posted July 05, 2010 04:13 PM         

Love is like a violin; the music may stop now and then, but the strings will remain forever. Anon

If music be the food of life, play on. William Shakespeare

The French are true romantics. They feel the only difference between a man of forty and one of seventy is thirty years of experience. Maurice Chevalier

If you describe things as better than they are, you are considered to be a romantic; if you describe things as worse than they are, you will be called a realist; and if you describe things exactly as they are, you will be thought of as a satirist. Quentin Crisp

Beware of over-great pleasure in being popular or even beloved. Margaret Fuller

He must have a truly romantic nature, for he weeps when there is nothing at all to weep about. Oscar Wilde

Tis not the many oaths that make the truth; But the plain single vow, that is vow'd true. William Shakespeare

Anything too stupid to be spoken is sung. Voltaire

July's new Moon is a total solar eclipse. Happening on July 11 in the United States and July 12 in Australia and lasting for 5 minutes and 20 seconds, the path of the solar eclipse cannot be seen unless you are in the Pacific, perhaps at Easter Island or the Cook Islands, although it does extend to the tip of southern Chile and Argentina. It's interesting that this is another 'boat image' as the lunar eclipse two weeks ago had strong boat influences. Click on the eclipse image and you'll see where the path goes (the speck in the middle is the exact path).

The following is from my book 360 Degrees of Wisdom: Charting Your Destiny With The Sabian Oracle. This is a rather romantic eclipse as the Sabian Symbol implies. It's Cancer 20: Venetian Gondoliers In A Serenade. This speaks of the ideals of romantic fantasy. Although it can sometimes sound like an old cliché, the ‘Gondoliers Serenading’ is the sort of fantasy or special event that many people long for or desire. To be pampered, cared for and transported to a place of romance can be just what is needed, though there may be a need for caution if the romance is really just a fairytale.

This Symbol encourages the breaking away from any restriction of expectation and letting yourself float on the pleasure of romance. Someone (and this may be you or another) may be a little frustrated or bored, and looking to find ways to satisfy their emotional needs. Although this is not the time for seriousness, don’t be fooled by any insincere charades. You may need to develop trust in those around you to be able to surrender to your feelings spontaneously. If the circumstances are right, surrendering to romance should be enjoyed to the hilt. Don’t let doubts get in the way of love or passion; but, do be cautious that you’re not being used for someone’s imaginary or idealistic life. Look to see if you are ignoring the truth in order to satisfy needs. Read between the lines of what’s being said, or the emotions that are conveyed. Look for anything misleading or overblown. Someone may try to convince others of how good they are, or compete with others for love. Be wary of reacting to others who have recently come into the picture, especially those that are vying for affections. Those working hard at winning others over can lead to not being taken seriously. In the end though, people reveal who they really are. Seek out honesty and truth and love will fill your life. (Speaking of reading between the lines, please do let me know if you do or don't like the fonts I'm using in this newsletter - I'm experimenting to find the best for readability. I don't particularly like the look of it, but I'm assured it's easier to read.)

Keywords: Romantic fantasy. Singing and music. Performance. Public speaking. Impressing people with joy, romance, fun and the wonder of life. Venusian displays. Issues of the truth. Ease of communicating. Working to win people over. Appealing to the beloved. Elegance. Floating on the emotions. Festive atmospheres. Nostalgia. Boats. Water.

The Caution: Insincere charades. Retreating into one’s self. Saying whatever it takes to get what one wants. Superficial displays. The delusion of being beyond criticism. Emotional manipulation. Sucking up to others. Misplaced trust. Competing for affections or attention. Losing one’s self.

The 'Karmic Condition' (the degree before) of the Sun is Cancer 19: A Priest Performing A Marriage Ceremony. The idea of 'marriage' - partnering up with someone, finding the 'ideal mate', staying because one is 'throthed', the issue of vows and keeping them (or not), commitment to a person or a project, marriage guidance, handclaspings, ceremonies, celebrants, sanctified unity, expressions of loyalty and allegiance. So, issues to do with relationship, fidelity, being true to one's self and the other, commitment and staying on course are a big part of the issue of this solar eclipse. Please note that the day before the eclipse, the Sun is on this degree and for about two hours before the eclipse, the Moon is on this degree.

Further emphasizing singing, romancing and emotional dramatizations is the Quest Symbol -the degree following - please note that this is the degree of the Moon for a few hours immediately after the eclipse and it's the degree of the Sun on the day after the eclipse. The Sabian Symbol is Cancer 21: A Prima Donna Singing. This speaks of having a powerful voice, emotional dramatizations, talent, taking center stage, messages that need to be heard for social reasons, playing out a story or the myths of society, makeup, hairstyles, wigs, costumes, feeling important or special, flowers or brickbats, charisma and presence, commanding attention, having control and good timing, years and years or training or improvising on the spot. Obviously, the 'prima donna' may be horridly demanding, controlling and narcissistic.

So, this eclipse is about romance for sure with a need to see through what's being said or conveyed. Is there truth in what's going on, or is it merely a momentary illusion?

Venus has something to say about about how many are feeling about life, the universe, romance, everything. It's on Virgo 2: A Large White Cross, Dominating The Landscape, Stands Alone On Top Of A High Hill. This speaks of ideals dominating (often religious or spiritual), the fear or the wonder of God, following a mystic path, the need to find a savior, being alone and forgotten, monuments to pain and suffering, tributes or memories of those lost or gone before, reminders of salvation, images of redemption, the Church, martyrdom, the Inquisition, aloneness and/or sacrifice or the yearning for it, dogmatism, scapegoating, days in the wilderness alone, symbols that inspire guilt and anguish instead of love, acceptance and forgiveness, bullying under the guise of religion, etc.

Venus is not particularly happy in Virgo on this particular degree. One can benefit by seeing how you may be pinned to the cross. As Leonard Cohen sings in his wonderful song The Sisters of Mercy:

Well I've been where you're hanging, I think I can see how you're pinned: When you're not feeling holy, your loneliness says that you've sinned.

