AQUARIUS NEW MOON AND SOLAR ECLIPSE
hello again, and welcome to eclipse season (i'm back!)
2026 NEW MOONS // AQUARIUS SOLAR ECLIPSE AND NEW MOON, FEBRUARY 17
Greetings friends,
I’ve started this newsletter a handful of times and am not sitting well with any of them. So I guess this will be my opening. How are you? Life is always changing, is it not? I have been looking forward to this eclipse season for quite some time. This is, to put it whimsically, us changing timelines—quantum leaping—if you will. While this eclipse is merely the preview of what we will more concretely interface with later in the year, once the nodes change signs (late July), there are likely important developmental processes being initiated, fated meetings being strung together, and destined realizations coming into each of our purviews. Aquarius energy can often signify things happening “out of order,” that is, non-linearly. But it’s important to clarify that what we might perceive as “out of order” is actually just what was destined to occur; the reason we think there is a correct order is because of how we have been socialized and conditioned to think and act. Perceiving the events unfolding during this time from an impersonal, neutral perspective may prove to be of great value to you. Emotions can often distort the truth, even if that is not their intention.
My newsletter recently passed its 3rd birthday (on February 8th). It’s interesting to see how this newsletter’s progression has so intimately reflected my own growth and evolution; sometimes I think the periods of silence say more about where I was at than the published pieces. I used to stay up until 4 am just to get a newsletter out on time. I used to have such a rigid way of producing my thoughts; I feared deviating from the formula I had established…that formula was what gave me the success I had found up until that point. But as you witnessed, if you’ve been subscribed for a bit, that formula was not structurally sound. Last year, I went through so many big emotional upheavals, the details of which I won’t get into, but it caused any semblance of productivity to collapse in my life. I collapsed. I became so exhausted from years of forcing—forcing from a place of obligation or shame or something else unnamed—that my will just gave out. And now I’m here.
I’m not returning to the old formula, or any formula for that matter. My writing is probably going to have a much more organic shape from here on out. And that feels good; it feels sustainable and raw and true to me. Anyway, glad to be in your inbox again. Welcome to eclipse season; let’s talk about it!
MERCURY RETROGRADE IS COMING UP…
Mercury retrograde starts in just one week, and to be honest with you, it’s kind of in the worst possible position. Mercury does not perform well in Pisces already, and considering we’re going to be moving through a pretty big Pisces stellium, eclipse season, and Mercury retrograde, I’m giving you the heads up now that you may feel very confused, lost, and desperate for answers in this next month or so. It will be important to remember that Pisces is the sign of the cosmic mother, the womb of the universe. In Pisces season, we may find ourselves in a proverbial womb of sorts.
That said, I will be publishing a Mercury retrograde podcast episode this week for everyone to listen to! I’m also in the process of recording a horoscope episode, which will be available to all paid subscribers. If you want to learn how to navigate this period, consider joining my exclusive community; it’s only $6/month.
This Pisces season may be swirly whirly, but it doesn’t have to feel immobilizing. You can meet with me 1:1 if you want to discuss some strategies for navigating these energies.
A PREVIEW OF THE FUTURE AND A CALL BACK TO THE PAST
Aquarius energy is always funny to watch play out; there is a level of comedic unseriousness that it tends to infuse into topics that would typically be quite significant. As I stated above, the reason we may feel shocked or uncomfortable with Aquarian manifestations is because of our preconceived notions about what is “normal.” But what is normal? Predictability? Popularity? Conformity?
This eclipse reminds us that anything that is now normal to us was once foreign and unfamiliar, which is why it encourages us to embrace any turbulence that is likely being stirred up as we embark upon yet another eclipse season.
Eclipse seasons are like cosmic assessment tests, offering us insight into how well we are integrating a spiritual concept or evolutionary process. You may feel as if things that are happening feel fated or destined; perhaps you didn’t predict them happening, but upon their occurrence, you have an inherent understanding of them. You may not understand why it’s happening—whatever it is—but perhaps it will make sense to your soul, even if it simultaneously doesn’t make sense to your mind.
