2024 FALL/WINTER ECLIPSES

If you read about last Spring’s eclipses, you may have remembered reading that there are usually two Lunar eclipses per year and two Solar eclipses per year, and they come in Lunar/Solar pairs. Last Spring’s pair had a Libra Lunar Eclipse and an Aries Total Solar Eclipse, squeezed into one quadrant of the horoscopic chart with almost all the other planets, making the energy feel more intense than usual. Now, the planets have spread out a little more on the zodiacal circle, which helps to lighten things up. However, we’re dealing with the 6-months-after-effects of the Spring eclipses, and we’ve just come out of some heavy-hitting planetary aspects, like Mars/Uranus in Taurus, Jupiter/Uranus in Taurus, as well as Mars/Jupiter in Gemini and some challenging squares and oppositions. We’ve seen the surprises that happened over the summer: these are classic Uranian “Expect the unexpected!” events. When you already know there’s going to be a surprise, that lessens the shock somewhat. (Ever had someone spoil a surprise birthday party for you?) As an astrologer, I find I react to shocks and surprises in a calmer, more level-headed way, BECAUSE I know they are coming. No shrieking or wringing of hands.  The accuracy of astrology never ceases to amaze me.

In my write-up on the Spring Lunar eclipse, I mentioned a few things worth remembering: Eclipses eclipse or darken/block things from view. They sometimes eject people, leaders, and things that need to be ejected. Oh, yay! Shall we get excited yet? The lunar eclipse is about lunar things: feelings, “nothing more than feelings…” That’s a lie: there’s more: lunar eclipses are about your mother or things/relationships that relate to your mother and where you come from or THE PAST. 

Lunar eclipses come in patterns that are called Saros cycles. This Piscean lunar eclipse is the last of Partial Lunar Saros Cycle 118. It will also be a Supermoon. The cycle of this Moon is 18 years, 11 days, 8 hours. How’s that for accuracy? There IS divine order. Anyway, with this eclipse cycle, we will be revisiting these past time periods: September 7, 2006; August 27, 1988; August 17, 1970; August 5, 1952; July 26, 1934. You may not remember what was happening on those exact dates, but think of what was generally going on then. In 2006, I had finished my bachelor’s degree after a year of great stress at work and school, and I started working for myself. This was prior to a big move for me back to my parents’ hometown to take care of them in their aging years, which I did in late January of 2007. (Note that I actually moved 6 months later, the after-effect of the eclipse. 6 is the magic number for completion of the prior eclipse energy.)

In 1988, things in my marriage got really rough; this was the beginning of the end, and various job moves followed as well, that ultimately enabled my exit from that difficult situation with the least amount of bloodshed. 

In 1970, I was finishing my last year of high school, although I had already gotten all my credits, and no one told me I could leave…So I spent the next year taking art classes, writing a treatise on the correct ordering of the tarot cards, and generally losing all the oomph to go to college the next year, although I did anyway.

In 1952, I was a gleam in my dad’s eye for my mom.

As I look back at these dates, I see that these times were the predecessors to GREAT CHANGE. In some ways, those Lunar eclipses were times for me to slow down and close up shop, finalizing things just before I flew off to NEW ERAS in my life. What were they for you?

I will say this: those periods were VERY EMOTIONAL, and although I am a pretty non-emotional person (Aquarius Moon), there was no escaping that Piscean Lunar Eclipse, which intensified emotions I buried and didn’t know I had. Right now, I am dealing with the passing of my mother, so once again, this eclipse portends a MAJOR era change occurring that probably will bring buckets of tears and loads of responsibilities. I am not surprised.

Back to what lunar eclipses do: they are about what you got from your mother, what you carry with you from your past, and how you transform or face the darkness and then transform as you enter back into the light. Lunar eclipses force us to review our darker selves, the more unfortunate patterns of habit into which we fall and repeat. I am reminded of retrogrades that make us review events. Well, lunar eclipses make us review our emotions, our feelings, our inner thoughts and motivations, the sources from whence these come—often from Mother and often from past life or past present life experiences.

The Pisces lunar eclipse is about VULNERABILITY. This is about going to the dark side and can be challenging, if you are a self-protector/detachment addict like me. I have had to learn how to be independent and strong and NOT TO BE VULNERABLE in my life, because I learned no one was going to look out for me but ME. This makes opening up and being emotionally vulnerable a challenge. ‘

To see where your vulnerability is, hence, the focal point of this eclipse—look to where Pisces is in your chart. For me, this is my career. I learned, after working for major companies and making them MILLIONS—that I could not count on companies. They dissolved my job, and in one case fired me for taking time off when my dad died, even though I was the top salesperson in my region.  I worked for other businesses that Just suddenly closed up shop because they hadn’t been fiscally responsible, and with no warning, I was out of a job. I decided after the fiasco at my dad’s death that I would never work for a large company again. I would depend more on myself for my occupation and career, rather than on others. I determined to make my own way, so I would never be vulnerable to the whims of business, big or small, ever again. 

