Year of the Water Dragon: Thunder EnLightening

We're in the midst of a pretty incredible ride: it's 2012, a Leap Year, an election year, we're OccupyingEverything, and now we're about to enter the Chinese Year of the Water Dragon, on the New Moon in Aquarius.

The dragon is a formidable, flamboyant, magical creature, calling us to enter the alchemical fire. According to astrologer Stephanie Austin, "Of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, the dragon is the only mythological creature, setting it apart from ordinary reality. On a spiritual level, dragons symbolize kundalini, the cosmic or 'serpent' energy coiled at the base of the spine, which leads to unity consciousness. That the Chinese Year of the Dragon occurs in 2012, a year considered by the Mayans, Hopis, and many others to offer the potential for a huge leap in consciousness, further emphasizes the evolutionary nature of this year."

And since this year is a Water Dragon, it's also about balance: fire and water. I just learned from a Twitter connection that "a fulgerite is fossilized lightning. It forms when a powerful lightning bolt melts the soil into a glass-like state." So 2012 might be described as a Water Dragon fulgerite year: enLightening melting what's soiled, watering our individual and collective Soul with awareness and possibility.

In fact, Water Dragon Inc. confirms, "Most people know that water covers two-thirds of our planet and comprises 95% of our bodies; we simply cannot live without it. In Chinese element theory, water produces wood, which signifies growth and is the natural element of the dragon. The dragon governs east/southeast, wealth accumulation and the hours of 7 a.m. - 9 a.m. Associated with thunder, lightning and arousal, the Water Dragon personifies creativity at its best.

As visionary activist astrologer Caroline Casey pointed out during a recent delightful duet on An Organic Conversation: "It's a Water Dragon year: we can ride this thing!"

Let's OccupyMythology, create a new millennial mythos, and ride the fire/water fulgerite dragon off the edge of the known maps, right on into a new dawn.

A Question of Balance

Mayan time cycles maven Li Walter, PhD, says we're entering into a balancing act as we prepare to close out 2008, and it's an opportunity for integration on all levels:

"Coming in the Moon of Balance, this is a journey to find a new balance in our lives and in our society.

With so many planets in Capricorn at the moment, including the New Moon in Capricorn (and Sun in Capricorn) on 1 Skywalker (Saturday, Dec. 27th), this is clearly a journey in fundamentally re-balancing and re-structuring how we live. Mars and Pluto in early Capricorn provide some push, while Jupiter and Mercury in late Capricorn help to pull us toward the possibilities of Aquarius.

On Dec. 31st, Saturn in Virgo goes retrograde until mid-May, so here too we are given the indication that a practical re-working of how we work is in order. Also that night, just after sunset you can see the crescent Moon with Venus in the southwest and Mercury with Jupiter very low in the west.

January 1st falls on a 6 Mirror portal day, so here again is a call to reflect upon balance, and allow more balanced perceptions to lead us into the year to come.

This Skywalking journey toward greater balance manifests on the 10 Wind day on Jan. 3rd as Jupiter moves into Aquarius for the next year. It's time to take a big breath. Jupiter is much more comfortable here, able to go big, take risks, expand into the exploration of innovative possibilities.

And just on the very last day of this Moon, the World-bridger wave connects this new balancing into the attunement of Moon 7 to come. Moving from balance as we bridge different worlds is vital, whether between our personal world and another's, between work and home life, or between this dimension and others."

Cosmic Conjunction Cafe

Canadian astrologer Tara Greene has a way with words ~ and images ~ that makes her celestial wisdom servings especially tasty. Today's treat is no exception: check out her Big Pizza Pie delight concerning today's Aquarian Moon conjunct Chiron (the archetypal wounded healer) and Neptune, planet of dreams and visions. As an Aquarian born with Chiron conjunct my sun, I can attest to the accuracy of Tara's words; last night's dreamscape was one deep cleaning, contrary, wild ride!