The February 2018 Leo Lunar and Aquarius Solar Eclipses, if aligned to the Ascendant-Descendant of your Birth Chart

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Artwork by Catherine Chauloux – French Fantasy Artist**

A reminder: despite the fact that the Lunar Eclipse is now in the past (February 1, 2018), and the Solar Eclipse is due just early tomorrow, February 16, at 8.05 am (Eastern Australia Daylight Saving Time), the effects of any Eclipse can be intense and also long lasting, becoming activated by transiting/progressing planets in the weeks and months ahead. Eclipses’ effects can in fact be even anticipated by transits and/or progressions before they take place.

If the degree of the Leo Lunar Eclipse (11°37′) of February 1 2018, or the degree of the coming Aquarius Solar Eclipse (27°07′) happen to be close, one degree or less, to the degree of your Birth Ascendant, Descendant, Mid-Heaven or Lower-Heaven these cosmic events could represent important developments for you or even real turning points in your life.

Difference between Lunar and Solar Eclipses: it is easy to distinguish Lunar and Solar Eclipses by simply remembering that Lunar Eclipses happen always at Full Moon times and Solar Eclipses at New Moon times.
Like all Full Moon Lunar Eclipses represent some form of climax, achievement, realization, culmination of experience, while all New Moon Solar Eclipses represent beginning times, starts of new cycles, turning a new leaf etc.
Lunar Eclipses, like Full Moons, tend to touch our emotional strings, while Solar Eclipses, like New Moons, tend to shift our awareness to new levels.

Eclipses aligned to your Ascendant  and/or Descendant (opposite point to the Ascendant) via conjunction or opposition.

The degrees activated are:

• 10-11-12 of Leo, Aquarius, Taurus, Scorpio for the Lunar Eclipse
• 26-27-28 of Aquarius, Leo, Taurus, Scorpio for the Solar Eclipse

Any Eclipse aligned to your Horizontal axis (whose apexes are the Ascendant and Descendant, or cusps of the First and Seventh Houses)  could be an exceptionally significant event in your life. The Rising and Setting degrees in fact are among the most sensitive in the whole horoscope, affecting directly our temperament and moods, as well as our close relationships and the general way we interact with the external world. Emotions come certainly to the fore at this time. The Eclipse could bring a whole new level of awareness on the way you feel about yourself and those people you are very close to, love partners, spouse, close friends, business partners etc. It is like becoming aware of facets of your emotions and of others’ which are usually in the dark. The least you are conscious of the undercurrents from which your feelings come from the more the revelation that may accompany this Eclipse could prove unexpected, shocking, hard to accept and integrate. Embracing this new awareness could be, on the other hand, very liberating, with the potential to change in profound ways your knowledge of self and others, ultimately enriching your life and providing meaning to what you have so far not quite understood. The knowledge and keener awareness of the source of your feelings or patterns of behavior could begin to empower you into making positive changes. As your self image, physical and psychological, improves you will be much more likely to attract respect and appreciation in your close relationships too.

Eclipses on the Ascendant-Descendant’s axis are powerful movers and shakers especially if there is much to move and shake in your life. The process of accepting and integrating a new sense of self and different patters of relating is not going to be easy, Eclipses representing challenges that we need courage and determination to tackle. Let’s say that Eclipses are here to give you a hand if you need one or even a push in some cases, thus helping to align your personal life more closely to your evolutionary potential.

 

If interested in my general take on the recent Lunar Eclipse of February 1 2018  please navigate to my previous post HERE.

The Waxing/Waning Moon transits Leo from January 31 to February 2 2018, during the Leo Full Moon Phase

‘Santa Margherita’ by Riccardo Meacci (1856 – 1938)

LEO, Moon of creativity and passion
Warm and fun loving

The WAXING MOON TRANSITS LEO from January 31, 5.52 am,

to February 2, 6.12 am, with the ingress into VIRGO

Suitable energy for creative work, especially of the visual type, display, fun, joy, drama, theatre, inspiration, organization, leisure, pleasure, vacation, spending fun times with the children, being a child again, love making, romance, passion. Purchase of jewellery, gold, precious objects, luxury items, cats. Action motivated by spontaneous need for self expression. Dramatic display of generous feelings, warm hearted, loyal, passionate, but somewhat egotistic. Beware of domineering and controlling attitudes, ego inflation, extremes of passion, exaggeration, arrogance, pride.

*** In the garden Leo, like all the other Fire Signs, is traditionally considered too hot, dry and barren for growing anything. Its energy is very suitable instead for cultivating, general maintenance, pruning, pest control, weeding, and harvesting. Great Moon time for designing the garden, introducing ornamental objects and features, and, of course, Garden Parties.

*** Healing Herbs: Borage, Hawthorn, Motherwort.

A note: the garden activities associated with the Moon Sign depend also on the cycle the Moon is in. The Moon transiting through a fertile or productive Sign will no be so favorable if the Phase is not a productive one, and vice-versa. For best results the Sign and Phase of the Moon have to be considered together.

Full Moon

The LEO FULL MOON PHASE, also a TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE in LEO, 11°37′, begins on February 1, 0.26 am;

and will end on February 8.47 am, with the 0° LIBRA DISSEMINATING MOON PHASE

At Full Moon the Moon has reached a distance of 180 degrees ahead of the Sun, becoming diametrically opposed to it, with planet Earth in the middle. This is symbolically harvest time, when we reap what we have sown in the waxing period. We might experience success or failure, but either way we are coming to some important realization. The cycle has now reached its half way mark and is at its most intense. Like the New Moon a fortnight earlier this is also a time for new beginnings, not in the naïve, tentative way of the New Moon, but in a more mature and conscious way.

*** In the garden the Full Moon is a great divide: before the exact phase the increasing light and surging energy are particularly good for Annuals and above the ground crops; after the phase Perennials, Biennials, Trees and Root crops are more suited. Traditionally no sowing or planting are recommended however twelve hours before or after the phase itself. Some authors suggest even 24 hours.

The Waning Moon transits Cancer during the Balsamic Phase

Artwork by Margarita Sikorskaia 03

CANCER, Moon of nurture and imagination
Caring and home maker

From August 18, 2.12 am, to August 20, 3.54 am

Suitable energy for home making, looking after the children, nursing the sick, care taking, budgeting, op. shopping, feeding the hungry, cleaning, doing the laundry, recycling, storytelling, creative writing, fantasy or history reading, teaching, psychic insight, intuition. Purchase of children’s clothes, house hold items, blankets, antiques, houses and real estate. Action motivated by sympathetic response and the need to stick to what is familiar and safe. Self protective, reserved in display of feelings, caring. Beware of excessive mothering, dependency, personal bias, emotional manipulation, fear.

*** In the garden Cancer is one of the most, if not the most fertile of all Signs. Everything should do well when planted in Cancer, if the Moon is in the right phase. Plants particularly associated with Cancer are those with a high water content, such as Cucumbers, Lettuce, Melons. Cancer is also suitable for propagating cuttings, grafting and deep irrigation.

*** Healing Herbs: Papaya leaf, Peppermint, Spearmint.

A note: the garden activities associated with the Moon Sign depend also on the cycle the Moon is in. The Moon transiting through a fertile or productive Sign will no be so favorable if the Phase is not a productive one, and vice-versa. For best results the Sign and Phase of the Moon have to be considered together.

Balsamic Moon

The CANCER BALSAMIC MOON PHASE begins on on August 18, 7.50 pm, and ends on August 22, 4.30 am,

with the LEO NEW MOON PHASE, also a TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE on 28°52′ of LEO

The Moon is 45 degrees behind the Sun, only three and half days to New Moon. The Moon light is decreasing rapidly and the lunar energy is now being stored as nutrients in the seeds of future plants. It is also the calm before the storm of activities of the New Moon. Time for contemplation, self reflection and healing. The title Balsamic Moon is derived from the word ‘balsam’, unguent which helps to relieve pain and cure ills. During this time we could distil the essence of our past experience, from the last New Moon up to this point, reflect upon what we have experienced and learnt, getting psychologically ready for the cycle which is about to open. This is a spiritual phase, more suitable for meditation and relaxation than action.

*** In the garden it is certainly no time for planting or sowing, but it is ideal for cultivation, soil conditioning, eradicating pests and unwanted plants and to prune in order to retard growth.

Lunar and Solar Eclipses, Mars in Leo, Trump’s Astrology, Jupiter aligned to Pluto-Uranus and Mercury Retrograde, a lot to process in August and September

a picture is worth a thousand words

This article was published, in a shorter form, in the Uki Village News, at the beginning of August 2017

Mars in Leo aligned to the August Eclipses. Whoopee!

