The upcoming Partial Solar Eclipse (New Moon) peaks at 3:47 AM PDT of the 29th late in 8+ degrees of Aries. What we see is that retro Mercury is already well past Inferior Conjunction and poised to re-enter Pisces, suggesting we are on the verge of a ‘mental retreat’–I don’t think that’s a surprise to any of us. Transiting Mercury is out-of-sign conjoined retro Venus and Neptune in Pisces, the latter at 29 stressful degrees, and in a chain-reaction conjunction with both the North Node and Saturn which are close to Venus and Neptune, with Merc also closely quincunx the Scorpio Black Moon Lilith point; I think that’s a pretty good description of the situation: we’re worried about our future as much as the current reality picture; the mind needs a rest, an escape, as a recent refresh (the Inferior Conjunction) is still germinal, not even close to revealing itself, and with our tastes, relationships, and/ or values under temporary assault, experimental, or feeling foreign to us, and our ideals and faith stretched to the limit, we are more than aware of those matters under the surface, the things we’ve tried to ignore or deny, that enrage when we think about them, that require us to adjust repeatedly–and we feel the need for a break. Looking for relief from our stressful reality has, at this point, almost become a way of life–so we must ask, what will trigger this latest urge to escape, and the actions (Aries) it suggests?

A New Moon is a new start, but when it’s a Solar eclipse in Aries, it promises something new doesn’t just take root, it wipes out what was growing before, creating fertile ground for something originating all the way, in our planetary metaphor, to the molten core of our individuality, our sense of initiative, and identity as a unique Being who works to impress the ‘I Am’/ Will on people and things around us. We feel we must act; we may desperately want a new start in that most important of venues, within ourselves–and the Aries New Moon delivers that aforementioned trigger prompting the new start via three scenarios: the Moon’s sextile to Pluto in Aquarius, and in two Fingers of God, one with the eclipse as apex with a base of Achilles at 7 Virgo sextile Atlantis at 7 Scorpio, the other with Aries Luna sextile Pallas in Aquarius, apex Achilles.

The sextile to Pluto, of course, announces serious, permanent change or evolution; this may involve involuntary loss or destruction, affecting our intellect and our understanding of current circumstances. It alerts us to the fact that we will feel this, be aware of this, as it affects the mind/ mentality, our relationship to or role within the group, and calls for a modern approach to what we are facing (Aquarius).

The Finger featuring the eclipse as apex blends as the base two interesting energies: Achilles, describing an unanticipated vulnerability, around critical thinking/ reasoning, abilities of discernment and enjoyment of mutually shared ‘harvest’, and Atlantis, embodying an advanced civilization that is no more, that in fact has receded into legend, if it ever was at all, with the memory at this point possibly acting in a hidden and potentially destructive way. Looking back now we may wonder: is our past real? Were our advances lost, or never really there all along? This config suggests we have a weak point brought forward by a set of standards or behaviors that are no longer appropriate, needed, or in force, that are in fact actually detrimental in handling the Now, with the Aries Solar eclipse the result: a wipe out to some facet of the identity, or to some course of action or choice we either have been contemplating or have already embarked on/ made.

The eclipse point sextile Pallas suggests there’s wisdom, or at least practicality, in what occurs at this time, in the reconsidering of action or choice, and that’s so even if we don’t understand it. The result of recognizing this is an understanding of where, precisely, we are vulnerable (apex Achilles) and so most crucially, how to deal with it.

The Sabian for the New Moon/ Solar eclipse is, ‘A Crystal Gazer’. I think this describes every one of us right now, intent on seeing the future, or at least discerning how we can best respond in the moment. The Solar eclipse delivers a clear suggestion, an intimation of what we should do, and what we should avoid–and the image implies we’ll be capable of seeing what’s presented, if only we’ll believe in our own ability to see.

A vanitas still life with a crystal ball reflecting an image of the artist at his easel, By Vincent Laurensz van der Vinne 17th century {{PD}}