A Solar Eclipse New Moon to Remember

Monday’s Solar Eclipse in late Leo, the second New Moon this month in the Sun’s own sign, is notable for several reasons, not the least being the very nature of an eclipse as an extra-powerful lunation, this one being visible as well in its path across the American continent. The eclipse configuration is made even more potent by many significant inter-planetary connections between both inner and outer planets. The Sun and Moon at the eclipse degree aspect Pluto, by sesquiquadrate, and Uranus by a precise trine, thus bringing these two powerhouse planets further into mass consciousness, as they remain in their broad square alignment that signals the major transformations of this decade. Saturn and Jupiter are also participatory – being joined in a close sextile, while Mars trines Saturn and is in partile sextile to Jupiter. Neptune is also activated, being in exact semi-square to Uranus and parallel Jupiter, while Eris at 23 Aries trines both Mars and Saturn, making a grand trine in Fire. A social crossroads is therefore being reached where idealism and spiritual values are strong, and where each individual action counts toward the evolution of the greater whole.

With the Sun and Moon in partile or same-degree trine to Uranus, there is indeed a mass awakening going on, perhaps most especially in America where it is sorely needed. On an individual level, we are likely to encounter unexpected events and, as well, surprising enlightenment. The Grateful Dead line is applicable here, that “Once in a while you can get shown the light/ In the strangest of places if you look at it right.” Certainly the emergence of bizarre twists and turns in the American political landscape are likely to continue and perhaps intensify.

As far as the situation in the White House, it is very interesting to note that the eclipse lands directly on Donald Trump’s ascendant, while Saturn occupies the same degree and minute of his Moon at 21:12 Sagittarius. Saturn is thus opposed to his Sun and North Node (Trump himself was born on an eclipse). It does seem that further and energetic surprises are in store, with also new limitations that could stall his activity as he enters a major new phase of his life and presidency.

Mars is optimistically enabled by his partile sextile with Jupiter, and yet also pulled back into non-action by the close trine with Saturn. In general, it is a sobering period of time that is initiated now, for at least the next 30 days and on through the remainder of the year. Saturn with Jupiter can be represented as a loss of faith, and on the other hand there can be a valuable enabling sense of practicality. Slowing down and a lack of progress are indicated, and can be informative, when we take the time to look inside, as this strong Mercury Retrograde period enjoins us. Early September will be enlightening as Mars conjuncts a stationing Mercury directly on the eclipse degree.

The Sabian Symbol associated with this New Moon is “A Mermaid,” reminding us of the strong Neptunian influence of this eclipse, and this last part of the month in general. A Mermaid is a transitional being, the human slowly emerging out of the vast sea of life force. Marc Edmund Jones relates this symbol to “humanity’s insatiable appetite for experience on the side of psychological self-assurance, and of the nascent eagerness of the soul for private and personal participation in every possible facet of self-fulfillment.” He also makes reference to “an ineradicable purity of [our] makeup at core, and in consequence an ultimate repudiation of all the compromises which seem to be demanded in everyday relationships, [instead responding to] the creative needs of life itself.” Indeed, one of our most urgent tasks in these fraught times is to determine what we individually espouse and where feel called to action, as that which represents the very quickening of life, versus all that would conspire to dilute the meaning and purpose of our earthly existence.

A Solar Eclipse New Moon to Remember

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Chart for the New Moon on August 21, 2017

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