
11 August 2018, 10h58 BST
After an intense and emotional period following the Blood Moon eclipse, its time to press the reset button on personal goals, creative projects and matters of the heart for the next six months.
Be warned though: in many respects, this eclipse is also about examining – and possibly altering – the way you think and express yourself, care of the involvement of a retrograde Mercury. But then, if you think about it, the only way to truly change you reality is to change your thought-patterns and what you put out into the world via your communications…after all, thoughts become things!
MAJOR THEMES
The last Solar Eclipse for 2018 is set to occur smack bang in the middle of Leo, sign of the rich and famous, as well as the flamboyant and creative.
The Sun is the planet associated most with ego and therefore with self-confidence, personal charisma and the ability to conduct oneself with dignity in public. However, when negatively aspected, it can lead to attention-seeking behaviour, diva-like antics, or embarrassing faux pas that generate headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Leo themes:
- Self expression and creativity
- Individuality and unique brands or personalities
- Courage, self-confidence and the ability to carry yourself in public
- Fame, influence, authority, leadership and organizational abilities
- Creativity, colour and brightness – whatever makes you stand out
- A natural flair for the dramatic, outrageous or flamboyant
- Playfulness, child-like joy and the ability to kid around
Something to think about over the next few months may be getting clearer on what makes you unique and what gifts you have to offer the world. Personal branding, and how to convey this without using words (yes! Mercury is retrograde after all…) are also worth contemplating. A picture, outfit or hairstyle can sometimes be more eloquent than typed words on a page, or a tirade of verbal diarrhoea, so try to think laterally.
Leo also rules the heart, so themes such as courage, bravery and taking emotional risks are all worth thinking about.
Other ways to introduce more solar energy into our lives include: wearing gold jewellery, surrounding yourself with warm, bright colours like oranges and yellows, having solar flowers such as sunflowers, marigolds or helianthus in your office/home; and any baroque artwork that includes gilt framing or warm colours.
Any good herbal will also be able to give you a list of solar herbs for tonics, including things like St Johns Wort and chamomile, honey or any yellow or gold-colored food.
Sabian Symbol
This eclipse occurs in the 19th degree of Leo, the Sabian symbol for which is:
A HOUSEBOAT PARTY CROWDED WITH REVELERS; THE WATER REFLECTS ITS LIGHTS
In many ways, this symbol is all about the good life – socialising, partying, making merry and celebrating with your favourite people. But of course, houseboats are not on land – they may even be sailing down a canal or waterway, which means it may not be so easy to get off, or away – something to bear in mind.
The key message therefore seems to revolve around mobile homes/staying relatively flexible about the idea of home or belonging, as well as being careful about what company you keep – choosing to surround yourself with the right people – with Uranus also currently retrograde, the message here seems to echo the idea of finding your tribe – people who uplift and inspire you, and celebrate you for you, rather than force to conform to some narrow set of rules or conventions.
The Sabian Oracle offers some other keywords to consider here which may pertain to your personal experience of this event:
Keywords: Emotive social pleasure. Joining with others in an adventurous spirit. Cleopatra-style parties. The issue of knowing where one’s going. Claustrophobia. Being cast adrift. Delicate social balances. Moored in water or on ground. Leisure times that are fun and free-floating. People getting ‘out of it’.
The Caution: Trapping people into ideals of pleasure. Self-indulgence. Not knowing “where” the party is going to be or finish up. Not being anchored in reality. Feeling “unmoored” and unable to disembark. Nowhere to permanently dock. Unknown destinations. Feeling trapped. Choppy seas. No one at the wheel. Springing a leak. Wanting to bail out. Tipping the boat.
Saros Series
This eclipse forms part of Brady’s 2 North Saros series – but is also known as Van den Berg Saros number 155. You can read more stats about this Saros series on the NASA website.
