July 2, 2019 3:17 PM EST
Welcome to eclipse season! We start out with a bang with this new moon, but perhaps a welcome one. The sun and moon unite at 10 degrees of Cancer, close to the north node at 17 degrees (It is the close proximity of new and full moons to the nodes of the moon that qualifies them as eclipses). This puts our new moon in the crosshairs of the Saturn Pluto conjunction in Capricorn, but with Pluto at 22 degrees of that sign, it is out of direct range of an opposition. Saturn, however, at 17 degrees is exactly conjunct the south node.
We can think of this as a pivotal choice point, where our past and future can diverge meaningfully- or we can miss the boat.
This Saturn/ South Node conjunction has been strong, and near exact, since early June, due to the fact that Saturn is moving retrograde (*while the (mean) nodes always move retrograde) at roughly the same pace as the nodes. This, in and of itself, is interesting and noteworthy. It’s as though they are patiently and considerately holding our hands as we make important decisions and adjustments, rather than forcefully colliding and separating, which may bring more shock waves than our nerves can tolerate. They continue to move in unison through mid-September, at which point Saturn goes direct at 14 degrees Capricorn. They remain, however, within a degree of each other until mid- October.
This gives us an unusually extended opportunity to “face the music”, as Saturn rules realism, and adjust accordingly. Saturn conjunct the south node can also be seen as the disciplinarian (but not unfair) grandparent forcing us to clean out our room. We may resist, but ultimately we know that it is good for us, and we will feel so much better after we do. Only in this case, since the south node is associated with our past karma and energetic baggage, the ‘clean out’ process is a rather monumental one. But again we can turn to Saturn’s values of pragmatism and durability to guide us through. We need not make a BIGGER DEAL of something than it really is. Saturn believes in conserving and using resources wisely. Instead we can merely evaluate, as dispassionately as possible, whether that old pattern (or possession/situation) is really worth the energy and belief we give to it. If not, we can let it go. And this confluence of planets now are making it as easy as possible to release the past- should we so choose.
Another extraordinary factor of this eclipse is that both Mars and Venus are in critical degrees. Venus is actually just 1 minute shy of 29 degrees Gemini, so it is not quite at that pivotal point yet, but for all intents and purposes it is renegade in Gemini, having reached the very end of its stay there. Planets in the final anaretic degree of a sign tend to have a ‘nothing left to lose’ attitude. With Venus, planet of love and values, in curious Gemini in the anaretic degree, there is a prompt to give in to the chaos. Gemini is famous for their versatility but as we all know, sometimes too much of a good thing can be.. too much. Back to Saturn/south node.. now is the time to distill. If your curiosity (Gemini) and values/possessions (Venus) have become a runaway train, with little or no cohesion or guiding principles, you may very well feel overwhelmed and overburdened right now. But by giving in to that sensation, perhaps even throwing up your hands and cranking up the music with a smile, you will find it easier to sort out what glitters from gold and non-judgmentally release what you have accumulated that no longer serves you.
Mars, on the other hand is in the very first degree of Leo. Unlike planets at the last degree (such as Venus in Gemini), planets at the first degree have a highly focused and potent energy. This will serve us well as Mars in Leo represents being a warrior for our own needs and creative desires. Our ‘gut check’ of what we want and don’t will be super strong with this aspect, so if we are willing to listen and let it be our guide, we can can move quickly, with accuracy and dignity, through this process. Mars is being aided by a conjunction to verbal Mercury, who is then able to rely these impulses out to others with clear communication and boundaries. Mercury and Mars form a beautiful trine to healer Chiron in Aries, ensuring that this path and these boundaries are aligned with what is truly right for us on a soul level.
But, as they say, you can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs. Mercury and Mars in Leo are in a tight square to Uranus at 5 degrees of Taurus. Uranus, the rebel, the planet of unpredictability, is being activated. Mars in Leo is pushing us towards what is right for us, and that can mean breaking with convention (Taurus), and all of the potential drama that comes with that decision. It is important, as Saturn in Capricorn would again urge, to set the intention not to create any more drama than is absolutely necessary. The lower vibrations of both Leo, Mars, and Uranus all love drama so it’s especially wise to focus on loving and gentle transitions, rather than exaggerated ruptures, in order to preserve our energy and enthusiasm for moving forward.
The final noteworthy aspect is the trine of this new moon to ethereal, mystical Neptune in Pisces. Neptune also forms a sextile to Pluto and Saturn in Capricorn. Being slow moving as it is, Neptune has been holding these positions, and has thus been the great ally of this eclipse season and this prolonged period of emphasis on the signs of Cancer and Capricorn. Neptune urges faith, trust and inner knowing. In its lower vibrations, when we are having crisis of faith or confidence, we can all too easily give in to addictions and temptations of all varieties, but higher vibration Neptune is our very greatest source of inner wisdom and guidance. When in doubt, lean on Neptune now to show you the path, to help you remember exactly what it is that feeds your heart and your imagination. While Neptune is still in square to exaggerator Jupiter we may be slightly prone to adding some fanciful embellishments to these heart dreams, but that’s surely better than having a pessimistic attitude, and perhaps this over-emphasized quality can actually help us hear Neptune’s whispers more loudly than we normally would, especially over the noise of all of these other aspects.
The period of influence for this eclipse lasts us straight through until the next solar eclipse on December 25/26 so it’s important to keep track of where we are with all of this, not just this month, but in the months ahead. And to be very gentle with ourselves (sun and moon in Cancer) and to remember to speak and celebrate our triumphs and turning points (Mercury and Mars in Leo). Right now we need to be supporting each other, and can all benefit greatly from the positive ripple effects of others’ good news and empowered transformation.
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