By Len Wallick with Eric Francis
Yesterday was the Capricorn solstice (first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, first day of summer south of the equator). There were a lot of big aspects that day, particularly Jupiter making its last conjunction to Neptune in 14 years. It’s also the first solstice with Pluto in Capricorn. Coming down off those momentous events today heralds something more subtle but perhaps useful — the Sun and several minor planets in the degree of their respective signs.
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For as long as astrology has been around one would think that there would be consensus on what the first degree means. That, however is not the case, leaving your sophomoric reporter to stick his neck out with some opinions of his own.
First, it’s either/or. Just as there is no such thing as a little bit pregnant, neither is there a little bit Capricorn. Just as Mercury stations on a dime, the cusp between signs is a razor’s edge, not some sort of gradient. The change is abrupt and total. Another observation is that the first degree of any sign exhibits a cardinal point quality, not just in the sense that the personal is political (as Eric has so often said) but also the idea of a reset, a new beginning in a new pattern. Finally, the first degree has a quality that ranges from refreshment to excitement, depending on who you are, and this can most often serve to awaken awareness.
With the Sun there is a 5th house quality of daring self expression, in the first degree of Capricorn, the key words might be structured use of creative energy.
Capricorn also implies a social role — a role in society, which all of us have, but few of us recognize.
For a few days things will seem to hang in the balance awakening us to the awareness that this is a turning point in the the cycle of darkness and light; we might be reassessing that role we don’t quite know we possess.