The 'Twelve Holy Nights'

Some suggestions for following the process in your own way

 

Although there will doubtless be future opportunities to participate in this process with a group, do consider following the process yourself, in your own way, either alone or with a group of 'fellow travellers'. A number of people will be doing this in different places, creating a resonant field, or network around the Earth as we all attune to the energy of the zodiac.

Firstly, download the notes for the workshop, and make yourself a calendar of the sequence. There is a generic calendar in the notes for download, but you might want to make your own from it, noting any significant aspects occurring, or any special days. For example, the 2010-11 Holy Nights included the Solar Eclipse on January 4th, which was also the day of the final Jupiter-Uranus conjunction, as well as the Earth's perihelion.

The 'Twelve Holy Nights' process starts every year on December 24th and continues through the following days, until January 5th, taking one sign of the zodiac per day, starting with Capricorn and ending with Sagittarius.

During the workshop, we follow this sequence, but of course if you are doing it solo, the dates and sequence can be shifted if need be. For example, some people start on Christmas Day, December 25th, or prefer to go through the zodiac in the sequence beginning from Aries. Once you have done the process one time, you might find yourself wanting to experiment and see which 'feels right' for you, and of course this could also change over time. There is no 'right' way, but do allow yourself to invite a depth experience by the way you set it up.

The 'Twelve Holy Nights' really do 'belong' to this time of year, for astronomical and other reasons, so while it is possible to 'transplant' it to other times of the year, in order to provide a framework for simply studying the zodiac, it is particularly special when done in December/January. Every year this is the time-period when the Earth is at its closest point to the Sun. (This proximity is not affected by which hemisphere you live in, as it is not a seasonal factor.) As the relationship between the Sun and the Earth defines the Tropical Zodiac (the 'usual' zodiac known in the West), both the symbolism and the physical energetics are at their most potent at this time of year. This is the reason why the light of Full Moons during this time is so bright and intense.

Secondly, download an MP3 *** on which I offer a few suggestions as to how you might go about doing this process yourself. There are also some meditative sounds at the end of the talking - they are running quietly in the background during the first part of the recording also.

ZODIAC IMAGES

Click here for photographs of an extraordinary series of zodiac sculptures, created during the Holy Nights, by the sculptress Gertraud Goodwin, who lives in England. She has truly captured the essence of each sign ...

Click here to buy cards of these sculptures, and other zodiac images by her. 

Click here to see the beautiful, well-known zodiac series by the Dutch artist Johfra

Click here to buy cards of Johfra images (French language website)

Click here for larger Johfra cards and canvas prints (Dutch language website)

Click here to buy Johfra zodiac posters

Click here for zodiac paintings by Michael Meyer, astrologer

 

If you are planning on doing the process, use the time from now until December 24th to consider how you might engage with it: prepare your space, yourself and your schedule of activities to encompass your intentions. 

When the time approaches, collect together your journal, dream book, reading material, drawing and writing materials, favorite music - whatever you feel will support the process. Or be bold - let go of as many 'props' as you can, and just allow yourself to be present to yourself, and your process, in silence. Be sensitive to how you can best configure your own individual and personal resources for this journey ....... will you look for friends to share the journey with, in person or by Skype/phone? Will you 'fly solo'? Schedule brief check-ins with 'fellow travellers' rather than totally sharing the journey? Let the process 'form itself' as your intention grows.

Important:  make a definite 'beginning and ending' for the process, an 'entry and exit'. This helps your focus, and also keeps the energy concentrated and contained. Also, be sure to follow through on any intentions you set to spend time with the process, and complete it if you start.

 

The zodiac picture above shows the points where Venus stations.

Venus is sometimes considered to be the star of the Magi.

*** Download instructions: right-click the link, and then scroll to 'Save Target As'. You can then choose where the file should be downloaded to, and the name. File is about 35min long, and takes about 5min to download with average speed broadband.