This is our first eclipse on the Aquarius-Leo axis, which is giving us a preview of what we will likely be interfacing with more notably once the nodes shift at the end of July this year. There are bound to be important seeds being planted at this time, meetings being organized, or procedures being instigated that are going to be integral pieces in each of our lives and development processes. Of course, we probably won’t notice the significance of these things right now; perhaps some will, depending upon the material, but more often than not, you may not grasp what is going to be so significant to you later, as it likely appears quite plain or mundane in its current expression. August may be when we see the reason for certain changes, shifts, or reconfigurations that are happening now.
As for the look back to the past, this moon, interestingly, forms in a very similar fashion to the Aquarius full moon from August 2024, at a late degree of Aquarius, in square to Uranus at 27º Taurus. Perhaps, to some degree, history feels as if it’s repeating itself. For some, especially if this is contacting personal planets, this may involve the same material, people, experiences, or matters that were the topic of the Aquarius full moon in 2024. But for others, you may be dealing with the same energy, feeling, or theme, but perhaps the vessel holding it looks different.
The key difference between those two moons—aside from the obvious that one is a full moon and the other is a new moon—is the position of Saturn. In August 2024, Saturn was still in Pisces, and it had a long way to go to get into Aries. I recently published a few thoughts on what Saturn in Pisces facilitated; if you haven’t read it, you can find it here.
That moon, being ruled by Saturn in Pisces, was about dismantling illusions we had been trying to maintain by avoiding evolution or change. Saturn in Pisces was trying to teach us about how we contribute to our suffering by refusing to do something about it, perhaps because we’re waiting for the hand of God to scoop us up, or we’re waiting for the world to notice the pain we’re concealing so well.
But this new moon and solar eclipse has Saturn in Aries, and not only that, Saturn is getting very close to its exact conjunction to Neptune, an aspect that only happens once every 36 years or so. This union reminds us of the multitudes we contain and inspires us to notice them, but also confronts us with the realistic requirements of actualizing each potential we contain. This may guide us into feelings of existentialism or cause us to feel as if we must be ultra-calculated in the actions we’re taking; perhaps our fears of making a mistake or wasting time are magnified alongside our awareness of the possibilities we’re sitting on. While the feeling is valid, I assure you, this moon does not want us to fear taking a misstep. We can simultaneously notice our multitudes and keep in mind that we don’t have to make them all happen in a single day. We have time. We may not have time to fulfill every dream that comes to mind, but we can celebrate each one as it organically exists without needing to assign it value, without needing it to mean something. As my dad has told me in my (many) moments of crisis: The vehicle that got you here may not be the one to carry you to where you’re going. And that’s okay. But we can still appreciate the vehicle for the role it played in getting us here.
The Aquarius lunation in August 2024 was about reality being revealed to us, even if we were clinging to an idealization or a dream, hoping that our faith in it would make it true. This Aquarius solar eclipse has us finding a sense of peace and motivation in confronting what reality is, even if we may not be satisfied with what it currently is. When you accept the current structure of your life and let go of the lies that you tell yourself to prolong your stay in synthetic satisfaction just a little bit longer (because no matter how long it lasts, it’s ultimately unsustainable), you simplify the equation, and finding a solution becomes much more tangible.
This is a great moon to contemplate self-reinvention. You may find yourself feeling deeply motivated to exercise your will and authority over the different elements of your life that you’ve been neglecting or allowing to stagnate in the past several months. This may be a time in which you’re deciding that enough is enough; today is the day. In the essence of Saturn in Aries, we are finding a sense of empowerment by facing the truth of our material reality, even if what we see isn’t something we’re super satisfied with. By seeing the truth of something, we automatically reposition ourselves into a stronger place. This moon may signify us simultaneously discarding dreams that we’ve found a sense of comfort in but never had any real plans of actualizing and showing up more intentionally for the dreams that have actual viability. Maybe you’re cutting through the fog you’ve created for yourself by clinging to a dream that you once desired but no longer do.
It’s important not to create more dissonance for ourselves by rushing into things, trying to make up for lost time. We may make unnecessary mistakes and cause our future selves more frustration. So you may find it valuable to make things simple—move from inspiration, follow intuition, listen to the body’s cues. Seeking external validation for the things we are setting into motion may prove to be an unsustainable fuel for consistency. That is another thing this lunation highlights: for other people to see your dream, you have to create it. You cannot always trust that others will remain devoted to the potential that you, your dream, or your ambition possess. In fact, Saturn in Pisces reminded us of just how harmful clinging to both our and others’ potential is. Potential is there, but it may never be actualized.
