Every December 21st, the Sun reaches its most southerly point on the ecliptic, its apparent path around the Earth.
This is the time when nights are longest and days are shortest in the Northern hemisphere.
It is a turning point and the time that the Sun begins its annual journey through Capricorn marking the official beginning of winter.
It is a sacred moment, the astronomical dark before the dawn, so to speak, because from now on the hours of daylight will slowly lengthen as the Sun slowly makes it way north on the ecliptic.
Many traditions have used the Winter Solstice as a time of celebration of the prior year's abundance and the time of long nights when we can look forward to longer days returning.
Despite the gaiety of the holiday season, the Winter Solstice marks the beginning of the harshest of the four seasons.
Capricorn follows Sagittarius.
It is time to build upon your faith with hard work and a no-nonsense embrace of practicality to get through the period when trees are bare and vegetation does not grow.
Despite the bare appearance of trees and vegetation, there is a lot going on beneath the surface.
As anyone who has ever planted a perennial garden can tell you, during the times of winter's apparent dormancy, plants are strengthening and spreading their root systems so they can greet the spring, bigger and stronger than ever.
You can use this time productively by mimicking the plant world.
Use this time to root your dreams by taking the time to plan thoroughly, then build and strengthen your root systems--the foundation that supports your goals--to enable you to put into place all you will need to make them happen.