Sun Into Capricorn 2012-13: The Valley of the Shadow

    The Sun and Santa Claus may be coming to town, but you better watch out, as the old song says, for Pluto.  This year’s solar trip through sober, provocative Capricorn will see the planet ruling power, death and the subconscious make direct connections with most of astrology’s personal planets.  Closely allied with staunch Saturn in transformational Scorpio, the cycle is set to help us confront blocks and fears. to clear our paths of psychic debris and to lay more ascension groundwork.  But before we can plant the seeds of change, we have to locate our seeds of self-destruction.

    I once was lost
    But now I’m found
    Was blind
    But now I see
            - John Newton


    The Sun will move into determined Capricorn at 3:12 A.M. PST on December 21st and by the 30th it will be conjunct (at the same degree as) Pluto.  Ambitious and assiduous, Capricorn sets its intention and achieves its aims.  In traditional astrology, this Cardinal earth sign is associated with career and industry, and in our heavily materialistic culture they are in turn primarily associated with monetary reward.  In the new paradigm, life purpose may be the more appropriate and helpful term when defining our work, and satisfaction and happiness are equally important indicators of the worth of our endeavors.  Under Pluto’s waxing influence, stated business ethics will increasingly have to match industry practices.  So when the Sun contacts honest, purifying Pluto these days, evolved interpretations of success will apply to our professional lives and surviving institutions.  When Pluto connects with Mercury on January 6th, we may be forced to examine inconsistencies.  Are they based on fearing or trusting life?  When Pluto aligns with Venus on the 16th, we may have to look at our relationships and values.  What have we been sweeping under the rug for the false sake of peace?  What changes are we ready to make?  Plutonium is after all a key component of nuclear power.  We can think of these Pluto connections like coming into contact with internal nuclear energy.  Anything less than our complete authenticity and a commitment to carefully disposing of our accumulated toxins would be like ignoring proper maintenance at a nuclear power plant.  Body work such as massage and acupuncture may be especially helpful at this time.  As Saturn continues its transit of Pluto-ruled Scorpio, the pressure to clean up our acts, systems and planet will only increase.

    On December 26th Pluto will form a sextile to Capricorn’s ruling planet Saturn.  This structuring planet is just getting settled into the shamanic sign of death and rebirth, and this is only the first of the exact sextiles it will form with Pluto over the next three years.  Fortunately for us, the influence of a sextile is astrology’s kinder and gentler cleaning mode.  Still, these forces are intent on fully exposing flaws and falsehoods and washing away blockages and distortions.  Scorpio’s candor will help us see the issues clearly.  It will sextile Mercury on January 6th, under a Scorpio moon, and it will sextile Venus on January 17th.  Conversations shift from image to substance, and substance determines consequences.

    All of the self-exploration and clearing are in preparation for the new Capricorn moon of January 11th.  On that day five of astrology’s ten planets will be in forging, security-conscious Capricorn.  This first new noon of 2013 will make connections with Pluto and the Sun and will receive propulsion from Innovative Uranus in activating Aries.  Capricorn can lay a solid foundation for growth, and its work toward principled goals builds enduring systems and legacies.  Looking ahead, 2013’s full Capricorn moon will take place on June 23rd, when the Sun will be in the Cardinal water sign of nurturing Cancer.  This reference point comes only weeks ahead of one of the year‘s most influential events, a grand water trine.  Exact on July 17th this trine will see Neptune, Jupiter and Saturn merge from each of the three water signs, Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio. 

    The enormous wave of heart wisdom they create is beginning to form now.  This is where and when feelings, language and spirituality begin playing a greater role in determining reality.  This wave will envelop all three of the year’s Mercury retrogrades which will take place under the water signs.  Capricorn is the domain of astrology’s ancient sea goat, so now is when can begin to master navigating between the material world and the watery home of heartfelt intelligence.  Pluto’s transit through Cap lasts until 2023 and Neptune’s voyage through Pisces until 2025.  It is into this larger context that the Sun enters competent, capable Capricorn.  Evolutionary Pluto stands in its path, poised to purge us of impediments to our progress.  Are we ready to face the music and to sing a new song?


When you've seen beyond yourself
then you may find peace of mind is waiting there
And the time will come when you see
we're all one
and life flows on within you and without you

               - George Harrison