Solar Eclipse – November 2011 – Fortuna Favours the Brave

The solar eclipse occurs at 6:09am (UT) on the 25th November 2011 at 2SAG36. It is square Mars, square Chiron-Neptune, quincunx ruler Jupiter and trine Uranus.

I get an odd feeling looking at the chart of this eclipse. It sits on the  Sabian Symbol :-

Two Men Playing Chess

I don’t have the patience for chess. In fact whenever I think of it, I think of the immortal line in Blackadder spoken by Queenie

“Horsey takes prawn – snap!” 🙂

It’s a slow battle of wits. A game of tactical moves and decisive thinking. To play chess successfully you need to be able to not only consider your own moves, but also anticipate those of your opponent. Nothing is rushed. Every move is deliberated over. The player needs absolute focus and the ability to concentrate for hours at a time. The clock ticks. You can’t wait forever. A move must be made at some point.

The game of chess, like any game, has rules. The game can only be played if the rules are followed. The problem is that an eclipse doesn’t follow the rules. Day becomes night. Astrology often regards an eclipse like a dark horse. They reveal things not previously seen and can trigger unexpected events. Birds return to roost, silence reigns.

Defensive tactics belong to the realm of Mars. In the chart, the eclipse is the focus of a t-square squaring Mars and Chiron who lie opposite each other. Neptune, sitting beside Chiron is also square the eclipse. What I feel looking at this chart is an odd sense of crumbling defences. Neptune also rules slight of hand and deception.

Mars opposite Chiron can be painful as it triggers old wounds. It can make you feel like you haven’t got a leg to stand on. With this eclipse, there’s a need to change tactics. Perhaps also, it comes with a warning that the rules of the game are changing…

The eclipse sits on fixed star Dschubba.

Dschubba is a star on the forehead of the Scorpion and with both the Sun and Moon, Robson doesn’t have a great deal of good to say about it.

“With Sun: Immoral, dissipated, low associates, many sorrows.
With Moon: Reserved, suspicious, bad for business success, disgrace, loss by horses  and cattle.” Constellation of Words

A Scorpion’s defence is in its tail but this star sits on the forehead. It immediately makes me think of second sight and psychic ability. In my mind’s eye, I see the picture of Faust playing chess with the Devil. Sometimes, outwitting an adversary is about relying on absolute instinct. The scorpion (Scorpio) is strongly related to psychic ability and depth of perception. So here, the chart suggests that you must be fully in touch with your intuition. It’s about raw knowing and consciously acting on that knowledge. It’s about using brains rather than brawn. It’s about using your head.

The closest aspect to the eclipse is a quincunx to the eclipse ruler Jupiter. This says you need to make adjustments to your understanding. Jupiter is still part of the grand trine with Pluto and Mars so the issue of the wealth of the world still holds strong. On a personal level however, there’s a need to come to a better understanding of your own wealth. Wealth is not just money – it’s a wealth of talent, a wealth of gratitude, a wealth of wisdom. Mars, Jupiter and Pluto are giving you the push to do something big and you may have to let down your walls to do it. It asks:-

What are you going to do with all this energy?
How far can your motivation take you?
Where do you want to go?

The eclipse is in Sagittarius so it’s also a question of faith and faith is a fragile thing if it isn’t based on truth. Jupiter still sits in opposition to Saturn in Libra. For faith to remain strong you must feel it in your bones. It’s got to be your own truth. This eclipse may challenge your faith in people, in yourself, in the universe.

The quincunx is a rather mystical angle in my book (and funnily enough I just typed ‘angel’ by mistake). I’m going to go with the flow and say that the eclipse quincunx to Jupiter is rather like meeting an angel in disguise. If you feel like you’re crumbling under the pressure of old wounds or like you’ve been scape-goated, help may be at hand from an unexpected quarter. But in order to let them help, your defences may need to come down leaving you feeling somewhat vulnerable.

There’s a feeling of exposure in this chart – as if something or someone is being outed or ousted for taking an unfair advantage. Uranus trine the eclipse is a lightening bolt of awakening. A jolt to the system as things previously hidden are revealed.

The eclipse is also conjunct asteroid Fortuna. Fortuna relates to the Roman Goddess of Fate and Fortune – she who spins the wheel bringing good luck and bad luck. Being blind she has no concept of favouritism. She simply casts what is necessary without rhyme or reason.

I came across this quote from Agamemnon: –

“O Fortune, who dost bestow the throne’s high boon with mocking hand, in dangerous and doubtful state thou settest the too exalted. Never have sceptres obtained calm peace or certain tenure; care on care weighs them down, and ever do fresh storms vex  their souls. …great kingdoms sink of their own weight, and Fortune gives way ‘neath the burden of herself. “

These words seemed to jump out at me. “Great kingdoms sink of their own weight” Is this what is happening? There are those in power who haven’t played by the rules.  A storm of people in Egypt have risen up against military rule (Mars). By definition, the military is regimented, governed by rules which over-ride all else. They say jump – you say how high. But these rules, those of the military, those of authority don’t wash anymore with the people. People are looking for something else because they sense something is amiss.

Perhaps Fortuna is spinning the wheel…

Fortune favours the brave so they say. This eclipse has an strange energy – one that suggests a need to change tactics. It may challenge what you believe in. Keep your wits about you, trust your intuition. The rules of the game are changing and there is much at stake.