New Moon Solar Eclipse at 19° Aries on April 8, 2024 at 12:20 PM MST.
Sabian Symbol: A young person feeding birds in winter
The Moon and Sun meet in the sign of the Sun’s exaltation. It’s just like any other New Moon except this time it’s four degrees away from the North Node, the spot on the ecliptic path that seeks to devour. The Moon’s shadow will pass over the Sun and briefly blot out his light. Happening in Aries, where the Sun is an honored guest, this feels like a betrayal, as though the Moon is trying to sabotage the Sun. The NN influence of hunger is causing the Moon to behave more like a lunatic, chasing after more and more to satisfy an emotional craving.
Two weeks ago we experienced the South Node Lunar Eclipse in Libra where notions of relationships and relationship boundaries were on the table to be reviewed and updated. Ideally, since that moment of release, we have shed away negative dynamics that distort our relationships and our concept of sovereign individuality within relationships. Now is the time to begin a new journey on the path of established selfhood—Aries is an egoic sign that puts selfhood first. It’s a Cardinal sign that initiates the new Spring season and embodies an assertive kind of leadership effortlessly, yet aggressively. This New Moon is infused with an explosive energy that asks us to assert ourselves first. It sounds exciting, but it’s not without danger. Asserting one’s self always comes with the risk of being ostracized and left by those who don’t want to compromise. In our personal lives, we are hungry to prove our individuality, even at the expense of other people. It’s a ruthless kind of energy with carnage everywhere in our personal relationships.
This eclipse in Aries is ruled by Mars who is currently in Pisces and closing in on his conjunction with Saturn. A Martian eclipse is already explosive enough, but this lunation will bring the drama, hostility, and tears due to the circumstances Mars is currently in. Mars, god of war, and Saturn, god of limitations, are the two Malefics of the heavens; they bring about the consequences we are fated to suffer based on our impulsive actions. When they meet it’s like a bar brawl that escalates quickly and turns violent, but in the sign of Pisces, the attacks become passive aggressive emotional manipulation. We are prone to overreact and take things personally and push people away, but you can rise above this impulse by silencing the voice in your head trying to convince you that everyone is out to get you.
As if all of that wasn’t enough, this eclipse is also conjunct the asteroid Chiron, which assures us that although there might be nothing but pain coming with this lunation, there is a wealth of wisdom we can glean from it. In myth, Chiron is known as the “wounded healer.” He is a moderate centaur, not violent like the others, and possesses an intellect far superior to his peers. He was well-versed in medicine, among other things, but he was self-sacrificial because when he was pierced by Heracles’ poisonous arrow, he chose not to heal himself and willingly passed away. His life was then exchanged for Prometheus who would later bring fire down to Earth. In astrology, the asteroid Chiron represents these values of sacrifice, wounds, and grappling with how to heal ourselves. There will be lots of wounding going on with these eclipses; we’ll be inflicting pain as well as suffering at the hands of others. It’s important to cultivate a sense of trust and reliance on the self—as Aries would have it anyway—so that we walk out of this chaotic celestial event with the quiet confidence that nothing is too much for us to handle. Perhaps the greatest lesson of this whole lunation is How to Heal. Damage will indeed be sustained, there’s no stopping that, but we are not entirely helpless in how we carry on afterward.
Aries is a packed house right now with Venus there, exiled and reeling, and Mercury Rx retracing his steps and preparing for his combustion in the rays of the Sun on April 11th. Venus is not well-placed in Aries, relationships will suffer some instability due to one or both people demanding too much and being generally uncompromising. Mercury retrograde is causing us to revisit the past out of a sense of escapist nostalgia built on a foundation of crumbling sand. We will eventually reach clarity on where we stand in our relationships, but for now not all is as it seems. It is typical human nature to chase after things, to be motivated when something or someone is just out of reach—this is what makes the spirit indomitable. But while the impulse may be healthy, continuing to go after the opportunities that are not meant for us, or the people who don’t want us is an erosion of the soul. We will be forged in fire this season and we’d do well to treat it like a test.
Finally, as Jupiter approaches Uranus in Taurus, we are ramping up to major breakthroughs and surprising global events. Natural disasters, scientific discoveries, and generally shocking news will start trickling in over the next two weeks.
April is one of the most intense months of 2024. It’s important to prioritize health and wellness because our energy will certainly be drained. But perhaps the most important thing to remember is that we are, at the end of the day, at the mercy of ourselves. If you cannot be tender with yourself, you definitely won’t be with other people and all of your relationships will suffer as a result. Stay gentle and soft and when it hurts let it hurt.
Very prescient. Thank you. You posted earlier something like “accepting love means pain [from the healing] along with it” - and offering love can open one up to the mirror of that. It can be infuriating if people think genuine feeling (and genuine promise of good life) is false because of the old pain. Inspiration is not illusion. The past is not always a reflection of what is ahead.
I’ve been learning and seeing what SHARP 180° turns I’ve received within this retrograde - old patterns of “overreach” and “too much effort” of mine coming clear. I can see beautiful possible futures so clearly. And I know others do too - I want people to heal and not scheme. Not everyone heals by talking. That’s difficult for a stubborn Gemini to deal with.
There is a splitting coming - a big one - a parting of ways and types. It is already in progress. It isn’t easy to see in acute specifics. You yourself felt it very strongly on the eclipse and posted about it - all the possible futures.
And some people might be under influence of others too firm for me to help. But I’m often too stubborn to not try. I perceive far more than many people expect anyone to, and I’m never what people so confidently assume if the DO confidently assume. And some people think that obvious things are hidden.
The good futures are NOT any more “illusion” than anything else. Too many negative people have said “not realistic” about positivity or healing.
But you know all this. - I’m preaching to the choir. :)
I know you’ve been busy with travel. If you did read this - I hope it was nice to see for you.
I had a dream about being married to Liz Phair last night - just holding her in bed and telling her how good things were. That was nice. I was hearing/ thinking about her music a lot and how exile in guyville NAILED the pathologies of “modern women” so well.
Your post was as usual, well written and informative- and I hope helpful. It feels helpful - thank you.