The Solar Eclipse of January 25-26, 2009 in Aquarius

by Robert Wilkinson

The coming Solar Eclipse will have a huge impact on everyone. All eclipses shut something down, taking away elements of our lives no longer true for us. Aquarius is the sign of collective expression, larger ideals. It is how Leo, the sign of personal love, exteriorizes. So a form of impersonal love will shut down, with the void sure to attract new forms of expressing this energy. The eclipse degree promises new forms emanating from Cosmos, and as it is conjunct Jupiter, we can expect major new openings.

This Annular Solar Eclipse occurs at 11:55 pm PST on January 25, which is 2:55 am EST and 7:55 am GMT/UT on January 26, 2009. It puts 29 Virgo rising on Maui, 23 Libra rising in Vancouver, BC, 1 Scorpio rising in Santa Monica, and 2 Sagittarius on the Ascendant in Washington DC. We find 8 Aquarius rising in London, putting the Aquarius stellium and the Eclipse directly on the Ascendant, sure to be of major significance in shutting things down and opening things up in merry Old England!

Moving east around the world, we find 15 Aquarius rising in Amsterdam and 27 Pisces rising in Tallinn. Johannesburg has 3 Aries rising, Istanbul has 7 Aries rising, and Baghdad has 29 Aries rising. Trivandrum has 27 Taurus on the Ascendant, New Delhi has 6 Gemini, Perth has 17 Gemini, and Bangkok has 22 Gemini on the Ascendant. Melbourne, Australia has 10 Cancer rising, while Tokyo has 6 Leo on the Ascendant.

In eclipse lore, where the Eclipse is visible will be where the greatest effects can be expected, lasting the number of years that the eclipse is long in hours. This one is 3 hours 46 minutes, thus making it a player in the events of 2012. Partial phases of this eclipse are visible primarily from southern Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia and Indonesia, so like last year's Solar Eclipse in February, also in Aquarius, this one promises to mainly impact the Southeastern Hemisphere.

This Eclipse is part of a grand lineup of points in Aquarius, including Moon, Sun, Jupiter, Chiron, Neptune, and North Node all in that sign, and so it will profoundly affect the Cancer, Leo, Sagittarius, Aquarius, and Pisces planets and houses in our charts through lessons learned in early and late Aquarius, calling us all to a higher self-expression, a great contribution, and new ways to manage our energies.

Saturn is important since it's the worldly ruler of the Eclipse, with Uranus the Spiritual ruler of the Eclipse. These two are in close forming opposition for the second time in recent months, indicative of the on-going polarization between the old and the new, the established and the innovative. This opposition in all our charts have yielded both realizations and polarizations in the houses in which they fall.

Saturn is retrograde, thus showing us new lessons to be learned in this larger Virgo-Pisces oppositional phase that began August 2008. These types of lessons persist through May of 2010, when the energies shift into long term Libra and Aries oppositions lasting until June 2011.

In general, this opposition symbolizes the larger conflict between the forces of practical service and willful deception on a global level, polarizing progressive dreamers and those who would enslave the future in an avalanche of details, worries, fears, and criticisms.

Since things always exteriorize through their opposing signs, we can use Saturn to express the Uranus in Pisces energies of rebirth within a collective setup. Saturn shows we are being educated in a social context to be discriminating as to how, when, and where we accept responsibility while dissolving old ambivalences and ghosts that brought us sorrow.

We are learning about core values we will uphold for years to come as expressions of forms of hope and learning how to be touched in different ways than we've known before. You can find out more about the Saturn opposition Uranus in this article. In it I also discuss the very dynamic aspects made by Jupiter to the Saturn-Uranus opposition, which you can apply to this eclipse since it falls so close to the same semisquare and sesquisquare zones, bringing these inner crisis and outer agitation energies into long range influence.

Due to the very favorable Mercury retrograde conjunct Mars sextile Venus and trine Saturn, we should continue to find opportunities to make tremendous material progress as a result of this eclipse. Of major significance is that Mercury and Saturn are in mutual reception, an extraordinarily favorable, stabilizing, and harmonizing influence. And, as an added bonus, Mars is on the exact degree of the recent Venus-Jupiter conjunction, promising this eclipse will energize rewards for the courage we've shown in recent months.

Overall, there are few frictional aspects to the Eclipse, except for the semisquares and sesquisquares mentioned earlier. It makes a decile (semi-quintile) to Pluto, a close conjunction with Jupiter and a wide conjunction with Chiron. This indicates a very favorable rising tide of energies cut loose from old ways based in local conditions. It signals the emergence of new potentials and efforts "by the power of unrealized purposes," forms of "spiritual protection," and many will express themselves beyond old expectations.

This marks a mutation in our evolution, a "fresh projection of the creative Spirit" arising from planetary and cosmic sources rather than a product of old inertias and assumptions. Many will assume larger, more "global" opportunities and effectiveness, freeing themselves from old conditions. Major protection and lessons are to be learned by embracing your ancestral wisdom and finding ways to commune with "all our relations."

