Tag Archives: Lunar Eclipse

Lunar Eclipse January 2020

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Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Full Moon, Lunar Eclipse, Retrogrades + Directions, Sabian Symbols, Sun/Mercury Superior Conjunction, Uranus

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Lunar Eclipse, from ‘Kitab al-Tafhim’ By Al-Biruni c1000 {{PD}}

The Lunar eclipse begins at 11:21 AM PST January 10th at 20 Cancer 00. An eclipse, Solar or Lunar, is an energy disruptor, with the Lunar being oriented toward endings, conclusions, denouement, resolutions, outcomes, final denials, or the finishing of one period so that a new one can begin. That’s what can be confusing about eclipses: the endings hold the seeds of beginnings, and the beginnings contain some finality. We couldn’t have one without the other, and sometimes its nearly impossible to tell in the moment whether what’s happening is the end to something, or the beginning to something else–but in some way, it’s likely both.

This Lunar eclipse in Cancer suggests we may stop caring about something or someone that had been important to us, or may withdraw nurturing from someone or something we have previously sustained, or one or both of these may happen to us, as someone else turns their concern in another direction. This sounds negative, but is really about finding the ending inherent in any relationship, which allows psychic ‘room’ for a new start. It may be felt more as a shift than an ending/ beginning, a movement of intention, especially supportive attention, to a different subject, and may show the end point of an old attention goal, the start of a new attention goal, or both.

The eclipse is involved in three major energy ‘clusters’: a T-square involving a loose conjunction of Juno and Zeus as the arm of the T, with Sun et al. as the balance; the opposition as its own dynamic, enhanced beyond the usual Full Moon opposition to the Sun by inclusion of Ceres, Saturn, Mercury, and Pluto; and the final a grab bag with a pair of individual contacts, possibly less strident in expression but no less significant, a wide, separating trine to Neptune in Pisces, and a very close but separating sesquiquadrate to Mars in Sagittarius.

This eclipse coincides with the Superior Conjunction of Sun and Mercury, with both semi-square Mars and mirroring the complementary aspect to the ones made by the eclipse–and of course, opposed the Full Moon itself. The Sun and Mercury are also conjoined by Ceres, Pluto, and Saturn, making for an intense grouping gathered within a less than three degrees span. In the context of the eclipse, this may suggest powerful forces that combine to create the eclipse effect–but this may not be an accurate perception. It may instead be a seminal perception, one that causes some mildly difficult actions and choices that bring forward another ending, this one initially planted at the Inferior Conjunction and now coming to fruition.

L’éclipse, acquaforta, by Félix Bracquemond, in Sonnets et eaux-fortes, Paris, 1869 {{PD}}

Here’s the thing: amidst the cacophony of endings and beginnings, the Saturn-Pluto meeting likely already will have set in motion a serious and permanent change dynamic keyed to Capricornian institutions, structures, rules, authority figures, power figures, the status quo, and generally pushing strongly and persistently toward breaking down the old order, the old construct, the old power balance, with ‘old’ simply suggesting ‘established’, and it should take both a personal version (related to natal contacts and/ or the House subjects where the eclipse falls in the natal chart) and a larger societal one that you personally become aware of and observe. There may be no telling one change from another.

Too, don’t expect total destruction; this could instead resurrect things, especially things surrounding what we believed already dead, as new life in a new form is breathed into them, supplanting the old order, but not with anything new. In so many ways, that’s a horrifying thought. There’s even the chance that current power situations are cemented in place, with change only in the surface appearance, if at all, the prevailing power structure firmly fixed.

The presence of Ceres suggests Nature has her say, or that our connection to the natural world undergoes a time in the Underworld and is then brought into our reality, our Beingness forever altered by the experience (an illness or near-death event, mourning, an experience of grief, an encounter with the unseen, a spiritual event, a birth, an encounter with a ‘ghost’, any real-world happening that plunges us into awareness of the unseen and the pattern of life-death-life). Or it could be that we see real-world authority change right before our eyes, transforming into something Other. No matter what, we’ll find out something about our own place in things, and about the reach and extent of our power to make change, and this in many ways could be a double-edged sword.

The difficult thing is that all this change, upheaval, transformation, and re-birth acts as a full throttle background to the eclipse; that’s where we may get the idea that the eclipse is the source, but the eclipse is only our emotional response, and so contains any changes prompted by that response. We react to the power situations, personal and in the wider sphere, and either communicate or receive messages that have been some time in the making.

The T-square suggests that in the course of all this power examination and potential upheaval we see conflicts or hard choices related to our empowerment, specifically how much ability we enjoy to pursue ambitions and desires. The separating trine to Neptune implies we’ve already approached ‘the Dream’ or are clear on our ideals (or thoroughly immersed in our delusion), with the sesquiquadrate to Mars telling us we’re actually in the midst of some uncomfortable or tough to implement choices or actions, know it or not.

Uranus is at this point stationary but still not direct, offering the tension of imminent chaos, but not breaking in that direction just yet. Uranus’ direction may free the rebel, unleash mayhem, strike a note of individuality or originality, or release the energies of Higher Mind, the latter prompting a possible ‘hand of God’ scenario carried out through groups or movements, or our own conviction about what’s needed and ‘right’.

