A Galactic Solstice

The energies of Solstice are active till tomorrow when the Sun moves again. Right now, the Sun, Neptune, and the Galactic Center all form a T-square. Think of the black hole at the galaxy’s center as the Womb of the Great Mother, the Sun as the Light-seed of the Father, and Neptune as the ambassador to galactic consciousness.

We have been shifting into galactic consciousness for some time now. I don’t mean anything sensational by that. In fact, the key to making this shift is not getting carried away with its bizarre and grandiose appearance. It’s a good symbol for the natural evolution of human consciousness, which takes on different expressions at different times, just as plates shift and continents drift.

Throughout our existence, humanity has evolved from the collective consciousness of the ancients to the individual consciousness of modernity. It is now undergoing another transition. The Copernican revolution established the Sun at the center of the universe 500 years ago, just as individual “solar” consciousness fully emerged on the planet. We all know this consciousness and have taken it about as far as it can go. Next year will be the 100th anniversary of Edwin Hubble’s discovery of the galaxy, the synchronistic “annunciation” of the galactic human. Today we are learning what it really means to be a star: one Sun among billions of others, birthed from and returning to the womb of the Great Mother. Everyone’s special and no one’s special — that is the essential message of the Aquarian Age.

It’s a fanciful story, and some aspects may be truer than others. But one of the keys to the shift is to see through stories. Don’t get hung up on the details; every “Sun” in the galaxy will have a different perspective. At the very least, stories like this enable us to imagine our world anew, regardless of their factual truth. We know our essence only when we know we are not our stories. Only by knowing our true nature can we see it in others. Only in this way can the next flower of human consciousness blossom.

The energies of this Solstice make it a potent time to form intentions and offer prayers for yourself and the collective. I spent Solstice on Mt. Shasta with a beautiful mini-galaxy of individuals, vibrating together as one consciousness. We did a fire ceremony on the night of the Solstice, offering prayers for ourselves and the collective. Here are mine:

May we trade our engines for sails.

The beautiful thing about sailing is how fast you can go without an engine. Have you ever experienced that? The way it feels to move so quickly in near silence, with only the sound of water lapping the hull? That’s how life can be — every project, every choice, every interaction. Why run an engine when you can put up a sail? Why pollute your environment with smoke and noise when you can reach your goal without effort? Why rely on mined-and-refined fuel when an infinite energy source is always available? Running on gas, you are always drawing from a finite source. You will always run out and need more; if you can’t find any, you’re screwed. Your senses will grow dull because you won’t need to rely on them.

Trade your engine for a sail. It makes for a more enjoyable ride, cooperating with the elements, than it does trying to overpower them. You may sometimes find yourself in the doldrums, but the wind will always return.

May we all realize how simple life can be, if only for the briefest moment.

There is no need to try hard, to be clever, or grind ourselves to dust. There is nothing that we need that we do not already have. The box and the bubble wrap are at least as good — usually better — than the toy inside.

May we discover a new mind.

A mind that doesn’t look for explanations, that doesn’t seek to grasp and control, but acts instead like a hand on the rudder of our sailboat, helping us to skillfully navigate the vast ocean, which will always remain beyond our grasp.

As an astrologer, writer, teacher, and coach Alex helps people to discover just what their consciousness is capable of. Weaving together practices from ancient and modern traditions, both Eastern and Western, Alex helps people let go of their limitations, discover powers they did not know they had, and open up to whole new dimensions of experience and manifestation. Alex lives in Benicia, CA, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in East-West Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. Visit him at https://www.twentyfirstcenturyalchemy.com/