Now, we know that doesn’t always work, right? COVID happened, and people lost jobs, money, clients, and businesses. But at least, I have a million ideas of what I can do if the sh** hits the fan again. I’ve seen businesses go out because of Hurricane Katrina, people lose their jobs at ENRON, teachers poorly paid and barely respected. (I live in Oklahoma; believe me when I say, it wasn’t always this way, here.)

So, look and see where Pisces is in your chart. Then, you can determine where you are vulnerable and consider WHY you are and what you can do about it. 

A lunar eclipse says these are things that remind you of your mother, too, I see how my mother was felt unprotected, left alone while my dad was overseas in two wars or out in the deserts of New Mexico while she held down the fort at home with five kids. She felt exposed and at risk. But I also saw her HANDLE the situation. She just did. That’s what I got from her. GET OVER IT and HANDLE IT: very much a response from a Depression Era individual. SUCK IT UP. You don’t need no therapy; just get with the program. This is exactly how I am handling her passing, I’ve noticed. Like Mother, like daughter.

But the soft underbelly of Pisces is that it is a FISH, which IS a soft underbelly, squishy and emotional and wide open. So, while I (and you) may suck it up, perhaps the eclipse will let me (you) express my (your) emotions. Go ahead and feel vulnerable. Take a chance: say it, feel it, let ‘er rip—whether sorrowful or, even, just honest feelings

The negative side of this Piscean openness to emotions is VICTIMHOOD. Yes, my mother felt victimized, by everything and everybody, even as she sucked it up. I don’t feel that way, fortunately. Look on the more positive traits of Pisces: loving, open, intuitive, creative, inspired. Take the place where Pisces is in your chart and use those traits there.

FIRST HOUSE: Give youSELF a break. Open up; try it. Take a class in ESP or painting. Go lie on the beach—or just in the grass in your backyard. Connect with FEELINGS. Go ahead, play some of those songs that make you remember and laugh or cry. Admit some truths to yourself, if to no one else.

SECOND HOUSE: This is resources and money. Where have you been vulnerable here? Identify where you have not been such a good steward of your finances or belongings. Then take a risk and see a financial planner or make some new rules and regulations for yourself about money. The key is to recognize where you have been weak—or even used by others—monetarily and then work at fixing that. Admit where you have been lax or taken advantage of in this area. Sometimes, that’s hard to do, but that’s part of the eclipse process. If you make some changes now, you will see results in 6 months. No kidding!

THIRD HOUSE: This is about being open in communication, with friends, loved ones, siblings, even work and business associates. Are any of your siblings taking advantage of you or berating you? Are you doing it to them? Is anyone else doing that? Pisces in this house challenges you to be compassionate of others’ feelings, but do remember that they need to be compassionate of yours as well. So, whether you receive the negativity or dish it out, think about how the other person FEELS when discussing something and then address the issue with a greater wisdom and understanding. This doesn’t mean to let people verbally abuse you, though. One of the two fish in the zodiac sign CAN be a shark, when needed. Just make sure you only use that side to protect yourself, not to attack. This house is also about travel, so get your car serviced.

FOURTH HOUSE: How is your family vulnerable, and to what? Or is it your home itself? Is there any danger there to you or to loved ones? Are you ignoring something in the homes that needs to be addressed. You need to address it, because when we get to the Mars/Pluto opposition from mid-October to mid-January of next year, either things will get worse, or you could be in a situation where you can’t do ANYTHING about anything. I mean, you REALLY could find yourself in a pot of difficulty then. So, whether family dynamics need to be addressed or physical, practical plans need to be put in place for possible bad weather or other breakdowns, the time is NOW to consider where the weaknesses are and make an attempt to correct these before the going gets tough. Otherwise, you may not be able to GO. (You know how they say, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”? Well, maybe you won’t be able to! Mars/Pluto will do that.)

FIFTH HOUSE: This area of the chart is kids and creative projects and sometimes—lovers. In view of all the school shootings, we immediately can imagine how our kids are open to danger—not to mention social media bullying and expectations. Now is the time, if you have kids, to consider how to protect them from the wackos of the world, if you haven’t already. Is it time to do home schooling? Should you buy them Kevlar vests and backpacks? Seriously. Are you paying attention to their time on social media? Are you aware of any tendencies to depression, being bullied, or even them doing the bullying? While I admit, I would be angry at my mom for stalking me on my phone, at the same time, this is a new age and very different from my childhood where we ran unfettered all over the neighborhood, fields, and woods without any fear. If you have a very sensitive child or one that does not socialize well, and you see changes in this child’s behavior, you need to look into it. Talk to them; be more engaged. And as for lovers, ask who is feeling sensitive right now—you or your beloved? Address it; plain and simple, with gentleness and empathy. Confess, if you’re the sensitive one, and ask for the respect and consideration that you deserve.