Partial eclipse of the moon. Observed October 24, 1874. (Plate VII of The Trouvelot Astronomical Drawings 1881) By Étienne Léopold Trouvelot {{PD}}

Normally I don’t address other current aspects at a New or Full Moon, but Pallas quincunx and Venus square Sedna suggest a threat to what we care about via unwise or ill-advised Self-messaging. The instincts need modification, flawed as they are at present by one or more consuming fears or bits of misinformation/ void of useful information. Those fears are the kind we carry inside but don’t make conscious–and yet they leak out into our choices and what we do, often surprising us with their intensity and seeming irrationality as they bring forward startling emotional responses in ourselves. These energies work in concert with the Cancerian eclipse promise of closure to caring or nurture, and the hard-edged real-world power issues or changes in progress now.

The Sabian symbol for this eclipse is, ‘Venetian Gondoliers Giving A Serenade’. Of note is the way there are no minutes attached to this eclipse degree, meaning we take the Sabian symbol that leads up to and includes 20 degrees. This symbol points to people not necessarily in the same ‘boat’ but ‘singing’ together. It’s their shared status or function (gondoliers), their shared interest in entertaining or attracting ‘business’ (which could be acceptance, attention, or some other benefit), and possibly sheer delight in life, coupled with the acting out of ‘traditional’ roles, that causes their singing. But further, a serenade actually implies a chosen and present audience, and the desire to bring pleasure or persuade–and that may be related to both the power situation and the Superior Conjunction, with most ready to state their fully-formed argument for what they see, what they believe, in the hope they may bring others to their way of seeing. Others will sing, and we’ll decide how we feel about that, and make changes or take action as a result.

I don’t anticipate understanding this eclipse period until well after it passes. The best we can do, then, is be aware of the feeling dynamic, the sentiment, beneath what we see transpire. That may be our touchstone to meaning; feelings will connect us in ways the mind cannot, as it’s already reached a maximum point within the cycle (Superior Conjunction), and may not accommodate the ‘stretch’ needed for illumination. The Sabian for the Sun only reinforces this: ‘A Hidden Choir Is Singing During A Religious Service‘. It’s the unseen source of ‘song’ reflecting our core Beingness, our faith, and our viewpoint of established institutions and organizations we ‘believe’ in, and our emotional response to and interpretation of these, that can give us the most reliable information, right now.

More on eclipses here. For some this may be too elementary, and some of what’s presented is just a wee bit fanciful (I don’t think it’s provable that romance is enhanced during a Full Moon!), but still full of interesting facts.

16 July 2019 Lunar Eclipse in a Venus Sky

14 Sunday Jul 2019

Posted by in astrology, Born Today, current events in the sky, forecast, Lunar Aspects, Lunar Eclipse, Sabian Symbols

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The Milky Way arches across this 360-degree panorama of the night sky above the Paranal Observatory, home of ESO’s Very Large Telescope. The Moon is just rising and the zodiacal light shines above it, while the Milky Way stretches across the sky opposite the observatory. To the right in the image and below the arc of the Milky Way, two of our galactic neighbours, the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds, can be seen. The open telescope domes of the world’s most advanced ground-based astronomical observatory are all visible in the image: the four smaller 1.8-metre Aŭiliary Telescopes that can be used together in the interferometric mode, and the four giant 8.2-metre Unit Telescopes. The image was made from 37 individual frames with a total exposure time of about 30 minutes, taken in the early morning hours. ESO/H.H. Heyer CC BY 4.0

The Partial Lunar Eclipse is at 2:38 PM PDT of the 16th at 24 Capricorn 04, and perfects against a Venus-heavy sky, with Venus sesquiquadrate Ceres, quincunx Jupiter, and opposed Saturn. Since Venus is just inside combustion range of the Sun, we would expect its contacts to be less prominent–but in this case, we may see them as backdrop to emotion, passage-of-time, or feeling-based (Lunar) eclipse events, subtle ones that may either operate below consciousness or that we may be aware of but unable to give time or attention to.

Relationships and/ or assets, then, may be the underpinnings for eclipse impact, and may involve a situation where we are wrestling with who holds power in a relationship, or who holds spending power within a relationship, or in a situation where we can’t reconcile Love’s presence with the need to take responsibility and to set boundaries. The social sphere or some fact we’ve learned is calling for us to adjust our interactions or our finances, and we may have a hard time wrapping our heads around that (eclipse novile Jupiter). And then there’s the way we may be tempted to ignore the rules, boundaries, obstacles, or reality itself, when it comes to relationships or finances. All this makes for a disconcerting undercurrent–and then we have the Lunar event itself.

Falling in Capricorn, a Lunar eclipse suggests an ending to some sort of restriction, sense of discipline, support structure, or material reality, and it’s likely an ending where we are aware of its finality, even in some cases of the way we can do nothing about it. Restraints may reach a peak or disappear entirely, depending on your personal situation, but in either case the ending is clearly defined and makes an emotional impact.

