Solar Eclipse 2023: Aries + Libra

Solar Eclipse 2023

We’re about to venture into our first eclipse season of the year! The first solar eclipse 2023 delivers is in Aries, and in October we’ll have another in Libra. This year’s lunar eclipses, meanwhile, are in Scorpio and Taurus.

How does a solar eclipse differ from a lunar eclipse in astrology? Solar eclipses fall on the New Moon and bring a major transformative change, a sharp ending and beginning, often acting as a call to action in our lives. In contrast, lunar eclipses fall on the Full Moon and are more about an emotional awakening or inner revelation.

Eclipses are not a good time to do magick or to start new projects. It’s best to lay low and process the changes at work within and around us. Give a couple days padding for important affairs if you can.

Solar Eclipse 2023 Part 1: Aries Decan 3 (April 19)

Solar Eclipse 2023

The first eclipse gateway we walk through in 2023 is in the passionate 3rd decan of Aries. This is the 4 of Wands in Tarot, Lord of Completion, which is ruled by the benefics, Venus and Jupiter. A celebratory card, it represents a joyous occasion and a rite of passage. It marks the completion of one chapter and the commencement of a new adventure that awaits us.

This rather positive card comes up when there’s an important event recognizing a rite of passage: graduations, weddings, and birthday parties are prime examples. With each of these kind of events there’s a sense of finality or completion paired with the promise of a new beginning. Thematically this is very apt at describing Solar eclipse energy in general.

The Sun and Moon are in the urgent last degree of Aries, too. This is already a very fervent, compelling energy with the third decan of Aries. Being in the last degree adds some heat and intensity.

A caution for this fiery eclipse is to avoid burning too hot and too fast. Burnout is quite possible when we get wrapped up in the heat of the moment. This can be a strong party vibe, or an anxious feeling that what we hunger for most must happen right now.

But in the morning when the Sun goes into Taurus, we’re going to be more aware of a need for conservation and slowing down. Mercury stationing retrograde in Taurus at the same time will cut the party short as well, counseling rest. We’ll be reminded that this is only the beginning, and we have to pace ourselves!

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Full Moon in Virgo 2023: Lord of Gain

Full Moon in Virgo 2023

Full Moon in Virgo 2023

The Full Moon in Virgo on March 7, 2023 is in the second part of the Maiden’s sign, the Lord of Gain. In Tarot we look to the 9 of Pentacles, which is concerned with material independence and self-sufficiency. The image of the 9 of Pentacles is of a woman tending her garden. She holds a bird of prey whose job it is to kill the pests that would otherwise nibble away at the fruits of her labor.

Every Full Moon is an opportunity for heightened awareness on our spiritual path. As the Moon’s light increases, so does our understanding of our lived experiences. This Moon can be particularly illuminating. An electric Sun-Uranus transit ties into this lunation, offering a spark of optimism, intuitive insight and innovative thinking.

The Full Moon brings with her an anticipated change in the skies — Saturn moving into enigmatic Pisces, Pluto into idealistic Aquarius, and Mars into empathetic Cancer.

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Full Moon in Gemini & December 2021 Astrology

Full Moon in Gemini

Full Moon in Gemini (December 18)

The Full Moon this month is in Gemini at 27° 28′. This is a culmination of the Total Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius. It ties back to the Solar Eclipse in Gemini on June 10th.

During this Mercury-ruled Full Moon, Mercury squares Chiron, who is in the middle of stationing Direct. Important conversations can be very illuminating at this time. New information may come to light that has been brewing under the surface since the Solar Eclipse. This info relates directly to our Chiron story of inner wounding and will propel us to take a stand for ourselves. But it also has a lot to do with Venus Retrograde.

Full Moon in Gemini Astrology Chart

Third Decan of Gemini: The 10 of Swords

The story here is of shedding an old way of thinking. We have to adapt, as we’ve come to a place where what we once thought to be true is no longer the case. This is the end of a worldview that we’ve held, which can come as a betrayal. From here we have to rebuild, and the Venus Retrograde will help us figure out what is most important from here.

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Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius: Starting from Scratch – December 2021

Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius

Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius

The New Moon in Sagittarius on December 3-4 is a Total Solar Eclipse! This powerful Eclipse falls on the side of the South Node, a karmic release point associated with the past. So get ready to PURGE. Things empty out at the South Node. But for some this emptying out is a source of power. What new form will you take when you give yourself that fresh start? A new year is coming, in more ways than one (I’m looking at you, Jupiter in Pisces)!

With Sagittarius, you have to trust your gut and take a leap of faith knowing that you’ll catch the wind. But this new beginning comes as a result of clearing the way for something. Chances are you’ve already felt it, as we’re nearing the end to this story (this whole lunar cycle being the final chapter). Sometimes we have to get to the bottom before we can find our way back up to the top.

The Sun and Moon are in the middle section of Sagittarius. Zeus, the glowing king of the gods, commands Sagittarius overall. During this lunar cycle, Jupiter splashes into Pisces – a major upgrade for him, as it’s his other abode (cue the Angel choir). We saw a glimpse of this magical energy when Jupiter was in Pisces for a short stint this Summer (exact dates being May 13 – July 28).

Ever the optimist, Zeus is happy to lift us up and to see us through a tough time, even as we nurse our battle wounds. It isn’t easy emptying out before you can fill back up. Shed your skin willingly, though, and you can decide what happens next.

Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius Astrology chart: 12/3/21 11:43pm PT (Portland, OR)

This is our last Eclipse of the Gemini-Sagittarius Eclipse series. Eclipses usher in change, release, and awakening in the area where they land in our charts. See if you can find a theme or pattern to major changes in your life (internal & external) during the dates below.

A Look Back: Gemini – Sagittarius Eclipse Cycle

  • June 5, 2020: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius (15° 34′)
  • November 30, 2020: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse in Gemini (08° 38′)
  • December 14, 2020: Total Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius (23° 08′)
  • May 26, 2021: Total Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius (05° 25′)
  • June 10, 2021: Solar Annular Eclipse in Gemini (19° 47′)
  • December 3, 2021: Total Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius (12° 22′)

You will want to look at placements in your chart that fall in the Houses of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. Need help?

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