The Total Lunar Eclipse – June 2011

We have just experienced a total lunar eclipse that was unusual in both its length and strength. It occurred on Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 1:14pm PDT.  The Sun was at 24° of Gemini and the Moon opposed the Sun at 24° Sagittarius.  We weren’t able to see the eclipse in the U.S., but the people in the Indian Ocean had a first rate seat to an eclipse that lasted for 100 minutes which is only 6 minutes shy of the longest possible lunar eclipse.  Because of these factors, this eclipse is much stronger than most, which means that those of you who have planets or angles in aspect to the eclipse are likely to be quite affected by this particular one.

It is very important to avoid doom and gloom imaginings to eclipses.  In astrological circles, they do have a generally negative reputation.  But this is just not true. In my astrology class last night, we looked at each student’s chart to see if they were affected by the coming eclipse and if so, in what way.  Every student who did have aspects to the chart of the lunar eclipse was already noticeably being affected.  And those who did not have aspects were not experiencing much of anything, at least not yet.  But, as I just mentioned, not all of the effects were negative.  One person is going to Hawaii.  The eclipse is favorably affecting her 5th house of fun, amusement and joy and she is taking time to do just that.

Solar eclipses, like the one we had on June 1 and the one we will have on July 1, change the inertia of any affected situation, sometimes very significantly.  The lunar eclipse is different in its nature.  The Moon affects our emotions, so at any Full Moon those emotions are often more sensitive and conscious to us.  One can think of it this way.  Normally, we are unaware of all the feelings and emotions we have in each moment of every day.  At a Full Moon, however, those emotions which are mostly unconscious suddenly become conscious and we think they have just suddenly appeared as if they weren’t there before.  In fact, they were already there, just not seen or recognized.  What the Full Moon does is bring them to the surface.  Now this occurs every month, so what makes the lunar eclipse different is the fact that it is like a regular Full Moon, but much stronger.  This means that everyday emotions and feelings can suddenly surface in an explosive and disturbing way.  In the long run, this is a good thing, since sooner or later, they will come up for us anyway, but usually in a negative way.  Buried emotions cause all kinds of physical ailments and psychological ones as well.  So it is best to use the lunar eclipse for what it is good for.  We need to take notice and move forward on what is coming up for us or is being revealed.  It isn’t really new at all, but often very old stuff that is sitting there, stagnant and unmoving, waiting for the inevitable day when it will surface.

Not surprisingly, a lunar eclipse can create a catharsis, where much highly charged material explodes out of us, but which leaves in its wake a great sense of relief and even, what this Virgo calls, a sense of purity and clarity.  It is sort of like the beautiful, clear air after a huge thunderstorm occurs the night before.  As a kid, I couldn’t wait for the morning after a storm.  Well, this is quite similar.  This eclipse also is conjunct Mercury which rules communication, rational thought, reason, and the process of mind.  So, bringing rational thought to bear right now is going to be helpful.  But I would describe what is really needed a little differently.  What seems to be best is to use this time to witness as impartially as possible what is coming up and to see it, and then process it. When we do this, we gain a sort of distance on it and this lets us see it so well, that we begin to be able to see the fullness of what it really is.  We do not have to ‘get rid of’ anything.  To try to do that not only doesn’t work, but often sends that issue in us back into the subconscious where it already was.  This activity is disastrous for our psyche. We want to see things and move past them.  So, instead of trying to deny or get rid of something, all we have to do is see it as completely as possible and on its own, the charge of that area will begin to release.  This is the kind of process that leads to freedom and happiness.

This is what a lunar eclipse is good for, if we only allow ourselves to see, feel, and experience whatever is emerging for us right now.