This eclipse is clearly a "Bucket" Jones Pattern with Saturn as the "nozzle" for the release of all the other planetary energies. The opposition-sextile-trine involving Mercury, Mars, Saturn and Uranus throws very favorable energy into 21 through 25 degrees of Cancer, enabling us to know what we do and do not need, what we do and do not care for, and how we can nurture what needs nurturing in self and others using practical self-disciplines.

Because Saturn is favorably aspected by the Capricorn planets, we can focus the oppositional tension between Saturn and Uranus in harmonized understandings helping us target new needs and new lifestyles. Saturn as the nozzle of the pattern shows the area of high specialization and forms of public authorship we'll be focusing on depending on where it falls in our chart.

One big thing to keep in mind is that Saturn is in fact re-entering the Virgo zone of the Grand Irrationality, indicating it's an influence to be reckoned with as we navigate the Eclipse effects these next 3+ years. More forks in the road for all of us, individually and collectively. More radical choices and changes, more confronting obsessive-compulsive behaviors in self and others, more widespread strangeness as we move into unknown zones of a higher future destiny than we've known up to now.

From the NASA Eclipse site:

An annular eclipse will be visible from a wide track that traverses the Indian Ocean and western Indonesia. A partial eclipse will be seen within the much larger path of the Moon's penumbral shadow, which includes the southern third of Africa, Madagascar, Australia except Tasmania, southeast India, Southeast Asia and Indonesia. (Figure 1).

The annular path begins in the S. Atlantic at 06:06 UT when the Moon's antumbral shadow meets Earth and forms a 363 kilometre wide corridor. Traveling eastward, the shadow quickly sweeps south of the African continent, missing it by approximately 900 kilometres. Slowly curving to the northeast the path crosses the southern Indian Ocean. Greatest eclipse[1] takes place at 07:58:39 UT when the eclipse magnitude[2] will reach 0.9282. At this instant, the annular duration is 7 minutes 54 seconds, the path width is 280 kilometres and the Sun is 73° above the flat horizon formed by the open ocean. The central track continues northeast where it finally encounters land in the form of the Cocos Islands and onward to southern Sumatra and western Java (Figure 2). At 09:40 UT, the central line duration is 6 minutes 18 seconds and the Sun's altitude at 25°. In its final minutes, the antumbral shadow cuts across central Borneo and clips the northwestern edge of Celebes before ending just short of Mindanao, Philippines at 09:52 UT. During a 3 hour 46 minute trajectory across our planet, the Moon's antumbra travels approximately 14,500 kilometres and covers 0.9% of Earth's surface area. Path coordinates and central line circumstances are presented in Table 1.

This is the 50th eclipse of Saros 131. The family began with an unusually long series of 22 partial eclipses starting on 1125 Aug 01. The first central eclipse was total in the Northern Hemisphere on 1522 Mar 27. It was followed by 5 more total eclipses before the series produce 5 hybrid eclipses from 1630 to 1702. The first annular eclipse of Saros 131 occurred on 1720 Aug 04. The series will produce 29 more annular eclipses the last of which is 2243 Jun 18. Saros 131 terminates on 2369 Sep 02 after a string of 7 partial eclipses.

I'll be writing more articles in the near future about this important Solar Eclipse and its effect on each individual sign, since it's doubly important as the marker for the beginning of the Chinese Year of the Earth Ox. I'll also be composing something on the coming Lunar Eclipse occurring 6:49 am PST February 9, 2009, at 21 degrees Leo-Aquarius in the near future.

For now, you may want to go back and re-read some past eclipse articles to get a sense of the larger forces at work the past few years. You'll find a lot of information at The Solar Eclipse of August 1, 2008 - Long Range Transfiguration, Tears of Joy. Besides commenting on that eclipse, there are links to eclipses past that are still in full effect in all our lives in a big way. It may explain why some areas of our lives have been shut down the past few years and will continue to be over the next few years. In the article "The Solar and Lunar Eclipses of August and September 2007" you'll find links to earlier eclipses that still impact us.

Even more information on the recent past and how it's influencing the present can be found by going to Long Range Eclipse Astrology - The August 2008 Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius-Leo and What It Means Pt. 1 and the companion article Long Range Eclipse Astrology - Understanding Future Effects of the August 2008 Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius-Leo Pt. 2.

© Copyright 2009 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[planetariumobile]

Hi Robert, I have the eclipse/Jupiter in my 2nd house between my mercury at Aqu 4 and mars at Aqu 8, opp my Jupiter at Leo 3. Also Venus will be near my moon at Pisces 24. What is all this action in my 2nd house gonna release?
Im 1.31.79 @ 3:30am in detroit, michigan (turning 30 on the 31st!).

