Astrology has never been, and nor will it ever be “one size fits all”. I think this is really important because the volume of information that hits us broadly with a broad brush during any major astrological event, such as the solar eclipse this week. We all will experience the eclipse, yes, but some of us around the world will see it while others will not. That fact does alter the experiences of eclipses, they are more profoundly experienced with visibility. More important is the relevancy the eclipse has to YOUR birth time and place, your own birth chart. Your relationship to everything you experience is from your point of perspective in time and space of you. So this is why your rising sign is so important in knowing this relationship. The rising sign is determined by your time of birth. And further the importance of your chart ruler, which is the planet that rules the sign of your Ascendant (your rising sign).
For anyone with late degrees Aries and early degrees of Taurus the solar eclipse this week on April 19th at 9:13 pm PDT (April 20, 2023, at 12:13 am EDT) and late Libra and early Scorpio are opposite have the more potent line-up of energy. Square to that is late Capricorn and Cancer and early Aquarius and Leo. Late degrees of cardinal signs and early degrees of Fixed signs are significantly activated by this eclipse. What is experienced can be loss or perhaps sudden changes in something that seemed it was solid. Because the light on the matter is like a switch that goes off (seemingly suddenly because that is cardinal Aries at 29 degrees 50 degrees. I imagine it like a pilot light that goes out unexpectedly and will be relit.
If you’re an Aries rising this eclipse is important on themes of your identity, and your Self-awareness, and may even be unexpected shifts in your health. The eclipse of solar light is within your first house and sense of self. You may feel cut off or looked over in something that you value and that you identify with deeply. It is a good time to understand yourself with deep dives, astrology is one tool to do this, but there are other esoteric arts you may use as well. Something activates you at the place of what you identify is a core of who you are and share with the world. This eclipse takes you deeper, and you may feel like you are in the dark. Your task is to bring light through from within yourself because the dark inspires you to do so. Exploring themes of Self-awareness and finding answers to your evolving self asking yourself “Why am I this? or Why am I that? or Who am I now?”
Libra is opposite Aries, so this eclipse may also stimulate feeling disconnected from your partner who is perhaps going through an identity crisis or loss. Self-awareness and exploration are more important with this Aries solar eclipse because the disconnect with significant other may feel destabilizing and confusing. We know Libra rising needs a relationship to understand itself as an individual, so when Aries experiences crisis there can be endings, as Aries rising partners (7th of Libra rising) may bolt with an unconscious need to push out to express their feelings. Libra rising may be reminded about the loss of partners from the past at this solar eclipse. However, not to be too worried as Venus in Gemini supports by a trine to Libra rising at this time will find social interactions and friendships may be light to support Libra rising folks back into balance. Perhaps their (Libra rising) point of reference with others (Aries) is where something new and unknown is unfolding. With Venus in Gemini in trine aspect of the air element if there is momentary confusion by something changing abruptly or ending there is ample support with friendships. Libra-rising individuals will be forced in this period of time to find their inner other and balance that inner identity with what insights may be found in a changing landscape or environment with their partner or partners. This solar eclipse helps gain insights from all their relationships. It may reveal what the attractor beam is to Aries in their polarized experiences that part of the self they willing project onto others. Because for a moment it will be like it is being switched from on to off and then back on again. And in those moments there is an opportunity for an a-ha about what is projected onto the Aries partner for the Libra rising individual to reclaim, and yet for their awakening, these experiences are there to learn from about the authentic self. It’s a time to courageously identify the Self and own more of the Aries parts of oneself with an active courageous forthright determination of what the Self wants.
Taurus rising, especially early degrees, will be feeling this solar eclipse as a disruption to their set of expectations. Taurus rising with Aries in the 12th house may experience this solar eclipse as an activation within their subconscious. Which will bring something forward to be integrated and owned. Pluto square by sign in Aquarius to Taurus rising individuals amplifies this as well, there is a transformation in public life and persona or career, but there’s another layer emerging to integrate into the identity of self. Taurus rising individuals have been peeled back layer by layer since Uranus entered Taurus in May 2018. Now Uranus at 19 Taurus continues its transit through this sign breaking down conditioned ideas of the self, some of these breakdowns may have been rather abrupt. It’s not over for this transit of Uranus in Taurus until April 2026 when it enters Gemini. For Taurus rising which is perceived and experienced as stable and steady, especially to others in its circle of loved ones, these fractures can be uncomfortable to navigate. Daily, week by week you’ve been finding new ground after each earthquake of yourself – even though these earthquakes appear in your external world, they are merely a reflection of your inner world. Karmic bursts of energy are designed to disrupt your own pattern.
