writing

communion & intimacy in the unknown

I dreamed of seeing the milky way incredibly vivid and clear last night. I was driving in the dream and the person next to me and I realized we were seeing it so clearly because our lights were off. The realization made us laugh ourselves to tears, the awe was overwhelming. What a perfect dream to describe our Sun crossing the South Node and being eclipsed by the Moon.

There is importance to honing our night vision, to finding clarity or faith within darkness, obscurity, and the unknown. When we have eyes to see in these places is when the journey really begins.

This solar eclipse on Oct 2, a Libra new moon—the dark moon—is exactly conjunct Black Moon Lilith. This is not actually a physical body in the sky but describes the farthest point of the moon’s orbit from earth, the lunar apogee point, where the moon appears darkest to us. So we have the moon about to obscure our Sun while it sits with the Black Moon, shadow side of the moon. Darkness abounds.

Venus rules over this eclipse from her current home in Scorpio, signaling another journey into the dark with what is taboo, our unconscious, the things we repress which are believed to be too shameful or vulnerable to risk sharing. Venus in Scorpio is next level intimacy when the wounds creating blocks to get there are allowed to be safely explored in relationship.

This eclipse points us toward relational trauma, the raw and painful parts of past relationships we wanted to forget, along with an undercurrent of past life and/or ancestral imprints which have created barriers within our relationships. With Mercury also here, themes around the voice and feeling safe to express ourselves—or safe to explore what that even means when we are in relationship—may be coming up as the moon obscures and reveals the sun.

The emphasis on safety within the dark, intimacy in the dark, and things that have happened under the cover of night which continue to haunt our subconscious mind are all present. And with Black Moon Lilith riding this eclipse, there is promise of new life, new perspective, new eyes to see all we were too scared to face or which caught us inside a stew of rage from the betrayals, violence, and pain of this earthly experience, denying us the opportunity for release and a return of peace within our system.

As the eclipse unfolds, Venus forms a beautiful water trine with Mars in Cancer and Saturn in Pisces. Both the masculine archetype (Mars), and the archetype for patriarchy, authority figures, the father etc (Saturn), are speaking from the intuitive, nurturing, enveloping, protective, passive, defending, oceanic, fluid/flowing parts of the zodiac. The conversation here is one of harmonious holding. If Venus, our feminine archetype, is open to and seeking intimacy through this process, she will certainly find it. Even in silent acknowledgement or the intuitive knowing we offer one another in passing through body language or eye contact. Opportunities exist here for getting on the same page, facing the past together, and deciding how we want to progress in a tangible and unified way. It is making me think of the powerful reframe within relationships where our conflicts don’t have to be me against you but us facing any problem as a team which serves our togetherness and what we are creating. May this configuration at the very least offer some heart felt action and relief to all those suffering under climate disaster and the evils of the military industrial complex.

This is our final eclipse in Libra while the South Node is present within this sign. It leaves us with a unique treasure, one we would only discover through darkness. Funny enough, in my dream this morning after our laugh the person with me began speaking of a famous baby who had died and how they found a gemstone in his poop.

What parts of our innocence and purity were made vulnerable and taken away too soon?

How is that loss/death and our ability to voice it with a trusted confidant an opportunity to uncover something precious? How does acknowledging the actual deaths of children to war, poverty, illness, birthing complications, natural disasters, etc offer the collective a reframing of our priorities? How does the archetype of Lilith show up raging and revenge filled when we try and understand leadership that will not support life the way we envision? And how do we hold complex archetypes like that of Lilith who was said to steal and kill babies?

All of these questions to me are contained within that South Node, the place of the past. In the dragon’s tail we can connect with the collective past, the entire history of civilization, ancestral ties, our own history within this one life, and all other lives we may have lived. Every transformation of Lilith exists here from the victim seeking her revenge, to the demon who gives Eve the apple, the sexually liberated feminine, the succubus who steals sperm from men in the night, and the equal partner to Adam before being cast out. The way her story—or any other myth for that matter—has been used or abused is not really the point, it’s more about the truths it reveals about our past and present.

I think it’s actually very special that Mercury is also present with this eclipse to offer their skills as a psychopomp or guide between worlds. We need a guide to traverse the darkness within the South Node. With Mercury being combust—made invisible under the rays of the Sun—it is more like a hand reaching out in the dark, trying to connect us with the knowledge within that guides our moral compass. Because this is all happening within the sign of Libra, our attention is directed toward justice, fairness, finding equilibrium within our own experience and letting that express within all our partnerships in life.

When we go to the darkest places within our psyche, who do we allow the privilege of communion?

When we are asking the deeper questions about justice within our own life and in the larger world that confuse, horrify, trigger, enrage, and send us into shame—who is embracing us?

