MIDWINTER SOLSTICE
Our cosy heaters and pot belly stoves make modern life pleasant and comfortable. Not so for our ancestors, who prepared for the coming of winter long in advance, knowing the challenges of finding food and keeping warm. For them, the midwinter solstice was a vital turning point in the seasonal calendar, marking the longest night of the year. From midwinter to the summer solstice in December, the nights would grow shorter and the days longer. Many of the customs associated with the winter solstice (and with other midwinter festivals such as St Lucy’s Day, Saturnalia, Hanukkah, New Year and Twelfth Night) originate from stories of a fierce battle between the dark and the light, where the light finally conquers the darkness. Other traditions record this as the time that a saviour or sun-child is born to a virgin mother.
In Australia, our winter solstice is marked by the passage of the sun into Cancer on the 21st June. If you note the point at which the sun rises from the 21st-23rd June, you will see that it is in exactly the same place over these three days. Solstice means “sun standing still”. The weekend of the solstice (19th-21st) is the perfect time for a ritual to cleanse and release old energy and honour winter, the season of death and decay. The desire to slow down and go within is further intensified by the solstice falling during the darkest phase of the lunar cycle - less than two days before the new moon. And as the sun rises on the shortest day of the year, mighty Pluto, ruler of the underworld and collective unconscious, sets on the eastern horizon taking us down into the depths of existence.
WINTER SOLSTICE RITUAL
Decorate a room with winter greenery. Place a large bowl of water and a lighted candle in the centre of the room. Have some golden glitter and scented oil nearby and a candle for each person. Sit in a circle with a lighted candle in front of you and talk about what you wish to release at this dark time of the year, blowing out your candle once you have finished speaking. Once everyone has had their turn, blow out the central candle and sit in the darkness reflecting on what you are leaving behind. After a long silence, relight the central candle, which represents the sun, and sprinkle golden glitter on the water. Then each of you light a candle from the central candle and place it by the water so you can watch the glitter sparkling. Pass around a glass of wine and offer a toast to the sun, the bringer of new light. Then go round the circle again, each of you talking about a dream for the future or a new attitude you wish to embrace. Finally sprinkle scented oil on the water and choose someone to anoint each person with sunshine by dipping their hand into the sparkling, scented water and sprinkling it over each person’s hair. Hold hands and offer thanks.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEMINI
From the 21st May to the 21st June the Sun travels through mutable air sign Gemini. Gemini is the third sign of the zodiac with keywords “I think” and “I communicate”. Gemini’s symbol is the twins, one mortal, one immortal, the dark side and the light side. Geminis are extremely curious and like to accumulate information and process data. They think at lightening speed, are versatile and adaptable and love gadgets, mobile phones, books and surfing the net. Easily bored, Geminis need lots of intellectual stimulation and often have a youthful appearance. Negatively, the Gemini individual can be fickle and nervous with scattered energy and a tendency to gossip or make cutting remarks. Some are over-reliant on logic and dismiss emotions as irrational or unimportant. When Geminis are out of balance they suffer from nervous tension or problems in the lungs, arms, shoulders and hands. Gemini’s greatest challenge is to learn constancy and mental discipline and to accept the importance of emotions in both themselves and others.
How to handle a Gemini
Easy! Just start them talking and they’ll turn to putty in your hands. Although these whiz kids are super smart and can outwit just about anyone, their weakness lies in their thirst for information and they just love the sound of their own voice! Ask for advice, information or instructions and you won’t be able to shut them up. It’s like having your own personal internet download. Once you’ve got them talking, just steer the conversation round to a topic of your choice!
SEDUCING A GEMINI
TIPS FOR MEN
The Gemini female's brain moves at the speed of light so don't bog her down with intensity and long drawn out discussion. Keep it light. She loves to laugh and have fun so invite her out to a comedy show or entertain her with your own wit! A trip to her favourite bookstore could do the trick. Computers may seem an unlikely seduction tool, but Geminis love emails and texting. Show her your state of the art mobile phone and woo her with steamy SMS messages. If this fails, try flirting. Geminis love witty conversation and charm. Don’t expect to do all the talking though - she'll give you a run for your money.
TIPS FOR WOMEN
Gemini is the sign of the twins so you may feel you're chasing more than one man! No need to panic - you simply need a two prong plan. When you invite him out, offer him a choice of activities thus cleverly displaying your understanding of his need for variety. Or how about two activities on the same evening? Then try talk, talk and more talk. The art of conversation will take you far with this man, so make sure you have a variety of interesting opening lines to win his heart. Take him out for coffee and cake in a café with lots of newspapers and magazines. He'll be in his element which should set the scene for romance!
VENUS & MARS – COSMIC LOVE DANCE
Relationship planets Venus and Mars normally meet up just once a year, but the recent retrograde transit of Venus has produced a flurry of activity for these cosmic lovers. They collided in September last year (in Libra), embraced again in April this year (in Pisces) and will have their final fling in mid June (in Taurus).
Relationships for all of us have been a major focus over the past few months, whether it be looking back at old relationships, sorting out current ones or dreaming of finding that perfect partner. This applies as much to friendships as to sexual relationships. And interestingly enough, Venus (the feminine planet) has been dominant in this cycle as all three conjunctions have occurred in signs that favour Venus, rather than Mars. A Venusian approach to relationships emphasises love, pleasure, beauty and cooperation, rather than dominance, conquest, desire and lust, the province of Mars.
This final meeting of Venus and Mars offers the opportunity to leave the past behind and embrace a new, rosier future. The final conjunction occurs in Taurus on 21st June, the day of the winter solstice and a time of reflection and new beginnings. The Sabian Symbol for the Mars Venus conjunction speaks of the inadequacy of past knowledge in times of crisis. If we apply this theme to relationships, it is clearly time to take a new approach. The roles of men and women are changing rapidly and the old ways of relating are now redundant. Perhaps that’s why this cycle favours the rise of the feminine. You might like to think what this could mean for you and your relationships.
JUNE ASTRO-ENERGIES
\Chiron, Neptune and Jupiter dance cheek to cheek in late Aquarius for the entire month. We have talked about the healing and growth potential of this triple planetary combination in previous AstroUpdates, but in June, the line-up is at its most potent. The Sabian Symbol for 26 Aquarius is “an ancient pottery bowl filled with fresh violets”, an image representing the power of natural beauty and craftsmanship to move us on a deep inner level. Chiron represents healing, Neptune, spirituality and access to higher dimensions of consciousness, while Jupiter is the planet of growth and expansion. Those born in mid February or with planets in late Aquarius are particularly blessed by this cosmic line-up.
Relationship planet Venus joins Mars in sensual Taurus on the 6th promoting pleasures of the flesh and a desire for self-indulgence and love. If you’ve been planning a makeover for either yourself, home or garden, June is the perfect time to take action. And if love is on your mind, this is a fine time for courtship and seduction.
Mercury heads into home sign Gemini on the 14th, favouring detailed mental work, brainstorming or networking. Fine tune that job application, complete your first draft, update the CV or clean out your email inbox.
On the 15th, giant Jupiter turns retrograde in late Aquarius and will travel backwards through the zodiac until mid October. Jupiter transits bring growth and expansion, so use this four month period to revise and improve on long term plans, ready for a renewed burst of energy in spring to bring them to fruition.
Finally the entry of the Sun into water sign Cancer on the 21st marks the winter solstice and the shortest day of the year.