Can you see the patterns being disrupted? Truly hard! Scorpio (opposite Taurus rising) has been receiving it on the polarity so they are just as shocked and likely digging in their heels just the same trying to halt the fractures, but that’s a fool’s journey. The stubbornness and unwillingness to change go against the purpose of the design of the disruption it asks you to learn something new, or see something in a new light and acknowledge that even slightly! That is the slow turn of evolution for fixed rising signs. (or fixed signs on all the angles for that matter). This solar eclipse is within 10 minutes of arc of Taurus and the lunar nodes in Taurus emphasize what you are leaning into (a new pattern with North Node in Taurus) and what you release (south node in Scorpio patterns on the polarity). Easy to identify so much harder to actualize.
Planetary transits of Uranus in Taurus have shown the cracks in the foundations you can see them if you are observing yourself with the heart and intention to change and evolve. What has surfaced over time that shows Taurus rising folks that their peace has been destabilized? How do you return to the center of your steadfast nature even in the midst of transitions and transformations that are out of your control? Is it your faith, or your optimism that is a key to your steadfast nature? Or your resourcefulness and know-how to just do the work? If that has been shaken recently, how do you replant your roots of self?
Scorpio rising is opposite Taurus, on the polarity with Taurus. Scorpios rising will continue to wrestle with the flow the south node of the moon finishing their sign in the next few months. It might feel like the flow that you have worked ferociously to keep at bay is now stronger than ever. Whatever remains through July 17th of this year is not on the cosmic train out. Your surrender of things that you thought were solid and have been changing is setting up for the next phase, but only if you know what you are surrendering will you get what is forming and the next chapter. This may feel like frustration, anger, shame, and blame because you have struggled for such a long time, but as anything “this too shall pass.” The south node of the moon is headed towards Libra this summer (July 17, 2023) and you will notice the shift. But that time is not yet here, so in the meantime, gratitude and surrender are your spiritual teachers. You are in the fiery stages of burning off old ideas of self before the phoenix of you may rise from the process. Ask for guidance from Mother Nature and you will hear your answers through the animal kingdom that provides you with the most clarity, you only need to ask for a sign to soften into the flow. The sign offered by an animal or bird that speaks to you will be your messenger of validation that you are heard. Dreams may bring friends to light as messengers that also provide you stepping stones through this period. The square of Pluto in Aquarius to Scorpio is a time of obstacles that must be navigated in your transformational rising out of the ashes, there is only one way and that is through it because you need that insight and knowledge of it and what you chose along the way to use in the next chapter. While the south node of the moon has been moving through your first house of self then you have had to surrender some parts of yourself to partners that you did not want to let go of, and what may be realized is that those parts were conditioned because of your history and where betrayals were played out to learn something about yourself and another (or others). It is for you to examine your choices and decisions, actions, and non-action that set the tone for themes to be discovered. The coming lunar eclipse in the mid-degrees of Scorpio will amplify your emotional needs as you will consciously or unconsciously shed layers of your emotional fortress for the new you that is emerging. So what have you discovered about yourself since January 2022?
Gemini rising at this solar eclipse in Aries participates at the sextile perspective within the context of groups or friends. Mercury’s slowing to station retrograde in Taurus will be an activator of the unconscious mind or how you are resourceful with others in the public community through your work. Mercury in retrograde starting April 21st is activated by an experience that unfolds from the solar eclipse weeks or days before the eclipse and plays out during the retrograde cycle. The eclipse can be felt hard by the loss of a friend or friends sometimes, not for all Gemini risings, but that is one potential. Jupiter in Aries at this eclipse in the house of friends makes whatever is experienced more dynamic, larger than life, but again the flip of a switch of an unexpected unfolding. Only on the other side of three weeks out when Mercury is out of retrograde will you have a more complete view of what you are working with that has been bubbling up to deal with now. Venus in your first house (Gemini) will be supportive as you take inventory. Support when you need it big or small will be available, and you can send gratitude every day and realize more with your eyes open. Your sense of humor and generous energy will be a comfort to those in your friend circle. Gemini rising may be considering reviewing earthly matters of personal finances and assets, the task of reframing what is important during this retrograde. But in another perception, it is answering this question – what do I value now? And then overlay that with how you view your own value. Your self-confidence and values may significantly change during this time. Mercury stations direct on May 14th at 5 degrees Taurus and will leave the shadow by May 31st.
