But let's rewind and review. Eclipses happen at least twice a year, usually in pairs that occur about 2 weeks apart. Astronomically, there are a number of different kinds of eclipses, but all of them involve shadowy interplay between the Sun, the Earth, and the Moon. Astrologically, the eclipses are transits that show you something previously hidden and inaccessible to you. Usually several somethings. And usually those revelations have at least a little something to do with precisely where you are your own worst enemy: where you are a casualty of your own hipness, where you are creating your own chaos and drama through those giant twin turbo engines of obliviousness and denial. At their most basic, the eclipses will show you your shadow and your light: as above, so below; as outside, so inside.

You can pretty much always count on at least one of those soon-to-be-revealed somethings being an external one, and at least one an internal one. Usually in that order. On the external level, there will be some sort of catalytic occurrence that changes your perception of your external world, and therefore your reality: a sickness, death or loss, the discovery and disclosure of political deals, inept leadership, infidelities, lies and omissions, corruptions and betrayals. There is always a spike in your awareness and understanding of these, at both macro and micro levels. Then that usually triggers the internal awakening, revealing where and how you were tacitly complicit via one of your various denial mechanisms: where you were doing your ostrich thing, or pretending to be Sergeant Schultz from Hogan's Heroes ("I know nu-think!!!!!). Again, like all transits, the eclipses bring a lot of training opportunities, and they are also a time when miraculous, fab-tastically good things happen. So pay attention. It helps to look to the signs involved and the realms they rule in order to determine where the astrological equivalent of the impact zone or cone of uncertainly will likely be.

Finding Your Way: Making Peace

In closing, these days I am seeing a lot of clients experiencing massive familial changes - often quite suddenly. Factor in Mercury's messages, Capricorn's material influences and Pluto's relentless intolerance for the superficial, and I am seeing some, ummmmm, patterns here. Deaths and divorces, scandals and foreclosures, job and financial losses - even the loss of beloved pets -  all sorts of life events that force families and neighbors to come together and form a more functional whole. Again, with the benefit of hindsight, it is always clear that there were clues and warning signs along the way, many of which we somehow managed to miss.

This summer's duet of eclipses, and the revelations they bring, just have a magical way of illuminating everything, ready or not. Suddenly all the spider webs and dust bunnies in all the dark corners of your world are just right out there for all to see. Especially you. In a general, very generic and somewhat experiential way, the eclipses are the antidote to the Mercury Retrograde. Seriously. Both transits work to your benefit, and their goal is the same - to get you to pure (or at least purer) consciousness. But they work in very, very different ways. Pretty much diametrically opposite ways. The retrogrades make things funky, foggy, miserably murky, hard to see and even harder still to grasp, obtain or attain. Especially material things. The cloudiness and lack of clarity created by Mercury's retrogrades force you to abandon all but the most necessary and mundane activities and be right here in the proverbial now. In all it's urgent glory, and in absolute loving allowance. Amen.

The eclipses, however, go at it from an entirely different direction. They force you to open your eyes and ears, your heart and mind to things you have heretofore not seen, not heard, and/or not known. Or had the capacity to. The eclipses burst whatever your biggest, most self-destructive denial bubble is, ready or not. They expand your capacity to be present and your ability to deal. And that leads me to my prescription for this transit. There is only one: just be committed to being abso-freaking-lutely, exceptionally, Braveheart smart. Seriously. If you were a Scottish clan, your motto would be "Don't do stupid sh*t." It's not what you know, it's what you do with what you know. And lord knows, there is plenty to do. There are great karmic completions happening, and opportunities to finish things that have been languishing or that you have out and out resisted or rejected. So do them, do them right thing, and do them right the first time. And be humble about it. With a capitol H. Keep looking to the stars to light your way, and if you get stuck, call me. We'll figure it out!