The Basic Eclipse Facts
How many eclipses are there in a year?
There are 4-6 eclipses each year. Eclipses go in cycles of 7-8 years for each pair of signs. So if you are a Leo or it’s opposite sign Aquarius, you won’t receive the same pair of eclipses for another 7-8 years. Each four eclipses every year occur in the same degree & astrological sign as those that came by 19 years earlier. This is why we look back to the eclipse 19 years earlier for information on the current eclipse, especially if it was impacting you directly. For the great American eclipse of 2017, we need to look at what was happening in the eclipse of August or November eclipse of 1999, in both our personal lives & political landscape, what issues & themes were happening in your life back then?
How does a solar eclipse differ from a lunar eclipse?
Lunar eclipses occur more often than solar eclipses because the earth casts a much larger shadow than the moon. Most parts of the globe get to see at least a partial eclipse of the moon about once a year while solar eclipses cover a very narrow path. They are very rarely total eclipses such as the August 2017 Leo eclipse.
Below is a diagram of a Lunar Eclipse:
Solar Eclipse diagram below:
Will every eclipse in the series of eclipses impact me?
While one eclipse might impact us, it’s rarer for all the other eclipses in the same family to impact us. For some people, their charts might be set up in such a way to go through a big life transition, which might require 2 or 3 eclipses in a year to bring on the required life experiences & changes as a result. But these are unusual. In most cases, one eclipse every couple of years is sufficient to bring in the redirection & outside circumstances required for our growth. But we might go through accelerated growth where we are impacted strongly by 2 or 3 eclipses in a year. Remember though it’s not always eclipses that bring changes. Some of the deepest most profound changes comes from outer planets making slow, sometimes extremely challenging energy to our personal natal planets.
What will an eclipse mean for me?
Do all eclipses affect us?
How an eclipse impacts you depends on more than just your natal chart. Astrology can be a complex business & sometimes an eclipse can trigger planets our solar or progressed charts, which will impact us just as strongly. If we are in relationship with someone, then we have a relationship composite chart that also could receive challenging or positive eclipse energy.
Some eclipses are more friendly than others, although all eclipses bring changes to one degree or another, some are designed by the powers that be to transform us more than others. The rule of thumb is the closer the eclipse in orb to the natal, progressed, solar or composite planet or point, the stronger the impact.
In reality, we never really know or can fully predict if or how we will be impacted, & it’s best to see if there are other transits or challenges to the charts to see if the eclipse will bring something up. If at the same time as the eclipse we are also managing other difficult transits or progressions, then it’s likely that the eclipse will impact us strongly. So it’s good to look at other factors.
Eclipse within 5 days of your birthday
Eclipses affect some people more than others. If there is an eclipse within one day of your birthday, it signals a major change within the coming year. The major change always occurs in the area of life that the house position of your Sun, your solar birthday. Other than that, you need to look at the outer planets transits to natal planets & bear in mind that the eclipse will be retriggered on 5th September when Mars hits the same degree as the eclipse degree – 29 degrees Leo. You can check outer planets & transits easily on www.planetwatcher.com.
Eclipses aspecting, especially by conjunction or opposition, the AS, MC, Sun and Moon are the most significant
These are particularly sensitive points so while all personal planets are significant, the Sun, the Moon and the personal points of the Ascendant, Descendant, Imum Coeli and Midheaven are by far the most significant. Arguably the personal points (AC, DC, IC & MC) are even more important since they are completely personal to us.
Eclipses on personal planets
If this eclipse falls within 5º of one of your personal planets such as Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars (you can check your astrology chart here www.astro.com – under natal charts) or another important point in your chart (i.e. ascendant, descendant, midheaven, IC or Vertex, North node, Part of Fortune) by conjunction or opposition only, then it will strongly impact you & bring experiences resonating with that planet. Of course what you think might be a powerful eclipse can turn out to feel quite the opposite and vice versa. The affects are anything but predictable. Also know that they work in hand with destiny, so they take you towards events and people you need to meet to fulfil your contracts and complete karma. So sometimes an eclipse’s impact can unlock karmic or residual material that doesn’t get fully completed for 20 years or so. That’s how far reaching the impact can be.
For the Moon it will impact your mother, needs, emotions, for Mars will be impact your energy levels or health, for Mercury, your communication, mentalising. Note if it is an outer planet then others born at the same time of year will have the eclipse hit them so it’s unlikely to have a personal feel unless that outer planet is making a very tight aspect (within a couple of degrees) to a personal planet.
If a planet is happy in your astrological chart & not challenged by its relationship with other planets, then it means that the eclipse will most likely impact you positively. Otherwise, it will bring challenges for you to work & grow through.
