Sagittarius Solar Eclipse: Changing Direction

What would you do if you found a live koala nestled in the branches of your Christmas tree? When she first spotted the adorable cub, Amanda McCormick of southern Australia couldn’t believe her eyes. But the special visitor quickly brought a big smile to McCormick’s face. And luckily for us, she took pictures before calling a wildlife rescue group, who escorted the gentle creature back to its nearby forest home.

Although certainly not the craziest thing to happen in 2020, this whimsical incident brings a touch of lightheartedness to an unusually heavy year. And, it may even be a good omen, if you’re inclined to look for such things (as I am!). In aboriginal lore, Koala represents maternal instincts, and carries a genetic memory of primeval ancestors and mysteries. She climbs upward on the branches of a tree, mediating between earth and heaven. From her high vantage point, she watches for the sacred Ancients’ return. Koala is also said to bring rest and calm to a stormy world.

Honoring nature and staying calm are good things to do at the Sagittarius total solar eclipse on Dec. 14 at 8:16 a.m. PST (which is visible in parts of South America and Southwest Africa). Eclipses reveal what has been hidden in the shadows. Although it happens at a New Moon, this is actually a South Node eclipse – signifying that something old is dying so that something new can be born. When the Sun gets eclipsed by the Moon, instinctive feelings and heightened sensitivity tend to override logic and reason. And since both lights square Neptune, facts can easily get blurred and distorted.

We’re apt to see some bombastic behavior at this eclipse, which happens on the day that the Electoral College confirms the new U.S. president (as the eclipse also activates the old one’s natal lunar eclipse). The Nodes have been approaching a square nebulous Neptune over the last few months, a hypnotic, sometimes delusional cycle that peaks at the end of January. Neptune transits can propel us to the heights of ecstasy or the depths of misery, often both. Since that planet is associated with viruses, sadly many of us are back under lockdown and others are falling ill after some folks let their guards down over the Thanksgiving holiday. Please take extra care with your health and that of others. And use this Sagittarius New Moon to affirm where you’re headed and what holds meaning for you.

A week later, the long-awaited Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius arrives at the Winter Solstice, bringing a ray of hope for the future. The last time our two largest planets joined in Aquarius was in 1405, the dawn of the Renaissance! We can anticipate a similar flowering of consciousness and creativity as happened at that time. Although Jupiter and Saturn join every 20 years, shifting society’s focus, they’re not usually as visible – and thus influential – as they will be this time. That’s because their merger happens far enough away from the Sun’s glare for us to witness it. As you’ve probably already heard, the last time Jupiter and Saturn were so close together and easy to see was in 1226 – almost 800 years ago. Adding to its significance, this Great Conjunction marks a 200-year shift from earth to air signs, quickening our minds and accelerating technological breakthroughs to help usher in the long-awaited Aquarian Age (which won’t become fully activated until transformational Pluto enters Aquarius in 2024).

It’s natural to refer to this Great Conjunction as a Christmas Star, since it happens so close to that holiday. And many believe that a similar planetary meetup created the legendary Star of Bethlehem that led the three wise men to the Christ child. But the actual day of Jesus’ birth is unknown (it was probably not on Christmas Day). This Great Conjunction does herald a special birth, however – one which happens within. Each of us is the promised savior; we all must do our part to help birth the new world. The part of your chart where zero degrees Aquarius is located represents where your new paradigm happens. And the parts that contain 23 degrees of mutable signs (especially Gemini and Sagittarius) are getting a wake-up call to let go of the past so you can move ahead.

As this intense eclipse approaches, many of us are feeling edgy and acutely sensitized to the woes of the world. Hold fast to your inner light as you release the old, and light a candle to affirm a new dawn on the 14th. And, remember that we have to experience an accelerated collapse of the old paradigm to make way for the new one. On Dec. 21^st at 10:21 a.m. PST, Jupiter (our highest vision) joins Saturn (the patience and wisdom to build anew) in forward-thinking Aquarius. Call on all that’s sacred to bless and heal our world.