Stranger in a Strange Land: Mars in Libra

Hernan Cortez "greeting" Montezuma in Mexico City. He could have probably
benefited from a higher understanding of Mars in Libra, or maybe Mexico would have.

The planet Mars will be in tropical Libra until Jan 3, 2016. Mars last moved through Libra in early 2014 where it spent quite a bit of time due to its retrograde cycle (from March to late May 2014). Reflect back on the momentum you were building at that point in your life. Where has it carried you now? Are you getting the results that you wanted? If you’ve stuck with it, congratulate yourself on the new you that has emerged from that cycle. In our classical system of astrology, Libra is a bad place for Mars to be since it is in the sign opposite its sign of rulership. From an evolutionary astrological standpoint, there is no such thing as a “bad” place for any planet to be, though Libra can render Mars feeling like a stranger in a strange land; it can feel a little uncomfortable. But being uncomfortable or feeling awkward is a normal response to any foreign environment, and it’s where we all start when we try a new experience.

What this means is that Mars’ usual tactics (full throttle momentum; let’s smoke em’ out) don’t work. For you, that means that you may find yourself having to contend with other people’s realities, routines, and certain social formalities more than usual. If you’re usually quite forward, direct, and aggressive in nature, you’ll likely feel as if you have to restrain yourself due to current circumstances. Imagine a rough and rugged, gun-toting cowboy suddenly finding himself at a cotillion or an aristocratic dinner banquet. Feel the awkwardness there? You get the idea. To ease the discomfort, you’ll find it best to learn from those whose perspectives are different than your own. The more you try to fight against those differing perspectives, the more frustration you’re likely to experience, and the less likely you’ll be positively received.

In other words, whatever you’re trying to put out there will succeed only by opening your heart and mind to input, feedback and an ability to be cognizant of alternative perspectives. To get what you want requires that you try a different tactic then you’re used to. Mars in Libra is actually a good time to change the way you go after what you want in life and how you initiate change. Life gets rather frustrating, dull and boring when you do the same thing over and over again, trying the same tactics, and wondering why they don’t work anymore, or why people aren’t responding. The reason at this point is clearly because you need to open yourself up to the reality of other people and learn a thing or two.

When Mars gets it right in Libra, it takes on new qualities and perspectives that weren’t there before. The cowboy becomes a little less rugged, knows how to clean himself up and can carry on a casual conversation about current politics or the height of the French Rococo art movement. That doesn’t mean that you completely change who you are, but that you are simply humble enough to admit that you are incomplete in and of yourself. There is a whole world of people out there who could teach you something useful, who can make you more interesting or better-rounded than you currently are. If you choose to stick to the usual habits, then Mars in Libra may indeed feel like a “bad” place to be. But when you genuinely open your heart to some new experience, you’ll find that you have more clarity and a better sense of where you fit in the world and the social environment that you are a part of.

For personal readings and consultations, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com

Reaching Out From the Dark: New Moon in Scorpio 2015

A single tree highlighted by a shaft of sunlight through the dark
forest of Coed Moel Famau; photo by John S. Turner, 2009.

New Moon @ 19 Scorpio 01'

12:47 PM Pacific

9:47 AM Eastern

As the Sun and Moon come together in the sign of Scorpio, you may find yourself needing to face the reality of situations that you don’t want to acknowledge. Scorpio is an archetype that embodies the awareness of uncomfortable truths—those things in our lives that the mind and ego would rather ignore. But our subjugation of anything, either personal or cultural, only amplifies its influence and control over our lives. The planet Mercury joins this New Moon, bringing with it an expansion of perception to include a greater awareness of what you have been ignorant of or have chosen not to deal with.

You can still choose to ignore it; nothing will stop you, but you will have to continue your life knowing that something dark and potentially troublesome will be left to fester and grow within you. In this dark of the Moon, you have the opportunity to set in motion a strategy to bring consciousness and awareness to that which is unknown to you. And what is unknown isn’t always as bad as you think it is, but the only way to find out is to be brave enough to step into the dark consciously.

The planet Mars is nearing the end of its passage through Virgo and is about to enter Libra to align with the North Node of the Moon. As Mars nears the cusp of Virgo, it correlates to this feeling of something that’s “about to explode”. Mars is activating the intersection between the personal and the collective. Put simply, it brings to the surface events that affect us all, collective events that seep into our personal lives. It symbolizes the emergence of issues that are much bigger than you alone.

