Energy has been building over the last sixteen years to support a quantum leap in the evolution of human consciousness. At the New Moon in Aries, we shift into high gear. The Sun, Moon, and Earth come into near perfect alignment to form a total Solar Eclipse, one that cuts a swathe of darkness through our nation.
If you recall in August of 2017 a total solar eclipse split our country right down the middle, West to East. It’s not a giant leap to see the symbolism. Our Union was shattered just before the USA Pluto return, posing the big question: will our democracy survive? A period of great discontent has enveloped our homeland. We’re passing through the equivalent of a Dark Night of the Soul, when everything looks hopeless.
We’ve all had those times in our own lives when we were climbing a steep learning curve. Despair drew us deep within until we begged for mercy. Somehow we made it through. We were rescued by divine intervention – a brilliant insight, a light at the end of the tunnel, an ally appearing at the last minute. We suffered a lot, we got stronger inside, we picked ourselves up and started all over again. We survived.
That’s where we are now – about to pick ourselves up again. And the energy is coming to kick us into gear. What is so extraordinary about this eclipse is the exact conjunction of the New Moon with transiting Chiron – to the second! Add to that the close proximity to the North Node and the path forward is illuminated. Clear as day, during a Mercury Retrograde, we are asked to confront our wounds.
This time of intense inner transformation prepares us for the big event of the year – Jupiter conjunct Uranus on April 20th, just before the Full Moon. You can see how significant the next two weeks are.
It’s a volatile time, however. Aries energy can be aggressive, but it can also be innovative. It can be quick to anger but channeled into solutions. We may see a lot more contention. I sense that Donald Trump is about to explode. Anything can happen this month – Uranus is full of surprises. Whatever direction we are headed, the pace will accelerate, so we need to stay on track.
We will be triggered just like everyone else, so how do we handle it? It may not be easy, but we can make a choice to live in the moment, feel whatever comes up, and accept it, bless it, make peace with it and wave goodbye. We can hold an energy field, a higher resonance that provides a context for a good outcome. Gratitude is the key here – whatever grief arises, we can hold it with gratitude that we can finally be free.
Solar Eclipse in our 4th House
This eclipse is in Aries which is about our essential self – our true identity. We learn through childhood and adolescence how to adapt to others’ expectations and develop a persona that covers our flaws, but this persona is a mask, a surface image with no substance. We’re constantly afraid we will be unmasked. The essential self has no such fears. In fact Aries is the fearless leap forward into life, filled with wonder and excitement.
There are 9 planets in Aries – traditional as well as dwarf, plus an asteroid and a centaur – all in our 4th House. This house addresses our home – everything from our childhood environment, to our bodies, to our belonging in this world. It’s where we developed our early beliefs and how we were conditioned to see others and the world. Many of us came from dysfunctional families, steeped in the male dominance myth. Some of us experienced abuse that left us with scars of self-judgment, as well as rage and grief. We all had hard knocks and still carry the wounds that disfigure our self-image. Now is the time to resolve them.
So let’s look at the cast of archetypes. We begin with Hygeia conjunct Venus at 3 and 4 degrees of Aries. These two seem to suggest it’s a good time to love ourselves by taking care of our bodies. The 4th House is associated with Cancer – the nurturing mother. We need to mother ourselves through this eclipse. The body responds to self-love with wellbeing.
Salacia at 9 degrees is squaring our natal Eris in our 1st House. Perhaps Salacia’s joyful spirit will gentle our restless Eris. Salacia provides the instinct for perfect timing. She wants to bring us love. Eris demands authenticity and equality. Right now Eris is stirring up chaos to dislodge our stubborn resistance to change.
The North Node is right in the middle of the sign at 15:37 Aries less than four degrees from the New Moon Stellium. This is a North Node eclipse, offering great potential for our future.
Five degrees later we find Eris and retrograde Mercury closely conjunct and squaring our natal Mercury at 24+ Cancer. There are many ways to interpret this, but among them is the Cancer need for security which can lead us into fearful thinking. There just is no room for fear in the world we envision. It will be built on love, trust, honor, respect and kindness. Don’t scoff. This is possible – all it requires is our Will.
Eris is asking us to relinquish all pretense and claim our authenticity. This may be the greatest gift we can give the world right now, for when we accept ourselves, we are ready to accept others and begin the process of healing separation.
Mercury is so important right now – let’s get our heads on straight. Let’s pierce the veils of illusion and seek the truth. When we pare down all the pretense, all the people-pleasing, all the self-abandonment, who are we in our core? This is the Self we want to step through the portal into a new world.
This Solar Eclipse is less than one degree away from our natal Chiron. We’re in the intensity of our Chiron return which perfects on the day Jupiter conjuncts Uranus. It’s not a one-day deal. It’s a year-long process of intensity, lasting through 2025, that has the potential to heal our world. It’s such a glorious opportunity to step into spiritual adulthood having come to peace with ourselves. Then we can get about the business of co-creating a kinder civilization.
Mars and Saturn
Sometimes Solar Eclipses are associated with disasters. A major bridge collapsed in Baltimore harbor, tying up traffic and our supply chain. Taiwan is suffering from a 7.4 earthquake. Seven volunteers for World Central Kitchen were massacred in an Israeli strike in Gaza. Chef Andres, the man who wants to feed the world, who devotes his whole life to helping people in disasters, must be devastated that his goodwill brought such grief. Bird Flu has been detected at the largest supplier of eggs. And we have an infestation on the horizon when billions of cicadas emerge to fee on our crops. That’s the tip of the iceberg.
In ancient astrology Saturn and Mars were considered Malefics. They brought misfortune and wreaked havoc with our lives. Mars rules Aries and carries aggression. Saturn is the karma lord who manifests situations that force us to grow through adversity. These two planets are conjunct in Pisces in our 3rd House, within a degree of our natal Sedna, and trine our natal Sun in Cancer. Once again our identity is up for review, and it’s all part of our spiritual evolution. A few weeks ago I shared the Sedna myth which in essence tells us to stop struggling, to release our grip on this reality so we may be transformed by Spirit. Pisces asks us to let go, to surrender control.
The power of Saturn and Mars is dampened in Pisces. Both of these planets carry patriarchal energy, but they are swimming in the waters of psychic oneness. The boundaries Saturn throws up are gently washed away. The anger that Mars can generate, is diffused by the ocean of love in which it swims. These two can be great allies during this passage. Mars is energizing Saturn to bring us the psychic material that needs healing, so we may move beyond it. In this way it’s not an omen of disaster, but a harbinger of growth. Forgiveness of self and others releases a lot of pent up energy.
Natal Saturn is also being triggered by the transiting South Node only one degree away. This Node holds our history books, records of unfinished business from the past. Saturn will ground these issues in our reality. The good news is that Saturn is in Libra, the domicile of Venus.
This eclipse is a karmic event offering tremendous opportunity for change. Pluto has been undoing the structures of our society in preparation for a rebirth suggested by its continuing square to Haumea, the creation goddess of regeneration. Furthermore, Pluto is trine transiting Sedna which is on the brink of entering Gemini, opening a whole new context for our evolution.
As the Sun is blackened by the Moon, a radiance of light explodes behind it. The Moon reminds us to check out the shadows, but the light is always there. We can be comforted by its promise. I hope some of you will be in the totality path to witness a truly spectacular event. If you do see it, please share your experience.
Next time we’ll look at the synchronicity of Jupiter conjunct Uranus and our nation’s Chiron return. Both cycles are coming to a close and beginning anew. Historically, both have powerful impact.
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