Full Moon in Scorpio and the first eclipse of 2013

April 25, 2013 By 7 Comments

Lunar eclipse April 2013Today’s Full Moon is a powerful one, as I was reminded when it shone through my window and brightened the room into full daylight.  As in every Full Moon, the Sun is opposite the Sun which is in Taurus.  This creates a need to find balance between the equanimity and stability of Taurus with the need for deep regeneration and soul processing of Scorpio.  This Full Moon is a time of going deep within to confront whatever monsters lie deep in the psyche so that they can be put to work for us rather than lurking in the darkness.

Scorpio is a water sign, but its traditional ruler is Mars which is the fire planet so Scorpio also adds a fiery and passionate side to the watery realm of feelings and intuition.  With the Sun still in a conjunction to Mars until early to mid-April, the fire of the past month has not totally subsided.  Still, when the Sun and Mars both moved into Taurus a few days ago there was a grounding of all of that fire that can help promote relaxation and a reduction of stress.

This event is an eclipse because the Sun and Moon are 11 degrees from the lunar nodes.  Eclipses are significant because of this nodal connection – the nodes of the Moon are simply points in the sky that mark the passage of the Moon around the solar orbit (ecliptic), but in astrological symbolism the lunar nodes are connected to fate.  Not always, but often something arises during an eclipse that is later seen to be a pivotal point in our lives.

The tighter the connection of the nodes to the lunation (Sun/Moon aspect), the more powerful the eclipse.  Astronomers give a wide orb of 15 degrees to an eclipse, but from this astrologer’s point of view the psychological impact is strongest when the nodes are closest to the lunation.  This eclipse is a partial eclipse of the Moon so its personal impact will likely not be stronger than a “normal” Scorpio Full Moon, which is powerful enough.

Saturn is tied into this Full Moon which suggests that this is a time for isolation and solitary work rather than group celebrations.  The square of Uranus to Pluto is tightening now, and this is embedded in the chart of the Full Moon which means that there is a tremendous energy now for letting go of something in the past to make way for a radical change that may be shocking and surprising.

Still, Chiron and Neptune are linked harmoniously to both Sun and Moon, aiding in the healing and restoration of the soul as it takes the Scorpionic journey into the Underworld, and with Chiron in a harmonious sextile to Venus, our relations with others can experience healing as well.

Any Scorpio or Pluto cycle forces us to face our fears and let go of our hesitations.  This Full Moon is no time for superficial fluff – it’s a time of depth and intensity and letting the soul do the talking.

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Preparing for the upcoming Solar Eclipse on July 1

June 24, 2011 By

lunar eclipse July 1 2011I generally reserve my posts on the faster moving cycles for my Facebook and Twitter pages, but we have a few things going on right now that are worth mentioning here.

First, the Sun is moving into a potentially challenging alignment with Uranus and Pluto that will last until the solar eclipse on July 1st.  I see this eclipse event as the trigger for the big Uranus/Pluto square which is as close in July (less than two degrees) as it will be until the two clash for real next year.

As individuals, we have a number of different influences that make up our personality.  These are clearly identified in our birthchart which makes it easier to understand how these different facets of our personality interact and work together or clash.  As the Sun moves closer to the exact square to Uranus on June 26th and to Pluto on June 28th these different facets within us could become more difficult to integrate.  Remember that planetary cycles don’t create problems for us unless there is something that requires adjustment in order to find balance.

The Sun is a powerful force that illuminates our lives with nourishing warmth, but that powerful force, when strongly aspected with the planet of revolution (Uranus) and the planet of endings and new beginnings (Pluto) will likely reveal to us areas of our life where these different facets of ourselves require integration.

It’s human nature to avoid pain and seek pleasure, so when we are in a difficult time it’s tempting to hide out and wait until it’s over.  But if we utilize these intense cycles we can make tremendous progress in our personal growth.