Just because someone can become the very best version of themself doesn’t mean they will, and if they’re depending on you believing they can do it to inspire their action forward, what happens if your faith wavers? This is an important time to let our actions speak for us and to let the actions of others speak for them. This is not saying to lose faith in others’ ability to change, but this is a reminder that in order for someone to change, they have to want it. For themselves. For their life. For their future. This is the lesson that has connected this solar eclipse and the full moon from 2024 for me. You cannot will someone else’s evolution into existence, only your own.
As we phase into this eclipse season, I encourage you to look at life through both your own eyes and from the perspective of God. Presence will be a huge asset to us as we undergo the transformative processes that eclipses tend to bring on. But if you find yourself being consumed by the enormity of right now, if you find yourself putting a great deal of pressure on yourself to make each moment count as it comes and passes, try to position yourself in a higher perspective, one that considers the whole picture that is your life. Obviously, these are two drastic extremes—now and forever—but this is the strange signature of this current energetic landscape. We can be present in the now to inspire proactivity and intentional movement, but we can also consider the vastness of infinity to take the pressure off this decision, this feeling, this choice. Life is both so serious and so not serious.
Under this lunation, try to embrace your unconventionality and remember that the only reason there are expectations and standards is because so many people before us have trod the same path, over and over and over again. Nothing is really that outrageous to dream of, but you create your reality. So change your mind and get after your dreams, or let it go and find something that you actually believe in. Stop occupying your time with something you never intend to put faith and action behind. Holding onto a dream, your potential, a vision, a promise, without ever intending to act on it...it creates an eternal waiting room. You deserve to achieve your dreams, so do something about them.
Read your rising sign for primary messages, and sun and moon signs for additional insights.
ARIES, the impact you wish to have or the community you wish to reach is accessible, but you may find that holding onto certain moral perspectives or definitions of loyalty is holding you back. Perhaps it’s time to change what you value about yourself. Consider how you can act as if the future is now; if you want your dreams to materialize, you have to move through the world as if they already exist (because they do). It is especially important for you to remember under this lunation that things happening out of the order we expected them to doesn’t mean things are going wrong. This is an important time for you to be the spearhead of change in your life, but to let inspiration guide your actions, rather than urgency or fear.
TAURUS, a new professional proposition may challenge you to step out of your comfort zone, as any new opportunities that are surfacing may represent both the freedom you crave and the faith you must have in the unknown. Important social connections are likely coming together at this time, or perhaps fated events in relationships are setting on a path of evolution that will allow you to achieve long-term aspirations and ambitions. It may be helpful for you to consider how your expectations for what evolution or growth looks like can sometimes prevent either from happening. Development can feel both pleasurable and uncomfortable; only entertaining one way of developing may prolong your journey. Embrace change!
GEMINI, you may face uncomfortable unknowns under this lunation, which may demand that you examine your beliefs and personal philosophies. Accelerative opportunities may arise, perhaps becoming available to you because of past experiences, talents, or skills that were forgotten for a time. Beliefs or ideas that contrast your own may have you feeling existential, as you realize you may not feel as solidified in previous concepts or ideologies that you thought you were. This will be a helpful time to see outside of yourself so that you don’t get trapped in limited thinking. We may think we know things until we realize we don’t.
CANCER, this moon may guide you into uncomfortable places, as you could be noticing a part of yourself that you have kept quiet for the benefit of others, or you may be witnessing an aspect of yourself that you’ve been conditioned to reject. This may involve you departing a social or work environment that has become stagnant. You may find yourself being pushed to make decisions for you and you alone under this energy, which may bring up fears of being abandoned or discarded for being “too much.” This moon highlights that you cannot help others when you yourself are not stabilized. You may be met with misunderstanding by some when you attempt to be honest and vulnerable; this should not be taken as evidence that you should remain closed off! Rejection is redirection or a mirror to reflect. Responding to emotion from a place of neutrality may allow you to understand their true messages.
LEO, this may be an important time to consider how your expectations in partnership or committed matters may contradict what you ultimately want. You may experience pushback or discomfort from a partner or feel friction with the idea of what you think partnership looks like. Have you been invited to expand? Are you asking someone else to contract so you don’t have to? Perhaps this is the initiation of a journey of more disciplined self-examination and individuation. You can only meet others as deeply as you’ve met yourself, and the inverse is true as well. You may realize that you’ve depended on others to evolve in some ways during this lunation, so perhaps this will signify you taking up the torch of your development process without looking to others for support.
