Not even a week after New Year and eclipse season has begun – welcome to 2019! In many ways, January’s first solar eclipse is a follow-up to July 2018’s rather unusual (and secretive) Friday the 13th Solar Eclipse in Cancer. As was the case last summer, this one will also have the signature of Pluto all over it. But this time, there is one key difference – Pluto will be on the SAME SIDE of the zodiac as the Sun and Moon, which means much less tension and inner conflict. The upshot: Get ready because it’s time to come fully into your personal power!
Ties to July 2018 Eclipses
The first solar eclipse of 2018 will take place at the New Moon in Capricorn on 6 January 2019 at 01h28 GMT (03h47 SAST).
In many way, this particular soli-lunar event can be seen as a book-end to the Cancer solar eclipse of July 2018. However, as is often the case with magic, this time, everything that happens will be a MIRROR IMAGE of what happened last summer. What do I mean by that?
Firstly, the July eclipse took place very close to the SOUTH POLE, so it wasn’t visible for most people on the planet. It also meant that it was both obscure and short-lived. (Although, as many of us now realize, looking back, this didn’t make it any less powerful – if anything it knocked many of us sideways…) By contrast, the January solar eclipse will take place close to the NORTH POLE – so will be slightly more visible to those in northern Russia, Japan and China, as well as north-western parts of Canada. So a literal direction reversal – from down to up, from below to above, if you like!
Fate, Destiny & the Lunar Nodes
In astrological language, the January 6 solar eclipse will occur close to the LUNAR SOUTH NODE (ie also known as the Dragon’s Tail, or the Moon’s descending node). Along with Pluto and Neptune, this is likely to mean opportunities to TRANSFORM old hurts, unhealthy habits, ancestral patterns and any beliefs or behaviour which may be preventing you from growing as a soul so that they EMPOWER you, rather than hold you back. This time though, you will be working on the opposite issues to those of the July Cancer eclipse – those embodied in the sign of Capricorn. (More on this in the Sign section below)
Is this Eclipse Personal?
For those people born between the dates below, this eclipse will pack more than its usual punch. Why? Because the eclipse will take place very close to, or smack bang on top of, their natal north nodes. This means: incoming soul lessons, fated meetings and important karmic turning points or crossroads. In other words, there is likely to be an extra dimension involving soul/fate/destiny at work in whatever choices you make now:
BIRTH DATE RANGES:
- First week of Nov 1916- early April 1917
- End Jun 1935 – early Aug 1935
- Mid-March 1954 – mid-June 1954
- Early Oct 1972 – first week of Mar 1973
- Late Apr 1991 – first week of Oct 1991
- Late Nov 2009 – Mid-Apr 2010
If you are one of the above people who has a Capricorn-Cancer nodal axis, then you can expect the next six months to throw up life lessons and opportunities for personal growth around Capricornian themes (More on this in the section below about signs.) In a nutshell, though, see this period as a chance to develop qualities such as: self-sufficiency, emotional resilience, inner authority, survival skills.
Sign
The January 6 solar eclipse takes place at 15 degrees Capricorn.
Anyone who has planets or chart points at, or between, 10-20 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn, is bound to be affected more personally by events triggered at the solar eclipse than most other people.
A cardinal earth sign, the Goat is the polar opposite of Cancer. So rather than being emotional, touchy-feely, needy and nurturing, Capricorn is tough, self-reliant, steely, pragmatic and ambitious. Think of the strong, silent characters played by actors like Clint Eastwood, Robert De Niro and Ryan Gosling and you’ll get the picture.
Public vs Private
While Cancer is focused on belonging to heart-based or private family groups, Capricorn is all about our relationships with public groups and society – hence it’s association with business networking, roles in public office, social status, fame, reputation, management/leadership responsibilities. You could say it is about ‘what’, rather than ‘who’ we are. In essence, it is about coming to terms with how to live in the material world and our encounters with the establishment.
Other key themes associated with Capricorn include:
- Pragmatism, getting real, gain through pain
- Economy, thrift, self-denial, long-term thinking
- Work, career ambitions and public achievement
- Self-discipline, mastering a skill, becoming an expert/authority
- Fatherhood, retirement, death and old age
- Cultivated habits, conscious behaviour, learned reactions
- Financial security, protection of self, self-sufficiency
The last time we experienced any solar eclipses in this sign was Christmas Day 2000, so you may want to cast your mind back to this period to see if you can find any parallels or connections with situations that arise now. If you need a quick reminder of the astrology of these events, then visit my eclipse chronology page.
Sabian Symbol
This eclipse occurs at 16th degree of Capricorn. The Sabian Symbol for this degree is:
Boys and girls in gymnasium suits.