Transiting Mars is in Gemini right now and everything moves a little more quickly which can be an aid in taking the kinds of action (Mars) that will create real change in our lives.  This will be a little more difficult over the next week because Mars is in a strong square to Neptune which confuses things and can sap our energy.  Mars will then face off against Chiron on the 28th which could bring up some emotional patterns which have been stuck in the subconscious but which require release so that we can move past them.

I’ll be posting more on the eclipse chart, but once again the Sun/Moon conjunction at the New Moon eclipse forms a grand cross with Saturn, Uranus and Pluto.  This is a little bit like deja vu all over again since  we had similar alignments last summer.  But all of this is preparing us for the big square of Uranus and Pluto next year.

The Uranus/Pluto square is dealing with major transformational forces rather than personal ones, so it is more likely to play out with great force in the global arena than in our private lives unless it directly aspects our individual chart.  (It will aspect my Chiron exactly next year – I can hardly wait!! [tongue in cheek])

In the meantime we can prepare by becoming more aware and conscious of our emotions and our inner world.  When you said you would do something did you really want to say no?  What are the feelings that keep you awake at 3 am?  Now is the time to give voice to the splintered parts of ourselves that keep us from feeling whole.

The Sun will point the way.

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Post-eclipse wrapup

June 16, 2011 By

“So other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?”

Some rather significant events happened yesterday, coinciding with the Sagittarius lunar eclipse:

  • Al Qaeda’s former #2, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, has been named the new head of Al Qaeda.  He was thought by many to be the mastermind behind the extremism of Al Qaeda, with Osama bin Laden serving more of a role as religious advisor.
  • Pakistan, our supposed ally in the so-called “war against terror” has arrested the CIA informants that identified bin Laden’s location in Pakistan, confirming the obvious theory that Pakistan isn’t really helping.
  • Vancouver sports fans rioted after their team lost the Stanley Cup playoffs.
  • A federal judge upheld a ruling by a gay judge in California overturning the gay marriage ban in that state.
  • A group of lawmakers led by Dennis Kucinich have filed a lawsuit against President Obama for violating the War Powers Act in the Libya incursion.
  • And most shocking of all, the woman that Hugh Hefner chose to be his (presumably) final wife jilted him just days before the wedding was scheduled to take place.  Gossip reports claim that her plan was to jilt him at the altar and make millions from post-jilting interviews, but evidently the market for such a thing is rather slim.
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Sagittarius lunar eclipse and Full Moon, June 15 2011

June 14, 2011 By

Midsummer Full Moon

The energy for tomorrow’s lunar eclipse is starting to build, and it’s likely to have a profound effect on many of us. The eclipse will peak at the moment of the Full Moon at 4:14 pm Eastern.

This is a Full Moon in Sagittarius, the sign that represents our search for meaning. Sagittarius describes the Truth that we create for ourselves, and the urge for expansion and adventure that drives us in search for that Truth. The Gemini Sun opposes the Sagittarius Moon, urging us to integrate the Gemini/Sagittarius polarity of knowledge and learning. In Gemini we learn with an open mind; in Sagittarius we seek understanding and discrimination between that which is true and that which is not true. Gemini opens us to new experiences but lacks discrimination; Sagittarius creates more rigid ideology but learns discernment. Neither is better than the other, but the two require balance.

A conjunction of Mercury, Gemini’s ruler, to the Gemini Sun will weigh the balance heavily in Gemini’s favor, activating the mind to be curious and wide awake, processing our life’s experiences through the realm of thoughts and ideas.  This can take us away from the emotional heart where wisdom can settle and become integrated into our life, and a conjunction of Chiron to Neptune in the eclipse chart suggests that there is still soul work to be done.

This eclipse is a powerful one as the Sun and Moon are only one degree from a conjunction to the nodes of the Moon.  The lunar nodes are not planetary bodies but are points in the sky where the Moon crosses the apparent path of the Sun from our earthly perspective.  The nodes are connected with our evolutionary progress and eclipses are said to occur when a lunation (Full or New Moon) occurs in proximity to the nodes.  Because this alignment is so tight, within one degree, this is a total eclipse and it contains greater astrological meaning.

