by Robert Wilkinson
This initiating, balancing, fracturing, gifting, unique, specializing and transfiguring Total Eclipse Full Moon at 16 Aries-Libra moves us through a testing period where we have to stay balanced and sensitive at the same time, using the emotional intelligence we’ve cultivated since last Summer. Forks in the road of destiny throw us all into new ways of understanding new potentials.
Important Chart Factors
The Grand Fire Trine coupled with a Cardinal T-square in play these next 3+ months make for an exceptionally inspired time, with lots of potential to integrate the kindness we’ve been cultivating since 2011 as an antidote to the hard edge all around us. While all Eclipses shut things down, this one will bring gifts and special blessings for those who have courage, imagination, and persistence.
So “let go, let G_d,” since we’re still moving into our Mystery to see why we’ve had to say goodbye to some people and situations. We’re in the middle of a long journey of discovering the deeper elements of our personal Dharma involving going through what we have to go through. And because chasing our Mystery usually means going into unknown zones, at some point when we’re sailing to the new world, we must lose sight of the old lands and accept the wisdom of the course we’re already on.
Between the death of the old and the beginning of the new, we must spend some “down time,” whether in the underworld of our existence, or in solitude, going deep to experience whatever that death or ending was about. That is the value of Saturn in Scorpio. There is deep wisdom in finding our magnetic root with the source of life if we are to live a deeper, more fulfilled existence. We’ve just entered a new Mars conjunct Saturn cycle a few weeks ago, and because it happened at 18 Scorpio, that will be a major factor in how these two energies play out over the next 2 years.
Many have found a new stability, structure, or new sense of permanence via Saturn experiences and lessons wherever they have Scorpio in their chart. However, others are being forced to confront various life voids, and learning to “hold the empty space” to get a better sense of the limits and possibilities of their magnetism.
As this marks the end of Saturn’s occupation of the Scorpio zone of the Grand Irrationality, this is the final set of lessons we’ve been through related to the radical forks in the road of destiny we’ve been shown the past year. These have been prodding us, both as individuals and nations, to make decisions where we have indeed set things into motion that will become the events in our future.
Because of Jupiter in Cancer making Water trines to Neptune and Saturn between July 2013 and June 2014, we had an expanded ability to experience life more joyfully, fluidly, and intelligently while moving through deep feelings. Since Jupiter entered Leo in July, we have been experiencing a call to a joyous life renewal, the birth of a new way of learning or teaching through a more natural playfulness, or seeing the great Leela or play of Life itself so we can remember how our Eternal Self views various life dramas. And since June, when Neptune went retrograde, we’ve been getting signals about being called to renewal!
Jupiter at 18 Leo is teaching us about our inner Alchemist, and how we can use the spiritual principles we know in the material world. Magic and transformation are in the air, with renewal and glimpses of greater fulfillment lighting up via the Grand Fire Trine. This 2 week period (and next 3+ months due to the Eclipse effect) will help us move the new creativity and spontaneity of Jupiter in Leo into actional forms of release.
Major Aspects and Configurations
In this Lunation, we have one major biseptile in play between Saturn and Neptune. This puts the collective “atmosphere” at a fork in the road, and many are choosing the depth and breadth of their compassion, as well as the depth and breadth of their empowering some illusion. This is a global spiritual influence, and charts a course for humanity for a long time to come.
The septile involving Saturn and Neptune activates where these fall and rule in our chart. The approximate degree zones affected are 6-10 Leo, 28 Virgo-2 Libra, 20-24 Scorpio, 11-15 Capricorn, 2-6 Pisces, 23-27 Aries, and 15-19 Gemini. If you have a planet or angle in these zones, expect important ideas or signals forcing action wherever Saturn impacts your chart! These zones currently define the Grand Irrationality.
We also find the Moon in the Grand Fire Trine, biquintile Saturn and novile Neptune, with Mercury retrograde quintile both Jupiter and Pluto, keeping the Jupiter biquintile Pluto active. This activates 3 points of a 5 pointed Star of Individualized Specialization. The degrees most affected by this extraordinarily favorable configuration include 17-21 Leo, 29 Libra-3 Scorpio, 11-15 Capricorn, 23-27 Pisces, and 5-9 Gemini.
Continuing with the major forming aspects in the Eclipse, Venus is the major player this month. It’s conjunct the Sun, sextile Mars and Jupiter, novile Saturn, and biquintile Neptune along with being in the T-square with Uranus and Pluto. Because Venus is the mover here, you can bet unexpected comings and goings in relationships will dominate the landscape these next 14 weeks. Just shed extreme, corrosive, dishonest, and crazy relationships with as much sensitivity as possible while practicing good defensive maneuvers.