About Saturn Turning Direct

We have just finished the retrograde movement of Saturn.  On Sunday, June 11, 2011, Saturn went back to its direct motion.  Let me take a moment to describe the value and purpose of the period when Saturn is retrograde.  Saturn rules our ability to progress and develop in life.  This includes projects we are working on, training we need in order to progress to a new level of authority or responsibility, etc.  Although we might like it if we could just progress and move forward, life isn’t actually like that.  There are times, and Saturn retrograde is one of them, when we must go back and pick up something we need that is missing before we can safely or confidently move ahead.  When it comes to Saturn, we are not allowed to miss steps.  If we do, sooner or later it will catch up with us and we’ll have to deal with it in one way or another.  So, hopefully we have used the previous four months to discover what we needed to pick up and have done so.  If we have, then we are now on track to move ahead successfully as Saturn moves forward all the way to the end of the sign of Libra, before its retrograde dance starts again.  This won’t occur until early February in 2012.  So, let’s begin to focus our attention and energy towards developing whatever we know that we need to do.

Lunar Eclipse, Inferior Conjunction, Winter Solstice…..oh my

It is rare when three significant astrological transits occur at nearly the same time, any one of which is likely to be important, but that is exactly what will be happening between December 19 and 21 of 2010. On Dec. 19 at 5:23pm PST, there will be the Inferior Conjunction between the Sun and Mercury at 28° Sagittarius. It will be quickly followed on Dec. 21st by the Lunar Eclipse at 12:13am PST and finally by the Winter solstice at 3:39pm, which is when the Sun reaches its southernmost declination and marks the first day of winter. I want to deal with these one by one, but as you read, I hope you will do your best to imagine that they are all happening basically at the same time. It is so rare that these two astronomical events haven’t occurred together in 456 years. They are all going to affect us in some way, though the people who will be affected the most will be those whose charts are aligned with where these three transits are occurring.

The Sun-Mercury Inferior Conjunction

This is the mid-point of the Mercury retrograde cycle and has a dual meaning. The nature of any Mercury retrograde period is to review some area of our life. Obviously, the need to review something means that something new must have been revealed. The Inferior conjunction is usually when there is the revealing of something important, though it may have already come to light. Now, we must take the new information and process it during the next 10-11 days as the Mercury retrograde period comes to an end. So, we are still reviewing, but not in the same way. The second aspect of this period is that often when a ‘seed’ idea is formed in us which beckons us forward. This ‘seed’ is mostly hidden and may not be felt consciously as of yet. It may still be a bit dark, so we might try to sense the new emerging thought-forms, or wait until more is revealed, which occurs at the end of the Mercury retrograde period and develops further in the next two months.

This Inferior conjunction may be full of extra surprises though. It exactly squares that Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in Pisces, which often brings sudden surprises into our lives that can create total game changing events or information. Uranus rules shocks and surprises while Jupiter can bring forth the desire for truth and the willingness to be expanded by that truth. The fact that this Inferior conjunction makes this aspect to both Jupiter and Uranus makes this cycle especially potent and revelatory, though possibly quite upsetting as well. It also can evoke some brilliant ideas and solutions to long-standing problems. It is a very catalytic period and then there is the next transit that amplifies things much further.

The Lunar Eclipse

Only two days after the Inferior conjunction we have the Lunar Eclipse. This type of eclipse happens on the Full Moon and intensifies it. Ordinarily a Full Moon brings something to a head, a culmination of some idea or possibility that begins at the New Moon. An eclipse however is much more powerful than a regular Full Moon. These occur every 6 months, but this Lunar Eclipse is a total one and is at the 29° degree which is referred to as a finishing degree. What this means is that this Eclipse has the potential to bring out deep, radical, cathartic emotions which will lead to much greater clarity in the long run. Whatever happens now allows us to end an old cycle in preparation for a new one to begin. It also will square Jupiter and Uranus, so the same shocks and surprises I mentioned before are likely to continue into today.

It is helpful to know that ‘eclipses begin before they begin.’ What this expression means is that events do not happen in an isolated way. There is a deeper cycle at work right now and if you are especially affected, you have likely been dealing with what is emerging right now for several months and especially the last 30 days. Before the eclipse, things are being set up, taking shape and as events occur, this will trigger more events as people begin to respond to the demands of what has now started.