Saturn has just changed direction to travel forward after a retrograde period, and it is still virtually stationary as it begins to pick up speed for its journey in direct motion.  As the planet of structure and responsibility, Saturn requires that we build a container in our lives for the transitions that are to come.  Saturn is traveling freely now, unencumbered by aspects to other planets which can create stress as we struggle with the process of how to apply focus in our lives.

In the eclipse chart Uranus and Pluto are lining up in a powerful aspect that is likely to create intense ripples of transformational energy through all of the political systems as well as our personal lives.  The square of Uranus and Pluto will be closer in July than any time this year before beginning their actual dance next year, but the pieces are falling into place.

This eclipse is an opportunity for us to examine our belief systems (Sagittarius) and keep an open mind to new ideas (Gemini) that will help us to create new structures (Saturn) for the change and transformation that is to come (Uranus/Pluto).  Yet the heart must remain open, because the work of the soul (Chiron/Neptune) is not yet complete.

So enter into the journey of this eclipse free from fear, and with a spirit of adventure and curiosity and all will be well!

For daily planetary news, visit my Facebook and Twitter pages.

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Summer eclipse season is coming

May 25, 2011 By

Solar eclipse 2011, lunar eclipse 2011

Image from NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day, 2003. Solar and lunar eclipses occur when the Moon is either full (opposite the Sun) or “new” (conjunct the Sun), and one of the lunar nodes is located within 15 degrees of a conjunction to the Moon.  As you’ve probably heard me say before, the astrological impact of an eclipse comes from the presence of the lunar nodes.

The nodes of the Moon are points in the sky where the Moon crosses the path of the Sun as it is observed from Earth.  They are not actual astronomical bodies, but instead serve as signposts to show us where we have come from and what we need to leave behind (South, or descending Node) and the direction in which our soul is taking us (North, or ascending Node).  The Nodes represent the crossroads between the Soul (Moon) and the Spirit (Sun) with the physical incarnation (Earth).  Powerful stuff!

Typically there are two pairs of eclipses in a year, with two eclipses in each pair.  This summer brings three separate eclipses:

  • Solar eclipse June 1st at 11 Gemini
  • Lunar eclipse June 15th at 24 Sagittarius
  • Solar eclipse July 1st at 9 Cancer

The last time there were three eclipses in the summer was 2009 and you can read more about that here.

Although eclipses have been feared for thousands of years, unless you follow Vedic principles there is no need to fear an eclipse period.  Eclipses tend to reveal and expose aspects of our lives which are hidden and which need to be brought into the conscious realm in order for us to develop and progress.  This isn’t always fun, but the end result is worth any momentary discomfort we may experience.

The solar eclipse on June 1st is a partial eclipse (with the nodes 12 degrees from the Moon), and not very powerful.  In addition, the Moon makes no direct aspect to any other planet other than a nice trine to Saturn.

The lunar eclipse on June 15th is another story.  This is a total eclipse, and the T-square with Saturn, Uranus and Pluto is lining up and will form a Grand Cross with the Summer Solstice Sun at 0 degrees Cancer.  (Geeky astrological detail: Uranus will be at 4 Aries, Pluto at 6 Cap, Saturn at 10 Libra.) The planetary energy is intensifying at this time and we may encounter some energy shifts that will affect us personally as well.

The chart for the Solstices and Equinoxes often reflects weather patterns for that season, and no wonder we’ve been having such severe weather over the past year: Each Solstice and Equinox, at 0 degrees of a cardinal sign, has been in a stressful alignment with Saturn, Uranus or Pluto.  The trend will continue over the summer and into the fall of 2011.

The final eclipse of the season will occur July 1st at the New Moon.  With the Sun and Moon at 9 degrees Cancer, this eclipse is firmly locked into the Cardinal Grand Cross.  If you have planets in your own chart between 3 and 12 degrees of one of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) this eclipse could have a dramatic effect on your emotions, your psyche, your relationships with others (which is usually the domain through which our emotions are expressed).

