Critical Thinking : DecembeR 2020

By Ellen the Red

When we talk about the Winter Solstice in terms of rebirth and renewal, it is nearly impossible to picture growth and fertility whilst living through the depths of December. Yet while this holiday heralds the beginning of the most harrowing season, it’s mercifully the longest night of the year. Starting now, at the beginning of winter, each night will be a little bit shorter.

Try to remember this in mid-February, when there is slushy gunk melting into your socks and regular chores feel like impossible tasks: The days are getting longer. The sun will add to her time with us each day, until she parties herself out in late June. It’s almost like, the more frustrated we get with ourselves and our frigid, spindly-tree environment, the more she hangs around, keeping us going.

In astrological terms, 2020’s longest night brings massive changes for us, both as individuals and the collective. Saturn, the planet of practical concerns and boundaries, is moving into a new sign: Aquarius, the chill, chatty philosophy/anthro major of the zodiac. Jupiter, planet of expansion and spirituality, is following suit a few days later. The last time this happened, the Renaissance was cruising into the Age of Enlightenment. A cornerstone of Aquarian philosophy is progressive society. Conceptually, Aquarius is also into aliens, so we’ll see how this plays out.

Sometimes I feel like the astrological weather is best handled like the chapter questions at the end of a liberal arts text. You know, under the headline “Critical Thinking” in an abrasive font.

The 2020 Winter Solstice Saturn/Jupiter Conjunction

Topics to Discuss:

How do you balance earthbound responsibility with a desire to be limitless/unencumbered?

How do past harmful actions impact one’s capacity/possibility:

--for redemption?

--to change?

--to forgive?

How do you break through suffering to find joy?

--How could your suffering fuel your joy?

--Are you being cool about it, though?

These are personal questions that can only be answered by you, for you.

Please use blue or black ink.

Ellen the Red is a Tarot reader from St. Louis, Missouri. She plays in the band Banana Clips and formerly co-edited the Bad Shoe lit mag with Erin WIles. Find her at www.ellenthered.com.