An intense Eclipse Season is again upon us, this time aligned to the axis Leo-Aquarius (and indirectly to Taurus-Scorpio) and made livelier by being associated with Mars. The Eclipses are: a Lunar at the Full Moon in Aquarius (opposite Sun-Mars conjunct in Leo) on August 8, and a Solar at the Leo New Moon, on August 22, aligned this time to Uranus in Aries, the traditional Sign of Mars, while Mars itself will be by then conjunct the Moon’s North Node, an interception point on the Earth orbit which is connected to Eclipses.

The Mars theme is obviously strong at this time, enhancing the possibility of confrontations, conflicts and escalation of issues that may have been dormant for a while. In a positive sense this means a clearing of the air and a healthy moving away from stale situations, especially after the second Eclipse. The August 8 Lunar Eclipse represents in fact a climax of some kind, when things are revealed or realized, while the Solar Eclipse, on August 22, signifies a cutting off from the past and a radical new start.

Mars in Leo

Mars, the main catalyst of all these cosmic energies, will be transiting Leo between July 20 and September 5.

When Mars moves Sign, every two months or so, a shift occurs in the way we act out our desires, assert ourselves and defend ourselves from real or imagined dangers. Naturally people with different planetary placements in their Birth Charts will respond to Mars’ changing energy in their own individual way.

Mars in Leo provides the type of energy that can be spontaneously channeled into creative activities. The energy should be high and focused. Brightness and warmth accompany this placement when found in a Birth Chart. Collectively also this Mars’ position can provide added warmth, brilliance and passion to everyone’s life.

Mars will remain in Leo until September 6. Leo is considered a positive placement for Mars, providing the fiery passion the Red Planet feeds on, but also containing that passion and controlling it, enabling us to utilize the positive energy for creative and enterprising feats.

Donald Trump’s Astrology

A case in point:  the transits to the Birth Horoscope of USA President Trump. Around the time of the Lunar Eclipse, on August 8, transiting Mars will be aligned to Trump’s Birth Pluto (one explosive conjunction, like putting a live match in a keg of dynamite); while, during the second event, Mars will be close to his Birth Mars and the Solar Eclipse degree will be in near perfect alignment to his Birth Ascendant (born in NY on June 14 1946, official time 10.54 am). Both Mars and Jupiter are soon due to return to his Birth Horoscope’s positions, marking endings and new beginnings. At the same time Saturn is forming the last alignment to his Moon (conjunction) and Sun (opposition) in August and September, the same transit active since his presidential inauguration, making the job itself feel very hardous to Trump, the routines tiresome, the responsibilities heavy. All these combined factors further stress the significance of this period in his life.

Two New Moons in Leo, one on July 23, the other on August 22

The first New Moon in Leo occurred on July 23 2017, at 7.45 pm. The New Moon fell on the same day the Sun entered Leo (1.15 am), and just about an hour after the ingress of the Moon in Leo (6.33 pm). Because that New Moon was at the very beginning of the Sign there will be another Leo New Moon on August 22, on the 28^th degree of Leo, just before the Sun‘s ingress into Virgo. This latter New Moon will be the Solar Eclipse spoken of before.

Jupiter alignment to Pluto and Uranus

Collectively, to add to the intensity of all the above, Libran Jupiter will be forming its last major alignments to Uranus and Pluto (before entering Scorpio on October 10): a right angle to Pluto in Capricorn on August 5 (close to the Lunar Eclipse) and an opposition to Uranus in Aries on September 28. In this case the Cardinal Signs are highlighted, also showing that accelerated changes, even upheavals, are now possible and the start of brand new phases in the life of the collective as well as many individuals. The role of Jupiter is to help us strive toward greater understanding of our place in the world, lifting us up and out of a too personal outlook on life. Its alignments to two of the most powerful ‘astrological transformers’, Pluto and Uranus, is now matching Jupiter’s widening of perspective with greater willingness to embrace radical changes, even if it means cutting the roots of deep attachments and lifelong habits.

Mercury Retrograde, a reminder…

Finally to make the period even more ‘interesting’ Mercury will turn Retrograde between August 12 and September 6, from Virgo back into Leo. To read more about Mercury’s Retro period  please navigate to my July post HERE.

Happy transits everyone.

The Waxing/Waning Moon transits Aquarius from August 6 to 9, during the Full Moon Phase, also a Partial Lunar Eclipse

Artwork by Samy Charnine

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AQUARIUS, Moon of knowledge and dispassion
Friendly and eccentric

From August 6, 10.15 pm, to August 9, 7.55 am

Suitable energy to make individual choices, to work in groups, to be with friends, to become aware of social issues, to change attitudes, share ideas, do the old thing in a new way, research, understand, study, teach, technology, Astrology, the Net, the unexpected, encounters with strangers or strange, eccentric people, UFO sighting. Purchase of books, encyclopaedias, computer programs, computers, technology, electrical appliances. Action motivated by the desire to participate without losing one’s own individuality. Friendly, contained display of feeling, somewhat distant. Beware of coldness, indifference, emotional isolation, cynicism, impracticality, physical inhibitions.

*** In the garden Aquarius is considered too dry and barren for growing anything, but Pine Trees (?). Its energy is suitable for cultivating, general maintenance, pruning, pest control, weeding, harvesting. A ‘work day’ or other group activities in the garden will be ideal.

*** Healing Herbs: Chamomile, Skullcap, Valerian.

A note: the garden activities associated with the Moon Sign depend also on the cycle the Moon is in. The Moon transiting through a fertile or productive Sign will no be so favorable if the Phase is not a productive one, and vice-versa. For best results the Sign and Phase of the Moon have to be considered together.

Full to Disseminating Moon

Full Moon

The AQUARIUS FULL MOON PHASE, also a PARTIAL LUNAR ECLIPSE, at 15°25′, AQUARIUS MOON-LEO SUN, begins on August 8, 4.10 am,

and ends on August 11, 10.38 pm, with the ARIES DISSEMINATING MOON PHASE

At Full Moon the Moon has reached a distance of 180 degrees ahead of the Sun, becoming diametrically opposed to it, with planet Earth in the middle. This is symbolically harvest time, when we reap what we have sown in the waxing period. We might experience success or failure, but either way we are coming to some important realization. The cycle has now reached its half way mark and is at its most intense. Like the New Moon a fortnight earlier this is also a time for new beginnings, not in the naïve, tentative way of the New Moon, but in a more mature and conscious way.

*** In the garden the Full Moon is a great divide: before the exact phase the increasing light and surging energy are particularly good for Annuals and above the ground crops; after the phase Perennials, Biennials, Trees and Root crops are more suited. Traditionally no sowing or planting are recommended however twelve hours before or after the phase itself. Some authors suggest even 24 hours.

The Waxing Moon transits Capricorn from August 4 to 6, during the Gibbous Phase

Artwork by Margarita Sikorskaia

CAPRICORN, Moon of responsibility and ambition
Practical and efficient

From August 4, 10.36 am, to August 6, 10.15 pm

Suitable energy for working, planning, seeking employment, building, creating the foundations of something lasting, looking after the oldies, family business, saving, budgeting, studying serious subjects, scholarly work, pursuit of excellence. Important purchases, house, real estate, business, cars, antiques, insurance policies, payment of taxes and government fees. Action motivated by practical goals and the need for structure. Cool display of feeling, but sensual, committed, protective. Beware of rigidity, bossiness, authoritarian ways, paternalism, pessimism, depression, cynicism.

*** In the garden Capricorn is traditionally considered a productive Sign, especially suitable for growing Perennials, Trees and Vines. Any planting indeed that is meant to last a long time is well done in this earthy and reliable Sign. It is also a good Moon transit to plant root crops like potatoes and carrots. Fertilizing, especially slow release, recommended.

*** Healing Herbs: Comfrey, Rue, Sarsaparilla, Wintergreen.

A note: the garden activities associated with the Moon Sign depend also on the cycle the Moon is in. The Moon transiting through a fertile or productive Sign will no be so favorable if the Phase is not a productive one, and vice-versa. For best results the Sign and Phase of the Moon have to be considered together.

Gibbous Moon

The SAGITTARIUS GIBBOUS MOON PHASE begins on August 4, 3.40 am, and ends on August 8, 4.10 am,

with the AQUARIUS FULL MOON PHASE, also a PARTIAL LUNAR ECLIPSE, at 15°25′, AQUARIUS MOON–LEO SUN.

The Moon is waxing, 135 degrees ahead of the Sun, only 45 degrees or three and half days to the Full Moon. The Moon shows a strange shape now, like a rugby ball. Our goals are becoming more clear and we can power ahead, not too concerned about possible obstacles on our path. The power of attraction of the Full Moon proves irresistible.