And as you choose to deal with situations you’ve buried or pushed aside, you have the opportunity to reach out and ask for help. Take the initiative and admit that you’re scared or that you need support and assistance. A new cycle is emerging that invites you to stop sitting alone in that dark corner. The world is populated with a lot of other people who can help you if you know where to look or who to ask, but that will require vulnerability.

In your personal or intimate relationships, this New Moon requires opening up and getting real about what you have been ignoring. It also requires that you open your mind and perception to include input from others you trust and rely on. If you can approach this moment with honesty, realism, and humility, as well as a willingness to face some uncomfortable material, you will have succeeded in illuminating some mysteries (whether they’re what you feared or not), leading potentially to rapid healing and transmutation. Whatever the reality of the situation, try to acknowledge that help and support is available to you if you’re willing to receive it. You don’t have to face this darkness alone.

For personal readings and consultations, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com.  

Calming the Chaos: Full Moon in Taurus 2015

Coast Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), Redwoods State Park, Capitola, Ca;
photo by Allie Caulfield, 2012.

Full Moon @ 3 Taurus 45'

October 27, 2015

8:05 AM Eastern

5:05 AM Pacific

There are many situations that may be coming to a head with the Full Moon in tropical Taurus, but particularly those involving an expansion or breaking point in your closest relationships. The planet Venus rules this Full Moon, and she is just separating from her last conjunction with Jupiter in Virgo. This cycle has likely tied together events that began brewing in July and August of this year, events relating to separation or the acquisition of love in your life. Venus and Jupiter can inflate those wounds related to the heart chakra—wounds of unrequited love or heartbreak from those we most cherished in the past. Additionally, Venus and Jupiter can amplify your need for connection, bonding and negotiation.

The Taurus side of Venus highlights the need to find peace, stability and calm in a sometimes chaotic, frightening, and unpredictable environment. The Sun has recently moved into Scorpio, a sign that invokes the “dark side” of the psyche—those places we culturally subjugate due to a primal, and emotionally turbulent nature. Venus finds herself between both Jupiter and Mars. As she approaches her conjunction with Mars (on Nov. 2), you may be feeling a powerful urge and desire to improve your relationships in some way, to bring healing and integration to misunderstandings, confusion, or disagreements. This conjunction marks the beginning of a new cycle of purifying our connections with others at this time.

Equally, you may feel compelled to seek out the ideal in any relationship that begins now. But do keep in mind that perfection is always an unrealistic expectation for anyone. That doesn’t mean that you should keep your expectations low, but to simply be realistic in what you expect from someone right now. Excessive fault finding will lead to someone falling short of the unattainable, and that could lead to missing an opportunity to really connect. Remember also, that what we see in others is often a reflection of those very things within ourselves. If someone falls short of your ideal, it could be an indication about something you need to improve in yourself.

The Taurus/Scorpio polarity, highlighted by this Full Moon, points us directly to this brewing conjunction at the beginning of November. Self-improvement and performance enhancement are critical themes right now. Clearing the crap within your relationships that are in the way of real, authentic growth could be another. But the bottom line issue highlighted by this Full Moon, what may not be so apparent, involves the ability to effectively communicate with another person, on a level that reaches them and connects with who they really are. That requires compassion, but above all else a certain level of empathy. And equally, the real challenge with this Full Moon seems to be the problem of asserting independence and honoring the need for freedom while effectively reaching others where they currently stand.

Every opposition is an opportunity to reach a point of reconciliation. The need to create a compromise is arising now, but in the end, we can only do our best, and let others do what they must do, because you can’t control another’s actions, but sometimes the choices of those we love, choices that are sometimes painful, are still pieces of our own psyche, fragments of our own issues. What do we do with that? We simply acknowledge that reality and trust that things are to unfold in the best possible way, even if that’s uncomfortable or difficult to do. If you find yourself in doubt, trust the impulse arising from the Full Moon in Taurus. It invites you to find your center, grounded here and now on this beautiful planet that holds and supports you. Taurus acknowledges the chaos and drama of life, but it has the potential to not get swept up by it, to stand stall as a beacon of stability in the universe.

For personal readings and consultations, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com. Also, head over to my readings/consultations page for reading options and pricing. 

