you can live with, rather than imposing unrealistic expectations or limitations that are doomed to fail before they even begin. 

Planning: As mentioned having a strategy and a plan are key for Capricorn. That includes learning how to manage your time, organize your priorities, and having the foresight to know when is the best time to launch any new initiatives in the upcoming year. 

Commitments: What do you see yourself committing to in 2020? What would you like more of in your life? What would you like less of? Sometimes those things that we take for granted, that are right there before our very eyes, are the very things that will bring us the most happiness and rewards. That is one of the secrets to working with Jupiter in Capricorn, is the humility to honor the small things as well as the grand, recognizing that it is the small steps that lead us where we eventually want to go. 

Learn a new skill, or try something new: Jupiter wants us to grow and expand our vision in some sort of illuminating way. May we all dare to make our world just that much bigger and brighter in some meaningful, and exciting way.