With Mercury being retrograde as well, there can be delays in communication as well as the likelihood of some degree of miscommunication or misunderstanding. If you are in a situation that is intense with lots of letters, emails, texts, etc. going back and forth, be aware or beware of this possibility. Check facts and don’t assume too much yet. When there are a high degree of shocks and surprises, we can be thrown off balance. I love the quote by Pema Chodron warning all of us not to throw ‘kerosene on the fire’. This is very good advice at times like this. If it is possible, we will do best if we allow things to develop organically. But as I say this, the great news is that this 3-fold set of transits may break open any old stalemates or blocked flows that have kept us stuck in inertia and prevented from breaking free. Changes in moments like these though can be very sudden, putting us on our heels a bit and challenging us to ride the waves of change. We can either try to go with it as a surfer would or we can be rigid and stiff, which will get us nowhere and could cause a breakdown.

The Winter Solstice

While it is true that every three months, there is an important period when the Sun either crosses the equinox point (Spring and Fall) or the Solstice points (Summer and Winter), the one which many astrologers give the most significance to is the one that is happening now. Many astrologers create the chart for the year by basing it on the moment when the Sun enters 0°Capricorn00′. The reasoning for this is interesting and there is quite a bit of history involved. When the Sun reaches its southernmost position, which is located at approximately 23° south in declination and also is called the Tropic of Capricorn, it begins its movement back to the north and the days slowly begin to become longer again. This suggests the beginning of a new Solar year and the emergence of the newly born Sun (Son) after its death at the end of Sagittarius.

Given what I have said, since the square to Jupiter and Uranus is a very important part of this year’s chart, the year itself is likely to have a great many shocks and surprises in store for us. Freedom and independence are likely to be the watchword for the year. Also, these two planets are leaving compassionate Pisces and entering very independence minded Aries. With Jupiter and Uranus strong in this year’s chart, the world is likely to also be emphasizing technological innovation more than ever. China has decided to invest billions in certain specified areas they feel will become more important in the future. Exactly how committed the U.S. is to this type of economic development is uncertain. In the past, the growth of U.S. technology has always been triggered by government investing in the private sector, especially by the Dept. of Defense. This does not seem to be likely to continue in the present political climate.

As always, I want to encourage readers to reply to this blog article. Also, we hope you may enjoy coming back to see what others are writing about as we encourage replies to all postings.

We want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Thank you for your interest and support.

The Coming Lunar Eclipse

Every six months the dance between the Sun, Moon and the Earth causes two eclipses – the Solar and Lunar Eclipse. The time is set for the pair of eclipses to begin again. On Saturday morning at 4:30am PDT, June 26, 2010 we will have a very powerful Lunar Eclipse at 4° of Cancer (the Sun) and 4° Capricorn (the Moon). It will be followed on July 11, 2010 with a Solar Eclipse at 19° Cancer.

What happens during a Lunar Eclipse is that the Earth lies exactly between the Sun and Moon, which casts a shadow over the Moon. My view of eclipses in general is that they are ‘inertia changers.’ Whatever has been static or resistant to movement will in some way be forced to move, thereby freeing up energy that will result in a flow that balances out whatever has been held back. To understand the nature of the Lunar Eclipse, which occurs at the Full Moon, first we need to understand the nature of a Full Moon. Each month we experience this and it is best described as the culmination, fulfillment or bringing to a head of something that has been building during the present month or sometimes even longer. The seed planted at the New Moon (which represents beginnings) comes to fruition at the Full. A Lunar Eclipse however is much stronger in its effects than the regular Full Moon.

The Nature of a Lunar Eclipse

So, what is the nature of a Lunar Eclipse specifically? Most of these eclipses will bring about some kind of emotional catharsis that while being difficult, will conclude with a clearing of the air and a clarifying of actual positions or stances someone is taking with you and you with them. The location of the eclipse in your chart determines how it will affect you personally. However, even if the eclipse does not affect us personally, don’t be surprised if others around us are. Most of us will know someone who is affected strongly and we will be dealing with them in some way. There is an axiom in astrology that posits the notion that eclipses happen before the date of the eclipse. In other words, nothing really happens totally out of the blue. There is a build-up, with the time around the eclipse creating the final release or revelation of what it is that has been emerging. Feelings are expressed that may seem sudden, but in fact, it is what the person has been feeling for quite a while, they just either didn’t consciously know what they were feeling, or they did know and felt that it was best to remain silent.

