Eclipse Period

 

October 28, 2005 (with chart)

 

http://cainer.com/ericfrancis/oct28.html

 

Dear Eric,

 

This recent eclipse period has brought huge changes to my spiritual life, to the point that I'm suddenly uninterested in pursuing the career path I've been on for six years; a career path I've wanted my whole life. I've always considered myself a writer, but now I only want to pursue spiritual exploration -- through meditation, astrology, creative intention, and prayer. Is this truly a shift in my path, or only a temporary detour? I'm one of those sixties kids, and I feel like I'm finally starting to grow up. Thank you for your insights.

 

Laura

 

 

Dear Laura,

 

I think this is a plausible question to put to astrology. Before casting your chart, I can tell you what I'm going to be looking for: first, something suggesting the magnitude of the change; some kind of once in a lifetime transit; and second, something regarding the theme, which points to the quality of the change you are describing.

 

Now, looking at your chart: I think you're right on track. Using a fairly basic approach, both the magnitude and the specific themes come out beautifully.

 

Here is your chart:

 

According to the data you sent, you are born with a Sun-Moon conjunction in Gemini in the 10th house. That is the gray dot that looks like the Moon and the yellow dot that looks like the Sun on top of the chart.

That pretty much says "writer." You're going to have some kind of career in communications with that aspect, and even if you were to have become a veterinarian, would be writing articles for your colleagues and speaking advanced cocker spaniel.

 

When someone has a strong 10th house, it's very difficult to ignore the calling, and one is fortunate to have it. Yours is strengthened by the fact that Mercury, which rules your 10th house (Gemini is on the cusp) is located right in the 11th house, where you get to give a gift to society. The 11th is a place we pick up substantial benefits -- but it's also where society benefits from its experience of us. And with Mercury in Cancer, I see the potential for something a lot more than just ideas.

 

Now, with that in mind, let's look at the transit that's been influencing you for about five years, and which just recently came to a conclusion. That is Pluto in Sagittarius opposite your Moon and Sun in Gemini.

 

Pluto transits are among the ones that completely rearrange our lives, our sense of identity, our sense of mission and the depth at which we live. In general, our religious and psychological models in Western civilization don't have an equivalent for Pluto except in the worst sense, such as a hurricane hitting your house. But as for those deep, inevitable personal reinventions, the things that shape our lives in ways that may involve a struggle and are also well worth all the effort, that would be Pluto.

 

Pluto opposing your Sun and Moon between around 2001 and today is what we could reasonably call a kind of ultimate transformation. And where is Pluto coming from? Sagittarius, one of the most mystical signs of all. The source is also the 4th house -- deep within, from the core of your being.

 

One way to look at this is not as change from "writer to mystic" but more as a reorientation from the outer world to the inner one. I don't think you're going to be leaving your writing skills out of the work you do in the future. One of the most valuable, dearly needed talents in this world is that of the ability to relate spiritual ideas, or personal growth processes, in clear language to others. So I suggest you leave the either/or contradiction out of the equation. A lot of how we go through changes involves how we state the equation to ourselves.

 

Honestly, I doubt there will ever be a time in your life, no matter what you're doing, where you will not want and need to share your experiences with others in language. But whether you call that your primary vocation is another story. However, I don't suggest you worry about it.

 

The fact that you have rather natural spiritual leanings is indicated in the chart by a cluster of planets on the cusp between the 8th and 9th houses. It's on the top right side of the chart; the planets in order are Ceres (the purple question mark), Vesta (the red chevron) and Venus (blue planet, "female" symbol). These are strong and clear influences in the 9th house (spirituality, the higher self) but they carry the influence of the 8th (taboo subjects including sex, death, money and power).

 

I see your role as a teacher as being an interpreter between the rather stressed out world where every relationship is a power relationship; and what you might call the new world, where each person is responsible for relating to his or her own higher power. This is all done goddess-style: the three planets there all represent goddess energies. For a concise explanation of Vesta and Ceries, please see this link.

 

As part of this process, there is something about working with mothers, with people who do other kinds of service work, and in a sense, helping those whose primary role is to help others.

 

There is one last significant transit that will be an influence in your life and represents more of the "going within" theme that is so important to you now. This will be Saturn reaching your 12th house cusp in Leo in a little less than a year. Saturn through the 12th house is one of the most powerfully internal transits that we go through. While there is much that we cannot say during this transit, and while we may have the feeling that nobody understands exactly what process we're in, it's important -- very important -- to have community around you. And you have time to create that, and to get established on your path.