Monthly Archives: July 2009

Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius, August 5-6, 2009

Full Moon in Aquarius The lunar eclipse at 13°43′ Aquarius on August 5 (August 6 in the Eastern Hemisphere) is the last in the Aquarius-Leo series, which began in February 2008. This eclipse promises to bring resolution to matters related to the areas in our charts these eclipses have activated, and one way or another, pleasant or not, this is the final hurrah.

The main feature in this chart is the Full Moon, with the Sun in Leo and the Moon in Aquarius. The only aspect to the luminaries is a benign waning aspect from Mars in Gemini. Because the luminaries are not tied in to the rest of the eclipse chart in a major way, all of the energy of the eclipse is contained and tightly focused for maximum effect. My sense is if either the Sun or Moon conjoins a planet or angle in your chart, you will know it.

Moving outward from the Sun, we find Mercury happily in analytical Virgo, one of the two signs he rules, conjunct Pallas. This combination offers clarity and precision. Pallas is the quintessential organizer, and Virgo is a very comfortable place for this cerebral asteroid. If you need help tackling some long overdue project requiring patience and clarity of thought, these two are there to help, since Virgo is happiest when being of service to others.

Venus in Cancer is recovering from her opposition to Pluto in Capricorn, and a sextile from the Mercury-Pallas conjunction is supporting that recovery. The first thing that popped into my head was that this is a perfect time to get down and seriously reorganize closets and junk drawers! Digging into paperwork related to your home and family also is favored.

The opposition from Venus to Pluto could have pried loose old memories from childhood that need to be released to the higher good. Plus, we are all still reeling from the two eclipses in Cancer and Capricorn and could use the nurturance offered by Venus in Cancer right now.

A note of frustration is brought to the table by Mars in a waxing square to Saturn in Virgo. The upside is that Mars is moves quickly, and this will not be a long-lasting event. The downside is that disagreements could quickly degenerate into slanging matches with the square in mutable Gemini and Virgo, both of whom prefer words as weapons.

Ceres has just found her way into Libra and is exactly square Pluto in Capricorn. Since Ceres is the goddess who forced Pluto to deal with her as an equal, this is an interesting exchange and a prelude to what we can anticipate when Saturn enters Libra in late October. Ceres in Libra is focused on helping us develop a cooperative attitude and a willingness to share in an equitable manner, while Pluto in Capricorn is more interested in the bottom line. I definitely get a sense we will be seeing power struggles along those lines emerging within the collective over the next month or so.

This lunation marks the gradual end of the influence of the stellium of Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter in Aquarius and the reemergence of the next Saturn-Uranus opposition, which will take place on September 15 at 24° Virgo-Pisces. As Jupiter pulls away from Neptune, I am inclined to believe we will start waking up and realizing the extent to which we were basing our decisions on wishful thinking rather than hard facts. Naturally, this will be a painful period for many as reasons returns and the need to make serious adjustments in priorities emerges.

As for Saturn and Uranus, Mars in Gemini will square both of those between now and the New Moon in Leo on August 20. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to take note of what issues are front and center during this time.

The Sabian symbols for this lunation offer hope for an opportunity to make a leap forward now. The symbol for the Sun at 14 Leo is, “a human soul seeking opportunities for outward manifestation,” with the keyword INGENUOUSNESS. For the Moon at 14 Aquarius, the symbol is “a train entering a tunnel,” with the keyword COURTESY. Staying present and focusing on behaving with kindness and consideration toward others as well as ourselves appears to be the best option.

We need to take time to live consciously more than ever now and to avoid acrimonious exchanges where there are no winners. Ralfee Finn offers this advice, and I concur: The antidote is simple – refuse to engage in any mean-spirited, harsh, or brutal behavior. Period. But applying this remedy will take a deep commitment to conscious living.

posted by Neith . . .

**Please read Pat’s weekly forecast for this week, August 3, for her thoughts this week’s lunar eclipse.

Image: I felt this dramatic photo suited this Full Moon on the Leo-Aquarius axis.

Weekly Forecast July 27: Venus Enters Cancer

Thank goddess this is our last week of the inter-eclipse period. I’m on pins and needles, as I know many of you are, although I also sense that the overall energy has calmed down quite a bit since the big solar eclipse on July 21.

