I do believe that interpreting and utilizing eclipses and their energies can be one of the most helpful applications of modern astrology. And I find it particularly helpful in working with groups of people: families, companies, communities. Honestly, during the eclipses, when our inner deceptions and delusions become unsustainable, what I see most in individual clients is an awakening to something that has been going on for some time: loved ones with secret affairs and addictions, previously unknown embezzlements, debts or bank accounts. With small business clients, I see a lot of business owners and partners finding out about the same sorts of duplicities, often with more zeroes before the decimal points.  In corporations, civil service sectors and political circles, I see a lot of the same plus mutinies, territorial plots, corruptions, espionage and subterfuge, fiscal mismanagement, as well as manipulation of elections and legislation by lobbyists and special interest groups. If there are other transits involved, especially retrogrades we have now, the impact will be greater.There will be more epiphanies and revelations.

A word here about definitions and the difference between an epiphany (the hallmark of the Mercury Retrogrades) and a revelation (the hallmark of the eclipses). Yes, I know. For most of you this may be splitting spiritual hairs here, but the Virgos will understand (God, I love you guys). There is a very distinct difference, and in the interest of precision, it would be good to take little peek. For me, an epiphany is a sudden insight, a brilliant new intuitive understanding, an "AHA" moment. During the retrogrades, especially those of Mercury, your ability to consciously override your unconscious mind lessens, and you can have a lot more epiphanies. It is more internally driven. During the eclipses, something external occurs, which causes something that was in the shadows to be forced out into the light. Something external is revealed. And if you can stay calm and present, that will in turn, reveal something internally within you. For clues as to that, you look at the astronomy and astrology of it. 

Like any other transit, an eclipse will activate the area of the chart in which it falls for you. You want to look first at the signs and the houses the eclipses transit, as well as any conjunctions, squares or oppositions they create to natal chart points. So you will want to be paying attention to that in much the same way you do with Mercury's Retrograde. And when you do, if you find that the Sun or Moon of an eclipse does not fall within two degrees of anything in your natal chart, the revelations of this time period will most likely be much more impersonal and benign. For those of you who are not as directly affected by a set of eclipses, keep your head down, your eyes and ears open, and don't gloat or judge, as your turn will most assuredly come. Find your inner Buddha/Christ/whatever, and try to lend a hand to those who are more affected. For those of you who do have more of a direct impact, well, let's tawk, shall we?

For those of you who find the Sun or Moon of an eclipse occurs within two degrees of anything in your natal chart, you will definitely want to be paying close attention (code for call me, STAT) to the things going on in your life. It is also a good idea to do some serious pre-emptive detective work: read a whole lot more of the fine print, and ask a whole lot more questions than you are currently asking. Be humble, don't assume you know what is going on, don't take unnecessary risks, and play your cards closer to the vest than you normally would. And, as always, hope for the best, know your limits and risk tolerances, and prepare for the worst based on them, so if the worst does occur, you are not caught short and scrambling.