Hybrid Solar Eclipse in Aries: Reaching the Flash Point

The themes of the Aries/Libra axis are in the spotlight once more at this second of two New Moons in Aries. Taking place at what’s known as the anorectic degree, where the energies have built to a climax prior to shifting signs, the themes will be intensified. In this case with Sun and Moon at 29:50, we’re in the last 10 minutes of this sign. As if that’s not enough, the New Moon is opposite Haumea and square Pluto. We know that Pluto always brings up shadow elements. Add to that a Hybrid Solar Eclipse conjunct Eris and Jupiter, and we have a prescription for high drama.

We will get ample opportunities to take a good look at ourselves over the next two years. This Aries/Libra axis is really the essence of the dilemma we must resolve in order to fulfill the potential of the Aquarian Age. To reinforce this theme and support our process, the lunar nodes are retrograding into Aries and Libra on July 17th where they will journey all through 2024, finally entering Pisces/Virgo on January 11, 2025. The Aries/Libra axis points to the question “How can we learn to live together in peace and harmony?” This is the challenge of the Aquarian Age.

Pluto will be moving back and forth across the Capricorn/Aquarius portal bringing up repressed material, exposing the shadow side of both signs. At the same time the Moon’s Nodes are informing our subconscious in all things Aries and Libra. And it all kicked off at the Spring Equinox with the New Moon in the first degree of Aries. We pick up evolutionary speed. More eyes and minds will be opened, more hearts expanded, more shadow integrated. But there is also the potential for more heated tempers, more aggression, hostility, chaos, ill will, bullying and even war. And this is reinforced for the USA because at the New Moon, Mars is exactly on our natal Sun, bringing out our aggression, revealing more of the wounded masculine energy that drives us to have our way.

Aries Solar Eclipse

Eclipses are events in which one celestial object shadows another. At the New Moon, the Moon casts its shadow on the surface of the Sun, blocking out some or all of its light. The Solar Eclipse on April 19-20, is what’s known as a “hybrid.” When the Moon is close to Earth it appears larger to us and when it aligns with the Sun, can block out all of its light. That’s a Total Solar Eclipse.

But when the Moon is furthest away from Earth its diameter does not completely align with the Sun and we get a Ring of Fire surrounding the Moon. Usually we get one or the other, but this eclipse is unique in that the “path of totality,” will present a total eclipse to some and an Annular eclipse – the Ring of Fire – to others. Those who view the event outside of the path of totality, will see varying degrees of partial eclipses. So this eclipse is all things to all people. I find that metaphorically significant. We all live in our own reality bubbles and have our unique points of view.

This particular solar eclipse takes place mostly over the Indian Ocean grazing the western tip of Australia and proceeding across Indonesia. We won’t be able to see it here in the USA, but that doesn’t mean we won’t feel its effect. An annular eclipse, or “Ring of Fire, will cross our nation in October. Remember what happened when the total solar eclipse of 2017 bisected our nation?

The key to every eclipse is shadow. So let’s take a deeper look at the archetypes involved. What we want to do over the next 21 months is clearly see and feel these energies so we can choose which ones to express and which ones to transmute.

The shadow side of Aries is self-centeredness and belligerence. These manifest as impatience, arrogance, impulsiveness, hostility, displays of anger to the point of violence and a blatant disregard for others.

The light side is curiosity, joie de vivre, a sense of life as an adventure, an eagerness to participate and find out what one can accomplish. It’s ambitious. It wants to do things, overcome challenges, stretch its abilities and learn how to master the world.

The light side of Libra is social awareness. Libra is interested in justice and equality. The Scales that symbolize this sign indicate the need for balance. Libra is ruled by Venus. She appreciates beauty, tranquility and the intimacy of loving relationships.

The shadow side is timidity, wanting to please, putting other people’s needs before your own, social climbing, indecision. Not wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings or displease them, Libra weighs everything in its scales and sometimes cannot come to a conclusion.

We can see how Mars provides the decisiveness Libra needs. Libra balances out the self-centeredness of a workaholic Aries. Mars is always ready for a fight. Venus suggests we make love instead, or at least be friends.

In our patriarchal world, there is great need for this balance. We already have a deadly war of aggression against Ukraine. Now Xi Jinping is campaigning throughout the world to extend his influence. He visited France to persuade President Macron to loosen his ties with the USA. He is attempting to seduce our allies in order to weaken our ability to protect Taiwan.

Now is the time for all of us to stand up for peace. It goes without saying that Democracy world-wide is on the line. We have been defending it, or invading in the name of it, ever since our inception. The other day I began to see the hypocrisy in our stance. On the one hand Democracy is an idea worth defending, and the only social contract with the freedom to achieve our human potential. But I have to ask,  are we willing to go to war to defend democracy abroad but not willing to embody it here at home? Do we want a WWIII over an ideal which we have not mastered ourselves, and no longer pretend to honor?

I have drawn no conclusions because my Libra Ascendant is still weighing the evidence, but these are things we should think about. We have got to rip off the blinders. We need a huge dose of Truth. The next two years will witness the ongoing battle for control of our nation. Democracy carried the day in 2020, but we’re not out of the woods yet. Fortunately, Pluto continues to reveal the seamy side of elected and appointed officials.

So how do we honor our Aries and remain in balance with Libra? It begins with relationships – how we treat our partners, our children, our inlaws and friends, not to mention the many service people who take care of our needs in the community. It’s time to broaden our perspective beyond self-interest and focus on what is good for the whole of our human family. We need to weigh our own agenda against the welfare of others before we move into action.