Speaking of the goddess, Venus is a major player in this week’s astrological lineup. She trines Jupiter and Chiron on Monday and Neptune on Tuesday. If you’ve identified a core wound and are going through an intense healing process, talking or writing about it will help, as you’ll realize that you are very definitely not alone. Your situation may be unique, but deep healing is hard work and takes a lot of courage, no matter what your circumstances, and we’re all in the same boat.

Venus goes on to square Uranus later in the day on Tuesday. Whenever Uranus is involved in an aspect, the outcome is hard to predict, but at least any surprises that come your way should be in the pleasant category. For example, if a certain someone expressed serious romantic interest, I might go into medical shock, but I’d be thrilled nonetheless.

On Thursday and Friday, it’s Mercury’s turn to have a go at Neptune & Co., this time as an opposition from Leo. Some things just have to be said. Hopefully you set up a foundation for love and respect early in the week so that you can address unresolved issues in a positive and productive manner. Mercury in Leo can devolve into “all about me,” but you also can use it to stay on the moral high ground by sticking to “I” statements rather than confrontational “you” phrases. Use this technique with sincerity, and you just might get the breakthrough you’ve been waiting for.

However, if those talks go south, Venus may save the day again when she enters Cancer on Friday. In tender, emotional Cancer, Venus can be the nurturer. The pitfall to watch for here is thinking that you’re doing something for someone else’s good when you’re really just trying to get them to do whatever is convenient for you. True nurturing makes it possible for others to grow into their own shoes, not the ones you think look good on them.

Manipulative tactics may take over this weekend, especially in intimate relationships. Venus opposes Pluto on Saturday, with the Moon in Capricorn joining the party on Sunday. Recklessly playing with another’s heart just to get them into bed is not nice and will boomerang on you eventually. If you really must have someone (or something) so badly that you can’t be honest and upfront, do some serious soul-searching. Likewise, if you find yourself going along with someone else’s manipulation of you because you just have to have him or her, take a time out and think about what’s going on.

Staying detached will be hard this weekend, but I’ve found that I can use obsessive episodes to learn something important about myself. If you find yourself obsessing, ask yourself what you really want. Do you need it? Why? What will happen if you don’t get it?

You might decide you’d rather spend much of the weekend in solitude. Not a bad idea, given that the first half of next week will be a tense build-up to a lunar eclipse, the last in the Aquarius-Leo series. Neith will have more later this week, so stay tuned for the exciting conclusion …

Love and courage to all,
Pat

Image: This photo was taken last year at the Old Port of Montreal. The stunt was sponsored by a local radio station to raise money for the Quebec Breast Cancer Society. Cancer, the astrological sign, rules the belly and breasts. Photo by Christinne Muschi for REUTERS.

Saturday Extra!Heard on the Street

I heard the most amazing story yesterday, and I want to share it with you, both as inspiration and as an illustration of the kind of healing I believe is taking place in these astrologically potent times.

An older couple, I’d say in their late 50s, married many years ago and after four years of marriage and one child, got a divorce. They both went their separate ways. She stayed in the Pacific Northwest, while he traveled the world, made a fortune, married again, and bought a palatial home in an idyllic tropical location. But they remained on friendly terms and stayed in touch over the years.

Last year, his wife got cancer, and he spent many months caring for her and watching her die. He was devastated, and his life felt meaningless. Old illnesses began to plague him. His ex-wife, who was dating another man, nevertheless helped him through at every step of the way.

Earlier this year, her family was getting together for a reunion. He happened to be in the area, transporting his wife’s belongings to their children. He stopped by, and the flame reignited. As it so happened, her boyfriend had been killed in an accident, and she was now single and available again.

They are more in love than ever. Their eyes went from sparkling for each other to wet with tears as they recounted all the seemingly bizarre coincidences that brought them back together. She is going to move to his home, where he is planning to build a studio for her to explore her artistic talent. Their wedding will be at a secret, sacred spot. With his health much improved, he is going to retire and work on creative projects as well. I suspect they also will be taking long walks hand-in-hand on the beach, watching the sun set.

What amazed me all the more was that this man, while not a corporate type, was a what-you-see-is-what-you get type. He obviously has some psychic powers and was aware of them at an early age, but his career was in traditional fields for men.