Neptune, Chiron and Lilith are smack opposite Venus, bringing a certain amount of confusion, sacrifice, the need for healing and the need for standing strong and tall and finding the powerful feminine voice in amongst all that's going on. Neptune is on Aquarius 29: A Butterfly Emerging From A Chrysalis = time to spread your wings, break free of confinement, to find your feet. Chiron is on Pisces 1: A Large Public Market. How are you out there in the 'market place'? Are you available and willing to get out there? Lilith is on Pisces 2: A Squirrel Hiding From Hunters - perhaps hiding away is what you're wanting to do at the moment. But, are you missing your chance to be 'in the Sun', or finding real nourishment, friends, compatriots, etc.

There's redemption available though (there always is), in the Quest Symbol of Venus (the degree after) of Virgo 3: Two Guardian Angels Bringing Protection. This is the degree of Venus on the day following the eclipse. This speaks of connection with a sense of inner guidance, visible or invisible protection, people appearing when they're needed, being saved in the nick of time, creative solutions to problems that seemed hopeless or lost. Call on your angels!

The Sabian Symbol for Mars is another Symbol of movement or traveling (as is the boat of the Venetian Gondoliers). It's Virgo 20: A Caravan Of Cars Headed For Promised Lands. This speaks of venturing into life with like minded companions, seeking new territory, leaving behind the known for the unknown, gypsies, Hollywood, California, "boom" towns, the "magic bus". It can be forsaking the individual path in favor of a more secure, common one, perpetual restlessness, constantly seeing the "pot of gold", far-off lands, inability to settle anywhere, being a rolling stone.

Mars seems to be implying that there's a need to get out of your own way, to find those that support your journey, being with those of like mind, getting out of a rut perhaps.

Saturn's message seems to be to concentrate on issues that are vitally important and need attention. The Sabian Symbol is Virgo 30: Having An Urgent Task To Complete, A Man Doesn't Look To Any Distractions. This shows staying true to yourself and remaining on the path or on the job, one-pointedness, focus on a situation or state of mind, seeing something through to completion, taking the phone off the hook, one-eyed behavior - it can be letting the slightest excuse take you away from what needs to be done.

Saturn could also have many finding it boring, uninspiring or unfullfilling to have to do what they have to do. Mars could bring dreams of what's possible somewhere else and Venus could show feeling lost, alone or forgotten. As these three planets are in Virgo, analyzing things will help, but only to a point. Action may be the thing that pushes you forward to pursue your dreams. Where are those 'promised lands'?

Mercury may be asking the same question. It's on Leo 5: Rock Formations Towering Over A Deep Canyon. This speaks of old structures and deep hazards and the choice of taking chances or standing still. This degree can push people to realize where their backs are against the wall. There can be no going back, forward is the only way as painting one's self into a corner is not going to help. Perhaps there's a need to do a Geronimo and just leap into the unknown.

Jupiter is on Aries 4: Two Lovers On A Secluded Walk. Jupiter is on this degree for quite a long time as it retrogrades on it. This Symbol can show lovers together and the need to spend time together alone or undisturbed, but it can also show people alone, having to find the lover within themselves. It's a beautiful degree but it can show loneliness. I hear of many people alone and wondering where 'the other' is.

Perhaps the final word comes through Uranus on Aries 1: A Woman Emerging From The Ocean, A Seal Is Embracing Her. This speaks of finding your feet and your voice - mermaids don't have feet or a voice but as they come ashore they transfigure. Who, or what, do you want to embrace? Where will your voice and your feet take you? What is that serenade you're hearing (or projecting?).

posted July 05, 2010 04:25 PM         

At least this one is cj my Valentine and my loves name.

and venus will be opposing my groom exact!
Mars exact cj my pluto.
Love it.

posted July 05, 2010 04:35 PM         

This solar ecclipse is conjunct my Vertex and Eros on 21 Cancer, Destinn on 23 Cancer and opposes my Sun-Moon-mp on 21 Capricorn. *sighs*

posted July 05, 2010 08:13 PM         

It will be interesting to see if this eclipse will be a trigger to the strong lunar eclipse...

posted July 05, 2010 10:47 PM         

The New Moon on July 11 occurs with a total eclipse of the Sun, making it a powerful indicator of new beginnings.

At 19 degrees Cancer, the eclipse is too far from the early degrees of the cardinal signs to make contact with planets in the cardinal T-square. Nevertheless, it feeds into the T-square in a very significant way. The New Moon generally is a time for starting over, and this is all the more so when the Sun and Moon are in cardinal signs, which favor action. Further, eclipses in and of themselves tend to bring sweeping change.

Throw that all together in one pot, and we�fre in for a collective reboot.

It�fs hard to make predictions when there are so many variables in this astrological equation. Nevertheless, I do want you to be aware of the potential of the upcoming T-square and of this eclipse period as markers for dramatic developments. In the past, influences such as these have coincided with major earth events, along with landmark geopolitical, social, and economic upheaval.

Now, it�fs quite possible that we�fve already had our eclipse-related earthquake. On February 27, there was a magnitude 8.8 mega-quake in Chile. It is well known among astrologers that eclipses can have an influence several months in advance, and yet when analyzing astrological charts, we typically look at present or recently past alignments and forget to look into the future.

There are a couple of startling factors in the chart for the Chile quake that link it to the July 11 solar eclipse. The Ascendant in the earthquake chart is 19�‹17�Œ degrees Capricorn, with the lunar North Node in tight conjunction at 20 degrees Cap (the transiting nodes determine when eclipses occur). The July 11 eclipse takes place directly opposite that degree, at 19�‹24 Cancer. It�fs also interesting to note that the earthquake chart ruler, Saturn, is tightly conjunct the Midheaven at 3�‹ Libra. The early degrees of the cardinal signs are where the T-square will peak in late July and early August.

