References and Notes
1. Tem Tarriktar, "Millennial Alignments: 1999-2000," The Mountain Astrologer, June/July 1998, p.67.
2. Dane Rudhyar, The Astrology of Personality, Berkeley CA: Doubleday,1970,pp. 239-40.
3. Bernadette Brady, Predictive Astrology, The Eagle and the Lark, York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser, Inc.,
1992
4. Brady, Predictive Astrology, p. 308.
5. Bill Tierney, Dynamics of Aspect Analysis, Reno, NV, CRCS Publications, 1983, p.168.
6. Alan Oken, Soul-Centered Astrology, New York, NY., Bantam Books, 1990, p. 297.
7. Barbara Hand Clow, Chiron: Rainbow Bridge between the Inner and Outer Planets, St. Paul, MN., Llewellyn Publications, 1992, p. 132.
8. Carrie Cooperman, "The Saros Cycles and the Eclipses of 1999," The Mountain Astrologer, Dec/Jan 1998-99, pp. 87-91.
Some links to other eclipse sites (non-astrological)
NASA information http://umbra.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/990811/rp.html
Ted Froberg's eclipse site http://members.aol.com/tfroberg/eclipse/
More links: http://members.aol.com/tfroberg/eclipse/links.htm
Eclipse UK 1999 http://www.hermit.org/Eclipse1999/
![]() Great Eclipse and Grand Fixed Cross of August 11, 1999
What makes this eclipse so special is that it is part of a grand cross involving the middle degrees of the fixed signs of Taurus, Scorpio, Leo and Aquarius (diagram below right). The basic fixed cross is aptly named. All four of these signs are willful, resolute and determined to maintain their positions, desires and needs in the face of great opposition. In a positive sense the energies of these signs are capable of great perseverance, persistence and sense of purpose. The dates on which the four "avataric" points occur are approximately May 6, August 8, November 8 and February 5. These are times of the release and manifestation of energies which were absorbed and gathered at the equinoxes and solstices. They further correspond to Celtic spirituality and Wiccan high holidays of Candlemas, Beltane, Lammas and Hallowmas or Samhain. Sitting squarely at the Gate of the Bull is Saturn in Taurus in exact opposition to Mars energizing the Eagles's Gate in Scorpio. This is a stop/go energy pattern. Mars is ambitious and wants everything right now and Saturn keeps throwing up roadblocks and obstacles. Timing is off bringing rash, impulsive acts and times of inappropriate inaction. Empowering the Lion's Gate with great authority is the eclipse itself, the Sun and Moon in Leo with the North Node . The Sun and Moon together do not allow much room for objectivity. It shows lack of perspective and extremes of temperament fueled by a strong self will and great ambition. This could indicate an authoritarian leader making a last stand. Think of Napoleon at Waterloo. Resisting all this personal power at the Angel's Gate is Uranus in Aquarius and the South Node. Uranus in Aquarius is all about social equality and progressive change for the betterment of humanity, by revolution if necessary. Both the French and American Revolutions occurred near the time of the sighting of Uranus in 1781. The squares in fixed signs are all about power struggles and require definite action to be released and are all about the preservation of our values, resources and desires. The Mars/Saturn opposition will work to breakdown outmoded value systems and structures at the deepest core levels. The old ways of economic distribution of Earth's resources are no longer functioning in a beneficial way for most of the planets' inhabitants. This will change and Earth Herself may trigger events which ensure this change in a decisive manner. This is suggested by the position of Uranus in the Grand Cross and is only one possibility for the release of tension. The axis squared by Mars in Scorpio and Saturn in Taurus is the eclipse itself (the Sun & Moon) in Leo and Uranus in Aquarius, the axis of humanity. This powerful axis is one of great tension. The collective energy of Uranian change cannot be stopped and there will be great opposition to a smooth transfer of power. Impulsive acts that raze the old, outworn structures to the ground are indicated. The process of unifying this polarity involves transmuting the personal authority of willful individuals into cooperative, humanitarian endeavors for the benefit of all. This polarity represents a struggle between personal power and impersonal service to humanity.
So what does this mean for us now? The Mother eclipse has the Sun and Moon in Capricorn, the sign of big government, social and economic systems and structures. These have all been under siege the last decade or so by transiting Uranus and Neptune (i.e.) the fall of the Berlin Wall and breakup of the Soviet Union. Great social and economic shifts effecting large groups of people in a very personal way is part of the nature of this eclipse family. This energy pattern is brought into sharp focus by the August eclipse with its Grand Fixed Cross primed for dramatic revolutionary change. In fact, there is an extremely sharply focused planetary configuration known in esoteric astrology as the "Finger of God" or Finger of Fate" commonly called a Yod. The apex of the Yod is Pluto, planet of transformation, regeneration and metamorphosis. Big Stuff! And it will happen on a planetary level affecting the collective consciousness of all beings. Pluto doesn't do anything halfway, he's an all or none kind of guy. As Bill Tierney puts it, "the established conditions operating previous to the full activation of this Yod prove non-essential for the ongoing growth once the new path has been undertaken. Thus, they are likely to be destroyed or completely abandoned in the course of this destined change" (ref. 5). There is a sense of destiny with this Yod as the base involves the North Node, point of greatest fulfillment of destiny in a chart. Uranus, planet of revolutionary change and possibly earth upheaval is the other point in this Yod. Sitting exactly at their midpoint in direct opposition to Pluto is Jupiter. The great, gaseous, giant planet of our solar system family fueling this dynamic, focused force for change and transcendental growth. The nature of the fuel is important too, as it is one of nuclear fusion. Jupiter rules the higher mind and is integral to melding the dualities of heart and mind and body and soul bringing wisdom and fluid perceptive understanding. In soul-centered astrology, Alan Oken sees Jupiter as instrumental in the "resolution of duality" and states that "It is Jupiter's' specific function within this alchemy to awaken one to the presence of Love as the essence which abides within any given form. Jupiter is thus the tool for the expansion of love consciousness" (ref. 6). Jupiter is called the 'Great Benefic' and is the esoteric ruler of Aquarius and the New Age. And as Alice Bailey reports, is 'home of the Masters', but that's another story. Pluto at the Yod apex can be quite drastic and even brutal as he goes about his job of transforming everybody and everything. This is an evolutionary force which will brook no opposition on its inexorable path towards wholeness and perfection. Clearing away the dead wood is part of the process. There is, besides Jupiter, another bright light beaming at us from the S.S.1N Mother chart. Chiron, newest member of our solar system family activating the opening of consciousness between the personal planets and the planets of the collective multidimensional spheres of influence. Chiron is the only planetary being from the S.S.1N Mother chart that fits precisely into the current Grand Fixed Cross at 14 degrees Taurus. This puts Chiron is a beautiful, harmonious trine to the series birth chart Sun and Moon. In a word, Grace. This trine brings a very creative view of the universe by attuning a natural awareness to the power for fluid transmutation inherent within all structures (ref. 7). This Grace is focused directly at us through the Taurean Gate of Avataric Descent grounded into the future by Saturn's vigilance. Make no mistake about the power of this Great Eclipse and Grand Fixed Cross. You can be swept away in the coming social changes by choosing to be part of the emotional dramas acted out on the world stage. You don't have to live in Kosovo to be in upheaval. Evolutionary transformation is an impersonal force.You can sit in your living room and watch the news and be sucked into the dramas in very emotionally personal ways, or you can choose to shift and surf the tsunami by attuning to the higher vibrational energy fields beyond duality. Copyright 1999, Debrah Burnight Astrology has been an avocation of Debrah Burnight for 20 years. |