The most startling thing may be the Lunar eclipse conjunction to Pluto, which implies the eclipse is a powerful moment, shot through with meaning in the form of Truth, and may incite transformation or obliteration at a core level. That’s a scary thought, but consider: there have been any number of life-changing moments you’ve already gone through, and nine times out of ten you probably didn’t know that was a transformational moment, or a course-changing event, until later, maybe much later.

Pause on this: that a Lunar event, one focused on feeling, and on bringing that feeling into a tangible or material sphere (Moon conjoined Earth in Capricorn) will occur, and it’s meant to bring completion to some matter related to the House where it falls or the matters this House represents in the natal chart, or possibly those represented by a natal body or point that is affected. Impact is inevitable, but the sense of catastrophe or loss is not. ‘Getting right’ with our own destructive impulses or urges toward power is the way to sail through this and even make the most of it.

The widest allowable aspect the event makes is a trine to Sedna (just under 4 degrees), which implies we know the meaning and impact of the eclipse at an instinctual level. It also implies information about the event is most accessible through the natural instincts, through being open to ‘what we know but don’t know’, which requires we trust ourselves–often easier said than done.

But there’s also a semi-square to the Black Moon Lilith point, suggesting that what stirs our instincts may be the rough edges around things we’re ignoring or denying, or that enrage. And then there is the novile to Jupiter, promising that whatever occurs at the eclipse, it will open up our world, will offer new or clearly perceived facts, will show those beliefs that are ‘right’, offer a religious experience, and/ or allow us to face emotionally-charged real-world events philosophically, easily seeing a way to process and accept what occurs.

The Sabian for the Lunar eclipse is, ‘A Store Filled With Precious Oriental Rugs’. These, even when the patterns are the same, are unique, one-of-a-kind creations–just like individuals. The eclipse, in pointing up our beauty as creations, also shows us the loneliness inherent to our form. Being one-of-a-kind carries with it the knowledge that we are separate, and the symbol also suggests that we are filled with things of worth (the store) and all we have to do to live that purpose is to be.

For a Lunar eclipse we also look at the Sabian for the Sun, since she is the light-giver that makes the whole show possible. The Sun’s is in Cancer: ‘A Willful Man Is Overshadowed By A Descent Of Superior Power’. This suggests that what casts the eclipse shadow in the first place is an instance of noticing our actual power in the larger scheme of things, and this is driven home by awareness of those who hold power superior to our own, and is so despite our very Arian inclination to Willfulness–which seems to point to the only item in Aries right now, Chiron. Is this a hint that it’s our own hurt at not having our way that re-aligns us with our effective place in the Universe, with a proportional understanding of each of us as an individual? Perhaps, though when we hark back to the Lunar eclipse Sabian, we might conclude that we are works of Art, and that we are unable to adequately express as long as we are wrapped up in our own heads, our own want, our own Willfulness.

Scroll down for the forecast and birthday look ahead for the 15th. Thank you, and Happy Eclipse!

For those born with the Sun at 24 Cancer. Check your natal chart for the correct Sun degree (you may want to read both the degree number and the one that follows, if you have minutes on your Sun position–together these offer a more complete picture of your year ahead). Dear Cancer, the emotional impact of this year, especially what happened just a smidge before your birthday/ Solar Return, can’t be understated–and yet, know that you must deal with ‘the facts’ honestly in order to move forward and embrace the Truth, and through it the Power, that is slated to be yours. If you don’t already have a form that this power can take and express through, you may want to spend your birthday considering what you ‘know but don’t know’, as well as facing what you’d rather ignore, and so finding out exactly what you should be doing, as you take your place in the vanguard of your social sphere, peer group, or profession. Good luck!

The table’s all set for a Happy Birthday. ‘Open Door on a Garden’ By Konstantin Somov 1934 {{PD}}

 

A Little Something On Eclipses

28 Friday Jun 2019

Posted by in astrology, eclipse, Lunar Aspects, Lunar Eclipse, Solar Eclipse, Transit Effects Explored, Transits and Cycles

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By Kudaibergen Urinbayev – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46217328

Here’s a little something in general on eclipses and how they may impact the individual chart.

Total Lunar Eclipse January 2019 Wizard, Goddess, Magician

19 Saturday Jan 2019

Posted by in astrology, Configurations, current events in the sky, eclipse, forecast, Lunar Aspects, Lunar Eclipse, Sabian Symbols

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Rembrandt c1654 {{PD}}

First thing to note about the chart for the Total Lunar Eclipse occurring on the 20th at 9:15:57 PM PST at 00 Leo 51 is that it’s apex to a Fist of God with base of Venus-Jupiter in Sagittarius and Neptune in his own sign of Pisces. Eclipses are always some form of wipe-out or wipe clean, but this one brings a conclusion, ending, or change that carries an emotional punch, and possibly a material one, that spurs action (Moon conjoined Earth, Fire placement). It resolves some serious issues around enough/ plenty, social expenditure or investment, the realities of Love or Money, and how these are addressed through creative energies.