The Sun is sextile both Mars and Jupiter while decile Saturn, Mars trines Jupiter, Saturn biseptiles Neptune and begins its semisquare to Pluto, and of course, Uranus is still squaring Pluto. Overall, more harmony than friction, so this should be a great Eclipse with lots of inspiration, understanding, stabilized movement, and a new look at why we said goodbye to whatever and whoever the past 10 months.
Because this is the final Lunation where Saturn triggers the Grand Irrationality, we now begin to close an important era of choice and change on a collective level, even though it will still be in action for the next 14 weeks. Because Saturn is still in Scorpio through late December, we are still learning lessons about the power of loss and death to help us regenerate. Over the past 2 years, many have come to a much deeper understanding of the permanent spiritual factors in their existence, as well as a courage that will never desert them.
So the Grand Irrationality is very prominent in this chart, and will be triggered by transits numerous times during the time this Full Moon is prominent. The Grand Irrationality in play these past 20 years has affected various generations at different times, and everyone has been touched at some point in huge ways.
Spirit walks with this configuration, as well as any major septile series aspect between the planets. The choices we make as a result of these non-rational aspects show us our “direction of destiny,” and determines if the Spirit will grow stronger and closer with you, or if you will move in directions away from Spirit. Given that most of this community is intentionally trying to live in harmony with Life, Nature, and each other, chances are that whatever you – yes, YOU the reader – are confronting will show you a deeper, richer, more powerful Spiritual life. Which is a good thing.
Other Factors of Note
This is the eighth Full Moon with the North Node in Libra. When the North Node was in Scorpio between September 2012 and February 2014 we went through a long wave Scorpio process of learning to “shed skins,” and let go of echoes of memories of perceptions by taking a new look at what we used to believe. Factoring in the November 2013 Scorpio Solar Eclipse, we’ve all been learning “gain through loss,” so that we could have faith, go deeper, and receive impressions from higher planes.
The Saturn in Scorpio focus since October 2012 has helped us intensify our striving in structured ways so we can unveil the life Mystery we’ve been chasing for quite a while. This has anchored a deeper emotional stability and magnetism in those who have done the hard work of making Saturn your friend.
During this time of Saturn in Scorpio, we’re incorporating the old North Node in Scorpio lessons into our ongoing responses to life. Saturn has also taught us to see a) how we have shifted our magnetism on relationships since then, and/or b) how we need to find a new view or way of understanding the losses and eliminations of the past we’ve been through.
Now that the North Node is in Libra, that sign symbolizes our line of greatest development. Therefore, the lessons we learned while Saturn in Libra are being developed at this time. There are direct connections between our current growth and October 2011.
So What is a “Locomotive Pattern” and how does it work?
We continue to have 10 planets occupying 7 signs, and they are irregularly spread out around the zodiacal wheel. We are now solidly in a “Locomotive” pattern, defined by planets between Leo and Aries, with a void in the empty third between Aries and Leo. While there are some elements of the “Bucket” pattern, for now it’s solidly Locomotive.
This type of spread, with all the planets occupying 2/3 of the signs with an empty third, creates an imbalance that leads to power if we can find the compensatory “weight” to make things move forward smoothly rather than rock side to side creating friction. Target what is needed, and provide compensatory energies accordingly.
As Marc Jones put it, “this type of horoscope reveals a balance of this sort in the life. A third part of things… consisting of a free span in experience, is set against a two-thirds part, embracing a related but limited span in experience…. The basis of the dynamic is found in the native’s resulting strong sense of a lack or a need, of a problem to be solved, a task to be achieved in the social and intellectual world around him.”
Dr. Jones states “The temperament reveals a self-driving individuality, an executive eccentricity that is not … unbalance but rather is power. It exhibits a dynamic and exceptionally practical capacity which is neither the broad universality of the Splash pattern, nor the special obsession with some particularly narrowed aspect of experience characteristic of the Bundle people.
He goes on to state “The Locomotive classification is … moved more by external factors in the environment than by aspects of its own character. The point of application for the powers of the self is shown … by the “leading planet,” or the one of the two in the empty trine which forms its aspect clockwise in the zodiac, irrespective of any distinction as “applying” or “separating.”
Jupiter is the leading planet in the Locomotive. Show humor, vision, and go for the loving protection of the heart when called upon to express yourselves. This is the power of the mature heart interacting with others in elegant ways, life as art and art as life. Because it’s Jupiter, to paraphrase the great wit Wavy Gravy, if you don’t have a sense of humor, it’s not funny!
Element Balance
Of the traditional 10 planets, there are 3 planets in Water signs, 4 in Fire, 1 in Earth, and 2 in Air. This indicates a very heavy emphasis on feelings and experiencing life, as with the last several Lunations.
