Solstice

Fri 16 Dec – Thurs 29 Dec 2011

Sun in Sag/Cap (22^nd) solstice; Merc in Sag; Venus in Cap/Aqu (20^th); Mars in Virgo; Jupiter dir 25^th

Have you been utilizing the current transit of the Sun and Mercury through Sagittarius to examine and explore your philosophy of life? Now, as the Sun aligns with the Galactic Center on the 19^th, and then arrives at his most southern point on the Solstice of Dec 22^nd, we have a fine opportunity to focus our consciousness with clarity on the goal of our individual lives as well as align ourselves with our true centre internally as well as with whoever or whatever embodies our belief system externally. The Christian calendar does this automatically (although perhaps unknowingly or unconsciously for most) three days after the Solstice on Dec 25^th, which is the exact point at which the Sun begins his return from the apparent depths of darkness after a three day pause there, as seen from the northern hemisphere, to rise again towards a slowly lengthening of daylight visibility. Watch the documentary “Zeitgeist” if you want to hear more about the fact that Christmas is originally based on (amongst other things) the astronomical movement of the Sun at the Solstice.

As for aligning ourselves…who do you accept as spiritual authority? What qualifies them to be such? Usually we accept someone by what they say, but what if their words or ideas are beyond our comprehension or ability to realize? We could end up discrediting them simply because we are not realized enough to comprehend them. Perhaps we should accept someone as an authority by their actions. After all, actions speak louder than words. However, the same logic or reasoning could apply – we may not be aware enough to comprehend their actions either and may be judging them according to our limited frame of reference. Of course on the ultimate level even the act of judging - accepting or rejecting - is merely a product or function of the mind, and not a matter of transcendence. Yet at the same time paradoxically we have to accept some things over others which we reject; so with all these contradictions and layers upon levels of realization how do we get anywhere or get anything done at all? Surely discrimination is needed, which implies making a judgment. Which brings me back to my question of whose standards are you using for your yardstick. On one level it depends on time, place and circumstance - what is appropriate according to your time in history, your geographical location or the socio-cultural circumstances in which you find yourself. However, on another level some things, particularly when discussing spiritual truths, are meant to be absolute, or eternally valid regardless of the temporary shifts in society, culture and history. For example even the teachings of Buddha, Shankara, Christ or Mohammed all have a starting point in history, before which the teachings were irrelevant. That is on one level, while on an absolute level certain spiritual truths taught by those teachers and others are timeless because they deal with our eternal spiritual natures or because they apply to all people under all circumstances for all time. Truths such as the concept that driving our temporary material body is an eternal spiritual spark of consciousness, and that one can uncover that spiritual self, and indeed should, by certain techniques which have always worked and always will, regardless of who tries them and when in history, because they are transcendent or absolute. This is apparently what is meant by one’s “Dharma”, the actual translation from the Sanskrit being “eternal constitutional nature or position”, regardless of time, place or current socio-religious circumstance. For example the dharma of fire is to burn, the dharma of sugar is to be sweet, and the dharma of the living entity is to be an eternally blissful conscious person (sat chit ananda), even though housed in this current temporary material body. So as Jupiter apparently goes direct or forward again on Dec 25^th after several months of retrograde motion, take the opportunity to wish yourself and all others a merry Saturnalia and a blessed year of real consciousness awakening on all levels.       

Total Lunar eclipse

Fri 2 Dec – Thurs 15 Dec

The fired up enthusiasm of an arched stallion may be urging you to celebrate the season just now, with Sun and Mercury in Sagittarius, but let’s not forget the retrograde now bringing Mercury to a slow and sluggish standstill around the 13^th. A retrograde period is best seen as a cycle, beginning when a planet begins to slow to a halt before traveling backwards through the zodiac as it did in November; and ending when it returns to the point where it first paused, early in the new year of 2012. However, during the cycle, a planet's energy is most powerful (and more likely to generate critical events of universal importance) when the planet makes a station: appearing motionless in the sky.