Look forward to your talk with Michele tomorrow (as a podcast).
Best wishes and happy new Obama! Alison

[Veronica]

I have just signed up for this type key thing. One of those new things that I'm told will be entering my life! Anyway, I have plenty of thoughts and comments and questions about most of your articles, but I will wait for that as I need to figure out how this works. I would like to know the procedure for having a private consultation with you looking at my chart. Please let me know how that works. And thank you for sharing your gifts with the rest of us. Veronica in Vermont

[Carrie Ann]

I feel like we've collectively stepped into a "dream."
I wish my personal life was just as dreamy. Oh well, Happy Obama! born 12/11 Cancer rising.

[reefaroundme]

Dear Robert,

This eclipse falls opposite my sun and I wonder if you could help me understand that in a general sense? Does my sun's conjunction to the moon flavor the experience differently? The February 2008 solar eclipse was conjunct my AC and I lost my father, so I see this as part of that story. Thanks for your wonderful work.

[Vanessa]

Robert, I am overwelmed by your site. I wondered about its authenticity, so I went back to the former years... spooky, I actually cried. To say the least I'm very excited about the future, for mankind, for this country, for more people to turn to their faith. There is definately a renewed energy in the air, and a deeper consiousness that is being widely experienced. I'm very anxious to read about the Earth Ox. My birthday actually falls on the 26th. This is the first year I have embraced turning a year older, before I knew of any kind of event. Since I turned 5? Lol, I guess its no coincidence this one feels better. But there is a contagious awareness going around. I hope the challenges in 2009 will only bring us closer and better equipped to handle future adversity.

[Annette]

Hi Robert,

What do you mean by the distinction between personal and impersonal love?

Best,
Annette

[Alison]

Hey Robert, I am the Pisces girl with the Leo man who ended it after 9 years..on the Aug/Sept 07 eclipses. We got closer and closer again until.. he stopped calling daily on the 1 Aug 08 eclipse, then on the 16th Aug 08 eclipse, started dating a woman he had been working with ! We are still in contact.. but.. this eclipse hits my Venus dorectly at 7' Aquarius in the 1st! I cant seem to find much info on an eclipsed Venus, do you have any thoughts on that, in the 1st? It hits his Jupiter at 4' in the 3rd. Interestingly, the last time eclipses fell here was when we had our first kiss and started dating, 13 Feb 99! Our whole R has been pretty eclipse led.

Uranus is on my Sun (19') and Mercury (22) in Pisces right now in my 2nd, opposite Saturn in my 8th. On Tuesday.. on the inf.conj of Mercury, I got an offer on a flat I am trying to sell... that is in my ex's name in fact, but I owe my Dad a large amount of money he put down on it ! Everything fits.. but .. what will this eclipse bring I wonder? Thankyou for any insights...

[Juli Barbato]

Annette:

With apologies to the resident expert, the revered (by me!) Robert: In general, impersonal love is a love for humanity, for the group, for a collective outside oneself or one's immediate circle. Personal love is more, well, personal: filial love, romantic love, love for siblings. For example, I adore my brother Johnny, who happens to be an adult with Down syndrome. To me, that's personal love. But I also hope to one day start a cohousing community that features Down syndrome adults as its star residents, along with us so-called normal peeps. I have tremendous concern and love for the Down syndrome community: impersonal love.

Aquarians are the love-humanity type. Leos are the love-you type. But since they share the same axis (are polar opposites) they can extend that love outside or inside, as the case may be.

[Farz]

Hi Robert

This eclipse will fall in to my 8th house square my north and south node and trine my pluto if you can pls give an idea of what kind of effect will I be facing in coming days?

[WarriorLady]

Robert, thanks for sharing your brilliant wisdom! I know what you mean by "impersonal love", and it's just wonderful. Plus, I definitely feel a tremendous boost from the cosmos, and can only hope the same for everyone else.

2004-2008 were relatively rough for me, with many ups, but really awful downs. And as of late 2008, I'd experienced quite an interesting sense of optimism (which had little to do with the president, to be honest, even if I really like him!), a healing if you will, and I would love for it to linger for as long as possible!

Best to you!

[Wroom]

Well that August eclipse fell in my 5. house. Just after that i met a wonderful girl and we start dating in September. Unfortunately it did not last long (I was,least to say, very sad about that). This eclipse is going to fall in my 11. house conjuct Venus by 6 degrees. Don't know what to expect know... :(

[Elizabeth]

Sounds wonderful...thanks for the thoughts on the continuing good energy. Oh happy day!

Can't wait to read what you have to say about Geminis and Scorpios and how they will be affected by this eclipse.

Thanks and Happy Year of the Ox,
Elizabeth

[alessandra]

Ciao Robert,

I can't wait also to know what will this eclipse bring to Cancers and Leos... Right now I just feel like a bottle at sea...Is the horizon near ?
Have a great week-end,

alessandra

[kim]

Dear Robert,

Spot on as usual.

The Eliakim Gateway that falls in the week of the GENIUS, it is an engagement with God.
http://academysounds.blogspot.com/2009/01/eliakim-god-raised-up-gateway.html

Hand in hand, side by side in the front line with God.

