The Solar Eclipse and the Hidden Iran

August, traditionally, is holiday month.   It is a time to bury unwanted news, a time when people want to switch off from mundane news stories.   The kids are off school.   It’s holiday time.

But this August is eclipse month, and tensions are already running exceptionally high.  In fact, all around me I see people dealing with problems and issues, seemingly more than usual.

On 12th August there is a Solar Eclipse in Leo, visible from northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland and north-east Spain. Astrologers look for patterns and the chart for this eclipse has plenty – a Grand Trine, two minor triangles, a mystic rectangle and the Barbault Cradle.   It is followed by a Lunar Eclipse in Pisces on the 28th.

Eclipses are rarely soft and gentle.   They hit with force, which is why the ancients paid so much attention to them.   For a king’s astrologer, the interpretation of what an eclipse might augur for the nation and its leader could literally make the difference between whether the astrologer kept his head or not.

So we are entering a Solar Eclipse in a Fire sign at a time when tensions are already running wild.   That is somewhat akin to lighting a tinderbox in parched fields.  If there is a hiatus within your current issues, by the end of the eclipse you may well find yourself faced with a gaping crevasse.

But Leo is ruled by the Sun. We are literally talking about kings and leaders here – and their vulnerability.

Two tinderboxes in the world right now are Iran and Ukraine, and the eclipse is not visible from either.   However, if we look at the Astro cartography, we can see the Mars line afflicting Kiev at its deepest roots, so I would expect to see a continuation of issues there.

For Iran, the eclipse glances its Ascendant - how the country shows itself to the world and expresses itself as a body politic.  The eclipse will square (conflict angle) Uranus within the chart of Iran at the same time that Uranus impacts the Iranian Moon (the people). In plain language, putting this all together, the people of Iran may well feel very destabilised.   Sudden, shocking events may occur - possibly revolutionary factions rise within the country – but something is likely to strongly affect the Iranian people and their attitudes.

I learned an interesting fact this week from an Iranian friend.   Iran was once known as Eran.   It was conquered by Arab Muslims in the 7th century, and Islam was gradually introduced over the centuries that followed.   Even so, the previous culture, language and identity remained.   The name Eran was connected to the ancient word Arya, meaning noble, honourable, or belonging to the Iranian people.

Indeed, the Persians, or Iranians, were not the same people as the Arabs and never have been; although we win the West tend to view them as so.  Instead, many stayed loyal to their roots.

Hitler and the Nazis later appropriated the term "Aryan" to describe their own idea of a superior race.

At this Solar Eclipse in Leo, the words "noble" and "honourable", in terms of the ancient Aryan meaning, resonate with the archetypal meaning of Leo in its highest form.   At this eclipse, are we being forced to look at Leo at its highest expression and explore honour, coming from the heart and love?   Or are we being asked to acknowledge its shadow side of hubris and arrogance?

And because the Sun represents kings and leaders, are we also being forced to look at those leaders who impose their will upon society with hubris, without good leadership and without thought for democracy?

At the time of the Solar Eclipse, Saturn is both "in fall" and retrograde.   Saturn represents duty, honour, responsibility and accountability, but right now he is damaged. And he is heading back to meet Neptune.  Saturn and Neptune met earlier in the year, in March, at 0 degrees Aries, the beginning of the zodiac and a critical degree with global implications.   Astrologers have devoted many thousands of words to what this might augur.

Current issues, however, have brought another thought to my mind.   In some circles, much of the current tension revolves around the young who, as ever, believe they know everything and have little to learn from the elder generation.   This is nothing new.  Despite this though, the old have generally managed to retain a certain respect.  Are we now though about to enter a period, particularly one in which technology is travelling at breakneck speed replacing old methods and old ways, where older people, Saturn, are effectively cancelled and ‘dissolved’ by Neptune? Are we entering a time of almost ruthless decapitation of the old, on a scale not seen before?

Adding to this line of thought, Uranus, the planet of revolution, has entered Gemini, the sign most associated with youth.

This Solar Eclipse will be a South Node eclipse, meaning that we are being encouraged to let go of old ways and habits.   There is loss of some kind.   The question is, what, and how much, are we being asked to lose?

Four planets in two pairings will be in Leo: Mercury with Jupiter and the Sun with the Moon. Expect communications to be "over the top" and magnified at this time as Jupiter expands Mercury.

For the UK, we may see the true colours of those we assume are our partners, those who are supposed to be working with us, not against us.   But with Jupiter ruling the Midheaven in early Sagittarius, is all this bold talk taking us in a new direction?

That may well be the case, particularly with transformative Pluto, the face of AI, opposing Mercury and Jupiter.   What information is being hidden and buried?   And with Mercury also ruling transportation we are seeing gigantic ‘small’ boats bringing migrants to our shores.

The day before the eclipse the UK Prime Minister begins a ‘listening’ tour of the nation, where he proposes to listen to the ‘anger’ of the population.   But with Mercury in Leo will he truly ‘listen’ or will it be with the ear of hubris?   And more importantly will he take action?

The much-talked-about ‘Barbault Cradle’, with Mercury and Jupiter at one end of its formation and Pluto at the other, has its traits hidden underground at eclipse time for the UK.  What is being concealed from us at the time of a powerful Solar Eclipse that should put leaders and their manner of leadership firmly in the spotlight?

What is triggered at the Solar Eclipse should be revealed by the Lunar Eclipse on the 28th.  What secrets might that involve?  And what vulnerabilities might be exposed within leaderships?  Iran is once again highlighted as the Lunar Eclipse lands on their Venus – money, relationships.  Venus in turn rules the Midheaven – their status in the world.  

What have we come to accept from our leaders?  Honour that comes from the heart?   Or pure hubris that takes the place of democracy?