Balance requires constant vigilance. Think of crossing a high wire over an abyss – we want to pay attention to each step while remaining aware of the environment around us. Watch what’s happening in the world and assess it through the Aries/Libra lens. It’s one way to spot our own shadows. Whom do we judge? Who drives us nuts? What behaviors outrage us? What’s at the bottom of these reactions? What are we denying about ourselves?

Supporting Cast

First of all the New Moon is opposite Haumea at 00 Scorpio 01. Both Moon and Haumea cross paths as they change signs. Haumea is now moving back into Libra adding her creative, regenerative energy to our notions about relationship. Haumea celebrates diversity and the endlessly creative aspect of the Divine. We have a real opportunity to rebirth ourselves and our social awareness. But first, we have work to do.

Remember that the South Node of the Moon, the repository of our collective past, its unresolved issues, its karmic themes, is within three degrees of Haumea. We are poised for a rebirth, but we cannot skip the step of dealing with our shadow material. If we don’t address the corruption in our country, attempt to heal the issues that fuel our separation, and atone for the vicious crimes of our past, we are doomed to repeat it all, and that path leads to extinction.

With Pluto in exact square to both Haumea and the Solar Eclipse Moon, we will see more of our nation’s shadow. Pluto digs up secrets, exposes corruption, releases buried toxins and brings it all to light. And just in case we think we’re exempt from this work, Mars is sitting squarely on our natal Sun. The whole Solar Eclipse chart is saying, “Yes America, I’m talking to you!”

Already we are seeing some pretty dark shadows rising. Our former President is facing more indictments. Fox News must finally admit it lies to its viewers and hopefully pay the price for it. Our hallowed Supreme Court – the arbiter of our moral and legal welfare – has sheltered more than one shadow criminal. We have put two sexually abusive men on this court with the power to control women’s reproductive freedom. Imagine that!

And now the news trickles out that Clarence Thomas has been receiving abundant, unreported gifts from a “friend” in high places who just happens to have had several suits before the Court. In every case, Thomas voted in his benefactor’s favor. Sunday night Heather Cox Richardson related that for the last 20 years, Thomas has reported rental income totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars from a real estate firm that was terminated in 2006. What is he trying to hide? Is this a case of money laundering of illegal donations?

It seems nothing within our governing system has remained untouched by misuse of power. Our Legislature is a battle ground for the Cold War between our dominating parties, completely ignoring the will of the people, which is their job to execute. The Presidency has been tarnished by a lawless real estate mogul. The Supreme Court has already overstepped its prescribed mission, which is only to interpret law, not change it. They are not lawmakers and yet our legal rights are vanishing at their hands. And all that time, money and power were making secret deals in the dark and scheming to cover it up.

We have been assuming that our system works, but we are now seeing the vulnerability of our government to abuse of power and the many social and political systems that solidify injustice.

Eris

And that brings us to Eris. She was the sister of Mars and like Mars she has a shadow side. She can be vindictive, stirring up trouble and creating chaos over imagined slights. But Eris is also the whistle blower. She speaks out against the exclusion of any minority in our population. During the protests over the murder of George Floyd Eris was tightly squaring Pluto. There was an explosion of outrage, which temporarily woke us up, but now this awakened state is being challenged, especially in Florida whose Governor is trying to bury the truth by banning books and creating laws that eliminate the facts of our history and the reality of today.

It’s difficult to take in the profound misguidance of a legislative body that values votes and guns over our children’s lives. Aquarius is known for reform. When outer planets transit through Aquarius, the public’s eyes are opened and reformers come out of the woodwork. That time is approaching and I sense great excitement ahead. Imagine being united behind a clean-up movement. How glorious to see the health of our planet restored, the welfare of our human population in full bloom, the creativity of our scientists and artists to come up with amazing solutions.

Back to Eris. She is the champion of justice. She is the great leveler who demands that every voice is heard, that every life is valuable, that every person is equal. She is also the revealer of hypocrisy and entitlement. She demands authenticity. At this New Moon, transiting Jupiter is conjunct transiting Eris in Aries in our collective 4th House. You know what Jupiter does – makes everything bigger. Equality issues are gathering force. Collective outrage is building. We’re in the cauldron of transformation watching our world go mad. Eris is saying, “Don’t despair. Do something about it.” She encourages us to fight for our values, and justice for all.

As difficult as these times are, we are blessed to see what isn’t working and what needs fixing. This is research for future reformers.

Uranus/Mercury

On the Solar Eclipse, when the Sun and Moon are in such perfect alignment with Earth that they change the lighting and we can see in the shadows, Mercury is within 2 degrees of Uranus. Mercury of course, represents our curious and inquisitive mind. Uranus ramps the energy up into a higher mind. It offers opportunities for flashes of insight and creativity. As celestial wisdom perfects its timing, these two planets are in the USA 5th House of creative self-expression. Solutions are popping up like light bulbs in any mind that is receptive.

On April 21st, Mercury turns retrograde in Taurus for three weeks of review and integration. Taurus is about grounding, slowing down, enjoying the pleasures of our senses. It’s a good time to think about our health and the health of our planet.

The next Full Moon is on May 5th. On May 1st, Pluto turns retrograde. On this same day Mercury will conjunct the Sun and begin a new cycle. We are entering another phase of this year as planets turn retrograde. We’ve covered a lot of ground in three months. Time to integrate it all.