According to Bernadette Brady, this particular Saros series highlights relationships of all kinds, especially friendships. According to Marjorie Orr, the August eclipse could bring about ‘a potential collapse of plans, with the long-term result of transformation and rebuilding.’
Astrological chart

Key Aspects
Our ability to express ourselves clearly, make good decisions, solid plans and sound judgements is called into question as a result of two challenging aspects/factors surrounding this particular eclipse.
The first is the proximity of a retrograde Mercury to the Sun and Moon – Mercury will be within 4 degrees of the Sun and therefore ‘under the sunbeams’. This makes the planet of intellect and communication incredibly weak, a situation exacerbated by a square to Jupiter in domineering (and sneaky) Scorpio, which happens to be opposite the Part of Understanding.
It is therefore possible that as a result of overpowering personalities (Sun and Jupiter), we may find it difficult to be heard above all the grandstanding and showboating. It’s therefore likely that we could find ourselves in situations that hamper our ability to think straight, or express ourselves convincingly. Nothing like being publicly criticized or intimidated to turn you into a blithering idiot, or take the wind out of your sails. Online bullying being a prime example of such behaviour.
Another possibility, given the poorly-aspected Mercury and the involvement of Pluto as well as the sign of Scorpio, is that you may be the victim of deceit or manipulation – someone may try to take advantage of you, mislead you, malign your reputation by spreading malicious gossip about you or outright steal your thunder or ideas. So just be wary of who you chose to confide in or share proprietary information with now – or you could come to regret it.
Given that Mercury is retrograde and close to the North Node, it is also entirely possible that poor decisions or exaggerated statements/claims you made in the past may now come back to haunt you. Yes, karma can be a bitch. But the reality is that if we never suffered or made mistakes, we would never learn. And the North Node is all about pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones and learning from new experiences. The key is to be open to the possibility that you may need to make some adjustments to your plans and learn a few more tricks – Mercury in Leo and Jupiter in Scorpio are both quite proud and ego-centered, so are often unwilling to admit it when a mistake has been made. Staying fluid and adaptable will be key – these are fixed signs and can therefore become quite stubborn, but this will only serve to make you sink deeper into the quicksand. Staying light on your feet will be key now if you are to rescue things.
In addition, the Sun and Moon will make a 150 degree quincunx to Pluto. Unlike the July solar eclipse, which was pretty intense due to a Pluto opposition, this will not be as ‘do or die’, but it could mean having to make some course-corrections, adjustments or compromises in order to cope with what can otherwise feel like a turning point, mini crisis or threat, possibly related to power or control issues, and compulsive or self-destructive behavior. The position of transiting Pluto in your natal chart will be able to tell you more about the nature of this particular situation. But let’s just say that Pluto is often to with taboo subjects like sex, abuse, crime etc.
Just remember that most of how you experience situations is down to your perceptions of – and reactions to – it. Mercury and Jupiter are all about judgement and perception. And these are bound to be off-kilter when square aspects are involved. Something to bear in mind if you start to feel afraid or panic…The best way to deal with any/all of the above is to stay centred in heart-based energy – be like a Buddhist and let go of attachment, practise loving kindness and remain humble.
The heart-based lessons we have all been learning during the annual activation of the Lion’s Gate Portal should stand us all in good stead now. And here’s why: There is a hidden aspect pattern to this eclipse which has the potential to flip things around, and help you to alchemically transmute negative situations into positive ones. This aspect involves the fixed star, Sirius – the very star at the centre of the Lion’s Gate Portal. More on this in the section on ‘Fixed Stars’ below.
Parts and Lots
The Sun and Moon will both be conjunct the Part of the Honourable Acquaintance – this has become something of a running theme around eclipses and important mundane astrological events in the last few years. This part is calculated in a diurnal chart using the following formula: Ascendant + Sun – Part of Fortune
In essence, the suggestion here is that over the next six months, you need to consider how you are affected by the behaviour and decisions of public figures such as local celebrities, figureheads, politicians and community leaders (Sun is in Leo in the 10th house) and insist that they act with integrity by holding them to account. It also points to people with Leonine qualities as being the most likely candidates if you are trying to find useful and trustworthy assistants or human ‘angels’ to help you with difficult matters.
