Goodbye 2020 and hello 2021.
Ahhhhh … that is the sound of our collective sigh of relief as the Jupiter Pluto conjunction of 2020 comes to an end, and our shoulders start to return to their normal position.
Pluto symbolises the unconscious forces that motivate us, the courage we need to face our shadow side, also to face the dark side of the sign he is travelling through, which has been Capricorn for the last decade. The higher side of Capricorn symbolises integrity, being steadfast and supportive; the dark side speaks of ruthless ambition, restriction and control. We have all seen this dark side playing out, giving us opportunities to face the lessons that Pluto is challenging us to work with, both collectively and personally - if we have the courage to step up to the plate.
Pluto’s fellow travellers through Capricorn, Jupiter and Saturn, both move into Aquarius during December reducing the emphasis on Capricornian control. Aquarian energy is much more compassionate, its focus more aligned with serving humanity, hence our instinctive sigh of relief ... but more on that later.
Late November to mid-December is Eclipse season, times when the Sun, Moon and Earth come together, and so they symbolise the play of light and dark. Their effects can sometimes be subtle, and sometimes not so subtle; our dramas can be stirred up to the point where we have to make changes, or move on to something new. In this way they are release points ... what held us back in the past does so no longer.
Eclipses are pattern setting times when we are invited to focus on what we want to do, and then do that on the days around the eclipse. This ingrains the new pattern in our energy field, but we must make sure to do what we love, because the eclipse sustains that energy until at least the next set of eclipses begin in May ‘21.
The influence of the eclipses becomes much more noticeable if you have personal planets around those degrees, as is the case with all planetary events. With the Lunar eclipse, pay attention to your intuition, to the quiet voice of guidance that speaks more softly than the voice of the mind, which clamours for attention. The effect of Lunar eclipses is felt deep in our emotions, whereas Solar eclipses are more physical and can make you feel quite drained.
When the Sun changes signs at the Winter Solstice, a new background colour is introduced into our days. The light is changing. In the Northern Hemisphere it is returning, with the glorious promise that Spring will surely follow. A beautiful Full Moon in Cancer on 30th December is our bookend to the year. How healing to have this nurturing energy surround us from the first Full Moon in Cancer in January, and as the final message as this challenging year draws to a close. Two bookends that speak of nurture and love.
Our path ahead becomes clearer as the light returns, and we are invited to let go of anything that stands in the way of what we want to create or achieve. This Full Moon teaches us that ebb and flow both have their place in our lives. Our emotions may fluctuate as she shines her light on them, being high one minute then low the next. Things that we have suppressed, were unwilling to see, or have been avoiding, will come to the surface and present us with opportunities to create the changes that need to happen.
This nurturing Full Moon reminds us to take care of our heart and soul, to focus on nurturing ourselves. Take time to identify what needs to change in your life, or to be released, and ponder how this can be achieved ... and don’t be surprised if a few tears are shed in the process, tears are healing from the Moon.
Take a few precious moments to look up into the sky with gratitude on 30th December, light a candle if it is too cloudy to see her, and reflect on her gentle teaching that true happiness can never come from outside yourself, only from within. Listen to her promptings, to receive her healing, to nurture the love and kindness in your heart, and to give thanks for all that makes your heart sing.
As mentioned earlier, in mid-December Jupiter and Saturn are about to shed their Capricornian cloaks and don the mantle of Aquarius.
They make this move within a few days of each other, and to do so they both travel through the 29th degree of Capricorn, a degree that holds a sense of urgency, of standing on the threshold of something new. This feeling will increase as they close to their conjunction at 0° of Aquarius, which is another sensitive point noted for giving planets added strength. This is a one-off meeting, so does not have the long impact of transits such as three times conjunction of Jupiter and Pluto during 2020.
As with all configurations, this combination of energies has the potential to affect us in different ways. These two planets have polar opposite natures: if you are driving a car then Jupiter is the accelerator and Saturn is the brake! Jupiter urges you to go, go, go, Saturn urges you to take care. If we view this combination negatively, we can feel the frustration of putting in lots of effort and getting nowhere. Viewed from a higher perspective we can take all the potential for growth, forward movement, and expansion of Jupiter and add it to the caution, responsibility and seriousness of Saturn. The image here is of balance scales, the image of justice, the Statue of Liberty – the potential for perfect balance. Both planets offer us great teachings, and ask us to learn well.
Jupiter symbolises ease, opportunity, doors opening – but please note that not all doorways are good for us to go through! Jupiter illuminates our talents and abilities, and rather than employing them in ruthlessly ambitious Capricornian ways, we each have opportunities now to use them in service to the greater good, in true Aquarian style. Saturn is the great teacher, particularly in terms of our life lessons, and he will be inviting us to be conscious of what life lessons we have learned during his passage through Capricorn, and to be open to receive the teachings he has in store for us this semester in the school of Aquarius.
Freedom is a good Aquarian word, and we are more than ready to embrace it after this year’s emphasis on Capricornian constraint. Of course Aquarius has a dark side too, such as enjoying being contrary, emotionally cold, detached - and there will be a temptation for us to respond to leaving Capricorn in exactly this way – walking away from the current constraints with contrary behaviour, rebelling just for the sake of it, throwing caution to the winds. In every moment we are presented with a choice about which side of a sign we will embody; these two planets invite us to seek balance, to rise above reacting in this shadow side way.
Jupiter will bring some real opportunities, and the exhilaration of having the wind at our back, enabling us to free ourselves from traditional, but now thankfully outdated prejudices and social values, and actively create a future that is fair and just for all, and that resonates with our heart and soul.
By far the biggest planetary interaction of 2021 is a year-long square between Saturn and Uranus, the main focus points of which occur in February, June and December. Saturn is a hard taskmaster, but fear not, this is not necessarily negative. There are many things we like to do that require disciplined effort yet bear fruits that we consider to be well worth the effort. Both planets are in fixed signs, giving us both the endurance and determination to succeed in our plans, which bodes well for 2021 to be a year of lasting progress.
When Saturn and Uranus connect we have the chance to combine tradition with progress, stability with innovation, which holds the potential to be a really productive, well-balanced energy. The aspect that joins them is a square, an aspect of tension - the frustration is so great that we just can’t bear the thought of doing nothing, and so we have to take action. Although the frustration can feel really unpleasant, history shows us that we are capable of great feats when our backs are to the wall, it brings out the best in us, and sometimes our courage and tenacity surprise us. Squares make things happen because we feel there is no alternative but to master the problem, and in the process we learn that we are capable of far more than we ever imagined.
Uranus has a close affiliation with Aquarius, the sign through which Saturn is travelling. This means that he will accept Saturn’s values of safety, caution, and the careful use of resources, which are by no means his usual modus operandi. He is renowned for being rebellious, and sometimes downright shocking. Operating in his highest expression, tempered by the values of Saturn and Aquarius, Uranus will bring his considerable expertise with technology, with ‘ah ha' moments, with progressive thinking, to develop new technology and bring about far-reaching, fundamental solutions.
The choice lies with each one of us which side of these energies we embody during 2021. So, although this may inherently be a frustrating time, it holds the potential for the birth of truly, wonderfully ground-breaking achievements that benefit the whole of mankind.
May peace and love be with you
Jean
Jean Jones is a Gendai Reiki Master and Eden Energy Medicine Certified Practitioner. She is passionate about astrology, as well as loving and nurturing our small patch of Mother Earth and fellow travellers along the way. She has four grown up children, and lives in Scotland with her husband. www.health-harmony.co.uk