Beyond the Projections: Venus opposing Neptune

Venus between Mars and Neptune; by Giovanni Battista Zelotti; oil on canvas, 1555.

Over the next several days, the planet Venus (the goddess of love, beauty, and pleasure) will be opposing the planet Neptune (the planet of illusion, mysticism, and cultural idealism). The exact opposition will peak on Oct. 16, just a day before Mars and Jupiter conjoin in tropical Virgo. So, over the next few days, be mindful of your projections—what you’re projecting to others and what you’re projecting onto others. That is to say, what you are presenting yourself to be and how it is you perceive another person. In modern astrology, we say that Neptune is a “higher” vibration of Venus, which means that it is an expression of Venusian beauty and idealism within a higher octave. Neptune relates to experiences of a transcendent nature, often overwhelming to the individual. Thus, Neptune seeks to dissolve our ego-based attitudes and perceptions to allow one access to the “higher self”. As the final barrier of ego, Neptune is like the cell wall separating the self from the deeper reaches of the unconscious—the realm of the soul.

This opposition may allow you to step back and observe your projections for what they are. You can easily be fooled right now if you take anything at face value. That’s not to say that beauty is ultimately deceptive, but that beauty represents an ideal of perfection which we as human beings can only strive to become—to get closer to the “divine”. Under any combination of Neptune and Venus, idealism runs rampant. Romanticism and fantasy become incredibly influential. That’s not to say that we’re all being fooled right now—that love and pleasure represents a temptation, trick, or snare. This stage of the cycle requires full consciousness and full disclosure of intentions and feelings. If you are honest and upfront about what you want, you will represent yourself more truthfully and allow those projections to dissolve to ultimately reveal the higher expression of the opposition: true soul contact.

There’s something incredibly magical about staring into another person’s eyes and seeing them as they actually are. There’s also something incredibly frightening and vulnerable about it too. And the emergence of your fears will allow you to explore just where they’re truly coming from. This is a time to open your heart to someone—not just romantically or sexually, but equally to anyone you find closest to you. Neptune seeks to dissolve those facades that are not in alignment with whom you truly are or who someone else truly is. The fear points to the root of the issue—what you don’t want to face: that true soul contact, when it’s really authentic, melts away the barriers revealing the wounds in your heart you don’t wish to acknowledge. It is through the disillusionment, when we allow it to happen, that we eventually find the clarity we’re seeking.

So what are you really projecting onto another person? Always, how we perceive another person stems from our own constructions of reality. We project something within ourselves. If we don’t like it, we often blame the other person for having so many faults or that they couldn’t live up to the ideal we created for them. Rarely, do we ever see people as they truly are. If you don’t like me, it’s your problem. It stems from your own issues. And that’s fine. We don’t need to cut through all of our crap in one day, or even in one lifetime. But simply acknowledging that, that how you perceive another person comes from a distorted perspective of yourself, you can let go of projecting blame and ultimately heal and move on. Let’s be mindful of this truth over the next several days. Mars and Jupiter will conjoin the following day (Oct. 17). In the “lower” expression, our false projections can lead to petty arguments or outbursts that may be unnecessary had we represented ourselves more authentically.

The conjunction of Mars and Jupiter represents the beginning of a cycle of conscious and courageous expansion toward self-improvement. Ultimately, we are seeking to move assertively in the direction of experiences that will take us to a better place and help us move in alignment with our evolutionary potential. Getting hung up over petty details, or spinning your wheels over the ramifications of inauthentic self-expression will likely distract you from what you need to be focusing on right now. If you ride this wave consciously and fearlessly, you will be on a direct pathway toward more wholeness and toward the attainment of your ideals. What do you need to work on now? If you continue to move past the illusions, past the projections, and beyond the blame, pain and denial, eventually, you will come to see clearly what needs to happen next and just where your energy needs to go. And it requires work and conscious effort to see reality as it truly is. While that may be a never-ending process, every step, hypothetically speaking, brings you closer to wholeness and the truth within your soul.

For personal readings and consultations, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com. Also, visit my readings/consultations page for readings options and pricing. 

The Sweetness of Union: New Moon in Libra 2015

A Venus and Jupiter conjunction in March 2011; taken in Jíloviště, Czech Republic;
photo by PetrS, Wikimedia Commons.

