Aquarius Solar Eclipse: The Eagle's Ascent
And the work at hand
The first eclipse of the year, an Aquarius solar eclipse, will be occurring on February 17, 2026 (EST). Below is my reading on the energies.
When we emerge into this world from the nourishing and protecting womb cocoon that grew us into initial form, we enter into a realm of desire in full swing around us. Soft and pliable, lacking the muscle, sense-coordination, and orientation to walk our path, we must rely on those around us to provide for us a protected, nurturing, and nourishing external womb that allows us to grow strong in body, mind, spirit, and identity.1
When given this protection, we develop into mature beings who, when desire comes chasing, can clearly distinguish between what is wanted and unwanted. On the other side of the equation, we can clearly see when our advances are unwanted and respect that. One root of the incessant and pervasive violations of person against person in our times and the last several millennia may be a collective failure of humanity to protect, nurture, and nourish its children. Indeed, the stories pointing to this possible (probable, in my mind) developmental strand of our current plight are finally breaking into mass consciousness.
This rupture stemming from society’s disconnection from developmental need and responsibility is one aspect of the solar eclipse energy. A related aspect is found in its degree placement, which is 28+ Aquarius. That is the end of the sign, the point the planets reach after having traveled most of the way through. If we have been able to do the work of a sign, its final degrees represent a time of clarity and flight. Think of an eagle, having mastered the art of flight, now soaring aloft on the wind currents, gaining perspective it could not achieve without that flight and, because of that flight, experiencing what could not be experienced before - the exhilarating, dual pleasures of freedom (ascent) and daring (descent).
If we have not been able to do the work of a sign, then these final degrees will show us that. We will either fly too high, causing our wings to melt, as happened with Icarus, or fly too low, failing to escape the mire of the swamp, the other danger in that story pointed out by Seth Godin. To avoid these fates, we have to know ourselves, our abilities, and our capabilities. To get there, we have to master our identities, master our dreams, master our senses and desires, and master our emotions. Aquarius adds the layer of genius - that quality of light that is unique to us - that gives us our unique shine and gift to give back to the collective who raised us.
As these times accelerate around us, as they surely will in the months ahead, we will need anchors. The necessity of tending development is one of them, I believe - one of many long forgotten cultural anchors, no doubt, to which we are now awakening.
When we know who we are and where we are, developmentally, when we have the support to do the work of who and where we are, we are better able to focus on what we need to do. It is this focus - and the ability and capacity to do so that is cultivated - that gives us our power to steady ourselves amidst the fraying spin, allowing us to lay the foundations of our dreams.
I will end with four “rules” I have come to identify as relevant to dream realization and that have become meaningful for me:
We must know ourselves (which includes our Aquarian genius)
We must know our dreams
We must know where we are on the path of our dream
We must learn and do the practices of where we are
As these accelerated times of awakening proceed, let us be kind to ourselves. Let us allow ourselves to be right where we are and love ourselves there.
Updates
Dev Astro
I wrote one article during this stretch considering aspects from yet another angle. This one is based on the pre-algebraic concept of reciprocals. I have turned my attention to math because, to do sound methodological work, which I took up briefly a few weeks ago, I realized I need a much better math - and programming - foundation.
The purpose of the article I wrote was to help me make sense of reciprocals by applying it to an interest, or rather quest, of mine - to understand aspects in astrology. The resting point I came to is not a final solution, but a first foundation of understanding. I expect my interpretation of what reciprocals mean astrologically to change as I learn more.
You can find the article on my Bear blog, Dev Astro:
Astrology Commons
My focus is now on understanding the logic beneath the language of programming and on learning basic math. Taking up these subjects is helping me lay down essential foundations that have been missing and that have led to increasing confusion as I’ve tried to progress in learning programming.
Here’s why that’s been happening.
In programming, there are 3 code levels: machine, low, and high. Machine level is hardest for the human brain to learn but the most essential for understanding how the computer actually works. High level is the easiest for the human brain to learn, requiring only cursory understanding of how computers work. Python is a high level language. It is easier to learn, but distances you further and further from the ground of true understanding. I personally can’t tolerate the disconnect. Now that I understand what it is, I can do something about it, which is learn machine code.
So, the program is on hold while I learn the foundations. Imo, this will make for a much better program down the road, and me a much better teacher.
Notes
The idea of an external womb comes from Jean Liedloff’s brilliant book, The Continuum Concept.
Are you trying to learn assembly language? Is that still a thing? (As in do compilers still exists for it)