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Winter Solstice

December 2010

By Christina Collins for The Jyotish Star

Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere begins this year in 2010 on December 21st at 23:38 UT (or GMT) on a total Full Moon eclipse in Mrigashira/Gemini.

Because the Ketu is in Ardra (Rahu’s star) and the Rahu is in Mula (Ketu’s star) this proves a powerful opportunity for spiritual pursuit and progress! It occurs at 6:38pm in Washington DC.

Rahu and Ketu, the North and South Nodes of the Moon form the eclipses. They are called Upagrahas, or "shadow grabbers"

and the planets with mass are called grahas (because they "grab," energy towards themselves.)

A lunar eclipse forms when the Moon is full and with one of the nodes, opposite the Sun also conjunct one of the nodes. All full moons project energetic power. The moon reflects the Sun, and when it is full there is more Sun to project. The full moon is particularly powerful at Solstice time, because it divides the world into halves. The dark and the light. Transitions are always memorable times of power and import. This Winter solstice, because it is also eclipsed, is a powerful opportunity for growth and change. Everyone should sit down, even for a minute and meditate on the solstice!

Winter Solstice December 2010 Chart

Winter in the northern hemisphere is the longest darkness, or the longest night, and the shortest day. Of course in the Southern Hemisphere, it is Summer Solstice with the longest day and shortest night – the longest day of daylight.

Winter also equates with Jnana Yoga. Our four different spiritual yogas, unions, paths of the aspirant, or fields of expression are Jnana, Bhakti, Raja, and Karma.

Kapha season provides a good field for Jnana – we slow down, we feel heavier, and more like going within. There are 3 fields of expression, Kapha, Pitta and Vata. Kapha energy is wet, phlegmatic and heavy. (Pitta is fiery or hot and Vata is airy and dry) The southern hemisphere enters the Pitta season.) In the Northern hemisphere, here in the west, we put our salads aside and turn to warm and hearty soup for the physical side – and turn our physical activeness into yoga, meditation and contemplation.

Jnana manifests or expresses as we take our personal Mercury vata aspect (intellectually acquired) knowledge and transform it by contemplation into usable, logical wisdom (kapha).

The word Jnana, by itself means knowledge. Some adepts are “Jnana Yogi’s and their entire or major spiritual expression involves the inward stroke, or reading spiritual books and meditating, to make it this pursuit far more simple than it actually expresses. Generally an aspirant comes to Jnana last, after perfecting the self through the lifetime(s). First Raja Yoga, the strengthening of the body, then Bhakti Yoga where individuals seek union with Divinity by Love of and for God, then Karma Yoga where Service to God and Humanity, develops. Often one arrives at Jnana towards the end of life – as an entire focus. However, Winter is a perfect time for all of us to hone our intellectual skills and knowledge of spirit and scripture. Wishing everyone wonderful spiritual progress in the coming year!

Christina Collins Biography:

Christina Collins, Jyotish Kovid, Jyotish Vachaspati is a third generation astrologer specializing in the Vedic system. She received her honorary titles from the late Dr. B.V. Raman, former President of the ICAS (Indian Center for Astrological Sciences) in New Delhi and Bangalore, India. She is the first and sole American woman to be honored by this highly held title of Jyotish Vachaspati (Jyotish - the light bearer and Vachaspati - the one who speaks the truth and whose predictions come true. (Vac = speech and Brihaspati is a name of Jupiter the planet of wisdom and truth. She serves as faculty and on the Board of Directors of the American College for Vedic Astrology (ACVA), as Editor of the ACVA News and is President of Celestial Resources (The Timing Coach) where she serves corporate and private clients from celebrities to students. You can reach her in Boulder CO at editor@jyotishstar.com:

Christina's consultation contact information:

Christina Collins, J.K., J.V.
Editor in Chief The Jyotish Star
Lafayette, (Boulder County) CO, USA
web site: http://www.vedicastrologer.cc
email: jyotish@indra.com
phone: 303-665-9996



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