It is interesting to consider this Sabian symbol in relation to that of the Cancer Solar Eclipse, which was all about a Prima Donna singing. Both degrees concern being judged/appraised for external talents or personal gifts – something that Capricorn is very much concerned with. Capricorns seldom put a foot wrong (think of Kate Middleton, the now Duchess of Cambridge, for instance) because their urge to be accepted by the establishment is very strong.
However, while the Cancer solar eclipse seemed to be about someone demanding to be the centre of attention and the object of praise, this degree seems to be a lot more subtle, but no less intent on commanding people’s admiration. In this case, though, this seems to centre more around physical strength, form or prowess than one’s skills or abilities.
The suggestion here is two-fold: On the one hand, we shouldn’t count entirely on our looks to get us what we want, or base our identity solely on appearances, which are transient. On the other, perhaps precisely because of the transience of physicality and the frailty that ageing brings, it may also be time to attend to one’s personal temple – the body and its physical condition – and consider how this could either be helping or hindering you to function and thrive in the world. Health and self-improvement is certainly a theme that is popular at this time of year: retailers call January the month of ‘new year, new you’, and with good reason!
So, at this time, it would seem that you may want to consider ways to improve your physical mobility (do you need to build strength or repair injuries?); use exercise to improve your overall health and wellness (more and more research is showing the links between psychological wellbeing and physical activity); as well as how your body may play a role in improving your vitality. Lynda Hill sums it up neatly when she writes:
This Symbol asks whether you’ve been neglecting your physical well-being of late. Now is a good time to reestablish an affinity with your body and your vitality.
And of course, when it comes to the body, there is no getting away from the link between sexuality, fitness/health and body confidence. which is interesting, because, thanks to the fixed star, Vega and the involvement of Pluto and Neptune, there is most definitely a seductive element to this particular eclipse. More on that in the Aspects & Fixed Stars section below.
For those looking for some more inspiration for meditating on the personal meaning of this particular degree, the Sabian Oracle provides the following keywords:
Keywords: Developing muscular coordination. Sexual energy, attraction or satisfaction. Playing, marching, competition, rivalry. Singing songs of unity. New anthems for the young. The search for identity. Being able to accomplish things on the physical level. Physical fitness. Uniforms and uniformity. Gymnasiums. Exercise equipment. Conscription. Being one of many. Learning how to get along with the opposite sex. Bodybuilding. Level playing fields.
The Caution: Physical showing off for sexual attention. Relationships based on purely physical or sexual attraction. Having to do things that one isn’t capable of physically doing. Not joining in.
Astrological chart
Key Aspects
Sun & Moon conjunct Pluto
In contrast to the July 2018 Cancer Eclipse, which opposed Pluto, this eclipse will be CONJUNCT Pluto in Capricorn. So, while intense, you could say that Pluto will be symbolically working WITH, rather than AGAINST the eclipse.
Pluto concerns power and control – which can be both positive and negative. Self-control is good, but developing OCD or a sexual obsession, is often more extreme and less welcome or easy to live with, for instance.
While Pluto is certainly no stranger to drama, extremities and fanatical behaviour, I think it is probably fair to say that the Cancer eclipse gave many of us the chance to rid ourselves of any ‘shady’ stuff in relationships (especially family ones) and come more into balance with our own darker sides. So this time around, it may be a good idea to ponder ways to put your obsessiveness or inner control freak to good use – concentration and staying power at work being just two examples of where this might pay off, rather than create forms of soul bondage that hold you back.
Pluto is also about hidden influences that can either persuade, attract or create some form of hold over us or others. Sexual allure, personal magnetism or the ability to hold people’s attention (or help them improve their lives for the better) are all more positive – and definitely more attractive – expressions of this planet. And it is these lighter, more life-enhancing qualities that we are now being asked to concentrate on and encourage now as we enter 2019.
Neptune sextile the Sun & Moon
The reason I say this is the involvement of Neptune in this particular eclipse – Neptune will be separating from its sextile to the Sun and Moon at the time of the eclipse (and so will still be very much ‘in the frame.’) Together with the fixed star, Vega, which you can read more about below, it brings a decidedly Orphic element to matters. what do I mean by this? Think of the most hypnotic, magical, romantic and seductive aspects of Neptune and you’ll understand what I mean…
Orpheus was a poet, musician and prophet whose musical gifts with the lyre gave him the ability to enchant anyone who heard him play. Not even Hades, Lord of the Underworld (aka Pluto!) was said to be able to resist the bewitching beauty of his music.
Now Neptune rules those art forms most associated with seduction: poetry, photography, music and film. These all have something in common: all of them involve some form of rhythm. metre or movement…a bit like the movements of the ocean, or something else I dare not mention!
