By Amanda Painter
The big astrological event on the near horizon is a total solar eclipse (visible mainly over the Pacific Ocean and parts of Asia) in Pisces on March 8, which is also the Pisces New Moon. Eric commented to me that as we near that event this weekend, the idea is to “point the canoe straight down the river, and avoid the rocks.”
Photo by Amanda Painter.
Which is a great guiding image. But what if you’re not sure you can see the river clearly? And what if you do encounter some seemingly unavoidable rocks? I think there’s a relatively simple way to navigate those circumstances, too.
First, a little about the eclipse. Eric has covered it in great detail in this week’s broadcast of Planet Waves FM, but the basics are that the New Moon is exact at 8:54 pm EST on Tuesday (1:54 UTC Wednesday). At that time, the Moon will pass in front of the Sun at 19 Pisces (near the middle of the sign), blocking it out. Joining the Sun and Moon in Pisces are a slew of major and minor planets, points and other objects (including Mercury, Nessus, Neptune, Ceres, Borasisi, Chiron and the lunar South Node, among others).
Together, those objects put a huge emphasis on all things Piscean: emotions, creativity, erotic energy, passion, vision, dreams, psychic sensitivity, beliefs, escapism, humanitarianism and so on. Add the eclipse, and there’s a sense of releasing something to make room for something fresh; that also might mean remembering something you once understood long ago, and which suddenly feels new.
Some of the basic advice for eclipses in modern Western astrology involves staying open to unexpected opportunities and shifts, which might appear like a doorway opening where you’d previously seen a wall. It can be helpful in identifying opportunities if you have a clear vision of some goal, dream or desire that you’re working toward.
But what if you don’t? In fact, what if you feel conflicted between what you want and what you think you should want? What if you’ve been carrying beliefs about what is or is not okay to dream for yourself, or you’ve gotten so stuck in the material reality of ‘what is’ that you’re having trouble imagining anything beyond that sense of fixity?
My sense of the current astrology is that, with so much emphasis on Pisces, one solution is to focus on the feeling-tone you’d like to enjoy, if envisioning a specific reality is too overwhelming or vague. For example, you may want to feel more heart-centered and loving, or more at home in your skin and immediate environment; maybe you’d like to feel more creative and passionate (including erotic). Perhaps you’d like to aim your canoe toward feeling generous, or having better boundaries; or feeling more balanced, or more intuitive.
Setting one of those intentions (or similar) will not be like waving a magic wand. Rather, I’m suggesting that instead of getting caught up in second-guessing yourself, or hung up on the details of how to get from point A to point B, you might be able to take a more Piscean approach that opens your intention-setting out of the mental plane and into a more fluid realm.
This could be especially helpful given what might be cropping up as some astrological ‘rocks’ as we head into the weekend stream: Mercury square Mars, exact Saturday at 12:43 am EST (5:43 UTC); and the Sun square Saturn, exact Sunday at 1:03 am EST (6:03 UTC).
The Pisces Sun square Saturn in Sagittarius speaks of issues around authority, specifically your authority over your own life and your beliefs about it. If you feel some tension there, see if it points you toward the ways you can participate more actively in decisions about your responsibilities, or toward constructive ways of making your dreams real. That these planets are in mutable signs ruled by Jupiter suggests you can find some flexibility here if you broaden your perspective.
Mercury in Aquarius square Mars in Scorpio might ask for even more of your awareness. Partly because these planets will be in the last degree of their respective signs (a potentially edgy place to be), and those signs are both ‘fixed’ in quality.
If you’ve noticed in yourself (or possibly in someone close to you) an inclination to dig into some position, belief or desire — especially if fear is involved, or if you feel like you need to defend something about yourself at all costs — that would be one of those metaphorical rocks in the stream. Given that we’re in the midst of presidential primary season and it seems to be the most chaotic one in recent memory, the urge to defend your beliefs or your candidate with all your might could be strong.
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But is it life or death? Is your existence truly being threatened, or just your ego?
Collectively I would say that a lot is indeed at stake with these presidential candidates, in terms of the future of the US. Yet, superimposing those stakes on each individual conversation you have with your friends, family and work colleagues looks less than helpful. Defending your position as though you’re both gladiators in the Coliseum does not put people into a receptive mood.
If you don’t feel the pull of politics, this dynamic can still occur in other personal situations where you might feel yourself taking a defensive position. What is that fear, really?
Again, I’m going to point to the idea of envisioning the feeling-tone you’d like to enjoy. Would ‘winning’ an argument really put your heart at ease? Or can you set your sights on something gentler, something that feels joyful, loving and grounded — and that opens the way for all the dreaming, co-creating and passion you’d like to experience in your life?
The brilliance of this approach is that it shifts your focus away from what you might have to ‘give up’ to make space for the new thing you’d like to invite into your life (i.e., ‘change’). Instead, it puts the emphasis on receiving — if, of course, you’re willing to allow it.
“it puts the emphasis on receiving — if, of course, you’re willing to allow it.” Yes – thank you for this wonderful piece, dear Amanda – so very helpful. Last night I dreamed that someone had stolen my idea for a project I have in mind, and had gone ahead and pulled it off . Don’t quite know what this means – but it made me decide to let go and stop worrying away at it so much, and then I read your piece, advising one to open up and receive (and to let go of that ego!). Unbelievably gorgeous photo, totally in sync with these watery, visionary days (taken from a boat?).