The eclipse will pass directly over the southern tip of Chile. Historically, there are correlations between the path of powerful eclipses and subsequent events. The difference here is that the earthquake happened several months before this eclipse. Why not? Time isn�ft linear, and eclipses often open windows �gout of time.�h

I hope this means we can relax a little, although we do have some serious predictions by government scientists of an above-average hurricane season and a peak in solar storms between now and 2012. We also still have a gaping hole in the floor of the Gulf of Mexico spewing thousands of barrels of oil a day. OK, so maybe this isn�ft doomsday, but it�fs plenty dire enough. Are we so accustomed to seeing the world blown up in Hollywood films that anything less barely gets a yawn?

I�fll have more in my weekly forecast tomorrow about planetary aspects in the eclipse chart that will be active during the rest of the week as well. I�fll also report on similarities between this year�fs cardinal T-square and the planetary alignment of 1989. For the rest of this post, I�fd like to focus on the two direct aspects to the eclipse.

The closest aspect is a sextile from the Sun and Moon to Mars at 19 degrees Virgo. We usually view trines and sextiles as favorable and would conclude that positive outcomes are likely. The only trouble with this interpretation is that �gpositive�h and �gnegative�h are human constructs. What�fs good for us may not be good for the rest of the planet. Moreover, trines and sextiles can represent the path of release for pent-up cosmic energies. Fortunately, Virgo is not a warlike placement for aggressive Mars, and we should be able to find more productive outlets for our frustration. Indeed, this could represent a concerted effort to come up with real, practical solutions to some of our more pressing problems.

The second close aspect is a conjunction with Juno, an asteroid I haven�ft written much about.

In Roman times, Juno was venerated as the wife of Jupiter and, therefore, queen of the gods. She held a special place in the hearts of the Roman people, who believed the goddess warned them of an impending raid by the Gauls in 390 B.C. Thus she was called �gJuno Moneta,�h one who warns or protects. Because Juno was associated with money, her nickname ended up as our modern word for cash.

When I saw the conjunction of asteroid Juno with the Sun and Moon in this eclipse chart, I immediately wondered whether we were being warned of an impending event. Could it be financially related? Something to do with our money supply? A communications glitch that shuts down our ATM system, or something like that? Speculating is useless, of course, but emergency planning is smart. Living on an island in an earthquake zone, I�fm always conscious of having some basic necessities stashed away. Instead of fretting about what might be, channel that energy into practical steps to increase your security.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Sun and Moon at 19�‹24�Œ Cancer is gondoliers in a serenade, with the keyword SENTIMENT. Happiness has little to do with money or things and everything to do with the fulfillment we get by contributing our unique gifts to the world and cooperating with each other for the betterment of the planet and everyone on it. When we do so, it�fs like an elegant, complex symphony. When we don�ft, the discord vibrates into every corner of our existence.

We are all connected.

posted July 07, 2010 07:55 AM         

I keep looking at the chart for the New Moon in Cancer on July 11, 2010 12:40 PM PDT and what pops out at me is there are two very different messages to be found: One from the New Moon tightly sextile Mars in Virgo and the other dealing with aspects to the cardinal T-square.

The New Moon at 19° 24” Cancer is a solar eclipse, always good for drawing attention to any and all issues of the sign involved. This time around we will be getting a refresher course on all things related to the fourth house and Cancer. Home, family, our mothers, our “roots”, those who share our homes, our ancestors and the dwelling we live in.

Mars in Virgo sextile to this powerhouse suggests it is a good time to tend to the many small tasks most of us have been putting off regarding our homes. You know . . . fix the leaky faucet, mow the lawn, take time for our children (if you have them), decide what color to paint the living room, etc. Both Cancer and Virgo are low key, private signs and much better at working quietly by themselves.

Then there is the cardinal T-square. Welcome to the fast lane! Uranus in Aries, newly retrograde, is conjoined Jupiter in Aries, both squaring Pluto in Capricorn and opposing Saturn at 29° Virgo. All are aspected by Mercury in Leo, Venus in Virgo, Neptune in Aquarius and last but not least, Chiron at 0° Pisces.

An interesting pattern is created with Mercury in Leo semi-sextile Venus in Virgo with Mercury trine Jupiter-Uranus in Aries and Venus trine Pluto in Capricorn (Jupiter-Uranus sq Pluto). The potential here is for the earth signs (Virgo and Capricorn) to battle it out with the fire signs (Aries and Leo). The fire sign contingent is leaping to conclusions as fast as it can while the earth signs are demanding accountability and more attention to details. This could get very ugly very quickly.

There has never been a time when it is more important to make sure everyone clearly understands one another. Are we saying “apple” but what we mean is “orange”? Mercury in Leo is noted more for grand presentation and less for precision. With Jupiter-Uranus yelling ‘go for it’ in the background, we could end shouting at each other only to find out after the fact, we were of the same opinion in the first place. A good rule of thumb is to double check your facts BEFORE throwing yourself into the fray.

Venus in Virgo is also opposing Chiron in Pisces and both are favorably aspecting Pluto in Capricorn. On the surface this is pleasant but with Pluto on board it is best not assume anything. Pluto has a knack for hauling dirty laundry to the surface and Chiron will help with this. Acceptance and forgiveness are the tools needed here because ignoring our less desirable traits and pretending they don’t exist is so not an option.

It is also important to note Venus is inconjunct Jupiter and Uranus in Aries. Aries just flat drives Virgo ‘round the bend with their need to dash on to the next project without finishing the last one. Frustration levels everywhere are being pushed to their limits.

We are a couple of weeks from Saturn moving into Libra on July 21 and my intuitive sense is those who rush to judgment under the current influences will be very unhappy campers when it does. As Saturn pulls away from the inconjunct with Neptune in Aquarius and the fog lifts, reality returns.

The Sabian symbol for 20 Cancer is “Venetian gondoliers in a serenade”. While a romantic interlude is wonderful for relaxation and feeling pampered, keep in mind it is an interlude and thus has little to do with daily life. I see a connection to the semi-sextile between Mercury in fun loving Leo and Venus in more abstemious practical Virgo. When the Sun moves from Leo into Virgo, we often find ourselves cleaning up after the party . . . the natural transition from the pleasures of the fifth house to the workaday routines of the sixth.

