 Stonehenge
Rob Tillett, one of the founders of Astrology on the Web, discusses the Solstices, which, along with the Equinoxes, mark the four great arms of the Cardinal Cross in the tropical year. [The commentary here applies specifically to the Northern Hemisphere, as the seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere. Some readers have questioned this, our site being based in Australia, but for the vast bulk of humanity, the culture of the northern climes has more resonance – and more influence in terms of the religious overtones! See Note at the end of the article.]
The word "Solstice" derives from the Latin Sol + systere, meaning "Sun" + "standing still". How can the Sun stand still? Well, as the Ancients discovered and calibrated using remarkable prehistoric observatories such as Stonehenge in the south-west of England, the Sun seems to travel (decline) ever so slightly southward in the ecliptic each day for some six months of the year, beginning in what is now the month of June. The Sun in December then appears to halt for some three days in his journey before commencing the slow dance northward once more for the next six months – before halting at the opposite solstice and starting again. We can observe this by noting over time the way that the Sun is either slightly higher or lower in the sky at noon.
The places in the ecliptic where the Sun seems to stand still at its furthest point north or south of the equator mark the solstices. These are the tropics. The northernmost point is the Summer Solstice and the southernmost is the Winter Solstice, when viewed from the northern hemisphere. The Sun at maximum declination appears to stand still at these points for about three days. The process is eternally repeated, though due to the phenomenon known as the precession of the Equinoxes, the actual starting point moves back slightly from year to year and this has given us the Ages of the World, such as the one we are soon to enter, the Age of Aquarius.
People across the world, in every culture, assigned a great deal of meaning to this journey of the Sun and vast amounts of mythology, including important religious and social customs have accumulated around it. At the time of the Winter Solstice, or rather, just as the solstice ended, people celebrated the birth of the Sun, as he began his life-giving journey north on December 25, now most widely celebrated as Christmas Day. For a detailed examination of this, though from a decidedly non-Christian viewpoint, check out M.D.Magee's Christmas, a fascinating exposition of the mid-winter festivities.
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 Cancer, the Crab  The Summer Solstice
The Summer Solstice is the time when the Sun halts over the Tropic of Cancer (23°N26') on its tropical journey north, then after some three days, turns in its tracks and begins its journey south, towards the equator. This, the shortest night of the year, happens in 2009 on the eve of the 21st of June (June 20). This major calendrical event is the focus of religious and social festivities in all cultures; Christian society marks the event with the Midsummer festival known as St John the Baptist's Day (June 24).
Midsummer has historically been the central point of the magical year: even today in some places, traditional hilltop bonfires are lit to revive the power of the Sun; flaming disks are thrown into the air; blazing wheels are rolled downhill; leaping and dancing around and through the fire are ritual encouragements for maximising the harvest. Magical powers are heightened and the little people are about. It is the ideal time for gathering magical herbs: pluck them before dawn, before breakfast, while the dew still wets the petals. Fern and fern-seed is gathered on Mid-Summer's Eve, to harness the power of the Sun. Golden solar flowers such as St John's wort, mugwort and mistletoe, the golden bough, are worn as garlands.
Astrologically, the June Solstice marks the entry of the Sun into the Cardinal, Water Sign of Cancer. The Tropic of Cancer (23°N26') is the actual degree of latitude over which the Sun stops in its journey north, and then turns, having gone as far north as it is going to each year. Cancer is ruled by the Moon and Midsummer celebrates the elemental powers of fire and water, so people would light fires and bathe in the dew on the morning of Midsummer's Day – as indeed they still do in many parts of the world.
Even in the twenty-first century, people still love to come together and surf the cosmic wave of energy that is released at this time. Every person in the Holy Grail – the Sacred Chalice, planet Earth's Light Grid – participates in the distribution of the Life and in turn restores the Divine Plan on Earth. As the Life enters and flows through all individuals and their world, it makes the whole world sacred.
For a neat graphic and explanation of the celestial show, check out Archaeoastronomy.com.
 World Peace and Prayer Day
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 Capricorn, the Sea-Goat The Winter Solstice
The Winter Solstice is the time when the Sun halts over the Tropic of Capricorn (23°S26') for some three days at the end of its tropical journey south before recommencing its tropical journey north. This, the longest night of the year, happens in 2009 on the eve of the 22nd of December (Dec. 21). A major calendrical event, it is the focus of religious and social festivities in all cultures, including the Christian celebration of Christmas. The solsticial period lasts some three days as a rule, so when the Sun begins to rise earlier again after three days at its lowest ebb, it has traditionally been cause for jubilation since prehistoric times, symbolizing the rebirth of the glorious Sun. In 2007 the December Solstice represented a major shift in global consciousness from Fiery spirit and outward-looking adventurism to Earthy material wellbeing and restructuring of political and social forces. This is represented by the recent movement of the two time-lords, Saturn from regal Leo to thoughtful Virgo and Jupiter from bold Sagittarius to ambitious Capricorn. This reshuffling was followed and transformed at a deeper level by the transition of Pluto from Sagittarius to Capricorn, as outlined elsewhere on this site. We have moved on a little since then, but these articles are still worth a look. Also check out the later Saturn (on line soon) and Jupiter movements, as Jupiter has now moved on into Aquarius.
The birth of the Sun has been celebrated since time immemorial on or around the solstice, which is why the birth of Jesus is celebrated at this time (December 25). Ancient Rome recognised it in the day of the birth of the Invincible Sun, so the choice of this day for Christmas was a handy christianization of the established festival of Mithras, the Sun God and a number of other Solar Heroes.
Astrologically, the December Solstice marks the entry of the Sun into the Cardinal, Earth Sign of Capricorn. The Tropic of Capricorn (23°S26') is the actual degree of latitude over which the Sun stops in its journey south, and then turns, having gone as far south as it is going to each year. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, so the ancient Roman festival of the solstice was called the Saturnalia. As with our festivities today, there was much feasting! Wine, women and song were spread liberally around. Indeed, until the Christian Church became the official religion of the Roman Empire in the 4th Century, Christmas was not actually an official festival of the Church. Its pagan nature was frowned on. Things have loosened up a bit since then.
Click here for the details of the Planetary Solstice World Meditation, and align with the annual commencement of the Spiritual Hierarchy's meditation in preparation for Wesak on Sunday, December 21 04:04 am PST (12:04 UT, or 11:04 pm AEDT [Sydney time]. For a time zone decoder, click here).
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1 NOTE: in southern latitudes, of course, the solstices are reversed, so that the mid-winter character of Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere becomes a hot mid-summer celebration in Australia, South Africa, South America, New Zealand and other places south of the equator. Naturally enough, the mid-summer celebrations in June become mid-winter chills down south! This presents something of a problem for Christianity and for Tropical Astrology, or any other seasonal philosophy with claims to universality, a question which is partially addressed on this site in an article on the Elemental Qualities, the building blocks of astrology. However, the tropical zodiac seems to delineate cultural forms (archetypes) within the Cosmic Mind. Our connection via the collective unconscious enables us to interpret these forms using astrology, even though the physical seasons may not actually comply with the symbolism. Click for more on The Living Signs.
The Equinoxes mark the other points of the Cardinal Cross. Click for more on The Equinoxes
Click here to view a Table of Equinoxes and Solstices
Click here for much more detail on the June Solstice and on the December Solstice |
