Monthly Archives: July 2009

I’m just in time for the longest solar total eclipse of the 21st century. I got so fascinated by this eclipse I bought Celeste Teal’s Eclipses last year, which I wouldn’t want to miss as part of my collection.

Interpreting eclipses

While they foremost have a mundane signficance, people usually ask what the eclipse means for them so I will focus this paragraph on the interpretation of an eclipse in a natal chart. First thing to find out is what house the eclipse falls in and which sign. If it falls in one of the angular houses (1,7,4,10) the effect of the eclipse is enhanced because the 4 angular houses are also the 4 corner stones of life: profession, relations and marriage, home and family and the (bodily) self. The sign of an eclipse tells you in what kind of way this eclipse will work out.

The third thing to find out is whether this is a North Node eclipse or a South Node eclipse. The difference between the two is that North Node eclipses signify areas of new beginnings, gained strength and vigor while the south node eclipse is about giving, an area of vulnarability, where you might be confronted with some crisis. While backtracking some of my own eclipses, which I admit I didn’t have a lot in my adult life, I didn’t really notice a difference between south node eclipses and north node eclipses. Perhaps that is also because many of the eclipses occurred in my 1st and 7th house; which is also the natal position of my Nodes. Perhaps that’s what’s meant in this article, “On the other hand, an eclipse falling in a house of the North Node influence may open new doors and present major life-changing opportunities.”

Aspects the eclipse makes to natal planets are only important if they’re conjunctions or oppositions. Some count squares or parrallels as well, but I personally wouldn’t do that. The planet in conjunction or opposition to the eclipse point will color the entire meaning of the eclipse. In my own chart you can see that my Mars/North Node in the 7th house is on the exact spot the July 21st eclipse will hit. A solar total eclipse in an angular house is literally active for years and it remains a sensitive point for quite some time. Usually the eclipse also needs to be activated by either Sun, Mars or Saturn since these are the planets that have the biggest impact.

Solar Eclipse Chart july 2009

• 7th house: relationships, partnerships (business), open enemies, contracts.
• Eclipse in Cancer (water): home(land), family, large crowds, the public, popular subjects of the moment. Those dealing in domestic products or services of interest to women will find that eclipses in the sign of Cancer precede a transitional period [Teal].
• Eclipse conjunction to Mars: health issues, feeling like you have confidence “fight spirit” but at the same time conflicts, one of the most eclipsed planets prior to the marriage of a woman [Teal].

Points of discussion
Some astrologers say that you need to be “in the path” of the eclipse for it to be of signficance to you.