DECEMBER SOLSTICE IS ON DECEMBER 21, 2020

December Solstice is a welcome event because it marks a major turning point for the year 2020.

Solstice is at 2:02 am PST, Pacific Time on Dec 21, 2020 or 10:02 am GMT/UTC.

Solstice in December is winter solstice for those in the northern hemisphere, and summer solstice for those in the southern hemisphere.

Winter solstice brings the shortest day of the year, with the longest night. It is a cocooning time of darkness where we are asked to be quiet, replenish, and let the regrets and sadness of the year go. First witness the sadness before placing it in the fire of transformation.

Solstice Ritual with Fire:

• Write down what you want to celebrate that you have endured. Write down the sufferings, the events of grief or loss, the illnesses or regrets of what you did not do this year. You will be releasing these and transforming them into powerful lessons. It is time to name, celebrate and integrate important moments or periods of time in the year.
• Then light a small fire in a safe container (a metal or ceramic plant pot can do if you do not have a fireplace).
• Read each item on the piece of paper out loud, and then see if there is a gift that this loss has brought you. For instance, a friend dying might give you a stronger sense of cherishing the times you had with them and appreciating what times you will have with your friends or family in the coming year.

As you allow each item to be engulfed in flames, you are naming the sadness or grief so that it does not need to lurk in the darkness. You are allowing the memory to be alive in ritual.

When we remember we honor the person or time in our life, we are integrating it into our life like a beautiful living tapestry. This will bring deeper meaning and appreciation into your future. The more that you mark and honor the difficult and beautiful events in life, the sacredness of life becomes even richer. Simple events like dinner together or helping a neighbor will bring a greater sense of satisfaction in life.

Moving into the light

Once we have passed the moment of solstice, we begin to gain more light each day. In northern latitudes like Seattle, WA where I live, we gain almost a minute of light a day after solstice.

It is a time to celebrate the ‘return of the light’.

Before you jump to focusing only on the ‘return of the light’ and our hopes for 2021, it is important to give yourself time to grieve and possibly find gratitude for the people and challenges that 2020 has brought.

Jupiter and Saturn cross in the skies on solstice December 2020

Jupiter crosses Saturn (from our point of view) so closely that the two planets will almost appear as one on December 21, 2020. The entire range of days that Jupiter and Saturn are crossing, and bring about a ‘squashing of intensity’ to force some world events is from December 17 – December 23, 2020. The two planets just happen to be closest ON SOLSTICE!

Jupiter and Saturn cross the same constellation every twenty years, but where they meet is a different constellation every 20 years. For instance, Jupiter and Saturn were both in Taurus in 2000.

Jupiter and Saturn in Capricorn

The last time Jupiter and Saturn were in the constellation of Capricorn was in 1961. To understand the impact that this is having on the world, you can revisit some historical events like the election of JFK, Jr to the U.S. presidency, the beginning of the race to the moon, and a social justice movement that tried to bring light to continued segregation in the south of the U.S. and racism that persisted across America.

If you would like to know more about what Jupiter and Saturn in Capricorn bring – join the Intro to 2021 Course with Kathleen Whalen M.S. and Vedic Astrology

Rare event: Jupiter and Saturn’s great conjunction (see other blog post on this rare event)

Jupiter and Saturn come within 0.1 degrees of each other. The last time this occurred was in the middle ages – 1623. And the last time they were observable in the sky and this close was 1226!

Introduction to 2021 according to Vedic Astrology

If you would like to know more about what Jupiter and Saturn in Capricorn bring – join the Intro to 2021 Course with Kathleen Whalen M.S. and Vedic Astrology