Eclipses, with their otherworldly, wildcard natures, always attune me to the strange mysteries of the universe. For instance, the number 3. They say things -signs, omens, bad luck- happen in 3’s. You lose your keys, spill your coffee and are late for work. Or, a package you’ve long awaited for arrives, you find a twenty-dollar bill in the dryer, then you see a beautiful sunset. Numbers are magical that way. Three is also a number in pothole theory. Do you know it?

One day I am walking down the street. I fall into a pothole. Where did that come from? Not my fault!, I cry. I pull myself out. Another day, I’m walking down the street again and I fall into that same pothole. I get mad at myself.  Damn!  Why did I do that again? Maybe it’s karma or bad astrology… The third time I walk down the street, I see the pothole. I walk around it.

Pothole theory can be applied to multiple situations. I use it to remind myself that the old trigger won’t go away by wishing it away, or beating myself up over it, but that I can make new choices. Because the more vital it is to our soul growth, the more that offensive thing that most disrupts our peace won’t stop happening. It will chase us down and harass us to no end. That’s because there’s something we’re meant to learn here. That learning boils down to getting better at spotting our pothole, then choosing to do something different.

Mercury is retrograde in others-oriented Libra, giving us opportunities to revisit our relationship dynamics…and interpersonal demons. While in Libra, Mercury receives a square from Pluto, planet of power and disempowerment three times (9/9, 9/24, 10/22). In this cycle, interactions with others are showing where we can work on our shadow stuff. If we fall into that same old pothole, we may have the sensation we’re moving backwards -especially when the same old feelings accompany. Though, like Mercury’s apparent, but not actual, backward movement when viewed from Earth- that could be an illusion, too.

The first time I fell into my latest pothole, I was walking down the road minding my own business when, whoosh, I found myself in the pits.  Like a premonition or portent, I had an eerie feeling this would happen again. It did. The second time I felt even more outraged, violated and creeped out by another’s behavior. Sure, it was a different day and face, but the same old familiar pothole. Oh…here we go again, I thought, as the well worn grooves of neural pathways ever-ready to reflexively fire up like a pinball machine, did. However, there was a key difference. Once I recognised the transgression, which I did pretty immediately (tightening up my usual lag time), I didn’t allow it to continue. I confronted the wrongdoer. I took action. I honored myself. I still had to clear all the accompanying icky, swampy feelings, but I also got to experience a personal victory. I recognised the pothole! I addressed it as quickly, and cleanly, as possible!

Eclipses repeat; it’s in their nature to reveal patterns. Aries-Libra reveals those creating stress in our interpersonal life. We all have persistent relationship issues that have a gravitational grip so strong we think it’s impossible not to fall into them. Other people push our buttons so perfectly! Now is the time to draw a boundary, if you need. Protect your self. Stand up for yourself. Courageously honor your needs. Take action. Be alert to feelings of hyper-vigilance  — fear is a sign to listen more closely to your warrior intuition. Just as each situation is unique, there’s not one right warrior response for everyone but there is one that’s just right for you.

Since eclipses offer thematic repeat performances, you might acknowledge how far you’ve come since the last time you visited the issue you are facing. Mars is square Saturn: Our courageous hero, Mars, has cut his teeth on the blade of experience, and learned something. You’ve grown wiser to your own ways. Where can you turn fear into trust? Where can you claim more clarity, maturity and surefooted-ness on this ground you’ve travelled so many times before… and will undoubtedly again? Which brings me back around to the number 3.

You know what they say: The third time’s a charm. To that, my Aries Moon says: Bring it on.