Here are some more effects of Lunar Eclipses:

1. When handled well, they often enable us to grow in wisdom and maturity. How we handle the harder times of our life is so important in the development of our character.
2. New events can occur such as marriages or divorces, birth of a baby or business, significant encounters that move us forward in some important way. It is the cleaning out of the old that paves the way for the new cycle that will come at the Solar Eclipse.
3. Whatever happens at this time should be regarded as extra important since their effects are likely to last longer than a regular Full Moon.
4. An increased sensitivity or emotionality is likely at this time. It is helpful to be aware of this so that you can be prepared to handle the demands made on you now. And, if you are rather unemotional, you may find that others around you are, and you will have to deal with them in some way.

The Best Way to Handle an Eclipse

I must admit that often events happen to us and we have to react. We may not have a choice. But because feelings run rather high right now, it is best to wait, whenever possible, to have that very intense or important talk with someone until the eclipse period has passed…. at least a week or so. And if you cannot delay the matter, then be aware that the softer and more subtle you are able to be, the better the outcome. Take a look at how President Obama handled the Gen. McChrystal firing and you’ll see a good example of this. He carefully prepared his response and had everything in place before acting. In fact, the outcome may improve things considerably. It’s interesting that Obama has been criticized for not showing anger more. First of all, it is not his nature with Aquarius rising. But how would people react in the long run if they saw their President reactive and unpredictable? Being calm under pressure demonstrated confidence and that inspires trust.

This Particular Eclipse

I must say that I do not remember seeing a more intense Lunar Eclipse than this one. This eclipse has what astrologers call a Cardinal Cross in it which includes the Sun, Moon and 5 planets. There is a conjunction between the Moon and Pluto (creating very intense emotions) and a Sun-Mercury conjunction as well. The feeling that one needs to say what is on one’s mind is very strong, and it can come out very strongly and quite suddenly due to the square to Jupiter-Uranus. This eclipse is a true ‘inertia destroyer.’ Much will be revealed and said, some of which may not be able to be taken back, so be very careful about what you say and do. However, when there are a great many squares and oppositions in a chart, it also means that it is a great time to do what you need to do to finish a cycle that has been moving slowly towards greater clarity. This is its best use of all. I know quite a few people who are going through just this thing. Sure, with Uranus involved, there can be some surprises, but with Saturn also in play, we will know what to do for the most part. If there is conflict, then we must deal with it calmly and strategically, but also we must face it. In other words, if action is indeed required, then we must not shirk or shy away from it. Take it on and deal with it honestly and kindly, but one’s future depends on acting in a way that frees us to be ourselves.

I want to encourage our readers to consider sharing their experiences of this challenging Lunar Eclipse. It can be helpful to all of us.

Opening Hearts & Changing Minds

Although you will be reading this newsletter after the New Year, marking the beginning of 2010 (I’ve heard one should pronounce it Twenty Ten), it is being written a few hours after the Lunar Eclipse (Full Moon) on December 31, 2009. By the way, it is considered to be a Blue Moon (meaning that there are two Full Moons this month), but as far as I know that fact has no astrological significance. The fact that it is an Eclipse, however, is another matter entirely. That’s what makes this Full Moon significant. It is occurring at 10 degs. of Cancer and Capricorn and it strongly affects any planets one has at 10 Aries and 10 Libra as well. A Solar Eclipse (New Moon) will occur in two weeks on January 14, 2010 at 25 degs. of Capricorn, so the eclipse of today is a harbinger of things to come.