All in all a tricky lunation to navigate and patience will be required to emerge with as little damage as is humanly possible. Lately I have felt more and more like I’m standing still in the center of a hurricane, with friends and family swirling around, dashing in and out of my life. These must be the “interesting times” referred to in the Chinese curse!

posted July 07, 2010 07:12 PM         

As I mentioned in my last article, we are now in the midst of an eclipse moment.. a period of a few-weeks' time during which the stories of our lives climactically flip from one chapter to the next.

For as long as I've been watching astrology, I've noticed a crescendo of narrative developments at the twice-yearly set of eclipses (usually a pair, one solar and one lunar), super-powered New and Full Moons that conjoin with the Lunar Nodes to forcibly push us toward our most current 'destiny' marker-point.

Only thing is, this eclipse period falls smack dab at the height of the mid-'10 astro-drama I've been hyping up for months now. And therefore, as I read the indicators, these are the very days we've long anticipated—chock-full of choices and crises, friends' and family-members' tales of turbulent trial, as well as our own undeniably disconcerting (but nonetheless exciting) reorientations, and an oddly epic sense that what we're presently doing will have ultra-wide-radius ripples of consequence.

But of course, I don't exactly need to scour the astrological aspects with a fine-toothed comb in order to lay down these prognostications. I am living them myself every day of bubbling-over activity. I see them with my own two eyes, in the almost-absurdly-intense stories I'm witnessing all around me, from close intimates and myriad clients all over the world.

Amidst this painful instability and insecurity, I'm also observing a palpable enhancement in my level of connection with others. (Well, with some of them, anyway.) Few of us can genuinely gaze at each other and not understand: We are all in this, enduring simultaneous parallels of sometimes-harsh evolutionary pressures, together. In the process, I reach to become a better friend and partner. I focus my fullest interpersonal presence in my role as counseling astrologer. I can't help but fuse professional insights and personal feelings in a more integrative whole than ever before. It allows me to cut through more of the ******** .

Having already watched Jun 26's lunar eclipse come and go, we now spend the week ahead approaching its complement—Sunday (Jul 11)'s solar eclipse, in the sign of Cancer. As a South-Node-conjoined eclipse in watery Cancer, this event inspires the very cutting-through of the ******** I described above, slicing into the chaotic cacophony of conflicting concerns, to open our hearts into the simplicity of care carrying us toward each other.

Cancerian energy demands no argument in favor of taking a certain step; it's always already guiding us along invisible intuitive strings, to whatever it'll take to nurture and protect those we love most. At the same time, we must acknowledge that aligning with love is not always enough to 'undo' damage already done, nor to spare us the karma from paths we've already progressed too far down (and through our own choices, no less) to expect to return from unscathed. All at once, we're called to actively emit nurturing compassion and, resisting the pull of wishful naïveté, still advance, according to a boundaried integrity, toward what's right for us—no matter the collateral hurt it may trigger.

It is the emotional honesty in which we stand that matters most.

The major 'cardinal climax' hullabaloo hit its hottest point starting around the beginning of June, once both Jupiter and Uranus had entered Aries. Then, the combination of solstice and lunar eclipse over these last couple weeks has made it even hotter. We remain in this pinnacle zone for another month or so, intensifying in how unmistakably personal are its impacts as both Mars and Venus approach conjunctions to Saturn—and, thus, squares to Pluto and oppositions to both Jupiter and Uranus—during the last week of July and first two weeks of August.

At that point, this crazy-intense energy does seem to taper off...somewhat. Will that mean a magical return to easier, less complicated times? Hell, no. We'll receive just enough of a reprieve so we can adjust to the latest news, catch a couple breaths and re-gather our courage, to continue advancing at this fast pace come March-April 2011.

Even with this added astrology information, the main messages I've been trumpeting repeatedly over recent writings remain intact: Everything culminating, all at once. A multiplicity of contrasting factors weaving a web of complications, few issues presenting clear-and-simple solutions. Time progressing onward, at what seems to be such an advanced rate (though our coolest logic tells us that cannot possibly be true, can it? how can 'time speed up'?), we're perpetually struck by how life is too short to putz around with indecision or inertia. And the unmistakably epic quality to this instant in history, our individual and collective fates presently turning on a dime in this or that direction, based on the relative meticulousness of virtue we invest in our choices.

On the one hand, I must apologize for a certain 'broken-record' repetitiveness in my latest astro-reporting… though on the other hand, I'm strongly moved by the need to stress the importance of our current actions in defining tomorrow's reality, with even sharper effect than usual. I cannot waste energy on magnifying the pertinence of myopic astro-details that change faster than we can keep track, when there continue to be these same neon-flashing headlines stealing all the thunder. The bold-type looms so large, the finer print feels momentarily irrelevant.

posted July 08, 2010 07:24 AM         

this eclipse will cj my Boda and Angel in the 10th.

jupiter is cj my abundantia,entering almost my 7th and uranus too.

posted July 09, 2010 07:28 AM         

As if there weren¡¯t enough juice flowing through the cardinal signs ¡ª with four of the five outer planets currently transiting near the solstice and equinoctial points ¡ª we now begin a period where the Cancer archetype will be forced open, ejecting its inner contents and forcing all the world to become aware of the loss. This is because an eclipse is essentially a rip in the fabric of time, and the South Node (now in Cancer) suggests a loss.

To appreciate the power of an eclipse, it is useful to understand that time here on Earth is fractal. It is measured by the constant repetition of the primal alternations of darkness and light. This rhythm of dark/light is ingrained into our bodies and psyches.

When there is a disruption of this pattern, via an eclipse, the natural flow of the dark/light fractal is stopped in its tracks. There is darkness where there should be light. It is as if the Laws of our Universe are temporarily inverted. The world is stood on its head, specifically in terms of the archetype within which the eclipse is operating.

