Houzz.com (Waterford)
From 23rd-28th December, 2016, we have somewhat rare bowl configuration occurring at 20° of a few signs. This bowl configuration is most exact on 25th December which is both Christmas Day for the Christian faith and the second day of Hanukkah for the Jewish faith. This is why I’m dubbing it the “Holiday Bowl”.
A bowl configuration is, essentially, half of a grand sextile configuration. It has 4 instead of the full 6 points a grand sextile would have. It is usually considered a positive and energy balancing configuration because it is made up of aspects which are considered “positive” or “optimistic”. Sextiles are supportive and helpful, while trines are encouraging and empowering. The bowl is tied together by an opposition aspect. Oppositions can be contradictory, but they can also be balancing or represent the balancing of the two energies through a common goal. Usually in a bowl configuration, the opposition is balancing.
A typical bowl would be made up of four planets or points. In this case, Jupiter sextile Saturn sextile Venus sextile Uranus + Ceres. In the visual example below (drafted for San Jose, CA at 12:13a PST), the bold blue lines show the sextile aspects and the bold yellow line shows the opposition of Jupiter and Uranus + Ceres.
- Jupiter in Libra at 20.39°
- Saturn in Sagittarius at 20.60°
- Venus in Aquarius at 20.18°
- Uranus Retrograde in Aries at 20.56° (conjunct Ceres in Aries at 21.86°)
You’ll also see bold green lines showing the trine aspects between Jupiter and Venus and Saturn and Uranus + Ceres. This confirms that all of the components of this bowl are within 3° orb of each other, and in this special case, they are all within 1° of each other! This is a VERY exact configuration!
Yet our “Holiday Bowl” is not a typical bowl. In fact, what makes this bowl configuration extremely rare is that this bowl is…well, more full than usual.
You see. Also at the 20° mark at 12:13a PST are Moon in Scorpio (20:56°) and Chiron in Pisces (20.94°). They actually help round out the shape of this bowl. The orange lines show the semi-sextile aspect they form:
Jupiter semi-sextile the Moon sextile Saturn AND Venus semi-sextile Chiron semi-sextile Uranus + Ceres!
Semi-sextile are mildly uncomfortable aspects. They encourage us to move forward as the energy of one body or point leads us to the next, usually in natural order of Zodiac procession. Square aspects add tension – tension which must be present if major change is to truly occur. If everything feels good, we are rarely inclined to change it. In this case, the tensions inspire us to make changes to our lives which enable us to make the most of the positive energy of this configuration.
The Moon also forms a trine with Chiron and a square with Venus. Chiron also forms a square with Saturn. The trine is represented by an additional bold green line across the middle of the bowl, while the squares are represented by the bold red lines forming another ‘x’ shape near the base of the bowl.
This “Holiday Bowl” configuration – including the Moon and Chiron – is most exact at 12:13a PST on 25th December 2016.
So, the entire lineup is as follows:
Jupiter in Libra at 20.39° – Growth and expansion occur through one-on-one relationships or partnerships of all kinds. This is also a positive energy under which to begin a partnership or a diplomatic interaction.
The Moon in Scorpio at 20:56° – This is a VERY emotionally intense energy. There is nothing shallow about this – it feels emotions very deeply and powerfully, and may go to extremes to make its feelings known.
Saturn in Sagittarius at 20.60° – Anything in alignment with your goals and ambitions moves forward and expands. Anything that takes your focus away from you goals will hold you back or hold you down. If you’re not getting to where you want to go, it may be because you’re not supposed to be going there – it may be distracting you from your path.
Venus in Aquarius at 20.18° – Unusual or unconventional partnerships may bring helpful surprises to you at this time. You may also receive assistance from people or communities you wouldn’t normally expect.
Chiron in Pisces at 20.94° – Are your “helpful deeds” actually helping, or are they doing more harm than good? And are you really helping others….or simply trying to avoid your own pain? Make sure to pay attention to intuitive and emotional cues so you can apply genuine compassion and love to all that you do in service to others. This way, it truly serves the greatest good of all involved.
Uranus Retrograde in Aries at 20.56° (conjunct Ceres in Aries at 21.86°) – The energy of impulsive and aggressive tribalism is in the air as groups and communities are determined to make their presences, positions, and values known. Technological advances help these messages get out into the world, yet receiving the transmissions may have some of us (if not most of us) reconsidering what we really value in each our lives. Do we really align with what our communities stand for, or are we just going along with the group to belong or fit in?
Now that we’ve identified the individual parties, let’s look at how they interact with each other. The aspects of this bowl configuration are as follow:
Jupiter semi-sextile the Moon – As partners interact and objective relationships develop, the emotional bonds deepen and/or intensify…for better or worse.
Jupiter sextile Saturn – Expand the partnerships which support both your inner Truth and your focus on your goals and ambitions.
Jupiter trine Venus – One-on-one interactions open minds and expand perspectives. Suddenly, the community you’ve aligned with may look or sound different to you.
