With two eclipses in February we’re in for a big month. In fact many of you will already have been feeling the effects of the eclipse building. For women readers, you’ll know what I mean when I say that eclipse energy as it builds is a bit like PMT – internally things get more and more ‘full’ and it’s usually a relief when a period comes. So an eclipse is a bit like getting a period – i.e. PMT (pre-eclipse), then wishing for retreat time while bleeding (the eclipse itself & the days following), then finally a sense of calm and integration.
The eclipses are happening at the new and full moons. Here’s the information:
- Thurs 7th, New Moon at 18 degrees Aquarius, 2.46 pm plus Solar Eclipse at 2.56 pm (This partial eclipse will be visible in parts of Australia: here in Melbourne 9% of the Sun will be obscured by the Moon. According to spaceweather.com the Sun will dapple the ground with crescent-shaped sunbeams, and it’s suggested that looking in the shadows of leafy trees will help us see this – i.e. don’t look directly at the Sun or you’ll risk going blind.)
- Thurs 21st, Full Moon at 2 degrees Virgo, 2.32 pm plus Total Lunar Eclipse at 2.27 pm (As this happens during daylight hours in Australia, it won’t be visible to us.)
These eclipses could bring important breakthroughs, even if they may feel somewhat tumultuous. In particular the Aquarius solar eclipse/new moon on the 7th has an energy of change. It could feel shaky and anxiety-provoking (Aquarius is a zodiac sign associated with anxiety) but also wonderfully refreshing and exciting (Aquarius is also associated with flashes of insight and innovative improvements). The Virgo lunar eclipse/full moon on the 21st will help us ground the creative jolts brought on by the Aquarius eclipse. Yet Virgo can also be a worry-wart zodiac sign, so if you’re prone to anxiety this is definitely the month to invest in some extra supports: supplements, fresh air and good food, regular exercise, friends at the ready for phone chats, counselling, cathartic or calming music… whatever you know works for you. See it as if you’re stocking up on extra menstrual supplies!
After the full moon/lunar eclipse on the 21st we can begin to build new systems to support what we have learned from the Aquarius eclipse and find practical ways to enjoy being spiritual beings in human bodies. In my opinion, becoming more spiritually aware doesn’t involve meditating 24/7, but does involve living passionately and courageously as a human, foibles and all. Aquarius has a tendency to dissociate from the body into otherworldly realms, wheras Virgo challenges us to be in our bodies and to constantly work on more efficient ways to deal with life on planet earth.
February also includes an interesting mix of Mercury Retrograde and Mars Direct. The combination of these two adds to the feeling of the cosmos wearing us down a little in order to loosen our usual facades or old coping mechanisms. This encourages us to get to the root of our problems, face them and evolve the stuck bits of our personalities. In this way we get pared back to our essential selves and are left staring at our magnificence. You’d think that’d be good, but many of us freak out when our greatness is reflected back.
Here’s the technical information on Mercury and Mars:
- Mercury went Retrograde (backwards) on 29 January at 24 degrees Aquarius. It will shift Direct again on 19 February and will return to 24 degrees Aquarius mid-March.
- Mars went Direct (forwards) on 31 January at 24 degrees Gemini and throughout February retraces all of its January steps (essentially from 24 to 29 degrees Gemini). It won’t be until early April that Mars returns to the original degree it went retrograde in.
Notice how both Mercury and Mars hit the 24 degree mark at the time they shifted positions? These two are entwined at this degree of the zodiac in a cosmic tango and they are showing us something about how to use appropriate moves and not step on too many toes. As they dance, they whip up relationship and communication conundrums especially around issues of inclusion and exclusion. Mercury is in Aquarius and wanting us to create friendship, family or community groups that are inclusive and respectful of difference, yet Mars is in coin-flipping Gemini – i.e. one minute including someone and the next minute excluding them. When Mercury and Mars tango like this in air zodiac signs, all kinds of interesting relationship webs are created and everyone is challenged to acknowledge what is going on.
As Mars retraces where it travelled in January, think back to any social or relationship tangles that might’ve flared up for yourself or loved ones. For example, was someone not invited to a party who ’should’ve’ been or vice versa? In this Dawning of the Age of Aquarius, we are being shown that what happens to one person affects the whole. Even if one person is treated unfairly in a social or relationship sense, then a whole community is affected. The word ‘unfairly’ here seems to be key – as adults we understand there are times when we are included and times when we are excluded, but if we are not treated fairly or respectfully in the process, then it’s only natural to get upset.
Mercury and Mars are dancing together in air signs, and the air signs are about awareness, communication, consultation, negotiation and fair decision making. Remaining conscious of relationship and social dynamics, acknowleding and talking about them is critical, otherwise despite the sophisticated networking and relationship options available to us in the 21st century, our animal instincts get activated and things can go to hell in a handbasket. So if there are any hurt feelings out there around relationship triangles, or social blunders, get talking! Mercury and Mars will help you sort things out. If you know your chart and have something at 23, 24 or 25 degrees of any zodiac sign, you are especially likely to be feeling the heat of this dilemma.
And now for Pluto in Capricorn Part 2. Last month, I began a discussion of the major cosmic shift of Pluto into Capricorn, which happened on 26 January. As Pluto dips its toes into the energy of the zodiac sign that will host its visit for the next 16 years, it’s worth pondering what Pluto in Capricorn might bring. I plan to upload an article on my website in the coming weeks exploring this topic more fully, and for the rest of this e-news I will share the generous offers from readers in response to my Pluto in Capricorn Vox Pop – these beautifully illustrate what’s been going on in the cosmos.
