Closing arguments
Dates and times are given for U.S. Pacific Time zone. Click them to see the date and time where you are.
Mowing the lawn
As part of its closing argument in Sagittarius, the Sun makes a trine to Uranus in Aries (Dec. 20, 8:21 am) on the Sabian Symbol 29 Sagittarius, “A fat boy mowing the lawn.” Since the Sun entered Sagittarius on Nov. 22, we have indulged, and perhaps overindulged; and aspects involving Uranus always indicate that a change of habit or routine is in order. So if your credit card is developing skid marks and you’ve been overdoing it with sugar and rich food, it’s probably time to cut back. If, on the other hand, you’ve been keeping a very tight reign on spending and other indulgences, this transit may be a signal for you to loosen up for a few days. Occasionally it may be necessary to take a mini-vacation from self-control in order to stay on track over the long haul.
“Like a snake sheds its skin, we are capable of getting rid of assembled habits, creating space to call matters into question.” – Erik Pevernagie, Man without Qualities
The goddess of opportunity
The Capricorn Solstice (Dec. 21, 2:23 pm) ushers in winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer for our friends in the Southern Hemisphere. The charts for the moments each year when the Sun enters the cardinal signs—Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn—are called ingress charts, considered by astrologers to describe the three-month period ahead. This year’s Capricorn ingress falls on one of the most astrologically busy days of this week, with transits that will continue to be important for the next quarter of a year.
Of great significance in any ingress chart is the Sun’s house position (which depends on the place for which you cast the chart) and its aspects to other planets. The Sun’s wide conjunction with Saturn in the Capricorn ingress argues for New Year’s resolutions that are practical and realistic; be prepared to roll up your sleeves and bring some elbow grease to the table. This is good advice despite Mercury’s conjunction with Jupiter (Dec. 21, 9:37 am) on the Sabian Symbol for 10 Sagittarius, “A golden-haired goddess of opportunity.” Auspicious indeed, particularly for those of us in Mercurial professions such as writing, research, communication, and commerce. But note the key word here, which is “opportunity.” The golden-haired goddess is offering something beneficial, but you’ll need to put in some effort in order to take advantage of it!
“I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it” – Thomas Jefferson
The ingress chart also features a lyrical trine between Venus and Neptune (Dec. 21, 9:11 am), at the same degrees of the Sun/Neptune trine on November 5, which may not be a coincidence. This is an enchanting planetary combination through which Venus’s gifts of beauty (good looks, artistic talents of all stripes) may be woven into a potent tapestry of imagination and poignancy. Artistic leanings are often found in people who are born with this aspect, and the next few months should be particularly rich in artistic inspiration, much of it drawn from key themes and events of the past five weeks. Whether or not you consider yourself particularly artistic, know that each of us is, in our own way. So salute the solstice creatively and artistically; sketch in front of the fire, get started on your holiday baking, or write an elaborate year-end newsletter to email to your loved ones.
“Write it. Shoot it. Publish it. Crochet it, sauté it, whatever. MAKE.” ―
Mercury makes a square to Neptune (Dec. 24, 4:32 pm) at 14 Sagittarius, the same degree where it stationed retrograde on November 16. This is an opportunity to review what we really learned during Mercury’s recent retrograde period, and to separate reality from illusion. Mercury’s retrograde period has become popularized in recent years, and it’s fashionable to blame it for everything from lost car keys to traveling mishaps. But its real message is about the value of occasionally stepping out of frantic, schedule-driven time and surrendering to the full experience of the present. The Sabian Symbols for Mercury and Neptune’s degrees on this date inspired the collage below of a woman in a fur collared coat, posing in front of the sphinx; has she absorbed its mysteries, its majesty, its secrets? Or is it just another stamp in her passport, an experience for the sake of experience?
“Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.” ―
©2018 April Elliott Kent
Prepare for 2019…
