Winter is Dreamtime. We are currently in the darkest days of the darkest part of the year, a space that invites us into more silence and solitude, even as we get pushed and pulled to do more, be more social. These are the last few days of Sagittarius Sun cycle and we had a New Moon in Sagittarius (ruled by Jupiter in Scorpio) on December 17, at 10:30pm CA time. This is the special intention-setting moon for Sagittarius suns for the next year. Next Thursday the Sun shifts into Capricorn and we have Winter Solstice/Yule, when the Darkness births the Sun in the sky. Solstice is when the Sun "stands still" - and then the Light begins to grow and reign.
This week also brings closure to our final Mercury retrograde cycle of this year, as the communication planet stations and turns direct at 13º Sagittarius on Friday, December 22. It hasn't been the easiest retrograde period, but hopefully there were some revelations and restoration, as well as closure on some parts of the past. Mercury direct will assist our emergence from the underworld of winter.
The most extreme astrological event that happens next week will change things for the next three years, as Saturn ingresses into the sign of Capricorn on December 19. The Cosmic Taskmaster spends around two to two and a half years in a sign on average, so this marks a significant shift for Capricorns and a major cycle beginning for all of us; Saturn will settle into his home sign until March 2020, and then after four months in Aquarius, retrogrades back into Capricorn from July through December 17, 2020. This amplifies the Saturnian influence immensely for Capricorn suns, because it affects the first house, but each sun sign will be affected in different ways depending on which house the action is in for each sign.
The planet of responsibility will be at home in Capricorn, getting comfortable there and able to express its best qualities in general, which we benefit from. Saturn's realm deals with responsibility, hard work, discipline, maturity, lessons, time, fate/destiny. Known as the disciplinarian of the zodiac, this outer planet is the teacher of life lessons that we cannot live and function without, that we must learn in order to grow, and grow up. In Capricorn, Saturn's powers are strong; both the positive and negative qualities will be emphasized. Some traits of of this placement include independence, ambition, being overbearing, dedication, self-sufficiency. Those with Saturn in Capricorn natally may be prone to aches in the joints and knees.
This major shift turns Saturn's attention to a new place for each Sun sign until 2020. So prepare for a few obstacles, some life lessons, increased ambition and focus, and a lot of hard work in a new area of life during this cycle. Let's see what happens.
Possible themes/lessons for your Saturn in Capricorn cycle by Sun sign:
Aries - Career, success, life path
Taurus - Study, travel, mental exploration
Gemini - Intimacy, privacy, shared wealth
Cancer - Partnerships, marriage, contracts
Leo - Health, service, organization
Virgo - Creative and sexual expression, children, romance
Libra - Home, domestic affairs, family
Scorpio - Communication, ideas, technology, self-expression
Sagittarius - Money, stability, income, worth
Capricorn - Self-hood, self-sovereignty, how you present yourself to the world
Aquarius - Self-undoing, rest, closure, healing
Pisces - Goals, friendships, vision