Diamond with Venus-Mars
Speaking of which, Venus, planet of beauty and charm, currently in the final degrees of sexy Scorpio, will form a loose diamond aspect pattern (how appropriate!) with passionate Mars, healing Chiron and the lunar nodes. All of which does seem to point to healing and uplifting relationships and sensual experiences that help us to reconnect our sacral centres with our heart centres. In other words, combine sex and love in a way that is healthier and more fulfilling to both body and soul.
So at this eclipse, then, you may want to consider how to use your own powers of seduction or persuasion to enchant the world and make them sit up and listen to what you have to say/appreciate what you have to offer. As the Sabian symbol tells us, this may involve the way you choose to package your message – and in this new world of appearances, there’s no getting away from this fact!
Pluto is also about healing, transformation, reinvention and resurrection; while Neptune is about shapeshifting and the ability to elevate the everyday into the magical; and the mundane, to the sublime. Think magic spells, the art of seduction and of course, the power of art to transmute the lower into the higher – something both Pluto and Neptune are very good at in their own ways.
So, between now and the summer, perhaps you may want to ask Neptune and Pluto to help you transform your physical body into a more refined temple for the spirit (or just a work of art for the beach ;)? Or you may wish to take your artistic skills to another level so that the world sits up and takes you more seriously.
After all, this eclipse is in Capricorn, which is all about expertise, competence and enhanced ability. Some esotericists associated it with the Emperor in the Tarot deck – no doubt because it is a cardinal earth sign, so representing the ‘king’ or master of the material world. The sign of Capricorn usually represents someone in their maturity who has earned his stripes, overcome crises of confidence and adversity (as well as the competition) to become a consumate craftsman – a master in the old sense of the word.
It’s also about staying power – the Sun and Moon in Capricorn don’t shrink from a challenge or give up because things get a little tough. So be like the oyster and turn any grit into some pearls.
Fixed Stars
At the time of the eclipse, the Sun and Moon will be conjunct the fixed star VEGA, which is one of the Alpha stars in the constellation of Lyra (the harp of Orpheus, no less!).
According to Vivian Robson, Ptolemy considered this to be a fortunate star of the nature of Venus and Mercury which confers luck in politics, artistic talents and fleeting fame, as well as generosity and practicality. Bernadette Brady associated with it a ‘Visionary with a very persuasive voice or charismatic ideas’ – someone like Orpheus who can bring heaven down to earth, however briefly. The keywords here are: charm, charisma and magic.
However, it does also have a dark side and in this sense, has been associated with double-dealing and in some cases, theft or copycatting (think artistic forgery and of course, counterfeit money). as well as a certain degree of pretentiousness, as well as a love of the good life (which does have the potential to spill over into debauchery).
When paired with Pluto in Capricorn, one can see how this could go either way – either adding gravitas and substance, or making one a little bit wily or ‘streetwise’. Neptune is also not shy of gilding the lily occasionally – think of Photoshop or photo filters on Instagram, for instance. Here I can’t help thinking of the goddess Metis, who was known for her ‘magical cunning’ – a quality that the ancient Greeks greatly admired. The world isn’t always fair and sometimes you can’t play by the rules if you want to get somewhere. But if done with the right intentions, this can be harmless. But as with Orpheus, provided this ability is used for the good, as he did to rescue his wife, Eurydice, then no harm done. Still, something to consider – one shouldn’t necessarily take everything people say at face value…
You can read more about the constellation of Lyra, its history and significations at Astrology King as well as the Constellation of Words website. If you are interested in famous personalities and Vega, then you may enjoy Darkstar Astrology.
Saros Series
The Capricorn eclipse forms part of the Bernadette Brady’s 2 South Saros series (Van den Berg 122), which she sees as being concerned with ‘unusual groups and the individual’s involvement with those groups.’ She cites a growing desire on the part of an individual to align themselves with, or join a group that allows them to focus on pursuits or ideals involving healing, the arts or humanitarian causes.
Think communes, cooperatives, artistic communities and of course, charitable organisations and think tanks. All of which are enjoying a certain popularity at the moment, which is interesting, given that the nodes are considered by some to represent ‘groupthink’ or the collective consciousness…
Past Precedent
This group of eclipses first began on 17 April in the year 991 CE/AD and will end in around May 2235. More recent solar eclipses in this series occurred in 1910, 1928, 1946, 1964, 1982 and Christmas 2000.
Geographical position
This particular solar eclipse occurs quite close to the north pole, which means that it will only be visible in: northern Russia, the western tip of Canada, Mongolia, eastern China and Japan.
An interactive map of the eclipse path can be found at Time and Date.com.