An eclipse occurs when there is a lunation near the lunar nodes ¡ª the place where the Moon crosses the path of the Sun or ecliptic. Astrologically, the lunar nodes have been called the head and tail of the dragon, for in myth it was a demonic serpent swallowing the heavenly orb. The North Node represents the head of the dragon, therefore something being taken in or ingested. The South Node or tail of the dragon represents something being released.

The South Node is now in the sign of Cancer. As a Cancer nation, it is hard not to remember the exodus of American celebrities and dignitaries that surrounded last summer¡¯s solar eclipse at 29¡ã Cancer. A partial list includes: Ed McMahon, Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, David Carradine, Karl Malden, Steve McNair, Walter Cronkite, Les Paul, and Eunice Kennedy Shriver. We lost Ted Kennedy on the day that Venus crossed the eclipse degree. It is almost as if a door was opened to the ¡°other side¡± through which these souls were bound to exit. It should be noted that the release doesn¡¯t always have to be destructive. For instance, following last summer¡¯s South Node eclipse, world leaders announced that the G20 will replace the G8 as the main economic council of wealthy nations. Technically, this was the ¡°death¡± of the G8; however, since it continues to exist in another form, we could more aptly describe it as a transformation..

When wondering what the coming eclipse will release, it is important to remember that eclipses happen in families or series; a new member emerges about every 18 years. This is the Saros cycle, first discovered by Babylonian astronomer/astrologers more than two millennia ago. Solar eclipses with very similar characteristics repeat every 18 years, 11 days, 8 hours; these eclipses are then part of the same family or Saros series. Any two eclipses separated by one Saros (6,585.3 days) share very similar geometries. They occur at the same node with the Moon, at nearly the same distance from Earth, and at the same time of year.

The current eclipse belongs to Saros Series 146, the last two of which occurred in June 1992 and 1974. This series is made up of a total of 76 eclipses; the current July 11, 2010 eclipse is number 27 in the series. The family began on September 19, 1541. The first total eclipse in the series took place on May 29, 1938. The eclipse of June 30, 1992 was the longest total eclipse of the series and lasted 5 minutes and 21 seconds with a magnitude 1.0592. The July 11, 2010 eclipse is the 2nd longest of the series, lasting 5 minutes and 20 seconds with a magnitude 1.0580.

When we look at the birth chart for this series, we see a very powerful conjunction of Mars with Uranus in late Leo near the Persian Royal star Regulus. Certainly this series has recently seen its share of sudden dramatic reversals in fame and/or power, including Hitler in 1938, Elvis in 1956, Nixon in 1974, and the British Royal Family in 1992.

When we look specifically at the three most recent eclipses of this family, we see some very powerful events unfolding near the eclipse and/or within the following six months (until the next solar eclipse). I have noted a few of the most important events that clearly resonate with the zodiac sign of the corresponding eclipse.

Total Solar Eclipse, June 8, 1956 (18¡ã02¡ä Gemini)

On June 29, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act, which created the Interstate Highway System. With the completion of the highways, the cross-country journey that took Eisenhower¡¯s U.S. Army convoy two months in 1919 was cut down to two weeks. Direct subsidization of the suburban road infrastructure made commutes between urban centers to suburbs much quicker, which furthered the flight of citizens and businesses from inner cities and compounded vehicle pollution and excessive petroleum-use.

Total Solar Eclipse, June 20, 1974 (28¡ã30¡ä Gemini)

In the face of likely impeachment for his role in the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon resigned as President of the United States of America on August 9, 1974.

Total Solar Eclipse, June 30, 1992 (8¡ã57¡ä Cancer)

On November 24, the 40th anniversary of her accession, Queen Elizabeth II described the closing year as an ¡°annuls horribilis.¡± This was due to several scandals damaging the image of the Royal Family, as well as the Windsor Castle fire. On December 9, Prince Charles and Princess Diana publicly announced their separation.

The current July 11, 2010 Total Solar Eclipse occurs at 19¡ã24¡ä Cancer.

I discussed the Saros cycle above; however, the Greek astronomer Meton of Athens observed another eclipse cycle. The Metonic cycles track eclipses that occur near the same degree of the zodiac. Four or five eclipses occur near the same degree of the zodiac, with each one almost exactly 19 years apart. In the previous century, two Metonic cycles occurred near 17¡ã ¨C 19¡ã Cancer. A Metonic cycle of North Node eclipses occurred near these degrees in 1907, 1926, 1945 and 1964. A Metonic cycle of South Node eclipses near these degrees occurred in 1953, 1972, 1991 and 2010. A cursory glance at history shows that the months following eclipses near these degrees (17¡ã ¡ª 19¡ã Cancer) have been very eventful for our country. I will list the North Node eclipses in sequential order, then the South Node eclipses.

The North Node annular Solar Eclipse on July 10, 1907 (17¡ã12¡¯ Cancer) was followed by the Panic of 1907. This financial crisis occurred in October and was triggered by the failed attempt to corner the market on the stock of the United Copper Company. The New York Stock Exchange fell close to 50% from its peak the previous year. Panic occurred and there were numerous runs on banks and trust companies.

The North Node annular Solar Eclipse on July 9, 1926 (16¡ã56¡¯ Cancer) was followed by Great Miami Hurricane on September 18. The storm¡¯s enormous regional economic impact helped end the Florida land boom of the 1920s and pushed the region on an early start into the Great Depression.

The North Node total Solar Eclipse on July 9, 1945 (16¡ã56¡¯ Cancer) was followed by the Trinity Test and U.S. nuclear bomb dropped on Japan. By executive order of President Harry S. Truman, the U.S. dropped the nuclear weapon ¡°Little Boy¡± on the city of Hiroshima on Monday, August 6, 1945, followed by the detonation of ¡°Fat Man¡± over Nagasaki on August 9. These two events were the first and, thankfully, remain the only active deployments of nuclear weapons in war.

