By Carmen Cicotti, LMP, CAcP, Senior Faculty
As we near the end of a yearly cycle, death resounds into birth through the experience of completion and in communion with the World Soul. This time of communion calls for translucent receptivity to the subtle so the light can pass through. Receptive, to be touched and met by the subtle essence of the Axis Mundi; the delicate and exquisite place of intangible substance. To embody this communion fully, we enter these darkening days of winter with full presence of the eternal present moment; the only place that is fully alive where Life and Death can fully touch us. As we step into the season that rests with the spirit of communion, we set a tone for regeneration and rebirth for this Winter’s Solstice, using the delicate yet powerful medicine of sound.
Elemental Energetics of Winter
Winter Solstice, Dec 21, 2017 is a time for stillness and surrender, it calls us into our depths, to listen and reconnect to our inner being. Like the dormant seeds in the deep recesses of Earth take this time to rest, restore and replenish yin reserves to preserve the essence of Life, and prepare for the rebirth of Spring.
The season of Winter corresponds with the element of Water in the TCM system of the Five Element theory along with the Kidney and Urinary Bladder meridians. According to the ancient Chinese texts, the Kidneys and the energetics of this meridian system contain the storehouse of our vital essence. Water, being the primordial source of Life, carries nourishment to all living things—plants, animals and humans. Our bones, bone marrow and DNA are also associated with this element as they store, generate and carry out the message of our ancestral blueprint.
Water Element Disharmonies
A list of water element disharmonies, often the result of Kidney deficiencies, is provided below, followed by some general treatment protocols that nourish and build the Kidney Yin, Yang and Qi. Protocols for these specific conditions are discussed in more detail in Levels VI and VII.
Adrenal Overload- Low Back Pain
- Knee Pain and/or Weakness
- Vertigo - Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Sexual Problems
- Anxiety
- Fear
- Ungroundedness
- High Blood Pressure
- Low Blood Pressure
- Occipital Headaches
- Resistance to Change
- Incontinence
Rx: Low, Mid and High frequency Ohm/Full Moon progression on the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel), the Sea of Yin, placing the Full Moon on the opening point LU 7, Broken Sequence and Ohm on the balance point KID 6, Shining Sea and use the same progression on the Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Motility Vessel) accessing the deepest aspect of yin by placing the Full Moon on the opening point KID 6, Shining Sea and Ohm on the balance point LU 7, Broken Sequence to nourish the yin energy of the body and source of our Original Qi.
- Low Ohm/Low Saturn followed by Low Ohm/Low Full Moon on KID 10, Yin Valley, the water point on the water channel to deeply access the sea of yin.
- Low Ohm/Low Full Moon followed by Ohm/Full Moon on KID 3, Great Ravine, the source point of the Kidney meridian to deeply nourish and build Kidney yin, recharge the system and for symptoms of heat rising, occipital headaches or low back pain.
- Low Ohm/Low Full Moon, Low Saturn/Low Full Moon on UB 23, Kidney Shu and DU 4, Life Gate to help strengthen the low back, replenish reserves, nourish, build and strengthen energy.
- Low Ohm/Low Full Moon on REN 4, Origin Pass to nourish and tonify core energy and Source Qi. Low Ohm/Low Earth Day on REN 6, Sea if Qi to build energy and strengthen entire body.
Key Planetary Players in December 2017
The key planetary players for the month of December and this time of the Water Element are Pluto, Saturn, Neptune and the Moon, along with the backdrop of Uranus and Jupiter to sing in this new year.
There are two planets and one asteroid in Scorpio, a water sign, whose ruler is Pluto calling us in for deep soul work that is rooted in the underworld.
Jupiter’s jovial presence has a familiar reign in the month of December, as the ruling planet of Sagittarius. Joining this party are five planets traveling in Sagittarius in conjunction with our Galactic Center. As the month progresses, Saturn’s strong and solid direction turns this party around, placing four of these five planets and an additional planet and asteroid in the sign of Capricorn, whose ruling planet happens to be Saturn. This transition places a great deal of focus on security, structure, boundaries and responsibilities. These also directly relate to the foundational Water element and the corresponding Kidney/Urinary Bladder energetics, bones and bone marrow. This stellar lineup begins with the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Saturn in Sagittarius, which transitions into a structural alignment with the Sun, Moon, Venus, Saturn, Pluto and Juno in Capricorn. Neptune sets the tone to bring us into the Winter Solstice and the time of the Water Element. Neptune is the ruling planet of Pisces and both Chiron and Neptune are transiting through this dreamy, mysterious and watery sign.
Important Dates, Attributes and Treatment Protocols
As we step into the completion of 2017, we have several planetary aspects that come into focus as we let go of our old story and write a new one. We can work with these planetary energies to create a new foundation with our seeds of intention and growth for this coming year.