(Robert here - I edited your name since I know you will not want your email address tracked by spam-bots.)

[Pamela]

Hi Robert:

The coming eclipse will be on my birthday conjuncting my natal sun and mercury, effecting my solar return chart for the entire year of 09. I have searched for information regarding the effects of solar eclipse. Any insight would be appreciated. Seems like it is a big deal.

Thanks for being out there....

Kind regards

Pamela

[Myf]

Hi Robert,
great info here. I've been reading all on past eclipses and found so many things related to my life at those times.

Now, I am expecting something of real importance with this one, since I have natal Moon on 5th degree Aquarius, in my 7th house. With regards to this - what do you think I can expect?

[Aditya]

Dear Robert,
Impersonal love, Does this mean love which is not working out anymore? Well life at home is like hell now with my wife. Its not working out anymore and I am always stressed when she is around. Is it possible that this relationship will be dissolved by this eclipse?
I have also been attracted to another person these last two months but haven't done anything about it as I have so many responsibilities at present.

I am a sagittarius rising person and this person displays all qualities of a leo rising. I have also seen that my progressed moon exactly trines my natal venus in aquarius 3rd house. I read somewhere that it could mean true love if there is anything like that in this world. Hope you can clarify.

Thank you so much for everything

[Robert]

Hi Alison planetariumobile - This will help you find a new way to express your Mercury conjunct Mars by shutting down old ways of doing that dynamic. This will in turn release new Jupiter energies. It could be a new way to earn money, use what you have, or glimpse a new desire you will use to teach your world. You'll definitely be getting a new vision in the coming year, so learn all you can and regard what's coming as a quest for glimpsing a higher purpose. I'm sure you liked the interview.

Hi Veronica - Navigating the intricacies of using this site is an adventure in itself! As for doing a session, please go to the left hand links and click on "to schedule a personal appointment." Then email me. And please kiss the Vermont sky for me. I hear it's beautiful up there!

Hi Carrie Ann - We are told by several legit spiritual authorities that we must learn to navigate this life as the dream it is, so that when we move between this dream and the dream of Eternity, we won't fall into confusion. I suspect it's going to get pretty strange due to the degree of the eclipse, but at least it won't be more of the same. The Child is indeed "being born" out of the Cosmic Egg!

Hi reefaroundme - In a general sense, it means that some old way of externalizing your natal light will end, and you'll find a new way to express that light/life, with definite effects in the area of equal relations. Perhaps the loss of Feb 2008 opened your inner/outer male to "the void," and now it's about to be filled with "Cosmic Egg" material?

Hi Vanessa - Well, some of it is truly overwhelming, even for me who has been at it for almost 40 years!;-) Glad you could cry, since that could mean you're feeling something you need to that will open new doors of perception. I embrace each new birthday as an opportunity to experience something I've never experienced before. The challenges of the future will bring ALL of us closer together, since in truth we shouldn't be buying into "the heresy of separateness" as much or as long as we have been. We'll finding that we're all in this together, and that we must all hang together or else we shall all hang separately, to paraphrase Dr. Franklin. As you navigate the changes, remember you have the gift of perseverance and the ability to get things done.

Hi Annette - Juli Barbato expressed it perfectly. Leo is personal love: children, enthusiasms, creativity. "The love of the one." Aquarius is impersonal love: friendships, group work, larger spiritual service. "The love of the all." We have both in us, and learn to blend the two in "angelic heart" expression.

Hi Alison - Eclipses do usher in changes. This one will shut down old likes and dislikes, as well as ways of expressing affection. An old element of his Jupiter will shut down, and of course he's having a Jupiter return, ending 12 years of a quest and opening a new one. I would be a bit wary of getting entangled with someone whose heart is divided. More than that is more than can be said in a comment stream.

Hi Juli - Perfectly put! Good example of love of the personal situation being expanded to a greater cause of service. A parallel example in my own life is the love of my daughter became the source for creating a support group, writing a book, and being with those who grieve.

Hi Farz - 10,000 effects over the next 3 years. No doubt you will open to new ideas and ways of communicating, see what needs purification, and maybe even how your old line of development cannot explain this new line of development that will proceed from here.

Hi WarriorLady - You're most welcome. Any sense of optimism, even in the midst of the wreckage, is a welcome feeling from the oppression of the past 30 years!

Hi Wroom - Old friends move on, new friends appear who resemble some from your early life. You'll get a new sense of ambition you've never had before, and in some way glimpse a new way to serve your world.

Hi Elizabeth - I believe this is going to be one of the best eclipses maybe of all time! I suspect we'll all open to things we've never seen before, except in glimpses of a higher hope.

Hi alessandra - We all need to learn how to surf the waves of change so that we become expert at shifting with the moment while keeping our balance. We're moving into a much better future than our past, whether we understand what's happening or not.