SIXTH HOUSE: How’s your health? While I do know that the entire birth chart holds clues to your health; still, this is the place to start. Do you need to see the doctor for something? Do you need to change your diet? Exercise more? Do you need meds and you’ve been skipping them? Address where you are open to illness. And for goodness’ sake, wear the dang mask, even if you don’t want the shot. WEAR THE DANG MASK. Would you want a doctor with a bad cold to handle your sensitive operation? No. This area of the chart also deals with WORK and other things you are working on. Are you being taken advantage of at work? Are you overdoing it? Are you stressed? Do you need a vacation? I say, take it. Take a break. Put your foot down. You need to keep your reserves for the really tough times. This area also relates to our little furry loved ones. Make sure your pets are not compromised in any way, either by health issues, food issues, or safety issues. Fix the loopholes.

SEVENTH HOUSE: Ah, relationships and partnerships an area where we are very often feeling over-exposed, or even, afraid to say what we truly feel, for fear of getting hurt, rejected, or abandoned. How can you improve your relationship with your partner? Should you be more vulnerable to them? Ideally, the answer would be yes, because that’s what spouses, significant others, and even certain business partners are supposed to be: there for us, through thick and thin. But sometimes opening up about a feeling or an expectation or opinion can cause a rift—hurt—or even anger. (This is supposed to be the house of public enemies, after all! Eek!) Therefore, how to be more open in this relationship should be considered, and one should acknowledge whether it’s wise at this time to do that kind of sharing, as things stand. I think, the idea with this eclipse is to IDENTIFTY THE VULNERABILITES OF THE RELATIONSHIP AND TO CONSIDER HOW THE PARTNSEHIP CAN BE MADE MORE EFFECTIVE AND STRONGER. And if it can’t, then determine if the end time is near. If you have a partner who is willing to work on being more open rather than going on the offensive –or defensive—then, great! This could be time to address more openness and intimacy in the relationship.

EIGHTH HOUSE: This area of the chart can be vulnerability or risk regarding where your money comes from. Re-read that, investors! Also, check into: are you being paid what you deserve? Are you getting the benefits you deserve? Are your social security or Medicare benefits in order? Do you need to move finances or savings around? Do you have estate planning or DNRs, wills, and living wills to address? In other words, have you made plans so your loved would know what to do in an emergency? Are you prepared? Do you need to see a financial planner or a debt counselor? Death, inheritance, and the money that comes from your paycheck –or others, in general, are the issues to be addressed here. Are there any of these things you haven’t done? Is it time to ask for that raise? Are your bills getting paid? Do you need a DIFFERENT job, one that pays you what you are worth? Notice all the vulnerabilities here. LOTS! Make a list, and start checking things off. My mom made sure we even have our gravestones already out at the cemetery waiting for us. But, not only that, have you made a list for your loved ones, so THEY know where to look and what to look for when you are gone? Get with the program, as my dad would say! Astrologers are like boy scouts. We say, BE PREPARED.

NINTH HOUSE: The ninth house is about beliefs, religion, philosophy, and large groups with whom we share ideas and culture. The eclipse here may suggest a flaw in your belief systems or logic that needs to be addressed. Or, one’s beliefs, race, culture, religion—may make one vulnerable to attack—verbal or physical. Surely, you are aware of how others consider your beliefs and you know who to avoid, based on that—or even places to avoid. I am not saying to be a chicken. I am saying, be smart. Know when to open your mouth and when to shut it; be wise, walk away, or just get the hell out of there, if necessary. Examine your beliefs for falsities or flaws, and see if these can be corrected. Pay attention in large cultural groups; you know what I am saying: it’s crazy out there these days. BE AWARE. This area of the chart is also about long-distance travel. Re-consider travel at the eclipse time, and certainly avoid retrogrades. Get travel insurance. I would just wait to travel, frankly. Next time you make travel plans, ask your astrologer about eclipses and retrogrades BEFORE you schedule and pay.

TENTH HOUSE: This is your career house. An eclipse in this area can make or break you. Considering this is a Pisces eclipse, this can be where you go ALL IN on a job, or where you overdo it—OR where you are being taken advantage of. An eclipse here promises big change that will become evident in February/March of next year—remember the 6-month-effect thing. Ask yourself, will my job get eclipsed? Look for signs of its dissolution. Or will you, on the other hand, have almost more work that you can handle? Remember Pisces has no boundaries. Where are boundaries lacking in your career? Is it a person you need to tell to get back? Do need to take a vacay? Or do you need to control your own tendency to workaholism? Pisces energy can be all or nothing, so are you ALL IN or ALL OUT? Are you so bored with your job or simply so demoralized or unmotivated that you are trying to do as little as possible? Then, time to get another job! But go sit by the ocean with that Long Island Iced Tea first.

