by Robert Wilkinson
This Solar eclipse will help us release many elements of our lives which are obsolete, or out of balance, or superficial. This will lead us to a new experience in our way of relating to ourselves, others, and “All That Is.” Many will end an old set of ideas which no longer work. Some will find what they’ve been trying to repair cannot be repaired.
This illuminates and puts the focus on the release function of the South Node in Libra. While the growth is via the pull of the North Node in Aries, the release is through the Sun, Moon, and Mercury conjunct the South Node. Eliminate, demonstrate, release, and show who and what you care about. This eclipses shows us “the redemption of a promise” and begins a new phase of long term growth by the Aries things it brings and the Libra things it takes away.
There’s a major dose of steadying transformational spiritual energy via Jupiter and Neptune, so be receptive to those quiet moments when you’re in touch with a what’s passing and the need to return to simpler things “for pleasure and revitalization.” Though in Libra, this will still be a very intense “balancing act” with Mars in Scorpio and the clear split between the occupied outer planet span from Capricorn to Taurus and the occupied inner planet span from Virgo to Scorpio.
With Venus in Virgo ruling the eclipse and Jupiter/Uranus, She plays a huge part in how this will play out, with implications as far down the road as 2027-2028 when Jupiter will transit the occupied inner planet span and bring new openings in the area being recycled these next 4 years while this eclipse effects are active. The Mutual Reception between Venus and Mercury is the main force behind the scenes which I’ll discuss in the next article in this series.
This eclipse should help smooth out imbalances through incremental changes, all of which are the consequences of interactions in prior times. Whether justice delayed or instant karma, you can bet the next four years will be a “dues paying” time for some, and a long term repair for others. Focus on your purpose, or the purpose for doing something. This is a “go your own way” type of energy field, with rewards to be received as we exhibit skill on the one hand and ease of “doing our Being” on the other.
We’ve been in a sequence of Solar eclipses where there were no oppositions, meaning many recent eclipses had a lot of “self contained” energies in play and no “Tension of Opposites” as an axis of tensional awareness. This eclipse somewhat breaks the pattern, since though wide, Mars is opposed Jupiter, showing that there are doors to be opened by releasing the past. Surrender to the new connections, focus, and intensity, while taking a “live and let live” attitude toward the past.
All eclipses shut something down, taking away elements of our lives no longer true for us. A Solar eclipse in Libra takes away old forms, styles, ways of interacting, and instincts to relate to things and people which are obsolete or no longer valued, creating space to focus on more appropriate ways of finding new self-expression. Old ambivalencies and old styles of life will give way to a new promise, new social and emotional power, and new ways of being our natural Self to further our growth. So while we may find that old superficial ways of interacting are no longer satisfying, it’s a clear signal to find new ways of being our natural Self!
So What’s Happening Where?
For those who didn’t see this in the earlier articles, a Solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth. The Moon blocks the light from the Sun and casts a shadow on Earth. 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.
The coming Annular Solar Eclipse falls at 22 Libra at 10:55 am PDT, 6:55 pm BST on October 14. The total Penumbral phase is 5 hours 51 minutes, indicating an influence lasting just under 6 years. The Umbral phase is 3 hours 39 minutes. So these eclipse effects will last through August 2029, with the most intense period beginning about November 2024 and lasting for 3 years and 8 months. Of course this eclipse, like all eclipses, will be triggered by transits over significant points. As the magnitude is .95, it is reasonably strong, so even though it’s not as powerful as the eclipse at 30 Aries in April, this eclipse is also relatively long and strong.
The line of greatest eclipse runs from NW to SE. It begins in Oregon, runs through NE Nevada, all of Utah, a direct diagonal from NW to SE New Mexico, through west Texas, San Antonio, and south Texas, across the Yucatan and down through Costa Rica and Panama, NW to SE through Colombia, and then into Brazil where it turns east at the Amazon Rain Forest. This eclipse will only be seen by those in the Western Hemisphere and the west coast of Africa. Of course it will also profoundly impact those with planets or points around 20-24 Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn, as well as 5-9 Sagittarius, Pisces, Gemini, and Virgo.
The Nodes
Because an Eclipse conjuncts the Moon’s Nodal axis, the nodes are very important guides showing the line of greatest development and showing what we know. The NN shows the line of development, and because it’s in Aries, the challenge is to grow into a greater self-awareness, a more natural immediate self-expression, and a freedom to do as we need to in the moment without needing the approval or guidance of others while letting go of being wishy washy or superficial.
When the Nodes were in Taurus/Scorpio, we learned to embrace the search for more enjoyable ways to live as an individual on our own terms while letting go of getting lost in strong emotions about what’s leaving. In Aries/Libra, we continue to grow via our interactions, but with the immediate natural expression of Aries as the growth and the refined crafted expression of Libra the way we demonstrate it. This North Node will further growth in all Aries areas as it promotes growth to fill the voids left by previous Eclipses in Aries and Libra, or prepares the voids to be filled at a later date. Grow toward seeing what’s opening as a chance to “redeem a promise” and embrace new ways to move forward. How can you achieve your most natural purpose by focusing in this moment?