Hi kim - One should never put one's email where it can be crawled by spam-bots! Though we are individually and collectively on "the Path of Return," we still need to deal with annoyances like spambots with relative good cheer.;-)

Hi Pamela - The coming year brings long term lessons that will be in play for over 3 years for everyone, and conjunct your Sun, an old part of your life ends so that "the Cosmic Egg" can bring forth a new Light/Life. Not a bad Solar Return, given it's conjunct Jupiter. Where Saturn falls and rules in your natal chart is the key to everything. And of course you're welcome.

Hi Myf - Your Moon will experience the emergence of something new, protective, teaching, and liberating. It also conjuncts my Moon in Aquarius in the 7th, and I suspect it will bring a whole new lifestyle, set of habits, and open my marriage to greater possibilities of true friendship and companionship.

Hi Aditya - No, impersonal love is friendship. Where there is an absence of love there is either indifference or some form of lesser astral (emotional) ego stuff. Even if something "is not working" we must still find a way to love ourselves and our Dharmic process and take the high road in all transactions, whether it means pushing through or pulling back in some area of our personal life. If your wife is not your friend, then it's not surprising that it doesn't seem to be working. And if she is and you aren't recognizing it, then that is its own work. In any case I doubt being stressed is helping you or the situation. Here a gentle honesty and willingness to be and do good is probably needed. Sometimes a therapist can help us recognize our differences and thereby get clear about why something doesn't seem to be working so we can figure out what to do.

No relationship that is dissolved is "caused" by anything other than our willingness to go a different direction. And that is inevitable if our partner is not our Twin Flame, as well as True Friend. That said, Eclipses do tend to be associated with shutting something down so that different lights can be seen. Of course, it's always good to get clear and centered in one's heart before trying to dance with anyone, since we don't want to bring old projections and subconscious lacks to the table of new friendships. That's the problem with rebounds. Even if the old relationship has truly run its course, 99 times out of 100 new relationships that originate while separations are happening have their own stresses and issues through unfinished business. We should never live in a loveless marriage. Equally we must find inner peace so that we embrace the dance of life's relationships with love and wisdom rather than stress and need. I can assure you that though rare, true Love with another can be found and lived. In fact, almost all Souls attached to this Earth are incarnate or will be, and as such there is a greater possibility of us finding our "Twin Flame" than ever before in history. The trick is to get our personality limitations out of the way so we can rise to the task of Being our Highest Self in order to recognize the Beloved with clarity rather than get trapped anew in astral disasters.

[Aditya]

Brilliantly explained as usual Robert. Anyway her view is that husband and wives should not be friends, just lovers. That may be a dream come true for someone else but not for me. As I would like my wife to be my best friend. I have controlled almost all of my bad habits except anger these last couple of years of knowing and learning from you. Anger seems to be my nemesis at this moment of time. And I know that if I could break this last bad habit things would become better. I feel the only way I can do that is to decide to move on. I do hope I can find my "Twin Flame"...

[Carol]

The solar eclipse will occur in my 5th house. I live in vancouver, BC and the 23 libra rising will conjunct my mars/pluto conjunction. I met someone during the last lunar eclipse. His moon is in 25 aquarius and mine is 25 leo. Whatever it was that went on between us lasted for a very short time.

[Christine E]

Thanks for this great article, Robert. The last week has been a huge shot of mental/creative stimulation in my brain. I haven't felt my thoughts race this fast in ages. It's really powerful and has opened up a whole new creative direction in my life. Born out of an eggshell, indeed.

[Elizabeth]

Dear Robert, I was so glad to google upon your site as I was researching this solar eclipse cycle. Ever since realizing I was spiritually called to Glastonbury England in November 1993 on an eclipse and since that time have spent most spring and summers as a visionary astrologer and sacred journey guide to stonehenge, avebury, and crop circles. I was at UAC event in Monterey 1995 and took a workshop on eclipses with Bernadette Brady on my way to guiding a spiritual pilgrimage from Glstonbury on an eclipse. Her workshop and book were wonderful..I followed the formula for the eclipse in '95 and found the theme from 1400's when it was birthed till present having to do with balance of gold-silver, male-female and french-english control, since I was in England i followed the story from this perspective and discovered the small Magdalene Chapel, almshouse and hospital in Glastonbury as the location that this eclipse (at least for me) represented.
I looked at the date for this Jan 25 2009 eclipse as 1125 and found it is tied into the crusades time, Eleanor of Aquitaine and the return of the Arthurian Holy Grail revival and Glastonbury Abbey. Again for me this is signifigant, as I feel we are globally healing the time of the religious wars. It is exciting to finally, hopefully bring in an Aquarian president who has the christian-muslim energy into office for healing the wounds of our personal and global psyche. The horoscope for the Inauguration was so beautiful with the sun at 00 Aquarius and by the time his speech was complete the moon had sextiled the sun at 00 Sagittarius, with exalted Venus in Pisces conjunct Uranus with a beautiful almost perfect sextile to exalted Mars in Capricorn trine Saturn in Virgo. Wow! what a Day for an Aquarian Love feast not seen or felt in the USA since the 60's when uranus was opposite saturn last!
I just felt inspired to share this with you from my perspective...anything you can share for the Feb 9 lunar eclipse I am looking forward to hearing...it seems eclipses are about healing the old consciousness that is given birth at the time the eclipse starts and when total can be seen most clearly. Do you agree? By the way I looked up your contact info and it came up Microcycles, is this correct? I was born and grew up in LA started my study of astrology in the late 60's and when I returned to LA in 86 till 90 I would come to Microcycles when I think it was Steve, was it not ran it. I would come to visit, share astro story and help out. I live in Sedona AZ now, still spending most spring/summers in Glastonbury. I plan to be in LA area between 7 and 19 March and was wondering if you have anything going on at that time as far as sharing astro-knowledge??? I have just completed a Astro-Oracle deck with book and am looking find a really good successful active new age publisher...I really feel this will be a great teaching as well as Oracle deck. I am happy with the it. Any advice or suggestions would be most
appreciated. Thank You again for your great articles and sharing your knowledge and insight.
To the Aquarian Age !
Unity and Love, Elizabeth Heartstar
www.astrojourneys.com

