The ancient Greco-Roman god Apollo was said to drive his golden chariot across the sky daily bringing the light of day and ushering in the darkness of night only to repeat the celestial journey the next morning. But sometimes, Apollo’s ride takes him through the land of shadows. These ‘shadow moments’ are solar eclipses and there is one about to occur on May 20th, 2012. Eclipses, both solar and lunar, have been viewed as powerful events that can portend the future, warn of impending danger, and bring about calamitous changes on a global scale.

For this reason, astrologers for centuries have attempted to plot when these solar encounters occur. Some records from ancient cultures going back between 3,000 and 4,000 years documenting eclipses have been found. Clearly, the impact that an eclipse can have is profound on several levels. Modern day astrologers continue to observe and interpret the impact of this solar event.

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon’s path takes it between the Sun and the Earth. A significant astrological feature is that solar eclipses only happen during the new moon phase of the lunar cycle. Thus, both Luna’s energy and Old Sol’s powers are intensified. While there are four types of eclipses, this one is an annular eclipse which means that Sun and Moon are aligned although the Moon appears smaller in size. This is the first annular eclipse that will be visible in the U.S. since 1994. As such, the impact of this eclipse will be felt most directly here in this country.

Astrologers look to a number of variables when forecasting the potential effect of eclipses. Both the element (fire, earth, air, water) of the sign that the eclipse occurs in and its accompanying quadraplicity (cardinal, fixed, mutable) are important in this process. The upcoming eclipse occurs in Gemini which is a mutable air sign. Noted classical astrologers such a Raphael and Ptolemy have noted that the impact of eclipses occurring in the mutable signs will be more immediate but may also have stops and restarts.

In addition, since this particular eclipse occurs right on the cusp between Taurus and Gemini we have to look at the influence of the sign of the Bull as well. Taurus, being a fixed Earth sign, brings a specter of shortages of resources as well with the additional possibility of a seismic or volcanic event. Although this could happen within a few days of May 20th, the full impact of the Taurus energies will not occur until middle or late June.

A Solar eclipse in an air sign denotes difficult times involving natural resources, violent winds and storms. It is quite possible that a weather-related event or events could impact the Western part of the country (which is where the eclipse first appears) as soon as a few days following the solar dance. Memorial Day weekend could also bring some type of issue involving a natural resource that will have impacts through the subsequent months.

The ancients also noted that when an eclipse occurs during the first third of an astrological month, the effects can occur for upwards of four months from that time. These divisions of an astrological month are called Decantes. As mentioned above, this eclipse occurs during at Oº 21 minutes of Gemini which puts it in the First Decante. This is important as it speaks to religious strife and a general contempt for all rules both man-made and natural. A major conflict either between opposing religions or in the name of religion between now and the beginning of June could impact world markets and natural resources.

It should be noted that while a Solar eclipse is said to bring new beginnings, the new beginnings can be for the better or for the worse. Either way, it starts a new cycle with powerful warnings, especially the Solar eclipse on May 20, 2012.

Horoscopes by Lou

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2012 Predictions – Astrology

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Though the Looking Glass Part III

Tags: Astrology, solar eclipse