December 21/22: Reflections on the center of the galaxy, the Trifid Nebula (M20) and the December 2012

December 21/22: Many people have assumed the solstice in December 2012 is special for being "aligned" with the center of the galaxy. Although it represents the beginning of a new calendrical cycle in the Mayan calendar, the solstice 2012 is oriented towards the center of the Milky Way, but their correspondence is not exact. According to the American Ephemeris for the 21st Century by Neil Michelsen (ACS Publications), one of the most recognized ephemeris worldwide for their quality and precision, on December 21st, 2012, the center of the galaxy is located in the tropical zodiac at 27 degrees Sagittarius  with one minute (27 ° 01 '). For the solstice to point exactly to the center of the Milky Way, it would have to be located at 0 ° 00 'of the tropical sign of Capricorn. This will happen in the future, but there is still approximately 300 years for that to happen, since the celestial sphere slips under the precession of the equinoxes, at a rate of about one degree every 70 years.


A collective desire for change

     Definitely, our descendants will experience the event (if our civilization still exists, of course). What has come to be known as "the Mayan prophecies" or "World's End" is a creation of the media, which have been largely benefited from the attention that has been given to that subject from the general public. Perhaps many people did not believe the world was going to end because a supposed prophecy said so... But it is likely that many people, already so tired of our decadent civilization model, take this as a good excuse to declare the beginning of a change so longed for ( with peace, justice, freedom...etc.). And what better to place it when a calendar so interesting and long as the Mayan starts one big cycle....

     The media has been selling a cocktail of Mayan calendars, millenarianism, Age of Aquarius, galactic alignments and apocalyptic prophecies. The december solstice 2012, just as last century's solstices and those of coming centuries, points in the direction of the galactic center, which by the way, most probably contains a massive black hole that is unlikely to have the property of growing awareness that is attributed to it in this exotic mix of concepts. It is rather the repetition of an event, like the Sun's annual transit of M20 each solstice, over many consecutive cycles, that indicates an insistence on a particular topic.


Astronomical cycles: living the transition between the ages of Aquarius and Pisces

     If there is a process of alignment with the galactic center to make us change of consciousness, this process has been operating throughout the XXth century, which was characterized by a lot of progress, but also by great destruction. It becomes hardly possible to speak of an "alignment" with a higher will, bearing in mind the scary black hole of  at the center of the Milky Way... If we limit ourselves to a very narrow astronomical margin, the process starts  around the year 2300 and then does not belong to our century. The same is true of the question about the beginning of the Age of Aquarius, which is very controversial, as there are many different versions. These include some that say that the Age of Aquarius has already begun, others who is just starting, and others, that it still does not come. Actually, each era lasts about two thousand years, but as they are determined in reference to constellations, which are of different sizes, it can be expected that they all have a different duration.

     Actually, all these cycles are so great, that go far beyond the scope of a human life and even of generations. This is the level of historical or geological cycles, whose transitions do not occur dramatically from one moment to another, as many people wished at the time of the solstice 2012. At present, we are still in the Age of Pisces, dominated by christianism as well as science. But we are located at the end of it, in which the indicators of the Age of Aquarius are already beginning to be seen. Historically, they can be tracked to the discovery of Uranus (1781), planet associated with the zodiacal sign of Aquarius and that represents technology, revolution, individual's rights and freedom. These themes are struggling to emerge and ireplace the patterns of the Age of Pisces, now largely dominated by religious fanaticism and the excesses of amoral science.

     So what is the meaning of this solstice in December 2012? Nothing more and nothing less than the beginning of a season, a cycle, as it completes a cycle recorded by the Maya and starts a new one. In the very start lies the seed of what later will develop, hence the obsession of the human collective unconscious, eager for change and new cultural reference points, with having a good start for a new cycle. If only we started well all our important cycles, perhaps that would really serve to expand our consciousness! But most important astrological events go unnoticed by the general public simply because the media do not pay attention to them. In cases like this, they have promoted the generation of a modern myth of creation/resurrection. This myth expresses, through a media-sponsored puzzle, a fundamental archetype of resurrection, which ovbiously implies a strong public reaction. If the masses believe in a certain change, it is because a lot of people want it intensely, the desire to stop and revive the creative essence of human freedom in the midst of a dehumanized and controlling capitalism.