As Saturn enters its home sign of Capricorn for the next three years, we have three major trines at the beginning, middle and end of the month and four major conjunctions, two of which land directly on Winter Solstice and Christmas Day. A trine in astrology is an aspect formed when planets are three signs or 120º apart and are an indication of harmony and ease with a natural grace and increased success. Trines share the same element. A conjunction is a powerful aspect where planets are in the same sign within 8º of each other. Here the planets in conjunction reinforce each other in a united fusion, creating one voice. Two of our trines this month are in water signs and one is in a fire sign, which correlates to this alchemical dance played out with the Kidney (water) and Heart (fire) systems in TCM.
There are three main treatment protocols that can be used respectively during the beginning, middle and end of the month to enhance or create a harmonic attunement with the celestial harmonies dancing around us.
Beginning of the Month Aspects:
December 2, 2017 Jupiter-Neptune Trine: Jupiter in the watery sign of Scorpio (ruled by the planet Pluto) draws our attention into the mysteries of the unknown, expanding our knowledge of the secrets of sexuality and death that can lead us in a discovery of our ancestral truth. This, coupled in a trine with watery Neptune (ruled by and in its home sign of Pisces), facilitates a flow of consciousness and increased awareness to unlock keys of self-knowledge.
December 3, 2017 Full Moon in Gemini: A generative time with an increased awareness in our lives, that expands into new ways of communication and thinking with hope, faith and optimism.
Beginning of the Month Treatment Protocols:
Rx: Working with the Jupiter-Neptune Trine on the Microcosmic Orbit to facilitate a flow of consciousness and increased awareness. Use a progression of the Middle Ohm/Pluto, Ohm/Jupiter, Ohm/Neptune intervals on the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel) to open and birth our potential and destiny, place the colored planetary fork on the opening point LU7, Broken Sequence and Ohm on the balance point KID 6, Shining Sea. Follow with the same progression on the Du Mai, Governing Vessel, Opening on SI 3, Back Ravine and balance on UB 62, Extending Vessel to regulate the Life force during transformational cycles and help synthesize sexual/spiritual issues.
Rx: You can also work with the Jupiter-Neptune Trine on the Mountain of Balance Points, KID 23, Spirit Seal, KID 24, Spirit Ruins and KID 25, Spirit Storehouse with the same progression as above except using the Low frequency tuning forks Low Ohm/Low Pluto, Low Ohm/Low Jupiter and Low Ohm/Low Neptune to resurrect the essence of self, deeply align the individual with Divine will and open the gateway to ancestral Qi through the storehouse of spirit.
Rx: Alternatively, you can work with the Full Moon in Gemini with either of the above two treatment protocols using the progression of Low, Mid and High Frequencies with Ohm/Mercury followed by Ohm/Full Moon to nourish the yin nature of the Water element while enriching new ways of communication and thinking along with other qualities of the December Full Moon.
Mid-Month Aspects:
December 15, 2017 Mercury-Venus Conjunction: Open-minded Sagittarius broadens thoughts and desires to learn new things. This harmonic duo creates an open expression of romance and creativity that is both adventurous and joyful. Together they make a musical 5th, which is opening and creative.
December 16, 2017 Sun-Uranus Trine: The Sun is in the pure fire sign of Sagittarius (ruled by the planet Jupiter) while Uranus is traveling through its seventh and final year in the fire sign of Aries (ruled by the planet Mars). This bright, harmonic trine inspires us to break away from that which no longer works in our Life; to open the doors and walk right through; to try something outside the normal routine that leads to new insights and self-discovery.
December 17, 2017 New Moon in Sagittarius: Throw out the old and bring in the new, reflecting on expansion of vision to see new possibilities. At this time, the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Saturn are all in Sagittarius in conjunction with our Galactic center.
The Galactic Center acts like a satellite dish, directing divinely inspired information straight from this light source through the constellation of Sagittarius and the planets traveling through this sign, making this new moon time very super charged to set intentions for new beginnings and to expand consciousness, our horizon and our mind.
Mid-Month Treatment Protocols:
Rx: Work with the spirit of the New Moon in Sagittarius to release old cycles and patterns and begin new, healthier ones. Use Ohm/New Moon on LIV 14, Cycles Gate follow with Ohm/Jupiter on LU 1, Central Treasury.
Rx: To accelerate mobility to move ahead and think out of the box with the Sun-Uranus Trine and break through that which no longer serves a purpose, use the following progression of Low Ohm/Sun, Ohm/Jupiter, Ohm/Uranus on the Dai Mai (Governing Vessel) open with the colored fork on GB 41, Near to Tears and balancing on SJ 5, Outer Gate with Ohm.