I believe we are going to hear more and more stories like this in the next few years. With Jupiter, Chiron, and Neptune in conjunction, deep healing of old wounds is taking place, and this includes rifts between men and women. I’ve written often that the separation between the divine feminine and divine masculine is one of the most critical wounds that beings on the earth plane have suffered, and healing it will have widespread implications for all of us. Other aspects are producing a synergistic effect, including the mutual reception between Uranus and Neptune and the opposition between Saturn and Uranus.

If any of you have stories to tell about deep healing, I’d love to hear them. Unfortunately, I can’t share my own very private story in these pages, but I can tell you that it is big, and it goes to my very core.

Much love and many blessings to all,
Pat

Image: Tristan and Isolde, by Edmond Blair Leighton, 1902. The source of this tragic love story is very old, and the tale holds clues about the ancient wound that separated the divine feminine and masculine.

Ask Real Astrologers: Am I Doomed to Suffer in Love?

This week’s question comes from Jessica in Florida:

What is coming my way as far as finding meaningful and truthful lasting relationship(s)? I’ve read that Venus in Libra in the twelfth house indicates suffering in love. I just feel I’ve had enough and I’m tired of getting worked up for nothing and staying past the “discard by” date. I know there are certain issues I have not fully let go of and I am still working on them, but if being alone is the answer then I’d rather accept it and find meaning in something else.

Neith’s response:

Jessica, Venus is important in your chart because she rules both Libra and Taurus, your rising sign and Moon respectively. However, in my experience, there is no particular stigma attached to having Venus in the twelfth house. It just makes those energies less visible to others. Venus enjoys being in Libra, but with Saturn squaring her, she is more subdued and formal – definitely not the pastel version.

With Neptune opposing your Moon, it’s very likely you have met your fair share of people who have turned out to be something other than promised. The odd thing about Neptune aspects that is we tend to overlook them and forget how profound an impact they have on us and our lives. Neptune-Moon aspects natally make it very easy for others to project their expectations on the native and avoid seeing the real person standing in front of them. I recommend getting a second opinion from a neutral party whose judgment you have learned to trust over time regarding potential partners.

You are also in the midst of your Chiron return, which will be over by the end of this year. Since Chiron is part of a T-square with your Sun and Uranus, this is an especially important event, with the potential to finally initiate healing of old wounds in the area of self image and self-esteem.

My suggestion would be to concentrate on nurturing and healing the child within, Jessica, in order to allow the woman you are now to be her most authentic self. Take it from someone with Chiron conjunct the Sun in Libra . . . all the work you do on yourself will pay off in improved relationships with others.

Best wishes on this journey of discovery!

Pat’s response:

Jessica, there is no question that relationships are a major life issue for you, with Libra Rising, seventh-house Moon, and Venus conjunct your lunar North Node, a point that indicates our destiny or where we find fulfillment. That said, it doesn’t take an astrologer to tell you that working through personal issues first is a very wise move and will help ensure that each new romantic encounter is more meaningful and truthful than the last.

As for what’s coming up, the Jupiter-Chiron-Neptune conjunction that Neith and I have been writing about for many months is taking place in your fifth house, which is the area of the chart associated with love and romance. Jupiter and Neptune can be a hugely delusional combination, but since you’re already aware of this tendency, this transit instead might bring a soul mate into your life. Now, I always caution my clients about wishing for a soul mate, as you may end up working harder than you did alone! But that may indeed be the next step for you. If you have to go through a couple more relationships as learning experiences, don’t be discouraged. At some point, you have to stop reading books about swimming techniques and just jump in the water!

It may help for your intense Scorpio personality to try to let go of control over the outcome. A “successful” relationship for you may not be one that ends in marriage or cohabitation, but one in which you learn and grow. I’ve had several relationships like that, and while the endings were always hard, I gained more than I lost.

Hang in there and keep doing the work. It always pays off.

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Yesterday’s solar eclipse at 29 degrees Cancer was the second of three eclipses in July and early August. We’re on rapidly shifting ground, and these eclipses are so significant that we may feel them for days and even months to come. Still, we thought we’d check in with you to see what effects, if any, you may be experiencing so far.

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As usual, feel free to leave detailed comments, along with your Sun and Rising signs and, if you know it, the houses in your natal chart where the eclipses are taking place.

Pat

Image: Photo by Yang Lei for Xinhua/The Associated Press.

