Dear friends,
This week we have a total solar eclipse when the Sun and Moon align in Leo on August 12. There is a wide range of astrologer opinions about eclipses. Some say the effect of an eclipse lasts six month. Some keep track of every eclipse degree and note transits to those degrees which seems to me to be excessively cumbersome. Eclipses are most notable for their emotional intensity and tend to operate as intensified lunations which by themselves can be associated with geocosmic events.
All Leo New Moons are particularly potent because the Moon is in the sign ruled by the Sun, and conjunct the Sun - a peak of solar energies to illuminate and integrate the yin (Moon) and yang (Sun). When the Leo New Moon also eclipses the Sun as it does this year, the instinctive emotions take over and secrets are revealed. This is a South Node eclipse, suggesting that something from the past will be released to help us move past points where we have become stuck. In two weeks when the lunar eclipse aligns with the North Node of destiny, the new and realigned path will become more clear.
I feel there is some significance in the fact that the lunar nodes have just changed signs (read more here) so we are at the beginning of a new karmic phase. In any case, we are firmly in Leo season now so finding ways to release the pain points (stimulated by the ongoing square from Chiron to Pluto) that keep us from dancing into our true selves will be the key to these eclipse energies.
The chart for the eclipse is packed with planetary alignments, so along with the already amplified power of the Leo New Moon, which is eclipsing the Sun, there are also these other planetary boosts, both harmonious and challenging, to power a great deal of action this week. This combination of stressful and supportive alignments suggest that intensity will lead to progress.
Geeky details: There is a Yod (Mercury opposing Pluto with a grand trine in Air with Pluto, Venus and Uranus) and a Mystic Rectangle (Venus trine Pluto and Mercury trine Neptune, with the Mercury/Pluto opposition and Venus opposing Neptune). There are also squares, trines and sextiles galore.
Mars enters Cancer August 11. Because Mars is the planet of aggression and drive it is not very comfortable in the emotional sign of Cancer. While Mars is in Cancer, emotions are heightened and there is much more sensitivity evident in the world around us. Mars is said to be in its fall in Cancer and has difficulty expressing its warlike nature directly. Often anger and irritations tend to be suppressed and burst out inappropriately or with frustration. Remember that everyone is under this influence to some extent, and we will need some patience to avoid overreacting.
Ceres enters Cancer August 12. I like to think of Ceres as the inspiration for care of the body, but also of the soul. Her elevation to planet status came at a time when “wellness” - the idea that taking care of ourselves is important - became a trend. As she moves through the signs we learn the different dimensions of self-care, and in Cancer this comes through associating ourselves with family, or with friends who feel like family. Emotions run deep under Ceres in Moon-ruled Cancer, and our relationship with food and nurturing the body could become somewhat fraught and require a rebalancing in order to achieve that sense of well-being.
And now … on to the forecast for this week.
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Dates and times are for the Eastern time zone, here is a time zone converter to adjust for your locality.) You can download the transit details with the degrees here.
Monday August 10. Monday is the Moon’s day, and the Moon is in her own sign of Cancer and preparing to eclipse the Sun so the lunar energies of feelings and instincts are strong. However, Venus shares the limelight in a dance with the outer planets Pluto and Neptune. A heightened sense of aesthetic harmony is at work here, and this harmony can filter into our relationships and our interactions with others. This is also a fertile time for creative people, and with the eclipse at hand there will be potent energies to channel into the arts and music. In addition, our intuition will be particularly acute this week so we can prepare on Monday by listening to the quiet inner voice that knows the Truth. (Mercury square Chiron 1:15 am, Moon square Saturn 3:30 am, Venus trine Pluto 2:08 pm, Venus opposite Neptune 6:01 pm.)
