“Certainty is a closing of the mind. To create something new you must have uncertainty.”
Milton Glaser - prominent 20th Century Graphic Designer (1929-2020)
"One cannot be prepared for something while secretly believing it will not happen."
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela - former President of South Africa (1918-2013)
Summer musings on a Saturday from Stellenbosch, South Africa
When I looked at these charts a few weeks ago I realized here was a new and significant wrinkle in this ever shifting fabric we call life. In short, these two charts are potent mirrors for how energy will flow in 2022. Ready to dive in?
From my cosmic perch, 2021 has been quite a tumultuous year to date. And events sure mirror the strength of the related planetary cycles. On the last December Solstice, Jupiter and Saturn met at the very beginning degrees of Aquarius, which portended a renewed emphasis on the future, progressive ideals, expanding social media influences and societal change. Well...we're not quite there. While Pluto remains in Capricorn, it seems the requisite tension pattern necessary for a Plutonian meltdown is causing the progressive shifts to slow down. Nonetheless, Pluto's entrance into Aquarius in 2023 for a few months, then mostly in 2024, and fully in 2025 through 2043, will facilitate significant changes in this evolving Aquarius vibe.
But back to 2021...this year has proven to be much more socially challenging than 2020, something I saw as a strong potential back in January. That potential was dependent on social and generational actions during the first 6 months of the year. While 2020 became the year of the "great reset", 2021 has built on that reset with increased polarity, division and clamour for meaningful progressive change, or even fueled a strong uptick of rebelliousness. Ironically, these shifts have been stimulated by something unseen, namely a persistent virus that continues to adapt/mutate. In short, critical tension has continued to become stronger in the ethers. Ultimately such increased tension patterns may activate an energetic shift throughout the world whose very nature is simply beyond our current ability to grasp at this present moment in time.
We are now in the throes of strong archetypal planetary placements covering the range from Sagittarius to Gemini. Such placements are symbolic of a rapidly shifting and intensifying energetic landscape. Now more than ever, the only certainty is uncertainty. And that applies not only to 2022, but the next 10 years.
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These are no ordinary times. I realize that's obvious to many, but it nonetheless warrants repeating. An ongoing and relentless global pandemic, intense weather phenomena and a disruption in the world's commerce and economic models mirror a volatile and highly changeable time. Where just three years ago change was not prominent on one's priority list, it now occupies most conversations and fuels many life-changing choices.
These cycles include Saturn vs Uranus (old ways vs progressive ideals), which began in early 2021 and continues until the end of 2022; transformative Pluto in its last two years transiting what was once reliable Capricorn (now becoming a meltdown of structures and the reorganization of the functional, political and business worlds); and very nebulous Neptune continuing to transit its equally nebulous home sign of Pisces through 2026 (imagery, delusion, increasing uncertainty, compassion, sensitivity, deception (fake news), unseen forces such as viruses, and a desire for oneness). Any one of the above cycles would prove challenging. To have all three in play and in various levels of reception makes for an unprecedented transformative engine.
So what in the world is going on?
In short...a lot! It's not until the end of 2022 that Saturn/Uranus move out of aspect; 2025 until Pluto moves fully into Aquarius; and 2025-26 until Neptune leaves Pisces for Aries.These three cycles are steering this transformative engine into unchartered waters. And in that vein I'll state right here: 2022 will prove more intense and transformative than 2020 and 2021. The 2022 cycles indicate such.
These cycles point to immense changes affecting all aspects of life. Further, a shift in the lunar nodes from Gemini/Sagittarius to Taurus/Scorpio on January 18th of 2022 vividly underscores how this coming year will be driven by Taurus/Scorpio themes such as the Earth and her changes, our bodies, the very life force that sustains us and all the inherent challenges these themes can conjure. The big question: how do you re-organize your life in the coming days to attune and align with these on-going massive cycles at physical, emotional and mental levels?
Which brings me to the Gemini Full Moon and Solstice charts, and their interrelated themes.
First the Full Moon:
Full Moon occurs on the 19th at 04:35 Universal Time (the window is 36 hours before and after exact). From central/eastern South America and far eastern Canada east to the International Date Line the Full Moon occurs on the 19th. From evening/late night on the 18th, the East Coast United States/Canada west to the International Date Line will herald the Full Moon. At that lunation, the Sun will be positioned in front of Galactic Center in late degree Sagittarius. By contrast, the Moon will be in opposite Gemini pointing in the opposite direction of galactic center. This placement is known in ancient lore as the "Gate of Man" or the "Silver Gate", a place marking the portal where new creative energies emerge; where souls enter the physical world. That's a potent vibration influencing your dreamtime as well as the Earth's ethers.
