The Cosmic Story: Aquarius/Leo Total Lunar Eclipse, July 27, 2018

The Cosmic Story: Aquarius/Leo Lunar Eclipse, July 27, 2018

Birthing the New King

The cosmic waves of change keep rolling in. Get ready for another powerful eclipse (although we won’t see this lunar eclipse here in the western hemisphere). This is the 2^nd of three eclipses occurring this summer – from Cancer to Leo. Don’t forget to go out and look at the Full Moon, even if you can’t see the eclipse. The sight of the Full Moon and brilliant Mars shining nearby will imprint on your psyche in a magical way.

Eclipses are magical moments where something slips through an energy portal to both destroy and create. It’s a path opener. Eclipses are known to bring things to a head; something is released, especially at a total lunar eclipse. It’s time to bring things sleeping into the light.

The energies during the past few months have been intense and chaotic, and it feels like things are getting more intense, very much like the stage in labor called transition – the contractions keep coming without stop. It’s an intense time, but it presages birth. Just as it is a dying time, it is also a birthing time.

This Full Moon in Aquarius and Leo was seeded by the big Momma Cancer Solar Eclipse on July 12-13, and some of us are ready to give birth (we’ll see this happening more and more next year when the nodes move into Cancer/Capricorn). Stepping away from collective expectations and finding new solutions to our old problems is part of that birth.

It’s during this most intense stage of labor that mothers have to try to stay focused on our task – to birth new life. The pain may be intense, but it has a purpose – new life. So during this powerful Blood Full Moon lunar eclipse, when the light of the Moon is veiled, we have to stay focused, to see and understand what lives deep within us, those parts of ourselves we’ve locked away from our awareness that need to be seen and acknowledged. These parts might be gifts we developed in other lifetimes, old behavior patterns shaped by beliefs that no longer serve us, or lies we’ve told ourselves about who and what we are.

This lunar eclipse is the longest in the 21^st century: totality lasts around 1 hour and 43 minutes. This means its influence will continue to affect us for years to come. And just as the Cancer Solar Eclipse pulled in the transformative power of Pluto in Capricorn, this Aquarius Lunar Eclipse draws in the awakening power of Uranus in Taurus. When outer planets are involved in an eclipse pattern, it signals a change in the collective energies as well as in our personal energies.

So, stop hitting the snooze button and wake up! 

 

 

That’s Uranus’ message to us as it challenges this eclipse energy. Change could happen quickly now. Don’t be afraid to step into the unknown. 

We have the Cancer Solar Eclipse’s grand water trine gift for diving deeply into our emotions as well as the grand earth trine’s grounding. It’s time to figure things out – to see the root cause of our trauma and heal it through the trine to Chiron in Aries – through a new understanding of who we really are. We can ground in the meaning and purpose of our life experience when we see ourselves clearly.

The healing is for masculine energy in men, women and the world. The signs of this necessary healing: Mars retrograde conjunct the south node of the Moon, the collective emotional ideals of mental Aquarius that need regenerating, and Chiron in Mars’ sign of Aries and identity. 

The New King whose sign is the Tree of Life 

The Divine Feminine has been awake in the world since the 70s. It’s time for the Divine Masculine to be birthed anew. This energy needs a new form: not a heavenly father and son who must die, but an earthy power of growth and life, of community and love, of protection and caring. And of an acceptance of death in its proper time and place. (One of the reasons I feel we create so much war and destruction is because of an unconscious terror of death. We need a better belief system to understand death and rebirth than burning in ever-lasting fire.)

Warrior, father, lover and magician: these are the archetypal energies that need to be embraced and developed as the New Masculine. Will men rise to the occasion? Some of you have. Hopefully, you will help others who are ready. This means women have to do things differently as well, since we also have patterns of how we use our masculine energies that have been shaped by patriarchy. It’s time for women to find our own way of doing things. And many of us already have.

Deep change is upon us and we have a chance to work consciously with it. While people are experiencing tremendous breakdowns and breakthroughs, we have no idea where it will all end. Thus the adventure continues!

Aquarius/Leo Total Lunar Eclipse, July 27 – 28, 2018

The Total Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius/Leo occurs on Friday, July 27 at 1:20pm PDT/ 4:20pm EDT/ 9:20pm GMT. The eclipse will be seen in most of Asia, the Middle East Africa and Europe, but not in the western hemisphere.

This lunar eclipse involves two other planets along with the Sun and Moon. The Moon is conjunct Mars retrograde, opposed to the Sun and square Uranus in Taurus. The reflective mental, retrograde Mars energy (which just joined the South Node in Aquarius on July 20^th) and Uranus’ shake-up, wake-up energy brings more intensity to the mix. It seems to be a call to action.

The Sabian symbol for the Moon at 5* Aquarius is: A council of ancestors is seen implementing the efforts of a young leader. This is a promise that we’ll be able to access our wisdom when we step forward and lead.

The Sabian symbol for Mars retrograde at 4* Aquarius is: A Hindu yogi demonstrates his healing power. What better symbol for the healing of our Mars energy?

The Sabian symbol for the South Node at 6* Aquarius is: A masked figure performing ritualistic acts in a mystery play. These rituals put us in touch with cosmic law and our place in the universe.

The Sabian symbol for the Sun at 5* Leo is: Rock formations tower over a deep canyon. This symbols helps us expand our perspective, showing us the vast stretches of time that shape our world. Do not despair! This too shall pass.