ELEVENTH HOUSE: Friends—do you need some new ones? Are they just using you? Haven’t you felt this way for a while? Time to sort it out. Have a tete-a-tete, if this is someone who has been your pal a long time. Do you need to set some boundaries? Hard for Pisces energy to do…Perhaps you just need some major vege time with buddies, where you can let down your hair, do and say anything, let it all hang out. Just be careful, with an eclipse like this one, you may find the things to which you confess make people overly emotional, even offended or hurt.  Be considerate as you confess that you are not offending a good friend or ruffling feathers. Don’t YOU be the one to get ousted—or ghosted—friend. A Piscean eclipse may not be the best time for a beer party or pool party OR PITY PARTY among friends. Eclipses tend to bring on extremes, and you want to have a good time, not a disaster. Cuidado!

TWELFTH HOUSE: Say hello to karma, 12thhousers. The twelfth house is nebulous enough, without having Pisces there too, confounding the issues. If the sixth house is what you are working on now, the twelfth house is what you did before, the resources those other lives got you, and the karma you may reap if the planets—if an eclipse happen to hit BINGO here. No one is saying this is BAD karma. This may simply be bringing forth a host of past life issues into this life to deal with. Remember, that what you have developed here is a resource. With Pisces here, you certainly have creativity, intuition, inspiration, and connectedness to the universe, as well as spiritual back-up on which to depend and utilize, whatever happens. Because this surely brings a large measure of sensitivity and intuition, remember to USE IT if any sh** hits the fan. Don’t second guess yourself. You know, deep inside yourself, what the score is. YOUR GUT TELLS YOU, Maybe your Third Eye, too, but really, you are getting the message, so HEED IT. Any events that happen at this time that seem drastic are karmic and meant to be experienced and solved. Work through them. You have the wherewithal to do so.

A LAST WORD: This partial lunar eclipse in Pisces will affect mainly those with the Sun, Moon, or Ascendant in the third decan (last 10 degrees) in the signs (first) of Pisces and Virgo; then (second) Gemini and Sagittarius. So, if you are born in the latter days of those signs, this eclipse will be significant for you. Also, if you have planets in any of those late degrees in the 4th house: family, mother, home. My mom is passing at this time. Bingo. ☹ There is a square to my Gemini Ascendant. I will get a new life and new responsibility as head of the family, like it or not. (Pisces and Virgo are opposing each other, and Gemini/Sag square them, creating challenges.)

Your Sun sign tells how you shine your own personal light on the world, but solar eclipses are about the light that gets blocked. While lunar eclipses are about shadows, solar eclipses are literally about something blocking the light. The light that will be blocked on October 2nd has to do with Libra stuff. Libra things include: relationships, the law, legal issues, balance, harmony, books/publishing, decorating, etc. Here are the questions we can ask ourselves pertaining to this solar eclipse: how are my relationships being blocked? Am I being eclipsed by someone else? Is my relationship fading or transitioning into something else? Are there going to be lawsuit issues that will dominate in the next 6 months? How is my harmony/balance being disrupted? Will my book be rejected or banned or delayed? Will my home decorating projects get changed or delayed or even re-vamped completely? How will we—and our light—re-emerge after this solar eclipse cycle is over? We generally see the results in 6 months.

This is Number 17 in the Saros cycle #144 for Solar eclipses. These eclipses transition from partial to annular back to partial—not total eclipses in Cycle 144. FYI, in annular solar eclipse, the moon passes between the earth and the sun. The moon blocks the light but does not completely cover the disk of the sun. An “annulus” or ring of light can be seen around the outside edge of the eclipsing moon. So, we do have a hint of light with this eclipse; don’t let anyone else block your light.

The results of a solar eclipse are usually felt about 6 months after the event, in this case, making us see results in March of 2025, as the next pair of eclipses occur. To tell what part of your life will be affected by this solar eclipse, look to where the sign of Libra occurs in your birth chart. Another thing to consider is, what was happening during the LAST solar eclipse in March? Why? Because what’s happening now is a result or part of the path relating to THAT solar eclipse, which was about new beginnings. How did those March new beginnings morph into a relationship or a book or new home decor or even, yes, LAWSUITS or legal issues that we must face? If you follow the eclipses and their 6-month transitions, you can begin to see a pattern…Let’s go back and look at the last 5 years of solar eclipses. What do they tell us in 6-month increments? 

