Spiralling through the Eclipse

So a couple of hours ago, as I type, there was a lunar eclipse, across the Aquarius Leo axis. A key dynamic in my chart, as I've written about here many times. The moon is a couple of degrees away from my natal Sun, in my first house, and so the Sun is in my house of relationships, emphasising the lunar eclipse dynamic of self and other. The Leo Aquarius axis takes this dynamic a step further, asking us to consider self and the collective, our role as an individual in the society we live in. How are we manifesting our true selves in order to serve the collective? This eclipse cycle is about following our calling, not to satisfy our ego, but to manifest our purpose in the world. Healthy Leo energy is not just about being the centre of attention and expressing our creativity, but encouraging others to do the same. Leo knows there is enough talent, enough creativity, enough inspiration, to go around. We don't need to hog it for ourselves. Indeed, by sharing our talents in an atmosphere of mutual encouragement, we are likely to accomplish more than we had thought possible.

And what of the Moon in Aquarius? Good at observing the emotions, not always ready or able to feel them deeply. Not always a comfortable placement. But Aquarius is the water bearer, the container for our imaginations. The trick is not to let our feelings stagnate, holding them in the vessel of our hearts (Aquarius' opposite sign of Leo rules the heart) and stilling the ebb and flow. Fixed Aquarius likes to hold on to things, but the moon reminds us that we are tidal, ever changing. For Aquarius, change comes through interactions with others, letting our inner selves flow together. Aquarius can be disconnected, without the compassion and empathy of the moon.

Immersing myself in the waters...

Eclipses flow in Saros cycles, which last around nineteen years. As with any astrological cycle, wisdom can come from looking back to what was happening at the last turn of the spiral. There was a lunar eclipse at the same degree of Aquarius in August 1998, around the time I was doing my very first astrology course. Astrology and Mythology, in the basement of a new age shop in Fiztrovia. It had become a chain coffee shop, the last time I passed. What have I learned since then? Everything, and nothing. What's been on my mind lately is the need to take myself seriously as a professional astrologer, to summon up some confidence in my knowledge instead of giving in to my default assumption (South Node conjunct Saturn in Gemini, how much do I go on about that one?!) that I don't know anything. My astrology apprenticeship comes to an end, and I move into a new cycle as a professional, a teacher instead of a student. I get to do this almost full time, once my youngest starts school in September. But its scary, like everything which allows us to grow and to be truly ourselves. I struggle to put myself out there as myself, my authentic Aquarius self, without letting the inner critic (oh look its that Saturn again...) hold me back. My Leo Moon seeks recognition, wants to be seen for who I truly am. My Aquarius Sun wants to be detached and safely impersonal. All my attempts at balancing the two feel clumsy. But I keep doing it, because the learning is in the doing.