the solar eclipse at 9’21 virgo is exact on thursday september 1st, initiating us into the eclipse portal that activates the virgo/pisces axis. eclipses usher in profound changes- both major endings and brand new beginnings on our journeys of life. where these eclipses fall is where the change is taking place- but if you happen to have a planet or angle at or near 9-10 gemini, virgo, sagittarius or pisces you will be feeling this eclipse more than others.
with the solar eclipse in virgo and the following lunar eclipse in pisces- we are being asked to bridge body and Spirit in new and more masterful ways. virgo is a sign that is present, discerning and embodied- while pisces is mystical, otherworldly and magical. virgo and pisces are the signs of the priestess- the one who sits between the worlds and mediates them so that the sacred can be discovered concealed in the profane. the coming lunar cycle is a powerful time to show up and do our inner work so that the mystical, spiritual, otherworldly visions we have within us can take root and manifest in our lives!
this solar eclipse in virgo is extra potent as it is aligned with the evolutionary north node and it triggers the saturn/neptune square. with the north node activated by the sun/moon conjunction this eclipse is setting into motion a brand new evolutionary path for us- personally and collectively. yet we must remember the north node growth is not the easy path. it’s the place where we are pushed out of the nest and we have to figure out how to fly falling down. the south node is easy and is the path of least resistance. it can also relate to karmic patterns we keep playing out ad nausea. with neptune on the south node fast approaching (exact in november) there is a strong pull to shadow tendencies of pisces: denial, delusion, deception of self or other, playing the victim or the martyr, turning to addictions to numb out (both drugs/alcohol and also sex, work, technology, spiritual bypassing) and generally just not wanting to see reality as it shows up in the here and now in ourselves, others or the world around us. this pull is hypnotic and can feel like a drug. just watch a bunch of people on their cell phones and notice how their eyes gloss over- that is neptune on the south node at its worst! so this solar eclipse on the north node is a call to rise up out of delusion, out of self or other deception, out of spiritual bypassing- so that we can stand in the here and now, face ourselves, face others, see and love what IS and from this place of loving what is we can then make decisions about what needs to be done to create what is possible or walk away from what does not honor and respect us.
with the saturn/neptune square involved there is a need to get really clear, discerning and aligned with the deepest reservoirs of integrity and self honesty right now- and virgo can teach us that. saturn square neptune makes the fine line between Truth and lies, reality and illusion very nebulous and unclear. it’s easy to delude or deceive ourselves. it’s easy to lie to ourselves and believe it. we need to be really clear with ourselves about where our growth edge is rather than tell ourselves we are already there- spiritually bypassing the shit and the shadow we don’t want to see or address. mars is past exact conjunction with saturn but is still within orb and the sun will trigger both saturn and mars in the hours and weeks following the eclipse (sun square saturn later that evening on 9/1 and sun square mars on 9/13). this can bring a heavy energy to the days and weeks that follow but harnessed well this can be about mastery around what IS and taking positive, mature action around what needs to happen as a result of facing reality.
as i said in my weekly forecast about the mars/saturn conjunction- this alignment brings two malefic planets together in a powerful conjunction. mars is the will, warrior and drive- and he governs anger, action, aggression and passion. saturn is the Great Task Master that reigns us in, disciplines us and brings us karmic lessons when we act without integrity. mars/saturn can help us master our passions and ego drives but there can also be a suppression energy going on where we really don’t want to reign it in but we are doing so in unskillful ways or possibly acting out in this energy like a child who does not want to be told what to do (even if what is being told is the best thing for us). this is great for discipline and doing the inner work- not so great for depression, repression, aggression, stuckness and karma. if you can stay with the energy and not buckle under it nor aggressively fight it- you can make this energy work for you. new foundations can be set right now in the area of your chart mars and saturn aligned but it will take work on your part. a new 2 year cycle of mastery and growing up is being set into motion- but its up to you to show up and take the Higher Path right now! with mars/saturn we need to think long term benefit not short term reward. since the eclipse activates this we are challenged to reign in our egos and ensure that any new beginnings we commence are founded on maturity, integrity, honesty and discipline. if we react or do things in haste or from a place of impulsivity or reactivity- it can and will cost us!