Jupiter opposite (Uranus Retrograde conjunct Ceres) – Open minds and expanded perspectives may bring unexpected changes to your personal values. Are you ready to stand up for your (new) values…and are your values the same ones that your community holds? Can you bring others on board to a new way of thinking, or is it time to change your associations and affiliations?
The Moon semi-sextile Saturn – Emotional intensity serves your need to focus and discipline yourself well. Cutting out or cutting off what distracts you in order to emotionally invest in what rings true for you makes a positive difference in how you move toward a greater likelihood of success.
The Moon square Venus – Emotional intensity may also challenge you to seek interaction or partnership with people you wouldn’t normally interact or partner with. These moments may open you to a new way of thinking and speaking about yourself, and may reveal a need for you to seek new communities to interact and/or align with.
The Moon trine Chiron – Emotional intensity heightens your awareness of the emotions of others as well as your own. You’ll notice now more than that you may not be the only one in emotional pain or suffering – others may be experiencing those challenges as well. Empathy allows you to ask and act upon the vision that by being of selfless service to others help heal their wounds and your own.
Saturn sextile Venus – Your determination to be aligned with your truth and your goals and ambitions aligned with that truth supports any choices you may make regarding your community associations and affiliations.
Saturn square Chiron – Your focus and discipline may challenge you when it comes to being of selfless service to others. It’s important to be empathic and compassionate, yet you also need to make sure you’re allowing yourself to receive as much as you are giving. Though giving and receiving get to be done without expectation, it’s still up to you to make sure you’re not being taken advantage of…and that you’re not taking advantage of others. No playing victim or martyr over this holiday weekend…no matter how tempted you may be!
Saturn trine (Uranus Retrograde conjunct Ceres) – This is a reminder to stop fighting and focus on the common goals at hand. On an individual level, your personal intention to maintain your focus and discipline may also make it easy for you to stand up for your unique expression of truth in the face of a community or group which may (or may not) share your values.
Venus semi-sextile Chiron – Unexpected and/or unconventional partnerships may result in new perspectives or beliefs in what it means to be of selfless service to others. Maybe you realize that you don’t have to be of service alone? Maybe service can be both a collaborative AND a collective effort – one in which everyone benefits?
Venus sextile (Uranus Retrograde conjunct Ceres) – By seeking collaboration rather than combat, the weekend may prove far more pleasant than expected. It’s a wonderful time to align with others who share your world view and your values…even if you didn’t think you’d have that much in common going into the connection.
Chiron semi-sextile (Uranus Retrograde conjunct Ceres) – If you go in as a victim, you’ll be ready for combat. If you go in with compassion, you’ll be ready for community. Empathy and kindness go a long way right now.
So, these aspects all come together in a beautifully festive and productive way…if we can focus on what we all have in common rather than fighting about proving yourself correct and proving other wrong, or arguing over who’s more of a victim of circumstance and therefore is more deserving of receiving gifts, charity, or compassion, or who gives so much more than everyone else and never gets anything in return, etc. This isn’t about all of that, and if you’re making it all about that, this is going to be a miserable weekend for you.
Instead look at what you have in common with people – not as a comparison, but as a communion. Notice where you agree with people, and where you find joy with people. Notice where the love is present, and experience the expansion of that love as you all interact with that intention in mind…and in heart. This configuration is most exact on a 1 universal day, numerologically speaking, so this date could mark the beginning of a very special new connection and/or collaboration.
There is one more detail of note regarding the “Holiday Bowl”.
Though the shape makes this a nice flat-bottom bowl that could sit nicely on a table, notice how in the configuration, there is technically a gap at the bottom center of the bowl, or rather, nothing in the 20° Capricorn position. This is where this configuration could be magical for some of you.
If you have anything in your chart that sits at 20° Capricorn, that element of your chart is at the center bottom of the bowl, which means you’re most likely to experience/receive the most blessings from others during this configuration in whichever way aligns with the role of the planet or point at 20° Cap. Capricorn energy gets things done, so this is either representative of intentions and goals being set OR the objectives or results of long-time efforts being manifest.
Also, if you have anything in your chart that sits at 20° Cancer, that element of your chart is at the center above the bowl, which means you’re most likely to experience/give or share the most blessings with others during this configuration. Since Cancer energy emotionally nurtures and supports the fulfillment of goals and objectives, there is the strong desire to provide encouragement and support to others who are clear about their goals and ambitions through the role of whichever planet or point you have at 20° Cancer.
If you have natal or progressed bodies and points within 3° of either Capricorn or Cancer, you may still feel these dynamics, but maybe not as powerfully as if you have them at 20°.
You will also experience’ special effects’ if you have any bodies and planets in your natal or progressed chart(s) at the 20° mark of any sign, but especially if it’s in conjunction or opposition with one of the points of the bowl. Just keep that in mind…
…and enjoy the blessings the “Holiday Bowl” can bring this holiday weekend. The effects of the bowl have been felt since late on Thursday 22nd December, and will be felt through midday on 28th December.
Thank you for reading and sharing Signs and Numbers. Wishing the happiest of Happy Holidays to you and yours at this festive time. May you all…and may we all – as humans of the world – come together in compassionate communion.
Until next post…
~ Light, Love, and Blessings,
Grace
