April 8th Solar Eclipse in Ares

Solar Eclipse in Ares

April 8,2024

There is an old saying to the effect that The Devil shows up at the moment we begin to make progress in our lives. This is a good way to think about the upcoming Solar Eclipse. In this case, “The Devil” takes the form of unconscious patterns and tendencies which thwart us at the moment we seek positive change in our lives.

The Moon is associated with the unconscious. Not only the thoughts that are in our mind even when we aren’t actively thinking them, but also all the things we do by wrote, our schedules, habits and all those things we do without even thinking. It is our “muscle memory” and the way our bodies respond to situations before we even know whats really happening. The Moon also rules over our families and close relationships which also involve many “learned behaviors”. The comfort and ease we experience among people, places and things which are familiar to us, arises from the fact that we can just be around them without having to make a lot of effort.

The other side of this is that we can fall into habits which do not serve us or those near by. The Moon rules over repetition and cycles. She is the power that embodies our experience, allowing us to know how things “feel”. In this way, She becomes the seat of memory. Memory, in turn, allows us to make sense of present circumstances in the light of the past. This means that when a strong impression of sadness, fear, shame, anger or grief come upon us, it gets filed away in the unconscious and becomes activated in situations that “feel like” the one in which we felt those feelings. But sometimes, although a new situation might feel like one which caused negative feelings in the past, it may in fact bare little or no resemblance to it in the clear light of day.

Each month, during the Full Moon, all our unconscious thoughts and responses are on display. If we attune ourselves with the waxing and waning of the Moon, we might find that the full moon is the time when we are most consciously aware of our unconsciousness. In Her waxing we can pull out those buried parts of our self that we wish to bring into the light and manifest them. As she begins to wane, we can see those things which no longer serve and banish them before they once again slip into obscurity. But at the time of Solar Eclipse, we experience The Moon and all that She caries in a very different way.

While The Moon rules all that dwells within, the path by which we and the world around us has come to be as it is, The Sun rules the path ahead. In His light we see the lay of the land and discern the direction we wish our lives to take. The Sun represents not only the world we see but the way in which we wish to appear in that world. The Sun speaks of new beginnings and the endless road ahead which leads us to become the person we wish to be and be recognized as.

In Western Tropical Astrology, Ares is thought to be the first sign of the zodiac, in which the influence of light overtakes that of darkness. It is spring (in the Northern Hemisphere at least) and the time to act is upon us. There are seeds to plant, projects to begin and a general sense of renewal in our efforts to forge the lives we imagine for our self. In Tarot, Ares is The Emperor Card – great power and authority is available to underwrite our striving. But with great power comes great responsibility. We need the clear light of The Sun now more than ever that we might see things aright.

A Solar Eclipse always occurs at the time of the New Moon. Normally, The New Moon is the darkest night of the month. If the Full Moon is a time when our unconscious potential is most clearly visible, the New Moon is a time when these deep strata lay in darkness. In eclipse, The Dark Noon becomes visible to us in a profound way – as a SHADOW.

We might all remember a moment in our lives when we knew that our attitudes and behaviors were not appropriate to the situation. Maybe it was some conflict in which we knew we were being unreasonable but just couldn’t seem to stop ours self. Maybe it was a moment of self sabotage that we indulged by rationalizing our decision. We are especially susceptible to such patterns when we are beginning something new. When we are in unfamiliar territory, we are likely to meet it with familiar attitudes and behaviors which are, by definition, inappropriate to the situation. When we strive for positive change in our lives, we may find that these changes require us to face old, outdated patterns that we know we must break if we hope to move on. But how is this to be done?

Our first impulse is often to brand these patterns and be constantly on alert for their appearance. This is usually counter productive because the patterns we try to break are distributed through our personalities as a kind of fractal pattern. We may catch a certain iteration of the pattern but it will likely hide at some level immediately below or above our awareness. There is a better approach I think.

If you have ever had the change to view a Solar Eclipse you might remember the strange atmosphere – festive and holy at once. The air temperature can drop, birds and animals act strangely and sometimes we see little crescents in the dappled shadows of trees. If we were not blessed with the assurance that this awesome change would pass in a matter of just a few hours, we might feel a holy terror. But the fact that we know that it will pass allows us to fully surrender to a sense of muted grandeur and to honor this passing shadow.

The Moon, with her waxing and waning, is a symbol of mutability. She is ever constant by virtue of Her constant change. We too carry this aspect of The Moon within us. The Moon holds all of our patterns, blessings and banes, but She also assures us that these patterns are always in flux. Sometimes unconscious patterns eclipse our sense of discernment, but by our Lunar Wisdom we can know that these patterns will change because they must.

This is one reason that The Moon plays such a powerful role in the lives of many magikal practitioners. By attuning our lives to Her changes, we experience the feeling of changing patterns. Waxing and waning, rising high in the sky or skimming low across the southern horizon, changing size as she moves now closer, now further away in Her orbit, Her monthly visits to ever house of the zodiac – her movements carrying us through all situations. This effortless movement reminding us that all we must do is allow these changes.

Whether you are fortunate enough to be in the path of this Ares Eclipse (we will get about 88% here at Little Meadow) or even if you will not experience it first hand, you can still use its power for your benefit. This is especially true if you are in some new undertaking in your life. Ares is the sign of new beginnings. Take some time on the day of the eclipse to allow a suggestion to penetrate deep into your unconscious mind.

As you set forth, you will be confronted by challenges that will bring up old restrictive patterns.

When you feel this happening, remember that, like the darkness of an eclipse, this pattern will pass of its own accord.

Take a moment to honor it as you would a rare sight in the heavens. You won't need to do anything to make the darkness pass, you only need to allow it to do so.

Then you can get on with your life, your plan. The movements of the heavens do not control our lives, instead, by understanding and appreciating them, we might better navigate our fates. Let the heavens by your teacher.

Thanks again for your time and attention. Lots going on here, all good, may it be so for you as well.

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