The fast pace of change and intensity of events in our everyday lives is a reflection of the changing times. In Shamanic Astrology we referred to this as The Turning Of The Ages and we are not talking about the age of Aquarius as that is a debatable reference point at best. What we are referring to is the 26,000 year turning of the Great Wheel of time. Ancients including Plato referred to this as the “Great Year” describing the length of time it takes the Solstices and Equinoxes to pass through all the constellations and return to a starting point.

The “starting point” Shamanic Astrology references is Galactic Center where the December Solstice is currently aligned. The June Solstice is aligned along the Galactic Edge or the area of the sky looking out at deep space into other galaxies. These solstice points will remain within one degree of the intersection of the Milky Way with the Ecliptic at Galactic Center and the Galactic Edge for at least another 64 years.

The alignment of the Solstices along the galactic plane sets off the galactic alarm clock telling us it is time to wake-up! This Celestial Timing spans at least 144 years and came into range around 1926. However, since the last Lunar Standstill in 1987 there has been a plethora of accompanying significant and rare celestial events designed to support maximum growth and transformation for the entire planet. (See article ”A Shamanic Look At The Turning Of the Ages” by Daniel Giamario)

Our attention is being called to the heavens for a reason. As Above, So Below, As Within, So Without as translated from the Emerald Tablets, reminds us of the importance of our connection with the Celestial Realms, including the natural cycles and seasons, the cyclical movement of our planets and their relationship to each other and the stars, as well as comets, super novas and other celestial events. As Above, So Below reminds us that we inform the mysteries as much as they inform us. However, our part is to be active conscious participants so that we are responsibly doing our part to inform the mysteries. With that in mind here are a few of the major upcoming events this month.

December 10, 2006 features the heliacal rise of Mars (3Sag00), Mercury (3Sag17), and Jupiter (3Sag36) meaning they are rising before dawn (around 6:00 am to 6:10 am depending on your horizon line) within a field of 1.1 degrees from each other – the tightest or closest alignment since 1971.

We will not see this close of an alignment again until 2029. For those who enjoy watching Sunrise or Moonrise or have had the opportunity to watch Stars or Planets rise this is a thrilling opportunity to see three planets coming up over the horizon nearly at the same time.

In the Shamanic Astrology world the direct experience of celestial events are highly significant and provide us with opportunities to receive direct information, transmissions, or downloads on a cellular level from the individual planets themselves. This event suggests we have an opportunity to expand our sense of the spiritual quest and what it truly means to us in a personal way. Additionally, these three planets emerging together from the underworld signals a remarkably inspired and magical full speed ahead time.

Also extremely important is Pluto’s 248 year passage by Galactic Center this year and next. This just so happens to also be aligned with the 19 year Lunar Standstill cycle and the once in about 12 year passage of Jupiter by this Galactic Gateway. This means we have a rare alignment of four major cycles all happening around Galactic Center.

As already mentioned there is the alignment of the Sun at the December Solstice near Galactic Center, an event that can only occur every 26,000 years. Plus, we are adding the 248 year passage of Pluto, the 19-year Lunar Standstill and the 12-year passage of Jupiter by here as well. I plan to write more about this within the next month but for now the idea is to get a sense of the magnitude of the Celestial Events occurring and the powerful transformative opportunity they represent.

Dates worth noting in December are the passage of these planets by Galactic Center: Mercury (Dec 20-31), Venus (1-15), Mars (Dec 27- Jan 24) and the Sun (Dec 7 – 27). Also worth noting are the Lunar Standstill windows occurring Dec 4 – 6 when the Gemini Full Moon is at the Galactic Edge and Dec 19 – 21 in the Sagittarius New Moon December Solstice Galactic New “Great Year” Alignment and Celebration.

These windows are a time for releasing our egoic attachments to outcome and opening to receive the galactic information being transmitted to Earth. This is a transformational opportunity so huge it is the equivalent of the caterpillar’s metamorphic dissolution and transformation into the grand and glorious butterfly.

Geomantic Moon Magic and the 19 Year Lunar Standstill