With the emphasis on Fire and Water, we have a very volatile combination that creates steam power when focused or fogs and mists when uncontained. It should be a wild ride energetically, with the Air of Venus and the Sun feeding the fire of the Grand Trine.
Air and Earth are “cool” elements, while Fire and Water are “hot” elements. With this distribution, things will be heated up with feelings and inspiration at the forefront with very little practicality in outer affairs. The Water element will continue to be strong for many weeks, so keep applying the emotional intelligence you’ve been cultivating since last summer.
More on how Uranus Square Pluto Is Ramping Up Radical Energies!
As I’ve mentioned off and on over the past 3+ years, we’re all learning to manage the “out of control” energies of Uranus square Pluto. They are certainly front and center at this exact point in history!
’ve discussed this aspect at length over quite a few articles in the archives. Please use the site google box to find out more about this years’ long disruptive revolutionary influence. Welcome to the 21st century of upheaval, transformation, and titanic collisions between a new world being born and an old age that’s digging in even as it’s dying.
That square represents the ongoing revolution of our times, with innovations and pioneering energies in conflict with restrictive and controlling power structures. We’ll be dealing with this for a few years, and it promises to make this year and next very “electric and eclectic,” moving the world through a revolution unlike any seen since the 1960s!!
Uranus is now moving through a span of degrees active between 2013 and 2015, and went stationary retrograde on a degree where we’re learning to retire with dignity from dramas we don’t need. This is the first step in knowing what we do not have to be involved in as we learn to focus our potency.
From mid-June through the end of August, Saturn and Uranus were in quincunx, forcing hard adjustments, corrections, and necessary sacrifices preparing us for the release of pressure over the next two weeks. We’ve been learning to sacrifice of old desires, attachments, and old limiting magnetism, while breaking into new discoveries and newer, better functioning by what has been adjusted. Keep seeing what you need to withdraw from while maintaining your dignity and trusting your inner “God” or “Truth” to lead you to wisdom.
Pluto has now finished its years of teaching us harmlessness, kindness, and magnetism that brings forth a more gentle set of interactions through the deeper transformations going on in our lives. This Lunation shows us another way of embracing the feelings and experiences of that emergent transformational role we accepted 2009-2010. Keep purifying yourself in every way, since the less sludge we carry forward the lighter and freer we’ll feel.
We have now been guided through deep experiences that taught us how to get beyond fear, see things from the past differently, and again are having to look at life as a science lab, and learn the principles governing what comes and what goes in our perceptual reality. This is the next step in learning “a valid historical perspective,” where we separate out the core principles from the events surrounding them.
As we learn to master Uranus square Pluto, we will be able to see the true causes of any social disorder, constructive versus destructive justifications and motives, and see where mistrust and mischief-making originate. This allows us to grow into a greater power when we’re confronted by old Pluto roles, coercions, and heavy-handed corrosive behavior. We can use the square between Uranus and Pluto in two big ways, both now and into the future.
We can exercise good Pluto function to put the brakes on negative Uranian manifestations, and good Uranus function to put the brakes on negative Pluto manifestations. Look to the harmonizing aspects to each to show which is building and which one is the release point for those energies. In this chart, Uranus is specializing many things in everyone’s lives, so go with the new rather than the established.
What's the proper sequence at present of deciding, feeling, and thinking, with an Overview of the Lunation
This Full Moon Total Eclipse will help us revisit old ideas, perspectives, opinions, and views to see how we’ve benefitted from those endings and losses. Take a new look, and you may see some things from the past differently, and find a new wisdom in that perspective.
As a process of moving through events, we’re all going to be inclined to feel our way into decisions, after which we need to search for new ideas, perceptions, views, and interactions. Once we’ve gotten a new idea, vision, or understanding, then feel your experience that helps you make a decision and act on it! Take your feeling-knowing one step at a time, and keep finding new information and interpretations to update your perceptual files.
With Venus again leading the Sun, this Lunation will show us new values, new relationships, new ways of liking what and how we teach and are taught. Venus promises a new appreciation for the balance and perspectives we attained in 2011 and 2012, even as we a) repair some things that need repair, and b) reconstruct elements of our past so we can be more joyous in how we view why some things had to be wrecked.
While there may have been some hard edges to events throughout 2014, these were set up by events set into motion since 2010. In the first half of 2014, we were fractured and re-fractured, and what’s left has been the basis of building a better life since then. Many life voids have been created and/or filled, and we all now have entirely different perspectives on what to retire from so a new potential can be embraced at this time.