The influence of the Trifid Nebula in Earth's solstices: competition vs. cooperation

     For now, for over half a century, the December solstices happen ecliptically aligned with the Trifid Nebula (M20) an interesting and colorful celestial object in the constellation Sagittarius. In any case, I think the fact that this nebula is much closer to us than the center of the galaxy and its position more exact makes it a priority in the interpretation of the december solstices. M20 is interesting because it combines a reflection nebula superimposed on an emission nebula, whose respective blue and pink glows are in a stark contrast with a supernatural beauty. Inside this nebula many stars in formation exist. But the most prominent, illuminating the region from within, as if it was a lamp, is a trio of very large stars of very high temperature, competing fiercely for the avaiable space and dissolving with their extreme ultraviolet radiation, stellar embryos all around. This is a "fierce nebula", despite its visual appeal. And astrologically, it represents power-oriented relations, ideological conflicts, competition, among other things...

      Perhaps the celestial bodies that are currently placed at the solstice and equinox points represent the paradigms that remain the benchmarks of human society for about a century... Our reference poin nowadayst may be a power struggle between different trends in society, both those who help to build it and those that make it sink. The desire to compete to have the power, whether it is financial, military, social or intellectual is a standard for our civilization, which coincides with the symbolism of the Trifid Nebula rather than the black hole at the center of the galaxy. Every year, each December solstice has an alignment of the Earth, the Sun and M20 that highlights the issue of power within the collective unconscious. Of course, as individuals we can react to this in an individual way, and decide whether to  build our reality with a competition scheme or with one of cooperation.


Solstice 2012: the Sun and Juno make M20 cooperate to fight for good causes

     In any case, we should consider some positive uses for this paradigm of power and put it to use for our survival, not our destruction. For now, the solstice 2012 contains a conjunction of the Sun to the asteroid Juno, indicating that during the winter (or summer in the southern hemisphere) one of the most important areas of work in general, for the whole human society is in the area of relationships, in particular the nearby: family, marriage, friends, close associates. Juno's desire is a fair union, a balanced exchange. Will these serve to neutralize the ruthless ferocity M20?

     Unity is strength, so beyond apocalyptic fantasies, myths and modern media interests, it is important that we unite in consciousness to guide a process of change that probably began in the eighteenth century with the declaration of human rights and will continue to evolve until it becomes a reality for every person on the planet. But to do so, we must fight in many different ways, we must defend and care for our planet, for our survival. That is the main message of the solstice 2012, a far more realistic one.

     This is a good century to fight for good causes and help the planet! How will you cooperate to do this during the winter (or summer) 2012/2013?

Trends of the June 2012 Solstice: emotional intensity, inner explorations.

       The times of the year in which there is a change of season are the most important of the annual cycle of the Earth. These changes form a regular pattern to which all nature and life on Earth is adapted. From ancient times, temples and observatories were erected to align with the equinoxes and solstices, the turning points of the year.

     The June solstice occurs when the Sun reaches its maximum north declination, located exactly on the Tropic of Cancer at declination/latitude 23° 1/2 north. When the Sun reaches this position every year, it enters the zodiacal sign of Cancer (not to be confused with the constellation of the same name). This is the start of the season, whether summer in the northern hemisphere or winter in the southern hemisphere.


       The chart made for the Sun's ingress to Cancer contains indications of the trends that will develop during the three months that follow: from the end of June, to July, throughout August and part of September. If we follow and understand the general trend, we can make our personal flow within the whole much easier ... And of course there are interesting trends in the June Solstice 2012.

      

     The Moon, at the solstice moment, is in ecliptic conjunction with M41, a star cluster in the constellation Canis Major, just below Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. The star cluster M41 has several bright orange stars of type K, which tend to emphasize emotions, desires and sexuality, in addition to a productive and creative capacity, too. And while good production and creativity are always welcome, there can be too much emphasis on the emotional side during this season. Therefore we must take advantage of it and use it as an impulse to pursue our dreams. And most of all, we must use our desires as a motivation, not as an end to satisfy in themselves.

     The Moon phase is New Moon, which means that it is a good time to promote new projects. But the general atmosphere of the summer/winter will be very emotional, because both the Sun and the Moon are in the zodiacal sign of Cancer .. Try to cool down any emotional excesses that surely will manifest, and try to use logic and common sense. However, it is a good time to explore and balance our emotional life and our inner world, at home, with relatives, working on the unconscious and our own family and cultural roots.

     As there aren't many options, we better dive into the pool of our personal unconscious! This will be excellent for healing emotions of the past, for discovering and integrating unknown parts of our history, for using saved or inherited resources, for healing our emotions and releasing them. Redirect your emotions in a positive way so you can  follow your dreams, motivations and expectations with more clarity and less weight. This is the message of star cluster M41 for successfully surfing the mid-2012...

     This and other trends of Summer/Winter 2012 are discussed in the next audio file in the Galactic Guide podcast gallery in Soundcloud, check them here:

The June Solstice 2012: astrological trends


  Have a great Summer / Winter!

  Carlos Duarte