On Friday, February 10th 2017 we will have the first eclipse in the sign of Leo since 2009- a Leo Full Moon Penumbral Lunar Eclipse that begins the next two year experience of eclipses across the Leo-Aquarius axis. The mean lunar north node enters Leo on April 28th, activating eclipses at 0, 4, 15, 18, and 28 degrees of Leo (and also this week’s eclipse at 22 degrees). In other words, any and all of your natal placements in Leo are going to be touched by eclipses at some point in the next two years.
People born between 1937 and 1958 have Pluto in Leo- this includes almost everyone over age 60 still alive today.
The generation born September 1975-July 1978, around age 40 today, has natal Saturn in Leo.
It will also be a lunar node return for those of us with natal north node in Leo, born between January 1980-September 1981, as well as those born between June 1961-December 1962.
Leo eclipse season starts off with a phenomenal full moon trine Eris and Uranus in Aries, with the Aquarius Sun trine Jupiter in Libra, forming a perfect rectangle. The Leo Full Moon sextile Jupiter forms a yod to Chiron in Pisces.
Uranus, the rude awakener, representing the horrific global unrest that has caused millions of people to leave their comfort zone and realize the status quo must change. Eris conjunct Uranus represents the role our techno-identities play in making the changes we wish to see in the world- and the unintended, unforseen consequences of online actions- we cannot predict where or how the effects of what we do and who we are online, will ripple out into a very unpredictable future.
Motionless Jupiter, stationed retrograde, is paused after the first leg of his transit through Libra, which has shone a spotlight on everything that stands in the way of harmony, both inner and relational. (Jupiter’s square to Pluto in Capricorn expressed this increased yearning for peace and balance through painful power struggles- for example, when someone makes us feel unheard, we may start nagging or shouting, or we might ignore them so they too will feel the burn of being unheard. When we feel unappreciated, we may withdraw completely, or we may go overboard and smother the other person in an effort to be noticed. It is, at the root, a battle against our own insecurities that prevent us from communicating effectively, which ultimately stands in the way of healthy, empowered relationships. These themes will continue to unfold throughout 2017, more on that in just a minute.)
The Sun in Aquarius gives us access to the life force of the collective, and during this time we can open ourselves up to receive more inspiration, we can be inspired to create new inventions, build new connections, and in turn inspire others.
The Full Moon in Leo needs to be noticed. It needs to be loved, praised, comforted, made to feel special. This is not ego-driven selfishness. These are fundamental human needs like clothing and shelter.
The two oppositions- Uranus-Jupiter, and Sun-Moon, both share the theme of knowing that the world is in desperate need of changes, and that we, as individuals, must be the change that we wish to see in the world. And we must balance this responsibility to change, with our very normal and very healthy need to be loved, cherished, and cared for, just the way we are.
Chiron in Pisces is the real star of this eclipse, in a blistering exact quincunx to the full moon and to Jupiter, forming a triangle aspect called a yod. The interplay of energies inside the rectangle configuration is literally cradling Chiron, cradling our pain, our triggers, our fear, allowing us a moment to wear these things outside of our subconscious, bringing it to light so we can hear this message:
“I can’t believe a person could survive what you went through, amazing. Still opening your heart, still choosing love. Still falling down and standing up again and again. Look at how strong you are. The future is yours.”
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There are two asteroids that develop this picture even further- Vesta in Cancer, who is T-square to Jupiter opposite Uranus; and Hekate in Taurus, who is T-square to the eclipse axis. Vesta is joined to Hekate in a sextile.
Vesta entered Leo briefly before dipping back into the sign of Cancer in retrograde, to be exact square Jupiter when he stationed retrograde last week. Her presence T-squaring the Jupiter-Uranus opposition challenges us to infuse the two polarized desires (the desire to radically change the world, and the desire for peaceful relationships) with love for ourselves. We cannot achieve either of those desires if we are lacking in self-esteem. Vesta, to me, feels at home in Leo, so her presence in Cancer feels like a 12th house transit, gestational… so feel the flame of life deep within your belly, and nurture that feeling of warmth and vitality until it takes over your entire body.
Amazingly, Vesta will return to Leo to form an exact sextile to Jupiter when he stations direct in June. If we spend our time during Vesta retrograde and Jupiter retrograde turned inward, nurturing our heart-fires, building up our self-esteem, then we will have a stronger foundation to do the work of navigating the rest of Jupiter’s transit through Libra. Is it possible to become so secure in oneself that interpersonal power struggles like the examples I mentioned earlier, become a thing of the past? Nagging, shouting, overcompensating, defensiveness, avoidance, silent treatment, simply can not exist between two people who are secure enough in themselves to communicate their needs effectively, and are committed to truly listening to each other. After Jupiter’s direct station in June he will form a 3rd and final square to Pluto in August, and we will see the payoff of the work we have been doing since Jupiter entered Libra.
Which brings us finally to Hekate, the Oracle who sees past, present, and future. Her blazing squares to the Sun and Eclipse Moon remind us that we are standing at a crossroads, both personally and collectively, and we are not without guidance as we explore these uncharted territories. To find the balance between the needs of the Aquarius Sun and the needs of the Leo Moon, we must keep our eyes on the bigger picture, and look far down the path. Many good deeds come from people who are subconsciously being selfish attention whores who really just want the social status and recognition of being a person who did a good thing. We all do this, which is why we can all benefit from meditating on the place inside of us where we yearn for the greater good of our entire human family and mother earth, and making our contributions to society from that place.
Hekate sextile Vesta links our moment of pause at the crossroads to the act of turning inward for the answers. Everything we need, everything the world needs, is already inside us in embryonic form. We need to believe in ourselves, trust ourselves, claim the fullness of our lives and identities, and give birth to what has been planted in the dark. The future is ours.
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