Why are Eclipses so fascinating? Is it because we seem to be caught between the Sun and Moon, consciousness and the Unconscious?

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Virgo Lunar Eclipse, February 20, 2008

And so we come to the second eclipse taking place this month – a Lunar Eclipse on February 20th, with the Moon in Virgo and the Sun in Pisces. This eclipse can be seen in North America, with the moon being eclipsed as it rises in the Western states. The eclipse will be total at 10:30 pm Eastern time, and 7:30 pm Pacific time. Unlike a Solar Eclipse, which heralds a new beginning and good things to come, a Lunar Eclipse is the culmination of something, an ending or the acceptance of more responsibility or the need to finally complete an obligation, or to become conscious about something. Check your chart to see what houses are affected by this eclipse as these will be the life issues you'll be dealing with for the next three months.

As I mentioned in my last newsletter, eclipses occur in the signs of the Moon's nodes, which change approximately every year. While the nodes have moved from Pisces/Virgo to Aquarius/Leo, this Full Moon Eclipse is ending the cycle of the Pisces/Virgo eclipses. So you need to finish up old business from last year - or even further back to February 20, 1989, (eclipses occur in 19 year cycles), the last time there was an eclipse at 2 Virgo/Pisces. What were your hopes and dreams at the time? What are your goals now?

Virgo and Pisces are the 6th and 12th signs of the Zodiac. They represent an integration that needs to take place in the individual personality. Virgo rules how we integrate body, mind and spirit, so that we have something to offer in service to others. Pisces rules how we are integrated into the greater wholeness of life. Together they offer us the opportunity to integrate spirit and matter, heart and mind, consciousness and the Collective Unconscious. As we come to the end of the Age of Pisces, we need to integrate its lessons – how do we relate to the spiritual, imaginative aspects of life? What do we feel about the possibilities of redemption? Do we even need to be redeemed? Whatever religion you were brought up in, deep within the Western collective unconscious, we all have this image of the Fall of Mankind to deal with. Are we a flawed creation? Or do we have the possibilities within us of becoming Divine?

Jung spoke of Christ being the God-Man of the Piscean Age, meaning that it is our spiritual task to integrate the Divine within us. But first we have to accept the Shadow aspects of the Christ Image – the splitting off of Darkness and Evil from the Light – the two fishes swimming in opposite directions. As we all know, there can be no understanding of the Light without the Darkness. Our task at the end of this Age is to embrace our 'darkness' and integrate its energy into our SELF – image. The shadow side of Pisces is victimization and martyrdom. The goal of Pisces is the realization of our innate divinity and our interconnection with all of creation. Jesus reportedly said, The Kingdom of Heaven is within you, and all around you. He also said that we too were divine, just as he was. Whether you see the Christian story as divine truth or mythic truth, the fact is, all the mystery religions of the world have been trying to get humanity to understand that we too are divine! We are part of the great creation, and are co-creators of life. That's the Pisces mystery.

The Virgo shadow is self-critical (all you Virgo's know what I'm talking about! So get meditating and stop your thoughts!). Virgo feels worthlessness, shame, unworthiness to be 'saved' while everyone else is! Virgo must stop judging and start discerning truth from falsehood; stop feeling humiliated and start to understand the virtue of humility; take up service to the world, rather than feeling stuck in servitude to others. Virgo's goal is to become Virginal again – belong to oneself, not to the corporate imagination or to parental or societal expectations. Long ago, when my Virgo son was 3 years old, he once said to me during a discussion about him going to bed: “Mommy, I am the Captain of Myself!” He knew from the start what he was here to learn.

Just as Pisces entails the myth of the Redeemer Son, the ego willing to be sacrificed to a higher order of Being, so Virgo is the Virgin Mother, the divine Feminine energy which incarnates the Divine Spirit in matter. Body and Soul, Matter and Spirit – we all need to recognize that our life here on Earth is part of the spiritual realms – just as quantum physics has shown us that we are made up of invisible matter, with vast spaces in between. We and the Cosmos are One! Imagine what would happen if enough of us truly KNEW that in the very fibers of our Being. Well, that's what this Eclipse wants us to do – to finally GET IT. “We are spirit in form, love made flesh, eternity playing with time and space.” (Stephanie Austin, Mountain Astrologer, #137.)

