We are coming now into the Eclipse season again, a time when the Full Moon and New Moons become Lunar and Solar Eclipses as the Sun and Moon come into alignment. The first of these is a Lunar Eclipse on the 18th October 2013, one which this time occurs in Aries at 25:45 degrees.
Lunar eclipses seem to have a much more subtle emotional effect on us and certainly are much more tied to relationships compared to Solar eclipses which in my experience are more tied to events in our lives, although not exclusively so. This particular eclipse hitting across the Aries Libra axis is definitely a relationship based eclipse in my estimation, highlighting the self and what we want as individuals (Aries) compared to what our partners and people we associate with want and need (Libra). Any Lunar eclipse is really a very powerful full Moon and all full Moons reveal and point out resolutions in our lives, they tend to highlight the final manifestations of the decisions that we made. What will this Lunar Eclipse reveal over the next six months? The snapshot of the position of the other planets provide the subplot that is going on.
To begin with this is a bold Aries Moon being eclipsed. Aries Moons are forthright and will not hold back. The emotions are straightforward and honest and the culmination of the plans that we have had in the previous weeks and months will be acted upon now in a straightforward and honest manner. Aries Moons rush in where others fear to tread and thus the temptation here is to act emotionally in a more selfish and individual manner, thinking of yourself and your own needs rather that looking out for others. Now square to this eclipse we find Jupiter in Cancer and this is likely to bring optimism, expansion or complacency brought in by an outside factor in the particular areas of life that this eclipse affects and that of course is tied to the house on your own chart that it lands in. This is something I that I will highlight later on at the end of this article. Remember, wherever it does land, matters of internal emotions and relationships are bound to be spotlighted.
Jupiter at the time of this eclipse will be sitting on the star Castor, one of the main stars in the constellation of Gemini. This is the more creative of the twins of Gemini (the other being Pollux) and this conjunction has the meaning of bringing two widely different elements together, for uniting very separate entities into one. You know, this does remind me of the relationship process, where two often very different people get together to form a couple. The Moon in Aries will certainly give us impetus to act to make these decisions and it does strengthen my view that this is an eclipse with at the heart of it the themes of relating.
The other really important close aspect that occurs at the time of this lunar eclipse is an opposition between Mars in Virgo and Neptune in Pisces. Mars precipitates action of all kinds and Neptune clouds these with either a creative and inspirational hue, an air of confusion or even deception. Neptune also degrades and dissolves as a direct influence and the vitality of Mars will be lessened because of this opposition. Actions that you want to or need to carry out can fall to pieces, they might be disrupted and brought into disrepute. If you are a creative or more artistic soul, then you may benefit from the inspiration that this opposition brings as you will be challenged to see your work or your activities in a new and differing light.
If we are talking on a more relationship and emotional level because this is a lunar eclipse in Mars’ ruling sign, then the matters of physical love and sex will come inevitably to the fore. Virgo as a sign has the reputation as being a rather shy, timid and modest one, however in matters of intimacy and sex I have found that this not to be the case. Virgo is an earth sign and all three of these (the other two are Taurus and Capricorn) are connected with earthly and sensual pleasures. In my humble eyes, I think that Mars in Virgo has a rather more forward reputation than you would expect, indeed it is very interested in the “technique” of love making, and thus getting it exactly right. As you will know, practice makes perfect!! So, with this in mind and taking into consideration the fact that Mars in Virgo opposes Neptune, will the physical love (Mars) that you experience and desire in the next six months really living up to the ideals (Neptune) that you are setting? Will you start a dream love affair that is hidden behind the foggy veil that Neptune descends over your life? In reverse, will you be the victim of an unrequited love or a deceptive lover that internally makes you suffer and then breaks your heart? Will the relationship between you and your partner become more spiritually bonded and will the physical side of your love be not so important as it once was? In the wake this eclipse, maybe one or more of these questions will be posed to you in some way?
I think that this is the one aspect on this whole chart that is the one to beware. The Aries Moon and Mars which it is associated with wants you step forward, but Neptune blindfolds you and makes each step like one into the unknown. This opposition is effectively a trapdoor waiting for you to fall down, and one which is hidden away as well so you won’t realize you have problems until it is too late.
On this eclipse chart, we do have an exciting trine from the planet of relationships Venus to Uranus which will spur us on to be a little reckless with our personal resources and money and also brings us into contact with unexpected people and events that may shape the relationships that we have quite profoundly. Mercury in conjunction with Saturn also makes a strong trine to Jupiter allowing us to think big and expansively, however in a realistic manner too. The minor details are not so important as the overall impact of the ideas and plans that we will lay down in the next six months.
Saturn at this time will be making conjunctions with the stars Acrux and Alphecca. Saturn and Acrux is naturally associated with the physical world and the permanent structures that we can build into our lives, the ones that affect our earning capacity and Alphecca’s link to Saturn bring the chance for great rewards, but with a price attached. If you are tempted to start something now, remember that for all the benefits that you can accrue, you will in time have to make some sacrifices too. If you take all these influences together as a whole, then I can see the real possibility of seeing growth through merger and shared agreements, both personal terms and in professional ones as well. In this regard, this really is quite an exciting Lunar eclipse this time around, but one we must be guarded against all the same, especially because of that Neptune Mars opposition that could put a great big spanner in the works if you are not careful. Mistakes can be makes in your actions, seemingly without you realising it.
Behind all of this, we still have a Uranus Pluto square which is active at the time of this eclipse urging us very slowly in some cases to adapt and change our lives quite radically and incorporate new energies into our existence. Those of you who are Aquarians or Scorpios, have these signs rising or have Suns or Moons in the earlier degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) will have already experienced massive changes already in your lives because of this square and because this eclipse occurs in one of those Cardinal signs, it will hit a very personal area of your chart again. Those with Aries rising will be concerned with the self and how you look and how you relate to other people, the home life and family will be causes of concern for those with Capricorn rising and how it affects your career and ambitions. The matters of permanent partners and relationships and your need for a little more independence and freedom to act as you wish will take up the time of those with Libra rising and work and career matters pitted against your family and personal security are likely to be targeted again for those of you with Cancer rising.
For the rest of you, if you are a Taurus rising then matters of a more psychological and emotional issues, or those to do with spiritual or suffering against your health and routine may be prevalent in the next 6 months. Gemini rising souls will find that cooperation and matters concerning friends will be very important against your individual impulses and creativity. Leo rising individuals will be emotionally affected by learning and faith issues and how you communicate them, Virgo rising people by sharing, intimacy and possibly the darker side of life, be it death or things that are unexplained against what you personally need and desire. Scorpio rising will have the issues of health matters and everyday work against the sacrifices that you must make, as well as relationships with work colleagues. Sagittarius rising will have to deal with affairs of the heart, your individual creative freedom and maybe children pitted against your friends, your hopes and dreams and those you have to cooperate and compromise with. Aquarius rising will find the need to tackle issues of communication, of individuals in their local area, with close relatives and neighbours against your higher beliefs and your right to say and do what you want and finally Pisces rising will have issues surrounding their self worth and personal finances and possessions as against what their partners own and earn, as well as their willingness to share with you.
If you would like a more personalised look at the next six months via my eclipse report (looking at both this Lunar Eclipse and the Solar Eclipse that follows on from this on 3rd November) then please either click on the link I provide here or on the one at the top of the web page below the Solaris Astrology title.
Click here to order my Eclipse Report (both Lunar and Solar Eclipses for Autumn/Fall 2013)