Lizzy — what a fascinating dream!
I’m wondering… if you were to look at it from the perspective that everyone in our dreams represents a facet of ourselves (sometimes this is a useful exercise to try), what part of you is already “working” on this project idea of yours? Is your soul or heart already putting it “out there” for the universe to notice? Is your imagination just waiting for your hands-on action to catch up?
Just curious if any of those questions sparks something for you. 🙂 At the end of everything, the dream is *yours*, and whatever feelings you had about it (and during it) probably tell you everything you need to know. Including your decision to “stop worrying about it.”
(P.S. the photo was taken from a roadway — the overpass over the water.)
Bless you for your comment and these questions, dear Amanda! They all sparked something off in me – and indeed, in a sense, I’ve already been working on the background of this ”project ” for some time now, and it’s already bearing fruits – though it still hasn’t materialized fully. Later on today, I also recognised an aspect of very old sibling rivalry in the dream, of the fear of my (more brilliant) sister always stealing my thunder – as when I checked something out she was working on last night, it had some surprising similarities to my project, idea, though her background and context is very different from mine. But think there are some old family wounds coming up here, too (the sabotaging kind), maybe to be finally addressed and healed.
Amanda,
Thank you for your encouraging, inspiring articles each week.
You are a beacon in the darkness of this journey we’re all on.
I appreciate you!
Thank you, Pamela!
And I truly appreciate all of our readers. It’s extra-gratifying when people comment to say hello or ask a question, or to offer how the astrology is playing out for them. Happy eclipse season to you!
I agree with the comments above, Dear Amanda. The picture is beautiful, the colors are so vivid and luring, it draws you right into the picture, thank you for posting it! I so appreciate your and others at PW take on the aspects as we approach the solar eclipse. It is hard to set the ego aside when you believe that so much is at stake (and of course we believe it with Mars, Mercury, Sun and Saturn doing their square dance right before our eyes to boot)! It is difficult to navigate through these energies when you have the monster that we created: have truth, an lot of fiction and all ego playing out before us and then see your family members who you love and care for throw in their support! What are THEY thinking? I just keep thinking that the US reaps what it sews, internally and externally. What a mess. But as Amanda M. beckons us in her article this week, centering yourself can bring a lot of sanity. You and Len both provide persuasive reasons why we should strive to take the high road, as Eric, the eruidite astrologer, maps out the shoals and rocks. Thank you PW for a more focused approach during this very spiritual astrological time.
“I just keep thinking that the US reaps what it sews, internally and externally”
As do each of us, individually, Pisces Sun! And sometimes we find the high road after we’ve stumbled a ways down the low road, and then stop to notice that where we are is decidedly not where we’d meant to go. Thank you for chiming in — and for the reminder of Ms. Moreno’s reminder about centering ourselves. It’s rather essential these days, I think.
Me, too, Amanda! I really appreciate your writing and sky-insights … such a fan of the dreams, myself, and sorry that I am not having any these days. ARG!
I did get away from Balt to my hometown of DC in order to help get out the vote for Bernie. No, he did not take VA, but I had an amazing time juggling electronic gadgets (as well as MSNBC) and talking to the folk about something near and dear — VOTING! — there were a few inciting riotous replies (like “I AM NOT A SOCIALIST!”) but mostly people were kind and gracious; not easy to pull off as they had been called and called and called. As for me, I kept my attachment to other’s behavior to zero and that made me very proud and productive. Nothing like participating in something that means everything, eh?
Love to all,
m.
” As for me, I kept my attachment to other’s behavior to zero and that made me very proud and productive.”
So often this is they key, isn’t it, Mary! Thank you for sharing your experience of non-combative political activist engagement. I do believe it matters.
Brilliant advice here, Amanda: “The brilliance of this approach is that it shifts your focus away from what you might have to ‘give up’ to make space for the new thing you’d like to invite into your life (i.e., ‘change’). Instead, it puts the emphasis on receiving — if, of course, you’re willing to allow it.”
Because nothing will activate the ego defenses like focusing on a sense of “loss”, even if one (me) is SO DONE WITH IT ALREADY! We have a few days yet to focus on the desire, the thing, the feeling, the opportunity that is coming in, just on the other side. All together now: What if you really do get to have what you want? Just pretend, and open up a little. Relax those white knuckles clutching and that condition that is ready to fall away if you can let go. Whew!
Maybe it’s easier to imagine a canoe on a placid stream. I always use the metaphor of a kayak in class 5 rapids for Solar Eclipse. Helpful to choose a metaphor that serves by not being so dang scary!
And I agree that this and all your photos are so beautiful. Earth illustrates the sky in such an embodied way!
Amen, Carla!
“What if you really do get to have what you want? Just pretend, and open up a little. Relax those white knuckles clutching and that condition that is ready to fall away if you can let go. Whew!”
That’s what I’m trying to set my sights on, and inviting others to join in. Focusing on the desire and the opportunity for greater joy, peace, communication, understanding, trust… rather than “OMG, what do I *have* to do/change/let go of to get to that place?!”
Funny how easy it is for us to forget just how much easier a simple shift in perspective and focus can make things. But that darn ego fear…
Love the shift in imagery from rapids to placid stream! 🙂 Yes, I think that helps a lot… Wishing you (and everyone) smoothly navigable waters! Let’s all slip into the flow.