Saturn in Virgo is conjunct (joined with) the Moon, calling us to be responsible and face the fears that confront us when we have to 'let go and let God/dess'. Hopefully, Saturn in Virgo has been helping us integrate body, mind and spirit since last fall. Saturn close to the Moon sometimes makes us fearful that we will not be nourished, that we cannot get our needs met.

Instead of falling into fear, why not use this energy to separate yourselves from the things that you used to think nurtured you, but in reality no longer do. What things, people or addictions (Pisces!) are really toxic to you that you've been holding onto? What do you fear will happen if you finally let go of it or them and open yourself to your SELF's goals, rather than your ego's needs? Saturn is retrograde now until May 2nd, when it stations (stops moving backwards and turns to direct motion) at 2 Virgo. Since eclipse points are still sensitive for up to three months after the eclipse, Saturn will have a big part to play in whatever it is that you have to release and deal with until May. Let Saturn's positive energy help you focus on the essentials, so your energy isn't wasted on distractions.

The Sabian Symbol for 2 Virgo: A large white cross dominates the landscape. The wisdom and compassion which only the experience of suffering and isolation can bring. The cross is one of our most ancient symbols. It reflects the idea that we must allow our spirit to really incarnate in this material world – with all the suffering that entails - if we are to 'accomplish our mission' and not just say that we did.

The Sabian Symbol for 2 Pisces: A squirrel hiding from hunters. The individual's need both to ensure his future subsistence and to protect himself from aggressive social elements. Squirrels not only gather for the future, they are playful and agile. They traverse the treetops as well as the ground. To live in the trees! How great would that be. And of course, trees offer the protection squirrels need to hide from those hunters. Trees are another ancient symbol – the symbol of the Mother, of Life, of the World Tree. This symbol opens us up to the idea of taking refuge in our Center when the world gets to be 'too much'! When the bills get you worrying, think of this image and go into your own inner tree, and find the peace that you need to survive.

Other Celestial Happenings:

Mercury turns direct on Monday evening, February 18th at 9 Aquarius.

The Sun enters Pisces on February 18th Pacific time, February 19th Eastern. The solar energy moves from idealist Aquarius to the Piscean watery realms of Spirit, Art and Imagination.

Mars finishes off his third opposition to the Galactic Center on February 21st. You get one more chance to access the insight and inspiration that can give you viable progressive ideas to weave into your life’s purpose as Mars opposes the Galactic Center and Pluto. Write down all the brilliant inspirations you’ve imagined since last December and pull one out of a hat, like a Tarot card. Since Mars is in the dualistic sign of Gemini, why not pick two ideas. Mars is moving quickly now that its moving forward since January 30th. You've probably been feeling more courageous and full of energy and are ready to begin a whole new chapter of your life. You're probably anxious to get things started, but wait until Mercury, which rules thinking and communication, turns direct and begins to move forward for a week so that you can think clearly and know what you're talking about!

To see a video of what this Solar Eclipse is all about, go to:

http://www.helloworld.com/cathypagano and hit the broadcast tower on the left side. Click on Astrostars: Virgo Lunar Eclipse to see me live, discussing the eclipse.

Authors Website: http://www.cathypagano.com

Authors Bio:

Cathy Pagano is a spiritual advisor and Jungian psychotherapist, storyteller, author and teacher.

She is the author of a book on the return of the Goddess, "Wisdom's Daughters: How Women Can Change the World".

Cathy trained at the C. G. Jung Institut-Zurich in dream interpretation, has an M.A. in Counseling Psychology in Feminine Spirituality, and is a certified Life Coach.

As an astrologer and storyteller, she weaves the Cosmic Stories written in the stars. From The Bard's Grove, she writes about emerging archetypal themes in movies and books.

Cathy works with the tools of the imagination - dreams, alchemy, myths, astrology, symbolic language, storytelling, ritual - to awaken the Soul's wisdom.



I believe that Americans are called to a higher consciousness at this point in our history. We are called on to live up to our ideals and create the country our forefathers imagined. Inner consciousness needs to be acted upon for social justice.



Cathy believes that our writers and artists must take up our responsibility to create art that inspires, teaches and heals our humanity.



Cathy writes about political, psychological/spiritual, and cultural issues.