Note: The information about stars in the Big Dipper and the associated rishis found in this article can be found in texts on the Internet from a variety of sources. Not all sources agree about the nature of each rishi, so expect to take a journey of discovery as you explore the rich lore of Hindu literature about the rishis.

The much heralded alignment of the winter solstice with the galactic center has even stirred up traditional news media. Will there by an apocalyptic end to history as we know it? Will the Earth undergo a polar shift? How will people survive the potential cataclysms? If the 2012 cosmic alignment brings the potential for great change‚ and I believe it does‚ then we have a year leading up to the exact alignment date to get our ducks in more orderly rows. Each of us has personal matters to resolve so we can approach our larger cosmic destiny with optimism and enthusiasm. Let’s begin at the end of the year to get a perspective on where we are headed.

The astrological pattern dominating the heavens on December 21, 2012 is a yod, also called the finger of God [see figure 1].

The dynamic shape of the aspect pattern suggests the significance of this moment in time. The yod pattern reflects change as the key factor in any astrological chart. Here we find the so-called finger of God pointing directly toward Jupiter in Gemini.