Perrie’s Planetarium – Winter Solstice 2009

Midlife Skyhints with Astrologer Joyce Mason

Welcome to Perrie’s Planetarium! We’ll have a lot of fun here, four times a year, learning how we relate to everything and everyone under the stars. I’ll take extra time in this first post to share how Perrie’s Planetarium works. If you’re already acquainted with some of the information below, skip right to General Sky and Your Winter Outlook.

The sky’s a big mirror, great for self-reflection and helping you stay in harmony with life’s cycles and natural timing. Astrology can help you laugh at yourself, too—essential for fulfillment, especially once we’re “of a certain age.” There’s nothing like knowing the pitfalls of your astrological make-up. A little astrology will bring you wisdom and beauty from the inside out.  No Botox or facelift needed.  It lifts your spirits!

Solstices and Equinoxes. I’ll be scoping out these starry reflections with you at the solstices and equinoxes, the thresholds when the seasons change.  At the summer and winter solstices, light is at its brightest and dimmest, represented by the longest and shortest days of the year. At the spring and autumn equinoxes, night and day are of equal length. That’s the source of the word equinox. Each new season is about light shifting and nature changing. What better times to find out how sky illuminates human nature, too.

Winter.  To give you a jumpstart to the 2010 calendar New Year, we’re beginning this new feature near Winter Solstice 2009. Let’s talk about winter—what it’s good for, what to avoid, and how to do the dance of harmony with the seasons that leads to personal balance and happiness. 

But first a word about our Gregorian calendar.  I’m afraid the word is unnatural. Our current calendar is based on arithmetic rather than the phases of the moon. Because of it, we’ve lived off-cycle with nature for nearly 500 years.

It’s hard to keep New Year’s resolutions because we make them at the wrong time of year. The “natural” New Year is at Spring Equinox, the third week of March. Winter is for hibernation, rest and relaxation. It’s a time for inner reflection and recharging your batteries.  In winter, we need to downshift from full-tilt and use low or second gear.

Set aside winter for reflective activities and a general slowdown. You’ll have a much more successful spring of new creations and accomplishments. You wouldn’t plant roses in winter in a cold climate. Planting resolutions on January 1 is the same thing. No wonder they often die.

Sun Signs. A complete astrological chart shows the sky patterns at your moment of birth. A personal horoscope is like an exclusive fingerprint, a map of your unique personality and gifts.

To get a taste of how the shifting skies affect you without having a private consultation with an astrologer, the position of the Sun at your birth is what we use. The Sun reflects who you are without any outside influences—you being yourself in purest form. Understanding astrology starts with learning the twelve Sun signs. You probably already having an inkling of how the month and season you were born influence you. Now you’ll have a chance to learn more. Grab your telescope and let’s get started!

General Sky: Winter Solstice 2009

You’re part of the celestial dance! When we relate repetitive challenges like relationship snags or computer glitches to natural cycles seen in star patterns, they seem less personal and not nearly as annoying.  Here are the some of the key astrological influences in this winter’s sky:

Mercury Retrograde. Santa gives us a late “gift” as Mercury goes Retrograde December 26 through January 13.  Mercury rules the mind, thinking, and commerce. Astrologers usually advise you to avoid signing contracts or making important decisions like starting a business, marriage, or any important project during this time. Communications snafus (misunderstandings) and equipment glitches increase in frequency (computers, cell phones), and short journeys can be delayed. The upside: Mercury Retro is good for anything with “re” in front of it—rethinking, reconsidering, or recycling. Many problems with the retrograde cycle come from our insistence on speed. We live on overdrive. Like winter, Mercury Retrograde is an inward cycle for going back over things. Mercury Retro pairs well with early winter—that’s the gift! If winter is second gear, Mercury Retrograde is reverse. This sky hint couldn’t be more literal. Mercury appears to move backwards.  That’s what retrograde means!  One-step backwards before our first steps forward into the New Year and new decade.

