Several hundred years ago, as the Burmese army was about to invade Bangkok, temple monks covered their precious, solid gold Buddha with an eight-inch layer of clay to hide its value. Slaughtered to a man, they took their secret to the grave. The Buddha’s golden essence wasn’t discovered until 1957. During its relocation, the 2.5 ton statue cracked as rain began to fall. When the head monk inspected the statue that night, his flashlight revealed its true nature shining through. Injury followed by battering rain showed what this statue was really made of. And so it is for us fragile humans.

The coming year will reveal what we are made of, as it cracks the façade to reveal the gold within. To get a glimpse of what’s ahead, we look to the Winter Solstice (9:30 pm PST on Dec. 21st), and the Capricorn New Moon that closely follows it (5:47 am PST on Dec. 24). Both charts highlight the revolutionary Uranus-Pluto square that will shake things up between 2012 and 2015. Yet the Sun in early Capricorn also throws an exact, stabilizing trine to optimistic Jupiter in Taurus (the golden core), extra powerful as it prepares to turn forward on Christmas Day.

The year ahead promises enormous benefits, both material and spiritual (Jupiter), if we’re willing to release old patterns (Capricorn) and try something radically new (Uranus).  Both the Solstice and New Moon charts also spotlight Venus, newly into experimental Aquarius, as she advocates for growth and freedom via aspects to Jupiter and Uranus.

With all the planets in forward motion from Dec. 25 through Jan. 23 (when Mars turns retrograde), it’s a fine time to launch something new. Capricorn symbolizes our true work. To discover what that looks like, we must often let convention fall aside–to quit working just to make money or meet others’ expectations. Are you doing what you came here to do? In 2012, staying stuck in a rut will only invite suffering and loss. Yet opening yourself to your higher calling brings exhilarating freedom along with increased prosperity.

At this New Moon, say a prayer of thanks for your cracks and wounds—they let your golden essence shine through. Ask for any facades that are not the “real you,” from excess weight to soul-stifling work, to fall away. Then, bask in the bliss of your true, golden nature and carry that feeling forth into the new year.

Here’s an Astro Feng Shui ritual to help your true nature shine forth as you work the Fame gua of your home.

I first spotted Amanda at a busy intersection not long ago. “Sober, homeless, hungry,” read her sign. Nothing new there – destitute folks populate most well-trafficked street corners in San Diego, looking for handouts. What stood out about Amanda was the air of cleanliness and decency about her – and the flame-point Siamese cat perched on her shoulder. I rolled down the window and handed her $5. Her eyes lit up. “Can I pet your cat?” I asked. And so our connection began.

Amanda and her husband, John, have been homeless since they lost their jobs ten months ago. Both have college degrees. Neither does drugs or alcohol. At first, they camped out by a river near other homeless folks. But their tent was stolen while they were staying in a hotel room for a few nights, so now they’re sleeping under a bridge. Finding work is not easy once you’re homeless. “The position has been filled” is a constant refrain. Amanda, who studied business in college, even thought about becoming a stripper. “But they wouldn’t take me because of my tattoos and stretch marks,” she says.

On an average day, Amanda makes $30 or $35 pan-handling while John looks for work. Amanda’s take buys food for the couple and their cat, and, if they’re lucky, a motel room a few times a week. A seasoned Capricorn, Amanda has seen a lot in her 33 years. Kicked out of the house at 15 and pregnant by 16, she got into trouble and lost her child. Repeated attempts to gain custody failed, and uterine cancer left her unable to bear more children.

At the intersection, Amanda often gets accosted or propositioned. “It’s like being an animal in a zoo, standing out here with people pointing and staring,” she admits. “It’s the most humbling thing a person can experience.” When feeling down, she reads the Bible verses scrawled on the back of her sign. Words like, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds,” keep her spirits up. And nine-month-old Angel does his part, resting patiently on her shoulder for hours at a stretch, nuzzling her neck. Going back home to Indiana is not an option – the unemployment rate is 50 percent, and winters are fierce. “This is a better place to be homeless than there,” she sighs. But Amanda has faith that things will get better. “We’re not going to stay homeless for long.”

Amanda and John dream of having a van to call home until they get back on their feet. What’s your dream? See it coming true at Saturday’s total lunar eclipse in Gemini/Sagittarius. With Uranus turning direct the night before, inspiration and breakthroughs will be palpable.  The eclipse will be most visible in Alaska, Hawaii, northwestern Canada, Australia, New Zealand and central and eastern Asia. The east coast of the U.S. may see only the initial stages before moonset. Over the central regions, the moon will set as it becomes immersed in the Earth’s reddish shadow. The Rocky Mountain and prairie states will see the moon set in total eclipse, while here in the west the moon will start to emerge from the shadow as it sets, reaching totality from 6:06 a.m. to 6:57 a.m. (PST). Adding to the magic, both the sun and moon will be seen simultaneously in most places in the U.S. and Canada. Don’t miss this gorgeous sight!