Sagittarius rising is the polar opposite of Gemini rising. At this solar eclipse, Sagittarius rising is working through a glitch in the matrix of the experiences with their inner child, which may actually be played out in their external world by their children as adults with children. Fire signs that have the solar fire eclipsed have a dramatic experience of that power source. It wanes the energy dramatically. Sagittarius is fired up by a Jupiter in Aries that is near this eclipse so that may be rather dramatic in what occurs that is amplified. It will be relative to the nativity of how destabilizing this may be and of course other considerations of time periods of their lives. If Sagittarius rising is in a year that is a Jupiter cycle, such as 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84 it may be quite over the top dramatic. The question is how fast the light returns from within. You are the generator too. Does a feminine principle (magnetism) appear to eclipse a masculine expression? If you observe this, do you have an understanding of why it is unfolding for you to see and learn from at this time? A good metaphor is, if the fire of a candle goes out by a quick draft of wind how quickly does it get re-lit? Faith has a unique way of providing ‘oxygen’ when there seems to be a lack of it. It is all relative to the combination of choices and destiny there are many debates on how much if fated or destined? You decide so much with your actions and choices, however some things at the soul level are archetypally the threads you will weave. Some is your belief in what comes before this life and what may be after this incarnation. Your beliefs do shape so much of your experience, but there are universal truths we all participate in for this life experience to work the way it does. Some parts are mysterious and should be. Some parts you are inspired to act and follow your dreams, but sometimes they do not go the way you think they might, but you readily acknowledge that there are many potentials in life. But Sagittarius rising is the optimist and is up for the adventure. Seeking is part of the fun of it all. The life experiences that unfold what seem like miracles, or wondrous mysteries of synchronicity that bring deep meaning about our connection to something bigger than us. This solar eclipse in Aries may feel like a punch in the leg to wake you up to something within that reveals to you another layer of your instincts. How do your beliefs shape your experience about the expression of your instincts? Is there any internal battle around instincts or your desire nature and your philosophy or beliefs? You may need to reflect on these if so and ask why.
Cancer rising is always informed by the emotional self and the lunar nodes of the moon. The journey of the nurturer, the protector, the healer as identity. At this solar eclipse in Aries the challenge is the obstacles of anger at odds (square) with Mars in Cancer at this Aries solar eclipse. Mars is the ruler of the new moon (solar eclipse) and square by sign. The Aries eclipse is at the top of the chart for Cancer rising, 10th house or adjascent the midheaven making this eclipse rather prominent in the professional career or being activated by one of the parents (father or mother symbolic for 10th). Is there a dramatic ending chapter that disturbs your home life and place of security? Your identity may be rattled by this switch off and on of fire energy in your public persona or career, especially if your own Mars is in any fire sign. The square and Mars in the sign of Cancer is double amplification of energies that can be quite cutting and difficult to navigate. You will want to be mindful of what you say at this time because it can be rather hurtful if speaking from frustration or overwhelm and stress. It will sting deeper at this time. Your unexpressed anger will be there to feel how you get it out is important. Doing the workout, your yoga, your chanting helps out of your body. Shaking it off is good exercise! Imagine a tiger that fails to connect with something it was stalking, it goes through a strong shaking off process of the energy it readied and did not fully discharge. Cancer rising is activated to respond, and so it may be experienced in the actions responding by instincts or responding to an emergency. The eclipse is that the feminine moon energy is overshadowing the solar expression outward energy. What feminine principle of emotional intelligence may be activated and what do you observe?
Capricorn rising has been under deep transformation for a few years with Pluto, which returns again in June. This solar eclipse in Aries is square to Capricorn. Pluto isn’t finished with your full transformation, up through November 2024 there’s an ongoing finishing period of experiences and integration. The solar eclipse in Aries emphasizes family and home at the bottom of your chart. Family themes are dynamic and changing. The end of a family legacy perhaps, a father figure having a major transformation are potentials. Saturn in Pisces frames this unfolding reality and informs your perception and thoughts, the fluidity of time and space. Saturn will soon station retrograde in Pisces (June 17th) emphasizing the dissolving nature of some things across time. Like water, consciousness takes the shape of the container. Capricorn climbs milestone by milestone with a responsible nature on its path to heights it deems important and significant. The gift for Capricorn rising is always in the moments of reflection of how far it has come across the journey to where it is. Reflection really seems like the most important activity for self-awareness of growth for Capricorn rising. Capricorn with so much transformation in the personal journal entries at this point understands a new Self that has been emerging for years! This Aries solar eclipse at a square is definitely amplifying transformation for late degrees of cardinal signs. Capricorn is challenged by a duty of family and home life duties. The personal scope of vision has been overhauled and pulled down, ripped up, re-imagined, and rewritten. It has been a journey but the eclipse of fire takes you into themes of your personal history, your family lineage, and how your family experiences have been part of the journey in your discovery of who you really are and who you have become over the recent years, you just needed a good reason to take the leap, or maybe life pushed the door for you.
During this first eclipse season of 2023 may you find layers within yourself that only through being in the dark it inspired you to light the candle and embody them with new imagination and acceptance for all of your authentic being. Now is the time to reimagine ways to love yourself and thus extend that in your expression. Be well. Namaste. Bless this moment.
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