Eclipses (Part Two)

During a solar Eclipse the Sun and Moon are always together in the same sign, occupying the same house. When we experience a Lunar Eclipse, the Moon is always in the opposite sign and house that the Sun is in. A Solar Eclipse's energy will be concentrated in the sign and house that the eclipse occurs. On the other hand, a Lunar Eclipse's energy will fluctuate between the sign and house that holds the Sun, and the sign and house the eclipsed Moon is in. That is why the influence of the Lunar Eclipse will only last for a period of six months, while the Solar Eclipse can be felt for a total year. The energy of the Solar Eclipse is concentrated with all of the action being focused into one area. With the Lunar Eclipse, both signs and houses are going to be brought into the picture. The Lunar Eclipse is symbolic of the opposition between the two lights of our world.

The Solar Eclipse will almost always be in the sign that is opposite what the accompanying Lunar Eclipse has occurred in. For example, if the Lunar Eclipse falls in the sign of Can­cer, then approximately two weeks later, the Solar Eclipse would fall in the sign of Capricorn. Six months later, the Solar Eclipse will occur in the sign that the Lunar Eclipse was in. Consequently, the Lunar Eclipse will again be in the opposite sign that the Solar Eclipse was in. In this way, the eclipses work off one another. The Lunar Eclipse sets the stage for the upcoming Solar Eclipse, because they will occur in the same sign. The Lunar Eclipse awakens us and warns us of the upcoming Solar Eclipse. If we are able to deal with the Lunar Eclipse, then the Solar Eclipse can be worked out in a better way. Lunar Eclipses signal us to shape up the house that the eclipse occurs in before the Solar Eclipse comes to visit the same house. The successive series of eclip­ses run backwards through the zodiac. In this way we are tested on how well we are doing in relation to each house in our chart. Occasionally a Solar Eclipse will occur without an accompanying Lunar Eclipse, but the converse is never true. There can never be a Lunar Eclipse without an accompany­ing Solar Eclipse.

When we begin to delineate the Natal Chart in order to determine how the eclipses will work, the most important factor to take into consideration is in which house does the eclipse fall. Whatever house the eclipse occurs in, those activities and events that the house governs will be high-lighted during the eclipse period. An eclipse in a particular house brings the particular need of that house into the life of the native. This need becomes manifest through a crisis related to the activities of that particular house. When we have a Lunar Eclipse, the house that is opposite that of the house that the eclipse falls in will additionally be emphasized, because the Sun is directly opposite the eclipse position.

As I have stated before, the Lunar Eclipse is symbolic of the lights of our world. During the Lunar Eclipse, the in­dividual is forced to make a decision, or he is faced with opposition from another, or within himself. Just as Full Moons indicate the completion of the New Moon cycle, Lunar Eclipses indicate the ending of the Solar Eclipse cycle. Even though the influence of the eclipse lasts for months, the few weeks that surround the day of the eclipse will be a critical period. This is especially true if any transmitting planets are brought into the picture as they aspect the eclipse position, activating the energy of the eclipse.

The Pre-Natal Eclipse point is the point where the last Solar Eclipse occurred prior to the birth of the native. The house in which the Pre-Natal Eclipse occurred is a very important house for the individual, as it activates activities and issues associated with that house throughout the native's life. The date of the Pre-Natal Eclipse will always be within six lunar months of the birthdate, and usually in the same house that houses one of the Lunar Nodes. The Pre-Natal Eclipse point can be viewed as any other natal planet or astrological point, and be treated in such a manner. People born within a matter of hours of the eclipse point can experience difficult and traumatic births.

Many astrologers believe that the eclipse point is the point at which the soul enters the world. Until the actual moment of birth, the entity travels through our world and scouts around for a perfect vehicle to complete what is needed to be within this lifetime. That is why the Pre-Natal Eclipse is of such importance and its influence can be felt during the life of the native. The house that contains the Pre-Natal Eclipse point is a very important house for the individual. The area of life that is governed by that house is an area that the native feels a strong need to grow and develop. The element of the sign on the cusp of that particular house indicates what mode of activity the native will initiate to expand that area of their life. For example, if the Pre-Natal Eclipse occurred in the ninth house with the air sign Gemini on the house cusp, then the native will seek to expand their spiritual awareness through mental activity. If the Pre-Natal Eclipse point should happen to conjunct a planet in the natal chart, then that planet will be utilized in the expansion process. If Mercury should conjunct the eclipse point of Gemini in the ninth house, then the native may use various avenues of communi­cation in helping them to increase this spiritual awareness.

Obviously, when looking at how an eclipse will affect the natal chart, the chart as a whole must be taken into con­sideration. For the most part, eclipses are a fascinating territory of astrological study, and can be an integral part of chart delineation.