We know that when creativity is channeled it offers tremendous power, but at the other end of the scale when we absolve ourselves of all responsibility for that creative energy (in essence crying, ‘I’m helpless!’) Neptune invites chaos into our lives. In the case of this eclipse, what the event presents may challenge us to choose our response: will it be wizardly, where we do our damnedest (that is, approach efforts with a sense of confidence and a willingness to muster all our assets) to enhance the good, to expand Love or Money or some benefit to the social order, or do we throw up our hands, say we’ve been mislead or deceived, claim we don’t know, claim confusion, abdicate our own power and particularly our ability to create the reality, especially the emotional reality, we say we want?

We also see a loose Grand Cross with Pallas, the Sun, and Uranus. The Fire-Air combo in this configuration suggests dynamic action spurred by ideas, thoughts, or revelations. Like a magician’s trick, it balances the Lunar event with what we know to be wise or practical, with our conscious attention applied, and with a possibly sudden reveal, innovation, accident, or invention that now must be carried out/ made manifest–indeed, that may go well beyond a plan and instead be set in motion at this point.

A Water Grand Trine with Chiron and Ceres brings the Lunar event into harmony by utilizing our most unique skills and our natural place in the Universe/ or within Nature itself. In this we respond as goddess (or god), drawing on a deep and inherent level of skill and knowledge in cooperation with Nature and the place it gives us in the Universe. Sound too vague? Not if you picture yourself as a unique element in the vast expanse of existence, one that has a specific and original part to play, with this eclipse offering the ending of one emotional role (particularly one related to actions taken), and sowing the seeds of another via our own expression of skills, personal authority, negotiative ability, or in maternal expression of one form or another.

The Lunar eclipse Sabian is, ‘Blood Rushes To A Man’s Head As His Vital Energies Are Mobilized Under The Spur Of Ambition’. This suggests that what culminates with the Lunar event urges us to take action–not exactly surprising as the eclipse falls in a Fire sign. This may also relate to those base factors holding the eclipse as apex to a Fist: Venus-Jupiter is its own statement of ambition, of wanting more/ better, and Neptune relates to ideals–so may require both those to bring about the action the Fist implies, and this may translate as formation of a new and intense ambition or desire-aim.

We also look at the Sun Sabian since this is the source of all light in our system, which is, ‘An Old Adobe Mission In California’. The missions are beautiful, tranquil gardens now, spots for meditation or contemplation situated in the middle of crowded city blocks, so it’s easy to forget how they came to be. They were instruments of conversion, built by enslaved Native Americans the Church hoped to make their own and enfold into the imported European social order. It may be that whatever sparks the Lunar event may have a calm and appealing surface that hides an ugly past, or came about by means we wouldn’t even consider today. This is likely very particular for each individual, as unique as each experience of this eclipse is likely to be.

See the forecast for the 19th here–

A Word Image For The Lunar Eclipse

27 Friday Jul 2018

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, eclipse, Lunar Eclipse, The Daily Word Image

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‘Die Briefleserin’ By Franz Skarbina Before 1902 {{PD}}

I’ve been getting a ‘message’ this morning, and thought I should pass it along, in case it’s a message for you, too: when you reach that point, that limit, where you think, ‘I’ve given myself this much time to ‘make it’, and now it’s time to move on’, look up and see what you’ve been handed–chances are it’s exactly what you asked for, and simultaneously, it’s exactly what you wanted. Probably an example of those times when our intents, wants, and efforts, both energetic and physical, are all aligned. Conversely that might mean if you reach that ‘time to quit going after this’ point and nothing materializes, it really is time to move on.

Remember, the Lunar eclipse in Aquarius promises revelation or understanding, with the addition of new guidance or information added to experience and previous knowledge (the Sabian symbol + South Node), and that all of it is a consequence of our own actions or choices (conjoined Mars). So, the message plus the eclipse is really about acknowledging the role of time in making our choices–and so knowing when we have completed a cycle, when it’s time to move on to the next, by seeing clearly the message we receive at any ‘end point’.

This public service announcement brought to you by today’s influences and the Lunar eclipse. Support your favorite astrologers, artists, and craftspeople with purchases and donations, and accept the Love and Money the Universe is offering to you (and that’s a reminder that we literally won’t see it, unless we are open to receiving it–that is, unless we see ourselves as worthy). Happy and safe eclipse, everyone!

26-27 July 2018 Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius: Consequences

25 Wednesday Jul 2018

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Lunar Eclipse, Sabian Symbols

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By Quinn Dombrowski from Berkeley, USA – Implications and consequences of “all is one”, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69798491

The 26th, the eve of the eclipse, brings a dust-up, with Venus novile Pallas, and the Sun quincunx Saturn and opposed Mars. Facing another’s Will or aggression requires adjustment, either to our vision of the reality picture or to circumstances themselves–but if we keep what we care about (Venus) in mind, we are inspired with smart and practical means of handling things.