Planetary cycles only wreak havoc with our lives where change is needed.  In an ideal world, learning about astrology will help us to embrace change with trust and an open heart, providing us with a greater understanding that the patterns of the Universe unfold with meaning and compassion.

For daily planetary news, visit my Facebook and Twitter pages.

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The easy way to navigate the lunar nodes: Rahu-Ketu puja

July 16, 2010 By

The nodes of the moon are like signposts that point the way to our destiny, with the South Node describing the influences of the past, and the North Node pointing towards our future.  The Vedic scholars call these points Rahu (North Node) and Ketu (South Node) and while western astrology tends to look at these points as being relatively benign, in Vedic astrology both Rahu and Ketu are considered somewhat malefic.  This is likely partly due to the role that the Nodes play in eclipses (a lunar event is considered an eclipse if it occurs within 15 degrees of one of the Nodes).

Because of the relationship of the Nodes to an eclipse, Vedic astrologers consider both Rahu and Ketu to be malefic (ruled by Mars and Saturn) since they are seen to have swallowed the Sun and Moon during an eclipse.  But hope is on the horizon:

Former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor and his friend Sunanda Pushkar, are the latest celeb couple to visit Srikalahasti temple and perform the famous rahu-ketu puja, that is believed to negate the ill effects in a relationship that is facing obstacles and friction.

Their visit on Saturday injected some much-needed enthusiasm to the temple, which had been in the media limelight for all the wrong reasons since the collapse of the Rajagopuram on May 26.

Also known as Dakshin Kailash, the temple has attracted a host of celebrities over the last decade who have performed the rahu-ketu puja here. Astrologer and palmist Palakkad Narayan Iyer says: “One of the main reasons why couples are advised to visit Srikalahasti is because this temple is a rahu-ketu kshetram. Rahu and ketu are the reasons why couples face a lot of friction in their relationships. Basically, rahu and ketu signify the two nodes of the moon and a serpent represents these. The two grahas are said to symbolise the dark sides of our personalities and that’s why it’s important to perform shanti pujas to appease them. Rahu causes mental problems, anxiety, misfortune, loss of wealth, etc. while ketu is responsible for causing misunderstandings in relationships.

Another reason why people visit this temple is to negate the ill effects of sarpa dosha. According to Indian astrology, any person who suffers from this undergoes a lot of problems in their relationship with their spouse and women who have this dosha are said to face difficulties in conceiving. In fact, this is one of the main reasons why childless couples are advised to visit Srikalahasti. And unmarried girls, whose kundali shows they have a sarpa dosha, will find it difficult to get married.

read more here, and thanks to Astrococktail for the link.

You don’t have to go to India, anyone can perform this puja!  Instructions can be found at this helpful website.  This sure is a lot easier than the hard work of personal evolution!
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Capricorn Full Moon eclipse June 26, complete with Grand Cross

June 24, 2010 By


Photo from National Geographic

Saturday’s Full Moon is also a partial lunar eclipse, and includes a powerful alignment of seven planets in a Grand Cross formation.

Let’s first look at the lunation (lunar event) itself.  The Sun in Cancer is opposed by the Moon in Capricorn, and because the lunar nodes are within 15 degrees of the Moon (in this case the nodes are 8 degrees from the Moon) the lunation becomes an eclipse.

This in itself is significant, because the lunar nodes are connected to the evolutionary journey of the soul, from past (the South Node) to future (North Node).  Here we have the South Node conjoining the Sun, with the North Node conjunct the Moon.  The Sun represents our conscious awareness, and the Moon reflects the inner yearings of the soul, our emotional interior which rarely makes itself known to the outer world.  With the North Node conjunct the Moon, we are being shifted into an inner experience – the lunar experience rather than the solar.