New Moon @ 19 Libra 20'

October 12, 2015

8:06 PM Eastern

5:06 PM Pacific

Mercury recently turned stationary direct (Oct. 9) after its retrograde cycle through the sign of Libra. After three weeks of reshuffling, reorienting or stepping back, you may be feeling as if things are slowly going back to normal, whatever that is for you. And as Mercury gradually builds back its direct momentum, the Sun and Moon conjoin in Libra to initiate the new lunar cycle. Libra highlights your ability to relate and find commonality with others. There is a strong social streak to Libra, and you may notice that your desire to connect to create harmony and understanding is particularly pronounced.

The challenge that accompanies this lunation lies in the New Moon’s opposition to Uranus in Aries, as well as the building conjunction of Mars and Jupiter in Virgo. It may feel as if many things are hanging in the air—suspended in some sense of stasis. The polarity of Libra and Aries symbolizes that primal yin and yang, the dichotomy of chaos/initiation and order/integration. A New Moon brings in a new wave of potential, and a fresh perspective waiting to germinate within the psyche. On the one end, there is the stability of what works and what is known. On the other end is the potential for a fresh start and a new adventure.

Uranus seeks independence and always brings about that insatiable desire to stay true to yourself no matter what. At what point does “keeping the peace” suffocate individual self-expression and the freedom to be yourself? And conversely, when does too much focus on your own needs and direction eliminate any possibility of equanimity and understanding in your relationships? Balancing the two is never easy, and sometimes you need to swing more in one direction to balance out the other. This lunation won’t give you a clear answer. You will only know by turning inward and reflecting on what needs to happen.

But one thing is clear. At this point, your perspective has changed. You’ve had some time to sleep on some things (about three weeks to be exact). If it’s ever going to be clear, it’s going to be now. Use this lunar cycle to gather the courage and strength to begin stepping consciously toward the direction that will bring about more balance in your life as well the opportunity for further growth and change. Both ends of this New Moon must be heard and integrated; freedom and compromise must find their place. But ultimately, I believe, we are here to grow always toward new experience. What has outlived its purpose in your life may need to stay in the past. And the future, well, that’s up to you to create.

Mars is approaching a conjunction to Jupiter in Virgo and will be exact on Oct. 17. This conjunction appears to be one piece of a building archetypal drama currently unfolding in the sky. Venus will conjoin Jupiter on Oct. 25 and then Mars and Venus will conjoin on Nov. 2. Again, we can’t help but notice the correlation between these conjunctions and the current emphasis in Libra. Relationships are seemingly the main focus here. And relationships take on many shapes and forms, from intimate to platonic or professional. Mars and Jupiter in Virgo can highlight certain flaws in people you are closest to, flaws that may seem petty yet they have enough power to ignite a conversation about it.

In its lower expression, Mars and Jupiter can correlate to the ignition of petty arguments over laundry, dirty dishes, or a messy bed. In its higher expression, the ability to assert yourself and your observations in a clear, direct, and calm manner. Remember, that while Virgo always looks for room for improvement, absolute perfection is ultimately an unrealistic goal or expectation. From another perspective, Mars and Jupiter can stimulate the impetus to attain something you desperately desire. In Virgo, you are likely to feel compelled to enhance your competence or performance, or to reach for an experience that will benefit further evolutionary growth. This fleeting conjunction opens a window of opportunity, one that will need to be acted upon before you miss out. But remember that Mars and Jupiter may equally tempt you to take on too much, creating the potential of overwhelming or injuring yourself in the process. Be mindful of what you’re capable of and your limitations.

Venus will conjoin Jupiter following Mars (Oct. 25). This is the third conjunction of Venus and Jupiter this year. If you reflect back on the previous two conjunctions, but particularly the first (Jul. 1), you may notice that events occurring at that time are coming back into focus in some way, or that you are coming to a different place in your relationship to what had transpired. The first conjunction could have related to separation, moving away from something you wanted to gain clarity and a renewed perspective. To quote one of my favorite writers (Jason Horsley), “the sweetness of union can only draw flavor from the pain of separation.” This month’s final conjunction of Venus and Jupiter may relate to a final conclusion about a particular “object of desire”. Is the separation ultimately a good thing, or can you simply not live without it? You will likely to come to a sound conclusion, but framed within the context of improving your life and furthering personal growth (Virgo).

