The Solar Total Eclipse of July 21, 2009

Hi everyone,

We are about to have a most unusual Solar Eclipse. It takes place on July 21st at 7:35pm PDST. You may see this eclipse referred to as happening on July 22 but don’t be confused. It will be July 22nd in China which is the only country where this total eclipse will be seen in its totality. It will be visible in such cities as Shanghai and Hangzhou, but most of the eclipse will occur over the Pacific Ocean.

What makes this eclipse so unusual is that it is the longest Total Solar eclipse occurring in the 21st century. It will not be surpassed in duration until June 13, 2132. What this means to an astrologer is that the intensity of this eclipse is far stronger than most eclipses. An eclipse is what I have termed an “inertia changer” and this one could change things more than most.  They tip any situation into a new direction, sometimes radically. Although the reputations of eclipses are often negative, I have found that they can be experienced both positively and negatively. Perhaps it is human nature for us to feel that change is negative, but years later, we may regard what happened in a much different manner than when we first experienced it. This particular eclipse is likely to be much more intense than most due to its being a Total eclipse and its duration. But there is another reason.

Each Solar Eclipse is part of a much longer series which astronomers have called Saros cycles. They are 1,300 year cycles that describe a particular type of eclipse. The Saros cycle for this eclipse is termed 11 South. Bernadette Brady has done a wonderful job describing each of these so let me quote her work. You can find this in her outstanding work “Predictive Astrology: The Eagle and the Lark.” She writes- “This family of eclipses is concerned with the need to make sudden reforms. Old ideas or methods will fail and new systems are required to deal with the events brought by the eclipse. As a consequence the person will need to think of new ways of handling the issues. Any blocks could be violently or tragically removed.”

Also, the chart of this eclipse indicates the possibility of sudden changes as Uranus opposes Saturn and squares Venus. Thus, we may find that our relationships can be affected in a powerful way. The necessity of facing any issues that arise now as directly and truthfully as possible is important for us even though we may not like what we are asked to see. We will have to handle these as when Saturn is involved, we don’t really have a choice. Sometimes all we can do when the negative side of life happens is to accept and hope for a better future. However, for many others, this eclipse could free you up to be able to take advantage of new possibilities that are emerging as old systems or structures are destroyed.

How a particular person is likely to be affected by an eclipse depends on where it occurs on one’s chart and the aspects it makes. But it certainly is capable of overturning situations in such a way that something truly new can occur.

As always, I appreciate hearing from readers about what they are going through now and will post some of your responses. I am working on making my blog interactive which will enable you to post your thoughts on my articles on your own.

Wishing you all the best on the coming New Moon.

Jim Sher