[Elizabeth]

I was just looking at the time you have for the solar eclipse. I am wondering if it is correct for it seems to say that the solar eclipse in GMT is 26 Jan and in PST on jan 25th...just wondering about this, as GMT is ahead of PST. Please confirm this for me.
Thank You, Elizabeth HeartStar

[Robert]

Hi Aditya - Well, having a great lover who is not your friend is a bit like trying to make cotton candy a staple of your diet. It tastes good for awhile, but then loses its attraction since there must be mutual affection, respect, love and companionship for any relationship to have something solid to build on besides the merely physical. Sorry you've having problems feeling anger, since that's not helpful in changing things that frustrate you for the better. It may even be natural, but it's still not helpful. When we feel it's time to move on, then truly what has been has ended. Move through the mix of complex feelings during this time, be as kind and gentle with yourself and others as possible, and take the high road in all transactions as much as you can. Don't beat yourself up for feeling what you feel, but do all you can to disperse anger, since the condition you are angry about has already ended. May you find peace through the process. Aum Namah Shivaya!

Hi Carol - Well, long term you're dealing with Neptune opposed your Sun, which carries its own challenges. Lunar eclipse effects usually only last a few months. Jupiter moving into your Solar 7th should prove liberating. Pay attention to signals in early to mid-March.

Hi Christine E - You're most welcome. I also feel more stimulated than I have in years, and only hope I can figure out how to manage things so that everything serves a larger contribution! Of course, the other immediate influence is Mercury conjunct Mars, always good for a racing mind!;-)

Hi Elizabeth - I altered your comment name since through hard experience I know that if you post your email publicly where it will be tracked by search engines you'll be swarmed by spam-bots that will make your life miserable. As to your second comment, yes, the Eclipse falls on Jan 25 11:55 pm PST and Jan 26 7:55 am GMT. I never use the terms "ahead" or "behind" when describing time. I always say earlier or later since it provides a clear reference. GMT is 8 hours later than PST. PST is 8 hours earlier than GMT.

The study of historical events with an eye to eclipses is a broad subject, since various eclipses last varying periods of time and influence some regions more directly than others, as well as some dynasties more than others. I certainly pray that the religious wars are ending, though I suspect we'll see more destruction before we see war no more. Barack is the first multi-cultural, obviously multi-ethnic intelligent president, so he is a good symbol for the ending of some forms of separatist thinking.

There seems to be a lot of confusion about when he actually became president. The specific time of his becoming president is stipulated in our Constitution as noon, regardless of the oath, so technically the Moon was at 30 Scorpio. He just didn't get to assume the powers of the presidency until the oath, though he was in fact the president. There is also the issue of the 12:05 pm 20 Jan oath being legit, since the Chief Supreme bungled the wording. The oath is stipulated to be a certain set of words done in a certain order, so it may be a factor that he didn't take the oath as legally required until 7:35 pm, January 21. Most legal scholars say he was properly sworn at 12:05 pm, regardless of the exact wording. Oy! There's got to be a better way of figuring out who takes office and when!;-)

I'll compose something on the coming Lunar Eclipse in a few days. I haven't heard what you've described about the time between the beginning and totality of an eclipse. Traditionally, the eclipse affects all its shadow falls upon, promising future endings of things specified by the nature of the eclipse when certain trigger points are activated by future transits. I have no idea why you would find a contact for me through Microcycles, though I purchased software from Steve many years ago. I've wondered where he went, since the last several times I tried contacting him there was no answer. I definitely won't be in LA in March, since I'm going to be there in about 11 days for several talks. I may be in Florida in March, and will post my schedule once it gets clearer. As for your deck, there are very few publishers of such things and a lot of competition, but I certainly wish you happy exploring, and may your quest be rewarded with success! Glad you checked in. I've heard that Sedona is a very beautiful place. I know a lot of Arizona, but never been to Sedona. Maybe someday.....