Venus and Jupiter will conjoin within orb of contact with Mars and will receive an opposition from Chiron in Pisces. This final conjunction of Venus and Jupiter may open up an opportunity to bring wholeness and healing to particular relationships. That may require taking direct action and assessing your attitude toward some people in your life. With their placement in Virgo, you are given a chance to heal any wounds or toxic emotional baggage that may have been accumulated. Jupiter and Venus coming into contact with Chiron can open up heart wounds that have been buried or forgotten. These wounds may reemerge to find integration within consciousness. And ultimately, this conjunction symbolizes that the time has come to face your feelings head on and to trust what the moment brings to your attention. If you can balance between taking the initiative and surrendering to the process at hand, you have the potential to come to a more balanced and conscious place in your relationships.

Finally, at the beginning of November, Mars and Venus will conjoin one last time until Oct. 2017 (after two previous conjunctions, Feb. 21 and Aug. 31 of this year). This rather “sexy” conjunction finds itself in the sign of the Virgin. Rather ironic? Because of that association, Virgo is often perceived to be overtly conservative, but that doesn’t mean that Virgo can’t be sexy or enjoy great sex. I mean, take a look at the late 1960’s and its association with the Uranus and Pluto conjunction in Virgo. Free love was everywhere. Of course, Pluto and Uranus were simply breaking the collective free of its prudish shackles, introducing an “earthy” and natural sense of sexuality that had been lost from modern, western consciousness. Venus and Mars conjoining in Virgo represent the ignition of the sexual instinct guided consciously, and toward the betterment of each person involved.

This final conjunction of Mars and Venus may be rather symbolic for you, tying together the events occurring during the last two, earlier this year and at the end of August. These two planets won’t conjoin at all in 2016, so it’s time we choose to integrate them. On a psychological level, these conjunctions in Virgo urge us, in some way, to improve ourselves and our relationships with those closest to us. The rest of this month may have you placing your attention on the need for independence and freedom as well as your need to maintain the relationships in your life that truly matter. This is a time to rise above petty issues and to take accountability to communicate yourself clearly and honestly. And the highest understanding of Libra is that our relationships are a direct reflection of fragments within our own psyches. Look carefully and soberly at your interactions over the coming weeks. You may notice that many issues may not only lie within that person, but may be projections of your own mind and your own issues. When you accept that, that only you are ultimately responsible for those projections, you can stop blaming and take back your power to truly live your life and follow your own path. It might take some work and conscious effort, but the results will certainly be worth it. 

If you're interested in a personal reading, please send me an e-mail directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com. Also, visit my readings/consultations page on my blog for reading options and pricing. 

The Risk of Existence: Total Lunar Eclipse and Supermoon in Aries 2015

Total Lunar Eclipse August 2007; photo by Steve Ryan.

Total Lunar Eclipse @ 04 Aries 40'

September 27, 2015

10:50 PM Eastern

7:50 PM Pacific

This month’s Full Moon closes the final eclipse portal for 2015. While also a total lunar eclipse, this lunation also happens to be a Supermoon. That sounds pretty intense, doesn’t it? Well, don’t panic but you may want to be extra mindful of other people as well as your own unconscious impulses or reactions. The term Supermoon was coined by an astrologer and surprisingly it’s caught on, even in the astronomical community (believe it or not). A Supermoon occurs when the Moon is at its perigee (closest approach to the Earth) while also in an opposition to the Sun (from our geocentric perspective).

In other words, a Supermoon actually appears slightly larger in the sky and is closer to the Earth than other Full Moons. What’s the significance? Well, according to some, a Supermoon can correlate (or actually cause) an increase in things like earthquakes or anomalous weather. And being closer to the earth, it tends to amplify the psychic impact of the Full Moon. I haven’t personally paid much attention to this so I can’t say whether that’s true or not, but I won’t leave it out of the realm of possibility (I practice astrology; I have an incredibly open mind). But, to top things off, this Supermoon is also a total lunar eclipse, and for those of us here in the northern hemisphere, it will be visible and quite active in the collective psyche.

