Solar Eclipse

A solar eclipse or eclipse of the sun occurs when the moon is dark or new. This is the first phase of the moon in which it is barely visible. The new moon has the sun at its back. It rises with the sun.

The new moon is a time for introspection and personal growth. When the moon eclipses the sun, this is taken one step further as the moon, if only momentarily, takes over rulership of the daytime, empowering the feminine aspects in our lives.

Although we experience a new moon about every 28 days, an eclipse of the sun, happens only a couple of times per year. This is due to the fact that the moon’s orbit around the earth and the earth’s orbit around the sun are at different angles. The two orbits do not occur on the same plane. When the sun, moon and earth move into alignment, a solar eclipse occurs.

During a solar eclipse, the moon passes directly between the sun and the earth. From our perspective, here on earth, the moon, at first barely visible due to the brilliance of the sun which appears beside it seems to move in front of the sun blocking or eclipsing it. At this time, the masculine energy of the sun is eclipsed by the feminine energy of the moon. Assertiveness and ambition give way to introspection and receptivity.

During the time surrounding a solar eclipse, we may feel that all our ducks are in a row. Our ambitions and emotions seem to be in agreement. We may feel cooperation flowing smoothly in our relationships. Before a solar eclipse, our thoughts and emotions may seem to be aligned. As the solar eclipse approaches, our emotions become stronger until at the time of the eclipse our emotions take over.

Daytime is normally ruled by the sun, by action and by masculine energy, while the night is ruled by the moon, by emotion and by feminine energy. During the eclipse, the moon covers the sun and emotions get a chance to take control during the day, if only for a short while.

In Greek mythology, the sun and moon are associated with Apollo and Artemis. Together the two children of Zeus and Leto, exemplify balance between dark and light, as well as between feminine and masculine. Apollo, the sun god is active during the day while Artemis, ‘the moon’ roams at night.

Youthful and beautiful, Apollo, with his golden lyre and silver bow carries the sun across the sky each day, pulling it behind his golden chariot. He is the bringer of light and truth, and healer of men.

Artemis, his older twin sister, is Goddess of the Moon. A virgin goddess, Artemis resides in the forests where she is known as the huntress. Like her brother, she is a skilled archer, shooting her prey with silver arrows. A powerful warrior, Artemis hunts by the light of the moon.
When the moon eclipses the sun, Artemis stands between her brother and their mother. With both children, pulling on Mother Earth from the same side, she must give way to their will. Residing here on Mother Earth, we feel the pull of powers beyond our control.

At this time we must surrender to powers greater than our own. We must surrender to the universe, confident that in its infinite wisdom, it will return us once again to balance as the heavenly bodies dance gracefully across the day and night sky.

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Dark Moon

In ancient times, the moon was revered as a goddess, and each of her lunar phases - new moon, full moon, and dark moon - was said to correspond to the three phases of a woman's life: maiden, mother, and crone. The moon has long been associated with our power within, and you do not have to be a woman to connect with the moon's power. The dark moon, which is associated with the crone phase, appears in the sky during the last three days of every lunar cycle. It cannot be seen with the human eye, but it is the dark moon that presides over the sky until a new 28-day cycle begins and a new moon is ready to appear. Often referred to as the "dead moon," the dark moon doesn't necessarily represent death. It is, however, a time for life-enriching endings and a prelude to new beginnings.

When the dark moon appears, it becomes easier for us to shed unnecessary emotional baggage and free ourselves of people and ideas that no longer serve us or add value to our life. It is a time to cleanse ourselves and create space so that what is new can enter. For many people, the dark moon is a time to rest, be introspective, and replenish their energy. Powerful, healing dreams have been known to take place during the dark moon, and you may discover that it is during the dark moon that you are most driven to meditate, explore your intuitive abilities, retrieve past life memories, or delve more deeply into your psyche.

One way to harness the energy of the dark moon is to perform a ritual where you light a black candle. Call forth and visualize the different parts of your life that you are ready to let go of. Through visualization, bind these parts together with light and imagine this bundle moving toward the candle. Watch these old parts being devoured by the flames, and let the candle burn out. Trust that what you've released has left you. You are now ready to welcome the new into your life.

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What is a Solar Return Chart?

Each year that you have a birthday, that is called a Solar Return. The Sun has returned to its original position in the sky at the time of your birth.

Though the Sun may be in its original position of the heavens, the remaining planets are not in exactly the same degree and house or sign as your natal chart for this birthday.The interpretation we delineate from the angles and aspects form by the bodies of the Solar Return chart, to your Natal Chart and then the transits can be considered the upcoming year's identifiable themes.

The consultation of a Solar Return chart begins with the Natal chart, then the Solar Return chart and finally three months of transits are analyzed to examine potential events and themes. Your Solar Return chart is a symbolic guide to your self evolution in the next year powered by your conscious choice. Awakening your personal awareness to the yearly possibilities for unfolding your potential is the ultimate objective of this consulting practice.

A Solar Return chart can be done any where between 1-2 months before or after a birthday. If when you want your Return chart done and you don't fall within that time frame, it is adviseable to wait for the next Solar Return period.

