The longest night, the Winter Solstice, is behind us. The air is frosty cold; every creature that lives outdoors is hungry and needs to eat. They instinctively know it’s time to fuel up and the environment stimulates their metabolisms. We humans need to figure out a way to burn what we stored over the holidays!

Let’s start with the December 20th New Moon and move forward. We can’t charge into the new year without carrying a little holiday weight along. These are intense times. We are at once threatened by a fiercely tribal form of militant Islam that harkens back to the dark ages; and, at the same time, we are offered the limitless awakenings of quantum physics! We slip down the Rabbit Hole, only this time it is the black hole at the center of the Milky Way, the Galactic Center, and, perhaps, the very womb of our galaxy.

The visible planets are dancing together in different constellations until mid-March. From late December’s New Moon, the Winter Solstice, until the New Moon of February 17th, they gather with the Sun and Moon, and linger in a constellation with one of the slower moving, outer planets for a full month. Starting in late December, they join Pluto, the planet of transformation and rebirth. Interestingly, they gather across the center of the Milky Way. Mayan scholars say that this is the place the ancient Mayan culture saw as a Stargate, or portal, for universal, galactic knowledge. In January the faster planets visit Neptune: the mystical planet of dreams and visionary ability. Finally, in February, they visit Uranus, the restless technocrat of the heavens. He’s known for surprises and unpredictable events of all kinds. So this winter we stand both literally and symbolically at the gateway to the past and the future. Will we dance with Kali and create from destruction or will we reach for quantum physics and metaphysics to find a modern world solution to ancient tribal wars? On some level, we each get to choose with our conscious minds, hearts and words.

During the Winter Solstice on December 20th there is a New Moon or new beginning. The Sun, Moon, and Pluto are in tight union in the heavens. The place they meet is called Mula, (Foundation), in Vedic astrology: It is the center of the galaxy. Ancient Hindu astrologers associated this place with a deity called Nirritti: she later became known as Kali. Kali is a fierce creator and destroyer. She dances a wild dance to destroy our illusions. She shows us the painful reality of mortal life and the beauty and sublime pleasure that is part of life in a body on this earth. It is a place where we learn to dissolve our attachments to the material world in one way or another. This place was also known to the ancient Mayans as a portal to human consciousness. Thus, we are at the edge of the Rabbit Hole in “What the Bleep-Down the Rabbit Hole”. Pluto and the visible planets gather at this place in the heavens known as the birth canal to the Otherworld.

Interestingly, astrophysicists discovered in modern times that the place the ancients called the center of the galaxy is indeed a large black hole at the very center of the Milky Way. There is a great deal of supernovae activity there now, but perhaps there is something richer and maybe we are at the crossroads. Will we focus on warring tribes who win and lose at each battle? Do we see the Creator as a punitive deity or as an awakened consciousness? Will we leap forward or fall backward from fear? This sounds at once both exciting and ominous. As in the birth of anyone or anything it is daunting and exciting. For now, it is helpful to note that we have a choice in how we dissolve our attachments: through the primal dance of blood or the awakening of consciousness. Is this the beginning of the end of the Mayan calendar or is it the beginning of a new level of awareness? Wherever we turn, there are tribes: does ultimate protection come from joining one or from creating something greater? Do we have the awareness to reach beyond the comfort of the past? Do we dare dive into the Rabbit Hole?

We start the New Year with the knowledge that life is precious, painful and pleasurable. There is profound suffering and sublime joy. We also know that there are vocal groups calling for destruction and who believe that they will give birth to something better. Before we begin 2007, we reflect on the wars and threats and destruction of the recent past. We marvel that the ancients “saw” what modern science has now confirmed and we ponder the future. As we end the year, there are mixed images of celebration and suffering. We realize that creation and destruction walk hand in hand today, as well as in the past; each of us has the opportunity to reach deep inside and look at the Kali within. What destruction and creation are you capable of? What would you fight for or against? Who would you give up your life for? Will you dare to take a stand even if it upsets the tribe?

If you find yourself feeling just a little vulnerable and perhaps a little heavy with the pounds left from the holiday feast and if you are a bit daunted by the weight of responsibility from bills or work or family or life, then you are not alone. This is the time to focus on creation. We have the gift of life, a body, a mind and the possibility to awaken our consciousness. We can travel down the Rabbit Hole and explore what we know or thought we knew.