We can anticipate some interesting events to hit the news. That’s always a certainty with eclipses when they’re visible over a certain region. Will this eclipse also bring about some pronounced natural phenomena? It’s possible, but I wouldn’t go worrying about it or expecting some disaster that will make your life more interesting, or worse, distract you from dealing with the reality that lies before you. In fact, a lunar eclipse is an opportune time to focus more inwardly and internally, as well as to be aware of your conscious perception more than usual. If you can step back and observe yourself and others with perceptiveness and focus, you’ll be less likely to get swept up in any kind of “lunacy” that may be surrounding this event.

Full Moons always bring about a culmination of a particular process. With that comes an increase in energy, motivation, and activity. But a lunar eclipse brings in a darker element. Eclipses open up portals within the conscious life narrative; they reveal windows into the dimensions of the psyche we tend to not want to acknowledge in our everyday lives. So, often, the eclipse energy is accompanied by a subtle yet noticeable ambiance of mystery, uncertainty, and sometimes an amplification of certain fears. This can correlate with the dredging up of feelings and emotions that have been stored away in the deeper recesses of our minds. 

The best way to deal with this is to simply go through whatever comes up for you but to do your best to remain calm and not allow the feelings to overwhelm you. If you can do that, just hold space for the experience and allow it to pass through you, you’ll find that these events are not really so terrible. But then again, we can’t control how other people choose to respond their own psychic processes. So, just be mindful and conscious on the day of and during the days surrounding this event of how other people may be reacting. This lunation occurs in the tropical zodiac sign of Aries. Those of us with an emphasis in Aries or cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn) may find this particular lunation more impactful or significant, though don’t expect it to change your life.

The Arian archetype can be explosive, impulsive, assertive and restless. Combined with the Supermoon and lunar eclipse, there is a lot of energy and momentum packed into this lunation. That’s great if you can channel this into something healthy and meaningful for you. Not so great if you find yourself trying to force something to happen when the timing just isn’t right (because Mercury is still retrograde). Allow this lunation to motivate you in some way and use that motivation to rework whatever you’re focusing on. While the energy may be available, don’t go charging into battle just yet (don’t take on too much or hurt yourself). But you can use this heightened and catalytic fuel to make some positive changes, both within yourself, your life, or with something you’ve been working on.

On the other end of the polarity, the Sun, Mercury, North Node, and Juno are all clustered in the sign of Libra. This brings in an obvious “social” element. With Mercury retrograde, we are likely finding that we’re focused on mending, rebuilding or releasing our connection to certain “bridges” with others (intimate or professional relationships or friendships). While this is a South Node lunar eclipse, there is a need to let go and release certain fears or anxieties and step into a healthier relationship with those you truly love and care for. Sometimes, you need to step back to get clear about those in your life. This may symbolize a time when you are able to break through certain barriers because you have earned enough strength and confidence to deal with them more soberly and appropriately.

As I said, Full Moons are a time of culmination, a time of blossoming. Whether super or eclipsed, Full Moons bring about awareness and bring things to a head or boiling point. The sign of Aries symbolizes the life force energy in its most pure, raw and primal state. As the Earth’s shadow slowly dims the light of the Full Moon, it symbolizes the dawning of realizations and a threshold crossed within the psyche that reveals what was previously concealed. Aries seeks adventure, challenge, and risk. It reminds us what it means to be alive, to truly be awake and aware of our existence. Feel that sense of aliveness within yourself during this eclipse. It has the power to push you toward something, something that feeds you and that fills you with life and vitality. In case you forgot, you’re still living. Something within you wants to live. And to live requires a risk because life itself never guarantees survival. We have to fight for our right to live, our right to be alive. Are you ready and willing to live, to live vibrantly and courageously? The choice is yours.

For personal readings and consultations, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com. Also, head over to my readings/consultations page for reading options, pricing, and more information. 

Gifts from the Great Mystery: Partial Solar Eclipse in Virgo 2015

Partial solar eclipse of the midnight Sun in Tromso, Norway; photo
by Rhys Jones, June 2011.

Partial Solar Eclipse @ 20 Virgo 10'

September 12, 2015

11:41 PM Pacific

September 13, 2015

2:41 AM Eastern

This month’s New Moon initiates the final eclipse season of 2015, which means that this New Moon is also a solar eclipse. To many ancient cultures, eclipses were ominous astronomical events perceived as omens of death, disease, and potential destruction. They were so important to ancient astrologers/astronomers that they painstakingly worked to predict their occurrences. It’s true that in modern, mundane astrology, eclipses are often seen to correlate with political changes and significant collective events, especially if they’re visible over a specific region. On a personal level, eclipses have a definite effect, though their influence in our personal horoscopes is often hard to see if there’s any at all.