The Total Lunar eclipse of 27 July 2018 (1:19 PM PDT) falls at 4 Aquarius 44, forming just after contact to, and still within orb of, a retrograde Mars; the Full Moon is also in wide sextile to Chiron and wide square to Uranus, with the latter, ruler of the eclipse itself, forming a T-square with the Sun-Earth-Moon-Mars axis. The only other aspect made is a sesquiquadrate to Venus in Virgo. A Lunar eclipse is a Full Moon, and this one occurs in the crisp, intellectually-oriented, forward-thinking sign of Aquarius, suggesting the event delivers revelation or understanding. Since it’s conjoined Mars, what appears could be the consequences of our own choices or actions, as instituted at the inception point of the previous Solar eclipse/ New Moon, or it could be that what we come to understand drives a current choice or action, with consequences still to be seen. That preceding Moon opposed Pluto, suggesting a power situation revealed, and this Full Moon may be the personal response to it, something driven by our intellectualization of the events that we then act on or choose according to, as we see the outcome of the New Moon start.

The results as manifested at this Lunar eclipse point have the potential for wounding or for calling forth skills (Chiron), but in either instance they show the need to express the individuality, or to accede to the group (Uranus), and all of this is likely spurred by difficulties surrounding relationships, finances, or Self-worth (Venus).

The Full Moon Sabian is, ‘A Council Of Ancestors Is Seen Implementing The Efforts Of A Young Leader’. This suggests that the authority and experience of those who came before plays a vital role in showing us which direction to take; that is, we learn from the past, especially from the experiences of others, appropriate considering eclipses always fall near the Nodal axes, with this Lunar one conjoined the South Node.

Since this eclipse seems so directly connected to the one preceding it, we’ll forgo our usual inspection of the Sun’s Sabian for a Full Moon, since in this case our ‘source’ is the New Moon that came two weeks before. Instead we move on to the next and final component of this eclipse set, the Solar eclipse in Leo.

The 27th besides the Lunar eclipse sees Venus sesquiquadrate Mars and trine Pluto, and Merc parallels Juno, adding to the sense of personal assurance even as it disturbs intra-personal balances and hands Love or Money all the Power. In spite of our own confidence, we must bow to some large concept external that holds sway–but considering the Sabian for the eclipse, this could place us, no matter our age, in the ‘Council Of Ancestors’ in the way that we need this fresh infusion of energy or information input, need to ‘follow the leader’, in this case Love or Money, in order to keep our efforts relevant and our choices effective.

24 July 2018 The Hornet’s Nest

23 Monday Jul 2018

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Lunar Eclipse, Mars Retrograde

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Rachel Ruysch – ‘Still Life with Fruit, a Bird’s Nest and Insects’ c1710 {{PD}}

We heal by looking away today, but there’s a trick to it: we have to keep what we truly care about in front of us at all times, rejecting fantasy or delusion or the temptation to lie to ourselves. It’s that effort to ignore what would normally enrage us, or follow our natural prompt to ignore or deny, along with keeping what we love front and center, that will save us, and shape our future positively. We could be tempted to stir the hornet’s nest, out of our own unease at the way what’s smart seems to clash with our priorities and commitments–but this is temporary. Living with the discomfort is preferable to upending things and finding that Self-generated chaos didn’t need to happen, after all. Too, the cost of having the Dream may become clear; such mental and emotional distance may allow us to figure out if we want to pay the piper, whether it will really be worth it, and makes for an excellent point from which to form a plan (Vesta sesq Pallas, Venus nov NN and opp Neptune, Sun trine Chiron and contra-parallel Black Moon Lilith).

The second eclipse of a three eclipse set arrives this week; can you feel it building? I don’t normally subscribe to the idea that you can feel Lunar energy way ahead–it doesn’t make sense, considering how swiftly the Moon moves–but in this case we’re likely to feel growing intensity centered on the effects of retrograde Mars, which will be conjoined the Lunar show. We’re already dealing with Mars’ backward energy, each in her own way according to the impact occurring via the natal contacts, and now Luna comes along and brings home an emotional wallop related to the Martian vibe. And now, some good advice, from Aries Bette Davis (the Ram is always ready to tell you what to do, amirite?):

The Eclipses of July-August 2018

02 Monday Jul 2018

Posted by in astrology, eclipse, forecast, Full Moon, future events in the sky, Lunar Aspects, Lunar Eclipse, New Moon, Sabian Symbols, Solar Eclipse

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Photo By Naposaurus 2013 Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

Here are the general forecasts for the eclipse set coming late this summer. Notice that the first two seem strongly connected; I fully expect events around the initial Solar one to lead directly to the events of the Full Lunar one that follows at the end of July.

The Partial Solar eclipse of 12 July 2018 (7:48 PM PDT) falls at 20 Cancer 41 as the Moon, Earth, and Sun align on the same plane, allowing the Moon to ‘eclipse’ the normally dominant Sun at their New Moon meeting. This event also sees Earth, which of course is always opposed the Sun, conjoined Pluto, making its opposition to the New Moon eclipse the centerpiece of the aspect picture; asteroid Zeus forms a T-square with the Sun-Moon-Earth-Pluto axis, and Ceres is semi-square the New Moon. A Solar eclipse, this one in Water, is a new beginning, and that can come gently, like a tide lapping at the shore, or fiercely, like a wave crashing on the beach—but in either case, it brings change, which may slowly pull the sand from beneath your feet, can knock those feet out from under you, and/ or could even wipe the landscape clean in a tsunami, leaving you in an entirely new place. Change, then, is expected, and with Pluto opposed the event and conjoined the Earth, the very ground on which we walk, we may want to be highly attentive to the mix of Water and Earth, emotion and the material, flow and static states, in our world.