These stationary periods occur near the beginning of the cycle (when the planet first halts as it prepares to move backwards, as it did on November 24^th) and midway through the cycle when the retrograde planet slows to a stop before moving forward again. The direct station (when the planet halts before moving forward again) is the most powerful and can be used for maximum benefit. And that is what we are about to hit on the 13^th and 14^th of December. So anything before then will have Mercury at its slowest and subdued. However, those days, specifically the 14^th when Mercury is seen to move forward again, are available to be harnessed as a symbolic moment on which to strike a deal, have a ceremony or sign on the dotted line. Thereafter Mercury is seen to slowly pick up pace, symbolically showing the course of or unfolding of the intent or event you had on that day. Sometimes it can facilitate a step towards solving the problem or puzzle. Either the solution, or a move towards the solution, brought about later as Mercury returns to the point it originally stopped on November 24^th. With all this back and forth occurring in Sagittarius this time, issues around publishing and law, like the tabloid press legal cases in UK as well as ZAR’s Info Bill will be evident; that and expanding the horizons, so watch out for the travel delays at airports. Know when to hold your tongue too; is that tweet going to bounce back and trip you up like a foot in the mouth.

Currently our goddess Venus (in Capricorn) has an advantageous vantage point from which to spy out Mars (in Virgo) across the garden as they trine in the earth signs. This is a good time to focus on the material, practical departments of life, like work, income, health of the body. With Mars in Virgo take the opportunity to work out, if you don’t already and have been wanting to get fit. Venus in Capricorn favours dressing with status, the black outfit, professional or work attire, even if it means a smart pair of sandals at your surf stall. Or that green is the new black. So the more you keep it professional, and the more you have your eye on the ball, and on the goalposts, the Grail or the gold, the better your chances are of pulling off the achievement of your target, the target the archer in you aimed for in the ever-greener evergreens on the other side of the fence.

Let’s not forget the imminent eclipse of the Moon on the full moon of Saturday 10^th. Anyone with their Sun sign within a degree or two of 18 degrees Gemini or Sagittarius, and also (by square or 90 degree aspect) Virgo and Pisces, will be in line to feel the effects more directly as the Sun and Moon align with their natal (birthday) Sun position. That means people born on roughly the 10^th or 11^th of December for example, or 9^th – 10^th June; 11^th – 12^th September and 8^th – 9^th March. Let me know if you have any interesting experiences. Being a total lunar eclipse, people have been known to shut up shop and temple, retire indoors and engage in something auspicious for the duration of the event. But that’s up to you, time place and circumstance. Where were you at 14h30 GMT on the 10^th of December 2011?

Mercury stationary as the S.A. Secrecy Bill/Protection of state info Bill is voted in.

22 Nov 2011

As the planet of communication, Mercury retrograde tends to breed a certain level of confusion. Mercury rules our mind--how we perceive and interpret information that we receive from our environment, and how we relay that information to others. Mercury has rulership over such things as speaking, negotiating, buying and selling, listening, formal contracts, documents, travel, the mail, journalism, media and so forth. All of these areas of life are affected when Mercury is functioning in a sluggish state. Decision-making is challenged during Mercury retrograde. Needless to say, it is not advised to sign contracts, engage in important decision-making, or launch a new business. Delays and challenges are more probable with Mercury retrograde. This period is best used for re-organizing and reflecting.

Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter, is the sign traditionally associated with law, philosophy, religion and other such academic issues – issues of tertiary education, morals and ethics and what may be considered lofty ideology and abstract concepts of epistemology or meaning; broader, larger ideas. With Mercury going stationary and then retrograde in Sagittarius at the moment, issues of law and constitutional rights are brought into focus now. Today, as Mercury approaches its stationary position, on the way to going retrograde, the “Protection of State Information Bill” was voted on and passed in South African parliament with 229 votes, despite a one third opposition of 107 votes. As a result of this, the opposition has decided to take the Bill to the Constitutional Court, the highest court in the land, to campaign that it is directly against the Constitution, the highest code of law in S.A. – higher than the current ruling party of the day. The Bill proposes to gag the media and whistle-blowers from speaking out on issues of corruption within parliament. Not only are investigative journalists and others liable to be jailed for up to a maximum of 25 years if the political party chooses, (citing, if they choose that such revelations are a risk to national security) but even those who harbour such people or documents are also subject to the same disciplinary action. This is tantamount to taking the nation back into Apartheid era control mechanisms, (something already in place in Israel, and to a degree in America with the Patriot Act.)

