April is here... Eclipses and Conjunctions
Ready for an intense month rich in new possibilities and opportunities?
Considered by many as the most astrologically intense month of the year, April arrives with the total solar eclipse on April 8th and the conjunction of Jupiter with Uranus in Taurus on the 20th.
On March 25th, we experienced a lunar eclipse at 5 degrees of Libra. Lunar eclipses occur when "the shadow of the Earth" is cast on the Moon for a few minutes. We could see it as our emotions being "eclipsed" by our earthly experiences. This has invited us to a deeper exploration of how we integrate our external experiences into our internal emotional world, seeking a balance between what is lived and what is felt.
And on April 8th, the solar eclipse arrives. Solar eclipses occur when the New Moon becomes visible by crossing in front of the Sun. The Moon becomes visible through its shadow. This can be seen as a moment of pause in the constant flow of everyday life, a reminder that there are potentials and beginnings waiting to be discovered behind the obvious and the routine.
Solar eclipses bring with them opportunities for growth and renewal that lie at the bottom of our existence, often hidden from view.
On April 8th, 2005, we had a solar eclipse also at 19 degrees of Aries. Solar eclipses tend to occur at the same degree of the zodiac every 19 years due to a cycle known as the Saros Cycle. This cycle was identified by ancient Babylonian astronomers and has been used throughout history to predict eclipses. Here's how it works:
Duration: The Saros Cycle lasts approximately 18 years, 11 days, and 8 hours. The peculiarity of this cycle is that, after this period, the celestial bodies (the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun) align almost exactly in the same relative position. This means that the geometry of the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun repeats, creating similar conditions for an eclipse.
Shift: Although eclipses occur at the same degree approximately every 19 years due to the Saros Cycle, there is a shift of approximately 120 degrees of longitude or a third of the zodiac, due to the additional 11 days in the cycle. This means that, although the eclipse pattern repeats, the exact place where the eclipse can be observed from the Earth will change.
Three Concurrent Saros Series: Due to the cycle's duration and shift, at any given time, there are several Saros series (more than 40) that are active, producing eclipses in different parts of the world.
The repetition of eclipses at similar degrees of the zodiac every 19 years offers a tool for reflecting on cycles and patterns in personal life and in the world.
The effect of solar eclipses lasts from 6 months to 1 year. Whatever happens during an eclipse, it seems that the sky tells us that a new seed full of potentials and hidden opportunities is being sown, and especially being in Aries, the announcement of a new cycle.
This eclipse will have more strength if we have any planets near the 19th degree, or if it falls in the angular houses (1, 4, 7, or 10). However, for everyone, it is a time to sow intentions - which may arise from the emotional needs we discovered during the lunar eclipse that occurred on March 25th.
The eclipse occurs over Chiron. The conjunction with Chiron suggests that this eclipse could bring to light wounds or vulnerabilities that need to be recognized and worked on as part of our growth journey - especially those related to our identity and assertive capability. It may also inspire finding new ways of personal assertion that are healing and empowering.
And on April 20th, the conjunction of Jupiter with Uranus arrives. We might say we are living through a period of radical transformation and expansion towards new values, challenging boundaries to heal and renew our relationship with the material world.
Are you ready?
On April 8th, as a ritual for the eclipse, I recommend listening to “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles. Optimism and welcoming a new cycle. Open yourself to the possibilities still hidden, knowing that a solar eclipse is a reminder that there are potentials and beginnings waiting to be discovered behind the obvious and the routine.
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