For Venus more generally – it will impact relationships, self-worth, finances & values. If your Venus is Eclipse in a positive aspect to your Venus, could kick start a romantic interest, or a new relationship could get more serious, or your social life might take off.
For Mars, generally it’s not easy as Mars is a more karmic planet, known as a malefic planet in astrology. If your Mars is challenged in your chart i.e it is afflicted by outer planets or its retrograde then if an eclipse triggers it it might bring more serious issues for you to deal with.
Venus and Mercury debilitated/affected usually means thyroid problems especially when in difficult aspect to Saturn.
While in the short-term an eclipse might herald a difficult upcoming period in your life, certainly the information you receive might not be easy to digest, in the long run it will support you to be happier & to learn what you needed to learn.
How do I know when I will get the impact of the eclipse (if it directly impacts a planet)
It depends on the nature of the transits. For example with the great American Leo eclipse of 2017, Mars will be coming up to making a conjunction with the same eclipse point on 5th September, almost 2 weeks after the original eclipse time. So it’s likely for some they will receive the eclipse news on the 5th September, or another ‘update’ of information. Most of the time it’s the day of the eclipse that is the most intense, but it can take a month to impact you. Mars & Saturn are known as malefic planets which mean they can reignite the eclipse karmically for us.
Eclipses that ‘trine’ or ‘sextile’ your Sun or Moon are harmonious for you
What this means is that the eclipse is a supportive change on the way. You might not notice it as you would a challenging aspect. It’s a kind of gentle wink from the universe that you on the right path & you can relax for now. A trine or sextile is 120 degree or 60 degree aspect between the eclipse & your own planets. They are gentler aspects that flow, rather than create conflict that needs integration. The signs that flow are same element signs i.e. fire with fire, earth with earth etc. Also fire with air signs, water with earth signs.
What you can expect from an eclipse
Difference between solar & lunar eclipses
Firstly Solar eclipses tend to be kinder than lunar eclipses, this is due to lunar eclipses impacting us emotionally & bringing endings. This is because it is like an amped up new moon & creates more openings than endings. As a rule we prefer beginnings & initiations to endings of a lunar full moon. Solar eclipses tend to affect Leos & Lunar eclipses tend to affect Cancerians. Cancer is a sign that portends a lot of change since it is ruled by the Moon, the fastest moving planet.
Expect the unexpected
Eclipses herald big life changes sometimes of the completely unexpected – it is the ‘fated’ part of astrology. Is a situation coming to a head, it brings a turning point. This can manifest immediately in your life, or it can take a few months to materialise. Events symbolized by the eclipse may come about three months following the eclipse. These points of time are at the first square of the Sun and then when Mars transits by conjunction or opposition. Either of these can shepherd in events related to the eclipse.
Eclipses can mean endings of things that have outlived their purpose
Eclipses bring finality & new beginnings always come from an ending. Endings happen so we can move onto things that are more aligned with the new versions of ourselves that we are continually birthing. Human beings have the bad habit of resisting change, eclipses bring it regardless of whether we are prepared or not. Sometimes we get so attached to a relationship or trajectory that we need a bit of redirecting. New beginnings come from Solar eclipses & tend to bring new opportunities & key us more into our potential. On the other hand, Lunar eclipses tend to affect us more on a feeling level & challenge us to let go of the past. They also impact the tides & water in our bodies.
Eclipses are the final word – they are how fate operates in our world
In the same guise, sometimes we resist the reality that we are faced with. A major change happens, like a potential redundancy or a loss of a relationship & we do all we can to stem the flow of change. The quicker we can realise that eclipses bring finality, their impact can never be reversed, the quicker we can move on to new opportunities. It’s a hard lesson to receive, but it’s a rule of thumb that eclipses are final endings to chapters in our lives.
Eclipses can strongly impact our health
I remember when I received an eclipse on my ascendant in Aries. That day I was so ill, I had to be taken home in a car by my astrology teacher! I was also dumped by a boyfriend on the same day since it was triggering my descendant (a strong relationship chart significator). Eclipses though won’affect us on many different levels of our being, from physical through to the spiritual level, so it might be affecting our health while also impacting a relationship.
Eclipses change your concept of linear time
Eclipses can speed up life through changing circumstances. We all have an ideal scenario of how we want our life to be moving forward. Eclipses however have their own timing. While we have our own ideas, they will bring forth quick, necessary changes so we can adapt & work with changing circumstances. The best way to respond to eclipses that bring urgent or undesired change is to be open & adaptable & drop our fixed ideas of how we wanted things to be. We can’t control everything in our lives & eclipses are the universe’s means of forcing us to let go of the reigns. When we align more with what the actual reality is, rather than our perceived or preferred reality, we are more grounded & in touch with life. It is one of the quickest ways to align with the present moment.