This Full Moon Eclipse helps free us in some way, since it will shut down old parts of our Aries-Libra life experiences. Still, there is tremendous potential to understand and harmonize many areas in our lives via the creative integration of the T-square releasing the energy of the Grand Fire Trine. Given the number of quintile-series aspects, mMany will find themselves in unique conditions, and those who took care of difficult business in the past will find blessings and gifts coming over the next two weeks (and 3+ months).
Having heard the call to renewal since June, keep it natural, bright, positive while trying a little tenderness when things seem too hard. Figure out what you need to ensure your well-being, show humor (or at least see the irony in situations) when your instinct is to be defensive when confronting abrasive or aggressive rude people. This one gives us new perspectives on the past, helps us to a genuine life renewal, and offers us a rehearsal where appearances must give way to necessities.
For your contemplation, a final meditation I offer each month at the end of our Full Moon journey of exploration.
We are Light. All things are composed of Light in various frequencies that express as limitless forms. Some light frequencies are of greater density than others.
All shadows result from light hitting a dense object. Psychological shadows too. Therefore, it’s good to become as translucent and translucid as possible to dispel lurking shadows.
If you must look at and/or deal with shadows, whether your own or another’s, then refocus your Light on the object being illuminated, since that form is the source of the shadow.
Find the correct 4 angles of illuminating whatever you want to focus on, and all shadows will be dispelled. Then you’re seeing things with an illuminated mind, and can act accordingly.
Previous articles in this series:
Astrology in October 2014 - On The Threshold of a Total Lunar Eclipse at 16 Libra-Aries
© Copyright 2014 Robert Wilkinson
Wow, loaded with information so much to digest and put in perspective.
Very insightful too. Thanks Robert and take care,
Blessings be to all
Posted by: Nic | October 11, 2014 at 11:38 AM
Thank you, Robert.
I've been reading you since 2010 and you've guided me through some very dark and muddy territory.
Your optimism has been extremely encouraging through days of feeling lost and w great fear.
As you write, the light is starting to shine as a result of moving through frightening and lonely times.
Ty for writing your knowledge.
Sherry
Posted by: Sherry Katz | October 11, 2014 at 03:12 PM
Thank you Robert, i must say that the following things you wrote resonate with my current position:
And because chasing our Mystery usually means going into unknown zones, at some point when we’re sailing to the new world, we must lose sight of the old lands and accept the wisdom of the course we’re already on.
Between the death of the old and the beginning of the new, we must spend some “down time,” whether in the underworld of our existence, or in solitude, going deep to experience whatever that death or ending was about...others are being forced to confront various life voids and learn to “hold the empty space".
I've not had to hold the empty space in many years, but when I look back on my "Return" I realized that I was here in late 1984-early 85 and late 2000-early 2001. I've not written in a while but have been keeping up on your posts. Like many people (families of celebrities included)I lost people in my life this summer, 2 of them were "best friends". I'm also navigating away from colleagues in the art world to try my hand at writing a memoir for publication. I'm doing something I've always wanted to do but must do it alone.So yeah, holding empty space while looking behind and ahead are definitely themes here. But thank you for keeping up the wonderful and insightful knowledge you impart to us, and thanks to others who share their responses.
Posted by: Orenda | October 12, 2014 at 10:24 PM
BTW, "down-time' is scary.
Posted by: Orenda | October 12, 2014 at 10:27 PM
"Find the correct 4 angles of illuminating whatever you want to focus on [...]" could you elaborate on this? Which angles? Thank you, Robert.
Posted by: Dana | October 16, 2014 at 02:49 PM
Hi all - Thanks for your kind words.
Hi Dana - As I explained last month, any 4 different approaches to any given thing that dispels shadows where understanding is not clearly illuminated.
In television, we have to set up lights to illuminate the set. One is the key light. That illuminates the set brightly, but also creates shadows that are somewhat dispelled by the fill light. Those two together still don't fully illuminate an object, so we then put up a back light.
Use the same principle when regarding any object of perception that is you don't understand. We all have one primary approach to understanding any given thing, based on what type of "learning intelligence" we are predisposed to use. This is a combo of brain function and learning experiences.
Try to find alternate ways of approach learning about something, and understand how the multiple approaches of understanding fit together within a larger context. We all have our learning styles; we just have to learn how to use them and adapt to alternate methods so we don't have gigantic holes in our understanding of a thing.
I'll add that a "back light" could be looking at the thing with an eye to "dependent origination." How did that thing come to be? What "caused" it? What preceded it? Why are we seeing what is, and not what's behind it? A back light gives depth. Look at where your understanding is "shadowed" and put the light of examination on that spot, and illuminate it until you understand why it presents the form it does in the context it does.
Posted by: Robert | October 16, 2014 at 03:09 PM