The eclipse is not going to change your life.

Solar Eclipse in Libra. October 2nd.

Or will it? It’s really up to you. Despite what many astrologers will tell you, astrology is not something that happens to us, it’s something that happens through us. It’s easy to think we have no control, because over most of life, we do not. But we have control over our thoughts, choices, behaviors and actions, and that’s a lot! So if this eclipse is happening in your career house, but all your focus is on relationships, you might not feel the shift. Or if you’re waiting for a big change, but not putting int the daily work and effort to make it, the stars aren’t going to drop your dream right out of the sky. So the eclipse isn’t going to change your life: YOU ARE.

Astrology is a tool. We can use it to empower ourselves but I often see it used to scare people or create unnecessary worry and anxiety. If a tool doesn’t work for you, it’s probably best to put it down. Yes, there are tough transits and eclipses can be one of them, but they can also be positive and even fun! I love sharing about this work, I find it so interesting that we have an ancient system that has shown patterns and cycles over time and can help us put our lives into perspective. And I also see how the horoscopes and predictions can pull us out of the present moment and instill fear or be used as a method to avoid uncertainty by trying to predict the future. It keeps us from vulnerability, which keeps us from accessing joy or any emotion more fully.

So this Libra eclipse, I want to talk about your courage, your power and your autonomy - because that’s what the theme here is.

So much of life is predicted for us, the weather, the traffic, the details of day are all perfectly laid out on our phones - calendars, notes, reminders, and even apps that tell us to drink water. It seems we are on a constant search for certainty. If you need to wait in line, no need to be bored- pull out your device and start scrolling! There doesn’t need to be much time for presence, irritation and uncertainty. So we can forget just how resilient we are to these things!

Of course there are big events that shift the course of our lives in a monumental way. I just get tired of seeing a million memes that tell you it’s going to happen every six months when an eclipse rolls around, because, to be honest, it’s probably not. You most likely have been working on these themes and patterns for months or years and you know the natural progression of what’s next.

And I’m not saying I don’t think astrology can be perfectly timed magic. Literally- the first day of Libra season, I had a legal issue come up. Libra rules the justice system. That is some impeccable timing. But the issue didn’t pop up out of the blue, it’s something I’ve known about for awhile, but couldn’t fully deal with until now. And my inability to deal with it earlier made it escalate to the situation it is now. The knowledge I have about astrology does help me deal with it. I know as a Libra rising with Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto in Libra, I have a tendency towards people pleasing and growing up in an alcoholic home has given me a fear of authority. So when it comes to a situation like this, I’m going to need to pay attention to my triggers and work harder to stand up for myself, and not just try to avoid conflict. I will work on trusting that things can work out in a fair and just manner.

It would be easy for me to assume that this eclipse is going to make things chaotic and dramatic, based on popular opinion. Or I can look back and see when this eclipse cycle started and how it lines up perfectly with the start of the situation in my life that eventually caused the legal disagreement. I know that this is the final eclipse in Libra, which hopefully means I will be wrapping up this situation over the next few weeks or months, before the next cycle begins in the spring. I’m going to reflect on the themes of Libra season and use them to take a look at myself, what I’ve learned from the situation and what I want to take out of it. I have more confidence, more clarity and a greater sense of personal responsibility. This eclipse being on the south node (point of release), I am actively working on releasing tendencies toward people pleasing, conflict avoidance, victimhood and polarization.

All that being said, let’s get into the details of this eclipse! If you want to learn more about what eclipses are, dates to know, etc- it’s all in this newsletter. And if you want to take a deep dive into the themes of Libra, definitely check out this post, it’s got tons of details on this season, which is especially potent because there are a lot of planets and asteroids in Libra this year.

Solar Eclipse in Libra: October 2nd | 2:49pm EST

Chart for the Solar Eclipse

The eclipse occurs at 10° degrees Libra, conjunct both Mercury and Black moon Lilith. The south node is a point of release, so you can look to the house in your chart to see what themes will most be affected. In general, Libra is about balance, harmony and justice - what do we want to let go of in order to create more harmony?

Mercury rules thoughts and communication. Black moon Lilith rules our sense of empowerment and fighting against oppression and injustice. We might be releasing mental patterns or internalized ideas that keep us feeling hopeless, stuck or disempowered.

This chart also shows a square to Mars in Cancer, an emotional warrior. We may feel a need to take action around the Cancer ruled area of our chart, a tension between relational harmony and home, family and belonging. Do we sacrifice our needs to feel a sense of belonging? Do we hide parts of self in fear of rejection, shame or abandonment? Do we feel guilty when we participate in acts of self care?

Looking back over the history of eclipses on this axis, you might be able to see a pattern more clearly:

October 18, 2013 Lunar Eclipse 26° Aries

April 15, 2014 Lunar Eclipse 25° Libra

October 8, 2014 Lunar Eclipse 15° Aries

April 4, 2015 Lunar Eclipse 14° Libra

September 27, 2015 Lunar Eclipse 5° Aries

March 23, 2016 Lunar Eclipse 3° Libra

PREVIOUS : 2004-2006

We can see this pattern last occurred from 2014-2016 and before that 2004-2006. This eclipse is in my first house of self, identity, ego and body. Libra is about relationships and harmony. I met my partner in 2014 and got pregnant in 2016 - so there were major changes in my relationships, and my identity shifting from maiden to mother. In 2004, I graduated college and moved to NYC, shifting my identity from student to grown up with a corporate job!

I do want to note that the above were all lunar eclipses, and this is a solar eclipse, so the themes may feel less internal and more in your external world this time around. Reflect on the past and see how much you have learned, changed and grown in this area of your life!

I hope you feel more empowered moving into the last eclipse of the season. For my paid subscribers, I’m listing the area of your chart the eclipse is occurring. Use astro.com to pull up your birthchart, if you don’t know your time, read your sun sign. If you know your chart, look for your rising sign, but you might want to read your top three (sun, moon, rising) and see what resonates. You can also look to see what house is in Cancer (where Mars is squaring the sun) and what themes are in the mix there as well.

New moon Blessings 🌹