Remember as you read these anecdotes that Jupiter moved into Capricorn shortly before Pluto did, exaggerating the combined energies of Pluto (which rules Scorpio), Jupiter (which rules Sagittarius) and Capricorn (ruled by Saturn). You’ll also notice some Mars retrograde themes as you read.
Reader 1’s story (R1)
R1 moved interstate (Jupiter) to take up a job offer (Jupiter and Capricorn) from some past (Capricorn) employers, but on arrival got offered another job, better than the original one she’d moved interstate for (Jupiter – fresh opportunities). She accepted the new position & turned down the original one. The night before starting the new job, she was out being a party animal (Jupiter) and broke her foot (Capricorn is connected with bones)! So she turned up to the new job the next day on crutches. During her partying phase she met an exciting new man, yet communication difficulties after the broken foot affected the relationship being able to grow (Pluto endings). Being on crutches also meant R1 couldn’t live where she originally planned due to mobility problems (a family member’s home – Capricorn – the past). Some generous friends (Jupiter) offered her accommodation yet she’s now facing issues of dependence vs independence. Prior to the broken foot, R1 was living a free independent life. The foot is likely to take three months to heal. R1’s experiences show the tug-of-war between Sagittarius (freedom) and Capricorn (restriction), and also the Capricornian process of dealing with chronic conditions that take time to heal. There’s also the sense of loss and endings (especially past Capricornian connections) that can come with Pluto, but also the positive Jupiter-Pluto new beginnings.
Reader 2’s story (R2)
R2 works in the fast-paced corporate world and was distressed when her boss suddenly gave her close workmate a written warning for no apparent reason (Pluto power act). This could lead to R2’s most supportive colleague being laid off. The shock has highlighted to R2 that she ‘needs the courage and conviction to move onto something not as well paid’. Since Jupiter hit Pluto, R2 has taken time off work for therapy sessions that have brought out suppressed anger (Mars retrograde) – part of her wants to go on stress leave to explore work avenues that would be more fulfilling(Jupiter – freedom), but another part of her doesn’t want to give in (Capricorn – honouring what’s already been established). Yet with Pluto in Capricorn, it sounds as if R2 is being challenged to find new career pursuits that are more fulfilling and sustainable for her in the long term. Interestingly these feelings of dissatisfaction at work have coincided with R2 getting engaged – perhaps the increased commitment (Capricorn) in her personal life is challenging her to seek more spaciousness (Jupiter) in her career life otherwise she might feel too overwhelmed by the level of commitment in both areas.
Reader 3’s story (R3)
On a recent stinking hot Melbourne night (Jupiter is assoicated with heat), R3 went to the bathroom to discover ‘the bottom of the toilet was oozing brown stuff and was all over the floor, also the shower was pumping up the same matter!’ In her panic to stem the sewerage flow, R3 slipped and landed with her face down in the ‘mire’! In her words, ‘So.. all the shit was rising, unearthing the desperate need to repair old shonky pipes and drainage.’ Pluto is associated with shit and blocked pipes – the Pluto impulse is to clear blockages, and here R3 experienced a sudden blow up (Jupiter) of toxic matter forced to the surface. Capricorn is to do with structures and systems, so R3 was also being challenged to address old structures and to build new more sustainable ones. Jupiter is a joker planet and as R3 says ‘I did laugh in the midst of it all, recognising a marvelous parallel.’ Our head and face are associated with Mars so here we see the Mars retrograde theme too – the universe intensely showing R3 something she needed to ‘face’ about her life direction (Mars). Perhaps the sewerage is a symbol of suppressed passions and desires (Mars) that now need to be acted (Mars) upon.
Reader 4’s story (R4)
R4 was in the process of having a kitchen installed before Christmas (images of pipes again come to mind – both Pluto and Capricorn) and decided to hire a painter who was new to the area and wanted to develop a good name for himself (Jupiter is about positive recommendations). R4 chose to give him a chance even though he was relatively unknown. Yet this painter ‘proved moody and unreliable’. Moodiness is associated with Scorpio or Pluto difficulties and it turns out this painter had a number of planets in Scorpio. The whole experience ended in an unpleasant screaming match (Mars – fights and conflicts) between R4 and the painter, who had also turned out to be something of a bully. He refused to leave the house until R4 paid him, despite his not finishing the job, and R4 refused to pay him until he finished (Pluto power struggle). After a long stalemate, the painter finally completed the job and R4 paid him. The whole experience brought up memories for R4 of past domestic violence situations. Here R4 was trying to build (Capricorn) new systems/structures (kitchen) in her home to improve (Jupiter) her circumstances but unresolved energies re bullying and violence (Pluto and Mars) from her past (Capricorn) blew up (Jupiter). The positive is that she now knows what the blocks are to building new supportive structures for herself and can explore (Jupiter) how to resolve them.
Reader 5’s story (R5)
In the last few weeks of December, R5 became absolutely exhausted and went into hibernation (Capricorn energy of restriction and withdrawal). She let go of friendships and activities that she realised were no longer sustaining (Pluto endings), and spent a lot of time meditating. While meditating she tapped into ‘many new energies adjusting on earth’ as well as in her own life. Her intuitive self expanded (Jupiter) while her outward self retreated (Capricorn). She made a decision to move interstate and is patiently awaiting (Capricorn) some personal motivation (Jupiter and/or Mars) to help her make the move. Jupiter is associated with moving or travel so it’s interesting that both R1 and R5 were affected by a desire to move interstate. Also, I suspect that much of R5’s lack of motivation is likely to be lifting now that Mars has gone direct, as Mars retrograde can lead to decreased vitality.
Thank you to Readers 1 to 5 for sharing your stories, and also to all who gave me feedback and participated more privately. Finally, here’s wishing everyone some inspiring changes during the February eclipse season.