Jan 5, 2019- 15° Capricorn/Dec 25, 2019- 4° Capricorn

June 21,2020- 0°Cancer/Dec 14, 2020 -23° Sagittarius

June 10, 2021- 19°Gemini/ Dec 4, 2021- 12° Sagittarius

April 30, 2022- 10°Taurus/ Oct 25, 2022- 2° Scorpio

April 19, 2023- 29° Aries/ October 14, 2023-21° Libra

April 8, 2024- 19°Aries/ October 2, 2024-10° Libra

2019 was about getting your ducks in a row. I remember saying this every time I did a class or reading, EVERY TIME! I said, “Get your affairs in order! Get your money squared away, your will, go to the doctor. Have spare food and water. Have cash. Be careful where your money is: you might want to move it. Do you remember what happened? COVID-19. (Capricorn Occultations Vulnerating Inner Defenses) Six months later, COVID got big time; schools closed. Everyone got locked in their houses. Yikes! Capricorn is a practical sign. That’s why I was telling everyone to be prepared.

The first 2020 eclipse was in Cancer, so six months later, we were acting like Crabs, burrowing into our hidey holes, and scurrying away whenever folks got close, wearing masks and face-shields and even full body protection, especially for the nurses. (Cancer is the sign of Mom and Nurses.) Have you ever tried to catch a crab on the beach? Hard to do, isn’t it?

Six months after, was the Solar eclipse in Sagittarius. Sage is like an arrow—moving away from you. Certainly, everybody was trying to give each other plenty of room. Remember the 6-foot apart rule in classrooms and elsewhere? On the other hand, Sage is the sign of the teacher, so we had plenty of time for reading and home schooling. Sage is also the sign of the internet, the world wide web. We all learned ZOOM, whether we wanted to or not. Our lives had transformed to ONLINE work, school, doctor visits, and even social networking/dating.

The next solar eclipse was in Gemini in the summer of 2021. Talk talk talk, but not touching, no hanging out. We did get more social, and there is no sign more social than Gemini. We started hanging out in our garages, driveways, and front porches, and getting to know neighbors we barely spoke to before. I know people who had church and sing-alongs in the streets of their neighborhood, while distancing. So, while Gemini did give us an outdoor, social summer, the December eclipse sent us back indoors to ZOOM. Re-read 2020.

In the Spring of 2022, a Taurus solar eclipse promised that practicality would reign, as COVID rates soared again that spring. By the fall, schools were re-opening with the Scorpio eclipse, but Scorpio has a dark side. Scorpio is the sign of transformation. We had to re-learn how to come back into the schools, with distancing and masking and all the other things we had learned earlier. Scorpio is also connected to death. The Phoenix burns up in a fit of flames and then must rise again. Schools had to transform systems and accommodate what had been lost via several years of lack of social and teacher engagement, except by ZOOM. Everything in the classroom had changed, and the students themselves had changed. We all had changed. (But we were supposed to.)

The Aries eclipse in 2023 promised new beginnings, despite taking risks. The return of idealism was possible, stepping onto new paths and imagining new vistas. The October eclipse in Libra promised change in relationships. Did we have too much of our COVID-mates? Were we just so excited to try something new that we ditched old relationships and decided to venture forth into new ones. But getting new partners, business or personal, required eclipsing the old ones. We may ask, was that a good idea? Nevertheless, this was meant to be. Time—and our relationships—march on.

April 2024 again promised new beginnings, perhaps after the transitions of relationships in the fall. People could step out on their own. That April 8th Total Solar eclipse in Aries was a powerful one, with all the planets except Pluto squeezed into one quadrant of the chart, making everything seem a bit extreme. What were you doing during that eclipse time? What new territories did you chart as an individual? Do you set new goals and go after them? Take some risks, even if they were itty-bitty risks? 

And so, we evolve to the next 6-month time span. Solar eclipses happen on new moons, and new moons are about beginnings. Time to start something. This is a Libra solar eclipse, which can mean: time to start a new relationship. Time to create a new partnership. For lawsuits or other important discussions, this can also be about negotiating and coming to an agreement or finding balance. This can be about re-doing your wardrobe or your home décor to make it more soothing, balanced, harmonious. Bringing peace into one’s environment is always a good thing. Others can begin books, or if the manuscript is already finished, begin publishing efforts. At any rate, partnerships, harmonious discussions, settling of legal disputes and judgments on those convicted can occur now. In the latter case, some folks may be eclipsed—or sent to jail—or fined. Whatever the category of Libra stuff, eclipses transmute and transform by getting rid of some things and exposing others to the light. Make sure your exposure is calculated and positive and that it won’t put you in jail! 