There are a lot of writings out there about eclipses and some are quite negative. I do not regard them so simplistically and certainly not uniformly negative. As many of you know, I refer to them as “inertia changers,” meaning that the series of lunar and solar eclipses that occurs every 6 months create conditions where we are asked or sometimes forced to look and deal with life conditions in a totally new way. Depending on how one’s natal chart is affected by a particular eclipse, we can have life-changing events occur to us. These can, on occasions, be difficult or disconcerting, but often they are not. They are simply changing the game, and sometimes even the rules. The truth is that we need these eclipses because we can be lazy and often get into a rut, resisting change even when it may be good for us. It is our nature to resist the new.

A Lunar eclipse which occurs at the Full Moon is when the earth is between the Sun and the Moon. Here is an incredible website that will show you what this looks like as well as the coming solar eclipse: http://shadowandsubstance.com/. (Thanks to Jim Schultz for this amazing website). My view of any lunar eclipse is that it allows us to open to our own unconscious and actually feel freer from its pull. Now, how this can occur differs for each of us. Sometimes it can simply be experienced as an opening of our hearts to new possibilities. At other times, though, the inner changes are accompanied by a cathartic event, sometimes, explosive, that results from an upsurge of unexamined aspects of our psyche that need to see the light of day. Just as a fever often rises before we can get well, the lunar eclipse amplify feelings so that we can actually ‘feel’ them, perhaps more deeply than ever. The heart opening result is often the same whether or not the change occurs peacefully or more severely. We are free to feel something that we have not felt and make conscious decisions from a very new place. Will these decisions work out? Not automatically, of course. But our hearts are open now and we will do well to allow them to be so, no matter what the outcome may be.

This is especially true for a second astrological reason. Along with Mars, Mercury is now retrograde as well. It went retrograde on Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 21 Capricorn and will go all the way back to 5 degs. of Capricorn on Jan. 15, 2010. We are accustomed to the retrograde Mercury cycle as it occurs every 4 months or so. We are capable of intuiting it because, frankly, it’s part of our DNA. Whenever Mercury is retrograde we have to review, re-think and re-evaluate some aspect of our lives. We need to do it as we have overlooked something and can now discover what is missing. Again, astrology writings are rife with negative takes on Mercury retrograde, but the fact is that we need them. Our minds have been racing forward, tying to accomplish more and more, but now is when we have to slow down or even stop, catch our breath and take a second look. We need to see something new before we can successfully move forward. Also, in the middle of the cycle there is the Inferior conjunction which will occur on Jan. 4 at 14 Capricorn which makes some new ‘Seed’ idea emerge within us and which may start us in a new direction. Sure, this new direction may be unwelcome. Whether we ‘think’ of it as welcome or unwelcome is indicated by how it affects our personal birth chart, but it is always revealing something that we must take into account and with which we must work.

When we look at the meaning of these two astronomical events happening at the same time, these coinciding phenomena strongly suggest that we be as open as we can to something new that is just now beginning to emerge. It hasn’t fully revealed itself yet. In fact, there may be many more things that will unfold before all of what’s developing will be fully seen. The fact is that January of 2010 is very busy with astrological signatures. We are all under very shifting sands right now, much of which we will not be able to act on as of yet. In other words, dealing with the shifting sands will also have to include actively ‘sifting’ through all that is emerging, looking for gold, for new opportunities while simultaneously letting go of what is falling away. We may find ourselves in a mysterious mixture of new and old. This could frustrate us, if we become impatient, but this is just not the time for clear action. Perhaps, the only actions we can be clear about are the ones that are happening TO us and which we know we must respond to and act upon. Allowing things to grow as organically as possible is always a pretty good axiom to live be, but right now this seems especially true. We are now dealing fully with both Mercury and Mars being in retrograde motion, deepening the review process.

I find times like this to be exhilarating in many ways. Not because I’m clear, but because I’m not. When I’m clear, it’s due to the fact that I know ‘what is what’ and what needs to be done or what I want to do. That’s great, but I also know that it is at times like the one we in now in which change is happening. Doorways are just now appearing, though perhaps seen only dimly. Our hearts are opening to new possibilities, but we are just beginning to feel this. We can only decide now to let them grow, for they will do just that. All we have to do is allow whatever is emerging to be acknowledged and let the big decisions wait until much more is known.

