Personal Cycles with the Planets
Greetings from the depths of my own personal winter, or hermit phase, which I’ve observed begins late July, when Sol enters Leo, and ends December, as he moves through Sagittarius and into Capricorn. All of my personal planets lie between Sagittarius and Taurus: when the sun lights up these signs between December and May, I feel most alive and invigorated, even into July as my Cancerian 7th house is lit up. Looking back through the years I find my greatest hardships took place in the other half of the year, the half I am now slowly resurfacing from.
These past two ‘dark phases’ have coincided with the most powerful points in a years-long transit I have been experiencing: Neptune in a tense square to my natal Saturn, who is at the helm of my chart. Having a Capricorn ascendent means that Saturn, who governs the sign, in turn governs my ascendent and first house: my vitality, identity, and approach to life. With Neptune presenting my Saturn with a challenge, I have found myself having to slow down, let go, and rest much more than this society really allows. At times, this has led to disorientation, exhaustion, depression, and distorted feelings of not being ‘enough’ when I couldn’t show up for others with my full energy or achieve my ambitions.
Understanding this through astrology acts medicinally– the struggle has eased by approaching this year’s hermit phase with insight and intention. Early in the year I set all my major goals for the period in which I was the most vibrant, and during these low-energy months, I allowed myself to retreat when I could and only work on what was absolutely necessary. I accomplished so much earlier this year, and was able to get the recovery and rest I needed during my hermit phase. I can’t say it wasn’t still a challenge, but it was manageable, and lessened by setting appropriate expectations for myself. I worked WITH the energy, instead of struggling against it.
This is the power of collaborating with the cosmos: the grace we find for ourselves when we align with our celestial kin, and what I would like to explore with you in year-ahead readings, should you want to begin your own collaboration.
