On the 2024 Eclipse Season

Thinking through individuality and interdependence.

Here is a song to set the vibe, a forever favorite, by Sweet Honey In The Rock:

Dear relatives, 

We are now a few days past the Lunar Eclipse, and I want to check in. How are you? I’ve been feeling my way through the shadows, and the dreams wild in color and theme. All the while, I’ve had the honor of being a space-holder and story-keeper for folks who’ve come through for Office Hours, an offering that I opened up in alignment with the eclipse season. We are all sitting with so much, this I am hearing first-hand.

I was listening to a conversation between Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò and Gracie Mae Bradley, on the Locating Legacies podcast, co-produced by the radical publishing house, Pluto Press (love the planetary synchronicity!). Their discussion focused on identity politics, and I found that so much of the analysis resonated with the current astrological weather. Their talk also reminded me about the ideological connection between identity politics, coined by the Combahee River Collective, and intersectional theory, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw. As a returning student of astrology, I am learning that this practice is inherently an intersectional endeavor. It involves the merging of different cultures, geographies, mythologies, creation stories, and philosophies. With my background in cultural studies, it feels like a natural move to relate radical Black feminism and ecofeminism to the language of astrology. Just yesterday I was thinking about the correlations between the Midheaven (Medium Coeli) and Robin Wall Kimmerer’s description of reciprocity. As I continue to witness the emergence of this particular connection within my studies, I am excited to find more common threads.

The practice of astrology provides a lot to consider and reflect upon. In an attempt not to let myself get too overwhelmed, there are a few main themes that I’m thinking through this week: the recent Lunar Eclipse in Libra, Mercury retrograde in Aries, and the upcoming Solar Eclipse in Aries. 

Let’s back up a little. 

Before the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse, there was a New Moon Solar Eclipse that occurred on October 14, 2023, at 21 degrees in the sign of Libra. This was an annular eclipse, or a total eclipse, which is when the moon aligns with and partially obstructs the sun’s light from reaching the Earth. I mention this because the most recent Lunar Eclipse in Libra was, in many ways, a continuation of a story. It set off a series of violent events in many parts of the world, including in Sudan and Palestine. 

In July 2023 the North and South nodes of the Moon changed signs, moving into the Aries/Libra axis. The nodes are places where the pathway of the Moon intersects with the pathway of the Sun, or the ecliptic. They also determine which signs the eclipse will happen in, and what will occur during the eclipses. You might recall that July 2023 was documented as the hottest month on record since 1880. 

The Lunar South Node Eclipse in Libra on Monday, March 25 marked the beginning of this year’s eclipse season, which occurs about every six months. We are now well into Mercury’s pre-retrograde shadow, the liminal space before Mercury fully stations retrograde on April 1 in the sign of Aries. This is also where the Solar North Node Eclipse will occur on April 8. There is an opportunity here to review and reflect on what has come up over the last six months regarding our sense of independence and interdependence. If you have your natal chart, you might note where Libra and Aries are located, which will help to clue you into how this eclipse season is affecting you. As we work with the principle of initiation with the Aries/Libra axis, we are also cultivating a better understanding of our relationship to how we steward change personally and collectively. If you engage with embodiment practices, you might give extra care to areas of the body ruled by Aries (the head, face, and eyes), and those ruled by Libra (the lower back, Kidneys, and Urinary bladder). 

It’s been an amazing experience to be able to dive deeply into the energetics of this moment with folks this past week. If you’d like to set up a time to meet virtually, there are still a few pay-what-you-can openings available.

Monie Love and Queen Latifah perform "Ladies First" at Newark Symphony Hall in Newark, N.J., in April 1990, via Getty Images.

Not sure if this offering is for you? No worries. You can set up a 20-minute chat with me to make sure this aligns with your current needs. 

A gentle reminder to take good care of yourselves during this season. Wishing you many blessings!  

With gratitude, 

C