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Jupiter Transits

Overview:

Jupiter takes approximately 12 years to come full circle. Therefore, every 3 years or so, Jupiter will transit conjunct, square, or opposite a natal point. When that natal point is an intensely personal planet or point (such as the Sun, Moon, Ascendant, Mercury, Venus, or Mars), we feel its effects in a similarly personal way.

Jupiter transits perhaps receive more positive press than they deserve, as those of us who have waited for Jupiter to transit conjunct our Sun can attest. Why? Because if we wait for Jupiter to bestow us with wonderful gifts, we are sure to be disappointed. What Jupiter does do is infuse us with the license to dream, to hope, and to feel good about ourselves.

Jupiter is an influence that acts to expand and enlarge our personal landscapes. Jupiter transits allow growth and expansion of consciousness involving the conditions and natures of the houses and planets involved. Our confidence and level of joy is increased in these areas of life, and we feel motivated to improve or gain in these areas of life. These are times in our lives when we feel a little more free and confident, and when we are not as aware of restraints. Problems arise when we overdo, and are so confident that we ignore reality and don't think of consequences. However, just as we need Saturn to remind us that we need to buckle down, we also need Jupiter to remind us that we won't get very far if we don't believe in ourselves.

Jupiter acts to expand, and it gives us hope and enthusiasm. It can also make us feel rather restless or overconfident. Jupiter is the planet of possibilities and it offers us promises. Whether these promises are realistic is something to consider seriously. However, Jupiter is a jovial influence, and we all need that kind of energy from time to time! When Jupiter transits a natal planet, it gives that part of our personality a boost, reminding us that we may have been underestimating our capabilities. It invites us to have some faith in ourselves and our abilities.

Remember always that for Jupiter transits to benefit us to the utmost, we need to grab opportunities. We cannot wait for things to happen to us. At the same time, we must be aware of the potential for overdoing, for glossing over details to feed our optimism.

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Sun in Pisces
Feb 18, 2006 to Mar 20, 2006

The symbol of Pisces is not one fish, but two. One fish is swimming up to heaven, and the other down to Earth. This represents Pisces' place between the worlds, its greatest strength and its greatest challenge.

Pisces is a bridge between heaven and Earth, a reminder that the spiritual and material worlds are fully connected. The upward swimming fish is trying to leave behind the limitations of the physical plane. Feeling the gap between these worlds can be painful, and so escape becomes necessary.

We are all both physical and spiritual, regardless of our signs. Pisces is here to remind us that heaven and Earth are connected. It is time to experience the divine on this planet.

Signs are Seasons

Pisces, the last sign of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, is also the last sign of the zodiac. It is the time when the past is summed up to make way for the new year ahead. Pisces is the end of a cycle when we have the benefit of experience and, perhaps, even wisdom to guide our actions.

Yet, the end of winter can be a difficult time for those fatigued by the long struggle against the cold and dark. The fearful can remain stuck in despair. The hopeful, however, know that spring is just around the corner. This is a time to plant the seeds of imagination that will manifest and grow to fruition in the months ahead.

An Ocean of Feelings

Pisces is a water sign, as are Cancer and Scorpio. In the world of water, instincts and emotions are stronger than reason and planning. This is not to say that Pisces can't be practical. Many of them are. Nor is this a time when we're all going to drown in the waters of our own emotions. Water reminds us that we are all connected. That’s why Pisces is psychic.

Compassion also comes from this sense of contact with everything. It's hard not to care about someone else's pain when you feel it as your own. For balance, find a quiet place to get away from it all so that you can feel your feelings, rather than everyone elses.

Pisces Dreams

Pisces has a reputation as a dreamer, even an escape artist of sorts. Some are considered spacey, with their heads in the clouds. In fact, most Pisces can be very skillful at dealing with the demands of the real world. The key is that they need to find life inspiring. Pisces flourishes with hope and vision. Without it, life can feel overwhelming.

Sources of inspiration are, fortunately, endless. Music, art, dance, movies and theater are all domains in which Pisces can flourish. The creative gifts of this sign even do well in business and technical fields. Pisces are often found in the ranks of healers, where their intuitive senses and compassionate hearts help relieve the suffering of others.

Among the ranks of the famous born with the Sun in Pisces are artists Michelangelo and Pierre Auguste Renoir, and musicians George Harrison, James Taylor, Lou Reed, Brian Jones, Kurt Cobain, Nat King Cole and Nina Simone. Liz Taylor, Glenn Close, Sharon Stone, Drew Barrymore, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Thora Birch are Pisces actresses.

Pisces actors include Ron Howard and Rob Reiner, who have morphed into directors, Michael Caine, Bruce Willis and Billy Crystal. Politics attracts Pisces like Joe Lieberman, Ralph Nader and Ted Kennedy. Alan Greenspan is a Pisces (who likes to work in his bathtub), as are tycoons Steve Jobs and David Geffen and athletes Shaquille O'Neal and Kirby Puckett.

Other Pisces range from geniuses Albert Einstein and Bobby Fischer to George Washington to writer John Irving and the indescribable Tammy Faye Bakker.

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