Saturn/Uranus Opposition.  Two planets with completely opposite characteristics have been further stressing their differences by their current position opposite each other in the sky. Saturn rules order, institutions, “the establishment,” and the way things always have been done.  Uranus is its complementary energy—rebellion, progress, freedom, creative genius, and reform. These planets and principles have been opposing each other since November 2008 and continue through July 2010. Think of your own struggles with these two forces of late. We’re all being called to look at our position on the teeter-totter of Stasis and Change.

In this Dance of Opposition, we tend to project the opposite energy we are currently “playing” on others.  If someone is asking for more change than you can handle comfortably, you’ll likely dig in your heels and become unmovable, maybe even stuck—or vice versa if you’re the change agent.  When we find our own balance between these two extremes, we’ll have less conflict with others.

Cardinal T-Square. Nope, it’s not a character from a Dan Brown thriller! No holy man in a red hat or a baseball team, a Cardinal T-square is a pattern of planets aligned like a T-shaped drafting ruler in the sky. This one involves four planets: Saturn, Uranus, Pluto and Jupiter.  Two are already in—and one’s about to move into—the “cardinal” signs of Aries, Libra, and Capricorn. 

Many people consider this a “heavy” line-up, but I’ll always remind you: Any planetary energy has a continuum of expression from dark to light.  What we make of them is our creation as individuals and collectively as society. Planets in T-square are akin to people with differing politics that make strange bedfellows. Yet the tension releases powerful accomplishment. Martha Stewart and Oprah both have T-squares in their charts.

The Cardinals herald new beginnings. Pluto in Capricorn reflects the economic downturn.  Saturn and Uranus in opposition ask for carefully considered progress. Jupiter can bring either fortune or “too much” of something in a less than pleasant way, depending on how we view excess.  Right now, excess has been quite the villain in the world economic scenario. Turnaround may take time, but we have a chance for fundamental change in our institutions and fortunes if we embrace the new with the wisdom gained from the old. Hope out of hardship.

Your Winter Outlook

We’ll look at what’s happening in your sign for an entire season—the overall themes of your winter. Some cycles will linger into the next season and will be noted as a continued trend next time, as well as what’s new. Dates for each sign, based on your day of birth, are approximate, as they shift slightly each year in our calendar system. Sun signs cover a considerable expanse of sky. There are often different influences on those born in the first compared to second half of the sign. I’ll comment on any distinctions, but the last theme in italics for each sign applies to all Capricorns, Aquarians, and so on. 

A special note to those born in the middle of a sign: Read both the first and second-half outlook. Think of the waxing and waning of the Moon.  You are waxing out of the influences of the first half and into the influences of the second half of your sign. 

Capricorn, the Goat (December 21 – January 18).  You are the star of the Winter Solstice! The Sun’s shift into your sign signals the beginning of the season. Early Caps are getting a course from Pluto on how to navigate an inner earthquake of evolution. You’re experiencing the death of who you used to be. You may feel disoriented, wondering who you’re going to be next.  Saturn is also pressuring you to rethink how you relate to others.  You’re up to it!  You love to organize and reorganize. It will be unique to apply this renovation to yourself instead of your job or other projects. Use your characteristic Capricorn caution on New Year’s Eve. The Full Moon Lunar Eclipse could spark conflicts or words you can’t take back.

Second half of the sign: You’re contending with Uranus, that master of rebellion, but in an easygoing way.  Late Caps are ready to throw over being stuck in their ways.  Go out and do something crazy and uncharacteristic of you! Take a winter vacation somewhere exotic and don’t leave a phone number. (I know how Caps love to work, but it’s time to learn to play!)  Catchphrase for Caps: Ride the waves of change to higher ground.

Aquarius, the Water Bearer (January 19 – February 17). Winter is a time to look at what you truly value. If you’ve been caught up in everyday life and demands, use Mercury Retrograde to reconsider if your money and heart are in the right place—together. That goes for your time and energy, too.  Saturn helps first-half Aquarians put your ducks all in a row when it comes to aligning values with materiality. 

