Dear Friends,
This Friday, July 27, 2018, a Total Lunar Eclipse will take place at 4:20 PM Eastern US Time, with the Sun and Moon at 4 degrees, 44 minutes on the Leo-Aquarius axis. This Eclipse carries us back to the New Moon from January 27, 2017 and the First Quarter Moon on October 27 of the same year. In its capacity as the Full Moon of that cycle, Friday’s Eclipse brings up stories that were active under those earlier lunations.
Full Moons are about illumination, inviting us to see what was previously dark. Eclipses, moreover, often mean a shock, revelation of behind-the-scenes secrets. When these tendencies combine in a Full Moon Eclipse, we often find BIG breaking news and the crumbling of illusions.
Eclipses can also be a time when people leave; health matters may escalate quickly. I recently heard about a friend of a friend, who entered the hospital on Saturday morning and was dead that evening with systemic organ failure. He had no idea that he was going to die that day. So go to the doctor as needed, and check on your loved ones.
This Eclipse may feel particularly nasty: what’s coming to a light is larger than we were prepared for, containing life-altering ramifications. Because we have a VERY out-of-bounds Mars, alongside the Moon and the South Node of Loss — many of our assumptions will be turned on their head, as the Universe smiles and says, “Well, why the heck did you think THAT would be true?”
Mercury, furthermore, is retrograde in Leo, the sign of his detriment; all he wants to do is talk about how fabulous he is. And Mercury rules Venus in Virgo (one of her least-favorite signs), who is positioned right at the top of the Eclipse chart when cast for Washington, DC, giving events a nit-picky, self-absorbed tone with regard to the Venusian matters of money and love.
Both Mercury and Venus fall into the Ninth House in the US chart, encouraging us to examine our ideals and beliefs around truth and justice.
In Virgo, Venus is in the sign of her fall — waspish, overly critical, and reluctant to take responsibility for her actions, even as she tries her best to clean up the mess. ‘Well, here’s another nice mess you’ve gotten me into!“ she is apt to moan, like Oliver Hardy. The Goddess of Love is separating from a recent opposition to Neptune, God of Dreams: and she is asked to understand that where she finds herself now is in fact the result of her own choices — choices made consciously or otherwise.
Because Saturn at 3 degrees Capricorn forms unpleasant adjusting aspects to both the Sun and Moon at 4 Leo and Aquarius, the Lord of Karma wants you to take responsibility for what you did or didn’t do in the past. Uranus squaring the Nodes of Fate offers an opportunity to mend your ways, to form new patterns and escape the situation. If you find yourself blaming others, however, the heavens will not be particularly happy or helpful.
Carl Jung wrote that “until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” While what you’re going through right now may feel like “fate,” it’s important to understand that choices you have made (including unconscious ones) DID contribute to getting you here.
Make it conscious now, under the light of the Full Moon Eclipse. Admit where you screwed up. Make amends. Resolve to change. Venus in Virgo is approaching a trine to Pluto in Capricorn, holding out the possibility of rewards for good behavior. The converse of Spiderman’s maxim is also true: “With great responsibility, comes great power.” While you might not be able to change the situation immediately before you, you can change what happens next by modifying your behavior now.
The partnership planet, Juno, is on the Part of Death in Friday’s Eclipse chart: so relationships can go very quickly. If you’ve been thinking of leaving, now is the time.
Uranus coming to parallel Regulus and Mercury coming to join the Part of Marriage invites us to make a commitment, to decide what we want to “marry” — better health? a new job? a new love or pet? Partner with your chart!
The Sun and Moon also aspect Terpsichore, the asteroid named for the Goddess of Dance. She and her Muse sisters invite us to choose a dance-partner for the next big chapter of our lives! Offers will be made, invitations will be accepted. So dust off your dancing shoes, and get ready to cha-cha-cha!
And if you’d like to learn more about this week’s Eclipse, including how it might affect your own natal chart, please consider signing up for my next webinar, this Wednesday, July 25 at 7:30 PM.
Big hugs,
Anne
P.S. The image above, which depicts Terpsichore facepalming a cherub, is the work of an unknown 17th century French artist (and it seems to be for sale: more info here!).
