The 1999 Eclipses
The Lunar Eclipse
On July 28th there’ll be a partial lunar eclipse (full moon) in the signs of Leo and Aquarius. The themes of these opposing signs include, among other things, personal interests vs. humanitarian interests. the ruling class vs. “the people”, a personal, heartfelt approach vs. a detached scientific objectivity, and your children vs. other people’s children
Lunar eclipses represent a culmination. a time when things are “full”. Our emotions spill over the top, and we receive the healing that comes when we have a good cry and finally let go of the past. This eclipse will be exceptionally emotionally charged, not just in our personal relationships, but around the world, as the Moon joins Neptune. Neptune represents the part of us that easily matches other people, where there are no clear boundaries between people (or nations). Logic goes out the window when Neptune comes in the room. It’s a time to ask, What would love do?”
With the Sun, Moon and Neptune all square to Jupiter, I expect religious fervor and nostalgia for the “good old days” to be especially heightened. The full light of the Sun will shine on our illusions, our self-deceptions, and our idealized version of how we have related to others in the past. The tendency at this time may be to make ourselves or others out to be victims or martyrs, but if we let go of blame and see how we truly are all connected, there’s an opportunity, here for forgiveness and compassion on a grand scale, in both our personal lives and in the larger community.
In addition, Mercury (communication, commerce) and Neptune (deception, imagination) will be opposing, so what you hear from the media at this time; may include a considerable amount of hype. Venus squares Pluto, contributing to possible financial or sex scandals in the news. Saturn and Uranus square off for the first of three encounters between now and next May, so there will be dynamic tension between the Establishment and those seeking more creativity and freedom, nowhere better illustrated than in the current civil unrest in Iran. Creative, practical solutions and responsible truth telling are required, now more than ever. The good news is that the most benefic planets, Venus and Jupiter, are in very favorable aspect to one another. Women are called upon to rise to the occasion now, and show the world the best we have to offer.
The Solar Eclipse
The events surrounding the lunar eclipse are simply a setup for the fixed Grand Cross solar eclipse on August 11th. In this total eclipse in Leo, the Moon will obscure the light of the Sun. A full solar eclipse is an exciting event. Having the light of the Sun appear to go out in the middle of the day, bringing complete darkness, reminds us of the life-giving power of the Sun. Symbolically, the old light is extinguished and a new light takes its place. This is a great image to work with if you’re planning any kind of eclipse meditation, by the way.
In the August 1999 eclipse, the Sun and Moon together will be in opposition to the planet Uranus and ninety degrees away. there’s a second opposition between Saturn and Mars. Together these oppositions form what’s called a Grand Square or a Grand Cross. What makes this grand cross even more potent is that the planets (and lights) involved are lined up around the power points of the zodiac, the middle degrees of the fixed signs. If your birthday falls around November 4-10, Aug. 6–12. Nov. 6-12, or Feb. 2-8. (all dates are approximate), your Sun falls in these degrees. The fixed signs. Taunts, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius provide persistence and determination, along with tremendous will power but they also have a tendency to get stuck, to lack initiative, and to resist change. This, therefore, is the theme of the eclipse.
With this eclipse we see the emotional, nostalgic flavor of the lunar eclipse being replaced by the excitement of unexpected changes, accidents and breakthroughs that come with the Sun/Moon opposition to Uranus. With Uranus there’s a major element of unpredictability involved. Think of a bolt of lightning coming from the sky bringing massive amounts of energy and sudden illumination.
The second (exact) opposition involves Saturn and Mars, which, not coincidentally, were exactly opposite on the day of the school shootings in I.ittleton Colorado. These two planets together demand that we deal with the ways violence has become an institutionalized part of our culture. In today’s movies, which represent how we ‘visualize’ our culture, people are shown being casually and routinely murdered. Popular video games sold by the millions, include rape and pillage as part of the adventure! What we see on a regular basis becomes imprinted on our psyches – it’s more than just a bad dream.
Mars is about energy, aggression, action, taking a stand. Saturn is about the established structures, the written and unwritten rules we live by. The Sun is about our life force, how we shine. The Moon represents our emotions and instinctive response. Uranus is about our urge for freedom and the search for truth, whether it is scientific, technological, philosophical or spiritual. These forces will all be at odds, and the potential for conflict or breakthroughs is great. Things like rebellion against authority, struggles with technology, sudden accidents, and the breaking of old alliances and the creation of new ones are all possible. Remember, change by itself is neutral – whether we experience it as “good’ or “bad’ depends on our viewpoint.
In addition to the grand cross, all the other squares from the lunar eclipse remain in place, so that every single planet got that? – every single planet is being squared by at least one other planet. Squares represent dynamic tension, where we feel we’re being forced to change against our will. Without the tension of squares life is boring and we don’t grow. Studies have shown that we need some stress in our lives to provide the challenges that make us feel alive.
The only favorable aspect in the day’s lineup is the continuing trine – representing easy flow and harmony – between Jupiter and Venus. With these planets both being in tangible earth signs, I’d say that whatever occurs, whether it’s a bad hair coloring experiment affecting you personally or an environmental disaster affecting us collectively, the resources to take care of the situation will be available to us. Particularly after September 10th, when Venus goes direct at the eclipse degree. (The date 9/9/99 is a Y2K milestone, so it will be interesting to see what happens then.)
This eclipse is creating a lot of noise because it coincides with one of Nostradamus’s famous 16th century quatrains. Translations vary. “In the year 1999 and seven months From the sky will come a great King of alarm To bring back to life the great King of Angoulmois Before and after, Mars to reign by good fortune.” (In the Julian calendar, the eclipse will take place in July, the 7th month).
The actual path of the eclipse runs through all the countries involved in “”World War I. It starts in Nova Scotia, goes through the England, France, Germany, Austria, central Europe, the Balkans, Romania, Turkey, runs along the Iraq/Iran border and finishes by crossing through Pakistan and India.
President Clinton’s chart shows some very close aspects, both favorable and unfavorable, to both eclipses so I expect he’ll be personally: and very visibly involved (not just as head of state) in the events of the time. The Mercury/Neptune opposition falls on his Saturn, so if he speaks with wisdom and inspiration now, his words won’t come back to haunt him later. His words will carry more weight than usual because Pluto is exactly trining his Mercury. (Just looking at the aspects in Bill’s chart-. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hillarv didn’t announce her candidacy for the Senate around this time).
The word eclipse has contradictory meanings. It can mean both to obscure something, to put out its light as well as to surpass something, as in “the U.S. women’s soccer team eclipsed their previous World Cup win-“. In astrology, solar eclipses represent a door opening, a new opportunity, and the effects are felt for months afterwards. The tremendous energy inherent in this eclipse will provide each of us. to varying degrees, the boost we need to take a step forward on our path. I agree with astrologer Kim Rogers-Gallagher. Now is not the time to sit and wait for something to happen to make our lives better (or worse), but to rise to the challenge and take action. It1s time to put our drive, determination and willpower to use, and create the kind of lives (and world) we’d really like to have, not just dream about.
About the author:
Reprinted with permission from “Fish Tales, an Irregular Astrological Newsletter” published by Mary Ursettie, copyright 1999. Mary is the current President of the South Bay Astrological Society, and also offers classes in astrology.
Last updated on December 3, 2016 at 3:21 am. Word Count: 1511
