Solar Eclipse in Aries conjunct Chiron; Compassionate Action
April 8th’s Solar Eclipse is one of the biggest astrological events of 2024. April carries some of the most significant transits of the year and all of these transits are contained in the Eclipse Chart. In addition, the Solar Eclipse hits a key point in the U.S. Birth Chart that may cause a significant shift in the nation's karma. In a later post, a week or two after the eclipse, I'll share some reflections on Chiron, Pluto, and the history of eclipses in the U.S. Chart.
Eclipses have an unknown, mysterious quality. They can bring sudden, unpredictable changes to our lives. Solar Eclipses happen at the New Moon when the Moon comes between the Earth and the Sun and the Sun appears to disappear and disappear in the sky. They carry the sense of a sudden new beginning, a cosmic “reboot” to some part of our lives.
The Sun relates to our vision and life purpose, how we structure our understanding of the world. It also relates to solar figures whose guidance and governance structure our world, such as leaders and people who may play the role of father in our lives. Symbolically, Solar Eclipses can bring sudden changes to how we understand the world and the appearance or disappearance of solar figures in the world.
This Solar Eclipse happens at 19 degrees, 24 minutes of Aries, EXACTLY conjunct the asteroid Chiron, “the Wounded Healer,” in the sky. It is quite rare to have any planet or asteroid exactly conjunct a New or Full Moon, so understanding how the archetype of Chiron may play into the eclipse is especially important.
Chiron is a Centaur from Greek mythology, an immortal being who was known as “the most righteous” of the Centaurs. He was a teacher and a healer. Some of the myths about his life center around a wound that he suffered through no fault of his own that caused him incredible pain and for which he could not find a cure. His suffering was so great that to escape it, he agreed to become mortal and take the place of Prometheus who was about to be killed. Chiron was killed in his place and Prometheus was saved from his fate.
Chiron instructing Achilles in how to play the lyre. Roman fresco from Herculaneum, 1st century CE. Museo Archaelogico Nazioonale di Napoli.
We all have Chiron somewhere in our chart and knowing where this asteroid falls in your chart can help you understand both where you carry your deepest wound and where you also have the greatest capacity to help heal others in the world.
The Sabian Symbol for 19 Aries, where Chiron meets the eclipse, involves the image of a young girl feeding birds in winter, suggesting how life presents crises that evoke simple, spontaneous acts of compassion that arise out of a connection with the Self, the deepest part of who we are. This is in contrast to our everyday actions in the world which often are rooted in our ego’s view of what we should or should not do at any given moment. That sense of being firmly rooted in the Self fits nicely with the vibe of the decan of Aries the eclipse falls in—Aries II. This decan is ruled by the Sun and carries with it an experience of standing in our integrity, our own “regal” nature.
The Solar Eclipse Chart for April 8th, 2024, Washington, D.C. with the Sun, Chiron (K), and the Moon at 19.24 Aries.
The eclipse’s conjunction with Chiron along with its location at 19 Aries suggests that in the coming weeks, we may be faced with a crisis that calls us, like the young girl, to offer a spontaneous human response to another’s need. This is what it is to relate to the part of us that is like Chiron—to be human, to suffer the wounds that come with being an embodied creature on this earth, and, at the same time, to be connected with an inner divine spark that enables us to see our wounds in the experience of another and to respond with an act of compassion.
The eclipse chart also includes an aspect between Jupiter and Uranus that will impact how we experience its energy. On April 20, for the first time in 12 years, Jupiter, the god of big ideas, optimism, and expansion, will meet with Uranus, the planet of sudden authentic change and liberation. This happens in Taurus, an earth sign related to our values and security. This aspect suggests that as we act to help others through turbulent times we may change the way we relate to our own wounds—after we have dealt with whatever crises that may emerge, we could come to a new perspective (solar eclipse) and that, in turn, may liberate us (Uranus) from worn-out notions of self-worth, leading to an enhanced sense of inner security (Taurus).
If a crisis emerges, it may happen around April 10th when the Moon enters Taurus and Mars conjoins Saturn. The Moon often acts as a trigger for events in our lives and once it moves into Taurus it will swiftly meet Jupiter and Uranus, which could correspond with a surprising event. The Mars-Saturn conjunction on that date could also add a sense of frustration and difficult energy on that date. Mars is the god of War and action and Saturn is the god of responsibility and limitations who asks us to slow down. When you put the two together you may feel a tense energy, as if you have one foot on the gas and one on the brakes.
Of course, not every transit affects all of us equally. Folks who were born on or near an eclipse or who have planets or points at 19 degrees of the Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn) or 14 degrees of the Mutable signs (Pisces, Gemini, Virgo, and Sagittarius) are likely to be more deeply impacted by the eclipse than others. There is a link below to book a reading if you would like to chat more about how these transits fall in your chart or the meaning of Chiron in your chart.