Greetings!
As promised, this "extra edition" of the It's All Good Astrology News features my article on "The Eclipses of 2011." I hope you enjoy it!
-- Benjamin
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2011 forecast, Part 5:
The Eclipses of 2011
by Benjamin Bernstein
 What's coming up astrologically in 2011? I'm sharing my views each week in this newsletter, as I serialize and expand upon the main points from my 2011 forecast lecture . Here's what I've covered so far; please click the links to catch up on any installments you've missed.
Part 1: The Uranus-Pluto Square
Part 2: A Year of Jupiter Aspects
Part 3: Transits to the US Chart
Part 4: The Other Transits to the US Chart
As we've seen in prior installments of this forecast series, 2011 will be a year of major changes. The unusually high number of eclipses, and the unusual strength of many of them, is yet another factor pointing to big shifts.
(Not to mention the strange clusters of bird and fish deaths in Arkansas and Louisiana -- synchronistically occurring as the new year ramps up, and within days of the year's first solar eclipse! Perhaps these animals are being martyred to redirect our attention to the peril the environment is in. Or perhaps they're serving as an omen that this will be a year when death - literal or metaphorical - will be a major theme. And death is always followed by rebirth!)
Overview
Eclipses occur when the Sun, Earth and Moon line up in such a way that the light of the Sun or Moon appears to be obscured. During a solar eclipse, the New Moon's shadow crosses the Earth's surface, blocking some or all of the Sun's light. During a lunar eclipse, the Full Moon is dimmed by Earth's shadow.
In 2011, we have the usual number of lunar eclipses - two - but twice the normal amount of solar eclipses - four. The lunar eclipses are not heavily aspected, but three of the solar eclipses are unusually powerful!
The January 4 Solar Eclipse
 | | 1/4/11 Solar Eclipse |
For example, the solar eclipse on January 4 (the day I published this article) was a powerhouse! The Sun and Moon conjoined at 14° Capricorn, and served as the filling of a fiery Mars-Pluto sandwich. (Pluto was at 5° Capricorn, and Mars was at 21° Capricorn.)
(FYI, the next two paragraphs are from my January 2011 forecast.)
New beginnings are supported with special power here, especially in the Capricornian themes of work, career, reputation building, and becoming more mature, responsible and wise. With Pluto conjunct the eclipse, your new initiatives will work even better if you make it a point to simultaneously jettison or transform whatever no longer supports your endeavor.
This eclipse's tightest aspect is a square from Saturn, so don't automatically give up if you encounter significant resistance. Persistence may reap rich rewards!
The Sabian Symbol for this eclipse is, "An Ancient Bas-Relief Carved in Granite Remains a Witness to a Long-Forgotten Culture." For me, this immediately brings to mind the Mayans, and their stone-engraved Long Count calendar. One 5000+ year cycle ends, and another (the Age of Flowers) starts, on the Winter Solstice of 2012. This reminds us to avoid the dark side of Capricorn - mindless adherence to tradition and the status quo - and remember that it's sometime the wisest and most responsible course of action to branch out in radically new directions!
This eclipse energy is still quite potent as I publish this on January 4, so you can still harness its energy if you act promptly.
The July 1 Solar Eclipse
 | | 7/1/11 Solar Eclipse |
The June 1 solar eclipse in Gemini is relatively tame: its only significant aspects are a supportive trine from Saturn and a loose square from Chiron.
But the solar eclipse that follow it a month later on July 1 in Cancer will be anything but warm and fuzzy! This eclipse fills in the "empty corner" of a potent T-Square pattern* involving Pluto, Uranus and Saturn, creating a Grand Cross** configuration. This is astrology's most challenging aspect pattern!
This solar eclipse activates an encore of the nearly two-year Saturn-Uranus opposition series that started in late 2008. It also energizes the Uranus-Pluto square I discussed in Part 1 of this series. Put it all together, and we could see some major shake-ups in the world in the May-July time frame. (The T-Square is powerful May 13 thru July 21.) Even more importantly, this powerhouse eclipse gives you the chance to shake up, purge and release whatever you need to let go of, and launch new initiatives with tremendous power!
 | | Pluto-Uranus-Saturn T-Square, May 13-July 21 2011 |
The Sabian Symbol for this eclipse is, "A Large Diamond In The First Stages Of The Cutting Process." It's easy to see this as a metaphor for spiritual awakening. There is divine awareness already present in the core of each person (the large diamond) The "cutting" process could describe the illusions and dark energies that are released as consciousness becomes more refined. In fact, some Buddhists describe "diamond mind" as an enlightened state.
The November 25 Solar Eclipse
 | | 11/25/11 Solar Eclipse |
The final solar eclipse of 2011, in early Sagittarius on Nov. 25, is another doozy. This eclipse receives a trine from Uranus, a quincunx from Jupiter, and squares from Neptune, Chiron and Mars! The preponderance of hard aspects could mean some eventful world news in the weeks around Thanksgiving.
But always remember that every disruption contains the seeds of new growth. Sagittarius is the sign of expansion, hope and opportunity. The square from Neptune can be used as an urgent call to spiritual awakening and divine inspiration. The square from Chiron can catalyze the healing of old wounds, and the trine from Uranus can ease the way for intuitive flashes and sudden breakthroughs. No matter how ominous an astrological event may seem at first blush, you can always use your intention and imaginal power to partner with the energies in a positive and life-enhancing way.
This eclipses's Sabian Symbol is, "Two Men Playing Chess." Perhaps a strategic battle of wits between two opposing forces will be prominent in the news at this time. On a more personal level, this symbol suggests a carefully considered approach to whatever new starts are being made.
Conclusion
So, as we've seen, the number and power of 2011's solar eclipses is quite extraordinary. I hope that you will use them as launching pads to propel your personal growth to new levels!
Next week: the 2011 forecast series concludes with planetary ingresses, Saturn in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn.
The MP3 and 58-slide PowerPoint deck of my Nov. 18 "2011 Astrology Forecast & Shamanic Planetary Invocations" presentation is available for download. To get it, click here!
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* A T-Square is formed by two planets in opposition (180° apart), both of which make a square (90°) to a third planet.
** A Grand Cross is formed by four planets creating the corners of a square (the four-sided figure you learned about in geometry class). Each planet is 90° away from the next planet in the pattern, and the planets at opposite corners form oppositions (180° angles). Thus, a Grand Cross contains four squares (90° angles) and two oppositions.
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