Weekly Forecast July 20: Solar Eclipse in Cancer, Sun Enters Leo

Meltdown alert! If you’re not already well on your way…

This is going to be a defining week for many of us, with a total eclipse of the Sun at 29 degrees Cancer on Tuesday (Wednesday in the Eastern Hemisphere). The fourth sign of the zodiac is cardinal water, which, among other things, may bring a spontaneous burst of tears. For some, the flood is long overdue and will release feelings that have been pent-up behind the dam for years. Maybe even for millennia.

As a double Aquarius (Sun and Rising), I’m not naturally comfortable with strong feelings. It took me many years to realize that feelings are our barometer. They let us know whether we’re on the right course, whether we’re getting what we want and need. If not, why not? Many years ago, I read some words of wisdom that have stuck with me: Often what we’re most afraid of is what we most need.

The Sun and Moon are just a degree from Leo, the sign of the heart and of courage. So be brave. Don’t fear whatever comes up. Let it flow. Have that meltdown — in a safe place, of course, and with someone(s) you trust. If that someone is yourself only, then do it alone. That’s usually what works best for me, anyway.

Getting real can be a challenge, especially in our complex modern world, where we contort ourselves to fit into everyone else’s boxes. We still may need to do what others want, but making that choice consciously and willfully is more empowering than pretending that everything is OK when it’s not. When the Moon blocks the light of the Sun, it’s off with the blinders.

Emotional earthquakes shift us onto new ground. Something may have to end, but my guess is that most of you will make breakthroughs and experience some dramatic new beginnings. Neith and I both have been writing a lot over the past few weeks about how this new series of eclipses will affect you. But within the next two weeks, you should have a pretty good idea, even if you’re new to astrology and don’t know how to read your own chart.

If you haven’t read Neith’s New Moon report, check it out. She has a lot more to say about this.

There is other news this week, although nothing nearly as significant as a total solar eclipse in the final degree of a sign. On Monday, Mercury in Leo sextiles Mars in Gemini. This is a very social aspect, but in itself isn’t very deep. Normally, I’d recommend keeping things light and easy, but of course that isn’t going to be possible with an eclipse just a day away. If you’re with a close friend or relative, try to get to the heart of the matter rather than dancing around it. Be mindful, too, of how you may be manipulating another person to get what you want. Being honest takes courage, but it also has its rewards.

A few hours before Tuesday’s eclipse, Venus squares Saturn. Unfortunately, this can be an isolating influence, and it won’t make it any easier to relate to others on a heart level. Again, my best advice is to have the courage to be real, at least with those who are important to you. With everyone else, maintaining polite distance may be the best strategy this week. It’s what we normally consider “professional” behavior and entirely appropriate. I’m not suggesting you should wear your heart on your sleeve with just anyone.

On Wednesday, Jupiter conjoins Chiron, which is a bit anticlimactic but not insignificant. The drama may get our immediate attention, but there are strong undercurrents of spiritual growth and healing. Later in the day, the Sun enters Leo, his home sign, where he shines the brightest. We’re still in an inter-eclipse period, though, and so we may feel a bit subdued for awhile as events shake out.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Image: Total eclipse of the Sun on Aug. 1, 2008, by Miloslav Druckmuller. This stunning image was featured on NASA’s Astrology Picture of the Day.

New Moon in Cancer, Solar Eclipse, July 21-22, 2009

The New Moon on July 21 (July 22 in the Eastern Hemisphere) is the second New Moon in Cancer this year. Backed by the power of a solar eclipse, this is another momentous lunation we will be dealing with. At 29° 26′ Cancer, the anaretic degree, this eclipse combines a clear sense of completion with the usual new beginning energy of a New Moon.

This New Moon forms an inconjunct to Neptune, Chiron, and Jupiter in Aquarius. Ordinarily, I would not give much weight to an inconjunct with an orb of 4 degrees, but since these three planets have been traveling together for some time and exerting a powerful influence, an inconjunct with a total eclipse of the Sun draws my attention. This New Moon also is inconjunct Pluto in Capricorn, adding an undertow of some size.