*** In the garden as in life there should be plenty of activities and a sense of urgency, least one should waste the great energy available at the moment. When the Moon transits a very fertile Sign like Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces, or a productive Sign like Taurus, Libra and Capricorn in this phase practically every plant and seed can go into the garden successfully. This is the middle of the second waxing week. Ideally, after sowing or planting leafy vegetables in the first week, we should be busy putting in those plants we grow for their fruit or seedpods (tomatoes, beans, etc.).

The Third degree of the Cardinal Signs and the March 23 Lunar Eclipse in Libra

War and Peace

If the Third Degree (or whereabouts) of the Signs of LIBRA, ARIES. CANCER or CAPRICORN are highlighted in your Birth Chart this Lunar Eclipse is for you. This means having your Sun, Moon, a planet, a Chart’s Angle (Ascendant-Descendant-Mid-Heaven-Lower-Heaven) and/or the Lunar Nodes close to this degree.

Looking just at Sun Signs: Librans born on September 25, Aries born on March 23, Capricorn born on December 24 and Cancer born on June 24 are all directly aligned to this Eclipse.

This special Full Moon marks a significant time for reassessing and revaluing your relationships, to realize some hidden truth about yourself and others close to you, to confront either the Demon or the Angel within you and in others.

The task will be to attain the right twilight, merging Light and Dark, within and without. The polarity character of this particular Eclipse is also stressed by its vicinity to the yearly Aries Equinox, the all important beginning of the astrological year. The Equinox is in fact always a time when we and the world strive to find some equilibrium, bridging the difference between the more extreme seasons of summer and winter. The Earth is now illumined in the same measure on both hemispheres.

Reading the news and listening to people personal issues in my consultations I have to say that all this seems to manifest more as marked, antagonistic duality, rather than the merging of opposite yet complementary energies. Only each one of us’ individual journey toward wholeness and the journey of individuals connected to the same ideals (of world’s peace and harmony) can help break the duality spell that is upon us.

The Lunar Eclipse, at the Libra Full Moon of March 23, was very much a mirror reflection of the one we witnessed in September 2015,  Sun and Moon occupying then the opposite Signs they occupy now. So many of the issues you may be confronting this time emerged at that time too. A walk down memory line could help a lot to unravel the situation and show you the way to resolve differences and difficulties, not just in the area of personal relationship but in your social and working life too.

For a post on the visibility and  possible effects of this Eclipse CLICK HERE.

For a post on the general study of the effects of Eclipses CLICK HERE.

October 12, 2015: Latest Astrological News

♦ On October 9 check out the alignment of the waning Moon to Venus in the early morning easterly sky, both these feminine celestial bodies entering Virgo on the same day. This will not be just any round of the mill conjunction but an occultation, meaning that the Moon will appear to swallow bright Venus. Hopefully the clouds will clear in our region before this special event! Visit the October Star over Wollumbin page for more details.

♦ Transiting Venus is joining Jupiter and Mars in Virgo on October 9, at 4.29 am (Eastern Australia Summer Time). There is a hope that the gentler touch of Venus may curb some of the hard edges of current Mars’ Transits. Mars has in fact made the international situation even more challenging, introducing risk elements that weren’t present before, manifesting in more man-made and natural disasters. If interested please visit may post on the transits of Mars in Virgo HERE. We should not forget however that Venus is in her Morning Phase, more inclined toward confrontations than to embrace peace and dialogue. For the effect of Venus Morning please navigate to my recent post ‘ Welcome Venus Morning Star’, HERE.

I repeat here the dates of Mars and Venus’ major transits while in Virgo:

September 26 = Mars square Saturn

October 7 = Mars in opposition Neptune (Putin’s birthday)

October 16 =Mars trine Pluto

October 18 =Mars conjunct Jupiter

October 23 =Mars in opposition to Chiron

November 13 =Mars conjunct Lunar North Node

Venus follows suit with the same transits on different dates:

October 11 = Venus square Saturn

October 17 = Venus in opposition to Neptune

October 23 = Venus trine Pluto

October 26 = Venus conjunct Jupiter

October 28 = Venus in opposition to Chiron

November 3 = Venus conjunct Mars

 

♦ A ‘Super-Moon’ Total Lunar Eclipse in the Sign of Aries took place on September 28, at 12.50  pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time), but unfortunately it wasn’t visible from anywhere in Australia or Eastern Asia, not even as a partial view.

The United States, Canada and South America had the  front rows for this event, roughly from moon-rise (at sunset) to midnight. Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Western Asia viewed the eclipse in the early hours of the morning instead, before sunrise.

This is a special eclipse because the Moon is at Perigee (closest to Earth for the whole year) and the event is the fourth and last of a series of Lunar Total Eclipses, called a Tetrad, that occurred in autumn and spring between 2014 and 2015. Here are the Signs occupied by the totally eclipsed Moons, with their dates:

♥ April 15 2014, Libra Moon

♥ October 8 2014, Aries Moon

♥ April 4 2015, Libra Moon

♥ September 28 2015, Aries Moon

Stay tuned for my thoughts on this latest Eclipse, whose effects could last well into the next eclipse season, in March-April 2016, and beyond.

♦ Mars in Virgo. Mars entered Earthy Virgo on September 25, and will be transiting Virgo until November 13 when he will move into Airy Libra.
People with Virgo highlighted in their Birth Chart will be feeling more restless and impatient, ready for action but also prone to make mistakes if they rush into things without planning.  Much could be accomplished during this period, with the potential to finally tackle jobs or projects that have been left in the drawer for a while. By all means take advantage of this transit’s abundant energy, but try not to overdue it or your health and peace of mind may be adversely affected. Your keen critical sense may become even sharper, so take care not to become more disparaging and nit-picking that you normally are. Pluck your courage to assert yourself and you could see quick return for your efforts.

♦ Libra Equinox 2015. Libra Equinox on September 23, 5.20 pm. Here is the Chart for the ingress.

← click to view larger image

♦ On September 17 Mercury began its Retrograde period that will last until October 9 2015, from the middle back to the beginning of Libra. Mercury, now an Evening Star, will conjunct the Sun on October 1 (Inferior Conjunction), and afterword return to the morning sky. Click here for my post on the September-October Retrogradation of Mercury. And here for a recent post on the meaning of Retrogradation, focusing mainly on Mercury.

♦ The September New Moon was also a Partial Solar Eclipse on the 20th degree of Virgo. The Solar Eclipse will be followed by a Total Lunar Eclipse at the next Aries Full Moon (04° 40′), on September 28 2015. If interested please read my recent post on this Virgo Solar Eclipse here. And two tutorials on Eclipses that I’ve also re-posted recently: Eclipses as Doors of Perception – part 1 and Eclipses as Doors of Perception – part 2.

♦ The Sun entered Libra on September 23, 6.20 pm. This is the Spring Equinox in our southern parts and Autumn Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.

♦ Jupiter entered the Earth Sign of Virgo on August 11 at 9.11 pm local time. Jupiter will transit Virgo until September 9 2016, when he will enter Libra.

♦ Jupiter also reached the opposition to Neptune in Pisces on September 17.

♦ Saturn turned Stationary Direct on August 2, on the 28th degree of Scorpio. Saturn has re-entered Sagittarius, in direct motion, on September 18 2015.

♦ Venus turned Stationary Retrograde on July 24, on the first degree of Virgo. Venus re-entered Leo, in retro motion, on August 1 and was retrograde until September 7, re-entering Virgo, in direct motion, only on October 9, a very lengthy Venus in Leo Transit.

♥ In the pipeline is a post on Saturn in Sagittarius and Jupiter in Virgo, their coming and going square aspect punctuating the next nine months, with the risk of a global economic downturn very present, recession continuing in some countries and even food shortages worsening in less developed countries. A lesson in humility and make do, living within our means in the developed countries so to restore some balance to our lop-sided world. Stay tuned.

What a difference an eclipse makes….the change in Australian leadership and a peek at future cosmic trends, in particular the Jupiter-Saturn’s mutual relationship

Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull

The recent change in our political leadership didn’t come as a great surprise, but its timing did. Astrology can explain that better than many political analysts or the gossip columns, I think.

This eventful month of September coincides with the last eclipse season for 2015. The ballot to decide the fate of our former PM, held on September 14, 9.15 pm, happened just a day from the Virgo Solar Eclipse on September 13, 4.41 pm (Eastern Standard Time).

An Eclipse of the Sun is, first of all, a New Moon, a time for new beginnings. When this is also an eclipse, the new beginning often represents a major shift, with long lasting repercussions.