This event in a Water sign also emphasizes the emotional component eclipses already carry, as they are mainly Lunar events, with the Moon playing the pivotal role, either in blocking the Sun’s light from us (a Solar eclipse) or acting as the screen on which we observe the blocking of the light (by the Earth, as it moves between Moon and Sun) in a Lunar eclipse. This Solar eclipse event doubles down on the emotional, psychological, and intuitive potentials, making us all naturally hyper-sensitive to the atmosphere around the New Moon. Symbolically this speaks of, in the case of a Solar eclipse, emotions themselves causing a blockage between the material world (Earth) and ‘What Is’, including purpose and intent (the Sun). The block is meant as a disruptor, a point at which the usual view just can’t be adopted, as the light in which we view things is suddenly radically different. We keep this in mind as we look at the particulars of any eclipse event, as consciousness about the larger scenario illuminates the smaller details of the single occurrence.

Here we have the sheer power of Pluto aligned with Earth—and of course this kind of aspect always makes me think of earthquakes or volcanoes—most likely of a personal, symbolic nature, and this directly opposes the meeting of Sun and Moon on the ecliptic, so that we have Earth-Pluto, a material or physical power situation, that is receiving no light, as the Moon prevents it. That suggests that at or following the eclipse we face a real-world challenge that we’re prevented from understanding by our own emotional response.

Too, the challenge puts us in a spot: not only is our authority to respond at issue (Ceres), but we see conflicts with our goals, ambitions, and/ or desires (Zeus). The Sabian symbol for the eclipse is, ‘A Famous Singer Is Proving Her Virtuosity During An Operatic Performance’. This not only speaks of the individual need to express ourselves in a way most characteristic of us as unique individuals—to ‘sing out’—with the eclipse challenge one of performance: show us your stuff! In the context of the eclipse, what we see is that the ability to convey who we are, our strongest and most authoritative identity (Ceres) expressed in an earthly venue (Earth-Pluto) is endangered by our extreme emotional response (the eclipse), which blocks an objective assessment of the situation.

The Earth moves, and we react—and that stops a clear understanding of what’s actually happening, and so of knowing what’s actually affected. The change that happens here is serious, but not necessarily permanent; we may do best to see it more as inevitable reform, events or revelations that present us with personal power and ‘territory’ issues we hadn’t yet faced, and conflicts with ambition fulfillment we hadn’t yet acknowledged. Taking that tack tells us that what elicits our emotional reaction at the eclipse could’ve been anticipated, if we’d realized the extent to which these matters, goal achievement and our power reach, needed our attention to begin with.

The Total Lunar eclipse of 27 July 2018 (1:19 PM PDT) falls at 4 Aquarius 44, forming just after contact to, and still within orb of, a retrograde Mars; the Full Moon is also in wide sextile to Chiron and wide square to Uranus, with the latter, ruler of the eclipse itself, forming a T-square with the Sun-Earth-Moon-Mars axis. The only other aspect made is a sesquiquadrate to Venus in Virgo. A Lunar eclipse is a Full Moon, and this one occurs in the crisp, intellectually-oriented, forward-thinking sign of Aquarius, suggesting the event delivers revelation or understanding. Since it’s conjoined Mars, what appears could be the consequences of our own choices or actions, as instituted at the inception point of the previous Solar eclipse/ New Moon, or it could be that what we come to understand drives a current choice or action, with consequences still to be seen. That preceding Moon opposed Pluto, suggesting a power situation revealed, and this Full Moon may be the personal response to it, something driven by our intellectualization of the events that we then act on or choose according to, as we see the outcome of the New Moon start.

The results as manifested at this Lunar eclipse point have the potential for wounding or for calling forth skills (Chiron), but in either instance they show the need to express the individuality, or to accede to the group (Uranus), and all of this is likely spurred by difficulties surrounding relationships, finances, or Self-worth (Venus).

The Full Moon Sabian is, ‘A Council Of Ancestors Is Seen Implementing The Efforts Of A Young Leader’. This suggests that the authority and experience of those who came before plays a vital role in showing us which direction to take; that is, we learn from the past, especially from the experiences of others, appropriate considering eclipses always fall near the Nodal axes, with this Lunar one conjoined the South Node.

Since this eclipse seems so directly connected to the one preceding it, we’ll forgo our usual inspection of the Sun’s Sabian for a Full Moon, since in this case our ‘source’ is the New Moon that came two weeks before. Instead we move on to the next and final component of this eclipse set, the Solar eclipse in Leo.

The Partial Solar eclipse in Leo falls at 18 degrees, 41 minutes on August 11th at 2:57 AM PDT. This event is conjoined Pallas—ah! ‘new wisdom’ is the result of the past two events—with the aspects offering a subtle picture of what it is we’ve gained. A new start in Leo is about ourselves and our identity, and those facets of the individuality that allow us to ‘shine’; the aspects made by the eclipse describe the nature of our attributes, the ways in which we can make our uniqueness known. What begins at this time also has an air of the practical about it, or a sense of skills possessed—but no matter what, a situation that allows us to be our Best Self.