Also, this Full Moon is just 2 days before the Solstice. It won't be until December 2040 such a close timing occurs again.
Gemini is the shape shifter adapting readily to a changing landscape. Ruled by Mercury, Gemini also is the communicator, actor and transporter of information. Its mutable nature encourages us to be nimble and flow with change rather than getting stuck on what was. When Uranus ultimately transits Gemini in 2025, a new wave of communication will sweep through the consciousness. Perhaps such time will signal the emergence of telepathic abilities in children being born!
There are significant aspects in this Gemini Full Moon chart that warrant mentioning:
Heretofore the Venus theme has been Gemini, due to its previous retrograde in that sign during 2020. Venus softens Capricorn and its hard-edge ways. One archetypal example would be the wisdom of the elder Grandmother/Grandfather present inside of each of us. This voice wants to be heard; wants to make a difference. Pluto helps by melting away resistance and obstacles.This exchange will pose quite the vivid contrast in styles. One example is the global attack on women's rights. Another, procedural steps being taken in the United States to make voting much more difficult, especially for less fortunate people.
On January 29th, Venus stations direct motion at 11°Capricorn. On that date, the Moon will position at 27° Sagittarius - the exact degree of the Sun at this Full Moon. The Moon also positions at that same degree on January 1, 2022. Intentions seeded at this Full Moon may reveal their gifts and opportunities to you around those dates.
Venus themes include beauty, artistry, self-esteem and self-worth, our core values, money, possessions and 1:1 relationships. It is a feminine/yin/nurturing vibe, and so sorely needed in this tumultuous, patriarchal infused world. This western to eastern sky transit of Venus symbolizes the end and beginning; a death and rebirth. That it begins with Pluto in the conversation puts a strong, transformative exclamation mark on that theme. The world we once knew is disappearing/falling apart. What awaits us on the other side is yet to be revealed. The inner journey will lead the way.
During this retrograde we have an opportunity to examine our core values about how we structure our world on a personal level. Are we congruent/authentic with those principles? With Pluto part of the mix, we are encouraged to go deep, perhaps down the rabbit hole, to examine what we truly value. This may prove to be quite a cathartic process, yet nonetheless essential as we move forward in a rapidly changing and somewhat compromised world society.
Also, on Full Moon day, Chiron whose focus is old wounding and its ultimate resolution, stations direct at 8° Aries. Chiron in Aries underscores the dilemma of individuation embraced/activated from a wounding experience(s). Such yields a false sense of self/survival yang tendencies. Venus, more a yin energy of varying degrees depending on its natal placement, wants to reclaim that ground, triggering an introspection about trust, intimacy, nurturing and safety: not only how these themes have challenged you in your life, but offering the opportunity to heal any wounding experiences, especially from your youth (Aries theme). This Chironic outer planetary energy points to generational and genetic themes inherent in all families and underscores patterns of abuse, control and survival.
Venus retrograde will create a square with Chiron in Aries as it nears its station direct placement at the end of January. Given the Plutonian start to the retrograde, I would not be surprised to see protests on a large scale given the troubling abridgment of human rights occurring around the globe in 2020-21. When Mars catches up to add stronger emphasis to this square, a combustible combination will reveal itself for all to see.
On a broader scale, such social upheaval we now witness and experience across all walks of life represent the initial stages of reorganizing the energetic field into a much more trusting, inclusive vibration, while maintaining one's sense of self worth and related core values. Given the world's response to the ongoing viral surge, enacting such a shift will require a significant change in how individuals view their placement in the grander scheme of life. We are here to grow, risk and live passionately in authentic ways. While protecting self may seem like the best strategy at any given moment, such a choice runs counter to the Universal principles of entropy and growth.
One specific suggestion related to the virus: start to see this virus as a creation of nature, whose primary role is to purge the energetic field of its human imposed disruptive energies (in the initial lockdown phases of March/April 2020, the Earth showed remarkable change in its waters and atmosphere as human activity came to a halt). Some say the virus was humanly created. While that may be ostensibly true, remember the Earth's elemental/natural forces work through our body and psyches whether we are conscious of it or not. And the Earth will have the last say about the human component on this planet regardless of our human interpretations and actions towards Nature itself.