The Sabian symbol for the North Node at 6* Leo is: A conservative, old-fashioned lady is confronted by a ‘hippie’ girl. Placed alongside of the Sun’s symbol, this shows us that our societal values change quicker than the world of nature.

The Sabian symbol for Uranus at 3* Taurus is: Natural steps lead to a lawn of clover in bloom. As the bees gather honey, we too have to follow a natural path to achieve enlightenment. Time is on our side if we flow with Nature’s natural rhythms.

Dennis Chabot of POSNE NightSky captured this photo of Mars on July 21, 2018.

The Aquarius Moon is a degree away from Mars retrograde, which is at its brightest as it opposes the Sun and is its closest pass to the Earth in 15 years. The Moon will have a deep, red glow as the Sun’s light passes through Earth’s shadow, and there, beside the Moon, will be brilliant Mars.

Mars symbolizes men as well as the masculine principles of intention, focus, will, assertion and action. Reviewing our beliefs around these issues as Mars goes back into Capricorn before it turns direct, we get to set new rules and new intentions about how masculine energy is needed in society.

These cosmic alignments focus on what questions we need to be asking ourselves. How does masculine spirit want to be renewed and incarnated now? What actions are we taking and why? How do we deal with Mars’ shadow of aggression, anger and competition? What is bravery? How do we change our way of doing things? How can we shape something different by how we act in the world? Are we living our dharma? How are we contributing our knowledge and wisdom to the world?

This Full Moon eclipse added to Mars’ dynamic energy enables us to transmute old, wornout collective beliefs and ideals into new possibilities. Leave the past behind and open to what’s possible now. The total lunar eclipse occurs on the same day Mars reaches its opposition to the Sun, when it will shine at its brightest in the night sky. Isn’t this a sign of a desire to release the past and work toward the future good of the planet?

Mars retrograde with South Node in Aquarius will find us walking away from collective expectations of what we should do and how to do it. Just as Aquarius rules the round table of collaboration, it also rules mob mentality. South Node in Aquarius demands that we look at how we betray our beliefs when we don’t have the integrity to act on them. When it comes to dealing with Mars – the masculine spirit, left brain rationality and men – how have we been betrayed by them? What are our collective masculine beliefs if not that we are entitled to more because we are Americans. That we have to be rugged individuals and go it alone. That hard work will bring us happiness and success. That we are all equal. That we are free.

Which of these beliefs do we hold in our hearts? Which no longer serve us? If we want freedom, we must be free. That means we have to be free to be ourselves, to choose our own course, to love and create as only we can. That’s what the Leo North Node and the Leo Sun are calling us to do. Saying we’re free doesn’t necessarily make us free.

With the collective nature of Mars retrograde on the South Node in Aquarius at this lunar eclipse, it’s time to recognize that our world’s fate is in our hands. When we engage in community on whatever level, we are participating in our world and bringing our unique gifts to the collective. Look at what you’ve been hiding from and bring it into the light of day where you can create something new out of it.

With 6 of our 10 planets in fixed signs during this eclipse, there are possibilities of big personal breakthroughs on issues that have been stuck for a while. With Mars retrograde joining the lunar South Node in fixed air Aquarius opposite Sun and lunar North Node in fixed fire Leo, both square Uranus in fixed earth Taurus which widely opposes Jupiter in fixed water Scorpio, the power potential of this fixed grand cross is enormous. If you have natal planets in the early degrees of fixed signs, you’ll be most affected. 

4 Elements:  Earth, Air, Fire, Water

 

How are we concentrating our elemental powers? Our fire, our water, our air and our earth? How are we balancing them? Fire and water gives rise to spiritual healing and vision. Fire and air give rise to new beliefs. Water and earth give rise to fertility. Balancing water and air brings peace.

With all these planets in fixed signs, our patience will be tested. Staying calm and centered is the way to go. But with Leo/Aquarius, we need to go out and be with people. Be ourselves with people. So find your tribe and support each other as the energies intensify. Find the balance between calm and passion!

Venus is in Virgo opposite Neptune in Pisces (still trine Jupiter in Scorpio). Your imagination is wide open now. The connection is strong now between imagining and mastering what you love. Self-integration is the key.

We’re all being tested. Trust your inner spirit. Don’t fear the changes. We don’t have to go through anything alone. Where’s your tribe? Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Whether it’s help with a sick friend or help for an internet attack, we don’t have to go through things alone now. That’s a new way to solve an old problems – help each other.

Mercury will go retrograde on July 26^th at 24* Leo and it will retrograde back to 12* Leo on August 18^th -19^th. All the Mercury retrogrades are occurring in fire signs now, helping us realign our passions, creativity and spiritual intuition. Mercury conjuncts the Sun on August 8^th at 15* – 16* Leo – the power gate of Leo. It’s a good time to reclaim your sovereignty.

Uranus in Taurus will retrograde on August 7 and will go back into Aries on November 6^th for a few months until it returns to Taurus in March 6 – 7, 2019.

When Uranus goes retrograde, there will be 6 planets retrograde for about 10 days. Just sit back and watch what goes on.

Enjoy this amazing summer,

Cathy

Letters to a Young Poet (excerpt) -- Rainer Marie Rilke .... have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. ~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~ (Letters to a Young Poet, translated by Stephen Mitchell)