VIRGO, this may be an important time to consider how well your actions are aligning with your personal morals, spiritual beliefs, or philosophies. Perhaps this is an important time to make some changes to the way that you navigate the material plane and your domestic life, but also in the way you utilize your authority in becoming who you want to be. This may be facilitated by consequences from previous actions playing out, but it also may be presented to you by you catching yourself repeating a pattern you’ve been trying to escape. You may be seeing your true self in a clearer light under this lunation. Consider how your reality is one big mirror. Any actions or work set into motion during this lunation may be for merely a practical purpose right now, but they may turn out to play a prominent role in a spiritual evolution process later on.
LIBRA, there may be new romantic or creative propositions becoming available that will challenge your ability to self-examine and exert your authority over your life. These experiences may feel very exciting and intriguing to you, but they will not allow you to ignore the unactualized parts of you or the parts of yourself you are ashamed of. To say you value something is one thing; to embody it in your being is another. This moon may have you feeling misunderstood by others in some ways, but this is to reflect back to you how you may be misunderstanding yourself. Is there some truth in what others perceive about you? Are you evading the work while wanting the reward? This is not to invoke shame; this is to spark curiosity around what shame may be trying to protect you from.
SCORPIO, this eclipse may facilitate significant changes to your home life and family dynamic, or it may involve you having a realization in private that you will start to contemplate taking action on. This realization may be about your fulfillment (or lack thereof) in relationships with others. Perhaps you’re going to be challenged by this eclipse to embrace vulnerability in a way that you haven’t felt safe enough to express before. This may be created by a partner or yourself. You may be adopting a different self-perception that is contradictory to how you were taught to be in childhood, so it may feel foreign to entertain. But this moon encourages you to honor any truths that are being revealed to you at this time, whether they are pleasant or uncomfortable, whether they are about you or another party.
SAGITTARIUS, every monumental shift is often set into motion far earlier than we realize. We simply don’t recognize the shift being initiated because of how well it blends in with the other mundane pieces of domestic life. There may be a decision, conversation, idea, or small interaction that is planting seeds for a future matter that will be quite important and expansive. You may have to open your mind to consistency and productivity looking different than how you’ve typically known them. Not all progress is visible, nor is it all linear. Don’t internalize delays or hiccups as sabotage; they may be to your benefit.
CAPRICORN, perhaps you’ll be encountering a new value system under this lunation as you revisit and refine your definitions of happiness and fulfillment. You may find that pursuing some definitions of happiness with such devotion has led to the goal being fulfilled, but perhaps you weren’t anticipating feeling empty or underwhelmed. This moon encourages you to consider who you felt you had to be due to circumstances when you were a child, but it also asks you to consider how you yourself have reinforced restrictive identities that you once couldn’t wait to escape. Have you become the thing you said you’d never be? This may be a valuable time to shift your narratives around what is or what makes you “good” or “bad.” Happiness isn’t a formula; it’s a feeling, one that can be found in even the most unsuspecting and unglamorous places.
AQUARIUS, you may feel as if you are embarking upon a significant self-discovery journey, one that will be centered around you finding a deep reverence for who you are, even if the world makes you feel misunderstood. You may be noticing the origins of your feeling misunderstood; perhaps there are uncomfortable realizations about your home, family, or childhood, which are making familiarity feel less comfortable to stay in. You may feel behind, lost, or confused about what comes next right now. It may not look like it, but you truly are right on time. Do not dilute yourself just to remain in alignment with connections that provide you with companionship but starve you of understanding.
PISCES, there may be deeply internal spiritual processes that have begun, which may be putting you in an existential or introspective mental space. You may find that this moon is urging you to see beyond the material reality you see. Is there something you sense exists, even if it doesn’t have evidence to represent it physically? There is an invitation for you to consider what limiting beliefs about your capability or potential may be holding you in suffering. Perhaps there are ideas that you have hesitated putting faith in out of fear of disappointment. This eclipse points out that creating new beliefs starts with changing your thoughts and shifting your attention. Trust that things may actually be working in your favor, even if you feel halted or restrained by certain physical matters currently.
I really missed reading these newsletters! I hope they are back