In my mind, today's Full Moon Eclipse in Libra marks the beginning of the end of the tumultuous Uranus-Pluto square. These two planets play an enormous role in today's eclipse, which centers on embracing personal liberation and our deepest sense of power in a way that can bring balance the collective. Anyone with personal planets between 12 - 16 degrees of Libra, Aries, Capricorn, or Cancer will be feeling the eclipse effects most intensely. 

Today's eclipse occurs at 14 degrees of Libra, the sign of relationships, harmony, and diplomacy. Grace, artistry, and compromise are all hallmark traits of those who have strong Libran energy or a prominent placement of Venus in the birth chart. Since today's eclipse is a full moon eclipse, the focus is on relationship already, and Luna's passage through Libra amplifies that focus. 

Think of full moon eclipses as exceptionally powerful full moons. The veil between worlds grows thinner and the Universe works to catch us up to speed on our life paths. Eclipses will often toss us on or off the current path for our Highest Good if we don't heed our inner knowing, and situations not aligned with our callings may dissolve in the weeks following an eclipse. 

The Earth stands between the Sun and Moon during full moon eclipses, creating a temporary "block" in the solar-lunar relationship.  This alignment provides us with incredible opportunities to be objective and honest about anything that holds us back in our relationships and how we choose to express ourselves within that framework. Whether we're addressing 1-1 relationships or our role in society, issues centering on how we express our authenticity in relation to "other" will be the focus.

Aries, the sign that opposes harmony-loving Libra, is bringing some serious cosmic fire to this eclipse. The transit of the South Node through this warrior territory is doing especially powerful karmic clearing work, considering that Mercury, the Sun, and erratic Uranus surround it. The South Node in Aries impels us to release angry, impulsive reactions and move in the direction of inner harmony. If you've been finding yourself giving in to less than level-headed impulses that compromise your equilibrium, consider it your signal - and a Divine opportunity - to realign with peace. 

Today's eclipse is calling us to find a way to blaze brave new paths for ourselves that create harmony within, to shed impulses that lead to chaos and the perpetuation of an "us vs. them" mentality. It won't come without its struggles, since Pluto, the planet of destiny, deep empowerment, and the things we repress due to their overwhelming power squares off with the Sun and Moon. This aspect creates incredible tension as those buried feelings and potential power struggles come to a head.  Many of us have come up against situations that have made us feel powerless since Saturn turned retrograde on March 14. Pluto's slowdown takes it deeper, bringing us down to the roots of old beliefs, fears, or compulsions that hold us back, as well as stripping away that which has always been illusionary. Pluto also represents how we express and channel our sexual desires and a sense of primal power. If we let any "brick walls" and emerging impulses act as teachers, we can get honest about where we need to take back our power and embrace feelings we need to honor or release. When we delve deeply into ourselves and accept or transmute what we find at our core, we can get on with the business of living from the unshakable spiritual power center that is our birthright.

This also brings forward another interesting dichotomy, since Libra is about societal norms and conformity. Pluto and the current Arian energy revved up by individualistic Uranus calls us to challenge those norms within and without. Some will be soul-searching to uncover just what taboos might exist in their mind and be afforded with opportunities to see whether they hold up in the light of truth or not. A prime example of this is the current focus on same-sex relationships due to the passage and ongoing debate over Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act. It shows the complexity of issues our current astrology is imploring us to address: What are our personal beliefs? How do we stand up for those beliefs? How can we honor our beliefs while respecting the rights of others to walk their path free of harassment and shaming? Are we willing to live and let live, knowing that when we do, we could be one step closer to ensuring peace and harmony for all people? We will see the best and worst in power struggles relating to these issues in politics and in our personal lives as this eclipse works to move us into a future of genuine equality.

With eclipse ruler Venus in her natural domain of Taurus, she highlights the core need to honor our bodies and connect with the wisdom of Mother Earth. As Emily Trinkhaus wrote in her recent TMA article Venus, Mary Magdalene, And The Re-Emerging Sacred Feminine, the key to Venusian empowerment is in rooting into our physical, sensual selves without shame and in allowing spirit to flow through (which links us back to Pluto...!). We might also feel called to root into what we value, and to cultivate greater financial and material stability. Mars, also in Taurus and at the Sun/Venus midpoint, suggests that the key to working with current challenges and empowerment issues is through slow and steady action. If we choose to stay the course without compromise and embrace the knowing that honoring our authenticity leads to healing, peace and progress will be ours.

It's also important to mention that this eclipse is connected to events from April 4th of 1996, when an eclipse occurred in the same sign and at the same degree. Can you link realizations and experiences your "now" to what was transpiring then for a greater sense of connection and meaning?

To find where this eclipse is calling you to move more fully into your authenticity and to cultivate harmony, find the house that contains 14 degrees of Libra. This house, the house that opposes it, and the house that contains Pluto at 15 degrees Capricorn are areas in which you are called to embrace individuality, balance, and inner power as the Uranus-Pluto square breaks up old ground to propel you forward into destiny.