Second half Aquarians: There’s more action on your end of the sign as Mars Retrograde opposes your Sun and perhaps brings up old conflicts, scars, and ways of tackling things. Do they still work? If not, discard and regroup. Venus will help you do this with heart. The real force for later Water Bearers is the conjunction of Chiron, Neptune, and Jupiter in your Sun’s sector, joined by the Moon at the Solstice.  Healings, feelings, inspiration, a pull into the unknown, and “the quest” electrify your already high-voltage nature. This is a lot of juice, and while it can lead to stunning personal breakthroughs, you have to ground the charge or risk frying your energy field. What’s up for you is to learn who you are in the context of many others. How do your unique talents and personality serve your church, office, clubs, or any organizations you’re part of? Are the other members open to receiving your true gifts and inspiration? Are you getting as much as you’re giving?  If not, it may be time to move on or rework your relationships to these groups till they flow better for you. Motto: What’s it worth, and does it work?

Pisces, the Fish (February 18 – March 19)   If you were born in the first half of Pisces, you may feel like your communications skills are “off” this winter. Mercury Retrograde may make matters worse. It’s temporary! Saturn is reprogramming you to have better relationships and word flow. When tongue tied, call up your non-verbal skills, among the best in the zodiac! Express yourself to a loved one with your eyes or touch. Your ultimate lesson will be translating the shapeless language of your open mind and feelings to a tongue spoken here on Earth. As a Pisces, you live in another world that’s more airy and formless.  Your temporary communications challenge allows you to walk a mile in the shoes of others who don’t speak your language. As Saturn helps you put things into form, you’ll begin to form words that convey your most heart-felt ideas and feelings.

Second half Pisces: You’re feeling Uranus jolt your waters and snap you to attention.  Short trips could bring startling results, and you’ll likely learn surprising things from the media, neighbors, or siblings.  These all contribute to awakenings that have the power to set off a divine domino effect of positive change.  Winter Fish phrase: News is getting through to you.

Aries, the Ram (March 20 – April 18)   Rams born during the last week of March are feeling Pluto’s demand for major growth.  This invitation can be a shake-up or a deep acceptance of an emerging New You. It will be minimally difficult—maybe even fun!—if you’re willing to surrender to big changes.  Relationship issues will dominate those born during the first half of the sign and dominate is a key word. Aries is often Me First. Arguments and quarrels during Mercury Retrograde will bring the epiphany that relating is an “us” thing, not a “me” thing.  If you’ve been inconsiderate, you’ll see it boomerang back to you for clean up, especially with family.

Mid-sign Rams may be in the mood to howl on the New Year’s Eve Full Moon Lunar Eclipse, especially those born on or about March 31/April 1. Since you are already impulsive by nature, be careful not to over-do it in your revels. With your proneness toward head injury, you might also get a whopping hangover headache if you over-indulge. Born in the last half of the sign? You’ll have many opportunities for healing, inspiration, and broadening your horizons, if you put effort into win-win solutions. When you consider everyone’s needs, good things come to you—abundantly. Ram motto for this winter: “It’s better to give than receive.”

Taurus, the Bull (April 19 – May 19).  Born in the first half of Bull? You have the chance for unexpected change, maybe even mastery of relationship issues this season. It will take adjustment on your part, but if there’s something you’ve left unsaid or undone, the New Year’s Eve Full Moon Lunar Eclipse can help you get the nerve to take that first step or say that first “sorry” or “I love you.”  The season culminates with the Moon in your sign—whip cream on a dessert of sweeter connections!

Second half of the sign: Look for amusing aha’s during the “After Christmas Hail” of Mercury Retrograde. Remember the old Monopoly card, Bank error in your favor? You might find flub-ups contain blessings in disguise. If you approach this glitchy time with humor and the recommended willingness to slow down, a prescription usually not difficult for the “plodding” Taurus to fill.  May-born Tauruses may find opportunities for help in ways their practical nature doesn’t usually approve of. Alternative or complementary forms of healing may lead to major breakthroughs. You can also open your inner intuitive powers, if you can get past your need to see or touch what’s “real.”  You are in a period of growth that could involve creativity, travel, spirituality, and getting unstuck from emotional blockages.  But the old methods won’t work.  Time to change your mind and MO.

