Winter Solstice, Gifts, Our Eyes Toward Bethlehem

Monday, the 21st, at 8:48 pm (west coast time) the Sun enters Capricorn. The days before solstice (and Christmas) are days of quiet expectancy. The four candles of the Advent wreath have been lit. There’s a deepening within nature, a hushed reserve, a gathering of strength for what’s to come. Earth’s kingdoms – mineral, plant, animal, human – feel hope and anticipation together – a spark of flame at each center. At Solstice, that flame burns brighter. Darkness gives way to the Light. We hold out our hands to each other in gladness. The new light of Winter Solstice uplifts the Earth to the Kingdoms of Beauty.

At winter solstice the Sun rests at the Tropic of Capricorn for three days before its rays, with the promise of summer, move northward once again. There is expectancy in the Temple and in the stable. The Hierarchy and New Group of World Servers begin preparations for Wesak. The Archangel Gabriel assumes his post of protection over Earth & her kingdoms. The angelic Cherubim from the constellation Cancer, guardians of mothers, babies, children, fathers & all families begin surrounding the Earth. A new light, a star is faintly seen in the sky. All of life is hushed in expectation. Looking up we “set our eyes toward Bethlehem”.

Gifts

On our journey toward the Light, and like the Three Magi Astrologer Kings, what gifts for each sign shall we bring?

ARIES: Things hot and red that goes pop! A bike that goes zoom, fiery things – firecrackers, candles, incense, what flickers in the dark. Crayolas and crayon paintbrushes that glow in the dark, silly putty, anything sparkling with glitter. Hats and helmets, protecting their fire. Bike lights or miners light for the Ajna Center (3rd eye), illuminating their Way. Things white, red, rouge, ruby and for some secret reason, deep violet. A watch with diamonds.

TAURUS: A gardener to plant all their vegetable starts; seed sprouter, yogurt machine, gelato maker. Green house, actually several (two, three, four). They know food in the near future will be the important commodity. Gardening tools and wild desert white sage (plant). A nature walk identifying wild mushrooms. Tools, barometer & weather thermometer. How-to books. A cow (Irish Dexter) or goat for milk. Land in Hawaii (Maui).

GEMINI: Things to read and write with, ancient (Basho’s poetry, calligraphy brush) and new (a Mac, iPhone, iPad, Kindle, Fire, etc.). Playing cards, a set of jacks, marbles. Things that whirl about, glitter in the Sun, resembling butterflies, like their mind, unable to endure one moment of stillness. Gadgets, fascinating at first, useless later. Games, pick-up sticks, a clutch of bare root roses: heirlooms, climbers, with fragrance and scent.

CANCER: Cancer’s are water babies, no matter how old they are. Decorative boxes of tissues for each room in their house. Cancers cry a lot. They’re sensitive. Things from the ocean like pearl puddles (jewelry), hand, body & face creams and soaps made from Dead Sea minerals. Containers, baskets, vessels, copper pots & pans, secret boxes, music boxes. A rainmaking showerhead for the experience of a rain forest. All treasures from the sea found in Santa Cruz.

A dish of fresh crab cakes.

LEO: Leos want to be the one and only treasure of the zodiac! Leos, sensitive too, are fiery (like Aries) but a different kind of fire. They seem to be from the Sun. Without the Sun Leos are SAAD (the lights they need). Make sure they have adequate light (shining upon them). No gloomy shades, curtains or dark colors for them! Give them things that shine like the Sun. A locket of gold, silver and platinum. Rose gold (yellow gold & copper) reflects Leo’s heart.

VIRGO: Virgo knows how to clean, clear, order and organize in great detail. Virgo organizes, shelf by shelf, what Gemini discovers. Virgo is my Chiron so what do I know of Virgo needs? Mrs. Meyer’s cleaning products are a good start. The Zum products, too. Virgo, always gestating a new state of consciousness, hides from everyone except for a few. They need more & more bookshelves, notebooks, reading lights, a silver pencil, the Roomba vacuum cleaner, a book called “Just Listen” by Mark Goulston. And something precious.

LIBRA: Art, art and more art. But the kind that immediately is identified as beautiful, balanced and harmonious. Flower seeds, bulbs, fruit trees (apricot, lemon, fuji), kitchen herb garden, scented candles, mirrors (to see they are the fairest/most handsome of all), magazine scripts (monthly gift), box of chocolates with fleur de sel, a month of home-delivered veggie tonics, more glass baubles for their already overlade Christmas tree.

A party.

SCORPIO: Things subtly red, violet, black, aglitter with exotic scents (sandalwood, patchouli, bergamot, myrrh, frankincense & clove). Incense in these scents and oils also. From Young Living Oils, a blended oil called Thieves, which cleanses and heals and comes in soap and spray (excellent for traveling), throat lozenges, toothpaste, etc. Leather gloves, books on generals, revolutions and warriors. Anything serpentine (from Egypt) or eagle-like. A scarab ring.

SAGITTARIUS: A home town, a place called home, walking shoes, a staff (several), laughter (ho ho ho – St. Nick is a Sag), bow & arrows aimed at the Sun, an archery set with targets & bundles of straw, a new vehicle that runs fast on little gas, another journey somewhere, a (new) camera, photographs from famous photographers, a mountain top, a plain, a white horse; foods from different cultures, mineral waters, a cashmere beret. A train whistle or harmonica.

CAPRICORN: New shoes, hiking (mountaineering) boots, mountain climbing equipment, clocks, timepieces, watches (old), surf board, desk, gardening tools (the best), goat cheese, science sets (for adults & children), magazines (a monthly gift; Architectural Digest, Vogue, New Yorker, Kosmos & The Week). A week or more of rest. Going nowhere, especially not down. A beginning silverware set (knife, fork, spoon added to each year). Silver purifies our foods and palates. A true compliment.

AQUARIUS: For some Aquarians, a home of their own. For little ones, microscope and telescope, for the little and big pictures. An asteroid named after them, a heavenly star map covering one entire wall in their home, anything with lights, light beams, luminosity and radiance. A Vespa, Prius or electric bike. A warehouse, Coyote Trickster feather, a Kachina, pieces of sky that fell to earth. Some Aquarians need a new home & some need to travel. A donation toward either. Offer them DJ & Farmers Market work.

PISCES: Cashmere socks, bedroom slippers, shawls, sweaters, hats, scarves. Fountains, bells, water purifying showerhead (water drops like rain), goldfish, diamonds, expresso machine. A room of their own. A home of their own in a citrus orchard. Being called to the mountain to serve. Statues of the sleeping Buddha, of Mary, Christ, St. Francis of Assisi. A cross of gold to wear. A chandelier.