Here the Moon is in Capricorn, an earth sign of supreme practicality.  Achievement, responsibility, structure – these are not qualities that we normally attribute to the Moon.  In fact, the Moon is said to be in its detriment in Capricorn because its qualities of emotion and fluidity have little room in the structured world in which Capricorn excels.  Yet the North Node is urging us to embrace the gravity of our situation with all of the heart that the Moon can muster as a means to our soul’s evolution during this eclipse of the Sun.

During the eclipse of the Sun the Moon becomes more powerful – even more powerful than it is in an ordinary Full Moon.  Eclipses have been feared for thousands of years, but there’s no reason to fear an eclipse.  Yes – sometimes we do have emotional outbursts, and sometimes our lives are changed forever by a single event that occurs during an eclipse.   Eclipses, especially solar eclipses, have a tendency to unmask that which has been hidden, especially anything hidden in the emotional realm.

The Sun in the eclipse chart is conjunct Mercury, and Mercury is also positioned opposite the Moon.  Mercury is the mind – our mental function and the filter through which the experiences of our lives is processed.  The mind is active now but Mercury has a bigger role to play – it also provides us with the means to move more quickly through the emotional realms of the Moon.

Pluto is tightly conjunct the Moon in the eclipse chart – amping up the intensity and suggesting that something must be released in order for transformation to take place.  Pluto is like the vulture of the zodiac, swooping down to destroy the carrion of anything in our lives that is already dead.  As Pluto is aligned with the Moon in this chart, it opposes the Sun and serves to block the efforts of Mercury to rationalize away the depth of our experiences.   Pluto demands that Mercury offer only the Truth as the emotional realignment of this eclipse unfolds.

Forming the Grand Cross is another opposition:  The conjunction of Jupiter to Uranus in Aries which is opposed by Saturn.   The Jupiter/Uranus combination is volatile and disruptive, but also ingenious and creative.  It breaks down barriers and expands our confidence, forcing us to acknowledge situations and feelings that feel stale or confining.  Saturn provides compression and seeks stability, and the tension between that urge to build a solid foundation (Saturn) and the desire for flight and rebellion (Jupiter/Uranus) is embedded in this eclipse chart.

This eclipse will be felt most powerfully by anyone whose natal planets are in the early degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Libra, Capricorn, Cancer).  But there is enough planetary energy locked into this eclipse chart that others may also benefit from its power.  This eclipse is probably the peak of the Cardinal Drama that we’ve been watching unfold over the past year because so many planets are so tightly aligned now.

This is not a time to be afraid – doors are opening now and it’s time to walk through them.  Our world is in a state of terrible dysfunction and a rebalancing is necessary. Any fears and areas of discomfort that arise now are emerging so that they can be seen for the shadows that they are rather than the experiences of reality that we believe them to be.

The planetary events in June will teach us, if we allow them to, what is real and true in our lives and what is illusion. In order to achieve this we need to accelerate our spiritual practice and learn to maintain presence and breathe through any situation that we encounter. The flow of breath through our bodies is the anchor that links us to our higher self and assists in the transition into the higher realms.
In my opinion, this month is the peak of the intensity. Let’s approach it as an opportunity to break through barriers of mind and body, and to allow our higher selves and guides to facilitate real transformation now.
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Full Moon, Blue Moon, Eclipse Moon and Other Planetary News

