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.