Tony Abbott’s was born in London on November 4 1957, 4 am. Here is a link to a post about Abbott when opposition leader and his Sunrise Horoscope, before his time of birth, 4 am, was confirmed. See below for his proper Natal Chart. The degree of the solar eclipse fell in the astrological sector of his Natal Horoscope described as the House of self-undoing, manifesting as the sort of events that are out of the individual’s control (12^th House). The next Total Moon Eclipse, on September 28, will align nearly perfectly instead with his Aries Moon. The areas where Sun and Moon are located during this eclipse show Abbott’s present need for sacrifice, humility and discrimination (6^th and 12^th Houses). I also believe he will probably fight on, in some ways, the Lunar Eclipse spurring into action the fiery spirit of his Aries Moon.

Here are three Transits Charts imposed upon Tony Abbott’s Natal Chart, at the time of the two Eclipses and the ballot.

Tony Abbot and the Solar Eclipse of September 13 2015. Click to view larger image

Tony Abbott and Lunar Eclipse September 28 2015. Click to view larger image

Tony Abbott Transits at ballot September 14 2015. Note the Moon in Libra opposing his Natal Moon in Aries…Click to view larger image

Eclipses tend to have a long lasting effect on individuals and the collective, these last ones spreading their vibes all the way to the next eclipse season in March 2016 and beyond.

A lucky star is shining on Malcolm Turnbull at present (born Sydney, Oct-24-1954, time undisclosed. See his Sunrise Chart below). He was chosen to become our new PM just as the transiting Saturn became aligned to his Birth Venus on the cusp Scorpio-Sagittarius. This conjunction can occur only once in 29 and half years. The odds of that happening as he became PM would be very high indeed! To all students of Astrology this clearly shows how positive a Saturn’s transit can be, despite this planet’s reputation for hard work and little pay/joy. Saturn also helps to consolidate and make factual, in this case Turnbull’s long held wish to become PM (Venus on a cusp of power).

Here is the Transits Chart of the time of the ballot imposed upon Turnbull’s Sunrise Chart (time of birth undisclosed).

Malcolm Turnbull Transits at ballot September 14 2015. Click to view larger image

A positive sign for this change of leadership is the fact that it happened when Mercury was still transiting in direct motion, while the day his cabinet was revealed, September 20, Mercury had turned retrograde. It sounds good for the PM, perhaps not so good for his cabinet.

A topic of concern is the Jupiter opposition to Neptune that occurred on September 17, very close to the date of the ballot, an aspect that could inflate collective expectations of what is to come. This aspect could erode people’s trust in this new leadership if matters of importance aren’t disclosed and discussed openly. There is also a risk that someone may decide to undermine the new cabinet’s credibility from within.

The Jupiter-Saturn cycle and global economic downturns

Many internet ‘prophets’, happy to spook as many people as possible, are reporting that the Lunar Eclipse on September 28 is a ‘Blood Moon’, portending all sorts of catastrophes and even the end of the world! In fact ‘Blood Moons’ are not that rare, the Moon taking on that red-coppery hue because it is at its closest to planet Earth as our planet’s shadow falls on its disk during the eclipse. On all account it has been a bloodily ghastly Moon for many of our prominent politicians.

To compound the effects of these eclipses a lasting planetary shift occurred between August and September 2015: Jupiter moved into earthy Virgo on August 11 and Saturn into fiery Sagittarius on September 18.

Jupiter will remain in Virgo for one year (to September 9 2016), while Saturn will transit Sagittarius until the end of 2017, with few interruptions. Jupiter and Saturn are the giant of our solar system, their mutual dance in the sky has been considered of the greatest significance for world affairs since antiquity. They were known as the ‘Chronocrators’ or ‘Time Markers’ in classical Greece. Now they are both transiting Mutable Signs, symbol of the ending of something, learning from past experiences and preparation for a big change ahead, namely Saturn entering his own Sign of Capricorn in 2017.

2015 and ‘16 are important years for the Jupiter-Saturn mutual relationship: they have reached a distance of 90 degrees from each other. This coming and going aspect will punctuate the next nine months, with the risk of a general economic downturn very present; recession continuing in some countries and food shortages worsening in less developed ones. This should be a lesson in humility and ‘make do’, getting used to live within our means in the developed countries, to restore some balance to our lop-sided world.

A real global recession may be less likely because it is more often associated with the opposition between Jupiter and Saturn rather than their right angle (historical examples of opposition periods and global downturns: 1890-1931-1951/52-1969/70-1989/90-2010).

The planet of abundance and opportunities is now in the Sign of hard work, humility, even poverty; while Saturn, the cosmic energy that limits and grounds everything, is now in Sagittarius, the Sign of freedom, philosophy, hope, aspirations. We could seek more concrete ways to tackle our global problems. Jupiter in an Earth Sign and Saturn ‘earthing’ a Fire Sign promise a big reality check for the world.

Jupiter and Saturn are also in turn aligned to Neptune in Pisces making their interaction more complex by introducing a spiritual element, the theme of the global environment, the dream of a united, at peace humanity, the gift of compassion and inclusion (Germany opened its door to thousands of refugees in September, around the time Jupiter opposed Neptune, September 17). Pisces is the Sign of the great Ocean Mother to which everything and everyone return in the end. The issue of rising sea levels could also be big in the news during the active period of these planetary configurations.

The Jupiter opposition Neptune effect is now passing, but the square Saturn-Neptune has still to become active, in November 2015 and again in June and September 2016. This transit describes a powerful tension between our best humanitarian aspirations and the realistic limits of implementing them.

The downside of the Neptune connection could be that, whatever useful reality check we are experiencing, we could still feel unclear about our global goals and the road to peace, Neptune in Pisces possibly fogging these issues or making our collective efforts less effective.

On the bright side, contrary to what many astrologers predict (for instance an increase in religious fanaticism and division brought about by Saturn in the often self-righteous Sign of religion) I feel and hope that the open minded, cosmopolitan, multi-cultural outlook of Sagittarius could help seeing the issues in a less personalized, biased or BW way, as it happened when Saturn was transiting Scorpio (2013/15), a highly polarizing and judgmental Sign.

Let’s not forget also that the dangerous right angle between destructive Uranus and Pluto is now at an end, the last pass exact in March 2015. This to me seems to indicate that things may actually somehow improve. A more radical shift, with an end of the present severe crisis, will not occur however until 2020, when Saturn in Capricorn will catch up with Pluto, ending their mutual cycle that culminated in 2001 with their opposition (9/11).

More posts in the oven about the transits of Jupiter in Virgo and Saturn in Sagittarius. Stay tuned.

September 2015 Eclipse Season: opening more doors of perception – Part 2 –

My own Approach to the study of Eclipses

My approach to the study of Eclipses springs from personal observations of their influence on my own Chart and life, and those of some clients, and also from the perusal of Eclipses’ stories and interpretations in different astrological texts, modern and old, providing a wealth of  Natal and Mundane examples. 

A text that really helped me personally to understand the working of Eclipses is “Eclipses” by the scholar of the Occult David Ovason‘s, a book full of useful information and insight. Ovason stresses in particular the importance of the relationship between Fixed Stars and Eclipses’ degrees, discussing many great case histories to make his point.

When I know an Eclipse is close at hand I repeat the mantra I have often used with my students: ‘Eclipses of the Sun are New Moons, Eclipses of the Moon are Full Moons’. I am not here to demystify Eclipses, but I feel we need to have a more level headed approach toward them, not always expecting incredible events to take place or our personal lives to be transformed by them. Here I have attempted to do this without denying the power an Eclipse can actually exert in a person’s life and in the life of the collective. What I am advocating is to look closely at the Eclipse itself and also put it in the context of the current Transits. Eclipses are not separated phenomena, but are part, like every other cosmic event, of a much bigger picture.

In some of the examples that I’m using here you’ll find that the power of an Eclipse is always magnified by the presence of other major Transits happening during the Eclipse’s period of activity, a period that can stretch, forward and backward in time, for months and even years.

How to look for your important Eclipses, up-close and personal

Every New Moon is a portal to a league of the monthly journey.  When the New Moon falls on your birth Sign you know that to be a special beginning for you, a turning point in the yearly cycle. Now, if that New Moon, like in this case, is also a Solar Eclipse the New Moon’s portal is opening to a wider horizon than just few months ahead, and also to deeper dimensions of experience; sometimes even a re-birthing of sort. Still, fundamentally, the Solar Eclipse remains a symbol of the end of one cycle and the start of another, though perhaps a particularly intense and significant one.

Following the same reasoning every Full Moon represents the climax of a journey or period. If this event happens around your birthday it would be a more significant climax. If the Full Moon were also a Lunar Eclipse you could expect some major realizations and far-reaching climax type experience.