Do you want to understand yourself and your current circumstances in profound new ways? I offer 1-1 consultations that provide key insights into your life path and how the planets are working to enact incredible change in your life now! Email me at jhowell1221@gmail.com to learn more.

© Jen Howell,  Bright Star Astrology & Healing Arts, 2015. Unauthorized use or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to this site and writer with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

We are quickly approaching the Winter Solstice on December 21, a sacred time of year when new energetic portals for awakening the very structures of our DNA and sacred life missions are more accessible to us. It is a time of great inner and outer stillness, of reflection on the past year, and a time rich with cosmic potential for exploration of our soul’s desires. This solstice is especially significant, as it coincides with a New Moon in Capricorn, making a profound depth of peace and vision-seed planting even more available to us in the void from which all potential is birthed into form.

This year's Solstice/New Moon combined event is the beginning of a powerful cycle of manifestation and conscious creation that we can connect with for powerful results in 2015 (the last time a Winter Solstice coincided with a New Moon was in 2003, and the next will be in 2033!). Themes that are central to Capricorn such as dedication, commitment, and realism will all play out in the many planetary connections that are grounded in this sign for the new moon.

Stellium in Capricorn: Getting Serious in Career, Relationships, and Life Purpose

The Sun ingresses into Capricorn for the official First Day of Winter at 6:03 P.M. EST; the Moon joins the Sun at zero degrees Capricorn for the coinciding New Moon at 8:26 P.M. EST. Since Capricorn is a sign that centers on putting in the effort to make our dreams a reality, we will be supported in birthing our inner visions in profound ways over the coming year. This weekend and the days that immediately follow are an ideal time to create a quiet, meditative space to explore inner dreams and visions...and then make a list and action plan to see those dreams through to completion! Capricorn and Saturn impel us to review facts, stick to a plan, and endure any trials or hardships we might meet on the path to achieving our goals with strength and composure. 2015 will be a year of building dreams from the ground up, and will be especially auspicious for career and "life mission" types of endeavors. The birthing pangs may be uncomfortable, but Saturn teaches us that the work is well worth the satisfaction of seeing our long-term goals through to completion.

Perhaps the most significant energies woven into the existing New Moon themes are those brought by the stellium of Venus/Pluto/Mercury in Capricorn. Expect issues around relationships, money/shared resources, secrets, or deepening of commitments in personal and business partnerships to take center stage. These issues, in addition to possible lower-vibrational expressions of jealousy, manipulation, or power struggles began around December 17 and will continue through the Solstice. The asteroid goddess Vesta is also involved here, calling us to examine our interactions with others/our own values and material resources to align them with choices that benefit our whole selves. With Saturn at the final degree of Scorpio, honest assessments of needs and wants in relationships will bring necessary endings and subsequent new beginnings.

Venus and Pluto also form a sextile to Chiron, the asteroid of wounding and holistic healing. With Chiron in the deeply empathic sign of Pisces, the opportunity for deep healing in relationships of any kind will be available now; this aspect could open the doorway to sexual healing or healing that results from merging with the right people in any way, shape, or form. We might also experience significant changes in our relationship energies and approaches during 2015, since Capricorn deals with structures and organization. However, discrimination would be wise here; Pisces may pull us into destructive choice patterns for the sake of escapism rather than truly spiritual experiences that bring healing. We may experience victim/martyr consciousness as a result of these aspects, as well as the release of buried emotions that have held us back until now. Allowing feelings to surface without judgment for the sake of inner cleansing will clear the way for a greater integration of self.

Uranus, Mars, and the Nodes

Uranus stations direct at the Solstice, giving us the drive and innovative vision to take radical action in all areas of life (especially in career and partnerships)! Venus adds her partnership/money/aesthetics-centered energies to the ongoing Uranus-Pluto square, bringing the likelihood of profound and empowering awakenings in these areas. Mars also forms a sextile link to Uranus and the nodes, igniting our impulse for action that frees us from constraints of the past. We are moving into greater alignment with Cosmic Consciousness, and the unprecedented astrological patterns at play act as catalysts to move us forward on our journey into love and Oneness on Earth.

Saturn in Sagittarius

As Saturn’s time in Scorpio draws to a close, feelings of fear, restrictions, cynicism, and self-doubt are surfacing for many. This provides an opportunity to examine our deepest doubts and shadow to embrace the truth of our own worth and goodness more fully when Saturn moves into Sagittarius on December 23. We will all have an opportunity to define and crystallize our truth – and act in full alignment with those truths – and can turn big dreams into reality by taking advantage of this powerful placement.

Key Questions for Contemplation

• Am I willing to set aside sacred time and space to for rejuvenation and to explore my deepest desires now?