My feeling is this: If there is old business we need to address, the message to do so is going to come in loud and clear! Those matters brought to the surface at the Full Moon lunar eclipse on July 7 (likely related to the houses the Full Moon was in) will be shoved right in our faces. If we have been tending to these, then there is a good chance of wrapping things up in short order. If we have not, there will be a firm reminder this is a cardinal solar eclipse. Think irate mother finding out you didn’t take out the garbage when told to.

Because the Moon rules Cancer, it is the inconjunct from Neptune in Aquarius and the trine from Uranus in Pisces to the New Moon that clue us in to what is most critical. We are reminded once again of the importance of the mutual reception of Neptune and Uranus and the value of taking the high road whenever possible. The key may be to pay strict attention to our emotional response in any given situation, because our feelings will be the best guide, not our thoughts. If you are the kind of person who prefers to deal with facts and figures, this will prove challenging but can ultimately provide a valuable lesson. For those of us who wander through our lives following our intuitive sense of direction, we’ll be in top form!

Mars is now in Gemini, having moved out of earthy Taurus since the lunar eclipse. While considerably more scattered in this active mental sign than in slow paced Taurus, Mars in Gemini will help pick up the pace of life. Mars also makes a waxing sextile to Mercury in outgoing Leo, and this combination is very conducive to socializing. People will be happy to take a moment to chat about anything and everything. Just keep in mind that this will be largely hot air.

Saturn in Virgo is square Venus in Gemini this time around, adding a serious note to the way we communicate with those we love. Venus in Gemini just loves to flirt, but not right now. If you are a Venus-ruled sign like Libra (me), you may find that you are too busy for light flirtations anyway.

Jupiter exactly conjoins Chiron, and both are opposed by a razor-sharp Pallas in Leo. If we are fortunate, this will manifest as a pleasant, extremely well-organized individual who shows up to help us sort out the tangles in our lives. Pallas offers a dispassionate perspective, and that bodes well for those of us whom Neptune has been keeping in the fog for months. We may finally be able to see the path we need to follow. Yay!

The Sabian symbol for 30 Cancer gives us some food for thought: A daughter of the American Revolution, with the keyword INHERITANCE. Cancer is the sign most closely aligned with knowing where we come from – our “roots.” We can either cling to past glories or chose to build a new way of thinking and being based on our personal traditions.

For all of you long-suffering fire signs out there, relief is in sight! On July 22, the Sun enters Leo, joining the Moon and Mercury. The Sun is always overjoyed to enter its home sign, so enjoy this break from feeling like you have been stuck in the mud. We can all use some time away from the intensity of this prolonged eclipse season, myself included.

posted by Neith . . .

**Please read Pat’s weekly forecast for this week, July 20, for her thoughts this week’s solar eclipse.

Of course, today is the day to write your New Moon abundance checks! Here’s how.

** Neith currently is not able to accept new clients. Please check back in late August for an update. **

Image: Last year’s solar eclipse in Leo, Aug. 1, 2008, as seen in Gansu province, China. Photo by Aly Song for REUTERS.

Ask Real Astrologers: How Will Eclipses Affect a Cancer Midheaven?

This week’s question comes from Chelsea in New York:

Capricorn rules my IC and Cancer rules my Midheaven. What does this eclipse mean for me? As a side note, I read somewhere that Libras and Libra ascendants would be likely to get pregnant this year. Have you heard anything about this? If so, why is it, and when are the most fertile times? I’m trying to avoid it, personally.

Pat’s response:

Chelsea, you were born in a landmark year in which Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune were all conjunct in Capricorn. You also have Venus in Capricorn. As you know, this stellium is clustered on your IC, which is one of four critical chart angles. Since your Rising Sign is Libra, you are a poster child for the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn), all of whom are going to feel this new series of eclipses very powerfully.

As I explained in last Saturday’s Extra! post, how you’re affected by eclipses depends on the houses in your natal chart in which the eclipses fall. When the cusp of the house is in the mid-degrees of a sign, as yours are, then four houses instead of just two can be involved. In your case, these are the third, fourth, ninth, and tenth. This makes for a very broad range of possibilities, without even considering all those fourth house planets and the square to your Ascendant and Descendant. For accurate details, I strongly recommend a complete transit reading with an experienced professional astrologer.

