Solar eclipse in Aries. 4.8.24.
Hey there, fellow lightworkers.
I hope you’re all taking good care of yourselves and getting lots of rest with the Aries eclipse today (and breathing through this Mercury retrograde, stretch which started on April 1st).
The solar eclipse in Aries happening this afternoon brings to a close the eclipse portal that’s been open since it opened with March 25th’s lunar eclipse in Libra. So you can think of this newsletter like a companion or sequel to what I shared a couple weeks back around March’s Libra eclipse.
Before we get into the energy of the Aries eclipse and how to work with it, here’s a quick preview of what’s in this edition of Practical Woo:
Your Aries/Libra eclipse survival guide, Part 2 🌒
Journal/tarot prompts for the Aries eclipse 📝
How to work with Mercury retrograde in Aries ♈️
Sending everyone big love as we round out this spring’s powerful, initiatory eclipse portal—and as with all horoscopes, take what resonates and leave the rest.
XOXO,
Rebecca
Aries/Libra Eclipse Survival Guide, Part 2.
The second of two eclipses taking place this spring will take place at 2:20pm ET today (Monday) April 8th, at 19 degrees of Aries.
Before we get too deep into decoding the energy of this Aries eclipse—for anyone who can use a reminder on eclipse energy and self-care tips more generally: take a look back at my Libra eclipse newsletter which has an extended overview of both. All of what's in there continues to apply as we head into the second eclipse of this spring portal. Tl;dr: GROUND, GROUND, GROUND, get lots of rest, drink lots of water, eat nourishing foods, don’t over-schedule yourself, listen to your body, and breathe through the change.
But back to the Aries eclipse and how to work with the energy.
The keyword coming through for me most loudly with this Aries eclipse is INITIATION.
In part, I read this Aries eclipse as having to do with initiation because Aries is the energy of new beginnings. But even more so because tomorrow’s eclipse is taking place conjunct Chiron—who, in addition to being the wounded healer, is also the initiator of the zodiac (and mythologically was the centaur who initiated healers and other lightworkers).
Initiation has many meanings. Starting something new. Beginning a new chapter. Spiritually, initiation has historically been associated with reaching a new level of consciousness. The development of new levels of spiritual perception or abilities. Reaching new levels of self-mastery.
This has been an immensely potent eclipse portal. One that many of us have been experiencing as initiatory—in whatever ways that has been playing out in our inner and outer lives.
Now, as we each enter (and prepare to exit through) the Aries bookend of this spring’s eclipse portal, we are being invited to level up. To begin a new chapter. And to be reborn in some way.
Following death comes rebirth.
The (north node) Aries eclipse comes on the heels of a (south node) Libra eclipse that was all about letting go. Shedding old ways of being and energy patterns that are no longer serving our highest good. Allowing the death of old version of ourselves, outdated self-concepts, and limiting beliefs that were holding us back.
If we’ve been allowing the energetic process kicked off by the Libra eclipse to move through us over the past two weeks. . . as with all cycles of death and rebirth, the death process we’ve been allowing as we’ve moved through this initiatory portal has paved the way for the new chapter or rebirth coming with today’s Aries eclipse.
Now, as we step into the Aries eclipse, we likely have a great deal more perspective and clarity on what we have been letting go of or saying goodbye to in service of that rebirth. Conditioning and limiting beliefs we’ve been shedding. Old ways of being in the world that we’ve been putting into the compost heap so that we may start a new chapter, cleansed and lighter and freer. Energy patterns we’ve been freeing ourselves from to enable us to take the next step towards living as the embodied expression of our Highest (and freest) Self.
Embarking on a new chapter of healing (and as healers).
It’s no coincidence that Chiron is (and mythologically, was) both a healer and an initiator.
Chirotic energy (and the Chiron transits that activate it in our lives) often initiate us through the process of wounding and healing. Sometimes this comes through injury or illness (that we ourselves experience or that others in our lives do)—that pushes us to deepen our knowledge, mastery, and understanding of how healing happens. Sometimes it comes through being forced to confront pain that triggers or brings old wounds to the surface for awareness and healing.