The eclipse-Pallas sextiles Zeus and catches Ceres at the midpoint, even as it semi-squares Venus. This suggests that it’s in the act of reaching for ambition or desire fulfillment that we both gain authority and power and learn what needs to change in relationships or finances in order to make ‘it’ happen. Should we count this as base to a Finger of God, with a loose Neptune apex? Maybe, if we consider that what we likely need to do to fine-tune the ambition picture is rid ourselves of delusions, or utilize our creativity—that’s what can make the whole thing work together.

The eclipse is also apex to a loose Fist of God with base of Saturn and Chiron, and quincunxes Pluto. As apex, the eclipse promises that resolution of conflicts between the reality picture or reasonable restraints applied to our effort, and our own skill set or wounded nature (the latter possibly referring to unreasonable restraints that need removal), offers a ‘New You’, a  fresh expression of identity or purpose, and that this is also an expression of our own wisdom and gifts (Pallas). The contact to Pluto simply tells us adjustment is needed, whether we want to gather power, make a change, eliminate, or transform.

There’s also an Earth Grand Trine that hooks into the eclipse by degree: Ceres (semi-sextile), Pluto (quincunx), and Juno (square). This implies the eclipse may be a spark of sorts, putting into motion material matters that, one and all, are concerned with power and power expression. No matter what else is in play at this time, this Grand Trine reminds us that there are some very real material stakes here, and that even the most innocent of moves holds an ultimate goal of gaining or solidifying the ability to make the individual Will felt and impactful.

If we really want to get loose with things, we can also see that the T-square formed by Juno’s hard angle to the axis  becomes a Grand Cross if we pull Jupiter into the equation. This may remind us that individual development doesn’t happen in a vacuum; others to whom we reach out, look for reactions and interactions, and to get a measure of our own empowerment are part of the picture, and must be taken into account, especially when we think about how beliefs, knowledge, and the capacity to reach out and to accept what we consider ‘foreign’ all shape not just our potentials for success, but our view of our own adequacy, as well.

The Sabian symbol for this New Moon eclipse in Leo is, ‘A Houseboat Party’. That promises a celebration, once we’ve dealt with anything that’s not working on our path forward to Self-expression—but we should also note the party of the image is afloat—that is, hovering on the surface of the water, the symbol of feeling. That tells us that beneath the joy engendered by successful realization of our gifts, skills, and most unique qualities lies a body of emotion, one that it’s entirely possible to sink into, even to lose our joy to. That implies that after this sequence of eclipses we might have a whole new set of emotions to explore—and maybe entirely new feelings related to how we see ourselves (Leo).

Lunar Eclipse 31 January 2018 Emotional Intelligence

29 Monday Jan 2018

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, eclipse, Finger of God, forecast, Full Moon, Horoscope, Lunar Eclipse, Sabian Symbols

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‘Moon Over Dresden’ By Johan Christian Claussen Dahl 1826 {{PD}}

The Lunar eclipse of 31 January 2018 occurs at 5:27 AM Pacific time at 11 Leo 37, just two minutes past exact conjunction to asteroid Ceres, and acting as apex to a loose Finger of God with base of Black Moon Lilith (which is a point, of course, not a body) and Neptune; the Full Moon is also sesquiquadrate Chiron, but everything else is outside the orb for a Lunar event, even when that event is an eclipse.

Falling in Leo, the Full Moon suggests a completion, ending, or the consummation of something related either to the House matters in the individual chart where the eclipse occurs, or to the identity, the lion’s roar that makes a statement about who we are, and particularly about where our heart lies (Leo rules the heart). We are, then, at the time of a Full Moon, full of feeling, and this time that’s about ourselves, and how we fit into the emotional landscape.

An eclipse is an extreme; this one is apex to a Finger, which points to a blending of the creative, imaginative, spiritual, or delusional with those matters too long ignored, denied, or that have enraged us, with the result being the Lunar event, the Lunar extremity, the culmination or revelation with who we are at the center of it all. Facing what we’ve avoided in a creative way, or with a spiritual viewpoint, shows us who we are, especially emotionally; we could say that this Lunar eclipse reveals the state of our emotional intelligence, setting the stage for our responses through the coming six months, to the next Lunar eclipse.

The Lunar event happens conjoined Ceres, suggesting that the event itself is an experience of our own strength, the extents of our authority, or involves the overseeing of others or the negotiation of a particular situation. Ceres also implies the potential for the eclipse to bring a health related event, such as an allergic reaction; we see Ceres prominence right now with the virulence of the flu in the US. Ceres always speaks of power and Nature, and the relationship for the individual between the two; in this instance, the Lunar event carries this message within the Leonine expression that arises from Black Moon Lilith (the ignored, avoided, denied, or enraging) and Neptune (inspiration, the spiritual, the creative, the confusing, the deceptive).

Nature might make a statement at the Lunar eclipse, something concerning those things we’ve ignored or denied (climate change, anyone?) and what we’ve created of a Neptunian nature (to include pathogens fostered in a lab or inadvertently in an ever-warming environment). This may signal the rise of the seas, even though it will play out over time—or it may say that we might finally connect emotionally (the Moon) with Mother Earth in a meaningful way, one that moves us to save Her, emotional intelligence of another kind altogether.