As we’ve said before, the lunar eclipse is about emotions, the past, and possibly things we received from our mother. Th solar eclipse is about where we are headed, our target (the glyph for the Sun looks like a target) and possibly things connected to our father. At any rate, these are places where we must let our light shine—even if for a few hours, the Moon is going to block it. How do you feel when your light gets blocked? It’s natural to feel pretty lousy. We all want to be our true authentic selves, without others getting in the way, deriding or degrading us for BEING US. 

The March Aries eclipse was about dimming our personal light. But this eclipse takes it further—this is about relationships, friends, lovers, spouses, significant others, business partners. We are dealing with issues of the OTHER. Aries is the sign of ME, YOU, each of us as individuals. Libra is the sign of the NOT-YOU, NOT-ME, the ones we hang out with the most. And this eclipse may just dim THEIR light. That being said, we need to be cognizant of our behavior with our others, especially those closest to us, and pay attention how THEY are feeling in the context of this relationship and to acknowledge if they are feeling put down, lesser than, ignored, or just put aside. Then, when the light comes back ON in the relationship, after the dark has passed and the Moon (EMOTION) has gotten out of the way, we can see what’s really there and deal with the aftermath. The new moon offers this question/opportunity: Do we need to restart or revisit the springtime lunar promises of this relationship? Do we need to look at the EMOTIONS of our conjunction? We do! After all, the September 17th lunar eclipse is about vulnerability in relationships.

With this eclipse, the emotional vulnerability of the lunar and investigating the dark side of the relationship—whichever relationship it may be—require us to DO something. The Libra solar eclipse promises that, even if we have stopped talking, we can re-start our personal negotiations about WHAT WE NEED, whether business or personal. What do we require to keep this relationship going? The lunar eclipse says, be vulnerable to this conversation, even if it’s uncomfortable. The solar eclipse then says, DO something about it. Now, this means you can talk and come to a new intimacy and honest agreement about how to proceed together—OR NOT. If one feels taken advantage of and confesses that, and the response is not constructive and harmonious, then the end result may be to eclipse the relationship. That is, to end it. To EXIT, stage left. Same thing with lawsuits and legal issues. Some folks may be going to jail, if a favorable judgment or pleading cannot be made. Eclipses are powerful things. They begin—and end—stuff. That is what they are for. Re-evaluate, renegotiate, and rearrange. Begin anew, as the Sun’s light is revealed again.

This eclipse is clearly about important conversations, as it encloses Mercury, Lilith and South Node (where we’ve been before) in the mix. This therefore indicates that negotiations here will transform lives. This is an eclipse that can fundamentally change the results of everything, depending on the discussion that is had, and being in an air sign, the unfortunate thing is that: AIRY  discussion perhaps is led by the HEAD, and not the heart. While the lunar eclipse in Pisces will have people all their FEELINGS; that’s why we must be sensitive as we go into the chat about the future of our relationships. There is also the underlying reminder that WE HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE. Do you want to do this over again? Or can you transform it enough to make t he end result different? Clearly, Lilith will speak her mind; she always does, and SHE will NOT be emotional about it. There is no squish in Lilith. She can slash with her tongue. Because she is in this mix, in Libra, even you sensitive folks may Lilith out on your significant other. Look out! But the good thing about Lilith is that she knows what she wants, and she says it. Isn’t that the way to get what you want? 

Just a warning not to slash and burn, unless that is your intention. The oxygen in air can set things on fire, so just beware! You could end up without a job, a publisher, a partner, or –in jail, if Lilith decides to go too far. Remember, y’all. LIBRA is about balance, harmony, negotiating. Keep that in mind as you address the two weeks surrounding the lunar and solar eclipses. With Mars in the mix, there will be a stubbornness and perhaps an unwillingness to face facts. Oops. Cancer may be a dancing Crab, but with those claws, they can be as stubborn as they come, stubborn in their emotions, and it is a cardinal sign. Since we have a T-square with North Node in Aries, South node in Libra, and Mars at the apex in Cancer, that says the emotions may rule the day, and they may not be happy ones—Cardinal signs are strident in getting what they want. And when you have two people, each demanding what THEY want, with no giving in, how can an agreement be made? There needs to be give and take, and Cancer doesn’t always do that. Their crab claws are affixed to their own views, wants, and needs. Chiron in Aries is part of this mix, and so this is the pain of being alone. 

We all may be faced with being alone and not wanting to do that. We just did it with COVID. Personally, I am okay with it. I enjoyed being locked up in my house alone during COVID. I had my groceries delivered, I had plenty of books and kitties to keep me company, plus I learned, FINALLY, how to use that “cool media” –where user participation is necessary and important—rather than hot media, which requires little or none. This solar eclipse (and the lunar too) is about bringing our relationship habits, flaws, needs, and vulnerabilities into the light via open, heartfelt yet detached—and frank—discussion. As you can imagine, this relationship/partnership accountability can result in blaming and shaming –or open and honest sharing. Which are you more apt to do? The goal of this solar eclipse is to SHINE THE LIGHT on your partnership and avoid being susceptible to communication errors and kneejerk reactions as that discussion is had.

