The entire week is haloed by the Solstice, one of the year’s pivot points.  In this place between seasons, several important shifts take place.  First, on Tuesday, Venus takes here leave of Capricorn and enters Aquarius, the lady of our skies exchanging her goat horns for a bucket.  Wednesday sees the Sun slide into Capricorn, marking the midpoint of the Solstice itself.  Saturday holds the New Moon in Capricorn, ending and renewing the lunar month, and Sunday is witness to the auspicious direct station of Jupiter in Taurus.

Upon A Star

Venus enters Aquarius on Tuesday, where the bright planet will spend the 3 ½ weeks.  In Aquarius, Venus takes pleasure in the abstract and unusual.  As an ongoing influence, Venus in Aquarius stimulates connection through intelligent conversation and interest in that which lies off the beaten path.

As Venus strolls daintily into Aquarius, she immediately encounters a square to Jupiter in Taurus, whetting our appetites for holiday festivities and pushing us to overextend our resources in pursuit of a good time.  Venus makes a simultaneous sextile to Uranus in Aries as she enters Aquarius, stoking revolutionary passions and triggering some surprising outbursts of emotion.

Mt. Goaty

The Sun enters Capricorn on Wednesday.  It is through the winding foothills of Mt. Capricorn that Sol will drag his chariot for the next month.  We’ll inspect our position on the looming mountain of matter and consider our advantages, impediments and ambitions.

The Sun’s entrance into Capricorn marks the longest night of the year in the Northern hemisphere and the shortest in the Southern. It is a sacred time between seasons.  The Solstices are holidays of one sort or another in every culture that has noted the solar cycle, one of the few still celebrated today, though in an indirect and debased form.  Take the time to anchor yourself to the wheel of the year as you consider the quarter passing away and the one yet to come.

The New Moon in Capricorn occurs within this solstitial space, on Xmas eve.  The Sun and the Moon conjoin atop small, dark Pluto, bringing minds to bear on the evolutionary pressure of the present, and how we will make the changes history demands of us.

Jupiter’s About Face

     Jupiter stations direct in Taurus the 25^th this year, ole Jebus’ birthday.  The direct station of the greater benefic is always a nice thing.  This year it does a nice job of off-setting an intense and potentially depressing New Moon by illuminating pending opportunities and those successfully seized.  Stationing direct in the first degree of Taurus, Jupiter is set to make a straight run through every degree of Taurus before he enters Gemini on June 11th.

Horoscopes

Horoscopes are not a real chart reading by an experienced astrologer. However, they are fun and can be reasonably accurate. In addition to referring to your Sun sign, read your from Ascendant and Moon if you know them. If you don’t, find out. I’m a long time fan of the free chart generation software at astro.com.

Oh, and if you’re still concerned that your sign has changed, get a little clarity here.

Aries: The Ram

The Sun’s movement into Capricorn on the 21st, followed by the intense New Moon in Capricorn on the 24th centers your attention on making necessary transformations to your professional situation.  Meanwhile, Jupiter in Taurus’ direct station on Xmas helps you understand what is truly valuable within your life, and opens a door to financial growth.

Taurus: The Bull

The Sun’s movement into Capricorn on the 21st and the Plutoriffic New Moon in Capricorn on the 24th reorients your attention toward the changes you need to make in order to achieve your long term goals.  Jupiter in Taurus’ direct station on Xmas highlights the personal growth you’ve achieved this year, motivating you to continue the process well into 2012.

Gemini: The Twins

The Sun’s movement into Capricorn on the 21st and the intense New Moon in Capricorn on the 24th recenter your attention on the structure of your exchanges with others, asking you to peruse the contracts operating within your life, both written and implied.  On Xmas, Jupiter in Taurus’ direct station highlights what peace you’ve made with your demons this year, making clear the growth you’ve achieved by dialoguing with the parts of you that usually stay silent.

Cancer: The Crab

The Sun’s movement into Capricorn on the 21st and the intense New Moon in Capricorn on the 24th center your attention on your significant relationships, pointing you toward necessary transformations.  Jupiter in Taurus’ direct station on Xmas highlights this year’s expansion of your social circle and your growing understanding of the nature of friendship.

Leo: The Lion

The Sun’s movement into Capricorn on the 21st and the intense New Moon in Capricorn on the 24th reorient you to your financial and fiscal habits, good and bad, emphasizing the necessary changes.  Jupiter in Taurus’ direct station on Xmas spotlights strides you’ve made in stabilizing your professional life this year.

Virgo: The Virgin

The Sun’s movement into Capricorn on the 21st and the intense New Moon in Capricorn on the 24th centers you attention on what you’re doing with your energy, and the changes you need to make to the way you’re allocating your mojo.  Jupiter in Taurus’ direct station on Xmas highlights the stabilization of your long term goals over the second half of the year and motivates you to do the same in 2012.

Libra: The Scales

The Sun’s movement into Capricorn on the 21st and the intense New Moon in Capricorn on the 24th reorient your attention to your living situation, as well as the changes that need to be made to it.  Jupiter in Taurus’ direct station on Xmas highlights what you’ve learned about team efforts this year, combining your resources with those of others to achieve things you couldn’t separately.  Jupiter’s direct movement will continue opening doors and blessing endeavors in this area for the next several months.

Scorpio: The Scorpion

The Sun’s movement into Capricorn on the 21st and the intense New Moon in Capricorn on the 24th centers your attention on a variety of short term tasks and brings up personal issues surrounding the way you do or do not express yourself.  A day later, Jupiter in Taurus’ Xmas direct station highlights this year’s lessons about relationships, and signals another season of expansion in this area of your life.

Sagittarius: The Archer

The Sun’s movement into Capricorn on the 21st and the intense New Moon in Capricorn on the 24th ask you to look at your financial situation, and the changes that still need to be made in this area.  Jupiter in Taurus’ direct station on Xmas highlights the progress you’ve made toward concretizing good physical and financial habits, pointing a finger at the benefits you’ve accrued.

Capricorn: The Goat

The Sun’s movement into Capricorn on the 21st and the intense New Moon in Capricorn on the 24th bring you back to yourself, spotlighting where, as a person you’re at right now, as well as where you’d like to be.  Jupiter in Taurus’ direct station on Xmas highlights how you’ve allocated your energy over the last year, especially the benefits you’ve received as a result of wise investments of passion.

Aquarius: The Water Bearer

The Sun’s movement into Capricorn on the 21st and the intense New Moon in Capricorn on the 24th centers your attention somewhere in your medulla oblongata, pushing you to consider your situation from angles you often push off to the side.  Jupiter in Taurus’ direct station on Xmas highlights your efforts this year to stabilize your living situation, pointing toward the rewards of such wisdom.

Pisces: The Fish

The Sun’s movement into Capricorn on the 21st and the intense New Moon in Capricorn on the 24th pulls your attention to your relationships with a number of people, pointing toward ongoing transformations in this area. Jupiter in Taurus’ direct station on Xmas highlights the number of short term goals you’ve accomplished this year, as well as strides you’ve made in improving your communication skills.

Private Consultations

If you find yourself a little confused by the strange waters of the season, or interested in a personalized map of those yet to come, consider a consultation. For details, click here. Send inquiries to ac@austincoppock.com.