The “Jack and Jill” series will return in the next newsletter with a specific article on “Jack.”As always, your replies are appreciated. Those of you who have never replied, I encourage you to let me and our readers know what your thoughts are. You can remain anonymous if you like or use a different name if you prefer. My hope is for the newsletter articles to stimulate your thinking and to help you look at your life in a slightly different way. That is what is fun for me.

I know sometimes I am asked questions by my interested and insightful readers. I will try to answer some of them, but please forgive me if I am not able to attend to all of them.

Have a very Happy New Year and a successful one.

All the best,

Jim

Last Eclipse of this Three-part Series – 2009

At 5:55pm PDST, Wednesday August 5th, 2009, we will have a Lunar eclipse (Full Moon) that marks the last one in this series that began at the previous Full Moon on July 7th. The Sun will be at 13 degrees of Leo and oppose the Moon at 13 deg. of Aquarius. Because this is the last one of a series, it’s likely to occasion a finishing up of what has been set into motion over the last 6-week period. Lunar eclipses do often create emotionally turbulent periods that can bring cathartic relief in their wake. This one might do something similar, but that will depend on how much a person has been dealing consciously with the myriad of forces that have been emerging so far.

This eclipse describes the nature of the possible difficulties and also provides some strong hints on the best way to deal with the issues that are coming up. Firstly, there is a square between Mars and Saturn that is likely to bring about delays and perhaps even frustration in projects on which we are working. We see this now in the health reform issue as the forces trying to stop reform have been successful in either slowing or derailing the legislative process. Although things may not be working out the way one hoped for or had intended, it is also true that this aspect suggests that continuing to work is the wisest course of action. Squares ask us to either let go completely of what can now be seen as unworkable or make a conscious decision to put in whatever effort is needed to persist and handle the obstacles in our way. Sometimes, we have to make considerable effort at a time like this and not let delay or frustrations stop us.

Also, there is a sextile (60 deg.) aspect between Mercury and Venus. This suggests that success can be achieved if we make an effort to communicate with whomever we are having difficulties and try to find common ground. This is a hopeful aspect for overcoming misunderstandings but with sextiles, one must make the effort or the flowing energy will not be used.

Finally, it is noteworthy that Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and Chiron are all retrograde now. The energy I’ve been writing about in the last two articles is still strong, but all of these issues are now being reviewed. And they need to be. Let’s use the health care debate as an example. Over the past two weeks the protests against reform have become stronger and more vocal. Some of the issues are important concerns that need to be addressed, but also what is being revealed is that there has been a concerted effort to distort (Neptune) the facts which confuses things more than ever in the minds of the people (Moon). I believe however that the square between Mars and Saturn that I referred to above is doing two things. It is bringing about delays and an amplification of the negative voices, but it is also demonstrating the real motives and financial interests behind those voices. The powerful financial interests of the insurance, pharmaceutical, hospital and other health care giants is now being seen as doing all it possibly can to negatively influence the health care debate. This could bring about a kickback against these forces if enough people react to learning that their personal interests are begin highjacked by these powerful lobbyists. We’ll see in the early Fall when Mercury goes retrograde what comes of this.

I want to encourage you to write responses to this article and on any other articles in our interactive blog. You can write about your personal experiences or your thoughts about what is written. I believe that disagreement is as important as agreement as both make an important contribution to any discussion. My only request is that all posts avoid rudeness. Again, you may reply to any articles on the blog, not only the most recent. I hope you will enjoy reading these responses. Let’s have some fun together.

