Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Aquarius 2020

 Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Aquarius

on the

Winter Solstice, December 21, 2020

The definition of the word Conjunction: the action or an instance of two or more events or things occurring at the same point in time or space.  In this instance, from earth's perspective, Jupiter and Saturn are in alignment at the same time, in the same space of the sky, known as 0 degrees in the House of Aquarius. 

The definition of the word Solstice: the Sun stands still. (Translated from Latin). Our Sun stands still twice a year, on the lightest day (Summer Solstice) with the highest arc of the sun and the darkest day (Winter Solstice) with the lowest arc of the year.

This happens on December 21, 2020, the Winter Solstice.  The conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn at 0 degrees, the very beginning degrees of Aquarius. During the darkest night of the year, in the 0 degrees, the very beginning degrees of our annual return to the light.   

Here is what our night sky looks like now:

By December 21, Jupiter and Saturn will appear in the evening twilight about half an hour after sunset, but they will only be visible for an hour before disappearing below the western horizon.

If you look to the South, or South East in the early evening, you will see this stunning site.  Rarely do we ever see these two planets together and usually cannot see Saturn at all.  During the upcoming conjunction, it will appear as one giant star as the two of these planets seeming merge.  Kepler believed that the Star of Bethlehem was actually the exceptionally rare event of Mars, Saturn and Jupiter forming a triple conjunction.  Thus, creating a super bright star which the three wise men followed to the city of Bethlehem.

Its coincidental that the Star of Christmas manifests itself on the Pagan holy day of the Winter Solstice.  Are they competing or are they one and the same? 

Cycles of History

As we look back, so that we may look forward, we see that the last time Jupiter and Saturn were conjunct in the very beginning degrees of Aquarius was the year 1226. What were the issues of this time? What are we revisiting?  It is fascinating to understand that this time era produced big news regarding the Kingdom of Georgia.  Yes. Our state was named after the Kingdom of Georgia, which had it's capital captured during the year of the 1226 Saturn/Jupiter conjunction. And during this this current conjunction in 2020, we have our state of Georgia held captive by our politicians and central to our federal Presidential election in our nation.  Aquarius is all about entering into a new world. What is happening in Georgia that could become a message of hope for us all?

During this 1226 time, our ancestors experienced the passing of Saint Francis of Assisi. He was a designated patron saint of Italy, through the Catholic church. He was associated with patronage of animals and the natural environment, and it became customary for churches to hold ceremonies blessing animals on or near his feast day of October the 4th.  The fascinating connection here is with the unleashing of COVID-19 in a wild meat market, where the animals were traumatized, abused, butchered in front of each other while humans purchased them for consumption.  An insult to the natural world, the love and care of animals, and basically all that St. Francis had worked for.  How would he view these wet meat markets with stocked with wildlife? More importantly, what is your view? This is one of the questions begged of you with this conjunction.   What would the beginning degrees of Aquarius tell us about this practice? Would our new world condemn, ignore, or transcend the practice of butchering wildlife in wet markets with other wild animals in cages and chains awaiting their turn?

    Just as modern science is catching up to the ancient understanding of our deep emotional and physiological relationship to the living world, the twin forces of urbanization and technological advancement are pulling our bodies and our attention away from the elements and rhythms of nature that are so essential to our well-being.  --essay excerpt by naturalist Michael McCarthy.  Emergence Magazine  Ecology, Culture, and Spirituality

As there are many different aspects to muse upon regarding this grand conjunction, one may consider the Sabian symbol for 0 degrees Aquarius, the exact spot in the sky where this meeting occurs.  Let's back up and give a very brief overview of what a Sabian Symbol is.  If you were to stand on earth and look out into the sky, the space around us would create a 360 degree circle.  Divide this circle into twelve equal parts of 30 degrees each and it would appear as a pie with earth in the center.  The center is not the sun, as in traditional depictions of our solar system, because in astrology the central being is not the sun, it's you.  And you are on planet earth.  Astrology is from your perspective. Envision this pie image with each slice containing 30 degrees of the whole while making up one of the 12 houses of astrology.  Within each degree is a symbol which represents the energy makeup of that space.  When something happens there, such as an eclipse or a conjunction, it enlivens or activates those energies.  It is an opportunity for us to "tune" into a message from the heavenly bodies.  

During this Grand Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter, they meet at 0 degrees Aquarius, the very beginning of this house.  The Sabian symbol here is an old adobe mission.

An Old Adobe Mission In California

Before discussing the meaning behind the Sabian symbol, I invite you to take some time to "not know the answer".  Think about what this symbol means to you. Why would the two largest planets meet here? Jupiter is expansion and Saturn is contraction. What is their conversation here?  Seriously, stop reading here and close your eyes and let your imagination walk around this mission. Listen to what your inner voice says.

You might look at the adobe mission as an antiquated relic of religious order and doctrine whose time has been depleted and it now in need of reconstruction. Or you may look at it and see the beauty of time as the sun beat down and the wind whipped this symbol of strength, it sheltered people and inspired divine aspirations of it's inhabitants or visitors.  Perhaps you see both. Or something in between.  

Where do you find yourself?  Wherever you find yourself is exactly where you should be.  We are all in different places in our journey. There is no "wrong place". The original purpose of California adobe missions were to create an expansive place of God (Jupiter) and simultaneously a structure to be used as protection from outside forces (Saturn).  These structures served well for many settlers and travelers to the new land and simultaneously harmed the indigenous peoples who were originally dwelling on this land.  Can we serve our own needs without harming others?  Can dwell in peace together, even if we see things completely differently?

My thoughts on the old adobe church is that is may also represent our bodies. The earthen structure which is ours to dwell in, embodying our spirit, and grounding us to earth and with the steeples (crosses) reaching to the heavens.  The wear of the wind, rain and sun evident, but still we tend our adobe. We invite some people in while protecting ourselves from others. We expand with joy and contract with burdens. We decide which old ideas are worth keeping and taking with us and which ideas are heavy and outdated and should be left behind, as we enter into our new age of Aquarius.

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Aquarius is pictured as a woman pouring water from a vase which travels through the air.

This Grand Conjunction is in the Aquarian sign of air, instead of earth where they have met for the last 200 years. This is considered a "Great Mutation" when the grand conjunction changes from one element to another.  The time of "air' is upon us.  I feel that this is building from our past year 2020 which emphasized the importance of breath with George Floyd's airway crushed as he struggled for breath and the COVID-19 pandemic reaching into the intimacy of our lungs and stealing our breath until many could breath no more.  The wildfires spreading their black smoke into our air and permeating our bodies with the the ash particulates of all which was lost. Even more is that this pandemic is spread by water droplets traveling through air.  Is Aquarius reflecting our journey? Is she telling us that she "sees us" and understands our struggles?

Air is also known as mental energy. Our thoughts, our mind, our capacity to dream.  It is the ability to connect with the invisible, such as WiFi, internet, technology, frequencies, sound waves.  This house will help us to envision and create what is coming in our future. The energy of Aquarius is a lovely energy to work with as we call in our new year, our return to the light during this time of the dark Solstice (remember that for us in the northern hemisphere the solstice is dark/winter, while the southern hemisphere is light/summer).  This time of year asks us to leave behind and make room for the new.  What will Aquarius help us to usher in? What does the adobe mission help you to understand about what you need to let go of?  What will it house in the coming year? How will you expand and connect with your own soul and the spirit of others?

Solstice Blessings to you, my friends. May be you blessed with the best the Grand Conjunction "star" and use these energies to amplify the sacred union of mind, body and spirit. 

Namaste,

Annette