AS THE CLOCK winds down on 2019, we are in an oddly uncomfortable "tween time," that two-week period between eclipses. We are also
energetically aware of the greater significance of these days, that goes beyond a simple change of calendar year.
January
2020 marks the end of one Saturn-Pluto "synodic cycle" and the
beginning of a new one. A synodic cycle is counted from the time two
planets align until the next time they align. For example, the synodic
cycle between the Sun and Moon lasts just about 29 days. The beginning
of each new cycle, when the Sun and Moon align, is marked in our skies
by the New
Moon.
For Saturn and Pluto, the synodic cycle is much longer, lasting an average of about 35 years.
EACH TIME Saturn
and Pluto align, we experience a profound shift, usually a completion
followed by a slow building into a new phase of our lives. As the
slower-moving of the two planets, powerful Pluto is the Director of
proceedings, taking us deeply into a process of transition, of death and
rebirth. Saturn plays the role of the
Project Manager, planning and executing every step, making sure that all
occurs on schedule.
The
Saturn-Pluto cycle that is now ending began in 1982. If you were on the
planet during 1982-83, you may want to consider the changes that
occurred in your life at that time, what you learned as a result, and
how your experiences over the intervening years have perhaps been
defined by those events.
You
might also want to ponder a few other dates. Within every synodic
cycle, there are key dates when the two planets are in hard aspect to
each other. These are often very significant times, directly related to
the core issues of the cycle.
For
the Saturn-Pluto cycle that began in 1982, key dates were all of 1993
(waxing square), the last half of 2001 and the first half of 2002
(opposition), and late 2009 through most of 2010 (waning square).
ALTHOUGH
the exact alignment is still two weeks away, we are feeling its effects
very strongly now. In actuality, we have been working with its
influence in varying degrees throughout most of 2019. But, it is
definitely building to a crescendo now. No doubt you've been feeling the
stress.
There are other complicating factors, that I'll talk more about in next week's Journal – other
planets are involved when Saturn and Pluto align, and there's a
powerful Lunar Eclipse on January 10. But for this week, in addition to
doing a personal review of your experience at each phase of the
Saturn-Pluto cycle, it's perhaps most important to realize how vital
self-care and a spiritual focus are right now. These are the tools we
can use to keep us sane and healthy, and on track with our highest
potentials.
THIS WEEK
there is a strong pull into old attitudes, outdated mindsets and
perceptions of reality that keep us bound to the past. This tendency to
revert to unconscious and unproductive behaviors is emphasized when the
Sun (on Monday) and Mercury (on Friday) each aligns with the South Node.
The
South Node is a marker for traits that we are called to leave behind as
we seek our evolutionary high road. Currently in Capricorn, the South
Node represents old patterns of control, rigidity, pessimism, fear, a
lack of sensitivity, and protectionism. We will know when we have
reverted to the shadow side of Capricorn by the way we feel internally.
When we are stuck in the past, our
hearts feel constricted. Our breathing is shallow and our bellies feel
tied in knots.
THESE ARE TIMES that
call for strong spiritual discipline. This may manifest through a
deeper commitment to a meditation or mindfulness practice, but even more
importantly, we are called to maintain a spiritual perspective and
attitude throughout the more mundane activities of daily
life.
Thankfully, we
have planetary assist this week to help us in these endeavors! A
Mercury-Uranus trine on Monday can help us link our minds to the higher
mind, bringing in new insights and a higher perspective. This is the
energy of "the Eureka effect," which Wikipedia defines as "the sudden,
unexpected realization of the solution to a problem."
And,
Mars enters expansive Sagittarius on Friday, helping us take steps to
realize our ideals. We can feel more restless with this placement of
Mars, since Sagittarius does not like to be contained. The Mars-Chiron
trine that perfects on Sunday builds self-confidence, encouraging us to
risk the unknowns of new adventures – whether they be in the physical world or in spiritual realms.
Mars
will be in optimistic, visionary Sagittarius until February 16. The Red
Planet may very well be just the lucky talisman needed to help us move
beyond places where we currently feel stuck.
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