Maybe y’all can come to a more expansive understanding within the experience of these two eclipses, since Jupiter is trining the conversation, a good sign—though it is true that Jupiter will either force the relationship to GROW or break it up. Choose wisely. I think one must remember one’s intent and not let emotional reactions to the open discussion to run ruinously wild.  Use those crab claws of Mars in Cancer to hold on to the objective: balance, negotiation, harmony, expanded awareness, and deeper more honest conversation. Focus on the solution, not the problem.

The trine between Mars in Cancer, Venus in Scorpio, and Saturn in Pisces can help or hurt you, depending on how you use the energy of the planets. If you use Venus in Scorpio to run into the hidey hole and burrow down with buried feelings and bitterness, look out later! If you allow Mars to make you both stubborn and mad, well, what can you expect but a stalemate? If Saturn in Pisces tries to control the conversation to the disparagement of the other party and uses the other as a doormat; well, this does not promise a happy ending, Remember, trines can make things easy, good or bad. However, if you take the Venus in Scorpio to express the deepest of your feelings for the other, showing the depths of your care—if you use Mars to take ACTION to SHOW how you care by being an actual caretaker/nurturer of the relationship, and if you practice (Saturn) vulnerability and openness and love (Pisces) in your relationship, imagine the distinctly different result! Go for it! Pluto, even in Capricorn is trining the South Node in Libra. Be practical, not reactively emotional. You can transform the relationship in ways that you’ve never experienced. Use your intuition. Neptune in Pisces, the apex of a kite configured aspect, says to use your intuition to take the temperature of what’s going on and then to RESPOND, not REACT, accordingly. If you are feeling victimized in your communications (Sedna in Gemini connecting to the eclipse In a trine), SAY so. “I don’t feel heard. I don’t feel seen. Can we work on that together?” 

The solar eclipse bookends the lunar eclipse in an effort to make us ALL, especially during this election season, when so many of us are on opposite ends of the beliefs spectrum, even with those we love—listen, speak up gently, be heard, and come to a resolution. That is, this is what we each can do to improve the status of our connection. So, let’s do it. Shine A LIGHT ON LOVE, Y’ALL, and if not love, how about LIKE, or at least, PEACE. Yeah, let’s do PEACE. Onward and upward!

The following lists where your solar eclipse in focused, depending on the rising sign of your chart. The eclipse itself has a Sagittarius ascendant, so the eclipse is about our beliefs. We need to come to a worldwide agreement. I think, MAKE LOVE NOT WAR would be a great agreement at which to arrive. I hope this eclipse brings a permanent ceasefire in the Middle East, at least.

FIRST HOUSE: Your relationship with yourself is important here. You really got lucky on this once, because you can’t break up or fight with yourself, can you? Well, I don’t know. Honestly, maybe you need to quit vaping, drinking or gambling. Maybe you need to go back to college, take some Zumba classes, or go swimming. Maybe you need meditation—or even weight loss medication. Stop fighting with yourself and your ice cream habit. Ban the bad guys from your house! (Mine is BOOKS…won’t be banning those!)

SECOND HOUSE: Fighting over money? Can’t balance your checkbook? (Do you even have one?) Whether you are fighting with yourself over money, your spouse, your partners, or your job, a little bit of honesty here will be good for the soul, even if painful. Ask for help, if you must: financial planners and/or your local banker or debt consolidation expert could help. Credit union, maybe? And social security office for the retired. Just talk to someone. Get real and make some changes

THIRD HOUSE: If you and your siblings are not getting along, can you possibly have a heart to heart to work things out? Maybe you need to figure out what to do with the family homestead or with the parents as they age—will you share the caretaking? If the conversation is too heated, hire a professional mediator to solve these most difficult issues that siblings have.

FOURTH HOUSE: Fighting with the fam makes for a hellacious home life. Time for a family meeting. Do like they do on those nanny shows: Have ALL of you draw up a set of rules. Everyone participates and has a vote and agrees. Then, because each person made a rule, they can’t really complain or break their own rule. Can they? 😉Make violators pay a fine: extra chores, or something else that may be fun—they have to cook. They have to paint the shed. They have to be “servant for a day.” Have consequences. Make the whole thing FUN, not argumentative. By the way, one rule may be: someone picks a fun song of the day. Record you all singing or dancing to it. Become TikTok or YouTube sensations.a

FIFTH HOUSE: This one is similar to above, because it’s the KIDS, isn’t it? Use the same setup as above. But if you’ve got a lover you need to talk to, well, reread this whole column about vulnerability, listening, and NO REACTIVE emotions. Hard to do, but honest and growth-inducing talk can make a lover’s quandary turn into a more committed partnership. Give it a try. And if you are fighting with your creative projects, I always say, pick one, focus on that, and work on it until it’s done, even if you only give it 15 minutes a day. Imagine how accomplished you’ll feel with ONE project done, and that will set you on a roll. Plus, since this eclipse is about partnerships, don’t be afraid to ask buddies and family to help!