[duse]

Robert,

Thank you so much for this article. My partner had his Moon slapped by an opposition from the August 2008 Eclipse (and was let go at the law firm he works at) and then this latest eclipse was conjunct his Moon. So, changes are certainly afoot.

Interestingly, the Feb 2008 eclipse at 17 Aquarius preceded his contacting a prospective employer in Paris -- who he met with in May 2008 -- and, with the changes brought by this last series of eclipses plus the passage of Jupiter and Mars over that 17 Aquarius degree as well as a second meeting in March 2009 with the same prospective employer, I'm fairly confident we'll see beneficial movement when these eclipse degrees are activated.

In addition, the eclipses in 2007 (28 Pisces -- conjunct my 00 Aries Sun/North Node and opposite my Libra Jupiter/Uranus -- and 18 Virgo) bracketed a time when we were viewing apartments in Paris with a company we've since befriended and are still working with. With the passage of Saturn over that 17-18 Virgo degree when we have the meeting in March as well as in July when my partner has his SP Moon traveling over his IC, it's possible Saturn may "close out" that earlier 2007 eclipse with an apartment buy.

Or I could be completely off-base and horribly confused! In either case, thank you for your site, Robert. I always learn something new.

duse

[Christine E]

Hi Robert, Racing mind - no kidding! Right now I feel like the guy with the data streams going through his head in the Tokyo underground in W. Gibson's 'All Tomorrow's Parties' :)

[duse]

(sigh) I feel the need to clarify my earlier post. I wrote it and then re-read it and went "huh?"

My partner had already been seeking a new job when he met with the private bank in May 2008 following the communications they had on the heels of the Feb 2008 Eclipse. Being very unhappy at his work -- despite it being a top-drawer law firm here in NYC and the $$$ being undoubtedly good --, he wanted to change careers and relocate to Europe.

The Eclipse at 18 Virgo in September 2007 took place opposite the 1989 17 Pisces Eclipse which heralded his move to NYC and followed a time when he and I were actively looking at apartments in Paris in June/July 2007. The August 2008 Eclipse at 9-10 Leo -- opposite his 7 Aquarius Moon -- manifested in his life, I believe, as him being let go from his law firm due in part to Tr Mars sitting atop that 18 Virgo Eclipse degree. When he was told, Tr Sun/Tr Mars were trine 18 Virgo with Tr Uranus in opposition. As he officially leaves in early March, we'll find Tr Sun opposite that degree with Tr Saturn conjunct.

(Interestingly, when we made the plans in October to go to Paris to celebrate my 40th birthday -- and told the bank we'd be in town which led to them reopening talks -- Saturn had just entered the 17-18 Virgo zone we'll find him in when we're there in March)

Now with this latest Eclipse conjunct his Moon and Mars, Jupiter and North Node moving over these sensitive degrees as well as his Moon in the weeks to come, I anticipate things expanding, situations opening up and the doors he found closed this summer -- the bank he met with in Paris were set to hire him when the financial crisis forced them into a hiring freeze -- finally opening up.

Hopefully this post is a bit more clear than the last one. I don't know how you so expertly clarify the complex workings of astrology, Robert! Good job.

[Pamela]

All I can aay is the eclispe is intense, It is rocking my natal sun and mercury (conjuncting it) plus jupiter.

Pamela

[Robert]

Hi Christine E - Things are racing pretty fast right now for everyone, given Mercury conjunct Mars, either fusing or blowing fuses across a third of our lives!

Hi duse - Well, obviously you've tracked the transits and eclipses in this larger process fairly closely. Thanks for sharing your insights about this fairly complex time sequence so everyone on this site can learn more about ways this process manifests. I'll be writing something on the Lunar Eclipse momentarily.

Hi Pamela - Life is pretty intense right now! Part of what you're feeling is Jupiter and the anticipation of Mars.

[duse]

Thanks, Robert. I feared I had written too much!

Do you ever find yourself checking Secondary Progressed planets and angles for eclipse action? An astrologer friend of mine suggested that and, lo and behold, my SP Sun was being affected via square from both the August Solar Eclipse (which also was trine my Mars, ruler of my 9th House and 8th House Aries Sun and North Node) and this month's Solar Eclipse. Additionally, both my partner's and my SP Part of Fortunes will be receiving eclipse action (another square) from the upcoming Lunar Eclipse in February -- looking forward to your thoughts on that one, Robert.

Additionally, the July Solar Eclipse at 29 Cancer is square his Mercury-Venus in his 3rd House and -- although I rarely look at "soft" aspects -- trine my 00 Aries Sun/North Node.

In light of the dramatic change he'll be making from speaking English in the office (his native language) to speaking French as well as having to receive and understand documents in another language, it would make sense that that conjunction in his chart (Mercury ruling his 2nd and 11th House, Venus ruling his 3rd and 10th) would be spotlighted before beginning work in August/September.