The North Node partial Solar Eclipse on July 9, 1964 (17¡ã15¡¯ Cancer) was followed by the Gulf of Tonkin incidents on August 2 and 4. The outcome of the second incident was the U.S. Congress passing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which granted President Lyndon B. Johnson the authority to assist any Southeast Asian country whose government was considered to be jeopardized by ¡°communist aggression.¡± The resolution served as Johnson¡¯s legal justification for deploying U.S. conventional forces and the commencement of open warfare against North Vietnam.

The South Node partial Solar Eclipse on July 11, 1953 (18¡ã30¡¯ Cancer) was followed by the end of The Korean War on July 27. The Armistice was signed with the division line approximately at the 38th parallel. The Korean Peninsula remains divided to this day and no peace treaty has been signed.

The South Node total Solar Eclipse on July 10, 1972 (18¡ã37¡¯ Cancer) was followed by U.S. Senator Thomas Eagleton, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, withdrawing from the race on August 1 after revealing he was once treated for mental illness. Another key event after that eclipse was the departure of the last U.S. ground troops from Vietnam on August 23.

The South Node total Solar of Eclipse July 11, 1991 (18¡ã58¡¯ Cancer) was followed by the collapse of the Soviet Union. On December 25, 1991, Gorbachev resigned as president of the USSR, declaring the office extinct. That night, the Soviet flag was lowered for the last time over the Kremlin. By December 31, 1991, all official Soviet institutions had ceased operations and individual republics assumed the central government¡¯s role. This gave the U.S. a de facto victory in the Cold War.

The two Metonic cycles outlined above demonstrate the striking difference between North Node and South Node eclipses. The North Node eclipses brought powerful new forces to bear, tearing open the previous status quo. The South Node eclipses brought an end to things and have marked the final stages of major hostilities. Remarkably, this is in agreement with President Obama¡¯s plans to begin withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan. Perhaps the ending of this South Node Metonic cycle will correspond with the closing of a chapter of American history and the dawning of a new era. I¡¯m sure many would look forward to a future where we no longer engage in controversial regional conflicts in far-flung and remote corners of the world.

posted July 10, 2010 09:52 AM         

but ive been having trouble sleeping.my dreams are bit interesting:dreaming of babies,and that im singing and dancing.

good dreams fortunately.but no messages.

wait! i also dreamt that a woman was seeing my right hand saying it was very feminine and that as im 27,the way she looked at my hand,said i should be dead. :P not that good dream this one ahahaha

DD and VIG

posted July 10, 2010 10:18 AM         

luckil not all dreams are prophetic.
Even though "dead" could also mean that it is time to leave an old part of yourself behind and be reborn?

VIG,

not surprised, it hits both of you. With Union there it might be about the relationship.

I find it very interesting that the ecclipse hits my "destiny-axis".
Eros and Vertex on 21 Cancer, Saturn on 17 Cancer, Destinn on 23 Cancer
Sun-Moon-mp on 21 Capricorn

posted July 10, 2010 01:01 PM         

Her website is: http://www.spheresofessence.com/

"We are Everything and we are No thing. Form and Formlessness. We are the Many and the One. The Treasure and the Chest that contains the Treasure. The Ancient and Modern merged. Experience the Beauty of the reality that is beyond the constructs of the mind. Return to who you really are... beyond the masks, scars, stories and suffering. You are Eternal Light in the Lamp - You are Love made manifest" ~ Dipali

posted July 10, 2010 02:30 PM         

I loved that quote from Dipali,it translates exactly what im starting to see and fell.

DD

posted July 10, 2010 02:53 PM         

That's the very same day that I first went on Active Duty in the US Navy ...reporting to recruit training (bootcamp)!!!

HOLY COW...I started the Navy on a total solar eclipse!!!!

That Solar Eclipse in 18'58 Cancer was in my 11th house trining my Mercury in 18'21 Scorpio in 3rd.

I also want to point out that the Solar Eclipse was square transneptunian dwarf planet Eris in 17'50 Aries.
That suggests a time of discord,controversy,and evolutionary intensification.

Astrologers would not have known about that because Pluto's fellow transneptunians weren't discovered until 1992. Pluto was thought to be the only object in the transneptunian region until 1992 QB1 was discovered in 1992. After the turn of the 21st century, big transneptunian objects started being discovered. Eris, which is larger than Pluto, was discovered in 2005.

The Solar Eclipse conjunct the Geocentric North Pluto Node and oppose The Geocentric South Pluto........so it involved collective matters involving transformation,regeneration,and evolutionary intensification.

It also conjunct the asteroid,Vesta in 17'57 Cancer. That major asteroid,protoplanet has to do with devotion,dedication,service.

------------------
Raymond Andrews,
President,Executive Director of Developmental Neurodiversity Association
Supporting the Neurodiversity Movement

posted July 10, 2010 04:56 PM         

by Robert Wilkinson

This Solar Eclipse will have a huge impact on everyone for over 5 years. All eclipses shut something down, taking away elements of our lives no longer true for us. Cancer is the sign of home, family, and intimate feelings. It is how Capricorn, the sign of personal authority, externalizes. So parts of our personal past, our needs, or our experience of life will end, with the void sure to attract new forms of these.
This Total Solar Eclipse occurs at 12:40 pm PDT, 8:40 pm Greenwich on July 11 (July 12 in Pakistan and points east of there.) The Lunation finds 14 Libra rising in Santa Monica, 9 Libra in Vancouver, 17 Scorpio in Washington DC, 11 Capricorn in Rio, 12 Capricorn in London, 16 Capricorn in Amsterdam, 27 Capricorn in Berlin, 28 Capricorn in Tallinn, 23 Aquarius in Sofia, 3 Pisces in Istanbul, and 15 Pisces in Johannesburg.

Moving into Asia and Oceana, we find early July 12 the Ascendants are 29 Pisces in Baghdad, 29 Aries in Karachi, 14 Taurus in New Delhi, 6 Taurus in Trivandrum, 3 Gemini in Bangkok, 20 Gemini in Hong Kong, 20 Cancer in Tokyo (EXACTLY on the Ascendant!), 30 Taurus in Perth, 21 Gemini in Melbourne, 5 Cancer in Brisbane, 17 Cancer in Wellington (Eclipse Rising in East Asia and Oceana!), and 10 Virgo rising on Maui.
Expect events of major significance to come shutting things down and opening things up in far east Asia, as well as anywhere the Eclipse falls on or near any of the angles.