• What dreams and visions are emerging from the stillness within me? Am I willing to explore and honor them, trusting that the Universe supports me in making all choices that are aligned with my Highest Good?

•  What practical steps are necessary to manifest my dreams into being? How can I take regular, consistent action to see long-term goals through to completion?
  
•  Am I being called to release a relationship/relationship patterns that no longer serve me? Am I being called to deepen relationship connections for a higher purpose at this time? Am I willing to merge with others in forming powerful partnerships to further my own growth and evolution and aid in the collective growth and evolution of Human Consciousness?
  
• Am I being called to bring a greater depth of healing into my life? If so, are there others in my family, circle of friends, or community who can assist me in this process?
  
• How can I liberate myself from past limitations to share more of my authentic self with the world? Am I willing to begin releasing feelings of insecurity, fear, and self-doubt to step more fully into alignment with my truths and life purpose?
  

Today's new moon is particularly powerful due to the major planetary influences that it coincides with. I focused on the archetype of Virgo in Part 1 of this series, but the other astrological forces at play now are what really make this new moon a particularly significant event!

Mars-Saturn Conjunct in Scorpio

The most potent of the current influences is the conjunction of Mars and Saturn in Scorpio. Mars is the planet of assertion of will, action/drive, physical stamina, and potential restlessness or aggression. In short, Mars represents the principle of action. Unchecked by other planets, Mars will take the shortest possible route to what it wants in haste - which may end poorly if foresight is not employed - but Mars is the fire and very necessary primal will that ignites our passions and propels us forward.

Saturn, on the other hand, is the planet that symbolizes realism: it is the hard-line master teacher of the zodiac, showing us how to apply the lessons of patience, discipline, and hard work to make visions a reality. Unlike Mars, Saturn rarely acts in haste. Those with strong Saturnian influences in their birth charts are pragmatic, goal-oriented, and are geared toward valuing that which is "tried and true," i.e. the traditional. When Mars joins with Saturn, the energetic qualities may be best described as "militaristic". Mars brings the drive and ambition to make things happen, and Saturn gifts us with the concrete logic and dedication to use that passion to create tangible results.

When transiting in Scorpio, this duo brings forward a very deep, probing, and tenacious vibe. Scorpio is the sign associated with mystery, sexuality/intimacy, spirituality, healing/regeneration, and deep inner power. Issues in these areas are likely to surface for us all in different ways now, depending on what is being activated in an individual's birth chart. From my observations, many people are currently engaged in intensive healing work, the depth and importance of which have become especially clear since this conjunction peaked on Sunday. Additionally, this meeting brings the end of a two-year cycle that began in August of 2012, providing some kind of review or "test" of the life lessons we've been learning since then. The Virgo New Moon brings us an opportunity to commit to addressing these issues in our daily lives on a long-term basis to transform ourselves from the inside out.

New Moon Opposite Neptune in Pisces; Mercury Opposite Chiron in Pisces

These oppositions suggests that we all may be feeling more compassionate and connected to a sense of unity on the transpersonal level. Though compassion is necessary for taking right action to heal ourselves and the world, these aspects are likely to activate increased sensitivity to pain and suffering, and may lead us into illusionary thinking or resorting to escapist methods for coping. Though it may temporarily help us evade unpleasant feelings, escapism or addiction is not truly a solution, since we must be fully present in our bodies to make change tangible change happen in our lives - another lesson Saturn provides.

The blessing of these oppositions is that we have an opportunity now to use our heightened sense of connectivity to the unconscious realms to activate more of our innate healing potential. Chiron, the planetoid of deep wounding and holistic healing, shows where we have the deepest wounds to heal in this lifetime, and when its energies are activated in the birth chart, we have a profound opportunity to go deeply within to heal these wounds and emerge with a more integrated sense of self. This is prime time for scheduling an energetic healing session, doing meditation, or participating other spiritual-based energy shifting practices that can assist you in transmuting past/current pain and suffering for a more joyful life.

Mercury Sextile Mars-Saturn

Mercury in Virgo - the sign of its exaltation and the second of its two ruling signs - is also forming a powerful sextile aspect to the Mars-Saturn conjunction. This is providing even more "oomph" to the already heightened mental and communicative abilities many of us are tapping into now: cue the focused, discriminating thought processes; increased abilities to be honest about what's serving us and what isn't; and more impressive capabilities in our mental processes in every way.

In all, this Virgo New Moon holds tremendously transformational potential for those who choose to act on the opportunities presented now. This is the beginning of a two-year cycle of healing, transformation, and growth at the deepest levels! To find out the areas this New Moon is impacting you most directly, locate 2 degrees Virgo in your birth chart; for the Mars-Saturn conjunct, look to 17 degrees Scorpio. Happy New Moon, and be blessed!

How have you been experiencing these influences most directly? Feel free to share in the comments section below!