Stepping into the Light: Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius 2017

Light beams into an Arizona "slot canyon" near Page, Arizona; photo by Carol M. Highsmith.

Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse @ 15 Aquarius 25'

August 7, 2017

11:11 AM Pacific

2:11 PM Eastern

My experience of eclipse season is always different, but suffused with mystery each time. Eclipses can generate an awareness of something larger, more powerful running the show. Since so much seems to be happening due to a mysterious “acceleration” effect (of which eclipses tend to correlate with), eclipse season can feel overwhelming and we can easily get caught up in dramas and events that feel beyond our control. That’s why it’s important to be mindful. Keep your focus on your thoughts, emotions, and reactions. Find your center. I’m not suggesting that you suppress or avoid anything that arises, but do keep yourself in check. Eclipses have the power to poke holes in our ego/identity, revealing things deep within us that we’ve been avoiding or totally unaware of. Syncing up with Mercury’s retrograde cycle, this eclipse season is powerful and dynamic in terms of changing our focus, direction, priorities, and perceptions.

Eclipses also reverberate through time. They connect us to the past and future in deep, encompassing ways. Whatever we’re currently dealing with has its origins long before this moment and will have consequences for months in the future. Eclipses are not isolated events, but a long process of change and reversal of circumstances. Since this is a south nodal, lunar eclipse in tropical Aquarius, we are working on releasing, moving on, and then stepping more fully into the future after the solar eclipse on Aug 21. That means that the themes you’ll be dealing with during this lunar eclipse will be issues from the past: moving beyond stagnant attitudes, habits, and perceptions that are no longer useful. In the two weeks between this lunar eclipse and the following Aug 21 solar eclipse, we’re in a deep process of archetypal death.

With Mercury’s retrograde cycle beginning in between the lunar and solar eclipses, and with the usual nature of eclipses in general, keep in mind that whatever begins within this two week time may not go in the direction of your intentions, and may in fact represent a series of “dying” circumstances. That’s because the Moon is waning from Full to New, and thus in a process of decay. And since eclipses are simply more powerful New or Full Moons, after this Full Moon, we’re heading for a more pronounced death/rebirth at the New Moon/solar eclipse. The shadow of Aquarius contains feelings of alienation, social rejection, or perpetually working against society/culture out of fear or even righteousness. It can reveal a victim consciousness due to social exclusion, an attitude that is essentially antisocial (against maintaining or creating cohesion and peace) or unconsciously rebellious (rebel without a cause).

Look to see how this has shown up in your life, and how these patterns have been in the background somewhere. This lunar eclipse/Full Moon is a culminating release of energy. It helps to shift us forward into the north nodal Leo solar eclipse on Aug 21. That will relate to the need to overcome fear of rejection and step into our creative and expressive power. Or it can relate to the need to overcome intentional isolation and righteousness into a more active participation in the life drama. Where have you been a spectator in your life? Have you withheld your gifts out of fear that others would judge, persecute, or seek to devalue them? Or have you been mindlessly rebelling due to an inability to accept your uniqueness thereby suppressing your true individuality? Obviously not every eclipse will impact everyone the same (or much at all) but if these questions strongly resonate with you, then you’re more likely impacted (check planets or angles in the horoscope touched by 14 degrees of Aquarius and 28 degrees of Leo).

With Jupiter making a helpful and dominating trine, it blesses this lunar eclipse and offers help, assistance, and support when we need it most. This trine from Jupiter in Libra suggests looking beyond your own preconceived notions of what’s happening in your life, or intentionally reaching beyond yourself to contribute, offer assistance, or even guidance to others. However this eclipse shows up for you, this Jupiter trine helps us to make constructive use of these changes and to find compromise, common ground, and peace with others. These themes will not only show up in your own life, but will appear on the world stage in some way. These external events reflect a collective process of change and evolution, revealing the inter connectivity of all beings and things. Take a moment with this eclipse to see how you can transcend any tendencies of working against the social current and instead see where you can jump in and make peace where it’s needed most.

Be sure to read your Kosmic HorIzon Forecast for this lunar eclipse. These bi-weekly forecasts will be FREE until mid-September! Sign up for my newsletter below to receive news and updates.

Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. Evolutionary Astrology can help.

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A Focused Passion: "Lunar Eclipse" in Aquarius 2016

The Third Eye by Irina Belova; oil on canvas, 2009.

Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse

August 18, 2016

2:26 AM Pacific

5:26 AM Eastern

August’s Full Moon is technically a lunar eclipse, but not a notable one. The Earth’s shadow will just barely graze the face of the Full Moon. However, it paves the way for two eclipses which will occur in the month of Sept. (an annular eclipse on Sept. 1 and a penumbral eclipse Sept. 16). The eclipse passageway, which will become noticeable towards the end of the month and into Sept., can mark a subtle or profound shift of perspective revealing the presence of things beyond the visible reality. This process will be greatly enhanced by Mercury’s retrograde cycle (from Aug 30 to Sept. 21/22).
 
This Aquarian Full Moon, while not a powerful eclipse, occurs alongside the building conjunction of Mars and Saturn in the tropical sign of Sagittarius. Exact on August 24, this conjunction is an opportunity to focus your attention and stamina toward productive endeavors in your life. In Sagittarius, that may manifest as a yearning to channel your desires in the direction of a greater purpose or mission. If you find yourself completely off track, Mars and Saturn can help to get you back into alignment. But these two archetypes are not often friendly in their interaction. If you’re not prepared, they will gift you with a classic kick in the ass.
 
This is especially true for those with significant placements in Sagittarius or Gemini (such as the Sun, Moon or Ascendent), and perhaps placing considerable pressure on those with placements in Virgo or Pisces. The sign of Aquarius is traditionally associated with Saturn. This Full Moon symbolizes a breaking point in collective and personal awareness, gifting us with a moment of sharp focus and much-needed objectivity. The Saturn end of Aquarius relates to reality testing via the necessity of social collaboration. It’s a moment to gain clarity about how your efforts fit into the boundaries of society. It may equally shed light on how you may have alienated yourself from the social structure.
 
In the modern world, Aquarius is associated with Uranus, the planet of revolution, genius, rebellion and a fierce commitment to individuation. Aquarius is a sign wrought with intense inner tension created by the dualistic desires of cooperation and the need to break the rules. Uranus makes a sextile to the Full Moon while creating a trine with the Sun. It opens up pathways which allow for increased freedom and independence, but Mars and Saturn require discipline, strategy, and adherence to a structure. To acquire the freedom and self-sufficiency you may be seeking now will require awareness and respect of natural limitations.

Use the energy of this Full Moon to free yourself of crippling fear, anxiety, rage, or addiction. The Aquarian, Uranian, and Saturnian archetypes symbolize the potential within the psyche to transcend behaviors which prevent us from actualizing our higher, evolutionary potentials. Free-will may be the true gift of the gods and goddesses--something which makes humans unique within the animal kingdom. As the Full Moon culminates and wanes over the following week, notice what comes up for you and the choices that you have in regards to transmuting something destructive into a focused passion. Notice behaviors that drain your life force and how you can redirect your focus to activities which fill you with purpose, accomplishment and a deeper sense of meaning.

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