Monday 12 September 2016

Astrology: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, September 16, 2016

Tests, Trials, and Tribulations
With three T-Squares with Saturn, Mars, Pluto at the apexes all within 35% of each other, this looks to be a very intense eclipse, like Hercules having to face Cerberus, the three-headed dog before descending into Hades, a step necessary for his spiritual initiation.  The Solar Eclipse was fairly intense, but quite clear and straightforward, whereas this one is similar, but more volatile, fuzzy, and complex. Hot on the heals of Jupiter's boisterous entry into Libra (September 9) and an exact Saturn/Neptune square (September 10), one could consider this period to be the beginning of a shift in the mood of planetary configurations that have marked 2016 so far. The motion of Mars in retrograde has limited its passage to Scorpio and Sagittarius all year and so its move into Capricorn in a few weeks will be another welcome change, although Mars still has important conjunctions with Pluto and Neptune, so combative Mars will continue to be a significant force all of this year.

Intense Intellect

Mercury (in Virgo), with still a week to go in retrograde motion, forms a stellium with the Sun, Jupiter and the North Node and is in opposition to both and Neptune and the Moon (in Pisces) along with squares with Mars and Saturn (in Sagittarius) and a trine to Pluto (in Capricorn). This could make for a very dynamic, talkative, critical, outgoing motivation for rational precision that feels hampered by strong but vague feelings and intuitions. This give a lot of energy for ambitious problem-solving resolutions such as the current Syrian diplomatic strategy and can be successful if excessive zeal is kept in check. (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/12/syria-seven-day-ceasefire-begins-violence)

Sensitive Emotions

Although well-situated in warm, intuitive, sensitive Pisces, the Full Moon does not benefit from any easy aspects and so has to contend with the Jupiter, Sun, Mercury oppositions and Saturn, Mars squares alone, except for a conjunction with a retrograde Chiron, which only adds to the sensitivity factor. The ever-present Neptune in the same sign, with the longstanding trine to Pluto does give an underlying spiritual inspiration to the mix.

Assertive Leadership

Pluto's trines with the Sun and Mercury means that Pluto is giving support in dealing with the five planets in opposition along the Virgo-Pisces axis. This could give something like a strong desire to engage in altruistic service to worthy causes, but with disagreements and conflicts due to power struggles and rigid attitudes. The Pluto, Venus, Uranus T-Square could give some pretty freaky behaviour, or ideally, focused, creative, and cooperative problem-solving.

Although something of a portent of new planetary patterns, this eclipse deals with similar challenges seen during most of the year with the long-standing, recently dissolved Saturn/Neptune/Jupiter T-square and so is quite complementary to the earlier Spring eclipse at the equinox. There seems to be a strongly polarized opposition between an active, critical, rational force and a meditative, sensitive, intuitive force. Achieving a balanced measure between these two energies would be ideal, albeit challenging. And there are the other oppositions of optimism/pessimism, realism/idealism, control/freedom, conservatism/revolution, practical/mystical that involve all of the aspects with the outer planets making this eclipse a critical point in achieving a balance with these issues.

Although the easy aspects are a little sparse here, there is a tremendous amount of energy that can be put to good use. Probably a key strategy would be a balanced handling of the positive Mars and Pluto aspects, which could be a kind of Karma-Yoga approach (placing duty above personal benefit) to a strong, proactive sense of leadership. Therefore qualities of selflessness, inclusiveness, fairness, listening to others in a open, cooperative way could help balance the inherent gung ho tendencies at play here.

It is probably preferable not overextend oneself on this day and the good traditional Asian advice of fasting, chastity and copious bathing/showering at this time would be most beneficial. Peace.

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