Stronger and Wiser

The eclipse is in the 11^th degree of Cancer and reaches totality at 19:24:08 UT

This solar eclipse in sensitive but nonetheless dynamic Cancer brings emotional healing in its wake. In response to a gnawing inner hunger it unleashes emotional and spiritual nourishment to those in need. Old ways of navigating this life may be falling short of late, with inspiration replaced by a jaded lack of motivation and faith. Growing intensity as Saturn and Pluto prepare to form their conjunction in January 2020) may feel heavy to many hoping for a lighter wave to ride right now. If that’s you, take heart. Nothing lasts forever, and this solar eclipse reminds us that even in the darkest hour nourishment is at hand.

This eclipse pokes at our emotional balance. If we struggle with feelings that routinely sabotage us, it offers insight about our internal dynamics and how to change them. For some, this eclipse may even bring the final healing needed to overcome a well-established pattern of emotional self-sabotage. But we must be prepared to do our part and acknowledge without candour, how we generate our own suffering. Self-awareness is key, and any feelings we choose to deny will continue to sabotage us as they, too, reach for the light.

With Venus the only planet in an air sign at the eclipse, objectivity may be hard to come by. And as Mercury prepares to turn retrograde in Leo on 7^th/8^th July, conjunct Mars, we must think twice about how we express ourselves. The force of our desires may cause our mouth to run away with us, speaking words in haste or anger that are best left unsaid right now. The consequences of unguarded expression at this solar eclipse will be significant. Mercury and Mars in Leo prioritise self-expression at the expense of listening to others. But balanced communication is vital at this time, together with a willingness to accept that what may seem undoubtedly obvious to us may be opaquely inaccessible to others. With feelings running high and our internal filter overridden by an over-confident appraisal of the ‘facts’, there’s an ever-present risk of words becoming the source of our undoing! If this happens, Venus’s passage across the eclipse degree on 12^th July provides an opportunity for reconciliation if needed.

The Sabian Symbol for this eclipse degree references a clown impersonating others. Humour may well play its part in our journey into the Real Self, and objectivity that helps us chuckle at ourselves can be uniquely healing at this time. Life is intense, for sure. But we can lighten it up if we’re willing to shift our perspective and take ourselves less seriously. How much conflict could be avoided if more people were prepared to simply walk away rather than labour a point to win yet another meaningless argument? How much energy would we save if we let go of the routine slights and offensives that pepper our day? How much focused attention could we then invest in what truly matters? This solar eclipse poses such questions and suggests we take note of what sparks a reaction in us and why.

As Chiron begins five months retrograde in Aries on 9^th July, the scales are shifting in favour of self-healing, self-acceptance and self-love. Whilst of course we need support from each other at times, those times may be fewer than we think. We are stronger and wiser than we’ve been led to believe by centuries of ‘experts’ telling us they know best in everything from religion and spirituality to science, politics, economics, health and even what we should wear and when! The time has come to own our sovereignty and claim our right to shape our own destiny. But of course, doing so comes with weighty responsibility. No longer can we lay our struggles at the feet of others and demand a solution. Chiron retrograding through Aries affirms we already have what we need and healing happens when we embrace this fact and lay claim to everything that we are.

Taking full responsibility for every moment of our lives is a radical and terrifying act. It’s also exciting, liberating and replete with potential. No more complaining. No one else to blame. No more self-pity. Just a state of pure intentionality in which we embody the power of fully being who we are. As the Moon eclipses the Sun, however, we discover just how elusive the Real Self can be! Amid conditioning and expectations, social mores, familial dictates and our own self-criticism how can we possibly spot the real me?! But like sunlight that returns once the eclipse is done, we find illumination in the shadows, weaving from their darkness the resplendent threads of a radically sovereign life.

Click here for more information about solar eclipses and how to understand their role in your own birth chart 

Sarah Varcas