As to your side question, I’m guessing that you found this prediction in a Sun sign horoscope. Sun sign astrologers cast horoscopes using 0 degrees of your Sun sign on the Ascendant, with successive signs each assigned to the next house. This means that for all Libras, your horoscope would be cast using 0 degrees Libra as your Rising Sign, with 0 degrees Scorpio on the cusp of the second house, 0 degrees Sagittarius on the third, and so forth.

Using this technique, 0 degrees Aquarius would be on the cusp of the fifth house for Libra. Jupiter currently is in Aquarius, and transiting Jupiter in the fifth house is often a major indicator of pregnancy. This happens only once every 12 years, so obviously not all pregnancies occur when Jupiter is in this position in your natal chart. But it is considered to be a lucky transit, so if you’re trying to get pregnant, doing so with Jupiter in your fifth house can bring you success.

Some Sun sign astrologers also suggest that you read for your Rising sign, which can be very accurate as long as your Ascendant is in the early degrees of a sign. If not, you get mixed results.

Do let stay in touch as the next couple of years progress and let us know how the eclipses are treating you! Thanks for writing, and best of luck to you!

Neith’s response:

Chelsea, even though your Sun, Moon, and Ascendant are in air and fire signs, your chart is predominately in feminine earth signs, including your chart ruler, Venus. If you have been reading up on Aquarius and wondering why the descriptions don’t particularly resonate with you, it’s because you have seven of ten planets in water and earth signs. Although Aquarius is called the Water Bearer, it’s actually an air sign and operates completely differently from water and earth. This leads me to believe that you will have little problem relating to both the lunar eclipse of July 7 and the solar eclipse on July 21, which are in earth and water signs.

If you are being called on to make decisions about conflicts between your career and your home at this time, my suggestion would be to pay special attention to your feelings rather than attempting to use logic and reason. Yes, this can be tough for a person with Sun and Mercury conjunct in an intellectual air sign. That said, Rising Libra is exceptionally good at seeking compromises and coming to sound decisions.

Another classic interpretation of a Full Moon in the fourth and tenth houses, especially with the Sun in the tenth and the Moon in the fourth, is finding oneself caught between parental demands. Having two New Moons falling at the top of your chart leads me to feel it is your public life and/or your father seeking your time and energy at this time.

Best wishes in finding your way during this eventful period, Chelsea.

Weekly Forecast July 13: Everything Inconjunct

Not only are we in a disorienting period between eclipses, but there are several inconjuncts this week that could present anything from annoying frustrations to major challenges.

The inconjunct, more correctly called the quincunx (try saying that three times fast), is a 150-degree angle between two planets or chart points. Inconjuncts can be problematic, because the signs involved have little in common. It’s like putting an Army lieutenant and a ballet student in the same room and expecting them to find something to talk about. I don’t normally include inconjuncts in my forecasts, but in some circumstances, they can be very powerful, and they are indeed the dominant theme for this week.

The week begins with a conjunction of Mercury and the Sun in Cancer on Monday. Normally I’d say this would be a good time to talk about feelings, but you may find yourself all over the map emotionally as the week progresses, and then you’ll have to back pedal or exhaust yourself trying to explain what you really meant, but in fact you’ve changed your mind since then anyway. You get my drift. You’ll be better off just sitting with your feelings and taking note for future reference. Write in your journal or talk to a trusted friend.

Then we go right into inconjunct territory, starting with Mars in Gemini and Pluto in Capricorn. Whatever you’re trying to move — whether it’s furniture, packages, paperwork, your car, your physical body, or a point of view — you may get that “trying to herd cats” feeling. Moreover, when Mars and Pluto make contact, the ensuing power struggles can get ugly. If you’re up against any kind of authority, do your best to keep a low profile.

The next set of inconjuncts, which is active from Wednesday through Saturday, involves the Sun and Mercury in Cancer inconjunct Jupiter, Chiron, and Neptune in Aquarius (what Neith affectionately refers to as “Neptune & Co.”). I don’t even know where to start sorting this out. All I can say is that we may have to deal with a disparate jumble of information, events, situations, and people, with no idea which end is up. I suspect this might end up feeling something like Mercury retrograde. It wouldn’t hurt to apply those rules this week. Be sure to confirm, clarify, repeat back what you think you just heard, and, above all, forgive. Everyone is on stress overload.

That said, we may get a pleasant surprise when Mercury trines Uranus on Wednesday and the Sun trines Uranus on Saturday. In the middle of all that confusion, something good will come through that will put a smile on your face.