The Lunar Eclipse on July 7

Every six months or so, we always experience a Lunar (Full Moon) and Solar (New Moon) eclipse. They occur within two weeks of each other although sometimes the Lunar eclipse is first while at other times the Solar eclipse is. We are about to enter an unusual phase where there will be three eclipses running in succession. The first of the series is the Lunar eclipse occurring on Tuesday, July 7th, at 2:21am PDST near 15 deg. of Capricorn. The next Eclipse is a very strong Total Solar Eclipse on Tuesday, July 21st, at 7:35pm at 29 deg. of Cancer. The last will be a Lunar eclipse on Wednesday, August 5th at 5:55pm PDST at 13 Aquarius. Eclipses are inertia changers in my view.  Although many astrologers regard eclipses as predominantly negative, I don’t agree with that assessment. Yes, they can close doors, but also they open new ones. They allow new energies to come into our lives, though there are times when they also usher out old structures before the new ones can be created. When we have three eclipses instead of only the usual two, we often see a cycle of greater levels of change and this is also true in this case since the coming Solar eclipse is a very strong one. I will speak more about this in the near future.

The first thing to know about a Lunar eclipse is that it must occur at a Full Moon. The basic meaning of a Full Moon is that it always brings forth some kind of culmination, fulfillment and revelation of the ‘seed’ that was born at the New Moon two weeks earlier. We get to see fully whatever is developing either in us or in our world. The fact that this Full Moon is an eclipse makes its effect much stronger. The issues are bigger and strike us more deeply. So, it is an important period for us. At this time, the Earth stands between the Sun and the Moon. If you were on the Moon, the Sun would be blotted out for a time. Since the Moon rules subconscious emotions which are often negative, the fact that those very emotions are hidden allows them to be examined more clearly. For example, if we normally feel fear about some issue, we may be more willing to experience and move through that fear at this time. We can become motivated to handle an area where we are easily triggered. Of course, sometimes, we just feel forced to do so.

To gain some perspective on the nature of the Tuesday Lunar eclipse, it is best to begin by looking at what the New Moon tells us. It occurred on June 22nd at 1 deg. of Cancer. What is significant about it was that it was in a very close opposition to Pluto. When I study the nature of the Moon in mundane astrology (the area of astrology that examines events of nations, governments, politicians, etc.) it refers to things that affect the mass consciousness, what the people think and how they are affected. With Pluto ruling transformation and even death, in the past few weeks we have seen many national figures die, including Michael Jackson, Farah Fawcett, Ed McMahon, Karl Malden, and the most recent tone being Steve McNair(ex-football player) who died in a violent shooting along with a woman whose relationship we do not yet know. What is significant about this type of event in the national psyche is that it often sends forth strange reactions in the people. It seems to me that any public figure who achieves some sort of intense attention, is actually resonating with something far beyond just themselves personally. It sends out ripples into the mass consciousness because those individuals somehow represent something significant in ourselves. It doesn’t matter if they are famous or infamous, they tell us about our own consciousness as a people. That’s part of the heightened expression of this New Moon. Now we are about to have the Full Moon of this very same cycle and it is an eclipse as well.

To repeat — the nature of a Lunar eclipse is that it often brings out an hidden emotions that can result in a catharsis. This can enable us to release something that has been building up for a long time, so that we can feel a great sense of freedom. Because Pluto rules the depths of our subconscious and what Carl Jung referred to as the ‘shadow material (the feelings we may not approve of in ourselves), it is very helpful to confront these things, letting them see the light of day, so we can deal with them and move on. That’s what a Lunar eclipse can help us accomplish. However, the way it usually works is that one must go through a very intense confrontation with something that has been avoided, something from which we want to turn away. It will help us improve our lives if we don’t do that and instead take advantage of this pressure to work as consciously as possible with whatever is coming up.

Of course, where this eclipse occurs in our chart will tell us a lot about the specifics of what we will be having to deal. If it occurs in our 7th house, we may be dealing with important relationship issues or have to deal with someone who is going through the things I have spoken about here. If it is in our 4th house, it can affect our home, family or parents. This is a time to be a warrior and to make a noble effort to see into our depths no matter what we think we might see. Have the courage to face the demon and it may turn out to be far less of a beast than we thought.