SIXTH HOUSE: Battling the folks at work? Perhaps it’s time to visit your HR department, or the boss for a frank conversation. If you have a staff, time for a team meeting, team building exercises, and suggestion box discussion. If none of that will work for you, you may have to eclipse the job.  Be honest about what this job is doing for you and what it is not doing for you. Sometimes, change is necessary.

SEVENTH HOUSE: Time for a tete-a-tete with your beloved or with your main work partner. Lay it all on the table. What do you want and need? What do they want and need? Figure out how to provide those things for one another. This is about give and take, guys. Grow into a blossoming tree or grow into rotten mold. Which kind of change do you prefer? Even in relationships, you can be proactive. Committed partners can choose therapy to deepen the bond. Successful couples swear by it. Try it, you may like where it gets you!

EIGHTH HOUSE: Fighting with the government or your employer—or your parents—about money? Do you need your benefits? Do you need a raise and a promotion? Do you need to work out the results of an estate? Add professionals to the mix to help, if necessary. Nothing wrong with having a disinterested arbiter to help out in these sometimes volatile money discussions. If this involves a job, the option of another job is always there. Fix up your resume and get cracking. And what should I do? Maybe the entrepreneur thing. Get a second job that you create yourself. Start your own business. There are always solutions. Look at who you could partner with to make these improvements to where your money comes from.

NINTH HOUSE: Beliefs. We’re all fighting with others about our beliefs these days. We put something on Facebook and get heckled or trolled. Our family members make snide and nasty comments. Let it go! Let it go! My suggestion here is take a class in disputative communication or joint the debate team or toastmasters. Read a book on how to communicate better. Write a book about what you believe. Join a group where people share your beliefs, so you can be around others who agree with you. But best of all, take yoga. Meditate. Walk in the woods. Watch a funny movie. Go to a concert. Listen to music. Dance. Easy peasy.

TENTH HOUSE: Battling the job? Are you fighting your career itself, the people there, or your role there? Maybe the job isn’t for you. Do you know what else you want to do? Take a step in that direction, whether it’s going back to school, taking a certification course, or learning a new skill. Tech schools are great for teaching how to do high paying jobs. Maybe it’s not the pay that’s the problem, but you don’t have the love for your job. I know someone who volunteered at a zoo, because she wanted to work with the chimps. They started her with snakes and lizards, but eventually, because she hung in, did a good job, showed up, and got to know everyone, she ended up working her dream job. Sometimes you’ve got to start small and work your way up. Take a small step today. Hang in there while you make the transition. Ask for support and ideas from other professionals and friends and family. Check in with your unemployment office, Linkedin, and take one of those tests that can tell you exactly what you are cut out for. Or you can ask me, an astrologer, because we know, too! 😊If you are battling the job itself, I will say again and again, DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. And when the time comes, use the documents to improve your situation or give you the leg up if you need to leave. Ask for a hearing, if necessary, if there is a dispute.

ELEVENTH HOUSE: You aren’t fighting with your friends, are you? I know it happens sometimes. Treat this situation like you would your other close relationships. Re-read what I said earlier about the solar (and lunar) eclipse. Have an honest heart to heart, remembering to tell your friends you love them and address the issue at hand from the most non-emotional place you can. Watch your words. Be honest but non accusatory. Ask how you can resolve this together. Perhaps it can’t be resolved. Some people are simply users. So, maybe it IS time for a breakup and new, more positive friends. Sometimes getting a “divorce” provides new and exciting opportunities. Give it a try. The world and many new friends await you!

TWELFTH HOUSE: Karma karma karma. What can you do about it? Nothing. It is what it is. Judgment Day may be upon you regarding all of your karmic relationships. If it turns out bad and NOTHING can be done, accept it as meant to be and that the balancing of karma is done. There’s nothing that says you can’t work on all your karmic relationships. That’s really what you are here for, after all. So approach with love and care, because I assume this one is serious, and do your best to stay calm and reasonable and be open and forgiving and flexible. Work it out; you can if you want to. If it’s the end, though, it’s the end. it is what it is. Face the music. Then go play and listen and dance somewhere else with someone else. Give yourself a gold star for one karmic issue solved. Do they give awards for that?