Eclipses are not rare phenomena, but they will produce a marked effect only if falling in close conjunction and opposition (for the Lunar Eclipses) to a sensitive point in your Birth or Progressed Charts, meaning Sun, Moon, Planets, Angles, Lunar Nodes. The orb (distance) allowed for Eclipses’ aspects should be, I think, very tight, one degree or less, or we would end up with too many Eclipses and not much happening with them. I am aware that many astrologers advocate a larger orb for Eclipses in conjunction or opposition to your Natal Chart’s placements, three or even five degrees, but I feel that keeping to a tight orb is always the safest thing to do, when trying to measure the strength of any aspect. The closest the aspect, the more obvious the effect. Eclipses are not exception.

When hunting Eclipses for a specific individual, ascertain, first of all, if the person was born in an Eclipse Season, with a Solar or Lunar Eclipse closely following or preceding the birthday. If this is the case make sure to search for any conjunction of the Eclipses’ degrees (also opposition, for Lunar Eclipses) with angular and planetary placements in the Natal Chart, especially with the Sun, Moon, Ascendant or Ruling Planet. Even when you don’t find any close aspect make a note of the areas of experience (House) occupied by the Eclipses, because they will remain sensitive areas throughout life, where, from time to time, important crisis may take place.

As you have gathered from my own example you don’t need to be born in an Eclipse Season to be affected by the power of Eclipses.

Eclipses, like all astrological events, have a light and a dark side. The type of experience depends on a combination of the nature of the Planet involved (aspected by the Eclipse) and the field (astrological House) where the Eclipse occurs in the Natal or Progressed Chart.

So, for instance, an Eclipse on your Sun will affect your sense of identity and self-esteem, an Eclipse on your Moon your emotions and family life. An Eclipse in your Third House will colour your communication and relationship with siblings, in the Eighth House your intimate relationships, your shared finances and your desire for personal power, etc, etc.

The example I gave before, of the glut of Eclipses I experienced the year my younger sister was born, is one of many I could have used. Here are a few more, hoping they will help you to understand how Eclipses might work in your own life.

A Solar Eclipse on the 29th degree of Gemini fell on my Natal Sun at 0° 03′ of Cancer, XI House, in 1982, the year my partner and I emigrated to Australia. Some change: we have never gone back in 29 years! That’s an Eclipse’s effect. It wouldn’t have been so powerful though if not for the assistance of a Saturn-Pluto-Jupiter’s passage over the cusp of my IV House, nadir and taproot of my Chart, life changing transits on their own. Together with the Solar Eclipse, the Progressed Moon in Aries in my Natal IX House of foreign travels and people, and other aspects besides, the Eclipse manifested in the decisive way it did.

And what about, earlier, a Lunar Eclipse on my Pisces North Node, Natal VIII House, in 1979, the year I visited India, my stay there lasting two years, during which time I met my partner of thirty years, and having a lot to do with the later decision to emigrate to Australia. The emotional impact of that period is still difficult to assess for me, one of the most formative year of my life. That Eclipse too wasn’t alone, but coincided with a full-on Saturn Return and other important transits.

Eclipses haven’t quite finished with me, more are coming my way, and I wasn’t even born in an Eclipse Season.

Link to Eclipses as Doors of Perception – Part 1

If interested click for a post about the last Solar Eclipse in Virgo on September 13 2015

The Virgo Solar Eclipse: Sunday, September 13 2015.

Solar Eclipse Antarctica 2014

A brief outline of the September 13 Partial Solar Eclipse, with individual people in mind

At the Virgo New Moon on September 13 the Moon will eclipse the Sun, a partial eclipse visible only in the very far south regions of the world, like Antarctica, the southern Indian Ocean and some western parts of South Africa, up to 15° Latitude South. Not a visible event in Australia or New Zealand.

A Total Lunar Eclipse will follow at the next Aries Full Moon on September 28. Here I am concerned only with the solar event.

This Solar Eclipse could have personal repercussions, via events and mental/emotional states, in particular for those individuals who happen to have the 19th, 20th and 21st degrees of Virgo highlighted in their Birth Chart (aligned to Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Ascendant, Descendant, Mid-Heaven or Lower-Heaven); to a less extent also those with the same degrees in the other Mutable Signs, Pisces, Gemini and Sagittarius.

The Eclipsed Sun and the Eclipsing Moon, on the 20th degree of Virgo, will be just separating from an in-conjunct aspect (150° distance) to Uranus in Aries and from an opposition to Chiron in Pisces (180°).

If your Birth Chart is somehow aligned with this Eclipse I would say that, during this time, your very basic unconscious impulses (Moon) as well as your conscious drive and will (Sun) will need to find truly original and upbeat ways of expression, through acts of brave decisiveness, even at the risk of causing disagreements and becoming isolated/alienated from others (in-conjunct to Uranus in Aries). In fact you could find your present spirit of initiative and displays of fierce individualism somewhat contrary to your usually passive and modest Virgo temperament.  The polarity with Chiron in Pisces (in opposition Sun-Moon) adds the element of fluidity and compassion, with the urge to heal emotional rifts and egotism while staying true to your ideals and core of independence (Chiron is semi-sextile, 30° distance, from Uranus in Aries).

Because both Virgo and Pisces are Signs of purification and elimination (Virgo concentrating on the physical aspect and Pisces on the psychic) this could be a very suitable time to tackle negative habits and addictions, to begin a healthier lifestyle, change diet, join a yoga class or a gym, engage a personal trainer to re-gain fitness or lose weight, or to deal with a chronic condition by embracing some form of natural therapy.

The effect of the Solar Eclipse could last from three months to a year, and could have been already active for some months before the Eclipse itself. The nature of the celestial body/bodies or Angle/s involved could describe more accurately the possible effect for each individual person.

With the world in mind

In the planetary picture weaved by this Eclipse I see a symbol of the collective drive, now gaining very rapid momentum, to be of practical service to others less fortunate than ourselves. The presence of Chiron, the archetypal ‘Wounded Healer’, on the opposite-complementary Sign of Pisces (in opposition to Sun-Moon), shows that the helpmate also aspires to become a savior of sorts, our desire to humbly serve others in their most pressing needs, like food and shelter (Virgo), merging with the longing for spiritual union and the awareness that ultimately all is one, and the suffering of others is our suffering (Pisces’ universal sympathy).

The in-conjunct aspect of Uranus in Aries gives raise to the combative spirit, the irrepressible drive to take different measures, trying to find out of the box ways to address the collective issues that have been gripping the world with amazing force since the start of the millennium.

Virgo is the archetypal symbol for Purity, tirelessly endeavoring to keep at bay anything, in the form of substance, food, thought that can harm our bodies as well as the Earth Mother’s. Virgos are born environmentalists and natural healers. It was certainly this Virgo archetype which, since the beginning, inspired and instructed scores of farmers, gatherers, healers, doctors, nurses, help professional, social workers, light workers etc. to pursue their search for the universal elixir to heal all ills and restore purity in ourselves and the world we live in. This elixir ultimately resides in the eternal flux of life, surpassing while including our individual lives and consciousness. And this is astrologically symbolized by Pisces, Virgo’s opposite-complementary Sign. Practical Virgo is forever calculating what can be done within the limits of the possible, while Pisces tends to blur these limits and thus make what seemed impossible possible, via acts of good will and trust in providence. These two opposite Signs seem fit symbols for the situation people who want to help the refugees fleeing conflicts and mayhem in their own countries are finding themselves: how to reconcile the need to be practical and realize the limits of what can be realistically achieved, within reason (Virgo) and the desire to uphold the ideal of compassion and open the gate indiscriminately to all those in need of support (Pisces). Virgo would see the need for helping as a moral obligation while Pisces would consider it more like a spiritual responsibility.

Since early August Jupiter has also entered Virgo and will be transiting this Earth Sign until September 9 2016. This transit of course also reinforces the collective drive to help each other in practical ways and could even inspire some to find contentment in a simpler, more humble and down to earth life style, while many may be forced into it by financial crisis and unemployment. The August 90° between Jupiter in Leo and Saturn in Scorpio, a classic aspect of economic and social downturn, will repeat itself in March and May 2016, between Virgo and Sagittarius, clearly indicating that the near future will not be a time for wild spending and borrowing but rather for hard work and a cautious approach to financial matters, avoiding debts and get rich quick schemes. We could embrace our reduced circumstances as opportunities to find more lasting values in our daily life and work (Jupiter). I am preparing a post about the transit of Jupiter in Virgo and the all important Jupiter-Saturn’s cycle. I should be able to publish it here shortly.

