I’ve said it elsewhere before, but I continue to be intrigued by the approach, arrival, and departure of the Winter Solstice as a period of maximum Yin (as far as daylight goes, anyhow). Meanwhile, in terms of temperature, the shortest day of the year is rarely the coldest day of the year. Light moves faster than the air, I suppose. It is interesting that there is an offset of these Wintry experiences of Yin (from the Northern Hemisphere).
While the shortest burst of daylight is reliably around December, 21st, the coldest temperatures often come flowing in during the weeks after the return to longer periods of daylight is well underway. Mid-January is a much more likely candidate for coldest stretch of the year, and often carries much more snowfall too. For the photo-sensitive, the depth of Winter is technically quite brief. For the temperature-sensitive, the depth of Winter is an enduring plateau. This thermal lag can make the Winter seem more dramatic than it truly is.
If you follow the light, the coldest days are truly but the beginning of the Spring.
Since the last FullMoon (in the sign of Aries on Oct 6), Venus made conjunction with the degree of the previous NewMoon (the 30th degree of Virgo on Sept 21) just before enterting the sign of Libra on Oct 13, one of two signs over which Venus rules. On that same day, Pluto stationed out of its retrograde motion in the 2nd degree of Aquarius, sitting still and welcoming Venus into the energy of the Air element as these two formed a trine aspect for several days.
Bringing the Sun’s journey through Libra to a close, the NewMoon on Oct 21 in the 29th degree of Libra may carry some resonance to the week surrounding Sept 20 (when Mars was traversing the same closing degrees of Libra) or to the week surrounding Nov 5 (when Venus will make its pass through the final degrees of Libra).
Another major energy on tap, precise on Oct 22, is Neptune making its return (via retrograde motion) to the sign of Pisces, over which it has rulership. Saturn also crossed this threshold in retrograde fashion back on Sept 1, so there may be echoes of that time, however, Neptune’s Piscean qualities could invoke a much deeper reaching back in time.
Topping off this period of astrological happenings is the Sun making its Scorpio ingress on Oct 22 as well. The shifting of the Sun into a sign which is often associated with a thinning of the veils between worlds is fitting given the Neptunian and Piscean affinity for dissolving and permeating the Saturnian nature of boundaries and time itself.
Looking in your own chart, investigate the regions of the late-degrees of Cardinal (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) and Mutable (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) signs, as well as the early degrees of Fixed (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) signs. These regions are being strongly highlighted at this time, and whichever dimensions of Life are being indicated by these transits in your chart are certainly worthy of your attention!
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I just found a video online recognizing the same basic misunderstanding. This video series has very good content exploring the deeper philosophical grounds of Internal martial arts.
At this Full Moon in Pisces (Sept 7), Uranus has just stationed (Sept 6) for a retrograde phase in the opening degrees of Gemini.
With Mercury (the ruling planet of both Gemini and Virgo) freshly into the sign of Virgo (Sept 2), the gut-brain axis is highlighted. Virgo has an affinity for the material digestive process, organizing nutrients and waste for absorption and elimination, respectively. Meanwhile, Gemini has an affinity for the nervous system and the mind- the assimilation of information and data. With so much Mercury energy highlighted, many may be feeling more sensitive to the onslaught of social media, news cycles, or more sensitive to caffeine and other such dietary stimuli.
Adding to this dynamic is Saturn, which is now well into its retrograde phase and which recently backtracked into the sign of Pisces (Sept 1). The planet of boundaries and structure is yet again immersed in the sign of the boundless and ephemeral, which may make mitigating the heightened effects of Mercury a losing battle.
Uranus in the early degrees of Gemini offered tension to the opening of Virgo season (Aug 22) and the prior New Moon (Aug 23) and bolsters that impact by stationing retrograde (Sept 6) at this Full Moon (Sept 7), while Saturn will supply the tension to the forthcoming New Moon (Sept 21).
Two weeks after today’s FullMoon, Mercury will slip into Libra (Sept 18), setting stage for the arrival of the New Moon and forming an opposition to Saturn. The following day, Venus enters the sign of Virgo (Sept 19), reigniting aspect with Uranus which is by then well into its retrograde motion.
Then, on Sept 21, we have the New Moon in the final degree of Virgo- a fairly rare second New Moon in the same sign, which is flavored by its opposition with Saturn.
And we cannot forget Pluto, currently retrograding through the opening degrees of Aquarius. Pluto represents the unseen forces, often influencing things quietly but incontrovertibly. In the early degrees of Aquarius, Pluto forms a potent trine with Uranus in Gemini as this Virgo season unfolds, and holds to a sextile with Saturn, made more dynamic as Saturn exits the span of Aries and returns to Pisces.
Come October 13, Venus will reactivate the final degrees of Virgo and enter the sign of Libra and mere hours later Pluto will station out of its retrograde motion, providing, perhaps, a strong callback to the energy being seeded or unfolding now.
March 20, 2025 marks the Spring Equinox and the entrance of the Sun into the Zodiacal sign of (Tropical) Aries. Aries is the energy of springing-forth. A sense of audacity, optimism, and irrepressible willingness to begin is the hallmark of Aries. It is the quintessential Cardinal energy, the energy of initiatory fire. Bold and Daring, though perhaps Impulsive and Reckless.
At both the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes, there is a delicate balance of energy.
At the Solstices, The Scale is already tipped – What’s another ounce when there is already a pound on The Scale? At the Equinoxes, The Scale is Zero-Balanced – Even the slightest weight will markedly tip The Scale.
In this manner, Aies represents the binary of Taiji: It IS or it is NOT… Is there Anything? Is there Existence? Is there more Light than Dark?
The coming days will present an obvious increase in daylight hours, which all living things notice. Unquestionably, the new Zodiacal Year is underway and the next several calendar years feature powerful movement of planets through the sign of Aries, so the energy of fresh-starts and new beginnings will be percolating and available for us all to imbibe.
The alignment of the Feet in Taijiquan is made effective when we are accounting for both sides of each Foot. Each Foot creates two lines, which are typically not parallel. Therefore, we must make an intentional decision about how to use each Foot in establishing the trajectory of a given Form or action.
The most common way of measuring aim or trajectory is by pointing the Big-Toe. The Mind naturally identifies with the interior, the medial aspect of the Foot. However, this generally leaves the outer edge of the Foot aimed eight, or potentially many more, degrees off the target.
While the Big-Toe does still indeed hold the target, a substantial amount of energy and intent never has a chance to interact with the target. By adjusting the Foot, we can increase the amount of energy which is likely to interact with the target.
Allowing the outer-aspect of the Foot to set our aim promotes a higher likelihood that our energy is delivered to the intended target. Accounting for both edges of the Foot creates a dynamic of triangulating focus which sharpens over distance, rather than a dispersing focus which becomes vague over distance. Utilizing “two aims in one” channels and directs power whereas using a single line of aim is more likely to disperse and leak power.
The Practical Method tradition of TaiChiCh’uan makes TaiChi movement simple and clear.
The Elbow seeks to arrive either Above or Below, and the Hand likewise seeks to arrive at a position of either Above or Below. All the while, each is also honoring its task of Inward and Outward motion. The Elbow achieves the In, while the Hand achieves the Out.
The Inward action of the Elbow implies a consolidation of energy on one half of the body. The Outward action of the Hand implies a distribution of energy across the body. Both the Inward and Outward phases are created from generality, but expressed with precision. Broadly fueled, but sharply focused.
Training these actions allows the surface-level flow of TaiChi Forms to be imbued with clarity, power, and purpose.
Yin-Yang-Yoga 