In the Americas it's where Libra is on the Ascendant, putting the Eclipse near the Midheaven, In the Atlantic, Europe and Africa it's where Capricorn falls on the Ascendant, putting the Eclipse near the Descendant. In central Asia it's where Aries is on the Ascendant, putting the Eclipse on the Nadir. Any of these areas, along with the parts of east Asia where Cancer is on the Ascendant, will be where we can expect major developments in the next 5 years.

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.

Last year's 30 Cancer Eclipse was one of the longest of the 21st century, so its effects will be powerful through 2012 and beyond. This one is 2 hours and 38 minutes, which also makes it a player in the events of 2012, since it'll be active for 2 years and 8 months. The next total solar eclipse will occur in November 2012 and will be visible from northern Australia and the South Pacific.

However, unlike other recent solar eclipses, this year's complete blotting out of the sun will be visible only in a small part of the Southern Hemisphere. In fact, its shadow barely touches any land at all, so it should not be that much of a player in events outside of the South Pacific and South American extremities.

From the NASA bulletin (where you can find more than you could ever want to know about this total Eclipse of the Sun!)

On Sunday, 2010 July 11, a total eclipse of the Sun is visible from within a narrow corridor that traverses Earth's southern Hemisphere. The path of the Moon's umbral shadow crosses the South Pacific Ocean where it makes no landfall except for Mangaia (Cook Islands) and Easter Island (Isla de Pascua). The path of totality ends just after reaching southern Chile and Argentina. The Moon's penumbral shadow produces a partial eclipse visible from a much larger region covering the South Pacific and southern South America.

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 chart. They always bring endings, but these can be of great benefit in clearing away old life factors that have no place in our future. As it was once sung, "something's lost and something's gained in living every day..."
In another example of how a loss can work to great benefit, if it conjuncts the Saturn in a birth chart, it can indicate the ending of old, lesser responsibilities, limitations, or fears, and open the being to a greater sense of purpose. If it conjuncts Jupiter, then it could show the ending of an old philosophy or belief system and open the gates to something far greater.

Given a Solar Eclipse is a New Moon, then like all lunations that work their influence over time, it's triggered by subsequent transits to those points. Thus we can assume we will see developments related to this Eclipse between late June and late July 2011 when Mercury, the Sun, and Venus all transit 20 Cancer.

You can bet there will also be major developments set into motion bringing forth Eclipse effects in early September 2011, when Mars crosses 20 Cancer. However, since these developments should bring festivity and a sense of social contentedness where things are "playing their part," then whatever is left behind will be replaced with something that feels much better.
In the next part of the series, we'll explore how this Eclipse will manifest and its astrological components, including which signs will be most affected over the next 32 months.

The Solar Eclipse at 20 Cancer July 11-12, 2010 Pt. 2 - How Will It Manifest?

by Robert Wilkinson

A Solar Eclipse is a New Moon. It shows the seed of what is to follow, not just for weeks, but for years.

This Eclipse is conjunct the South Node at 12 Cancer, showing the focus to be on searching for the greater mystery that can bring us revelations and the birth of some form of "God Consciousness." This can help us integrate our personality and follow up with decisions that reorient us toward our spiritual individuality.

By following the line of least resistance, showing what we've already become sensitive to, and letting go of whatever habits lead us to clutching at the past that's already over, we can find a greater social harmony and feel a sense of belonging. Here we demonstrate our particular way to show the world what we've been learning through the North Node in Capricorn.

The Moon, ruling the Eclipse, is particularly potent in focusing the energies. As the Moon is in its home sign, the sign it "rules," it makes it a very powerful force in the chart. If we follow the "chain of rulerships," we see the Moon is the "final dispositor" for all the other planetary energies. So the Moon is the dominant influence in the Lunation chart.
Thus domestic issues, family, security, supply, sources of nurture, and feelings in general will be the focus of this eclipse. Build new lines of supply, new personality structures, new ways of securing safe conditions, and new ways of relating to family. Find a form of celebration that plays to the "romance" of the NOW, and let go of sentimentality or clinging to obsolete traditions that no longer serve your emotional needs.

The last third of a sign is said to be the "spiritual area" of that sign. This eclipse falls at the beginning of the last decan of Cancer. Cancer is the sign of foundations, of the roots that yield flowers in Capricorn. Thus this eclipse calls us to examine our roots, tending our foundations, focusing on our family, both literal and metaphoric. We will lose connections with elements of our past, but can also establish the foundations of future relationships with those who could become family to us.

This Eclipse will transform our intimate lives, our intimate feelings, and our intimate relations, both internal and external. This will help us end that which no longer nurtures us, old habits and ways of experiencing life, and bring old "lines of supply" to an end.

As it falls at 20 Cancer, this Eclipse can help us find support, or show support for others in our intimate circle. Of course, it will also end some previously intimate relationships that no longer accurately reflect our innermost needs and foundations.
As with several recent New Moons, this is the next in a sequences of New Moons that fall toward the end of their signs and are followed by Full Moons in the next signs. It is also a phase of securing the life energy of Aries substantiated in Taurus that was distributed in Gemini.

This New Moon at 20 Cancer puts the focus on active feelings that have culminated in forms of social togetherness, and jumpstarts Cancer energy wherever it falls in our chart. This time initiates new ways of deciding what nurtures our individuality, and making them a way of life that makes our emerging sense of self feel more secure.
Saturn is now at the final degree of Virgo. This completes the Saturn in Virgo lessons we've been learning since Summer 2007 concerning searching for a "venerable standard" we could live for the rest of our lives and learning to apply our will power to "escape from the narrow destiny" we were living before then. This Eclipse finalizes whatever we've been learning about joyously rising to some task that "broadens our life horizons."