Gemini, the Twins (May 20-June 20).  Gems would do well to be less in their heads and take better care of health and body this season. If you were born during the first week of Gemini, you have a golden opportunity now for positive help from Saturn.  He can help you reorganize your life. It’ll be easy to throw out what doesn’t work and set new foundations and structures for yourself.  This applies especially to love, while Saturn travels through the relationship sign of Libra, another “air” sign like Gemini.  It’s all about communication for Gems, but now you can get through in a way that makes partnerships hum. 

Mid-to-late Gems: You have opportunities that involve applying yourself.  Areas where you can grow include overcoming any personal addictions or compulsions. Creativity can flow through your fingertips, and it’s a time that’s friendly to publishing, all things spiritual, and higher learning.  The brass ring won’t come to you, though.  You’ve got to go out and find the Carousel of Opportunity. Out with the old, in with the new.

Cancer, the Crab or Moon Child (June 21 – July 21). Early Cancer is challenged to grow or circumstances may force the issue. Pack your sense of humor for the ride! Pluto is opposite your sign, making the shake-ups likely through relationships, usually with family members or in close family-like relationships. There could also be an abrupt U-turn in career. It’s hard for Cancers, especially female Cancers, to relinquish their mothering or primary nurturing role.  At midlife, it’s time to move from (s)mothering to the grooviest part of “grand”parenting—passing on wisdom. Early Moon Children are also challenged by Saturn, and Pluto and Saturn in combo can be like a tsunami to your water sign if you don’t batten the hatches. Prescription? Jump into your lifeboat in the form of whatever makes you feel safely contained. Say this mantra: “I flow with the high tide of extreme makeover.”  Cancers born on or near July 1-2 could feel a little loony on the Full Moon Eclipse January 31. Don’t be bowled over when the Full Moon and your Cancer Sun come together for a knockout, New Year’s Eve kiss.

Second half of the sign: Sharpen your playful comebacks during Mercury Retrograde and watch your temper, if communications go haywire. If you work on the recommended “re”-things like reviewing your life and focus, you’ll be prepped for my next news.  Readjustment figures prominently for you now and could be silver-lined. Areas where it’s likely to occur are philosophy or spirituality, continuing education (as specific as a second degree or as general as traveling to learn more about other cultures), and the sensitive side of life—music, art, intuitive inklings, and dreams. Be prepared to have life turned on its ear by stunning epiphanies. You’ll see what counts toward your future happiness in a flash. (Maybe even a hot flash!)  Welcome to a whole new world of possibilities.

Leo (July 22 – August 21 ). Early Leos: Modifications and fine-tuning of your sunny, Leo persona are on the agenda. You are deeper than usual, concerned with the mysteries of life. You might turn profoundly spiritual as you discover the shadow of your Sun-ruled sign and the power of darkness. The dark of winter is the perfect cave for this self-discovery!  You may find yourself dealing with others’ money, perhaps an inheritance or unexpected discovery of something valuable from the past. Retrograde Mars can be inner-energizing as it crosses back over the first half of the sign this season. You may also find yourself recharged by things you used to do. One caution: Mars is “combat” and Mr. Misunderstanding (Mercury Retro) visits over the holidays. This combo could resurrect an old conflict with a loved one, if you’re not careful.

Second-half Leos have a lot of sparks of a different type flying as the Triple Conjunction of Chiron, Neptune, and Jupiter oppose your Sun.  Dreams, healing, and adventure pull at you, asking you to come out of yourself and find your place in the world.   Leos like to be center stage, but this is a time where fate will bring you opportunities to learn the joy of being part of an ensemble cast, doing good in the world.  The key question for Leos this winter: Where do I fit in the big picture?

Virgo (August 22 – September 21).  Early Virgos are getting a nudge rather than an elbow from Pluto to reinvent yourself. Philosophy and spirituality will likely help most to reorient you. It’s a good time for reading on these topics or taking classes. Virgos are creatures of habit and very mental. They must “change their mind” before they can change anything else.