Worth pointing out too is the fact that Jupiter, which will be negatively aspecting the eclipse, is opposing the Part of Understanding, which very much suggests that you may need to look before you leap, avoid being over-confident and always double check your facts before making any announcements or taking major risks, because your judgement may be wanting. Either that, or a teacher or guru of yours may be mistaken or give you poor advice, so always seek a second opinion before taking on board recommendations from anyone who positions themself as an ‘expert’. And yes, that includes people like astrologers!…
Fixed Stars
I could go on here about the fixed star, Dubhe and it’s proximity to Mercury, but plenty of other astrologers have already done so very nicely, including Jamie Patridge, so I won’t repeat myself here.
Instead, what I want to focus on here is a major grand trine involving Jupiter, Neptune and Sirius. As I revealed in my blog about the 8-8-2018 Lion’s Gate Portal, Sirius is an extremely bright star in the constellation of Canis Major – the Dog. As the brightest star (and therefore, technically, a sun), it is associated not just with fire and heat (its name is derived from the Greek word for ‘scorching’), but also with brilliance, fame and honours – similar qualities to Leo.
It was the most important star of all to the ancient Egyptians because of its association with the annual inundation and therefore with fertile, life-giving agents such as the mother goddess, Isis – and the Greek goddess Demeter. Think of the Empress card in the Tarot deck and you get the idea.
To the theosophists and stellar lightworkers,
Sirius is said to hold an analogous position to our Sun as the individual human Soul does to the persona. It is analogous to the Soul of our solar system.
According to these teachings, between mid-July and early August, when Sirius rises heliacally – an energetic portal opens up between Sirius, the earth and Sun, enabling us to connect more clearly with our soul or spiritual selves, and receive celestial guidance from them and other wise stellar beings.
Now, during the eclipse, Jupiter will be coming together with Neptune and Sirius to form a major grand trine in water signs. This should enable us to gain access to insight and teachings usually hidden from view during the 2 or so weeks that follow the Leo New Moon. This information has the potential to tap into a fount of inspiration and wisdom that will enable us to find solutions to our problems, and ways around any potential dilemmas that we may find ourselves in as a result of the challenging, fear-based energy created by Pluto and Mercury. It should also help to cancel out any negative tendencies to want to control, dominate or hang onto advantages gained by unfair means brought about by Mercury’s square to Jupiter.
This water-based energy will also provide the peace and flow needed to bypass, circumvent or move through any drama or ego-based situations brought about through the fixed energy of Leo-Scorpio.
If we had any doubts about this, consider the Sabian symbols of Neptune:
19th degree of Pisces (Neptune) – In a quiet moment, the flow of inspiration.
The upshot: If you find yourself getting stuck, panicking or feeling at a loss for what to do in a crisis, pray or ask to be shown a sign – your calls won’t go unanwered. Messages may come in the form of a song on the radio, a film with a parable in it, or via your dreams – all Neptunian mediums. So, whatever occurs now, remain calm, have faith, and stay open to miracles – you just may witness one in the build-up to August the 19th, when the Jupiter-Neptune trine peaks – and Mercury turns direct!
Geographical position
This eclipse will take place quite high up, close to the north pole, so will only be visible to countries at northern lattitutudes, including the northerly states of America like New York and Vermont, Canada, Greenland, Northern Europe and north-eastern Asia.
The eclipse will begin at around 08h02 UTC (16h46 BST) and last until around 11h30 UTC For more information on local timings, and a diagram of its visibility, visit TimeandDate.com.
Past Precedent
This group of eclipses previously occurred in 1928, 1946, 1964, 1982, 2000 and will not take place again until 2036.