Hey folks…eclipse season is here. To gracefully move through eclipse season, read on. 

Eclipses happen in pairs, within two weeks of one another, usually twice a year (but not always and sometimes we experience three eclipses in a row). Eclipses occur when new a new or full moon falls near the lunar nodes. A solar eclipse always occurs at the new moon; likewise, a lunar eclipse can only occur when the moon is full.  Eclipse season can be emotionally bumpy, and in that vein here are some pointers I’ve assembled over the years.

-Eclipses bring sudden shocks and surprises in service of your evolution. The Universe can pick you up and move you ten or twenty steps ahead of where you were. Even if this comes in the form of an unpleasant surprise, eclipse events serve your growth.

-Time often feels distorted during the weeks surrounding eclipses. It appears to accelerate.

-Eclipses are the cosmic clean up crew. Is something ripe and green, like an expired container of yogurt in your frig, ready to be tossed out? Is something unexpectedly growing in the corner? And is there something there which you could cultivate for the future? Eclipses are growth-oriented; eclipses loathe stagnancy. It’s time to grow beyond the four walls you’ve known.

-Eclipses can bring wipe outs, endings or a healing crisis. A ‘crisis’, even though terribly difficult, may be required to mobilize all your attention on this area of life so you can move past old limitations and barriers in this area.

-New information often hits the scene at eclipse time. Secrets are revealed. Emotional or monumental in nature, something previously kept under wraps can be thrust into the spotlight of our awareness.

-Some eclipses are full of upheaval while others are kind. What gives? Eclipse effects vary in strength and demeanor depending on a) the aspects it makes to your natal chart b) the transiting planets in aspect to the eclipse itself c) and the Saros Series cycle.

-Eclipses always transit an axis, or two areas, ‘houses’ of your life over a longer 18-month time period. In essence, this gives you a year and a half to integrate the new changes brought on by the intensely focused two-four week period surrounding the eclipses. In what houses will your eclipse fall (this is an article on eclipses through the houses)?

-When you hear the phrase “eclipse season” we are talking about a malleable period of time. Astrological opinion varies on when that season starts and ends, but most agree it starts several weeks before the first eclipse, and ends shortly after the second eclipse.

-New situations that arise during the eclipse season itself can be temporary in nature. For example, a pregnant co-worker goes into labor early which results in you doing their job for awhile. Eclipse events like this come onto the scene, quite suddenly, requiring all your adaptive resources. Likewise, an event that springs onto the scene for the first time – for instance you star in your first dance performance, that you believe you’ll be doing forever and ever…many not actually turn out that way.

-Eclipses are generally not times for new commitments. Receive, don’t act. Especially regarding new ventures – like marriage, business contracts, moving house etc. This is my rule of thumb: if an opportunity presents itself during eclipse season, sit with it. Don’t be so quick to act. Again, the flickering lights have been known to pull a disappearing act soon after eclipse season end. The opportunity or good idea you were so keen on during the eclipse cycle turns out to be very different than you once thought.

-Change is in the air. Even though it’s a losing battle, we humans resist change, and eclipses bring changes. About what thing, relationship or activity are you most resisting changing? Consider that it could be an attitude or behavior holding you back.

-Eclipses are of the moon, so they are emotional. Schedule plenty of “grounding” activities during the couple of weeks on either side of eclipses. Even those who sense the rightness and celestial harmony amidst disharmony can find the sheer number of unknowns, questions and crisis circulating in the agitated emotional atmosphere very anxiety-inducing.

-Keep your antennae up high! This is the season of messages and messengers. Intuition is incredible right now. Be receptive to the information you receive because you are receiving it during eclipse season. Magical synchronicity is happening all around you in the form of conversations, repeating themes, and illuminating awareness on an issue that’s ‘ripe’ for healing or resolution.

-If you are anxious, transform your fear of the unknown into excitement & curiosity. Eclipses intently and insistently move us along our path. They are very exciting this way. The trick is to stay grounded while following whatever presents as an opportunity to discover more about you. Tap the wild and wide eyed energy in the air while periodically grounding your self in reality.

-Eclipses as easily wear the clothes of ‘happy’ life events as so-called ‘unhappy’ ones. The wild nature of eclipses dictate that some of the most difficult events can turn into beneficial ones, and vice versa. I apologize for sounding like a fortune cookie, but regard your misfortune and your fortune with equanimity. You’ll be better off for it. No need for negativity, fear and dread about eclipses.

Finally if you’re in the dark about what this eclipse means for you you can ‘mine the past for the future’ by looking backwards in 9 – 9 1/2 and 18-19 year cycles (here is a list of eclipse degrees and dates) for eclipses that also occurred in this same sign, and near the same degree. For example the eclipse occurring on 11/13/12 had sister eclipses (eclipses falling near this degree, and in this sign) on 11/13/93 and also on 5/16/03. The 11/28/12 eclipse had sister eclipses on 11/29/93 and 5/26/02. Even though the biographical information of your life is quite different now, your internal landscape may be similar to that time. And yesteryear’s eclipse events can offer that wonderful hindsight gift of 20/20 vision. Here’s where positive validation comes in: you don’t have to repeat that same pattern that tripped you up, now. Those changes you navigated in the past, can now bear wisdom fruit.