Aries Total Solar Eclipse / power in aversion
How do we make sense of the day when the sky is bereft of light?
April 8th marks the day of one of the most catalytic solar eclipses of our lifetime - by magnitude and collective emphasis - where the path of the Sun’s totality will stretch across a large portion of North America and the United States. Eclipses, while not necessarily rare in their occurrence (we experience 4 -5 eclipses every year), confront us with our many versions of reality and reveal versions of truth that have been hidden or ignored.
Traditionally, the Sun represented monarchs and eclipses were considered malefic events, so we could surmise that there could be deposition, harm or resistance to authoritative leaders. Certainly, we can't overlook that it is a presidential election year in the United States between two (assumed) polarizing candidates. And, with recent news of King Charles' health, there seems to be a lot of questions surrounding the succession and future of the British monarchy.
In anticipation of a momentary overthrow, the Sun tries to command its presence and power by sending out opalescent coronas and brilliant solar flares. Surrender can be dramatic.
Our eclipse falls at 19° of Aries on Monday, April 8th at 2:20PM ET. Exact the asteroid Chiron, Aries-ruled house in our charts is ripe for transformation, initiation, contemplation - and healing. This is a powerful eclipse, as the luminaries fall within 4° of the nodes and also land near the Sun's exaltation degree.
The astrology of our eclipse is fascinating as it features the Sun in the sign of its exaltation, in a solar decan ripe with golden prospect, yet unfavorably eclipsed. The North Node (Rahu) steers this eclipse, and in the sign of Aries, we must consider the effects of prioritizing personal gain, dominance, greed and hubris over all else. The North Node is a place of insatiability and worldly desire, but lacks the body to integrate its lessons into, which alludes to the violent global events we are currently witness to. Likewise, the lunar mansion associated with this area of the sky is a challenging one, and speaks to the myth of Bellerophon and Pegasus and the consequences of over-confidence, force and lack of respect for limitations. Are we blinded by the ego's desire and thirst for more at the expense of our true self?
An exalted Sun speaks to responsible leadership, reciprocity and acting in good faith. So, what does it mean when our heroes and leaders do not act in benevolence? Is their power in aversion to ours? How do we make sense of the day when the sky is bereft of light?
Ruler Mars is approaching a conjunction with Saturn in Pisces, emphasizing impatience, selfishness and intolerance as roadblocks to long-term success. Mars in Jupiter's sign also highlights the topics of hope and faith — and our ability to persevere and seek peace, even when our leaders fail and our hearts are flooded with righteous indignation. It is important we don't fall trap to the Piscean facade of false saviors. No one is here to save us except ourselves.
There will be drama swirling around this eclipse, but it doesn't mean we should rashly involve ourselves. Mercury retrograde in Aries can facilitate deeper inquiry and show us consequences of the past. Burning ahead with arrogant certainty is a foolproof way to run straight into disappointment. Instead, taking time to go inward and explore our rich inner landscape can help us to see the powerful embers that already burn within us. Mercury will be conjoining the Sun on April 11th, auspiciously delivering the proverbial kindling we may need to purify our thoughts and animate our creative visions into future action.
Saros Cycle 139
Like each of us, eclipses belong to families, related by their beginnings and endings. These families are called Saros cycles and refer to periodicity and recurrence of eclipses that repeat roughly every 18 years and have origins at either the North or South pole. The Chaldeans were the first to observe this phenomenon with the moon and noted that lunar eclipses would occur in the same potion of the sky every 18 years. The same pattern of periodicity and variation is also applicable to solar eclipses.
April 8th's Total Solar Eclipse belongs to Saros 139, a family of eclipses that began in 1501 and will conclude in 2763. The significance of this eclipse series is notable by the length and magnitude, producing total eclipses over 4 minutes long and will gradually increase in length, peaking on July 16, 2186, when it will produce the longest total solar eclipse (over 7 minutes long!) calculated for the last 10,000 years.
What other implications can we surmise about our April 8th eclipse? Saros 139 is deeply intertwined with conflict in Gaza and immigration policy in the United States — both topics that are currently dominating the news cycles and election campaigns.
The last eclipse we experienced from Saros 139 was a Total Solar Eclipse on March 29th, 2006, at 8° of Aries – the same day Hamas assumed the administration and governing power of Palestinian Authority and Gaza. The previous eclipse from 139 was on March 17, 1988 — just months after the First Intifada began in December of 1987 and the formation (and formal recognition) of Hamas as a distinct entity separate from the Muslim Brotherhood.
✺ As I publish this on Substack a week following the eclipse, I want to include that there has been developments in the Israel-Hamas war, including a strike response from Iran.
The week surrounding the March 29th eclipse also saw large scale protests and demonstrations in the United States as a response to proposed immigration legislation under the bill HR 4437, which sought to raise penalties for illegal immigrants and their aides. As part of the larger immigration debate, the majority of protests sought a rejection to this bill and called for comprehensive immigration reform. Ultimately, the bill failed to pass through the Senate, but left a trail of consequences that have affected the immigrant community, including increased Immigrant Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and mass deportations that were carried out under both President Bush and Obama. Currently, the United States is receiving a historical number of migrants at the US/Mexico border. The topic of immigration has remained a leading political issue in this election year as the administration and congressional leaders struggle to agree on how to address the situation effectively while also adhering to American legal and humanitarian responsibilities.
I find it interesting that both topics are legitimate concerns at this time. As I write this, there has been some surface level progress between Israel and Hamas as they negotiate towards hostage release, a permanent ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Eclipses follow recurrence in similar areas of the sky, but never replicate themselves in exactness. Much like snowflakes or fingerprints, we can find similar patterns within their repetition, but we cannot conclude with certainty what their impression will be on the future. It is important we consider our relationship with conflict during this eclipse. The world is imbued with injustice and cruelty and yet, our sacred rage is not an invitation to incite harm on anyone who does not see life through our eyes. Our individual choices require bravery - and even a little risk at times - but should also be tempered with responsibility and ethos.
If you are interested in exploring how 2024’s eclipses will affect you, I welcome you to book a transit reading with me where we can go deep into the current and future developments of your chart. As always, thank you for the generous support of my work.