Winter began today at the Capricorn solstice at 4:48 PM Eastern. I’ll be frank. I don’t like the solstice chart much. There are challenges and potholes. The stakes are not small. As I examined it ahead of time, I was expecting big news and events that impact large swaths of people, and the headlines are delivering that right on schedule, on multiple fronts. Today’s incidents might reverberate for some time to come.
Any solstice is important since it ushers in the season that follows. Factors in place at the beginning moment set the pace going forward. “Mundane” astrologers, who focus on non-personal matters related to government entities, businesses and industry, economies and institutions, use the starting charts of the seasons for forecasting, often paying the most attention to the Aries equinox at the beginning of the zodiac. Yet the Capricorn solstice, coming near the change of the calendar year, is also a key indicator. In the northern hemisphere, this is the winter season, when seeds out of view await their germination in the spring. Be conscious of what you are setting in motion with your intentions at this juncture.
By definition, each solstice and equinox is on what’s called the "cardinal axis,” at 0° of the four signs in the cardinal mode: Capricorn, Aries, Cancer and Libra. These are action-oriented signs that force decisions; there’s no “sitting on the fence” with them. And not only are these seasonal start-points influential, the halfway points between them share in their potency. These are at 15 degrees of the Fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius).
Anything on the cardinal axis has the potential of affecting everything across the board. This solstice chart has three planets at 0° Cardinal forming a T-square tension pattern and another is at 15° Fixed, putting an extremely strong, and stressful, focus on the cardinal axis. This is how we know there are big events brewing that can affect people far and wide. The Sun is at 0° Capricorn, as it is at every winter solstice. And this time around, dwarf planet Ceres is at 0° Libra, initiating a period of caring for our significant others and acting harmoniously in concert with others through partnership and teamwork. Most importantly, giant Jupiter is at 0° Aries, showing a new day for legal/legislative matters and international relations, two of the main arenas with which Jupiter is strongly associated.
Jupiter has a nearly twelve-year circuit around the zodiac and this is the beginning of a new journey. Coming at a solstice adds to its importance as a time for change and bringing a new cycle. Aries is a sign of independence and autonomy. (For instance, rebellious Uranus was at 0° Aries at the spring equinox in 2011, roughly around the time of the “Arab spring” and precursor to Occupy Wall Street movement that fall.) Recently, we’ve seen a lot of unrest in Iran, China and Russia. Expect more of that. Even here in the USA, we’re divided and that’s not going away any time soon. With Jupiter in Aries, people are emboldened in their fighting spirit. The solstice comes just minutes after sunset in Washington, DC, putting the cardinal axis Sun within one degree of the important setting degree, the Descendant, which represents relationships and contracts. One expression of this in Washington on the solstice was the relationship between the US and Ukraine being strengthened by Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s meeting with President Biden today and address to Congress tonight.
Jupiter just re-entered the first sign of the zodiac, Aries, on Dec. 20 for a fast (for Jupiter) cruise through this action-oriented Fire and Cardinal sign, prompting a sense of urgency for newness. The entrance of a major planet into a new sign is always significant; coming at a solstice makes it more so! Jupiter made a brief foray into Aries beginning on May 10, 2022, then retreated into Pisces on October 28 due to retrogradation, where it returned to forward motion. This time, Jupiter will be in Aries until May 16, when it moves on to Taurus. Jupiter expands whatever it touches, so if you have something in Aries, it's likely to be enhanced and increase in some way. Anyone can try new things or approaches, or be a pioneer in some way. And though Aries often signals a flash-in-the-pan, short endeavor, because this commences at a season start-point, whatever you do that's new has the potential to develop over the coming three months, and if you sustain it into May, Jupiter's longer visit in Taurus (until May 2024) will help entrench it. Begin new habits and keep putting energy into them and you'll have a big pay-off by and by.
Jupiter at 0° Aries would be strong enough on its own, but it is also 45° (“semisquare”) to Uranus at 15° Taurus on the cardinal axis (exact on December 23). This is potent and volatile, which is why the article headline says "Fasten Your Seatbelt" - figuratively and literally, to mitigate any accidents. It can signal big surprises or a strong push for freedom. It might mean sudden shifts in international matters, alliances being broken or new relationships being formed. Jupiter is associated with long distance travel and Uranus is related to anything out of the ordinary. An example of this is the terrible travel outlook for the Christmas holiday across much of America due to weather extremes.
The emphasis on these cardinal axis degrees can also be important for individuals, especially if they have birth chart components near the cardinal axis degrees. There are approaches anyone can take to maximize the potentials of the solstice chart, and even if you can’t impact a lot of people, at least you can influence the sphere in which you operate. Positive ways to utilize these energies include:
- make a plan or strategy to do something new and brave
- take risks, albeit calculated ones
- stretch beyond prior limitations or exceed your expectations, despite restrictions
- reach out to the important people in your life, seeking or providing assistance
In addition to the emphasis on the cardinal axis, there is also a powerful, harsh “square-and-a-half” (sesquiquadrate) connection between Mars at 11° Gemini and Pluto at 27° Capricorn, which occurred on December 18 and is still less than a degree from exact. Pluto is the planet of transformation and Mars is the planet of initiation, so together they say it’s time to make changes, even if it is difficult to do so - and it will be! It requires effort and perhaps even letting go since Pluto is also the planet of elimination. What do you need to get rid of in order to forge into new territory? See the House where Pluto is currently traveling in your chart for clues as to where to let go.
It’s best to wait until after the New Moon on December 23 (5:17 AM Eastern) to initiate changes or start new activities. Checking the Janet’s Plan-its day ratings, you’ll see a fortuitous “4” day coming up on December 30 and it presents a great opportunity for launching your plans. Make that your new year’s day.
