The Eclipses of Fall 2023

Photo by Roger Erdvig on Unsplash

Eclipses occur in pairs, two weeks apart, about every six months. They move through each polarity of signs over the course of approximately two years. One polarity will start to phase out while the next polarity starts to weave into the cycle. Throughout the period that the eclipses are riding through any polarity, we are invited to discover where we are in the balance between the shadow and light expressions of the two signs involved.

On October 28th, we will have the end of the Taurus/Scorpio eclipse series with a Lunar Eclipse in Taurus. This is the final eclipse of the series which began in November of 2021.

(Find out more about the Taurus/Scorpio eclipses HERE).

The old cycle began overlapping with the new cycle with the first eclipse of the Aries/Libra cycle on April 19th, a Solar Eclipse in Aries. This series in the Aries/Libra polarity will last through 2025.

(Read more about the Aries themes of this eclipse series HERE)

On October 14th, the Libra side of the polarity comes forward with a Solar Eclipse in Libra.

The transiting nodes can help us to understand the meaning of each eclipse, as the eclipses travel closely with the nodes. The sign where the south node is currently traveling is where we will most likely confront the shadow aspects of that sign and can easily fall into sleepy, habitual behaviors. The sign where the north node is traveling is the current set of themes that we need to embrace in order to grow, even though it will be challenging.

Likewise, when an eclipse falls in the sign of the north node, it is calling us to aspire to move toward the positive aspects of that sign. This was the case with April’s eclipse in Aries: the calling was to integrate the high side of Aries, because that is also the sign of the transiting north node.

In contrast, on the upcoming eclipse of October 14th the shadow side of Libra is more likely to show up. The invitation is to become aware of our own Libra shadow behaviors, and to release them.

Shadow Libra themes are:

• Giving in to what others want without knowing or expressing what you want

• Not speaking your truth in favor of being polite

• Being inauthentic just to keep the peace

• Passive-aggressive behavior: sideways comments, giving the silent treatment, misdirected anger

• Brewing resentments in your closest relationships but not speaking on it to the person involved (and maybe venting to everyone else!)

Whether or not you have any Libra in your birth chart, you have probably engaged in some of the above behaviors recently. Me too! There are a couple of reasons for that. One is that you’re human, and we have all of the signs (and their shadow expressions) within us. We also live in a Libra-esque culture which encourages inauthentic behaviors. It’s one thing to have good manners: we smile at the person helping us at the grocery store, even if we’re in a bad mood, for example. But that kind of behavior is not the problem. The problem comes from taking that same instinct into our most important relationships: our partner, our friend, our lover, our family members. When we smile and say we’re fine, even though we’re still stewing over the thing they said that morning, we do harm to the relationship and to each other.

Within our closest one-on-one relationships, we need to push ourselves to be honest about what might be bothering us, and what we want—even if it upsets the lovely Libran illusion of peace.

In order to become aware of your own Libra shadow, here is are some questions for reflection and an exercise in preparation for the eclipse in October:

-What do I most want in a current relationship (friendship, partnership, family) that I am not getting? (Name the want—don’t worry about whether or not you can get it).

-Could I ask the other person for what I want?

-If no, why not?

-If yes, why haven’t I done it yet?

Then, imagine a scenario in which you do just that—ask for what you want. Visualize it as if it is happening. What do you see? How do you feel?

You don’t need to do anything with this information if you don’t feel ready. For now, you are asking questions and exploring. Shadow work is about bringing our fears into the light, and if you walk through the questions and the exercise, you will have done that. But often, just looking at these fears and confronting them sets the alchemical process of change into motion. Be receptive to whatever comes next.

Related podcast episodes:

Let’s Get Real Astrology The Transiting Nodes in Aries and Libra

The Big Séance with Patrick Keller The Upcoming October Eclipses

Eclipse Dates through 2025:

SOLAR Eclipse April 19, 2023 - 29 degrees Aries

LUNAR Eclipse May 5, 2023 - 15 degrees Scorpio

SOLAR Eclipse October 14, 2023 - 21 degrees Libra

LUNAR Eclipse October 28, 2023 - 5 degrees Taurus

LUNAR Eclipse March 25, 2024 - 5 degrees Libra

SOLAR Eclipse April 8, 2024 - 19 degrees Aries

LUNAR Eclipse September 18, 2024 - 25 degrees Pisces

SOLAR Eclipse October 2, 2024 - 10 degrees Libra

LUNAR Eclipse March 14, 2025 - 24 degrees Virgo

SOLAR Eclipse March 29, 2025 - 9 degrees Aries (final Aries/Libra eclipse of this series)