Completing the Eight Extraordinary Vessel, we can then work with the Mercury-Venus conjunction on the Ren Mai to initiate this birth and step into new form, facilitating new ways of seeing self and the divine. Begin with Ohm/Mercury followed by Ohm/Venus using the colored fork on the opening point LU 7, Broken Sequence and balancing with Ohm on KID 6, Shining Sea.
Rx: We can also use the Sun-Uranus Trine progression in a high frequency sequence, Ohm1/Sun2, Ohm1/HF Jupiter, Ohm1/HF Uranus on the Cosmic Capstone to instill and reflect the brightness of this harmonic trine to increase a multidimensional awareness and an expansion of consciousness.
End of Month Aspects:
December 19, 2017 Saturn enters Capricorn: It will reside for the next three years until December 2020. Capricorn is Saturn’s home sign and is also the ruler of the 4th house of home and foundation. Capricorn’s strong sense of tradition and organization, security and structure is a big change from expansive Sagittarius. All the insight and alignment with truth gathered in the past three years will now be used for our growth and evolution. This marks a time to get real, get with it, grow up and face the music.
December 21, 2017 Sun-Saturn Conjunction in Capricorn: This is the day the sun makes its return to increase its presence through lengthening our days; Winter Solstice Day. Here, the sun brings the personal self to the forefront with the impersonal Saturn/Capricorn influence, building self-esteem and pride from the maintenance of personal responsibility and healthy boundaries.
December 25, 2017 Venus-Saturn Conjunction in Capricorn: On Christmas Day, Venus enters Capricorn for approximately three weeks, creating a beautiful musical 5th that invites us to evoke the Christmas Elf by bringing together the essential elements of work and play. This encourages the ability to infuse structure and stability throughout our creative practices as well as instilling creativity into our work environment.
December 28, 1017 Mars-Neptune Trine: Mars is in the watery sign of Scorpio (ruled by the planet Pluto), the traditional ruler of Scorpio. This position can invoke passionate desires, intense energy and complex emotions. When you listen to the Mars and Pluto interval you will hear these qualities. Mars pushes through obstacles, challenges and unexplored territories as well as propels into action that which is channeled through Scorpio’s will power and depth of intention through anything that is hidden or buried and ultimately creating access to our ancestral songlines. This, coupled in a trine with watery Neptune (ruled by and in its home sign of Pisces), intensely activates intuition with grace and harmony that gives birth to both a fluid and powerful initiation into the New Year, blending between the worlds of the seen and unseen.
End of the Month Treatment Protocols:
Rx: To work with the Sun-Saturn Conjunction, use the Saturn Octave and the Solar 7th to integrate the energetics listed above that relate to this conjunction and to Saturn occupying its own home using Low Ohm/Sun and Low Saturn/Mid Saturn on the microcosmic orbit to nourish and support Kidney essence while we establish and strengthen the internal and external foundation with our primordial foundation and cosmic blueprint.
Rx: Aligning with the Venus-Saturn Conjunction in Capricorn, we can use a Low, Mid, High frequency progression with Ohm/Saturn, Ohm/Venus on the Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Motility Vessel), place the colored fork on the opening point UB 62, Extending vessel and Ohm on the balance point SI 3, Back Ravine and Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Motility Vessel) with the colored fork on the opening point KID 6 (Shining Sea) and Ohm on the balance point (Broken Sequence) to calm tensions that are a result of being overwhelmed and to help create a balance of work and play.
Rx: Taking us into the New Year we are going to use an Ohm/Mars, Ohm/Pluto, Ohm/Neptune progression on the Yin Wei Mai (Yin Linking Vessel) with the colored fork on the opening point P6, Inner Gate and Ohm on the balance point SP 4, Grandparent/Grandchild to work with the intentions driven by this Mars-Neptune Trine, using the nets of heaven to link and hold together our purpose with direction, while listening to the call of action and no more sitting on the fence.
Carmen Cicotti, LMP, CAcP, is a Senior Licensed Faculty member of the Acutonics Institute of Integrative Medicine. Carmen is offering an Acutonics Level I, December 8-10, 2017. Points and Meridians is January 12-14 with a clinic day on the 15th, Level III is Feb 16-19, Level IV March 23-25, Level V April 20-21 and Level VI, April 22-23 with a clinic day on April 24. Level VII is June 1-3, Clinic Day June 4 and Sedna is being offered either June 29-July 1 or or July 13-15, dates to be determined.
For more information on classes contact Carmen by email at carmen@northwestacutonics.com; website: www.northwestacutonics.com; or 360-928-6498. She offers the full Acutonics curriculum and electives. She is also a thesis mentor and clinical supervisor and teaches Heart-Mind Shiatsu Levels I & II. She is based on Lopez Island, WA.