Add to this a difficult aspect to Chiron, symbol of our primal wound, and of those gifts we possess that can offer healing to others (and since 2012, to ourselves, as well). The tension of the Finger, shown by the quincunxes, is channeled into the Lunar response, which itself is in conflict with something of a Chirotic nature: our wounds, someone else’s wound, or the deep need to share a healing skill, which may not be acceptable to others (this latter reflects that dynamic where someone has an issue, says they desire healing, but will not let go of their wound—often it’s too much a part of the identity, and in this case, the feeling nature may gain its sense of shape, depth, and even personal relevance—Leo–from this wound). Or, the exercise of creatively dealing with what we’ve avoided may unavoidably cause wounding or pain, to ourselves or others. In some way the wound impacts the Lunar expression, which is one of power or its lack, or of the relationship to Nature. It’s nothing short of what weaves us into the world, the Cosmos, ourselves as much a part of Nature as what we observe outside us.

Oda Krohg – ‘A Japanese Lantern’ 1885 {{PD}}

The Sabian Symbol for the Lunar eclipse is, ‘An Evening Party Of Adults On A Lawn Illumined By Fancy Lanterns’. This is a symbol of a kind of luxury, the freshness of a summer lawn, lanterns in the darkness, the company of other mature individuals, the sense of earned respite and relaxation. The scene carries a quality that may transport an adult back to childhood, or foster romantic sensibilities; in any case, the implication is that life is going well enough that the struggle can be set aside, at least temporarily, that Nature can be appreciated in a state (darkness) that we usually avoid—so in that way, suggests harmony with the environment, and a sense of security that allows us to move outside normal parameters. In the context of the Lunar eclipse, this might imply that whatever comes forward here makes a kind of statement about the individual (Leo) and their place within the natural order (Ceres), and that this is dictated by that interplay of Black Moon Lilith and Neptune, potentially drawing the Lunar result from the individual temperament (BML) and the spiritual orientation (Neptune).

With a Full Moon we also look at the Sun’s Sabian: ‘On A Vast Staircase Stand People Of Different Types, Graduated Upward’. As the body that generates the light that creates the Lunar phases in the first place, the Sun symbol offers hints as to the origins of the Lunar event. Here we see a kind of representation of humanity, with the implication that we are evolving ever upward (no matter how it looks down here on earth!) The staircase, of course, invokes the hackneyed metaphor of life as a climb, each step a movement upward, to a more advanced position—but that isn’t how life works—every step doesn’t take us up, it may not even take us forward—so this symbol may at bottom question suggest we set aside our assumption that we are ever evolving upward. We are ever evolving, true, but the path isn’t a straight one, so we should dump the metaphor in favor of just accepting the ride, rather than trying to measure how high we stand on the staircase.

And what about all that hyperventilating about the rarity of this Full Moon?

Thoughts on Eclipse Season Summer 2017

07 Monday Aug 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, eclipse, Lunar Eclipse, Solar Eclipse

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Portland, Maine Breakwater ‘Bug’ Light built in 1875. It’s dubbed “the bug” because of its small size. Photo by Carol M. Highsmith, Library of Congress Archives {{PD}}

The Lunar eclipse in Aquarius is just a couple hours off, but I feel as if we’ve been under the distorted light of an eclipse for weeks now. We’ve hit the record for days without rain–51–and are slated to break it, adding at least another seven days of hot, dry weather in the coming week. That’s made it hellish, but what gives the light the dull, reddish shadows even in midday are the wildfires in Canada; the mild flow from North to South that normally cools us in summer is carrying a dense carmine haze that permeates the air from horizon to zenith. Outside it looks and feels like those fleeting moments when the Earth casts its shadow (Lunar eclipse) or when the Moon comes between Earth and Sun, blocking out the Solar orb (Solar eclipse)–and it just seems so unnatural, as if we are living a slow-mo version of a transformative, seminal moment, over days and days.

The Moon last night here just north of Seattle, dark orange and partially obscured by the thick smoke.

Though I know some people are seeing the August eclipses as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, I’m seeing them more as breakwaters, those walls onto which the fiercest waves crash; breakwaters protect the shore from being decimated by the sheer energy of the waves, and these celestial events are meant to disrupt the pattern, to reveal, to free–that last most of all–and to both concentrate (showing us meaning) and dissipate (softening the blow) the impact that can come from a sharp, seemingly sudden energy shift. Take the eclipse events as a breakwater would: let them wash over you, let them reveal what’s generated that wave energy, but don’t allow them to force a precipitous response, or to give you the impression that you’ll never get out from under what it brings.

On a lighter note, I didn’t even know I had a bucket list, until Saturday night; that’s when I realized my Aquarian Ascendant had waited 35 years to hear Fred Schneider intone in person: “I’ve got me a car, and it’s as big as a whale, and it’s about to SET SAIL!” Oh, the little gifts eclipse season brings are really the best. Have a great one! And special thanks to all the lovely people who’ve written some really nice things to and about me lately–those words have been more appreciated than you know.