January begins the year on a heavy note. Physical and financial fears abound as Mars, the planet of war, joins Pluto. This is a particularly volatile transit and economic fears become loud shouts. As noted above, Pluto lingers in the mansion governed by Kali. We are pushed and pulled to find a way to create and step outside of the real fears of life. Mars crosses Pluto on the 13th. This may be a time for fears, threats and posturing at all levels. You’ll want to avoid petty dramas and keep meetings simple and direct. It’s easy to listen to mental chatter and presume that you have the facts when what you have are your feelings. This is a fast-moving transit so things should calm down within a week. If you need to apologize, do so and move on.

The January New Moon is the fresh start we’ve been waiting for. There is a planetary party in the heavens. On the 18th we feel lighter and brighter. There is plenty of attention to business and busy-ness. Love and money take a last fearful glance at Saturn, the truth about the budget and where we need to cut. Then we have a plan of action as a nation and as individuals. This is nothing new; we have experience and wisdom to guide us.

February is most interesting for relationships. Venus, the planet of love and money, crosses Uranus, the playful, trickster planet. Uranus governs technology so on-line romance is strong as we enter this month. The period of time from the 5th until the 14th is most volatile. Venus might be a little fickle or perhaps confused as she pulls into the eclipse path. Is it destiny or desire? Take a few days before you go too far. Remember, Venus governs love and money, so introduce him to your mother and get the advice of a solid financial person before you invest your heart or your nest egg.

This combination makes us all a little susceptible to fashion and should be a boon for the beauty industry. On the 13th, just in time for Valentine’s Day, Mercury, the communication planet, appears to stop in the heavens and go backward. This is good for mis-communication and missed appointments. Better verify your plans and your assumptions before you take the wrong turn. This should find plenty of lovers snapping up last-minute cards and flowers. If your sweetie forgets, give him the benefit of the doubt. Better yet, be the one to buy the flowers or make the dinner this year. That will be a pleasant surprise and a wonderful way to combine love, surprises and a shift in the paradigm. It could send him thinking about surprises, too! The February New Moon on the 17th is strong for business: it’s easier to get down to work and complete what you start.

March: Things flow pretty well during the first half of the month, then they get sticky. Mars, the action planet and the planet of war, opposes Saturn, the planet of frustration. This is symbolic of struggles with authority or those in power. Mars says: “Let’s do it my way now!” Saturn says: “We need to follow protocol; there is a system to all things and order is our friend”. Put these two together and we experience a sort of internal tug of war and perhaps an external reaction. If this weren’t enough, these two planets, who are not friends, move into a cosmic dance with Neptune, the planet of faith and illusion. The best of this would be the realization that war does not create order, but disorder. Our faith in the future must begin with our imaginations and, ultimately, relies upon faith in each other. The darker side of this is over-reaction to fear that our faith is questioned and force is the only way. I don’t know about you, but I’ll vote my visionary vote on the former. This is evidenced in all arenas of life, right down to our families. By the time we reach the March New Moon, we are ready for a different perspective and it is here!

In the News: The election brought about changes in the House and Senate. The Democrats are the majority party in both, but it is a slim majority, so the two parties will have to work together at solutions. This is a great time for a more enlightened, bipartisan approach. It’s an opportunity for both parties to step away from tribal rhetoric and pull together for a visionary solution to the nation’s big problems. Do you think they can do it? Will you wish them good will?

GWB: The president has run out of lucky transits. As he enters 2007 there are big changes already and more to come in his Cabinet. He is tired, but tenacious. Although we can expect to see him adapt to the current political climate, he will often feel alone or abandoned during this year. He has the type of transit an astrologer expects to see when someone is grieving. The nation will charge ahead. The gift of a Democracy is its ability to change with the people. We the People are part of the process and our vision is part of the solution.

Nancy Pelosi: The first woman Speaker of the House has a powerful Jupiter. Jupiter is strong in the charts of many politicians, but hers is unusually strong in the lunar mansion Revati. This mansion is sensitive and contemplative, but most of all it has a quality of empathy. Her Jupiter falls in the eclipse path on Ketu, the point where the Moon descends as it circles the Earth. It is an indication of destiny, as well as hard-won political clout. Pelosi has Venus, the feminine planet of love and money, right next to Uranus, the planet of change. She is changeable and a vehicle for change. She has been the voice of her constituents in San Francisco, but will now shift a bit as she becomes the voice of Americans nation-wide. Power won’t be handed to her easily, but I suspect she’ll win it gracefully. I intend to give her the opportunity.