The connection of the Solar Eclipse with Uranus could favor the more aggressive, militant approach to the humanitarian and environmental crisis the world is experiencing. We could all become more pro-active in seeking a resolution to those crisis, more defiant of authority and the status-quo, with the clear goal in mind of restoring the human dignity of dispossed and traumatized people and the health of a polluted environment (Chiron in Pisces). This uncompromising spirit seems also enhanced by the aspects of the transiting Mercury in Libra at the time of the Eclipse, separating from a Square to Pluto in Capricorn and coming onto an opposition to Uranus in Aries. We can add to all the above the present position of transiting Saturn on the very last degree of Scorpio, ready to enter Sagittarius, a rebellious and freedom loving Sign, on September 18; this time for good (previous ingresses were at the end of December 2014 and in middle June 2015).

This Eclipse then should also generate greater awareness of the need of environmental healing, especially in view of the upcoming UN Conference on Climate Change (November 30 to December 11 2015). Just few days before this Solar Eclipse all UN nations, including Australia, have submitted their Climate Action Plans ahead of the Paris conference.

Following this post I have re-posted an edited version of a two parts tutorials/articles on eclipses  that I published in June 2011.

These tutorials seem again relevant  during the present Eclipse Season of September 2015. These are the links:

Eclipses as Doors of Perception – Part 1

Eclipses as Doors of Perception – Part 2

The Astrology of the Durban Conference on Climate Change

Depending to whom you are listening to the results of this historical conference is hailed as a promising and unexpected breakthrough or an irresponsible and dangerous failure. The two extreme sides of the debate, conservative climate skeptics and militant greens, seem to agree on the latter assessment. The Horoscopes of the start and finish of this event seem to prove both viewpoints right, with lots of positive and promising stuff as well as many grave difficulties showing.

In 2009 and 2010 I posted few articles on the astrological significance of the international conferences on Climate Change, in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Cancun, Mexico (to access the Cancun and Copenhagen’s articles try the Eco-Culture link on the top menu or click HERE).  This year I deliberately gave a miss to the Durban’s Summit, disappointed by the lack of progress of previous years.

Even now that the Summit is officially over it is difficult to decide if the outcome can be considered a success or a failure in the titanic war against Global Warming.  Something of importance has been achieved, but, according to many green activists, what has been deliberated stops very short of what it would be needed to check the dangerous raise of temperature in the near future. A long term package has been agreed upon, but no short terms, effective measures, the dire situation demanding urgent action instead.

Astrologically one aspect that really differentiated this Summit from the recent ones was the fact that it began during the Waxing cycle of the Moon, a more positive time to start anything. The Waxing Moon in fact allowed more life blood to run through these negotiations, the Full Moon ahead working as a beacon, a luminous goal within its reach. The phase of the Moon in Copenhagen was close to the Last Quarter, and in Cancun it was just past the Last Quarter, critical and not necessarily productive times of the Moon/Sun’s cycle; but rather representing the end phases of the old cycle.

This time instead the Moon, in Cardinal Capricorn at the start, was Waxing Crescent, part of a cycle that began with the New Moon in Sagittarius, also a Solar Eclipse, on November 25, just three days before the opening date.  Due to the fact that the Conference was protracted beyond its set limits of 12 days (by about 48 hours, I think), it ended up including the Full Moon in Gemini and therefore the Lunar Eclipse (happening in Durban on December 10 at 4.36 pm). It finished then just few hours past this cosmic event, and it was during the time of the Eclipse itself, until 12 hours or so later, that the most vital negotiations took place and finally a compromise was reached.

Thanks to the propitious Moon phase the conference didn’t end up a complete disaster. It could have been, considering that it was held during a Mercury Retrograde period. And Mercury is such an important influence in all types of transactions, being the planet of communication and contracts. It is obvious that none of the organizers bothered to consult an astrologer about the all important commencing date; or they would have been advised not to have it while Mercury traveled in retrogradation. No surprising then the whole thing was marred by controversies from start to finish (Mercury will turn Direct only on December 15), and issues that have been amply covered in the past had to be dealt with again and again in order to find some common ground. Mercury is also in Detriment in Sagittarius (the opposite Sign to the one he rules), so that, despite Sagittarius’ great ideas and ability to visualize the future is also a somewhat overly militant, opinionated, self righteous and often uncompromising Sign, as well as naturally given to talking a lot, sometime just for talk sake, no the best when we needed to come out with practical decisions and realistic goals.

Here are two  Horoscopes: the Charts for the start and finish of the Durban Conference: the first is calculated for 10 am of November 28, the official opening time, while the second is cast for 3.30 am, the actual time the delegates put their signatures on the dotted lines, on December 11.

Durban’s Climate Change Conference Opening Ceremony

Durban’s Climate Change Conference Finish Line

The most significant transits of Mercury occurred on December 4 and 5. As I wrote in an earlier post on this Retrogradation of Mercury: “When Mercury reached a right angle to Mars in Virgo, a semi-square (45 degrees angle) to Saturn in late Libra, and, most importantly, a conjunction with the Sun. These aspect permeated the whole week around these dates. The square to Mars will increase the heat of any conversation and expression of viewpoints, Virgo adding the knack for criticism and nitpicking. If not careful we may get lost in endless diatribes on semantic points of not real importance. The semi-square to Saturn (Mars involved in the configuration as well) could foster a tendency to interpret words and ideas we share with a touch of pessimism, perhaps having a positive sobering effect on Sagittarius’ flamboyant self-righteousness, but exacerbating Virgo’s critical attitude. The conjunction with the Sun (Inferior conjunction) is part of the overall Mercury/Sun’s cycle. Our Little Brother is changing roles, from Evening Star to Morning Star. The Inferior Conjunction represents the start of a new Mercury’s cycle, promising a more outgoing and optimistic mental outlook, especially by the time Mercury will turn Direct in mid-December“.  Around the same dates Venus formed a harmonious trine to Mars and Jupiter a positive sextile to Chiron, showing a brighter side and a more cooperative general mood (Venus-Mars), as well as the opportunity to heal old wounds (Jupiter-Chiron). Venus, by the way, was applying to a conjunction to Pluto in Capricorn at the time of the opening ceremony, a positive aspect in this context, showing the willingness to change our values in order to achieve some higher collective purpose or goal, transformation of values being a key word for this transit.

Notwithstanding the last minute agreement that has been reached I feel that the Retrogradation of Mercury during the conference means that, in some ways, we have taken a step backward in Durban, due to the dangers of the Kyoto protocol being abandoned by many countries before new safety measures can be implemented. Canada yesterday was the first country to abandon its commitment to the Kyoto’s agreement, and that cannot be a good thing, showing also a trend that may be followed by other countries in the near future. As defective and limited as the Kyoto Protocol has been considered by many, it is the only thing we have at the present time, and throwing it in the bin at this early stage could be a disastrous move for the environment, because the legally binding agreement decided at Durban will not be in place before 2017 or 2010, a long way away.

Sun, Moon, Ascendant, the triad of every Horoscope, were appropriately placed for the task in hand at the start of the enterprise : the Sun was is in Fiery Sagittarius, the most future oriented and speculative Sign of the Zodiac. Anything can be conceived under the rays of this visionary Sun, but how much of the vision can be achieved depends on many other factors. One of them, the most important, was the Moon. The Moon was Waxing Crescent, therefore strong, thus providing a suitable vessel for the expression of the solar light. The Moon was transiting Earthy, Cardinal Capricorn, the type of practical, no nonsense, ambitious vessel that could help to contain and nurture the Sagittarean promises, by imposing necessary limitations on it, bringing the vision down to the Earth’s level. Negatively the dichotomy between the very hopeful Sun Sign and the ultra pragmatic Moon Sign could mean that much of what the Sun was projecting and hoping for would be limited and even thwarted by merely materialistic considerations and the general conservatism of the major players. Capricorn is traditionally a conservative and utilitarian Sign, not inclined to take too many risks, inclined to put business before ideals (Sagittarius). The Moon was also in sextile to Ceres in Pisces, the Harvest Goddess who has much to do with ecology, from this all inclusive Sign asking compassion for the plight of the planet and the poorest people who are the ones at greater risk from the deteriorating climate and environment. This harmonious angle has certainly helped to avoid the complete failure of the negotiations that we came very close to witness.

The Ascendant in every Horoscope, Natal or Mundane, always represents the physical channel through which the combination of Sun and Moon’s energies can find expression in the outer world. At the time of the Opening Ceremony the local Ascendant (Placidus Houses) was smack in the middle of Aquarius, the humanitarian Sign of reforms and revolutions. Because the summit was held in South Africa it has been referred to, especially by the African media, as an indaba, a Zulu-Xhosa word meaning a meeting of elders during which each is given the same rights to talk but also the same duty to listen to what the others have to say, a truly democratic system. What an appropriate word for egalitarian Aquarius on the Ascendant, Decan Gemini (brotherhood and sisterhood), on the Sabian degree that reads ‘boys and girls in gymnasium suits‘, a symbolical statement of the equality and basic identity of all people.