Mercury enters Leo on Friday and immediately forms another inconjunct involving Pluto. Mercury in Leo is not a lot different than Mars in Gemini, perhaps just a bit less forceful. No matter how badly your ego is bruised, if you’re dealing with someone in a position of power, be it the judge in traffic court or the grandmother who’s paying your college tuition, bite your tongue. If you need something, remember that you’ll catch more flies with honey.

The Moon enters Cancer late Sunday, and then we’ll be in the final countdown to the total eclipse of the Sun at 29 degrees Cancer on July 21. I’ll have more in next week’s forecast, and Neith will post a report on Saturday, if not before. Check back often.

Lots of love, and chins up!
Pat

Image: The sun sets on July 12 during a biannual phenomenon dubbed “Manhattanhenge,” when the setting sun aligns with the east-west grid of Manhattan’s streets. At least something is lined up this week! Photo by Mike Segar for REUTERS.

Saturday Extra!All About Eclipses

We’re between eclipses, so this seems like a good time to provide more information for those who are interested.

I often refer to a “series” of eclipses. Joe recently left a comment asking me to explain what this means. When astrologers refer to a series of eclipses, usually we are talking about those falling in a particular sign pair over a period of 18 months to two years. A new series often starts before the previous one ends, as is happening now. This occurs as the lunar nodes approach the cusp of a new sign. As Joe noted in his comment, the lunar nodes move backwards, in the same direction as retrograde planets.

Using the current eclipses as an example, the lunar eclipse on July 7 was the first eclipse in a new series in Capricorn and Cancer. There are two more eclipses in this series in 2009: a solar eclipse at 29 degrees Cancer on July 21 and a lunar eclipse at 10 degrees Cancer on December 31. Next year, there are three more eclipses in this series, which will end with a solar eclipse in Cancer on July 1, 2011. Meanwhile, there is one eclipse left in the outgoing series, a lunar eclipse at 13 degrees Aquarius on August 5. The Aquarius/Leo series began on February 6, 2008.

In a normal year, there are four eclipses. Typically, a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse occur two weeks apart, and then about six months later, there is another pair. However, there are six eclipses in 2009, making this a very unusual year. There also will be six eclipses in 2011. I’ve read that extraordinary events happen in six-eclipse years, but I haven’t done enough research to verify this yet. If anyone wants to spend a few hours Googling, I’d love to have your input on this.

As I mentioned in my brief response to Joe’s comment, the sign pair in which the eclipses take place is determined by the lunar nodes. Eclipses always take place at the New Moon or Full Moon. At the New Moon, the Sun and Moon are conjunct, and the Moon is between the Earth and Sun, which causes a solar eclipse. At the Full Moon, the Sun and Moon are in opposition. The Earth is between the Sun and Moon, and this produces a lunar eclipse.

Usually (but not always) the Full Moon brings culmination, resolution, or endings, while the New Moon brings new beginnings. This is also true for eclipses, but the effect is much more powerful. Endings tend to be final, with no going back. New beginnings can be equally as dramatic. Change can happen so quickly that we are thrown off balance. For people with a lot of fixed signs in their charts, this can be particular uncomfortable, as we tend to resist change more than others.

As I explained in yesterday’s Q&A column, where you feel this effect depends on the houses in your natal chart in which the eclipse pair falls. If the cusps of these houses are in the mid-degrees of a sign, which is often the case, you may have four life areas that could be affected instead of two. For example, if your Rising Sign is 15 degrees Capricorn, the new series of eclipses will fall in your first and seventh houses, along with the twelfth and sixth houses. That’s a lot of ground to cover, with nearly unlimited possibilities.

When I do consultations, I look at what else is going on in the chart to try to determine how the eclipses enter into the picture. Still, eclipses can bring changes that are so sudden and unexpected that outcomes can be hard to predict.

I’ve also noticed over the years that the two-week period between eclipses can be quite turbulent and unsettling. Since we have three eclipses in a row this year, that period is extended to a month. We’re all going to have to do our best to maintain our health and sanity!

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

Image: Total eclipse of the Sun on August 11, 1999, as seen in France. Image by Luc Viatour.

RealAstrologers

The astrology of world affairs, human evolution, the future, and the state of the universe.