Look to the house where this Lunation falls to see what area of your life will be impacted, just as the houses where past Solar eclipses fell have already been shutting down obsolete patterns since then. I gave you the positions and links to past eclipses in the previous eclipse article. And remember that whatever is taken away will create an attraction for something more appropriate to who you are now, and who you are becoming.
More On the Influence of Eclipses
Besides the factor of where the shadow falls, in Astrology eclipses are said to be most powerful when they conjunct the Sun, Moon, Ascendant, or Midheaven of a birth chart. I explained what we can expect if it conjuncts one of our planets in the article “Why Are Solar Eclipses Special?” If an eclipse conjuncts a light, an angle, or a planet, it always accompanies endings related to the planets and sectors involved, but these can be of great benefit in clearing away old life factors which have no place in our future. As you know if you’ve been here for any time at all, I believe that "something's lost and something's gained in living every day..."
So this one with the eclipse semi-square Venus, quincunx Uranus, triseptile Neptune, and square Pluto will bring major turning points and sacrifices with some internal shifts in field and focus. Given the other aspects and evolutionary configurations which I’ll discuss in part 3, this is definitely a “turning point” energy being set loose, with stability, harmony, and unique gifts available for those who know how to “let go, let God.” What begins in difficulty can yield wonderful results if you take care of the tough stuff up front.
Summing Up
This Eclipse, having a lot of very favorable aspects, ushers in a time of “fortunate losses” wherever we have 22 Libra. This one definitely accelerates our evolution wherever we have the last decan of the Cardinal signs in our charts, and helps both our inner Spiritual Warrior and Spiritual Lover to dance in new ways with new people in new areas. This will help us release many things from the past which have been on hold or where we’ve just been going through the motions. This will help us see what we care about and how we want to manifest that care. This is another Lunation showing us what’s permanent, what’s true, what’s passing, and how our willingness to surrender the past will bring us face to face with our spiritual power.
We now renew our Libra expression by letting go with our right hands as we receive blessings with our left! While eclipses take things away, this one will simultaneously bring us unique interactive gifts, a vision of “the poetry of our Life,” and new ways to serve. Again, because of the wide split between the two occupied areas, there may be a need to “balance the opposites,” or at least find a fair way to keep the peace, however that applies.
This eclipse is on the counterpoint degree in the emotional and social level of Reconstruction. This can apply to repairing something, or reconstructing how something came to be as it is. Because of the Mars/Neptune connection, there is tremendous spiritual power available to those who are ready to let go of the past. See to the core of things, rise to whatever task is in front of you, have faith that many things will be redeemed as other things are released, and be cheerful, since a concentrated dose of spiritual energy is approaching by December.
The next two parts of this series will examine the eclipse in its context of being a New Moon. We’ll explore the astrological factors in this eclipse, including Sabian Symbols, which signs will be most affected, evolutionary configurations and more, as well as the gifts and blessings this Partial Solar eclipse will bring. This is initiating, spiritualizing, specializing, archetypal, visionary, and intense!
This helps us focus, redirect, letting go of the past while finding new ideas, new spiritual effectiveness, new confidence, and new ways to enjoy life. By what we release, we create a void which will bring us newer, more fulfilling relationships and work. This eclipse is entirely about seeing the need to move into new fields of growth and effective activity, and will bring rewards to those whose “spiritual warrior” AND “spiritual lover” are in good shape.
We continue to move through the “birth pains” of the emerging Aquarian era. All that Jupiter opened in the way of vision and promise in 2021 has been crystallized by Saturn in 2022 and 2023. This one ends an old way of seeing our relationships and ideals by realizing that “every death is an omen of rebirth.” As the North Node is in Aries we grow by expressing new feelings while opening to new views, new areas to move through, new techniques to allow spiritual power to transform our lives, and a new understanding of our larger spiritual field. Sever the cord binding you to the past and any painful memories you may have. Utilize your spiritual power effectively as new horizons open. Let go of looking back and open to the wide open future!
See you soon with the next article on this Solar Eclipse!
Previous articles in this series:
Astrology in October 2023 - On The Threshold of a Partial Solar Eclipse at 22 Libra
Why Are Solar Eclipses Special?
© Copyright 2023 Robert Wilkinson
Hello Robert, I am wondering why 5 to 9 of the Mutable signs will be a focus.. is it the solstice points?
Thanks, Juliette
Posted by: Jrecamier | October 11, 2023 at 09:05 AM
Hi Juliette - It's because that span is in semisquare and sesquisquare to the main cross of Cardinal energy.
Posted by: Robert | October 11, 2023 at 09:22 AM