Merrie Solstice & Lunar Eclipse

"I wish you a hopeful Christmas;
I wish you a brave New Year;
All anguish, pain and sadness
Leave your heart and let your road be clear."

- Greg Lake/Pete Sinfield, 'Father Christmas'

Tonight is the first time a full lunar eclipse has happened at the Winter Solstice since 1703. The Eclipse will begin at 06:32 UT/GMT; the beginning of Totality will be 07:41UT and last til 08:53UT. The Moon will be changing colors then, mostly to a bright orange-red so the show will be spectacular and a once-in-a-lifetime event.

The Solstice point for the Northern Hemisphere is Tuesday at 23:38UT so this is a double-dose of Releasing, Unsticking, freeing repressed and hidden things and exploring the Cave of Mysteries in the Underworld. Think of discoveries, ideas, revelations, inspiring new ways to move on and escapes from tedious situations.

There is also a partial solar eclipse coming on Jan. 4th; this is an exceptionally-active time to make use of some very strong currents. Toss out this old tired reaganesque meme of "tighten your belts and make do"; it's a false idea. Entropy does not rule everything, despite what the Neo-Darwinian robber-barons would have you believe. Living is not all about scrimping and saving, gnawing breadcrusts and huddling in the dark.

The Winter Solstice was traditionally a night to gather together in warmth and love and light, giving a defiant finger to the Dark and dancing "we live!" in the face of the coldest and longest night of the year. So use this spectacular alignment of our two Luminaries to blow off these stupid, gimp-headed, narrow-minded ideas of lack, poverty, limited supply and scarcity! Take out the trash; get wild with creative ideas; go spelunking in Pandora's Box; peer into the inky blackness of a Scrying Pool and see what there is to see. Remember, at first when you go outside into the night, you see few stars; only by gazing patiently will your eyes adjust to the darkness and many more stars will be seen. Then tomorrow night, dance in the New Sun and a new Cycle and new life and goodness for yourself and for the world.


I will leave you with my favorite Christmas material; the 1967 Beatles flexidisk Christmas Time Is Here Again! [youtube]! (particularly John's poem at the end, "When Christmas Time Is Over")

Happy Christmas, John. Happy Christmas, Yoko.

ps - here's my Christmas Card photo for this year