Eclipses

Whenever I begin a lecture or discussion on eclipses, I quote one of the more traditional astronomical definitions of eclipses, " There is a temporary loss of light and we see a shadow." We who work with the world of symbols recognize this statement on many levels-- Light is that which we can see and it is associated with the Sun, which is the representation of our life and life path. The dark is the shadow often associated with Pluto. This March 8, 1997 (Pacific Time), we will have the first Solar eclipse at almost 19 degrees of Pisces occuring which kicks off the next 1 1/2 year cycle. On Sunday, March 23, 1997, we have a full moon Lunar Eclipse at 4 degrees of Libra and Aries. I call this Lunar Eclipse, which is associated with emotional rotorooters, a kind of clean-up eclipse of relationship issues of the last two years. When this first Solar Eclipse, New Moon, occurred in Pisces, it kicked off a similar series of eclipses that were running in Spring, 1979 and continued through 1980. Similar themes of 79 reign supreme in 97 and 98. Before we explore the specifics of these eclipses and how they affect our individual charts, let us explore eclipse "logistics" for more complete interpretations. The eclipses always accompany the transiting Lunar Nodes. The ancient Chinese believed that when the Sun would disappear into the sky during a total eclipse that there was a giant dragon devouring the Sun. Why would a dragon devour the Sun? Perhaps for fuel or food that would help him grow and, thereby, require shedding its skin. This process is necessary, but painful. The transiting North Node is the "Head" of the dragon, where the dragon must dare the universe in the process of its growth and the same is true as to where the transiting North Node is moving through your horoscope. It is where we must focus. The converse, the South Node, or Tail of the Dragon, is where we are being asked to let go of old, outworn and comfortable patterns. It would be very easy to stay at the South Node, but it is not there that we meet our greatest challenges. Since the eclipses always accompany the Moon's nodes, then the eclipses have emotional distinctions. The Solar Eclipses, which are New Moons, trigger events in predictive work, or hash out decisions that are very close to coming to a head. The Lunar Eclipses, which occur on Full Moons, have a kind of emotional breaking out feeling to them. They act as emotional roto-rooters!! The more precisely either the Solar or the Lunar Eclipse aspects a planet in your chart, especially conjunctions, squares, or oppositions, the more precise and "life changing" the events may be in your life. The orbs often used and which most people allow are 2 to 3 degrees. However, the eclipses acting out on a particular axis of your horoscope can act as catalysts for change in those areas of your life, also. Once either the Lunar Eclipse or the Solar Eclipse occurs at a certain position in your chart, you may experience some type of major change related to that transiting hit either three, six, nine, or twelve months later. These simplified three-month periods are associated with either the New or Full Moons that either square, oppose, or again square the original Lunar or Solar eclipse hit. Quite often the Lunar Eclipses hit off within three to six months after they occur, but the effects of the Solar Eclipses seem to have a much longer-term effect. Another very important thing is to watch if any planets transit over the eclipse hits soon after the eclipses occur. For example, if Venus transits over the eclipse point first as it did on March 13, 1997 after the Solar Eclipse of March 8, then the ultimate experience of the eclipse might be more positive. Converse to that, if Mars transits over that same point first, then the effects may be more startling or difficult. One more comment about eclipse hits in the horoscope. Some peoples' horoscopes hit off early and others hit off later. Sometimes the effects of the Solar Eclipse will be felt an entire month before the official hit. Other times it may follow. Always watch which planets of your horoscope the eclipses aspect, the house in which that planet falls, and the house that it rules, for even further, detailed information.