Solar Eclipse in Pisces March 2016 – Purification

The Solar Eclipse occurs at 01:54 on the 9th March at 18°Pi55′.

When I was young, I used to have dreams of standing on a beautiful beach, gazing out to sea. The sea was a deep blue, clear to the very depths. Giant shells glistened in the sand and the Sun was warm. I would always think to myself that it was a perfect day in a perfect place. Then I would see something black on the horizon and would stand rooted to the spot as a giant tidal wave reared up and over me. It was always a curious mix of awe and terror.

Eclipses by their nature have an unpredictable edge and this eclipse has the feel of a great storm blowing up out of nowhere over a previously calm sea. The air needs to be cleared, muddied waters clarified. The eclipse is conjunct Chiron and the South Node. There is a suggestion that old wounds may be re-opened to clear infection. There is a painful edge with Chiron involved and Bernadette Brady links this family of eclipses to separations and grief (p. 334, The Eagle and the Lark) although these endings make way for new beginnings.

Pisces is where everything comes together and we reach the end of the line. All experiences merge and we connect to that which is beyond us. Pisces is where we learn there are no secrets because in truth, we are all connected. Your pain is my pain. Any storms around this eclipse bring the feeling that this is a deep soul cleansing. If you feel sore spots have been pressed, if grief wells up, let it come. Let it wash over you because behind the wave lies peace.

Be aware that Jupiter’s opposition to the eclipse means that everything is magnified. It could feel like a tidal wave of emotion and you could fear being swept away. But Saturn square to the eclipse gives us an anchor and it may be necessary to find yours. Consider what anchors you in reality. What is most real to you? With Jupiter’s influence, there may be a need to explore the judgements you have, the beliefs you hold. Where did you lose your faith – in yourself, in another. What broke you so far you thought you could never come back? You may need to let go of fantasies and illusions in order to dream a bigger dream.

The eclipse is conjunct asteroid Skuld. Skuld was one of the Norns in Norse mythology which are similar to the three Fates in Greek mythology. Skuld’s name curiously means ‘debt’ or ‘future’, perhaps a little of both. Maybe there’s a debt to yourself that was never paid and that’s why you now feel something is out of balance. What promises did you never keep? What is still missing (Chiron)? With Skuld and the South Node here, we have to visit the sorrows of the past to unpick the promise of the future.

The t-square nature of this lunation may reveal where you feel a lack of abundance in your life. Maybe it’s time to grieve for what was lost, for the shipwrecks along the way but we all know that treasure lies at the bottom of the ocean. The trick is to open your eyes under the water. Don’t be afraid of the sea monsters you find there. Show them your compassion.

The Sabian symbol for the eclipse is :-

A Master Instructing His Disciple

This is a moment of grace – a time when you must acknowledge what needs to be learned. Sometimes, the disciple must go through a series of trials or a cleansing process. It’s about surrendering to the wisdom of the universe and being willing to be taught. But remember too, that you are both master and disciple. Your inner self has great wisdom to share. Be open to receive.

Goddess of the Grain Ceres is also conjunct the eclipse. In Pisces. we’re looking at soul food. Have you nourished your soul recently? Did you dance, make art, absorb yourself in your imagination, read a children’s book? Did you sing for the joy of singing, paint, go for a long walk in the wild woods? When did you last make sand castles by the beach, strip off your socks and dangle your feet in a clear stream? When did you last give yourself a foot massage and thank your feet for carrying you? When did you last curl up into a ball and hold yourself whilst you cried?

A sextile to Pluto invites you to go deeper. Yes it’s intense but this is where transformation happens. Sometimes only a deep cut can release what has been festering for too long. You’re not weak if you’re hurting. You’re stronger than you know. You only have to look at the sea crashing against the land to see how your emotions shape you. Now it’s time to acknowledge your feelings, to work through troubled waters, unblock the dam. Purify.

All endings are beginnings. Energy only transforms. Surrender to the process. This is a transcendent moment and promises the renewal of faith.

This eclipse will most affect those who have planets or points around 17 – 19 degrees of mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces).

Painting – ‘Breaking Waves’ by Volodymyr Orlovsky