You cannot do or say the wrong thing with the right person. May this eclipse make it clear who is safe in our life to be unsure, frightened, and ashamed with. There are so many ways to be in partnership. This could mean you are learning to be the compassionate non-judgmental witness to your own process. It could signal dropping our guard toward ancestors who have been through it and want to hold us from the other side.

Libra energy can become tripped up by overly focusing on how others are viewing them. With Venus in Scorpio, this is the reminder that not everyone’s opinions, beliefs, responses, ways of handling life etc are worth us being concerned over.

Partnership is not about forced loyalty or a need to believe or feel the exact same, but rather prioritizing how we make our togetherness safe for honesty. Honesty is not blunt pessimism under the guise of “just being ‘real’” or spewing “harsh truths” either. Let’s be clear here, honesty doesn’t mean being cruel, closed off, or forcing our truth upon others. It can be messy to find our way through that but truly aligned relationships can heal our lives in a way that it extends this healing all the way out across space and time. A few experiences of this level of intimacy could change the course of a life and soul forever.

We are all walking our own path. Let us be reminded how much of a true miracle it is to find those who meet and walk with us there no matter how long we are in stride together.

This eclipse season began with a Pisces full moon lunar eclipse as the nodes have been preparing to shift from Aries/Libra into Pisces/Virgo in January of 2025. The alignment of this particular eclipse had the Moon in Pisces conjunct both Neptune and the North Node (still in Aries). Currently, Neptune is sextile Uranus and Pluto who are forming a trine to one another. With the nodes coming closer into conjunction with Neptune, this is starting to form the aspect in astrology called a kite. For the first eclipse we had the Sun acting as the base of the kite configuration.

A kite aspect is when there are two planets or points opposite one another and two more forming a sextile and trine to this opposition. See the image below of what this looked like on our last lunar eclipse. You can get a feel by looking at this image how it appears like an actual kite we might see flying in the sky. When we think about what it feels like to fly a kite and all it evokes for us, those same things can be applied to the way the planets or points in the sky are communicating with one another.

Currently, Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus have all just come into this configuration with the South Node serving as the base of the kite. If we think about the technical part of flying a kite, one generally holds a spool of string connected in four places, the center of the cross, the two sides, and the tip of the kite. If you want to change direction you pull toward one side to dive and dip with the wind. Stunt kites have two spools so you can do this with both hands much more efficiently like an actual steering wheel. In this case, Pluto—our planet of evolution, shadow material, collective unconscious, destruction, war, regeneration—is in one hand, while Uranus—the planet that ushers us into liberation, rebellion, freedom at any cost, innovation, breaking boundaries—is in the other. These two form our collective steering wheel as it were for the next 6 years. And they are both following Neptune, their lighthouse, in this process.

I so deeply value approaching astrology through these slower cycles which guide us all. Where these planets are falling by transit in our own birth chart is highly indicating where our work is at this time. Are we going through a death process with Pluto crossing one of our planets? Is our learning how to make art from ash part of our contribution? Is Uranus transiting a point in our chart, creating a complete radical overhaul in our life to uncover something we never imagined would be our path? Or are we sitting with Neptune and discovering what true healing means, dissolving into the boundless ocean of oneness and becoming that pure light of consciousness for others to tune themselves toward? If you have planets in late Virgo or early Libra, expect to be pulled along for the ride of your life as the kite lifts off the ground and whatever planet is there takes flight somewhere completely unexpected for better or worse, it’s all about the perspective here.

I could go on and on about this configuration and will probably do a whole separate post about it. But for now, through this eclipse, it is worth asking ourselves: how is this darkness birthing me into the collective story that is just beginning to unfold? While Pluto and Neptune are nearing the end of their 100 year sextile, Uranus just joined via sextile to Neptune and trine to Pluto this July. They will all travel together until June of 2030.

What a gift it is to walk upon this earth with a constant questioning of existence like a raging storm. It is best to fly a kite on a windy day so maybe that is all part of the experience. There is a way to find our equilibrium here too and this is what I envision all those truly seeking will find through this eclipse.

In gratitude and awe,

Evan

If this post was moving or supportive or interesting to you, I would be so grateful if you 🌸 shared 🌸 it with others! The story of the cosmos is for everyone, I hope anyone seeking it will find something of that here 😌

Also, I have created a new offering that I am so excited to share called Transformational Organization. If you hold shame around your physical belongings or home, feel an overwhelm of emotions when trying to handle or sort objects, and desire a way to work through blocks that keep you from feeling spacious and uplifted in your home space, I invite you to check out more here. We dive into the birth chart and transits and let them guide the work we do physically side by side in clearing out your home space from any belongings which have created a feeling of stuckness, powerlessness, or inhibited progression along your soul journey.

