What about ''the other planets'' during an eclipse?

tarot_quest

Hi guys :)

So I just started to read about the powerful effect of eclipses, depending on how they fall in our own natal chart (quite interesting so far!).

My question is, what about the other transiting planets during an eclipse...Are they relevant? For example, the next solar eclipse in August 2017 will be in the late degrees of Leo, so are other planets not aspecting the Sun and the Moon useful if they fall on our personal planets or angles? I am also asking because during this eclipse, transiting mercury will be EXACTLY conjuncts my MC.

Just for sharing with you how eclipses seem to be powerful, the last solar eclipse on February 27 was at 8 degrees 12 minutes Pisces. My MC is 8 degrees 0 minute Pisces. Well, two weeks later, I got a new job and one week after, I moved to a new place! The MC is about home, family and our inner world, and the eclipse triggered this move, I am quite sure. I was not happy were I used to live and I was desperately looking for a change, which happened so fast following the eclipse.

Anyways, what do you think about other transiting planets (i.e. excluding the Sun and the Moon) during an eclipse? On the Internet, I did not find anything about this topic... Thanks!
 

Minderwiz

The importance of eclipses grows out of two factors: Firstly both in terms of the history of Astrology and the way it is practiced. is that eclipses reduce or eliminate the light at those localities where the shadow falls. The earliest Astrologers treated this as a bad omen, suggesting some form of disaster. By the medieval period, eclipses were seen mainly as affecting countries and or peoples, and their rulers, rather than individuals. By the eighteenth century there was a growing interest in how an individuate might be affected based on where the eclipse fell in their natal charts, though primarily the Ascendant was what was really important. These days you will find any placement is treated as having significance and eclipses are not necessarily seen as having bad effects. More they are seen as starting a new cycle in the life of the country or the life of the individual.

The second factor is fairly obvious; the Sun and the Moon are the two most important planets and that is the start of our consideration of other planets.

You mention both transiting and natal planets:

The rules for transiting planets are the same as for any transits, though aspects between transiting planets and the Sun/Moon are clearly to be considered. Those other transiting planets which don't aspect the luminaries, but do aspect a natal planet, are considered as a standard transit, though if the planet is in one of the houses occupied by a luminary, then it may take on added significance once you've decided how the eclipse will affect the native.

For natal planets that are aspected by the eclipse, They need some special attention. It's very likely that the natal planet is aspected by both luminaries and whatever it signifies in the chart is likely to be activated, and the house it falls in will have a link to the eclipse.

So to sum up:

Most important is the house/houses occupied by the lumiaries, especially if it is angular and most especially if it's first or tenth.

Other transiting planets that aspect the luminaries need to be considered, look at which houses they rule and their role in the chart.

Natal planets aspected by the luminaries are examined by their location by house and the houses they rule and indeed their configuration to other natal planets.
 

tarot_quest

Thank you so much Minderwiz for this reply!

I did not consider eclipses in the past, so I am trying to see their effect in my personal life. It's interesting to know that they can effect a whole country.

Concerning what you mentioned in your reply, I was wondering if the orb of the sun/moon conjunction on mercury for the next eclipse (10 degrees) is too wide or not to have an effect on my MC? To sum up, mercury will exactly conjunct my MC (in Virgo) and the eclipse will be in the late degrees of Leo.

What do you think, is it relevant?