All hail the return the return of the light! In the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter
or Uyll in the Celtic Wheel of the Year, occurs around about December 21. The incremental lengthening of daylight hours reaches a peak on the Summer Solstice (aka Litha), and then -The whole damn thing. Starts. All over. Again. In reverse!
The annual cycle of light-dark dissipation and resurgence is symbolic across many cultures, marking the beginning of the solar new year. It's a powerful time to set intentions for the year ahead, and despite the counterintuitive nature of commercialized holiday carping, an ideal time to slip away somewhere quiet, meditate in nature or enjoy some snuggery solo or with dear ones.
This year, however, apart from pandemic solstice vibes, is unique because it also features a once in 200-hundred-years conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn -planets of expansion and contraction, respectively- as they move into the sign of Aquarius, the Water Bearer. Although a fixed Air sign, Aquarius is depicted as a person pouring water from a vessel out over humanity. In symbolic realms, Air is related to the mental faculties- thought, mind, problem-solving- while water is correlated to the emotions and feeling states. So much duality duking it out in this imago at first blush. And yet, . . .
Aquarius wants to fix the problems (oh, we have so many in the world!) with thoughtful and well-planned solutions (the nature of Air signs), perhaps more on the traditional side (the influence of Saturn and Fixed Air signs), but Jupiter and Uranus, the ruler of Aquarius, say, oh hell no, we've been stuck inside too damn long, let's live large (Jupiter likes to go big or go home) and tear it up (Uranus is a radical innovator)!
This marvy duality is contained within the Winter Solstice. The Sun returns to shed more light on just what we'll need to shed, shred and shift into so that we can learn how to move into 2021 with stability. Whatever intentions are seeded on this day have extra potential and energy for being fulfilled beyond your wildest dreams if you cultivate them.
I journal with intent today, answering such questions as:
In 2020, as a result of ________ , I was forced to let go of _____________ about myself. This ended up being _________.
The thing I am most proud of myself for in 2020 is __________.
In 2021, I shall cultivate qualities of ______ , ________ , and ________ to help me fulfill me goal (s) of ________.
Lastly, from a yogic perspective, the Air element is associated with Anahata chakra, the heart energy center located in the middle of the breastbone. In Sanskrit, Anahata means "unstruck" and Anahata Nada is the "sound that is unstruck," a vibration continuously emanating from the heart chakra that is made by nothing striking anything (sound of one hand clapping anyone?), but is omnipresent in the universe, body and mind. The sound of creation, the sound of silence, the OM or Aum. Om is the supreme bija (seed) mantra, associated with the crown, top of the head, chakra. Each chakra has it's own bija (pronounced beej) mantra, and Anahata chakra's is YAM.
What would happen if . . .
You were to do some yoga, even just a sun salutation, listen to the 5-minute bija mantra meditation (just 4.5 minutes!) I made for you, and then journal your answers to the questions above?
Connecting the heart and the head on such an auspicious day? All good things, I bet!
Happy New Year!
xo
L
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