Welcome to Sagittarius Week.
Starting with the New Moon in Sagittarius, this is a powerful week for Sagittarian energy.New Moons are the beginning of the monthly energy cycle. At the New Moon cosmic and emotional energy is concentrated, therefore, it’s a good time to begin projects. What kind of projects? Sagittarius likes to grow and explore, so this is a good time to start those projects that expand the mind, such as reading philosophy, or meditation. Actually, any time is good for meditation, but this time is excellent for dealing with the more devotional, philosophical kind of meditation. This may also be a good time to explore higher education or to learn a foreign language.
This beginning of the monthly cycle has once again brought us news about religion, international affairs, higher education and speculation. There’s the climate conference in Bali, the granting of the Nobel Prize to Al Gore, the upcoming withdrawal of troops from Basra by the British, the international effects of the housing market decline, and the shootings at Ted Haggard’s church in Colorado.
Next comes Jupiter and Pluto combined in Sagittarius, (1:26 pm EST, 28 Sagittarius December 11, 2007), the culmination/end of a 12-year cycle of great expansion and high optimism. When Pluto and Jupiter last conjoined back in 1995 it was in Scorpio, and it ended/culminated a period of economic contraction where what grew was mostly decay: the drug trade, and the rot of the end of Communism. There were positive things: the quiet growth in reproductive technology, the exploration of the human genome, the growth of hospices. What then began was a great deal of speculation and expansion, a growing interest in international matters fueled by terrorism and the internet. That period is ending, and a more pragmatic (Capricorn) approach is coming to many matters. Suddenly the rhetoric of fanaticism is cooling down, atheism at least gets a hearing, and people now realize just how diverse we really are and that we need to at least try to get along for the sake of the planet. Another end of a cycle.
So just what is going on here? The gambling isn’t so much the usual kinds, although places that specialize in that should do pretty well this season. With the influence of Pluto, Vegas is exploring its darker side. There is a mobster’s museum that is being proposed for Los Vegas. For years, Los Vegas has tried to play down it’s mob origins. But the growing self-exploration of Capricorn allows for no such dishonesty, so now the museum is coming to life.
The other kind of gambling, the stock market, is facing near melt-down as the housing speculation and the shady deals are coming to light-Capricorn demands honesty here too.
Religion is also going through similar probing and exposure. Indeed, religion seems to be a big issue right now with Huckabee’s “optimistic fundamentalism” and Romney “apologize for being a Mormon” speech. Another, more darker side, is the church shootings in Colorado, the investigations of several tv ministries, and the growing scrutiny by skeptics of church claims. The Church of Scientology is going to be banned in Germany. The church is now having to explain itself when for so long they have taken acceptance-and indeed massive political power- for granted. During this long Sagittarius period it has had to deal with the massive scandals of the pedophile priests, televangelists, and the exploitation of the needy. Now society as a whole (Pluto) is now talking back and asking questions. Just who is the church serving? What is it supposed to do with its power and resources? While society,
thanks in part to the internet, is trying to distribute information and power (Aquarius Neptune), the church has stood off, refusing to decentralize, demanding that those who do not share its doctrines must obey, not through joining the church and becoming members, but by forcing legislatures to pass laws that enshrine its doctrines into law. Think about all of the amendments to state constitutions outlawing gay marriage.The objections were purely doctrinal. The state would simply have issued a few more marriage licenses, and perhaps needed a few more judges on its part. The churches would have divided doctrinally, but since people can choose what religion they can practice, folks who agreed or disagreed would have simply gone to their respective corners. There were other attempts to enshrine things such as creationism, prayer in school, whatever. The result? Pushback, emptying pews, and assertiveness on the part of minority religious viewpoints. It looks like religious fundamentalism is winding down a bit in favor of more “help the poor and the planet”. Religion must now work for people in their daily lives, not simply talk about the rapture. The emphasis on the Apocalyse will go away in favor of a religious consciousness that has a more present-day emphasis on character and dignity. character. Indeed, I expect a new and growing emphasis on stewardship, and the revival of some traditional liturgical practices as part of the character training. Once again, Capricorn demands honesty.
While I don’t expect the megachurches to go away, some of the glitz that helps nobody, including the planet itself, definitely will. The megamall church must now become a real community with real links to the community and a real purpose for being. Examples of the upcoming changes: There is a small but growing “green church” movement that will pick up speed as the months and weeks go by.
People will have to remember fundamentals of both economics and politics to get by. For years the assumption here in America was that we could all do each other’s laundry: foreigners could do the hard work of actually making and growing things. We could have what no country could ever have before: an entirely service-oriented economy. Never mind that we never invested in the free education, healthcare, and infrastructure that could have made such a thing workable, nor the regulation of imports that could have made sure they were at least safe. The manufactured goods have not lived up to American standards, many are proposing immigration restrictions and reforms that end the cheap labor that some businesses have used to keep costs low ,and thanks to 9/11-induced hypersecurity measures and xenophobia, many foreigners are bypassing the United States for tourist destinations that are less oppressive and nasty, like Cuba.
Now America-and the world-will now once again have to deal with the actual physical process of living, loving, and growing. It will once again have to deal with real need and real suffering. It is about to go from tweed back to flannel.
| Birthdates This Week |
10 December 1898
Cuba(Old Cuba) |
Indiana
December 11,1816 |
Pennsylvania
December 12, 1787 |
Alabama
December 14, 1819 |
United Arab Emirates
December 16, 1971 |
Suriname
December 16, 1991 |
Mississippi
December 18,1817 |
New Jersey
December 18,1787 |
The party’s over. The party’s beginning. The champagne party is winding down, but we’ve got great punch in the church basement, and a big warm bowl of chili. On to Capricorn!
Other People Sitting Around the Table