Tuesday August 11. Tuesday is packed with an unprecedented number of planetary alignments. Mars moves into Cancer early in the morning EDT so already the fever is high. Then the Moon enters Leo soon after and begins activating every planet in the sky, making this a day of emotional highs and lows. In the morning we may feel challenged and sad. In the afternoon we will enjoy more expansive horizons and enlightened relationships. Throughout the day, though, our thinking could be overly intense but also somewhat fuzzy. If you can, put off making big decisions until Thursday when the eclipse influences have waned. (Mars enters Cancer 4:30 am, Moon enters Leo 4:38 am, Moon square Chiron 6:00 am, conjunct Mercury 9:41 am, opposite Pluto 11:03 am, trine Neptune 11:20 am, sextile Venus 12:36 pm, sextile Uranus 1:20 pm, conjunct Jupiter 8:01 pm, Mercury opposite Pluto 9:19 pm, Mercury trine Uranus 11:38 pm, Venus trine Uranus 11:46 pm.)
Wednesday August 12. Wednesday is the eclipse! Those energies will dominate the day and linger into Thursday when the Moon reaches the South Node (see Thursday’s forecast). (Moon trine Saturn 4:28 am, Mars sextile Chiron 10:41 am, Ceres enters Cancer 10:54 am, Solar eclipse (Moon conjunct Sun) Mercury sextile Uranus 4:47 pm.)
Thursday August 13. Although the eclipse is Wednesday, the energies of the eclipse is not over until the actual meeting of the Moon with the South Node early Thursday. (The eclipse occured with the Sun and Moon at 29º Leo and the South Node was at 20º Leo.) This to me is always the symbolic ending of the eclipse, since the eclipse is tied to the lunar nodes, and there is an extra potency to this since the alignment occurs at the 29th degree of Leo, a critical point of endings and beginnings.
The Moon enters Virgo shortly thereafter and helps us to make sense of it all. Under the influence of Virgo it becomes easier to organize our thoughts, and the Moon is assisted by Mercury, harmonizing with Venus to pursue the harmonious flow rather than the path of conflict. (Moon conjunct South Node 5:56 am, Moon enters Virgo 6:18 am, sextile Ceres 6:49 am, trine Chiron 7:41 am, sextile Mars 8:44 am, Mercury sextile Venus 12:22 pm, Moon square Uranus 3:23 pm.)
Friday August 14. Friday’s harmonious sextile from Ceres to Chiron will likely not create even a ripple in the pond of planetary energies this week. Still, if you’ve been wanting a day for self-care and realignment after the eclipse, this is a good day to do it! There is little disruption in the Force from other planetary energies. and tomorrow’s Mercury/Jupiter conjunction bodes well for anything that expands our current state of mind. This is our last day for Virgoan projects, so make your todo list now! (Ceres sextile Chiron 4:00 pm.)
Saturday August 15. The aforementioned Mercury/Jupiter event will linger throughout the day, and the Moon enters Libra in the morning EDT. The Libra Moon encourages kindness and diplomacy, and that is mostly possible on Saturday although there may be a few hours in the afternoon when conflicts could arise. Creativity is abundant on Saturday if you have some projects that require a heightened sensitivity and desire to try something new. (Mercury conjunct Jupiter 7:22 am, Moon enters Libra 10:19 am, square Ceres 12:20 pm, square Mars 3:36 pm, trine Pluto 5:13 pm, opposite Neptune 5:32 pm, trine Uranus 8:04 pm.)
Sunday August 16. Sunday morning brings abundant planetary blessings for harmony and ease, but midday some tension could become apparent. A challenging Mars aspect will begin to form clouds of confusion on Sunday that will darken as the day goes on. Mars is in Cancer now, and emotions can be clouded with anger which can make it more difficult to pursue the Libran path to peace.
These tensions will continue into Monday morning, but other happier alignments will begin to take over. (Moon conjunct Venus 3:10 am, sextile Jupiter 5:02 am, sextile Mercury 8:20 am, opposite Saturn 12:27 pm. Monday: Mars square Neptune 5:52 am.)
I hope you have an inspired and magical week! Thank you for subscribing. 💖
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