The Sun moved into Capricorn this morning, Dec. 21, 2012, at 6:12 AM Eastern Time welcoming the beginning of Winter according to the Gregorian calendar most widely used, and marking Mid-Winter on the Pagan calendar. Yule is here!

As is this much awaited day! Dec. 21, 2012 has been both anticipated as a fresh new start for humanity and dreaded as the end of the world, as a result of the ending of the Mayan Calendar on this date – what is referred to as The Mayan Prophecy. However, there are experts regarding the Mayan Calendar who tell us that the Mayan Prophecy is not one of only endings, but also a new beginning – of a new era, or a new bak’tun – moving from the 13th bak’tun to the 14th – a 400 year cycle. That is according to Simon Martin as reported by the BBC News.

Here are two extremely interesting articles regarding the “end of world” prophecies and the Galactic Alignment at the Winter Solstice that many believe is the reason that the Mayans chose today’s date to end their 13th bak’tun.

This article hypothesizes about the Dec. 21, 2012 Galactic Alignment  of the Earth, the Sun and the Galactic Equator in the Milky Way on the Winter Solstice and was written by Keith Hunter for Ancient World Mysteries.

This one denounces that there actually is a Galactic Alignment of the Earth, the Sun and the Galactic Equator in the Milky Way at all on Dec. 21, 2012 and is from NASA.

Regardless of whether we choose to believe there is or is not an alignment, or that the Mayan Prophecy is relative to us in this time, it’s clear to most of us I think that the times we live in are changing quickly and dramatically. It’s as though every thing is accelerated and intensified. Much of what many understood as time-proven, those things about our lives that both built and maintained the status-quo, are undergoing shifts that will no doubt leave our world and the people in it much different – and hopefully much better.

But for every new birth there are inevitably the birth pangs – the long, usually very painful passage from one way of being to another. I believe this is where we are right now… and I believe that astrology, as both the science and art that offers us insights into “as above, so below,” is a fantastic tool that we can use to help us understand the tremendous shifts that we, as a society, as a world, and personally, are undergoing right now. 

In that light, I want to say a bit about the current Uranus/Pluto square that has been in effect since 2008 and will be in effect until 2016.

These two planets last came together (in a conjunction – meaning they were 0 degrees apart – sharing space in the sky and operating in tandem) during the whole of the 1960’s and we experienced dramatic social, political, technological, economic and personal changes across the world. Events that occurred during that time included JFK and his assassination, MLK and his dream – and then his assassination, the Civil Rights Movement, Malcolom X and his assassination, the Black Panthers, a complete change in popular music and fashion, the Beatles rose to fame, women’s liberation, flower power, Viet Nam, Charles Manson, and the first man on the moon…

The time before when Uranus and Pluto came together was during the decade of the 1930’s. At that time these two were in a square aspect like they are now – 90 degrees apart. During that decade we experienced dramatic social, political, technological, economic and personal changes across the world. Events that occurred during that time included the crash of the stock market – Black Friday, the Great Depression, Pluto was discovered, scientists split the atom, Adolph Hitler and other dictators rose to power, there was the broadcast of “The War of the Worlds” which created havoc (much like our generation’s movie “2012”), and ultimately all led to the beginning of World War II…

So – it seems worthwhile to talk about the square that these two planets are making to each other in our own time – especially today at the supposed “end of the world.”

Just below is info on Uranus and Pluto separately and together – very interesting!

Symbolism of Uranus

Prometheus stealing fire from the Gods.

Positive: the light, highest heights, awakening, freedom, revolution, reform, fire from the Gods, the betterment of humanity as a whole, overturning the out-worn status quo, conscious perception, uniqueness, individualism, genius, mental and technological leaps, science, space, engineering, technology, inventions, electricity, radiation, lightening, aha! moments, ignition

Challenging: sudden impacting or shattering change, chaotic rebellion, erratic shifts, unexpected events, outcasts, the shunned, pronounced eccentricities, anarchy, radical anarchists, explosive and altering contact

What feelings come up for you when you hear these keywords of Uranus? What do you think about that’s been in the news?

One of my very favorite astrologers, who is so much more than that – he’s one of the most profound thinkers of our time and a prolific writer, professor and speaker – Richard Tarnas, wrote a book about Uranus called Prometheus The Awakener. In this book he compares the meaning of Uranus to the mythological figure Prometheus , who was rebellious enough and nervy enough to steal fire from the Gods and give it to humans to accelerate their evolution and break the hold that the Gods had over them. In this book he describes Uranus like this:

“Uranus is empirically associated with the principle of change, rebellion, freedom, liberation, reform and revolution, and the unexpected breakup of structures; with excitement, sudden surprises, lightning-like flashes of insight, revelations and awakenings; and with intellectual brilliance, invention, creativity, originality, and individualism. In addition to the occurrence of sudden breakthroughs and liberating events, Uranus transits are linked to unpredictable and disruptive changes, and thus the planet is often referred to as the “cosmic trickster.” In terms of personal character, Uranus is regarded as signifying the individualist, the genius, and the rebel.”