This month’s New Moon is a partial solar eclipse in the tropical sign of Virgo, and will only be visible to a few regions below the equator. So, it won’t have much of a correlation to anything major here in the northern hemisphere, but that doesn’t mean it won’t permeate throughout the collective psyche. According to our theories the more total the eclipse the more influential it is. So, this isn’t an exceptionally potent eclipse. A solar eclipse happens when the declination of the Sun and Moon during their monthly conjunction is aligned in such a way that the Moon literally passes over the Sun. During a partial eclipse, both objects are only slightly aligned, resulting in a partial blotting out of the Sun’s light as the Moon passes by.

Symbolically speaking, the unconscious momentarily trumps the conscious mind. What a wonderful opportunity. During a partial eclipse, it’s like letting the lid off just a little bit, to allow some otherwise hidden insights to become revealed. Eclipses are moments of reflection and a time to step back and observe yourself more deeply. They can be opportunities to view your reality from a different vantage point, and to allow a minor reconfiguration of your psyche to take place. In other words, if you are conscious of this process, you come out of the eclipse portal renewed and your ego slightly altered. That’s because the eclipse has the power to make the ego a little more transparent. 

Your facades become obviously superficial and from there you can make some minor adjustments.

This partial solar eclipse also occurs in direct opposition to the centaur object Chiron in the tropical sign of Pisces. Chiron is said to have an affinity with the sign of Virgo. That doesn’t mean that it “rules” Virgo, but that it has a resonance with the archetype. Why is that? According to the myth, Chiron was shot by a poison arrow, and being immortal, he faced an eternity of pain and suffering (don’t worry he was eventually liberated from such a fate in the end). Chiron was a master of the healing arts (including astrology), and so Chiron has this affinity with the archetype of the Wounded Healer. It symbolizes overcoming pain and suffering to give something back to others—to share some healing gift or magical power. The sign of Virgo is associated with service, competence, skillfulness, and being of use.

The sign of Virgo is an impulse within the psyche to strive for some ideal of perfection—to improve and better oneself and one’s life circumstances. Thus, these themes are likely to be floating around with this eclipse. You may have subtle insights about how you can shift a wound through a shift of your perception about it. It’s amazing how powerful the mind truly is, how you can focus so much on something that hurts you that you can actually make it louder, make it stronger. And sometimes, all you need to do is shift your attention to someone else, or some other task that gives you a sense of purpose and meaning, and suddenly what hurt doesn’t hurt so much.

Chiron in Pisces is a “mystical” force. It brings you the message that healing can sometimes be miraculous. How does that happen? It’s often a mystery to the mind, and especially to the doctors who diagnosed you with a terminal illness. The power of a belief can be so influential that it may have the power to kill you or completely reverse your condition. This solar eclipse may serve to remind you that you are not a diagnosis; you don’t fit into a neat and perfect little box. You are a complex, spiritual being with a unique path and destiny. And your experiences, whether positive and negative, are uniquely your own. Your healing path is uniquely your own. And guess what. The body wants to heal as much as the mind does.

Sometimes, your body manifests things to get your attention about something you’re not doing, or something you’re not seeing or wanting to acknowledge. Illness is always an opportunity to acquire wisdom. Chiron requires that we bring forth a special gift, but that requires conscious effort to hone the appropriate skills. And because the gift lies in the wound, we don’t want to go there. We’d rather distract ourselves then make the effort to bring it forth and into the world. But that is usually not the wisest strategy. When Virgo is highlighted, we need to get to work, and we need to focus on obtaining competence, which comes from practice and application of our skills.

Consider that this eclipse moment merely points the way; it brings about the insight and realization. The path will unfold throughout this current lunar cycle, reaching a breakthrough point at the total lunar eclipse in Aries two weeks from now. When we stop focusing on “getting it right” or “making it perfect”, and we just take the steps to get there, things often have a way of miraculously coming together, and what we create, what we give to the world, is truly beyond what we even imagined it could be. That’s because what’s inside of us comes from some other place. And we are only the conduit for the gifts given by the great mystery. 

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