Blood moon lunar eclipse in Aries: birthing is painful

Here in Europe the much anticipated total lunar eclipse in Aries occurs in the early morning of 28 September. Because the Moon is at its ‘perigee’ (at its closest to the Earth) this lunar eclipse will appear much larger than usual, a phenomena that some modern astrologers call a Super Moon. As it will also be tinged red by the reflection of the Sun’s light it will also be a Blood Moon. Such a combination is a rare event and will not occur again until 2033.

A lunar eclipse only occurs when the Moon is full. During a total lunar eclipse the Moon, Earth and Sun must be exactly aligned or the shadow of the Earth will not fall exactly across the face of the Moon. This is why total lunar eclipses are significant astrologically: the perfect alignment of the Sun, Earth and Moon represents a powerful tension between the active and reactive, or yin and yang, aspects of our being, which cuts right to our core. When this tension activates a planet or point in our natal chart it often creates powerful change.

The ancients found both the sudden disappearance of the Moon and the resulting tension and emotion highly disturbing. Traditional astrologers therefore viewed lunar eclipses as unfortunate, some even associated them with ghosts, demons and dark magic. Perhaps this is because they were afraid of change, as we often are, clinging to what we know and reluctant to let go of the familiar and the certain.

As with all full Moons a total lunar eclipse is a time of letting go, of clearing out the trash, completing projects that have been hanging around too long, and resolving old stories that need to end. The difference with a lunar eclipse is that the things you let go of and bring to completion during this time will have a significant impact on your life over the coming months.

Being in the first degrees of Aries this lunar eclipse brings a strong energy of individualism, fire, self-assertion and action, and with the Sun in relationship focused Libra it strongly triggers the axis of self and other. It is therefore very likely to bring up tension within our primary relationships as we strive to find balance in this area.

During this lunar eclipse we are being given an opportunity to find balance between having our own needs met and giving generously of our energy in relationships. You may find yourself pulled between a need to maintain harmony in your primary relationships and a strong urge to assert your own needs and act on your own terms. As such it is an excellent time to set right any imbalance you may have been experiencing in your relationships.

To help clarify where such an imbalance may lie ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you sometimes stir up conflict because you feel its important to have your say?
• Do you believe deep down that negotiation and compromise are weak?
• Do you think you’d be in trouble if those you love were not there to take care of you?

If so, the archetype of Aries may be overly emphasised in your chart and personality.

• Do you try to maintain peace in relationships, even at the expense of your own needs?
• Do you find it difficult to stand up for what you need when this might upset others?
• Do you think people who boldly state their needs are selfish and demanding, or brave and courageous? If the latter, do you admire such people from a distance?

If so the archetype of Libra may be overly emphasised in your chart and personality.

Lunar eclipses can be highly emotional as they tend to bring endings in your life. Sometimes this is an actual end, such as a relationship breakup, moving house or quitting a job. At other times it manifests as a realisation, where new information comes into play that no longer allows you to continue on as you have been. Sometimes this information has been there all along but we’ve been in denial; at other times we receive news that changes everything.

The thing about lunar eclipses is that although they can be painful, especially if your natal chart is triggered, the change you experience will ultimately bring a sense of resolution and freedom as you let go of baggage (attitudes, relationships, roles etc) that has been holding you back. Metaphorically, something you have been clinging to may be quite literally ‘eclipsed’ from your life. Let it go… something beautiful and new is going to grow in its place.

To make things easier to deal with, this lunar eclipse is in trine aspect to Saturn which will help stabilise your emotional reactions, which otherwise could be quite fiery and explosive with the Moon in Aries. Saturn has just moved into Sagittarius and here one of his tasks is to bring order where chaos has ruled for too long. This is a grounding energy that can help you feel more emotionally settled and secure.

This lunar eclipse is the fourth and last of four total lunar eclipses that have occurred over the past two years. The first two were on 15 April and 8 October 2014, and the most recent on 4 April 2015. As the final eclipse in the cycle, it represents the end of a process of release. This process was strongly aligned with the transit of Saturn through Scorpio, with its emphasis on reclaiming our energy from anyone or anything we had given it away to. If you haven’t fully integrated this lesson you can read my article Saturn in Scorpio: reclaim your power.

This lunar eclipse represents a powerful opportunity to consolidate our personal power and let go of any fears we have of asserting ourselves and stepping out creatively and powerfully in our lives, while at the same time honouring the needs of those we love. For those who are afraid that this may be painful, please take heart. When such a strong and long-lasting lunar eclipse occurs in the early degrees of Aries, the first sign in the zodiac, we can be sure that something brand new is about to be birthed.

Meanwhile in another part of the cosmos…

The powerful month-long opposition between Jupiter and Neptune is now dissolving and Jupiter is moving into trine with Pluto. This is an aspect that will facilitate necessary change in our lives, particularly the destruction of structures that are restricting our growth. It will help us let go of things that need to end and is therefore very supportive for working with this Lunar eclipse. The Jupiter-Pluto trine is exact on 12 October and will last until the end of that month.

Also over the next couple of weeks a square between Mars in Virgo and Saturn in Sagittarius has the potential to create conflict with those around you. Be careful of getting too obsessed with details when trying to bring order to chaos, especially when other people are involved. Allow others their freedom and the right to their weaknesses and failings. The best approach is to take care of your own crap and let others take care of theirs.

How will this lunar eclipse in Aries affect you?

This lunar eclipse will affect you most strongly if it activates planets or points in your natal chart. Those who have planets placed between 1 and 7 degrees of the Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) will be especially affected.

To gain a better understanding of the areas of life that will be most affected by this lunar eclipse look to see where the 4th degree of Aries and Libra fall in your natal chart. For me these degrees are in my 4th and 10th Houses. This means the lunar eclipse is likely to highlight the need for balance between home and career. If there is imbalance in these areas I may be forced to let go of something I value in order to bring things back into a healthy alignment. This may be painful but ultimately will result in greater well-being in these areas of my life.

What do you expect from this lunar eclipse?

Practice your predictive astrology by checking to see where this lunar eclipse will fall in your chart and share the insights you gain. What areas of life do you expect to be affected? Do you have any planets or pointed that will be triggered? Can you foresee any major changes or endings that will be catalysed by this lunar eclipse?