Eclipses help us take risks & journey into the unknown
Eclipses can sometimes offer us opportunities that we would never consider possible. A mountain impossible to climb, & suddenly someone offers you a lift. This is how it feels. Sometimes it is hard to believe & eclipses encourage you to accept that you are achieve much more than you previously assumed. This can present in various ways, but when it comes it is hard not to notice. It may be a significant career progression, or a job offer, one you’ve always dreamt about, but were to scared because of perceived lack of skills or confidence. If you are an aspiring musician you may be offered to record an album.
Solar Eclipses can impact relationships with men in your life
A solar eclipse might impact the relationship with your father or some other male figure in your life. Don’t worry, if you are in a relationship it might not necessarily be that relationship that is affected, it can impact also male friends or male bosses.
How should I respond to eclipse events in my life?
Eclipses are not good or bad. It takes time & hindsight to see the benefits, they are always better in retrospect
An eclipse is the time when you need to keep your mind opened. Things can change quickly & quite unexpectedly. You may receive some news, but the real meaning of them may reveal itself only after a few weeks. This is often the case when we receive some negative news, or something “bad” happens. We may suffer, feel sad, or even grief, which is understandable. However, during the times of an eclipse it is much more likely that the initial upset & difficult feelings are only an introduction to something different, something better. As the time passes we begin to understand that whatever happened was for the best. We feel that now we can take a deep breath & move on with twice the speed.
With awareness & biding your time
The best way to respond to the events that an eclipse brings is keeping your awareness & bidding your time. They are highly charged, dramatic & often profound life changing times & you don’t always have all the information you need to make big decisions. Wait & see what the forth-coming days or even weeks bring. Also you might be thrown off balance by events so might not be thinking clearly.
What if I am offered a job, contract or want to begin a new relationship?
If you need to sign a contract, start a job, buy a flight, start a relationship (!) then it’s best if you can hold off, especially during the 2017 solar eclipse since it will also be mercury retrograde. They are intense energies and a lot can change that’s outside of your view right now. That said, if you have no choice & are fitting in with someone else’s schedule, then it’s ok. But if it’s you making the decisions, then assume it’s best to wait. Also bear in mind that sometimes we need to go through fated experiences to understand better what we want from life.
Not all eclipses aim to shock us into awareness, some bring more subtle information
Eclipses have also been known to be forewarners. Remember they are also obscuring the Sun for example & so some of a situations may still be in shadow. This is why we should always avoid making decisions around the eclipses windows since we don’t always have all the facts of a situation. So while they bring illumination, they can also keep some things hidden. If you hear snippets of information around an eclipse, take it seriously & do your research. It could be forewarning you of what is to come.
Eclipses bring out the truth & bring us back to reality
Most of the time we are in living lives not really grounded in the actual reality of our lives, but in our perceived reality. Say for example you’d love to buy a house, but you’ve been notoriously disorganised with your finances for many years & missed credit card payments, then an eclipse might awaken you up to the reality of getting organised. They illuminate what we have been either unable or unwilling to see. They show us exactly what we need to work on. How much it is out of the blue is sometimes down to how in touch with your life you are. Of course something can never be predicted, but if we are aware of what we need to work at, we can sometimes face eclipses with a degree of self-honesty. They do bring out our humility & vulnerability.
Each eclipse in the series builds upon the last
Eclipses work together, as a unit to bring change. This is why sometimes we get two eclipse triggers a year. Sometimes changes need to be brought in incrementally, rather than all at once, as then we can better process & integrate it. If it didn’t work this way many of us would end up completely burnt out, since coping & adapting to change isn’t easy for us humans.
We can’t control eclipse events
External events & other people’s actions are beyond your control. They often affect us indirectly, but in big ways. Perhaps a major client goes bust, so you lose them. Or your partner loses a job. Either way they may require a quick appraisal of situations so you can see more clearly the real situation you are now in. They often impact us right where we felt deep safe, or had never in a million years have envisioned change would occur. This is because humans have this rather unhelpful tendency to plan too far ahead & get ahead of themselves. Eclipses bring us back to earth in ways we could never have imagined. While it can be a small incident, it can have major ramifications that set off a sequence of events making you view your life with new eyes. It changes our priorities & our values. We see what really matters to us & we are forced to reassess our lives based on this new information. Eclipses can ‘reset’ us onto paths more conducive to our spiritual growth.