As I write this, I have the words of one of my astrology mentors in my ears: “it’s not our wounds that define us; it’s how we heal.”
Of note: in addition to healing more generally, Chiron has a special relationship with holistic healing modalities specifically. Chirotic healing transcends mind-body dualism (echoed by Chiron’s being a centaur: half-human, half-horse). Its magic lies in embracing the interconnectedness of mind and body (and spirit).
All of which is to say: this is and has been an especially potent, initiatory eclipse portal not just for healers and all of us on a healing journey—but especially for lightworkers who work with holistic healing modalities. . . and for all of us who have been deepening our embodied understanding of the connectedness of mind, body, and spirit (whether through our own healing or work we do with others).
On whatever levels this has been playing out for each of us, this Aries eclipse invites us to embrace and embark on a new chapter of healing that begins now (whether that is as healers of ourselves and/or others).
Awakening to a new level of presence.
Finally, Chiron is deeply connected with presence.
The kind of presence that comes when we embody with full awareness the divine spark that lies within each of us.
When we harness the superpowers we wield only when we are fully present—in our bodies, and in the present moment.
When we have the courage to unapologetically be and embody our core, authentic essence.
And when get out of our heads and anchor the center of our consciousness in our heart.
This type of presence is our core superpower as human beings. When we are fully present in our bodies—and in the present moment—we awaken to our divine essence and power as radiant lighted beings. We become channels for light. We remember and embody what it means be lightworkers.
***
I know lots of folks will be planning to try to see/watch the eclipse today, since it’s a rare total eclipse—and you should mark it however you feel called. But a powerful way to consider working with this especially potent eclipse is to take some time around the window when it goes exact (which is around 2:20pm ET) to meditate/journal/reflect/ journey/do whatever speaks to you to feel into the initiatory, healing energy of this portal.
With these as some of the themes resonating for me in the energy of this Aries eclipse, scroll on for the prompts I crafted to work with and reflect on the energy (and how Mercury retrograde in Aries fits in). . .
Prompts for the Aries eclipse.
Here’s are the journal prompts/6-card tarot spread I crafted for working with this week’s Solar Eclipse in Aries energy at its highest vibration. As always, feel free to work with only the ones that resonate. <3
In what ways am I being being offered the opportunity for rebirth/to start a new chapter now?
What old patterns/ways of being have I been shedding to pave the way for this new chapter/rebirth?
What new beginnings am I embarking on now when it comes to my own healing journey? What is coming up now for me/what have I been learning since April 2023 about the interconnectedness of mind-body-spirit when it comes to my health and healing?
What new chapter is starting when it comes to how I am being called to show up as a healer of others/the collective?
How have I been learning that prioritizing my own health and healing fuels my ability to show up for others?
What intentions do I want to set now to enable me to be even more present in my day-to-day life? What will help me stay anchored in the present moment? What limits/boundaries do I want to set (or reset) now to help me stay maximally present?
BONUS: If you want to do some time-traveling. . .
Remember that eclipses don’t just open two-week portals. . . they also work across longer periods of time, highlighting ongoing stories that play out over the course of a couple of years.
So a powerful way to deepen your reflections on and around this Aries eclipse is to think about any connections between what was coming up for you back around April 2023 and now.
The full series of dates in this continuing Aries/Libra eclipse series includes: April 20, 2023; October 14, 2023; March 25, 2024; April 8, 2024; October 2, 2024; and March 29, 2025 (underlining denotes Aries eclipses in the series).
How to work with Mercury retrograde in Aries.
That’s right. It isn’t just eclipse season. . . we’re in the midst of Mercury retrograde, too. 🙀
Calendar check: Mercury stationed retrograde in Aries on April 1st and will remain retrograde until April 25th, when it will station direct.
With Mercury retrograde not just at the same time as the Aries eclipse but also in Aries, and just a few degrees away from the Aries eclipse taking place tomorrow—this Mercury retrograde period is fused with and works in tandem with the Aries eclipse.
How, exactly? As a review period that, if we work with it intentionally, will help us effectuate and integrate the new start we’re being invited to lean into with the Aries eclipse.