December 29, 2009 By
Once in a Blue Moon, by Sofanya White.Blue_Moon.jpg
A gorgeous big moon followed me home tonight, even though she technically won’t be full until the afternoon of New Year’s Eve.  This is a Blue Moon because it’s the second Full Moon in a month, something that doesn’t happen very often (hence the term “once in a blue moon”).  It’s also an eclipse, because the lunar nodes are involved; however, it’s a partial eclipse and not very powerful astrologically.
The Full Moon occurs when the lunar principle of the subconscious inner world overpowers the solar conscious mind with its brilliance as the Moon opposes the Sun in the sky, with the Earth between them.  At the Full Moon we earthlings are sandwiched between these two archetypal forces, and the experience of the Full Moon can be intensely emotional and unexpected.
This particular Full Moon is in the sign of Cancer, its own sign, suggesting that our sensitive emotional natures will be highlighted at this time.  The emotions of Cancer are vulnerable and tender and easily hurt, and the Moon now is opposed to four planets in the pragmatic and rather rigid sign of Capricorn.  The Capricorn lineup includes a tight conjunction of the Sun, Venus (relating) and Pluto (transformation, death, and rebirth).  There is a feeling now that every emotion we experience is critical and can act as a doorway, and a need to create balance in our own emotional world as well as in our relationships.
A lunar event becomes an eclipse when the nodes of the Moon become involved.  The Moon’s nodes represent the evolutionary direction of the soul, so when the nodes are tightly connected to a Full or New Moon there is a sense of destiny that is imparted.  However, astronomers give the nodes a very wide orb of 15 degrees, and this particular eclipse finds the nodes 11 degrees from the Sun and Moon, which is rather far to have much astrological effect.
Still, Saturn is the fulcrum of what we call a “T-square,” challenging both the Moon and the Capricorn planets.  Saturn demands discipline and focused attention, so in the midst of the New Year’s Eve celebration we might be wise to do a little planning for the New Year as well. This will help us to be prepared when the Moon aligns with Saturn on the 6th, creating the potential for depression and sadness as the two face off in a square with Pluto and that sense of finality that Saturn and Pluto bring.
The message here is that our lives are a gift that we need to take seriously.  Celebrations and parties are a wonderful thing, but this Full Moon/Blue Moon Eclipse wants us to take a look at our life and create something wondrous.
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Full Moon Eclipse and the Mars square

July 7, 2009 By

If you’ve been feeling tense and anxious over the past few days, you are not alone!  Mars, planet of aggression and the pure expression of Will, has been in a square formation to Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune.  The square of Mars to Jupiter expands our desires and fuels our physical energy, but also makes us resistant to authority and longing for freedom.  Mars in square to Chiron irritates our sensitive places and induces emotional reactivity.  Mars square to Neptune can erode our confidence and create confusion.  We know we don’t feel good, but why?  It’s a mystery.

Mars is in Taurus now, and the Triple Conjunction is in Aquarius.  These are fixed signs and there is not a lot of flexibility here.  Often with a fixed square like this there must be an eruption before the adjustment can take place and you may be feeling this come to a head today.

All of this is part of the Full Moon eclipse in Capricorn that occurs today.  The Full Moon occurs when the Moon is 180 degrees from the Sun, and the two are in signs that are polar opposites.  With the Cancer/Capricorn polarity we are needing to balance the outer and inner worlds, the practical application of matter (Capricorn) and the sensitive emotional needs of the heart (Cancer).

Saturn is interacting harmoniously with the Full Moon and that helps us to ground the energy better than we would otherwise with all of the Mars chaos swirling about right now.  Over the next couple of days, though, Mars will begin to settle down as it moves away from the Big Three and prepares to enter Gemini on the 12th.

Warning:  Geeky astrological details ahead. A lunar event becomes an eclipse when it conjoins the lunar nodes.  In astrological symbolism the nodes of the Moon represent our evolutionary direction from the past (South Node) to the future (North Node).  As eclipses go, this one is not as powerful as some because the nodes of the moon are about as far as they can be from the Moon and still be called an eclipse (I believe the scientists use a 15 degree orb, or range, for an eclipse).  Plus, the lunar nodes are what we call “out of sign,” because they are in a different sign than the Moon and Sun which means at 14 degrees apart, and in different signs, they are not really conjunct.  In my view this lessens the eclipse effect.