The way the conference ended gives credit to these initial placements: taking a conservative stand (Moon in Capricorn) the conference delegates managed to achieve a global commitment in the long term, Capricorn not a Sign to hurry up anything. By being pragmatic they avoided certain disaster, but also bitterly disappointed the idealistic crowd who wanted to see a more courageous and uncompromising stand (Sagittarius Sun trine Uranus and square Mars).

The Sun was applying to a square (90 degrees angle) to Mars in Virgo describing in a vivid way the fierce confrontations that took place in the Durban’s arena, ’til the conference’s very last minute (the aspect became exact on December 2). Often the arguments escalated because of different interpretation of the wording of documents, and other such cavils, just the types of battle a Mars in nit-picking Virgo would thrive on.

The Sun was also applying to a trine (120 degrees angle) to Uranus, showing that there was a powerful drive to take a different, less conservative approach, considering collective interests above selfish ones. The Sun then went to form a semi-square to Saturn in Libra on December 3, stalemate time.

Venus became trine Mars on December 5, the same day that Jupiter formed a sextile to Chiron.

On the last day, December 11, the Moon in Gemini was trine Saturn, sextile Jupiter and applying to a trine to Neptune in Aquarius. These are all auspicious angles, especially the Grand Trine Moon-Saturn-Neptune. Started on a serious, even somber and pessimistic note (Capricorn) the Moon ended in the light and socially eclectic and adaptable Sign of Gemini. On the last day also Jupiter formed a perfect semi-sextile to Uranus, encouraging a more innovative and risk taking approach to the issues on the table.

Not to be underestimated was also the Grand Trine configuration still active between Mars in Virgo, Jupiter in Taurus and Pluto in Capricorn, a grounding influence involving planets in the three Earth Signs. This could promise more positive results by staying realistic, working hard and utilizing the world resources in a less wasteful way.  A conscious transformation has to occur though in our every day living and habits (Mars in Virgo), our use of resources (Pluto in Capricorn) and our philosophy of life (Jupiter in Taurus) before we can take full advantage of this planetary opportunity.

One important aspect that remained in force throughout the conference was the trine (120 degrees angle) between Saturn in Libra and Neptune in Aquarius, even by itself giving a lot of hope that something of importance could be achieved, the aspect harmonizing practical needs and utilitarian considerations (Saturn) with ideals of inclusiveness and compassion (Neptune). This slow forming aspect is still maturing. It will be exact on January 19 2012, Saturn becoming Stationary on the last degree of Libra in February 2012, just as Neptune will be moving into Pisces for good. So this is a long lasting influence, destined to have far reaching effects on the planet, one positive trend among many difficult ones.

Last but certainly no least was the fact that Uranus turned Direct on December 9. Now this is something because Uranus represents, among other things, the urge to embrace radical changes and to take new directions in life in order to align ourselves better to the destiny we are meant to fulfill.

I like to end this post with these words from the Daily Maverick: “Behind the save-the-world rhetoric of global climate change negotiations lies a murkier realpolitik. The multilateral process is tedious, but in Durban, it at least lent a semblance of inclusiveness to the negotiations“.

Eclipsed Full Moon in Gemini and talking, talking, talking …

Just before the Lunar Eclipse of December 10/11 I wrote about the Gemini Full Moon being one for talking, expressing feelings and ideas in words; the Mercurial way to connect.

Here is a link to my previous post on the Gemini Lunar Eclipse.

The idea then was to speak your mind, if you need to, your truth, your vision, if you can, with as many people as possible. The combination Gemini Moon-Sagittarius Sun is the perfect alchemy for great story telling and mythologizing.

But what if there isn’t anyone to talk to? Your laptop and mobile’s batteries are flat and you find yourself in an isolated camp site in the rain forest? You can still pencil your thoughts on the back of a piece of bark, I suppose, but even better you can start the wonderful and very serious business of talking to yourself, a forgotten art that merits to be revived, especially at the time of such an Eclipse. The communication himp needs to find novel ways to speak its mind, hopefully without imploding catastrophically, nervous breakdown and all.

In the dark, the other night, sitting by the veges patch, a black and white cat on my lap (embodying well the dark and light sides of the event unfolding above us) I realized that for me, at that moment, communication was not taking place with another human being, it was still taking place though, telepathically with Charlie, the Cat, and inwardly with myself.

So, to the many amongst my readers who are finding themselves alone at this crucial ‘talking’ time I would suggest to speak to yourself, perhaps engaging in a dialogue with the Planetary Energy/ies more active and powerful in your life at this crucial moment. I am right now having a good talk to Uranus, one that, I hope, will bring some fruitful changes into my life as a person and as a student-teacher of Astrology.

Want to know in which special way the Eclipse season and other planetary changes are affecting your life? You may want to book a consultation with me, in person, by phone or Skype.

Readings can be as affordable as $1 per minute. Also available in depth, comprehensive Readings of Birth Charts, future trends indicated by Progressions and Transits, Compatibility, Relocation, etc; as well as printouts of relative Charts, Solar Fire Gold Interpretations and much more.

Please navigate to PAOLA EMMA CONSULTATIONS’ PAGE.

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Too good to miss: the Gemini Moon Total Eclipse, in the horns of the Bull of Heaven, on December 10/11, 2011

The Astrological Eclipse

Here is the Horoscope of the Lunar Eclipse, calculated for our local coordinates. The relative positions of the Sun, Moon, Nodes and Planets to each other remains the same even as their orientation to the horizon change from place to place.

Eclipses are strange beasts. They can affect some people in very profound ways, while passing unnoticed by many others. That’s why with Eclipses, even more than with other astrological factors, we have to be careful not to generalize too much about the quality and impact of their influence, unless we have the opportunity to see the dynamic interaction between the Eclipse and a Birth Chart cast for a specific individual or event. This unique response to Eclipses can be explained by the fact that, in order to have a tangible effect, an Eclipse has to fall pretty close to a sensitive degree in your Birth Chart, meaning one occupied by the Sun, the Moon, one of the four Angles (Ascendant, Descendant, Mid-heaven, Lower-Heaven), a Planet or Lunar Node. When I say close I mean within one or, at the most, two degrees distance from the actual degree of the Eclipse. Eclipses on Mid-points between planets can also be quite significant, especially if the planets involved are part of  a strong theme in the person’s Birth Horoscope.

The impact of an Eclipse can also differ greatly depending on the character of the celestial body it falls close to, and also the area of experience (denoted by the Horoscope’s Houses) where the Eclipse takes place.

With these premises in mind this particular Eclipse could have a marked impact on some Mutable Sign.  The birthdays directly aligned with the Eclipse’s degree will be: Gemini, born June 8 to 10; Sagittarius,born December 10 to 12; Virgo, born September 10 to 12; Pisces, born March 8 to 10. Or individual with Natal Moon, Angles, Planets or Nodes between the 17th and 19th degrees of the same Signs.

Full Moons and Lunar Eclipses alike are significant times for realizations and often are also climaxes of a sort, peak experiences, bringing the coronation, success or failure, to activities and relationships we have began or have cultivated during the Waxing fortnight of the Moon’s cycle (when we are talking about regular Full Moons) or in the previous three to six months or longer (when we are talking about Eclipsed Full Moons). Whatever the nature of the events brought to light by a Lunar Eclipse they will have an emotional impact, sometimes a very great emotional impact, as when they coincide with the birth of a child, a death, a promotion, a significant illness, the purchase of real estate, influential encounters, life-changing choices or events over which one has little or no control, profound insights and psychic quantum leaps, etc.  In fact there is often a sense of fate in the events or feelings that surge out of an Eclipse, like something that was meant to be and has come to change our life in meaningful and sometimes unexpected ways.

Another important consideration to bear in mind is that this Gemini Moon Eclipse is aligned to the South Lunar Node, the place of descent, relating to the past in all its many forms: this life’s past, childhood, youth, or a past life’s past, or even the past of aeons of planetary evolution. So we may feel inclined or be forced perhaps to revisit things and people from the past that, positively, may help us illumine the present, or, negatively, create distress, regrets, or a painful sense of nostalgia and unrequited longing.

Emotionally a Lunar Eclipse can be very revealing of the true state of your feelings. If your life is already in an emotional spin then the Eclipse may bring all the intensity up to the surface, for everybody to see, including yourself. It could be a joyous experience too, but one that is also deep and somewhat more private than the Sign Gemini suggests.

Before being an Eclipse this is the yearly Full Moon in Gemini, showing a time of heightened intellectual and verbal energy. So if you have found yourself talking and talking in the last few days, do not worry, you are not alone. Many of us are attempting to express ideas that seem to grow in our heads as fast as mushrooms on a mossy bed. Communication can be intense and fast, under this clever Moon, with many subjects covered, moving from one to the next at great speed. The Eclipse will make what we try to communicate more poignant and partaking of our inner life too, not just idle socializing and prattling.