The fact that this law is being passed as Mercury goes stationary and retrograde, suggests that the process may not go through as smoothly as hoped, and will be subject to opposition and revision, hopefully being revised to at least allow a public opinion clause. It has already had over 100 amendments. Mercury’s retrograde continues until 13 December and only really returns to its current position at 20 degrees Sagittarius in early January next year. If the Bill goes into law, it will give power to a few at the top to use as a weapon, just like the Patriot act in U.S.A which now allows the state to arrest and detail anyone they wish without trial for almost as long as they want. Externally it may come across as in the best interests of state security, but in time it can also be used as a loophole by which they can control the masses, much like a police state, removing constitutional rights from the very people they are supposed to serve and protect. Why such a law if you have nothing to hide? Democracy is safest in the hands of the people, not just the powerful ie intel agencies. Academics around the world have been ignored, clearly indicating that a potential tool is being set up for future dictatorship. And South Africa is not the only country, as mentioned, where this is going on. How do you feel about your freedom and constitutional rights being subtly eroded from under your very nose? As the powers that be allocate themselves still more power – the politicians and bankers – the people are rising up and saying enough is enough. Where do you stand? Freedom of thought is what Mercury in Sagittarius strives for. Mercury in Sagittarius defends justice and freedom religiously.

Who eclipsed your consciousness?

Fri 18 Nov – Thurs 1 Dec 2011
Sun in Scorpio/sag 22^nd; Mercury in Sag (R 24^th); Venus in Sag/Cap 26^th; Mars in Virgo.

On the 22^nd when the Sun joins Mercury (going retrograde on the 24^th) and Venus in Sagittarius, we shall have all our primary planets from the Sun to Mars in mutable signs. These are the planets that move the fastest and thus change signs rapidly, thereby indicating the predominating trends and mood of the day. Jupiter spends a whole year and Saturn up to 2.5 years in one sign. The Moon of course changes signs so quickly – every 2.5 days – that its influence is fleeting, though not to be underestimated; just not mentionable in a forecast such as this. Except, for example, when there may be an eclipse, like the solar eclipse on the new moon of the 25^th; curiously only really visible from my place on the southern coast of South Africa if you want to pop round for the breakfast show just after 08h00 local time; or you can catch it in New Zealand too. Although only a partial eclipse of 87%, it is the largest or brightest this year.

How amazing is it that eclipses even occur at all. The Sun is 400 times larger than the Moon, and the Moon is 400 times closer to Earth than the Sun, this means that the two effects cancel each other out with the Moon and Sun both appearing to have the same apparent size in the sky. They therefore look the same size to a viewer observing from Earth’s surface. So when there is an alignment during a solar eclipse, the Moon fits exactly over the Sun, blocking all sunlight while still allowing the beautiful corona to be observed. Now if this precise degree of ratio and proportion all happened by accident or coincidence then I’ll eat my ice cream cone. It seems more likely to me that the Great Consciousness behind it all, of whom we are all part and parcel, was being quite deliberate in this cosmic manifestation. And these are precisely the topics of focus during the current Sagittarian alignment of planets – topics of vast, expansive, universal or cosmological import. Sure, the Sagittarian theme is currently potentially more fired up, festive and fun-loving than the previous rather introverted, intense or introspective Scorpio flavour, but it is also a perfect time to raise the ceiling, explore the vast outer realms of space and it’s origins, as well our place in the grand scheme of things. Thinking big, going large and expanding the realms are all possible now. After all, the precise relationship between us and our satellite Luna are extremely rare. Most planets have much smaller moons, so the fact that ours is just the right size and distance between the Sun and us to create an eclipse which is occasionally so exact that the one heavenly body is totally hidden from our sight, practically to the millimeter (from our point of view) makes you think that someone was behind it, someone with a sense of humour, or at least an artistic flair. The chances of it being pure blind accident are about the same as if all the monkeys in the world, given all the time and all the laptops, were able to come out with Shakespeare’s complete works. They could, but the chances of it are infinitesimal. And this unique manifestation of precision and proportion between the Sun, Moon and Earth is only one of countless other manifestations of such harmony, beauty and life-supporting precision that anyone who still can’t comprehend the notion of Consciousness being at the root of it all, must be quite dull. Lets forget about the numerous concepts of God presented throughout the pages of history and just refer to the source as Consciousness, leaving the details until later, or to poets and mystics, and already we will have to rethink life, the universe and everything. Think about it.