The lunar eclipse on June 4 2012 is at 14º Sagittarius 13’ and in constellation Hercules the kneeling man. We have an interesting T-square to Mars, while the Sun is conjunct Venus. This is an eclipse for lovers and passionate three-way trysts. The lovely Venus dazzles in sapphire apon Rigel’s glorious throne in Orion. The Sun conjunct minor planet Chaos belts out pandemonious sunlight to this Moon. The earth interrupts this dramatic connection and makes us think twice. Mars stands provocatively half way between Orions Sun/Venus/Chaos and the lonely Herculean moon. The lunar eclipse is down on one knee praying for forgiveness or perhaps even proposing?
Lunar Eclipse Aspects
Moon opposite Venus “With this aspect you may get a person obsessed with making everything gorgeous, perfect and idyllic while bemoaning the kids with sticky fingers and life’s unpleasant bathroom smells…” Sun conjunct Venus “There could be a tendency to sugar coat unpleasant realities and behave with indolence…. But generally these people are charismatic, charming, and lovers not fighters.”
One side of the eclipse opposition is Chaos in between the Sun and Venus. Chaos “ Our endless battle with the serpent keeps us trapped in the illusion of separateness and duality. Chaos is not describing the demon itself, just the process of becoming whole again.” The demon inside us here would be the striving for such perfection, that Venus’s status as the ubergoddess of pure love gets corrupted into vanity, sanitized beauty and a phobia of ugliness.
Venus is also on Rigel in the foot of Orion which is a very lucky star giving honors, riches, happiness and glory, but we must not forget that this was the foot that got stung by the humble Scorpion Gaia sent in punishment for Orion’s boast that he could conquer all earthly creatures. Like Gaia, the Earth comes between our Gods the luminaries. The lunar eclipse reminds us the enlightened ones are not immune to earthly desires or protected from natures foibles.
Moon square Mars “ brings such intense feelings and moods to crisis point, so these people more than most, need to vent this great energy into some project …This could manifest in a variety of ways; starting at the most base level would be sexual conquesting.” Sun square Mars “creates a very tense energy inside which looks for expression through some kind of action, sport, sex, creative self expression…The square causes obstacles in self-assertion which have to be overcome with the courage and fighting spirit which comes naturally”
I think Mars’s interception of this Lunar eclipse could actually be quite beneficial. Mars and Venus work best as a team, each one tempering the others negative expression. They are complimentary. The only difficulty is that they are in square aspect. But squares should not be feared, they are dynamic and productive. This lunar eclipse T square could be very good for relationships that have fallen into a rut.
June 2012 Lunar Eclipse Opposite Chaos
This lunar eclipse chart looks like a battle of the sexes or a battle with ones own sexual cravings. “Chaos in your chart will show where you have to fight your most difficult battle. It could be your greatest temptation, or addiction and it will be the one thing that gets you every time..” Or it could be the one person who gets you every time. The houses where this whole T-square falls will illuminate the areas of your life where this great battle will take place.
The Sun/Venus/Chaos side will show where there is a gaping hole in your life that is insatiable and needs feeding. This could be where your ego runs riot and you are easily flattered. This is your ravenous sweet tooth, so its the place where you need to exert more will power than usual for the next six months. If you look at that Mercury trine Saturn tapping into the T-square in the chart, that really is mind over matter. Saturn is so very strong on Spica, the most fortunate star in dutiful Virgo. If anyone can curb excessive indolence and satiety this angel of temperance can. Mars could be the house from which you get the courage to sever the links with whatever or whoever has got you hooked. But what about the kneeling Moon?
Lunar Eclipse on Ras Algethi
Ras Algethi is in Hercules and when one reads of his meaning it’s almost similar to Orion. Instead of the Scorpion, Hercules’s foot is placed on the dragon, similar to the illustration of St Michael I put up for the Chaos post. “From first to last Hercules is seen engaged in destroying some malignant foe” [1]. With Hercules though, the whole constellation is engaged in this struggle with the beast. He is down on his knees, wrestling and sweating, blood and guts, very hands on. Hercules can literally taste the combat. It’s not standing back and waving a sword around.
Other commentators have said this constellation is about honouring nature as god and caring for the planet. Because Hercules is on his knees, he is in close contact to the earth and humbled by it. It is the inclination to bow down, to honour and adore someone. In its highest vibration this star is ethical and moral. It does not pollute itself or others and respects natural law. This energy is opposed arrogant Orion for this lunar eclipse, so this Moon could be giving too much admiration to another person. If one goes to the house where the eclipse falls in their chart they may see things from a more grounded perspective.
Lunar Eclipse Astrological Meaning
The house in which the lunar eclipse falls is where you need to go to balance out and temper the excesses of any indulgences, vanity and indolence in your life. I’m not saying Sun conjunct Venus is a bad aspect to have generally, but in the context of this eclipse it has its vices. Forewarned is to be forearmed after all. This is a pretty dramatic T-square and I can also see the issues of uncovering deceptive behaviour in love relationships much as Jamie uncovered in his Venus Retrograde post. I think this eclipse will bring to a head triangular love relationships that are about to snap. The third entity could also be an obsessive hobby, demanding job, a difficult child, a destructive drug habit or a jealous best friend.
The very strong Saturn on Spica can hopefully bring out the best in Rigel as according Robson, Venus on Rigel is actually very good for marriage. As I said before, the geometry of the chart is interesting, as the trine does look very much as if it is really sticking a spanner in the works. But this is a good spanner and making us get a grip on ourselves. Mostly we really don’t like Saturn, with his restraint and grim lessons. But spiritual development is not all about incense and sitting crossed-legged in a Neptunian haze, there will be times when it can be bloody hard work. Those times can yield the richest rewards however, with a little Saturn patience and stamina.
June 2012 Lunar Eclipse Visibility
Lunar Eclipse Times
4 June 4:12 am in Los Angeles
4 June 7:12 am in New York
4 June 12:12 pm in London
4 June 4:42 pm in Delhi
4 June 9:12 pm in Sydney