If you know anyone who might benefit, please pass this along. I’m not sure I’ve seen anyone else offer something like this and I know there are many people who could use this type of one to one guidance and labor on all the levels. I feel so so passionate about this work and showing up in this way for those experiencing shame, isolation, depression, etc because of their physical space who feel very ready to shed and transform. It is absolutely your right to experience flow, ease, and creativity within your home space and you do not have to get there alone.

Thank you again everyone for spending this time with me today. I wish you all a beautiful eclipse and am sending comfort toward all those who are literally in the dark right now. It has been devastating to see my old community of Swannanoa & Asheville along with surrounding areas—so so many affected it’s heart breaking—be facing such massive destruction from hurricane Helene. May all those affected by natural or man-made disaster, violence, and loss, find light through the open hearts and arms of those who walk with us through this life.

xo

Evan

Hello dear friends of Substack!

I felt called to compile my own guide on how to manage during difficult transits—and through our own challenging natal chart configurations. This is inspired by the current bumpy astrology we are within and the reality that it is not uncommon to have at least a few (or a lot of) challenging aspects within a birth chart or the world transits. This should say something in itself about how cycles work, moving like the tides in and out. This flow is mirrored everywhere we look, from the seasons to our breath.

Astrology is a map to understand potential energetic, psychological, somatic, spiritual, and material themes which may be arising in our personal lives and within the collective field around us. Understanding how astrology works, even just the basics, gives us the chance to know what energetic material we can expect so as to prepare ourselves through this awareness and hopefully make more informed decisions, find greater meaning in the moment, and experience more flow.

The first way to deal with tough astrology is to remove moral judgement of what a placement or transit means about us or other people. This requires a world view shift where we accept the multidimensionality of ourselves and others.

Accepting multidimensionality is necessary in order to see potentials more clearly as there is less probability of us projecting past wounding onto the future if we fundamentally understand how infinite we actually are. There is beauty in labels, definitions, experience and knowledge in how they help us create a framework for our reality. Without being able to loosen our grip upon these enough to see a more nuanced and expansive view of life however we stand to miss opportunities for growth and deeper embodiment of our divine wisdom.

Once you’ve accepted this, the next step arises naturally where aspects within a birth chart or in the world or personal transits are seen as part of a greater story. There is less pressure put upon a single aspect in the chart or on one particular transit when we understand the part within the context of the whole. Zooming out is so important to easing the suffering involved in fearful anticipation of a transit. It also supports us to stay more present to whatever arises from the astro weather.

We learn to co-create with the planetary combinations and placements in our birth chart when the expression of these through the trajectory of our own life story gets more clear to us. In this sense, co-creation is these first two things combined—where our self knowledge meets with our capacity to be flexible within our mind, heart, and action.

All of life is part of our path. Literally every moment. There is no wrong way to feel, experience, express, or to “do” any certain astrology transit or placement in our chart. Every time you zone out at your job, every piece of news you find yourself consuming and reacting to, that song today which triggered a past memory, your silent daily rituals, whatever it is. This is it. All of it. It is actually part of our evolution to come back into the remembrance that we are divinity embodied. There is no actual separation between material and spiritual or between our lived experience and our spiritual path.

Remembering this truth supports us in facing challenging astrology because it is a reminder that each part of our daily life and experience—however messy, seemingly insignificant or extraordinary—is an expression of the astrology and part of what our soul is learning. We don’t evolve just through mind altering trips out of the body or highly synchronistic life changing events. These type of experiences and tools like breathwork for example could help us learn to meet life with more openness and flexibility but they don’t signal a path that must be taken in order to progress. This means everything is game! We awaken (become more conscious and integrated) through the unique challenges of our daily life that teach us what sovereignty means via confrontations with our sense of self, our purpose here, and our inherent interconnection and oneness with others and the cosmos. There is no wrong way to live out your birth chart and transits.

We can get better over time at living into expressions of them that are more life giving rather than destructive but there is literally no right way, only yours. And even destruction and chaos has its place in our life for clearing the air and making things very apparent to us in new ways of how to progress. Nothing is ever wasted.

Let the transits help you clarify your needs, desires, and values in any given moment by getting more comfortable understanding what your emotions are saying.

Difficult transits tend to poke us in our sore spots and throw us into patterned ways of thinking, feeling, and acting. Instead of adding suffering to this by judging ourselves, show some compassion and get curious about what these emotions are telling you about what your truth is in this moment. And yeah, I know it gets tiring doing this over and over but I swear offering unconditional love to yourself around how you feel when you are triggered by events is never wrong. What changes is that the time it takes to move into a new feeling or thought pattern gets exponentially quicker over time when you are devoted to not adding fire to fire through self shame in these moments. Let yourself be surprised by the clarity that can come from your raw emotions when you stop trying to feel something else and decide to get curious about the truth behind the intensity.

