A Horoscope for the Winter Solstice

Finding peace ahead of the New Year

Both cosmically and locally, the last few years have certainly been intense. 2020 brought us a storm of the Great Conjunction in Capricorn- we saw magnifying Jupiter and restrictive Saturn unite as they do every 20 years or so. This time, however, they were joined by the Transformative Leveler himself, Pluto, and our world was changed forever with the onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic. 2021 has been a continuation of these events, however less about long-held societal structures beginning to crumble and more about Aquarian revolution circulating. Ironically, while such a progressive and Aquarian current begs for movement and change, we have been forced to weather a different change in adjusting to Pandemic life. Now, the large gusts of ideation have died down, but their presence is still diffuse during this last lunation of the year, but finally we are being called to rest.

The Winter Solstice is always a time for turning inward. With visits and everyday comings and goings being halted, then rushed, and now seemingly forever altered, it is only fitting that we are hit by another huge wave, Omicron, at the end of this year. Again, our plans are up in the air, and we may be forced to sit in solitude when we would prefer company. I think it is wise to take this (unsurprising) news calmly and do what we can to remain personally safe and reflective. If holiday events do not go as planned—well, by this point, hopefully, we have learned to deal with that kind of let-down—we can use it as an opportunity rather than a disappointment. The long, dark nights of Capricorn are here. Saturn-ruled Capricorn asks us to slow down and get serious about where we stand, what we need, and how to live our lives. But this is not a time to be scrambling for answers, hopefully that unfinished feeling was purged during the recent Full Moon in Gemini (December 18). If not, now is the time to extinguish any lingering stress from 2021. The Moon is waning—a time to release— throughout the rest of the calendar year and will begin a new cycle on January 2, 2022. What we can do for now—what we can extend control over—is our current peace of mind and attitude.

Soon enough in early 2022, our long-term energetic mood will shift into less thinking and more doing, fewer ideas and greater focus on actions with tangible results. But for now, it is a time to recuperate as much as we can. The volatile transits are not finished yet; rather, they will continue for the foreseeable future. We cannot say for sure what will happen on a global scale, but if there has been any takeaway lesson from this year and last, I believe we should cherish peace when it presents itself. The last ten days of 2021 are like a gift in that way, so find some peace and quiet and sink into it.

Mercury and Venus have joined Pluto in Capricorn- Mercury is passing through to gain a more serious and insightful perspective than it has recently held in flamboyant Sagittarius and emotionally-consuming Scorpio. Here Mercury takes our thoughts and communication on a more pensive path; it is not rushed or grasping. Venus has joined Pluto’s very side, stationed, and has just turned retrograde to review and give weight to our hearts, emotions, values, and financial situations. She will remain here through January and then must traverse back through Capricorn.

This is not an empty time, definitely not a boring one. In fact, we have two other major transits before the New Year. A strong presence all year has been the repeating squares between Stoic Saturn in Rebellious Aquarius and the Rebel Himself, Uranus in Serene Taurus. On Christmas Day, we will see the third square for this year, with one more to go in 2022. And finally, on December 28, Jupiter will enter its exaltation in Pisces- its stay will cover much of 2022 and will undoubtedly be felt worldwide in the form of a dreamlike expansive mist.

Amidst all these very significant events, it is today and these nights of the Winter Solstice that we are being asked to sit and be calm. We must rest when, how, and where we can and nurture ourselves and our loved ones. Be safe and grateful for what we have, the tests we have faced, and the new vision of strength we have gained. We have all earned a little peace, so let’s take it and give thanks for it.

I'll continue to update on cosmological developments, but in the meantime, here is a small preview of what's coming next year. 2022 will bring more changes on yet another level, this time in Piscean fashion. Pluto will continue to slowly beat its way through Capricorn, where it is beginning the USA’s Pluto Return. Wise Old Saturn has gotten comfortable in Aquarius, attempting to give structure to revolutionary ideas. The Nodes will shift from the thrill-seeking and inquisitive Gemini/Sagittarius axis to the more earthy and sensual Taurus/Scorpio axis. Topping the list and potentially most powerful will be the Jupiter/Neptune Conjunction in Pisces in April.

Virginia Lengyel | Astrologer