Whenever Mercury (or any planet) goes retrograde, the energy it governs turns inward. That’s why I like to work with Mercury retrogrades as an opportunity for slowing down, getting reflective, and taking advantage of Mercury’s inward pull for self-review.
Whenever Mercury goes retrograde, part of the self-review we’re invited to do is about how we’re expressing and embodying the energy of the sign that Mercury’s retrograding through. And back to the Aries eclipse message around presence—when we’re present, we’re more able to reach for the higher potential of each sign’s energy (vs. expressing its shadow when we go on autopilot).
Aries’ highest potential: Leadership. The spiritual warrior. The spark. The initiator. The trailblazer. The pioneer. Courage. Boldness. Assertiveness. Strength. I AM presence. Being a vessel for the divine.
Aries’ shadow: Being too self-reliant/trying to do it all on your own. Ready-fire-aim energy. Impatience. Hastiness. Impulsiveness. Competitiveness. Combativeness. Egotism. Starting things without finishing. Getting lost in the doing. Being stuck in your head.
Boundaries check: With this particular Mercury retrograde stretch taking place in Aries, it’s ruled by Mars, which right now is almost exactly conjunct Saturn. This brings in a whole added layer to the invitation of this Mercury retrograde stretch (which again, connects back to the invitation of the Aries eclipse).
Whenever Mars comes together with Saturn, it’s an invitation to review, revisit, and revise our boundaries. To cut out all that which is not essential. To prioritize so we can conserve our energy for the things that matter most. And to get organized, structured, and disciplined about how we are working with time (which is ruled by Saturn)—particularly when it comes to whatever projects and undertakings we are starting now.
Which, again, connects back to presence—since all of this will help us create the conditions to stay present in whatever we’re starting now vs. trying to multi-task/be in multiple places at once to get it all done.
All of which is to say, you can think of this Mercury retrograde stretch over the next few weeks as a self-review/planning/implementation period that’s here to support you in living into whatever is launching with the Aries eclipse.
Additional Mercury retro tips: Being prepared for things not to go as they usually do is the best place to start. Interpersonally, Mercury retrograde is fertile terrain for communication breakdowns and misunderstandings—so it's a good time to ask questions and NOT to make assumptions.
Mercury retrogrades are always a good time to update and back up your technology, build in extra time to troubleshoot if tech goes down or calendars get screwy, double and triple check your data and facts and dates and times, and to leave extra buffer on your schedule for things, including travel, to go sideways. It's also a good window NOT to sign contracts unless you really have to (and if you do, give 'em an extra extra thorough review).
BONUS: Where is Aries in your chart? If you’re familiar with the 12 houses in your birth chart, you can go even deeper with Mercury retrograde work (and your eclipse reflections) by knowing which house Aries occupies in your chart. Whichever house Aries occupies is the area of life that’s up for review.
Here’s a cheat sheet of keywords associated with the 12 houses:
1st house: the self, approach to life, body, appearance, personality, self-development, self-mastery
2nd house: livelihood, money and how you make it, material resources, self-esteem/self-worth, grounding
3rd house: teaching, communicating, siblings/extended/chosen family, daily routines and schedules, lower mind, integrating into 3D
4th house: home, family, foundation, roots, ancestry, history, self-care, base of operations, your private life
5th house: children, creative projects, play, pleasure, actualization of the higher self through creativity
6th house: work, service, health/healing, mentoring, be here now
7th house: the other, committed relationships and partnerships
8th house: other people’s money, shared resources, spiritual rebirth, regeneration, letting go
9th house: higher ed, politics/policy/law, long-distance travel, foreign languages/cultures, religion, astrology, Akashic Records, spiritual law, higher mind
10th house: career, vocation/calling, what you’re known for publicly
11th house: groups, networks, humanitarian work, hopes and dreams, the gifts you’re here to share with the collective
12th house: the unconscious mind, shadow, dreams, spirituality, soul liberation, all types of liberation work, at-onement
***
Much love to you all throughout this eclipse week, and feel free to holler with any questions this sparks for you. <3