Second half Virgos may experience physical or spiritual crises. (Aren’t they one in the same for Virgos?) Take inventory and re-examine priorities. (Another “re” thing for the opening Mercury Retro!)  Those with birthdays in the last week of the sign are heading toward a spring in 2010 where Uranus opposes your Sun and can cause the symptoms of a midlife crisis, regardless of age. One of my favorite Windham Hill CDs is titled “Winter into Spring.”  As late Virgos make that transition, you might find yourself doing things that are unexpected, offbeat, and entirely out of character.  Roll with it.  Uranus is jolting you with change juice for your next phase of becoming all you are.  Key phrase for all Virgos: Get radical! See my article, The Radical Virgo.

Libra, The Scales (September 22 – October 22).  Dear Venus-ruled, gentle, peace-loving Libra—if you were born in the first week of the sign, hang on. Pluto is rocking your world, asking most of all that you learn to put yourself first before others. Don’t expect those calm waters you love, especially if you insist on continuing to define yourself through lovers, spouses, and anyone but yourself.  You’ve got Saturn’s influence at the same time, but in the nicest possible way.  Saturn is in your own sign of Libra, where it’s considered exalted or best placed.  You can learn volumes about bettering relationships, bringing more beauty into your life, and finding that true peace you seek …but not until you learn that the reflection you see in others is you!

Second-half Libras have some great opportunities to resolve core issues, the kind of wounding that keeps us immobilized and sabotaging ourselves. You can receive inspired direction from all kinds of sources, even psychic impressions and meaningful coincidences that appear out of nowhere. Long-standing physical issues could have some major breakthrough during what could be a wondrously therapeutic winter.  Pretend you’re one of those people you love and do unto yourself as you do unto others.  Read about The Converse Golden Rule.  This transfiguration may even lead to a change of career. The theme song for Libra: I gotta be me!

Scorpio, the Scorpion  (October 23 – November 21).  Pluto remodels all of us, more or less—eventually. As your sign’s ruler, you’re always hearing Pluto’s call. You live in his deep waters of inner change through the phoenix of feelings. Early Scorpios can take advantage of a window this winter to reinvent yourself—yet again. Your opportunities may lie in community.  What do you want to become a part of?  The often-secretive Scorpio cannot live in a cave full-time, appealing as that might be sometimes. How and where can you merge energies to create potent forces that change the world?

Born in the middle to end of Scorpio? You’re challenged do even more inner work than usual, to learn new things, and to open to your own intuitive and healing gifts. You can only be as powerful as you share with others. Scorpio’s key phrase: Discover your own mystery—and the other starring players in your drama.

Sagittarius, the Archer (November 22 – December 20).  Most of the “archery team” will enjoy a lightweight winter season without major demands from the forces of change. Early Sag can enjoy some of the benefits of better relationships, legalities, and politics—the latter being two subjects she loves to talk about—with Saturn in friendly aspect.  However, these are opportunities to cultivate; they’re not automatic.

Those born in the second-half of Sag start winter with Venus visiting your sign, planet of love and relationship, adding extra warmth to the usually toasty holiday fires.  You’ll also feel the influence of Uranus shaking up your ideas and sometimes causing erratic behavior. The reasons you’re “not yourself” may not be apparent to you for some time.  Reform is coursing through you with surges of insight. How you’ll morph into a new you is broaching your conscious awareness. It may even surface! You’ll need those insights to help you access areas of opportunity you can take advantage of, if you choose to cultivate them.  You can heal early pain and suffering and transform it into gifts to help others. You could also develop a more sensitive viewpoint toward your fellow humans, and see how you can be part of real solutions to big issues in the world.  Sag often likes to talk about how things should be. With a little effort, you can make it so! Motto: I expand myself by helping others.

A joyous winter holiday season and Happy 2010 to all!  See you in spring at our Natural New Year celebration at Perrie’s Planetarium.

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Joyce Mason has been an astrologer for 22 years and a writer ever since she could hold a pencil. Learn more about Joyce, her two blogs, and her library of articles on topics from A to Zzz (astrology to dreamwork) on her Writer Joyce Mason website. 

Want to learn more about your sign? Joyce recommends her High Signs: Living on the Upside of the Zodiac series: #1 (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer); #2 (Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio); and #3 (Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces).