Seeking out sparkles
Samhain seems to have been an especially dark season this year, in our house at least there has been a lot of facing of shadows going on. But as November ends we begin to look towards Yule, to the rebirth of the light at the Winter Solstice. This week the sun moved into Sagittarius, and tomorrow (Friday 25th) there is a new moon and partial solar eclipse in the sign of the Archer. We are moving into advent season, anticipating the change from darkness to light that has its seed at the Solstice. This new moon and solar eclipse is the spark of anticipation, a lunar cycle seed point leading to the solar cycle seed point in a few weeks time. Cycles within cycles.
Sagittarius is the spark of inspiration and intuition, the sign of mutable fire. Sagittarians thrive on excitement and change, and have an eagerness and enthusiasm to embrace life. This is the sign of learning, higher education, religion and travel, all things which take us beyond ourselves and our familiar surroundings into a broader experience of the world. Strong Sagittarius energy can show up as an endlessly positive approach to life, optimism even in the face of difficulties. Sagittarians are often restless and hungry for new experiences, although they may not follow them through if something more exciting comes along. Energetic and versatile, Sagittarius wants to live life to the full, not just exist on the sidelines. They don't always recognise the fine line between fun adventures and irresponsible risk-taking, relying on blind faith to get them through. And it quite often does, because confidence and self belief go a long way. Freedom is important to Sagittarius, and the monotonous routine of everyday life is likely to make them feel frustrated and trapped.
This yearning for experience goes deeper than a desire to avoid tedium, however. Sagittarius is the seeker of the zodiac, and has a deep need to find meaning in life, a sense of something wider or greater than themselves. They may find this in the adrenaline rush of skiing down a mountain, or the high ritual of a church service. Sagittarians often have a deep sense of divine purpose, a need to see life as a growth experience. They can be highly idealistic, and may struggle if life does not match up to their vision. One of the myths often associated with Sagittarius is that of the centaur, half human and half horse. Sagittarians sometimes struggle to integrate their "animal" side and their spiritual side. For example, they may be so preoccupied with their great quest for meaning and pursuit of high-minded goals that they forget to eat regular meals.
The approach to Yuletide can be a very busy time of year, and it's easy to get caught up in the treadmill of rushing around socialising, buying presents, and catching up with family and friends. Sagittarius asks us to look deeper, to reflect on what the return to the light means for us. The inner work and reflection of the Samhain season begins to germinate new ideas within us, new plans which we will work to manifest as the year turns towards the light.