This is great lunar energy for creative writing, story telling, poetry, performances, song writing, learning, teaching, abstracting, eureka moments, intellectual breakthroughs.

The Sun and Moon, in opposition to each other at Eclipse/Full Moon time, are both forming a right angle (90 degrees) with Mars in Virgo (T square). This aspect will further intensify the mental activity and the desire to express our minds, manifesting also as competitiveness, tendency to argue about even minute differences of opinion and become hot and over-critical before we can control it or stop it. There is a sense of restlessness here that we need to become aware of, trying to find a place of quiet and tranquility amongst the hubbub and intense mental stimulation, perhaps consciously reducing our social interactions and activities, leaving some time free for ourselves and for some badly needed mental rest. Too many irons in the fire are often the bane of the Mutable Signs. This tendency to scatter and waste energy could be highlighted by the aspects of Mars. The more conscious we become of what is involved the more we may be able to use Mars’ extra boost to put our ideas into effective use, or changing in meaningful ways our routine and habits, to become more efficient and practical.

Saturn in Libra is within two degree of a trine to Neptune in Aquarius, a positive aspect, stressing again the mental and social impact of the Gemini Eclipse, via the accent on Air Signs. The often inimical functions of Saturn and Neptune have an opportunity here to work together in harmony, the practical outlook and realism of Saturn embracing the idealism, faith and compassion of Neptune, helping to manifest in concrete form our social and spiritual ideals. This is one aspect that, being active during the Durban’s Climate Change Conference, could help us finding some concrete solutions to our global problems, to match the ideal those international summits have been created to uphold. I don’t yet know the outcome, but this particular connection gives me some hope.

Between lovers a certain dimension of feeling-communication, or communication with feeling, could be revealing a side of the other person that we suspected but never saw quite as clearly. Forget candle light dinners and all the romantic trappings, rather talk, just talk about what really matters to you. Describe your feelings, analyze them, and thus discover or rediscover a different sort of intimacy, one that doesn’t rely necessarily on sexuality, but can make you feel as close as twins in a pod.

Venus and Mars, both in Earth Sign, have reached a phase in their eternal dance during which they can work in harmony (trine or 120 degrees angle). Our ability to cooperate and share (Venus) is going hand in hand with our ability to assert our individuality (Mars), so that we can cooperate with others without losing sight of what we want for ourselves.

Apart from all the above (and more that I don’t have time to mention here, or I’ll be late to post this before the Eclipse) there is, of course, also the Retrogradation of Mercury in Sagittarius to consider, making all matters more complicated and, like the Eclipse, suggesting  a need to revisit the past, recent or remote, to understand and deal better with the present. Mercury will be Retrograde a few more days, turning Stationary Direct on December 14, next Wednesday. Navigate HERE to my recent post on the Retrogradation of Mercury in Sagittarius.

The Eclipse and the Collective Psyche

The sheer number of transits active at this time shows an eventful time ahead for the world, Eclipses extending their influence well beyond the time they occur. The most significant aspect formed by the Sun and Moon is their mutual square (90 degrees angle) to Mars in Virgo. Because the Sun and Moon are closely conjunct the Lunar Nodes (the reason why the Eclipse is a Total one) Mars is also in a difficult configuration with the Nodes, fact that is not at all promising for world peace and general cooperation amongst people and nations. We should not overlook the fact that Uranus has just turned Stationary and then Direct (on December 9) accelerating the pace of change and bringing to a head issues that have been slow to mature.

Uranus is sitting on the very first degree of Aries, the archetypal beginning point of the whole Zodiac, so significant that aspect formed by Sun , Moon and Planets to this degree are often measured, even when there are no planet on it. Occupying this very significant degree Uranus leads the flock, so to speak,  taking on the function of the Ram of Heaven which leads the Year, ushering unforeseen large scale events, revolutions, innovations; change, change, and more change, affecting just about everybody.

Navigate HERE to another recent post on the Sagittarius Partial Solar Eclipse of November 25, 2011.

The Visual Eclipse

It will be worth your while staying up to witness the Moon’s metamorphosis from silvery white to red ocher-orange, dark and rich hues.

In the Australian states that adopt Day Light Saving (NSW, ACT, NT, VIC) the Total phase will take place around 1.30 am on December 11, and completely end by 3.15 am. In Queensland the event will take place an hour earlier and in Western Australia a couple of hours earlier.

The event will be visible in its entirety all over Australia, New Zealand and most countries in Asia. No so lucky people in North America and Canada, where the Moon will be setting at Eclipse time, or Europe/Africa where the Moon will be rising instead. While South America will miss out on this event all together.

Click HERE for an informative sight where you’ll find the exact time of beginning, full phase and ending of this Eclipse from different locations in Australia and around the world.

The first image below shows where to look for Jupiter, toward the West, as the Moon begin to darken, around midnight local Summer Time. , in New South Wales Northern Rivers region (very similar view and time all along Australia’s East coast).

click to view larger image

Below are three Stellarium‘s skyscapes of three phases of this Lunar Eclipse: the beginning, full phase and end, as seen around respectively 0.15 am, 1.30 am and 2.45 am. The three snapshots represent the North-Easterly, at first, and then North-Westerly night sky.

In these images that also show the constellations note how the Moon seems neatly placed between the horns of the Celestial Bull, Taurus, close to Aldebaran, the alpha star, and also aligned to the Pleiades (Seven Sisters). Orion is dominating the sky above, and the most brilliant star in our firmament, Sirius, the Dog Star, walks at his heels. A whole mythical pageant is here to accompany the mystery of the Full Moon obscured by the Earth’s own shadow.  Our collective Shadow Self revealed in all its glory, made conscious and tangible, if only for a few moments.

December 11, 2011, 0.15 am - Click to view larger image

December 11, 2011, 1.30 am - Click to view larger image

December 11, 2011, 2.45 am - Click to view larger image

Ash clouds, volcanoes and earthquakes: can they have anything to do with the Eclipses’ Season? Yes, they can!

Reuters Photo

I re-post here part of an article I published on April 15, 2011. There I discussed, among other things, the possible effects of the Total Lunar Eclipse that is now upon us.

The article was about the major Transits active between June and September 2011, and included also a discussion of the Solar Eclipses of June and July, one on the June Gemini New Moon, just past, and the other on the Cancer New Moon coming in July. If interested, please click here to view the whole article.

Another article, ‘Eclipses’ Doors of Perception’, on the general effect of Eclipses in our own individual Birth Charts can be found HERE.

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Total Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius, June 15/16 (depending where you happen to be in the world). 

This is an important event, an eclipse of long duration (one hour and forty minutes), passing deeply through the Earth’s shadow, and thus meant to be more influential. It will be visible in its totality in Eastern Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, India and Western Australia. The Moon will be rising as she becomes eclipsed in South America, West Africa and Europe, and setting instead over East Asia and the eastern states of Australia. North America is cut off from the shadow and will not witness directly this eclipse.

Sun, Moon and Mercury are forming a 90 degrees angle to Ceres (Demeter) the largest asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter. In the last few years I have tried to observe the position and aspects of Ceres at the time the Earth has been particularly challenged by natural and man-made disasters, and often found meaningful connections. Not surprising in view of the fact that Ceres is a symbol of the original Earth Mother, Goddess of the Harvest and first Mater Dolorosa, weeping Madonna of myths and religions, mourning the death of her child. This archetype is brought to light by the darkling eclipsed Full Moon, time for full emotional impact and deep realizations.

Mars is an important actor at this time, as it is transiting Taurus, a difficult terrain for this planet. Mars can in fact make the notorious wilfulness of this Earth Sign more fiery and dangerous. It will be even more so during this Lunar Eclipse, due to Mars’ conjunction to the head of Medusa (the star Algol), a troublesome encounter, inclining to power struggles and sometimes even bloodshed.

Mars in Taurus is said to sometimes function as a trigger for increased seismic and volcanic activity, if other more ponderous transits point in the same direction. Mars is also just separating from an aspect to Saturn, always a difficult bedfellow, and approaching a square to Neptune in early Pisces, the aspect is not as close, but still seems significant, because of the proximity to the time of the eclipse.

Due to the above considerations and to the eclipse’s totality this event could be more powerful than the other two solar eclipses.

The people whose birthday will be in direct alignment with this eclipse will be Sagittarius (December14/16), Gemini (June13/15), Virgo (September15/17) and Pisces (March13/15); or anyone with Moon, Ascendant and/or planets around the 24^th degree of the same Signs.