Thankfully, this Mercury is sextile his Uranus as well as his Jupiter, so fluency in foreign languages -- he has a Masters in French -- isn't a problem for him.

In addition to all that, Tr Jupiter is moving through his 6th and 7th Houses (great for getting new work and negotiating contracts as well as building new, successful partnerships), Mars and Venus are climbing toward his MC over the next few months (meeting conjunct his MC June 19-20) and Tr Uranus will station square in May, June, July and August while SA Moon clicks = (via square) with his Jupiter, both aspects indicating, at the very least, optimism and a sense of excitement.

Thank you for your interest, Robert. It feels good to "talk" astrology. :^)

[Angela]

Robert,

You are an absolute delight to read. I very much appreciate your perspective & insightfulness. Please keep up the great work & exquisite sharings!

I have a question regarding Pluto and the nodal axis...specifically, what impression do you have of Pluto transiting the South Node? At the time of this Solar Eclipse, Pluto recently left opposing my 00Cancer20 Sun and was exactly opposite my 02Cancer16 North Node (occurring from the end of the 3rd house to the end of the 9th). The eclipse occurred in my 4th house, trine my 06Libra31 Ascendant, while the Saturn-Uranus opposition activity is happening around my 6th-house 18Pisces49 Chiron.

There's obviously a tremendous amount of transformational energy activated here, and it's gone to the very core of my mind & being, which is already pretty clear from having done a lot of work over the years...but this is a whole new level of connecting with Mind and creating outward from that point. It goes far beyond 3rd-house "thinking" and using the hard-working will of Capricorn and has moved into absolute "knowing" coupled with deep & gentle "knowing" to recreate my life from the ground up. As soon as Pluto passed just to 2 minutes past exact, I felt as if I'd reached a destiny turning point, as if it were the culmination of my entire life to get to that point, and I could feel myself leaving reliance on the energy of the south node thru having embraced the energy of my north node placement.

The nodal contact feels highly connected to this eclipse because of the Cancerian/4th house energies involved. FWIW, Black Moon Lilith was also right on the South Node -- I don't know if you work with BML at all, but it's in the mix of any Plutonian contacts right now.

I have such a sense of "destiny" about this time. That's not a concept I normally work with, but I keep getting the sense of "This Is The Time" for the radical changes I am endeavoring to realize with my North Node awareness. Have you known anyone who went thru a Pluto/South Node conjunction? I would be so interested for comparison experiences & feedback!

Angela

[Angela]

whoops, typo..."deep and gentle *allowing*" is what i meant to say above. ;-)

Angela

[Robert]

Hi duse - Well, I always prefer to keep it succinct, since it takes a while to respond to long comments. Yes, progressions and solar return positions are influenced by eclipses, but only secondarily, and I've never found that progressed houses are substantially affected. Planets, yes - houses, no. But if anyone has actually done extensive research, it may prove that something's happening after all. I've not seen the PF influenced by anything but a conjunction, since it's an abstract point synthesized out of the relative positions of the Sun, Moon, and Asc. An opposition to the PF is actually a conjunction to the Part of Impersonal Consciousness.

Hi Angela - Thanks for your praise of the site. Pluto transiting the SN should show as long wave transformational purifications of how that manifests in the life. I suspect the old Cap energies will express more economically over the long run. Just remember that it happens over a very long period and overall the Nodes have a generalized function except when the Moon aspects them. Pluto is still opposing your Sun, has been for over a year, and will continue for some time to come. You'll see the total effects after you get out of the exact swirl. An old way of relating to home, family, and the early life will end over the next few years. The Sun conjunct NN shows this is a great developmental life along Cancer lines. No, I've never found Lilith to have any substantial effect, and I am firmly of the opinion that all planetary energies are neutral. None are bad or good except as we express those qualities. I went though Pluto conjunct my SN in the 60s. Started around 1963, was exact in 65, 66, and 67, and lasted for another few years after that. What happened in those years is too much to discuss in a comment stream.

[[email protected]]

Dear Robert,
I just was checking on your post for tomorrow's lunar eclipse and decided to check back and look at the solar eclipse
26 Jan post. I fund the reply to the email and wish to thank you for the wonderful and thorough reply. I am sorry I
did not receive it till today. Does the reply from you from a comment not show up on my email that there is a reply?
I am not use to blogging so do not know how it works. Strange that Microcycles came up ? Please do let me know the
schedule for LA area and Florida( very interesting that a friend from coconut grove wants me to visit in March and I may not sure yet...will you be ner there?)
I will email more later, must go.
Thank You again for your great work and friendly helpful communication.'
Much appreciated
In Aquarian Unity & Friendship, Elizabeth

[Robert]

Hi Elizabeth - My answers here only show up here, not in an email. Yes it was strange that Microcycles came up. I'll be in Tallahassee in March, nowhere near South Florida.