Let how you are feeling be an invitation to look at your personal transits and see how the astrology might be working through you.

Sometimes it does help to just be aware of the astrology to better contextualize for example why for seemingly no reason we had a downswing and ended up in bed for days. Having the context doesn’t necessarily make it easier but can be a reminder that we are wholly connected with the cosmos and if something is coming up then maybe it’s time to be present with it in a new way. Dynamic transits like squares can be very generative and creative if we let ourselves be moved and respond to what is rather than what we would prefer it was. Astrology is about cycles and timing. We are always on time with our transits and how we are flowing with them. Let your understanding of astrology help you grow self compassion, gain greater knowledge of yourself, expand your creative life force, and feel into just how connected you actually are.

When planets are retrograde within the current world transits or in your birth chart, take it as an opportunity to work more directly with this planet. If you feel comfortable with meditation or visualization you might try speaking with the planet and seeing what they have to say. Retrogrades are introspective times for the energy and wonderful for getting to know planetary archetypes better. One of my favorite things is to create a small altar in my home for planets during their retrograde cycle. Or deciding to read certain books or watch certain things because of how it aligns for me personally with what I’m understanding about the energy. Our actions—from what we are thinking to things we physically create to relationships we decide to focus upon during retrogrades—can be like our own prayer or offering to the planet when there is intention and attention placed there. This also of course can be advice to take during any difficult transit. There is just a magic in retrograde cycles that seems to support deeper connecting.

Retrograde planets in our birth chart have so much to tell us over time about how we express their core archetypes in unique ways. It often signals the fact that we will grow to be intimate with that energy as it can be very internalized and take us longer than most to understand how to let it consciously shine through us into the external world. This can also mean that the energy is more charged and potent within our field. Other people may easily notice or feel that about us even if we struggle to express it or can’t fully see it ourselves until we are older. Retrograde planets in our birth chart can come to be expressed in such creative and powerful ways because of the time and introspective journey they demand of us. Let yourself fall in love with your own story.

Lean on and offer gratitude toward the supportive parts of your chart and more easeful transits you experience.

When there is astrology that is asking a lot from you—like a Pluto or Saturn transit to a personal planet in your chart—don’t forget what is working and what feels good. Take the time to learn about the trines and sextiles in your birth chart. Understand as best you can what your moon is showing you about how you receive nourishment. Create a solid foundation of self love through understanding intimately the sweetness of who you are and the perspective you came into this life with through your birth chart.

This could express itself in so many ways. If you have your moon in a water sign for example, maybe you make sure to bless your water before drinking it or get near a natural source of water often. If Venus and Mars are trine in your chart maybe getting out to go dancing is part of how you truly take care of your heart and stay connected to yourself. Whatever it is, make sure to give appreciation and time here. Let the love you feel within these moments help to ease the more difficult times and create a barrier of its own protective energy. By focusing attention here versus trying to avert the difficult transits it helps any transformations or surrender or shedding that has to happen come with less resistance and pain.

How does the energy of these planets express when they are working well together? When faced with the more dynamic or challenging transits or energy in your chart, do some reading or think back to how the energy played out for you or the collective when these planets were configured in a more easeful way. Try to come up with ways the energy is complimentary and could express itself in a harmonious way. Doing this might help give you some insight into how to show up to the moment more prepared. This reflects back to the idea of multidimensionality, if we can stay flexible enough to see that things could potentially express differently than what is currently presenting itself then this could give us leverage to respond or act with more freedom.

Try to release yourself from believing that you understand what is best for your soul process. Extending a little faith and trust in our higher self can go a long way, especially when things feel out of control. This won’t always work but if you find an opening within your heart toward trust, lean in. I can’t remember where I heard this but it still brings solace and calm for me to remember when things are tough,

“The most sacred thing is what is.”

Sometimes things don’t feel good and that’s ok. We don’t need to put a happy spin on something really hard. We can still be open hearted and having a hard time. Don’t force greater meaning when you are freshly inside something painful.

Some transits do change our lives forever in ways we would not have chosen for ourselves. There is so much that is out of our control here. We can’t force the ocean to do our will but we can discover ways to steer our ship through a storm. If we get committed to knowing ourselves better through our chart and transits, navigating the fine dance between asserting our will and surrendering to the flow of all we cannot control becomes easier.

I hope this helps you feel more confident to face life no matter the astrology or weather.

xoxo

Evan

For more personalized support or insight into what I’ve written about here, feel free to check out the offerings on my website. Many blessings on your journey 💗