Weekly Forecast: Aries Solar Eclipse

This week is all about Saturday’s solar eclipse in Aries. Eclipses can always be felt for at least a week on either side of exaction, and the transits this week really emphasize the Aries eclipse. On Friday March 29th, the Sun and Moon will come together at 8 degrees of Aries. This is our last eclipse of the recently past Aries-Libra nodal transit, and the grand finale of a cycle that began in April of 2023. To contextualize this for yourself, look where Aries and Libra fall in your chart. I think Saturday’s eclipse is pretty malefic and heavy; from a personal perspective, there is potential for strength and growth with some courage.

Aries and Libra are ruled by Mars and Venus respectively, an axis that is about the conflict that can arise between authentic self being and a being that brings harmony to relationships. Friday’s eclipse shows us that it is possible to have both without sacrifice, but it is no easy feat. The eclipse is ruled by Mars, still residing in Cancer and in a 0-orb square with Arian Chiron. Chiron in Aries knows the pain of rejection for authenticity, and knows also that self repression is death; Chiron in Aries is a survivor, who does what is necessary for self preservation and does not need apologize for doing so. Chiron in Aries does not easily trust others and feels safest alone. Mars in Cancer, on the other hand, seeks safety from belonging to their in-group, operates defensively and intuitively, prone to sacrificing the individual goal for perceived security of the whole. The square they are forming teaches us that self expression is braver, and more rewarding with a witness. Acceptance can only come if you allow yourself to be seen. Sacrificing full authentic being for belonging is self defeating; a strong “family” must know one another.

Conflicts may arise around this eclipse, as Mars is trine Pisces and current inhabitants, most closely aspecting Saturn. Areas of discord that have subtly and slowly developed are approaching a reckoning. In Cancer and Pisces, these could be sensitive topics with high emotional stakes that suddenly become hard to ignore. A trine is a friendly aspect, and Saturn is looking at what has occurred over Mars’ recent retrograde cycle and making a decision.

Meanwhile, we have to remember that we are still in Piscean, Neptunian, Saturnian Venus retrograde weather. And, there is potential that deception or disillusionment are involved in this story. The Venus retrograde is bringing our values, self conceptions, and relationships back into alignment with reality and who we are. Neptune, Saturn, and the North Node give a sense of reckoning with whatever was out of line or untrue. These planets and points are ruled by Jupiter in Gemini, dynamic, intelligent, and corruptible. Practice honesty with yourself and others, be aware of potential alternative motives in interpersonal communications, expect the clarity that you need around relationships to come in if it hasn’t yet.

Another configuration to note is that Uranus is in a tight applying sextile with Saturn, and a 2 degree orb applying sextile with Mars. This brings attention to the way we approach difficult experiences. The malefics in water signs, and Uranus in embodied Taurus, hint that life’s difficulties and limitations need to be felt (not disassociated from); the emotional dips we experience around this time (and into April) can prompt internal rearrangements. The depth with which you experience pain, is the depth with which you experience joy.

Finally, Mercury will be at 0 degrees of Aries during the eclipse, about to retrograde back into Pisces as Neptune ingresses into Aries for the first time in our lifetimes. This transit gives this eclipse so much beautiful potential; Aries is in the spotlight, and the Neptune-Mercury exchange allows us to dream in the Aries realm of our charts beyond past limits of imagination. We are between worlds, between Aries and Pisces, between Neptune eras, and in the mouth of the Fates (eclipse season); Mercury at 0 Aries allows for brand new ideas to generate. Neptune’s ingress brings possibility, and a never before seen energy to the Arian house in our charts. If Aries is about self expression and authenticity for you in this cycle, imagine recognition and understanding beyond your wildest dreams. Evaluate your perspectives; this transit uniquely highlights how our mind filters, and therefore creates, our lived experiences.

The quick day by day breakdown is: Monday, the Capricorn moon will oppose Mars and square Chiron, bringing our emotional energy to the Mars-Chiron square that is a part of the eclipse chart. Saturn rules the moon, and the energy is somber. On Tuesday, we have a Mercury Cazimi. This brings Mercury in to the heart of the Sun, marking the halfway point of Mercury retrograde; the picture we are looking at is becoming clearer. On Thursday, there is a Venus Neptune conjunction. Post Venus Cazimi, the last Piscean Venus-Neptune conjunction of this retrograde cycle, our relationship ideals are reimagined with a new perspective. On Thursday as well, the moon moves into Pisces; on Friday she will traverse Saturn, the North Node, Venus, Neptune, and then Mercury on her way to her Arian eclipse degree.

I hope that the Aries-Libra eclipse cycle brought you what you needed, and happy eclipse!