This final Saturn in Virgo Lunation sequence followed the New Moons between November 2009 and March 2010 which had Saturn in Libra. These gave us a front end look at the lessons and responsibilities that will resume this August when Saturn will again be in Libra for many months thereafter. This implies that in Autumn 2009 and Winter 2009-10 we got a look at future Saturn in Libra lessons, representing a dress rehearsal for the many New Moons with Saturn in Libra resuming August 2010-October 2012.

Saturn continues to usher in allies, friends, fellow truth-seekers, more balanced views, and corrective actions as techniques for community building or group awareness. Since January, "greatness calling itself to itself" has been in the air! The new Libra energy in our lives since last November has now been reviewed, and will show as solid forms by late Summer 2010 with a powerful activation time the first half of August.

Beginning last October, Saturn has been showing us new archetypes, perspectives, or roles, as well as larger cycles, larger possibilities, and the dawning of a new day in our lives. Between January and early April, due to Saturn going retrograde, we re-traced the ground of the "first run" of manifesting a new ideal, a new archetype, and a new sense of self within interpersonal and collective circumstances.

March offered us new insights regarding cyclic dynamics, and we can see the emerging archetypes from a different angle than before now that we are in the home stretch of Saturn moving from Virgo to Libra for the last time. Though this time is one of both endings and beginnings, it primes the pump for what will burst forth in 2011.

As with many recent Lunations, this one features a "See Saw" Jones Pattern. On the one side, all the visible planets except Jupiter. On the other side, Jupiter plus the Spiritual Triad of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, with Chiron thrown in for good measure. This should bring diverse polarizations and realizations over the next 32 months that will lead to separations and awarenesses, many of which we've already glimpsed in the past due to the number of separating aspects in the Eclipse chart.

The See Saw cautions us not to get marginalized or out on the periphery of things, and find a whole view to any opposition that can include both views and more. It gives an excellent ability to learn how to triangulate, as well as find ways to "draw a bigger circle" around any opposing forces that encompasses both phases of the polarization.

As with all the Eclipses last year and this, Pluto is conjunct the North Node. This "line of greatest development" helps us grow through exploring the hidden side of things to find the living core of whatever reality we're experiencing. Also, see the hidden power in using one part of the life to help another part to grow, and use past experiences to teach self or others about the power of "economy of energy."

A New Moon sets the seed forms for what the following 4 weeks will demonstrate. In this case, this influence will last for 32 months. This New Moon falls at 20 Cancer, a point of "the will to romance" through some traditional form of social intercourse, or potentially a "sentimental clinging to old life ideals."

Rudhyar says it's a degree of "happiness as an overtone of social integration and conformity to custom," the symbolic honeymoon following the previous "marriage" degree. Here we "float on the waters" with everything playing its role according to social tradition, and can find happiness and a sense of fulfillment. Here social integration occurs through an "elegant and standardized play of acceptable emotions," and forms of festivity.

According to Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, we find the Lunation degree is "Gondoliers in a serenade," emphasizing experience as a "symphony of cooperative relationships." Here we can find the "ever-exuberant music of life itself," leading to forms of consummation of selfhood.

We are told that here the capacity of our spirit for participating in "the basic stream of events is exalted" as our imagination opens to "the hunger of the Soul." The keyword is SENTIMENT, and we are told this degree, when positive, is "a perfecting of those personal traits and inclinations which bring an enduring satisfaction to every immediate situation."

So it would seem this is a Lunation where we can find a deeper or higher satisfaction as we move into a more fulfilling set of relationships. It implies that as we accept new forms of social integration where everyone plays their part, we can find happiness and a greater sense of community. So I suppose it's "out with the old family, in with the new."

There are 4 planets in Earth signs, with 3 in Fire, 2 in Water, and 1 in Air. This preponderance of Earth and Fire is good for practical inspiration and new activities, but the shortage of Air indicates a deficiency of ideas and interactive mind. This Eclipse isn't about being detached or light-minded!

So the effects of this eclipse over the next 2+ years is about inspired activity, deep feelings and connectedness, and playing a new part in new relationships as old ones drop out. Feel the needs of the new you coming forth, accept your individual part to play in more workable social connections, and get ready to embrace a new "adventure in consciousness" coming in just a few weeks.

Those with planets or sensitive points in the early degrees of their signs will see a lot of activity, as Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Uranus, and Pluto all play an active part impacting anything between 1-5 degrees of all signs. From there we jump to 16-22 degrees of the signs which will be impacted by Moon, Sun, and Mars. And of course, with Saturn and Neptune in the final degrees of their signs, those with planets at the very end of a sign will be impacted by these two very heavy influences. More on the specifics of which signs will be challenged or harmonized in the next article in this series.

A final note on Saturn transitioning from Virgo back into Libra in just a few days. Over the past 9 months, we have all been introduced to new ways of viewing ideals and relationships. This has prompted us to follow our understanding of a greater vision or deeper understanding of transpersonal collective issues, ideals, and connectedness.

We've had to adjust methods and style as we've begun to move into a more ideal role to play in our world and more ideal spiritual connections with others who share our heart-fire. We've moved through opportunities to open to a deeper understanding through patience, and seen our persistence work yield forms of long held aspirations. Now we finish the education provided by Saturn in Virgo, and are challenged to use our will power to move into new vistas, new worlds, new lives, and new ways of doing our Being.

Before the next New Moon in August, we shall all begin a new long wave cycle of graduating into a new Spiritual focus that we've been rehearsing for, and some will be initiated into a greater Spiritual role to play in the world. This is the end of the end and the beginning of the beginning.

The promise is one of unconditioned potential that shaped by imagination can yield Spiritual consciousness out of "primordial formlessness." Awaken to a need for a more Soul-full focus in your character, and you can find your unique part to play in these transitional times.

In the next part of the series, we'll explore the various planetary aspects in this Eclipse, continuing to examine which signs will be most affected over the next 32 months.

http://www.aquariuspapers.com/astrology/2010/07/the-solar-eclipse-at-20-cancer-july-11-12-2010-pt-1---who-does-it-affect-and-for-how-long.html