Break Up Break Down Break Through ... Eclipse Time!

This Sunday, February 26, we have the second in a series of two eclipses this month. This second eclipse occurs at 8'12'' Pisces and is a new moon solar eclipse. The eclipse is exact at 9:58 AM EST but the energy expands out from that moment to the day, the week, the whole month! There is most certainly pressure this past week. It has been a month of pressure but here we have the release valve! Will the pressure be released safely or will it explode? It's all in how we handle things in our own lives.


Let's face it. Some things are out of our control. We can get really, really, really, really upset over these things if we let ourselves. Getting upset over things outside of our control is a great recipe for unhappiness. The astrological configuration with this new moon solar eclipse is a similar recipe for railing against things outside of our control. But the real question is: what remains within our control and what can we do about it?


I practice a type of astrology I like to call Intentional Astrology. That means that we, as practitioners, can do something about our circumstances, even if it is only a change in mindset over an issue we are dealing with. There is a great debate in astrology about whether things are fated or whether we have free will and I firmly fall on the free will side of that debate. And I use astrology in order to cultivate choices that align our free will with our goals. Please notice that free will and goals are two totally different things. A goal is a destination you desire to reach in life … a new car, a new job, a certain weight, publication of a book, etc. Free will involves the choices you make in order to reach a certain goal. If a new car is a goal for you then what choices are you making that bring you closer, or further, from a new car. Just because we have free will doesn't mean we use it wisely. If I get some surprise money I could put is away toward my new car or I could go blow it on something completely unrelated to my new car goal. Both are free will choices, bot only one choice engages the Intention of having a new car. Working with Intentional Astrology we look at where our choices are and then we try to be wise about the path we choose.


This eclipse has the sun, moon and Neptune conjunct in the sign of Pisces, with Mercury, Pallas and Chiron all joining the party. This is a lot going on in Pisces, and the new moon solar eclipse is activating this area with a burst of energy. People are being asked to shine a light on their delusions, their patterns of behavior, their connection to spirit, their addiction among other things. The new moon solar eclipse happens in hard aspect to the ongoing Jupiter-Uranus opposition which has Mars applying to Uranus with less than a one degree orb. This is a lot of heat … things are reaching a boil! Jupiter represents our understanding and Uranus represents change. Mars is a trigger that is pushing us to change (Uranus) even if it conflicts (opposes) our understanding (Jupiter). Another key word for Uranus is willfulness, and for Jupiter it is law, so we also have a willful opposition to the law being activated by Mars and something that rubs up against our universal understanding (Pisces solar eclipse).


One of the negative archetypes of Pisces is The Victim. This is being activated by this eclipse and we have a choice. Will I continue to be a victim or will I do something about it? Am I a victim of my relationship? Of my government? Of my own negative thoughts? Where is the victimization and what can you DO about it? The blessing here is we want to break free. We don't want to be victimized any longer. We are tired of it and we are ready to rise up! The opposite of being a victim is truly engaging your own free will.


People will experience break downs and break ups. The holy grail is the break through where we have the “aha moment” which leads us into a paradigm shift. Although this eclipse is happening in a collective sign of Pisces, the way we experience the collective is individually. How does one simultaneously “be one with the universe” and just be oneself? This is part of the ongoing tension being activated right now. Where do I fall in all of this? Where do I stake my claim?


Rebellion is pretty high on the list of likely activities and I can't say I don't get it but I ask that we all take a look at our intentions, our goals, and ask ourselves how we can use this moment for our own betterment and for the highest and best good for everyone, everywhere? That is where intention comes in. That is where determining what is within our control and doing something about what is in our own power comes into play. How can I make the world a better place, right here, right now?


The Sabian Symbol for the degree of the eclipse is “A Jockey Spurs His Horse, Intent on Outdistancing His Rivals”. This is a competitive symbol but it also involves not only the jockey but the horse, who is a part of nature. This brings up questions like:

• Are we using our resources wisely?
  
• Who are we competing with?
  
• While focused on our goal are we being kind in getting there?
  
• What does success mean to you? What are you willing to do to get there?
  
• Are you motivated?
  

With this eclipse I pray for peace and intend that we each become illuminated in the way that best suits our needs at this moment. When the two luminaries (sun and moon) share the same space (new moon solar eclipse) we have the energy available for amazing enlightenment. Let it be so.

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