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Notes on the Upcoming Eclipse

August 12, 2008 By

Lunar eclipse

Lunar eclipse

In my travels on the web today I found this article by Geoffrey de Meaux, a French astrologer from that time about an eclipse that occurred in March of 1345 that he believes was the harbinger of the plague.  His description of the mechanism of the eclipse is eloquent and vivid:

The sun is the lord, the director of all events, both general and specific, and the moon is second to him in dominion and power, and their effect is to intensify the effects of the planets acting with them.  It is therefore in the natural course of events, and not to be wondered at, that such a great configuration should bring about major events on the earth, from the nature of the planets which drew to themselves the natures of the sun and moon.  For when the sun is directly opposite the moon, as occurs in a total eclipse, then the power of each of them reaches the earth in a straight line, and the mingling of the influence of sun and moon with that of the superior planets creates a single celestial force which operates in conformity with the nature of the superior planets, which have drawn to themselves the powers of the sun and moon….  On their own they cannot achieve anything great or universal, but when compounded with the sun and moon … they bend the nature of the two luminaries to their own nature, and thus with the power of the two luminaries are able to achieve great things which have a general and universal impact.  These natural causes affect the whole inhabited world between east and north….

Eclipses have long been believed to cause devastating events, and in this article deMeaux draws a connection between an eclipse in March of 1345 to the advent of the Black Plague which devastated Europe over a period of 300 years.  It’s always easier to go back and find astrological correspondences than to accurately predict future events, and I myself believe that the lessons of the Universe are based on surprise, so that if we are expecting one thing under a certain planetary event and work to avoid it, the lesson will come in a different form.

Still, deMeaux’s comment about the power that planetary configurations have when combined in an eclipse is an interesting one, and well worth considering in light of the upcoming lunar eclipse at the Full Moon on August 16th.  Eclipses are thought to have a more powerful effect in those areas where the eclipse is most visible, and for this event that will be in most of Africa, Eastern Europe, central Asia, India and the Middle East. Since these are areas that are in intense stress at this time, it may be hard to see a real difference.

The chart for the eclipse includes a conjunction of the Moon to Neptune, Chiron and the North Node, all in Aquarius.  Aquarius is a dry air sign, and its symbol is the water bearer – the pouring out of water onto the earth.  Chiron has been conjunct Neptune and the North Node for several months now, bringing up old wounds (Chiron) into mass consciousness for healing, but the way towards healing is obscured by falsehoods and illusion (Neptune).

There is a sense here of the wasting of resources, resulting in a deprivation leading to greater conflict. The presence of the Moon in conjunction to the Aquarius stellium suggests that the subconscious and instinctive force will be in ascendancy during the time of the eclipse.  But the North Node will keep the process focused towards our evolutionary future, while the Sun conjoins the South Node showing that our conscious mind will want to cling to the past. Now is a time to let go of our ideas of the direction our world should be heading in, and follow the path of Neptune’s call to the divine through the healing crisis of Chiron, into the path of the future.

The square from Mars in Virgo to Pluto in the chart of the eclipse is in itself a fast-moving transit and therefore less powerful than other slower planetary cycles.  But in the chart of an eclipse, this square can be a powerful signal for conflict and an eruption of violence.  Mars is part of a lineup of four planets in Virgo:  a triple conjunction of Saturn, Mercury and Venus, with Mars a little farther away but still in the sign of Virgo.  Virgo is the sign of purity, health, and the mundane details of human reality.

Relationships and communication could be challenging now with Saturn (restriction and limitation) so tightly enmeshed with the transmission of information (Mercury) and the flow of relating to others (Venus). Virgo has a tendency to be perfectionistic and cautious about the future which is due in part to its tendency to analyze and observe every detail. This is a time when we are more prone to obsess over every detail and this can cause a great deal of worry if we’re not careful to attempt to regain our balance.

Overall, this eclipse is concerned with the polarity between the individual ego (Sun and South Node in Leo) and the call of the transpersonal collective (Moon, Neptune, Chiron, North Node in Aquarius).  Aquarius is innovative and seeks a totally new road to enlightenment.  Change is inevitable, and must be embraced!

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