Eclipse Season

As I am writing this, we are in eclipse season. A Solar Eclipse just occurred on April 19, 2023, and we have another Lunar Eclipse coming up on May 05, 2023. Eclipses come in pairs, one solar and one lunar, two weeks apart. Each pair of eclipses happens twice a year. So while eclipses are a regular occurrence every year, being able to see an eclipse is not, as each one is only visible in varying parts of the world. Regardless of whether the eclipse is visible in your part of the globe or not, eclipses can still have a profound effect on oneself and the world.

 

 

For centuries eclipses were regarded as a bad omen, especially for kings and other rulers. That’s because one of the things that the Sun rules in astrology is the king or queen and worldly authority. Having a shadow cast over the Sun, was thought to represent a metaphoric shadow being cast over the king, foretelling the rulers death, overthrow, or other potential disaster for the regent and the kingdom.  And while eclipses can still signify world changing events, they can also be times of change and disruption in our own personal lives.

 

Eclipse pairs happen in opposite signs of the zodiac, with each pair repeating for approximately one and a half years. It takes 19 years for the eclipse cycle to complete. For example, from late 2021 and into 2023 eclipses occurred on the Taurus/Scorpio axis. This year the eclipses will move to the Aries/Libra axis, although there is an overlap. The Solar Eclipse on April 19 was at 29 degrees of Aries, and the Lunar Eclipse on May 05 will be at 14 degrees of Scorpio. The next pair of eclipses occurs later this year in October, with a Solar Eclipse in Libra, and a Lunar Eclipse in Taurus. Next year, in 2024 the eclipses will be in Aries or Libra, with one being in Pisces as we begin to switch over to the Virgo/Pisces axis.

 

So now that you know the pattern, what does this mean for you personally? It of course depends on your own personal chart. Where the eclipse occurs, as in what sign of the zodiac and what house, will tell you what is changing in your life. A good general rule is that Solar Eclipses mark endings and beginnings. Something in a part of our life comes to an end and a new chapter is just beginning. For example, someone with the eclipse occurring the fourth house of home and family may experience a relocation, or a family member moving out. Someone with an eclipse occurring in the seventh house of marriage or partnerships, may experience this as the start of a new romance, or the end of one, or it could be that there spouse experiences a change in their life, like a new job. For the Solar Eclipse in Aries, look to where your Aries house is, if you know your astrological birth chart, to see where the change is occurring for you. However, if you don’t know your chart, the sign can give you clues. Aries rules things like leadership, new ventures, individualism and fiery energy, war and aggression. There may be changes in your life like revamping your appearance, starting a business, or leadership changes at work. Also watch for these Aries themes in the news over the next few weeks.

 

The upcoming Lunar Eclipse on May 05, 2023 is in the sign of Scorpio. Lunar eclipses mark times when hidden information comes to light. Things that were in the shadows, secrets, and hidden motives often get revealed. Again, look to your birth chart, if you know it, to see where this will be occurring for you. For example if the lunar eclipse is in your second house hidden information about money is revealed, or you may find a lost valuable object. If it is in the third house a secret about a neighbor, or sibling may come out. If you do not know your chart, Scorpio rules things like sex, the occult, psychology and death. You may find out about someone’s bedroom secrets, or someone’s manipulations may be revealed. You also may have a deep psychological revelation about yourself. Watch in the news for scandals involving the abuse of power particularly those of a sexual nature.

 

It is important to note that these events can happen in the week before and after each eclipse, which is why we sometimes refer to it as “eclipse season”. Eclipses can be seen as a way for the cosmos to realign our lives in the houses they are occurring in to help nudge us back on track. The beginnings, endings and revelations are to shift us out of our routines and help us accept change.

 

For magical practitioners, there is debate about whether or not to practice magic on an eclipse. Some see these times as extra powerful New or Full Moons, while others see them as bad luck and to be avoided. Personally I have found that the magic done on eclipses tends to have unexpected outcomes, or the results come about in highly unusual ways.

 

If you would like to learn more about the eclipses and how they affect you personally, you can book an astrological consultation on my Etsy shop. I also have weekly detailed Astro reports, to help you plan your week, on my Patreon at the Seeker level. You can also sign up for my monthly free newsletter, Astro News, on my website.

 

 

Reflecting on 78 Degrees of Wisdom

This past week the Tarot community lost a prolific author and teacher, Rachel Pollack (Aug. 17 1945 – Apr. 07, 2023). Rachel wrote numerous nonfiction books on tarot and the occult as well as fiction works including Doom Patrol. She was widely known in the divination community for her expertise. She authored several books on tarot including Tarot Wisdom, The New Tarot Handbook, Seeker - the Tarot Unveiled, and her most famous work, 78 Degrees of Wisdom. While I never had the pleasure of meeting her or of attending any of her talks or workshops, I have definitely felt her influence in helping me to understand the tarot and it’s symbolism through her writing, especially through her book 78 Degrees of Wisdom.

78 Degrees of Wisdom came out back in 1980, and has had an enormous amount of impact upon tarot readers. The book is a comprehensive guide to the symbolism contained in the Rider Waite Smith version of the tarot. The book walks one through the imagery and symbolism of the Major Arcana (Trumps 0 – 22) and through the Minor Arcana (the four suits – Swords, Wands, Cups and Pentacles) while explaining its meanings and history. While this might not sound like a big breakthrough in this day and age, it is important to remember that in 1980 there were not the numerous amount of tarot decks and books that we have today.

 Today there is a plethora of tarot decks on the market, and many of them come with a comprehensive guidebook to help one to get to know the meanings of the cards. This is really only something we have seen become more common in the past couple of decades. In the 1990s and prior, most tarot decks were sold with a small pamphlet with only the most basic of instructions. The small pamphlets came to be known as the little white book (or LWB), and were often not very useful to new tarot students. If you wanted to really learn to read the cards, you had to either seek out a teacher, or find a separate book to learn from. Back then there were not the hundreds of tarot books available that you could get with just a click on your computer, and then have it delivered to your door. You had to go to a metaphysical store to find a book, if you were lucky enough to have a store in your area, and there were not nearly as many books on tarot to choose from.

78 Degrees of Wisdom brought knowledge of the tarot to a wider audience. It became a classic go to book for those learning to read the tarot, or wanting to understand the esoteric symbols on the cards at a greater depth. It has remained in print since it came out, and many consider it to be their tarot bible. Rachel Pollack does a great job of not only breaking down the symbolism, but also at looking into the psychological meanings and history behind the tarot imagery. The book takes a Jungian point of view and examines the archetypes contained in the cards. The cards are seen in a more psychological light, rather than as purely predictive.

I did not read 78 Degrees until later in my tarot career, although I had heard it being referenced by many other readers. I eventually decided that if so many people recommended something, I should probably check it out. It’s one of those books I wish I had come across sooner as it helped me to dive deeper into the tarot and have a better understanding of the Rider Waite Smith system. I now use it as a reference book for my own studies and for teaching others about the tarot.

I am very grateful to Rachel Pollack for leaving us with not only 78 Degrees, but also with many other wonderful tarot books. There is no question that she has left her mark on the tarot community and that her books will continue to educate and enlighten students for generations to come.

 If you would like to learn more about tarot symbolism and how to read the cards, you can join my online Coven on Patreon Where we are journeying through the Major Arcana.