SOLAR ECLIPSE IN PISCES - THE BIG RELEASE

In just under 24 hours, we’ll welcome the first eclipse of the year, a solar eclipse in Pisces. This is quite a long post but hopefully you'll find it useful.

THE TECHNICAL STUFF

Solar eclipses always take place on a New Moon, and when the Sun and Moon are within 18 degrees of either the South Node or North Node. At this week’s eclipse, the Sun and Moon are at 29 degrees of Pisces, while the South Node is at just under 10 degrees of Aries. Solar and lunar eclipses usually come in pairs (sometimes triplets) that occur two weeks apart. This solar eclipse will be followed by a lunar eclipse (and Full Moon) at 14 degrees of Libra on 3/4 April.

Solar eclipses can either be total, partial or annular, depending on how close the Sun and Moon are to the North or South Node, and how close the Moon is to Earth. This week’s eclipse is a partial solar eclipse. While a partial eclipse isn’t considered as powerful as a total eclipse, the Moon is quite close to the Earth now (making this New Moon a “Supermoon”), which many astrologers see as a strengthening factor for this eclipse.

THE JUICY STUFF

At a solar eclipse, the Moon, which represents our unconscious and our emotions, needs, memories and habitual responses, eclipses the Sun, which represents our conscious self and our spirit, essence and life force. The world can seem to go still at a solar eclipse, as our source of light and life is briefly blocked by the Moon. It’s not hard to see why the ancients feared them so much! On a psychological level, solar eclipses often bring up shadow material for us to process. Depending on how sensitive you are, you may feel a sense of uncertainty, and perhaps even dread, and your emotions and anxiety levels can run high.

This week's solar eclipse is an unusual one in that it takes place at the final degree of Pisces – 29 degrees and 27 minutes to be exact – which is also the final degree of the entire zodiac. Interestingly, this degree is about release and completion, so we have a contradiction here in that we have a New Moon eclipse, which represents new beginnings, taking place at a point in the zodiac that's all about endings! Solar eclipses often bring about a deep psychological shift that sees us close down one part of our life and move onto a new path (sometimes by choice, sometimes not). Because of the degree of this eclipse, and the fact that it’s quickly followed by the Equinox - a time of fresh, new beginnings - that sense of one door closing and another one opening could be even more powerful.

Being in the sign of Pisces, what we could be releasing at this eclipse are any illusions, distractions, addictions, unhealthy attachments and unrealistic dreams that are preventing us from materialising the dreams that do have real potential. If you know your chart, look to the house containing 29 degrees of Pisces. This will show you in which area of life you're likely to be ending or releasing something. Within hours of the eclipse, the Moon and the Sun will move into Aries, so the house in your chart containing the early degrees of Aries will tell you where a new path could appear for you. Keep in mind that the effects of an eclipse can be felt in the weeks leading up to and after it.

This eclipse is actually the first in a series of eclipses that will take place across the Virgo-Pisces axis over the next two years. Take note of the themes that arise now as they could come up again a number of times between now and February 2017. We’re likely to have more letting go to do over the next couple of years!

All eclipses belong to a particular group or family known as a Saros Series. This week’s eclipse belongs to the Saros Series known as SS17 South. Bernadette Brady, author of the book titled “Predictive Astrology: The Eagle and the Lark”, states that this family of eclipses is about ‘sudden success in group projects or personal relationship matters. Happiness in love, thinking of love matters, good news concerning relationships or creative expression with a group’. Jupiter, the ruler of this eclipse is in Leo, which could expand the creative and self-expressive vibe of this eclipse. Confidently putting yourself out there, in a group or relationship situation, could open some doors for you now, although it’s worth keeping in mind that Jupiter is still retrograde and that eclipse seasons are not generally good times to make new commitments. If doors open for you now, try to wait until after the lunar eclipse in a couple of weeks before you walk through them.

While this eclipse could be accompanied by a sense of loss, remember that if anything leaves your life now, it's clearing the way for something new to come in. The more gracefully you can let things go now, the more you can enjoy the new beginning that's likely to be just around the corner.

Auriel Morgana