Celestial Happenings
by Starcat

Tomorrow is a very special day where I reside, here in the Northern Hemisphere on planet Earth. Not only is it the Winter Solstice (at 6:38pm Eastern Standard Time), but it is also the Full Moon (3:13am EST), and a full lunar eclipse begins at 2:41am EST. That’s a lot going on! Where I live, the weather forecast calls for cloudy skies, so we have an additional layer of mystery eclipsing our view. So, let’s take a look at the symbolism of these big celestial happenings. I’m not an astrologer or astronomer, but I’d like to offer my perspective on the story that’s unfolding in the skies.

The Winter Solstice happens on the longest night of the year, when the Sun is reborn and the light begins, gradually, to return. Paradoxically, it’s also the beginning of winter, when the weather is coldest and (presumably) snowiest. So here we are in the depths of the year, lighting our candles and fires in celebration of the light and in the hopes that the Sun’s warmth will return.

At the same time, we have the Moon at its peak of power. The Moon rides higher in the sky at this time of year, just as the Sun travels low on the horizon. The full Moon is about healing, manifestation, and empowerment. It represents the mysteries of night, dreams, and the subconscious. The bright light of the Moon shines down upon us, guarding us through the darkest night and lighting up our innermost feelings, the secret desires and fears we hold close.

With the lunar eclipse, the Earth’s shadow hides the Moon’s light. Our physical being overwhelms us, and we can’t see the positive power of our emotions, which inspires our creativity. We view things in terms of what we lack, what we wish to manifest here on Earth. We can’t yet see the results in our daily life, so we might feel disappointed or depressed. The clouds may obscure the sky, further hiding the Moon and stars from our physical view.

However, keep the faith, and remember that change is about to appear in the external world – the increase of the Sun’s power will empower all our goals. Just on the other side of this dark night of the soul, the Sun God is reborn (at dawn on December 22nd, 7:12am EST). We can honor the darkness while also anticipating the return of the light. It’s time to celebrate the depths of darkness by sleeping more and dreaming. We can ask for guidance about our goals and intentions for the coming year and let those emerge in our dreams or journal writing.

Tomorrow we’ll be holding our annual vigil for the Sun here at Feline Dreamers Central. We’ll light the fire at Sunset (4:07pm EST), share ritual space with friends and family, and then some of us will stay up all night and keep the bonfire going until Sunrise. If you light a candle or a fire, know that you’re not the only one celebrating and hoping for the light to return. People all over the globe still perform the ancient ritual of welcoming the Sun. Blessed Winter Solstice to you and yours!