This morning it was very cold when I woke up: 6 degrees Fahrenheit. Since this is only my second winter in Vermont, I’m still getting used to the stillness in winter, especially when the temperature dips low. There is a quality of quiet outside that allows you to hear yourself in new and different ways. When I went to open my car door, I became mesmerized by the individual snowflakes on it and each of their infinite version of the crystalline ice structure. At this temperature, they don’t melt and compact but are perfectly preserved in the cold. The lot across from our house, which before was brown grass, has been transformed into a blanket of white ice crystals, shimmering in the streetlight.
The transformations of winter have a different quality than the sensual impatience of the spring; they are more subtle and require careful observation and stillness to access. For this winter solstice, we have access to a clear vantage point with Saturn and Jupiter aligning in the sky. The last time these two came together in the sign of Aquarius was over 600 years ago (they do come together, or conjunct, every 20 years, just in different signs). Normally this signature indicates the dawn of a new political and economic period (most recent past dates were the early 1980’s and the early 2000’s). And this year will definitely launch a new period politically and economically. However, I believe it’s launching the dawn of a new era as well. Whether you define this as the age of Aquarius or something else, change and innovation is coming.
To give you some more context as to what this era could look like, earlier this year, Saturn dipped its toe into Aquarius from 3.21 – 7.1, which brought into our collective consciousness an emphasis on social justice with the black lives matter protests across the globe. Saturn rules authority, and Aquarius distrusts authority, so we will all be redefining who’s the boss of us/me through 2023. My dearest hope is that this includes restructuring policies and institutions to serve the people rather than the few and powerful.
Jupiter moves more quickly than Saturn, and it will conclude its journey in Aquarius at the end of 2021, further amplifying the messages around social change and revolution. For those that have strong Aquarius signatures in their charts (or in the other Air signs Gemini and Libra) this is your time. You are no longer too weird. You are right on schedule. Let yourself dream big regarding what you want to create. It’s not enough to just define yourself by what you aren’t by pushing against the toxic dynamics of our current cultural and political situation. Define yourself by what you are: dare to believe in a different dream for yourself and your people.
This conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter occurs at 0 degrees Aquarius, the absolute beginning of the sign. Enjoy the new ideas and mental clarity coursing through your veins. Zero degrees signifies potential and possibility; it’s a beginner’s mind where you are radically open to transforming your thinking and beliefs. Use this energy to brainstorm and vision what you want to create in 2021 and beyond. Let Saturn and Jupiter cut through any recent mental fog or confusion to access your powers of concentration. This solstice brings a turning point, one that has been a long time coming. You’ve been working through something since August and finally now you are better able to see the path forward. The dark, sacred day of the Solstice reminds you of all the possibility and potential that lies within you. Let the stillness remind you of not only who you truly are but also of the strength and power you contain within you to transform.
Want to read more about what to expect in 2021? Click here.
2021: Getting Our Shift Together