Mercury is the planet of communication; expect to see her style of communication evolve dramatically as Uranus in the heavens comes to sit on her Mercury in 2007. It is in stressful aspect to Robert Gates’ Mars (see below), so word of these two being at odds will surface. More than anything, she is sensitive to the needs of her party and the nation. Although this combination may lead her to blurt things out like toads leaping into a pond, in time she will become more cautious. Her Venus is pretty and charismatic; it sits next to Mars in the heavens in her birth chart. Make no mistake- this woman is tough. Which mansion do they fall in? Krittika, the razor, which offers the ability to cut through the fecal matter to find what lies below. This mansion holds the Pleiades whose myth is a group of selfless sisters who face severe criticism and are even shunned. They take it all in stride as they come together to give birth to a being, who will save the world from evil. Pelosi will be a fascinating person to watch in the coming years, especially in 2007 as she evolves before our eyes.

Robert Gates, The Secretary of Defense, has a very interesting birth chart. Mars is the planet of war and it is near Uranus, the planet of change and unexpected events. Interesting, some of the most adversarial players in militant Islam have aspects of Mars to his Mars; this man is a strong leader and a fierce opponent. However, beyond that, he is a communicator and a negotiator.

Gates is part of the changes in Washington. He is very smart and analytical. Mercury, the planet of communication and commerce, sat right next to his Sun when he was born. His memory is phenomenal and his acumen for business is, too. Even more interesting is the planet Neptune right next to them. Neptune deals with secrets (He was former head of the CIA), but it is also charming! Think Bill Clinton, with Neptune prominent. No, Gates doesn’t have his tied with romance, but the charm and capacity to appeal to many different types of people should be there. With Neptune so close to the Sun, Gates may appear humble or he may literally be humble (I’m not sure which), but it is likely a combination of both. Mercury added to the mix gives him an amazing ability to communicate with many varied people. He wants to be heard and will be willing to listen and find a way to reach others.

Jupiter is the planet of religion, beliefs and optimism. His Jupiter is very strong and should give him plenty of enthusiasm for the difficult task. It is in the eclipse path so this is part of his destiny. Saturn is the cosmic task-master: as Gates accepted the Cabinet position, Saturn had just crossed over his Jupiter. My guess is that he was prepped in September. In the spring of 2007, Jupiter will throw his energy onto Gates’ natal Jupiter, while Saturn lingers upon it. March should usher in the biggest, most difficult work of his life. He is definitely part of the changes. I have high hopes for his success and diplomacy. We should see some of both very early in the year, perhaps even as early as December 2006.

The President of Iran; Nasrullah, the leader of Hezbollah; Secretary of Defense, Gates; and GWB face the most intense and volatile transits. We’ve seen Hezbollah’s demand to overthrow the Lebanese government. In late December and January, Nasrullah becomes even more vocal and optimistic about his success. This will be difficult for Israel and the US. Even more volatile is the situation with Iran. I believe the US will take a strong stand with Iran in 2007. It may start as early as January, but the Iranian leader’s chart is more volatile and impatient in March and remains combustible all year. It may manifest as a physical and not merely a verbal threat to Israel and to the US. It is interesting to see the leaders have Mars facing each other. GWB’s Mars is now more humbled by the election, but the President of Iran has had no such humility and so this transit is even more daring than one might expect. Defense Secretary Gates had Mars triggered as well. Starting in March, Uranus the technology planet, crosses the President of Iran’s Mars. This could manifest as another plot to use technology similar to the one in London that was discovered and foiled. That was the last time Uranus crossed this place. Let’s come together and ask for light and hope to enter the world stage. Let us pull on all the tools we learned from the film “What the Bleep-Down the Rabbit Hole” and lend our part to liberation.

Love and Money will grow, but they need to be tended carefully this Winter. Finances are strained in January and in March. This will likely appear in the market and, as we have seen, already shows in the Dollar. However, this is not the first time the nation faced this type of belt tightening. It’s the nature of business to get busy. I expect to see creative ventures, but cautious funding. I’m no financial or love adviser, but I do see a bit of a roller coaster ride this winter. Those with patience and compassion will feel rich in both areas, while those living in fear will feel loss when there is none.

Tags: Astrology