The "Dark Mirror" of the Lunar Eclipse

We are well and truly working our way through deep waters and rip currents now. Mars, Mercury, and the Sun are all in Scorpio, assisting Pluto in bringing up the rest of the Shadow material that it dredged up during its retrograde period through Capricorn. Now we come to the lunar eclipse by the North Node in Taurus, the concluding event of this third suite of cosmic activity.

If you've been reading other astrology posts besides mine, you might have come across the theme of "Revelations" around this time, ranging from the exposure of long-held secrets to that which smells vaguely Apocalyptic. Putting the sensationalist tendencies aside for a moment, I feel that there is indeed a subtle revelation of sorts unfolding for us: the events of this month in general, and this eclipse sandwich in particular, are holding up a Dark Mirror for us to look into, to show us those parts of our Shadows that we have been unaware of at the least, and denying or avoiding at the most.

We are seeing how we have absorbed stories about "The Other" from our natal cultures that we accepted without our conscious knowing or consent. We are seeing the true extent of epigenetics in humanity and its broad implications - passing down traumas, bigotry, and prejudices though many generations - that are warping our society and our selves. We are seeing currents of thought and belief arise in the collective consciousness, and how these currents seem unstoppable and inevitable in bringing forth death and destruction. (Spoiler alert: they're not.) 

We are also seeing what happens when a society decides to kill off the carriers of its conscience and elevate a specific set of traits upon a pedestal, centering a specific type of human as its "ideal" above all others: that of being white, male, cis-hetero, able bodied, neurotypical, and (nominally) Christian. This is a result of the overlapping forces arising from the intersection of the Age of "Enlightenment," the Reformation, and the Burning Times in Western Europe. We are reaping what we have sown, and it is a bitter harvest indeed.

The purpose of seeing our Shadow reflections in the Dark Mirror is not to tell us we are completely FUBAR as a species. Pluto challenges us: Here is what is present in the Underworld. What are you going to do about it? Mars can provide answers, but are those the right answers for each of us? Mercury encourages us to reach out, communicate, and compare notes before acting. Venus in Virgo encourages us to do the things, and do them in a way that nurtures and supports us. Jupiter's amplifying energies are a bit muted with the planet currently in retrograde, but there is still an underlying current of "Yes You Can" available to tap into.

My take: we have chosen to incarnate at this time for a reason, even if that reason is not immediately apparent, even if that reason shifts during our lives. The best gameplan for us now: let the Dark Mirror show us where we are not inclined to Kindness and Love, and weed those parts out of our minds. Seek the truth in all things, which often means shutting off the surface chatter and diving deep. Use Intuition to come up with the best course of Action, and act accordingly, in ways that do not harm us, or bring harm to others. Be Creative in Responding. Make amends as necessary. 

Most importantly, realize and remember we are "imperfect" humans, and we are all navigating these turbulent times with the same goals in mind - peace and harmony in Community. May we all have flashlights to make our way through the darkness and the gloom.

Enter the Vortex with Pluto, Mars, and the (first) Eclipse!

Intense Flux is the descriptor that best suits this moment, and we haven't even reached the eclipse yet! Let's look at the second suite of cosmic movements as we make sure our seatbelts are fastened and our tray tables are in the upright and locked position...

Pluto is staging direct in Capricorn today, and he's been busy in the Underworld of the Collective Unconscious, digging out those skeletons hidden in the back of the closet. To say the results of his excavations are explosive is probably an understatement. Those of us who have any degree of psychic ability and/or sensitivity are feeling, or will soon be feeling, All the Things at Once. Do not skimp on the Self-Care for the rest of this month! Nesting, creating Blanket Forts, spending time out in Nature (as possible) are all indicated. Touch the Earth and Ground the flucuating energies into the Mother. She can handle them.

Tomorrow (10/11), Mars exits Libra and enters Scorpio, trading the bullhorn of the Activist for the cloak and dagger of the Spy. Stealth, precision, and patience are the hallmarks of Mars in Scorpio, and the deep waters of this sign will ensure that the Planet of Action will leave us Shaken and Stirred by the time all is said and done. This will be the time to throw stones into the pond on the sly; take note that even small stones can send out far-reaching ripples.

After Freya's Power Day (aka Friday the 13th), we finally arrive at the Solar Eclipse at the South Node in Libra on the 14th. The energies of Letting Go and Shedding Old Skins will reach their crescendoes at this time. As this is the new moon, and the "top bun" of the eclipse sandwich, we're not going to get a whole lot of room to breathe this weekend, for the Winds of Change are blowing hard - and magick is afoot. Taking things one day at a time and not making grand plans, especially between the eclipses this month, would be wise. 

Next week, Messenger Mercury will be a busy beaver, and we will consider all those activities closer to time as we navigate our way through the turbulence. Until then, stay as safe as you can... <3

Mars is Pumping Up the Volume

We have a fair bit of astrological activity in October, so I'm breaking it down into suites. This post features the summary of the key points in the first suite. If you want a look at the more subtle flavors of this month, check out my Intuitive Reading on YouTube by clicking on the link. Feel free to share, here and there and everywhere! 

And away we go...

Our big player, as I allude to in the title of the post, is Mars in Libra. The Action Planet is stirring up the collective energy as it finishes up its journey through Libra. It will be moving into Scorpio next week, and I will be covering that (along with more cosmic movements) at the appropriate time.

Back to this moment: today, Mars as the Activist is conjoining the South Node, also in Libra. As the South Node is about letting go and concluding, and Libra is about balancing the Scales, we don't need to look too far into current events to see this playing out in real time. Mars is all about swift and decisive, even aggressive, action, and I can see some of you nodding your heads in agreement. Expect more activity along these lines as we move through the week.

But wait, there's more...

Sunday (10/8), Mars is going to square Pluto Retrograde, which is at the tail end of its journey and will be stationing direct next week. Pluto is not quite back at the point where it was when it hit its Return position in the astrological chart of the United States (in February 2022), but if anyone is feeling a bit of deja vu while looking at current events, this is why. 

What Pluto stirred up in its original journey through Capricorn is being stirred up again in its retrograde journey back through Capricorn. Then as now, Pluto challenges us: This is what is coming to the surface. What are you going to do about it? Mars in Libra amplifies this message, and offers some suggestions of its own. Depending on where Mars is in your natal chart, these suggestions will land differently in each of us. Yes, Your Results Will Vary.

Contributing to the overall flow, Mercury is joining Mars in Libra today. Communications may take on an extra aspirational and idealistic flair for a few weeks, with "higher" ideals coming to the forefront and being emphasized. In addition, Venus will be entering Virgo on Sunday, the same day as the Mars/Pluto square. "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways." is the flavor of Venus in Virgo, perhaps providing a bit of structure to contain some of the chaos unleashed from the square, a timely love note to remind us that we're still Lovely and Worthy when the mood of the moment might suggest otherwise.

I'll be back next week to discuss the second suite of cosmic movements, and I'll leave you with the song to go with the earworm suggested by the title of this week's blog. You're welcome. ;-)