the ruler of this solar eclipse is mercury who just went retrograde on august 30th. with the mind and intellect in retrograde motion the coming weeks are a time to rethink, review, revise and revision certain areas of life (check the weekly horoscopes to see where this plays out for you). luckily this mercury retrograde cycle is bolstered by three conjunctions to jupiter- helping us to open our minds and raise our awareness to gain Higher perspectives on whatever has been playing out in our lives! the first mercury/jupiter conjunction was on august 22nd and the second will be the day after the eclipse on september 2nd- with the last on october 11th. pay attention to what is seeding during the last 10 days of august and the first week of september- as doors are opening and possibilities are forthcoming but you want to be awake and aware enough to see them and make the most of them! (an astrology blog on the mercury retrograde cycle will be up soon!)
another amazing alignment in the solar eclipse chart is a beautiful Grand Water Trine between juno and black moon lilith in scorpio, vesta in cancer with the fixed star Sirius and neptune in pisces on the south node. grand trines bring great gifts and in water the gifts are of intuition, sensitivity, empathy and emotional connection with ourselves and others. with three of the Goddess archetypes (juno, lilith and vesta) involved i feel a major opening and activation of the Divine Feminine in this alignment and an opening up to a deeper awareness of her Cosmic and multidimensional being. what is interesting is when you add in the sun/moon/north node conjunction you have what is called a kite formation. the watery, intuitive, psychic, cosmic and transdimensional gifts of the Grand Water Trine get anchored by the solar eclipse. when we show up embodied, present and willing to do our inner and outer work- the gifts of the grand trine will pour forth. the otherworldly energy of neptune and the Grand Water Trine needs a container- and the solar eclipse in virgo is the chalice that can hold all the potent mystical, feminine energies hidden right in front of our very eyes! the inner work we do on ourselves is what clears the blockages in our field that prevent us from being the empty chalice that is ready willing and able to be filled by Spirit- so focusing on our inner work/shadow work, making necessary self adjustments, and deepening in our integrity, self honesty and Truthfulness with others is a prerequisite to fully accessing all the gifts of this watery trine (and let me tell you it will be well worth it!)
i leave you with the star sparks meditation for 10 virgo by ellias lonsdale. he speaks of the details and precision (very virgo!)- and how we have been asked to show up with out self importance and give ourselves to the Work. yet how to do this without losing sight of ourselves and our capacity for self care and fun? overdoing this we become strict and constricted- we are pinned down and although we may not have overblown ego issues now we have the opposite- underdeveloped ego where selflessness and helpfulness has trumped healthy self care and self-Love. so this beautiful virgo eclipse is a reminder to care for the self as much as others, to Love and serve ME as much you, we or us. life is not all work and no play- and it’s also not all play and no work. somewhere in between the two the Truth lies. and the mystery gets lived when your work is your play and your play is your work- and surrendering into that opens us to a whole new level of awareness and awakening!
eclipse blessings sent your way…
~divine harmony
STAR SPARKS
~ellias lonsdale
Virgo 10 A pin cushion
This is a gathering point, a focus of awareness, a sphere of sharp, clear intent. We have agreed to (show up) in a very particular way. And we are holding ourselves to this task with acumen, precise applied capacity.
All of us go into the gathering point. There is no observer. There is no greater picture. There is simply the willingness, the ability, and the task that is drawn to match what we can do and what we have agreed to do.
If we are devoted to such a micro level of intensive rightfulness, this reveals that we have standing behind this straight plain track, a goodness, a caring and loving quality of participation in what is needed. Yet we prefer to not even look this far. We would much rather not think about ourselves at all and just become what is here in the foreground in a very literal self-giving.
There is a peculiar feeling tone around the edges of this exemplary service. The sense is that we are working off our self-important syndromes and almost abasing ourselves within the mundane, the external, the endlessly specific and particular details of ordinary life.
We can recognize that a guilt and shame, a self-conscious set of memories are lurking in the background. And we can realize that this outer deeds way of working these things out is as binding as we insist that it must be. But we can also shift the pattern as we wear it out, and no longer feel we owe it to anybody to be as purely selflessly helpful as any soul can be.
It is very hard to get a good angle on this one. It takes a lot of painful ordeals before we relent against our own best intentions. But sooner or later, we do outlive what we have set up for ourselves so strictly. And then we can breathe into this space with a deeper kind of self-surrender, the kind where we get ourselves back refreshed, restored.