Shifting to the Solstice chart
Sun moves to 0° Capricorn on December 21st at 15:59 UTC. Most of the world welcomes the Solstice on that date from 5:59 am in Hawaii to Central Asia just before midnight, or early on the 22nd from Eastern Asia to the International Date Line. On this day, Mercury positions at 12°Capricorn (just a degree from the eventual Venus station direct degree) while the Moon in Cancer creates an opposition to Venus/Pluto. Hence the overall emphasis for the ensuing season is Cancer: creating a healthy community, family and most especially new ways to nurture yourself and create a more nurturing reality. The contrast with Venus/Pluto may prove startling. Contrast always defines!
And again, given the current uptick in viral spread (this will continue throughout 2022), now more than ever it is paramount to take steps to strengthen your physical body's core energies through bodywork, pilates, yoga, physical exercise etc. Otherwise, attuning on a physical level to the emerging higher frequencies will prove more and more problematic and conflicted especially in 2023-2025.
Jupiter: on January 1, expansive Jupiter returns to its ancient home sign of Pisces (made a brief incursion during May/July) and will remain in Pisces until May 11, 2022. Jupiter expands all it touches. While usually very optimistic in its vibration, its overall effect has to be considered in the context of other interacting planetary energies. In this case, Jupiter meets Neptune on April 12th at 24°Pisces. Both archetypes rule Pisces. The last time Jupiter/Neptune met in Pisces was in 1856. Then, Florence Nightingale was emerging as a compassionate force amidst the horrors of on-going wars in eastern Europe. She was quite the Piscean archetype of compassion, mercy and forgiveness.
Pisces in part mirrors such compassion and the plight imposed by suffering. Renewed focus from a Piscean lens will occur in the realm of forced immigrations and the related hardships imposed on those vulnerable souls living under tyranny and oppressive conditions, or who have been traumatized by war. It will also further amplify the conversation about the viral spread (Neptune rules the unseen, including viruses) now sweeping the globe. Back in March 2020, I wrote about the emerging COVID virus. I encourage you to have a read.
Mercury's retrograde over the ensuing 3 weeks will return to Capricorn (Jan 26th) to station direct on February 4th conjunct Pluto. This is where Venus began its retrograde journey and where the Sun was positioned at the beginning of Mercury's retrograde in Aquarius. That's a profound synchronicity.
This cosmic meeting occurs just 6 days after Venus stations direct near Mars. When Mercury stations direct on February 4th, Sun in Aquarius will be at the exact degree of Saturn and square to Uranus. And again, that's quite a bit of intensity and will strongly mirror in the ensuing days political upheaval vs progressive initiatives around the world. There's no putting the genie back into the bottle. We can only work with a vibration if it's active. And that requires being pro-active in our quality of life choices. Growth or safety? Always a choice. They can't exist together.
Reflections for the Full Moon/Solstice:
- Do I value myself and the inner gifts I have brought into the world?
- What needs to change in my life to deepen my appreciation of all that I am?
- What am I ready to change in my practical world to embrace a greater sense of self?
- What possessions am I ready to purge in order to ready myself for something new and uplifting?
- How do I want to be of compassionate greater service to others in the coming days?
- How can I create a more sustainable existence through my internal and external actions?
It's always in the darkest hour that we are able to discover and embrace the light both within our psyches and externally. We are all connected in ways that transcend conscious thought. And therein lies the conundrum. As a global society, how do we create meaningful stability out of instability? How do we embrace the future with conviction and strength? How do we align with the tumultuous natural forces of this planet? How do we create a more sustainable world?
The answer to these questions is paradoxical. The answers lie within but are revealed through the synergistic actions of the collective. This emerging Venus retrograde will underscore the power of meaningful relationships in our lives; how strength in numbers focusing on an enriched reality can move mountains and overcome seemingly impossible odds/obstacles.
2022 will prove intense, yet offer expanded possibilities heretofore unseen. Trusting in yourself and others will be paramount during this time. It cannot be any other way.
I'll have more to share about the cycles of 2022 in a late January blog including Mars retrograde in October/November and a series of eclipses in May and November. Nonetheless, it's enough for the moment to focus on the current cycles at this Full Moon and Solstice time and work with their opportunistic offerings.
I welcome your comments below.
Sat Nam
Starman, Joseph Mina
December 18, 2021
Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
