Winter Solstice, or Midwinter, has been celebrated since ancient cultures. From the Roman celebrations of Saturnalia to Yule festivals by the Norse, this important day marks the shortest day and longest night of the year- symbolically honoring the death and rebirth of the Sun.

Honoring death as a cycle of the natural world- knowing it is not the end, but only a rebirth into a new beginning. We gather and feast, dance and sing, celebrating death and the new life we know it will bring.

However, we all know 2020 has been different. This year in the return of the light, the Star of Bethlehem is returning.

Here is the scoop for a beginner’s understanding:

Once every 20 years there is a conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn. This occurs when Jupiter and Saturn are appearing to be in the same place within the sky, meaning at the same degree within the same zodiac sign.

It is easy to see the significance of the Jupiter and Saturn cycle as each conjunction and opposition are every 10 years respectively and mark the start of a decade.

When the energies of Jupiter and Saturn merge in a conjunction, old patterns and ways begin to die and new ideas are born; growth and expansion begin to take form.

When Jupiter and Saturn meet up in the Heavens on December 21, 2020- they will arrive in Aquarius at 0 degrees. Aquarius is an air energy sign and 0 degrees marks the very beginning of the Aquarius energy. The last time Jupiter and Saturn met in Aquarius was in 1405- the Renaissance Era.

For the last 200 years, Jupiter and Saturn have been meeting up in Earth signs. December 21, 2020 ends a 200 year cycle of Earth energy- of the mundane world, building businesses, establishing governments, and hoarding wealth.

Earth energy focuses on success in a worldly sense, believing that following the rules and obeying the laws, saving money, investing in land will all bring reward and recognition.

And a new cycle begins- an Air energy cycle bringing disruption to the establishment, intellectual social change, rapid social progression, new concepts that reshape our political and socio-economic system, and a return to sovereignty of being. This Air energy cycle will last for the next 200 years.

However, this year, is a first for 800 years: a great conjunction that makes a giant night star in the sky as the glow of Jupiter and Saturn are appearing to be merged. It is said that this brilliant star in the sky appeared around 6BC, the year before Yeshua was born.

And similarly, all the wise ones are turning inwards now. Song of Sophia highly recommends you turn inwards, and spend the Solstice and days surrounding in silence so you can call on the wisdom of your ancestors and hear what your directions are to be in this big time of change and uncovering of disception, especially deception of self.

Silence; fasting from food, media, technology; solitude; isolation; contemplation, ancestral meditation are all medicines for this winter solstice.

Just as the wise ones appeared at Yeshua’s birth called by the Star of Bethlehem, this is you now.

Featured Art by: Iri Loth

Blog Art by : Lori Menna