When I think of pure Uranus energy, the first person that comes to mind is Albert Einstein.

Symbolism of Pluto

Death, Transformation and Rebirth

Positive: the dark, deepest depths, intensity, deep and profound transformation, making the unconscious conscious, pure understanding of the cycles of life, alchemy, magic, shamanism, ultimate truth, pointed focus, depth psychology, the core of a matter, cycle of death & rebirth, true power of Self, purification, purging, nuclear energy

Challenging: power struggles, fear, terror, destruction, nuclear destruction, poison, trauma, putrefaction, decay, crime, criminal minds, obsession, suppression, the underworld, taboo subjects kept from society, shadow, the deepest depths, isolation, subversion, hidden agendas, waste, black magic

What feelings come up for you when you hear these keywords of Pluto? What do you think about that’s been in the news?

Archetypally speaking, Pluto represents the necessity of descending to the depths before you can ascend to the heights. It is the story of the phoenix – who out of hubris flew too close to the Sun and fell burned to the Earth – but! He then transformed his own ashes into a better, stronger version of himself and was able to ascend – to fly again – perfected.

Pluto also represents alchemy – the process of changing the base matter (lead) into the purified gold.

Pluto points to karma and to the needs of the Soul – our desire to learn the lessons in our lifetime that will purify us and evolve us – getting us closer to God.

Pluto will most often, when transiting our birthchart at a sensitive point or personal planet, take us down into darkness of some kind, where we undergo challenges necessary to purify us in some way, and then we come back into the light to continue our transformation.

Now let’s look at these two planets and their meaning when they come together in the sky.

Pluto describes bringing into consciousness from the absolute depths. Uranus describes breaking the status quo. Pluto describes transformation. Uranus describes revolution.

Uranus and Pluto Together = Metamorphosis

According to Banzhaf and Haebler in the book Key Words for Astrology:

“Archetype of Uranus and Pluto together: The Rebel and the Powerful Person

Shadow: The Eccentric and the Power of Darkness

General meaning: Sudden deep reaching changes. Rebellion against dependence and suppression. Bursting the bonds.

In Harmony: Desire for freedom. Powerful urge for individual freedom. Sudden perceptions and insights into power structures or collective shadow areas. Rigorous upheavals. Liberation movements.

In Discord: The Despot. Willful, irresponsible misuse of power for questionable, eccentric goals. Extreme inner tension and vacillations between highest heights and deepest depths, between total freedom and complete constraint.”

 

We can see then, from the words of these folks that the effects of Uranus and Pluto coming together has to be far reaching and life changing. And we are meant to change personally as a result. We are meant to awaken to our ability as a society to change the deeply rooted, dark and subjugating powers that be, bring them to light, demand freedom from them and then transform to the new way of being.

The Uranus/Pluto Square has seven dates when the two planets are exactly 90 degrees apart… meaning that the effects of the square are the strongest.

The Seven Epic Squares between Uranus and Pluto – 2012 through 2015

June 24, 2012
September 19, 2012
May 20, 2013
November 1, 2013
April 21, 2014
December 14, 2014
March 16, 2015

After that last date, the two planets are still what we call “in orb” through much of 2016, meaning that they are close enough to the exact square that the effects are in play.

The magic of contemplation before a fireplace…

So – is it the end of the world today – The Winter Solstice, Dec. 21, 2012? Of course not. But – is this time that we’re living in transforming both us and society? Absolutely – it is in fact the end of the world as we know it. And like Michael Stipe and REM – I feel fine!

Change is good, and moving toward a more enlightened reality is fantastic, and that’s where I believe we’re headed, even if we have a period of darkness before the light returns. And isn’t that the way of Nature? Isn’t that the deeper meaning of the Winter Solstice?

We are living through, today, right now, the darkest time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere (bearing in mind that it is the lightest time of the year in the Southern Hemisphere as they experience their Summer Solstice). It is cold here and there are things on our minds – things that may be best to let go of. So… let go. During this night when we welcome the return of the Light, as you ponder the year behind you and the year to come, hopefully while sitting in front of a lovely, warming fire, let go… and welcome the bright new beginnings that are on the way!