On the Winter Solstice 2020, we can witness an astronomical phenomenon not seen since 1226. The planets Jupiter and Saturn will be in exact alignment from Earth’s perspective and as a result, this point will appear like a bright star in the sky to the naked eye.

Every 20 years, these two visible planets line up with one another, but this year is precise. Since the closeness of Jupiter and Saturn sparks the beginning and end of a cycle, we might see this astronomical highlight as the harbinger of a true new age… the acceleration of which is dependent on our willingness to release the patterns of the past.

The week of the 2020 Winter Solstice is an auspicious week in many ways. As we say adios to 2020, you don’t need me to tell you that this has been a year for the ages. Although this has been grueling, it has been appropriate, because for decades we have hovered on the entrance to the Aquarian Age. With the Jupiter Saturn conjunction on December 21, 2020 those who cling to the past will lose their grip with increasing alacrity.

The 2020 celestial phenomena that we’ve experienced through synastry of Earth’s interpretation has created irrevocable shifts. Regardless of your political alliance, the slogan “Make America Great Again” mirrored the Saturn in Capricorn allegiance to past patterns. Whatever is ahead with “Build Back Better” seems to recognize that old infrastructure has got to go; this is the natural segue as Saturn enters Aquarius but with Jupiter also in Aquarius the impetus magnifies.

The December 14 Solar Eclipse / Sagittarius New Moon set the stage for the denouement of 2020, how we build the foundation and move forward in 2021. That doesn’t mean on January 1, 2021 everything magically is better — but it does mean that energetically we have passed through what has felt like for many like the gates of Hades or Inanna’s journey into the Underworld. In mythology, when people go into the underworld they don’t typically come out again as mortal… if they can come out at all.

Yet a descent to Hell/Hades/Underworld is a metaphor for going into the very darkness within and being reborn. What’s so pivotal with the pandemic is that legions of humans are having this experience in tandem. The experience is different depending on their class, country, personal life, beliefs, but most people have been changed in some way during 2020. The more work and self-reflection they’ve done, the greater the transformation.

So here we are at this winter solstice which is so symbolic of birth and new beginnings. The winter solstice marks roughly three days of darkness until the light starts to come back in; this dovetails of course, with the christian story of the Christ’s birth on Christmas day (an intentional pairing from the early days of the church).

On the winter solstice the northern hemisphere is at the shortest day of the year (a different story in the southern hemisphere). Regardless of hemisphere, we are at a time when the relationship of the sun and the earth moves into its next half. The solstice points occur when the sun is either as far north or as far south as it gets from the equator; it appears to stand still and then come back. Therefore it marks a point when from our perspective we “reset” for another half of the year — and ideally clean out whatever clogs growth.

So the solstice points are very charged; we have come to the end of the zip line… as we kick off, reset and come back, we have the opportunity for a new orientation and fresh perspective. How have we have viewed all this?

A solstice always offers a point of reflection.

The December 21, 2020 Solstice is major because of the Jupiter Saturn conjunction. The Solstice point of 0° Capricorn occurs at 5:03 AM ET. The Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn are in exact alignment at 1:21 PM ET. These planets don’t move as fast as Mercury, so you will still see that bright point in the night sky on a clear night.

This conjunction is a big deal with astronomers because not since 1226 has Earth been able to observe such a close alignment of Jupiter and Saturn.

For those fortunate enough to see it, it may appear as though you can see a star point as the planet Jupiter steps in front of Saturn’s orbit. This bright light in the heavens after such a challenging year does seem to signify hope. It does symbolically light the way for our future.

More about the astrology of this Great Conjunction

Work in tandem with the 2020 Winter Solstice and welcome the future. The past is a foundation but will not stay. The air sign Aquarius embraces youthful energy; it doesn’t mean those of us who are over 30 become obsolete, but it does mean that the opportunity for young voices, youthful ideas and exuberant experimentation ushers in possibilities that have not been encouraged prior to this point in time.

This is different than simply pushing products to capture the young. Jupiter Saturn in Aquarius can incubate and encourage bold and brave concepts for a new world.

The day of the solstice has nebulous energy: clean up, deconstruct, put things in order and set the stage for the next scene.

When the exact alignment of Jupiter Saturn happens the Pisces moon is void of course, which suggests that what takes form is inchoate and sensitive to mass consciousness. It’s imperative that those of us who welcome innovation, change, experimentation, creativity, youthful endeavor, imagination and possibilities — hold that space over this span of time because of the opposing forces. There are people who feel lost, unmoored and even dread the future, so the more energy that’s directed into hopefulness and exuberance, the higher the boat floats in the sea of confusion… and that boat is capable of unlimited possibilities.

The Great Conjunctions correspond with shifts in society, culture and finance. In 1226 it was also in the sign of Aquarius, and the beginning of many interrelation shifts that occurred into the 14th century. As people moved around and traded more, systems of trade were modified; Marco Polo brought the concept of paper money from China. There was tremendous aggression to build empires, affecting Russia, Europe, Asia and Africa and Mexico… and many of them dissolved by the end of the cycle. Yet in spite of the denouement of the Crusades. architecture solved ways to seek light and the sky for cathedrals.

In the area that was to become California, indigenous tribes communicated through a common language: Athapascan, while keeping their own within the tribe. Zen Buddhism was brought to Japan… but so did the Inquisition under Pope Gregory IX.

There were temperature fluctuations, commonly known as the “Medieval Warm Period” which should hasten our commitment to eradicating pollutants that exacerbate this. If climate fluctuations are a natural process of the Earth, humans need to work with this instead of thinking we can tame it.

There was another Great Conjunction of close alignment in 1623, but it was not visible here on Earth since the planets also aligned with the Sun. It seems fitting since 1623 began a fire cycle, It is worth noting, that also dovetailed with the Jamestown settlement that eventually led to the USA. Born of a fire cycle, the USA came to be the world power during an earth cycle and now with the air cycle — how will the States shift?

Saturn in Aquarius = responsibility to the community and the future… let’s make it happen!

Master Healer Suzy Meszoly and I, offer our ActiveSpirituality weekly podcasts for free at this time. Go to ActiveSpirituality.Life and sign up for a weekly astrology forecast and Suzy’s activation meditation.