Lunar Eclipse in Aries
The #1 topic I get asked to write about is eclipses. There is something mysterious, ominous, and awe inspiring about these heavenly events which happen in cycles approximately every 6 months that puts those with even the slightest astrological knowledge into a frenzy.
I will admit eclipses are not my area of expertise. I tend to look at them psychologically and spiritually rather than attempting to predict events with them. I would probably even debate that outer events that often occur simultaneously with eclipses are physical manifestations of a psychological or spiritual process.
There is a bit of controversy over what in the chart is influenced by an eclipse. Some astrologers pay attention to every planet in or around (3 degree orb) the eclipse, while other astrologers only focus on the conjunction and opposition aspects. I personally believe that since an eclipse is either a New Moon (Solar Eclipse) or a Full Moon (Lunar Eclipse) that for the sake of simplicity its best to focus on the conjunction and oppositions. This makes the chart easier to manage especially when there is an eclipsed planet.
The lunar eclipse that occurs on October 8, 2014 will occur at 16 degrees of Aries. In your natal chart you would need to see if you have any planets between 13-19 degrees of the sign of Aries (conjunction) or Libra (opposition). Additionally, take note if one of the angles (1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th houses) of your chart is between 13-19 degrees of the aforementioned signs. If so, your chart is sensitive to the eclipse. For those of you who do not have an eclipses planet or angle, this does not let you off the hook, the house the eclipse falls in (and its ruler) will be more sensitive to transits over the next 6 months. So, the areas of life governed by the eclipsed house will prove to be significant.
The Anatomy of the Eclipse:
There is an enormous amount of media coverage about this eclipse. Even Christians who tend to shy away from anything close to astrology are writing books and commentaries because it is considered a “blood moon”. The eclipse information (mainly from an astronomical point of view) is everywhere – Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and major websites such as CNN and the Huffington Post. It’s clear, everyone is fascinated!
But, what is a blood moon? Leigh Morgan from al.com reveals how a lunar eclipse becomes a blood moon eclipse, “As sunlight passes through the earth’s atmosphere it is bent, or refracted, and appears reddish”. Many claim it is significant because there are four blood moon eclipses in a row and they all occur on or around the major Jewish holidays. (The series began with the first eclipse on Passover in 2014 and this eclipse occurs during Sukkot). However, we must keep in mind that lunar eclipses happen every single year, and I am a bit hesitant to cast greater importance on one simple because of ‘refracted’ light and biblical omens.
There are some interesting points to consider with this eclipse. The eclipse occurs across the Aries/Libra axis. The general nature of Aries has to do with self-involvement and the general nature of Libra is relationships in order to bring balance and harmony into our lives. So, the eclipse invites us to analyze our personal wants and needs in relation to our need for relationship. In many cases, this can be out of balance – we focus too much on what we want ignoring the needs of those around us or we have given up our personal needs and desires for our relationships.
The eclipse makes numerous astrological aspects. There are sextiles made to Mars and Jupiter, an opposition to Venus, a square to Pluto, and a conjunction to Uranus.
Let’s break this down:
Sextile to Mars and Jupiter – A sextile brings forth opportunities and with Mars being the natural ruler of the eclipse (it rules Aries) our ability to go out into the world and get what we want is available as long as we are willing to put forth the effort to get it. This is enhanced with expansive Jupiter giving us the ability to see the big picture and have faith in ourselves.
Opposition to Venus – Venus in Libra prefers harmony. Although the eclipse in Aries urges us to go after what we want; relationship concerns may get in our way. After all, our partners have wants and desires as well and we may need to focus on our partners being co-contributors to our personal happiness. A good rule of the thumb is to be respectful that your partners (whether personal or business) have their own journey in order to be fulfilled and we need to be respectful of their process. Otherwise, our personal relationships may become discordant.
Square to Pluto – Collective planets are difficult to work with because their effects tend to overpower the personal planets. Pluto, at its basic level, has to do with survival. In many ways, our personal need to survive and thrive in order to transform and grow as an individual can be stunted by those around us. Falling into people pleasing and self-sacrifice (after all this is Pluto and not Neptune) can lead to anger and bitterness. Pluto requires that we make choices and decisions for our own survival and this will lead to transformation of ourselves and others. In other words, our own transformation will be a catalyst for others to transform.
Conjunction to Uranus – The planet Uranus requires freedom and when it is conjoined with the eclipse in Aries it pretty much demands we develop our need for independence coupled with a good dose of self-awareness. Out of all the aspects that the eclipse makes this is perhaps the most important. Uranus requires that we get to the core of ourselves in order to be who we are and eliminate everything in our lives that no longer has value. This creates inner authenticity and assists our personal development. If we ignore Uranus, the consequences can be devastating. Like the tower card in the tarot, he begins to breakdown the areas of our life where we are rigid and where we fear making internal changes. Everything we though we believed in falls to the wayside and we are often left feeling alone and forced to develop our inner self-awareness. It is advised to listen to this energy to begin with because at the end of the day the collective archetypal energy wins. Therefore, it is advantageous to work with it creatively to begin with rather than being left in a pool of emotional ambivalence.
Eclipses need not be scary or sign posts leading us towards Armageddon. Circumstances will change and things will come to an end, but eclipses are more celestial guides revealing areas of our life that we need to bring into balance. The Aries lunar eclipse tells us to be aware of ourselves and our real identity. It’s time to stand up and fight for our personal reality and personal happiness rather than letting life pass us by and leading an unlived life.
Take some time over the next few weeks to meditate on the areas of your life where you feel frustrated and stymied. This could be in career, relationships, or possible you need to get better control of your health. Regardless, the eclipse will bring up the issues (often in external ways) that you need to work on in order to develop the real you. Although we have become conditioned to putting other people first and making our own wants and needs secondary, the Aries Eclipse requires the exact opposite. It requires us to go after our own wants and desires in order to have something real and authentic to offer those around us.
Storm Cestavani is the co-host of the top rated metaphysical show “Keep It Magic” and the co-creator of the “Tarot Magic” with Coventry Creations. Storm is available for consultations by setting up an appointment to speak with him. Simply click on Get a Reading with Storm at the top of the page.
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