As we come to the end of the millenium, we all feel a quickening in the evolutionary pace. The frequency is ascending on the planet at an exponential pace as we approach the shift in consciousness that the Earth and humanity are destined to make. With this come the necessary crises that are both catalysts and tests upon the path. Crisis points arrive when the individual and collective ego patterns that are retarding soul evolution must be faced. At times the magnitude of the crisis requires an extensive death and rebirth—"a dark night of the soul"—during which pure spirit or Monad descends ever more deeply, birthing a more expanded and luminous octave of soul life. It seems possible that the August 11, 1999 solar eclipse marks the beginning of such a collective initiation with all its crises and opportunities.

It is important to realize that August 11 is not an just an event, but the beginning of a process that will go on for year or so in great intensity, with the effects playing out for a number of years. The potency and duration of the effects are a result of the magnitude of the power in the configuration and the long-term cycles with which this particular eclipse resonates. It might be helpful to review this and other information throughout the following year, especially at times when the solar and lunar cycles trigger the solar eclipse degrees as well as other planets, especially the more potent outer planets. Each time this happens, the basic dynamics in the August 11 configuration will be re-energized again.

Throughout this article, we will be looking at the collective ego-crisis that the eclipse chart portends and the transformational possibilities that it presents. Ultimately, any crisis is an opportunity to face the distorted and limiting ego-personality aspects in us—individually and collectively—that have created the crisis. In doing so, we open the door of possible surrender to the transformational opportunity that the crisis presents, in order to birth the more inclusive aspect of the soul which is needing to come forth. A successful crisis is one which precipitates more awakening, and an unsuccessful one is where our fear and attachment to our ego-personality identity prevents us from surrendering to the death and rebirth process which brings forth more of the soul.

This particular eclipse is very special for a number of reasons. First of all, it is the last solar eclipse of this century and millenium. Thus it carries a completion theme of significant proportions. Secondly, it is not just a solar eclipse, but the most powerful astrological configuration that can occur—the grand cross. This planetary dynamic is formed when four or more planets configure themselves at 90-degree intervals, forming a cross pattern in the chart. The grand cross is very stressful, probably the most intense energy aspect possible. Traditionally they are very difficult to handle and, if the energies are allowed to take charge, chaos and upheaval often ensue. Suppressing the energies is also not an option, as the energies then erupt in an explosive and destructive manner. The key words of a grand cross are polarization and conflict, as planets are in 180-degree opposition (representative of polarization) and in 90-degree squares (representative of conflict). Life requires creative tension, and without squares and oppositions there is no energy and movement. They are not inherently bad, but necessary to generate the dynamic power and movement to fuel life. In excess however, they can result in radical transformation or intense discord. That’s where the issue of free will comes in. To up the ante even more, this grand cross occurs in the fixed signs of Leo, Taurus, Scorpio and Aquarius, the most potent placement for any difficult or inharmonious planetary configuration, especially the fixed cross.

There is special significance to the fixed cross which relates to the biblical book of Revelation, an account (metaphorical or literal?) of the End Times, which many would agree is about to unfold. There are two references in Revelation that symbolize different octaves of the fixed cross energy—the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and the Four Creatures Before The Throne of God. The former are represented by the White Horseman of the Conqueror (Leo), the Red Horseman of War (Aquarius), the Black Horseman of Famine (Taurus) and the Ashen Horseman of Death (Scorpio). The latter are represented by the lion (Leo), the calf (Taurus), the creature with a face like a man (Aquarius) and the flying eagle (the Phoenix or Scorpio ascended). The Four Horsemen represent the purifying shadow aspects of zodiacal fixed-cross archetypes, while the Four Creatures Before The Throne represent the redeemed or divine archetypes that we are evolving into. As you shall see later, there are other facets to this astrological mandala that also point to a possible reality scenario called the Tribulation or End Times.

A meta-factor having great effect on the solar eclipse fixed cross is that it represents a subfractal relationship with what is occurring in the approximately 25,826 "Great Year," or Precession Cycle, during which the Earth rotates its north polar axis through the entire 360-degrees of the zodiac. Every 2,152 years it transits one sign, completing all 12 signs in the 25,826-year cycle. What is significant is that we are just now approaching the end of the Age of Pisces and the beginning of the Age of Aquarius, a shift of astrological ages. But of even greater magnitude is the fact that the cusp or beginning of the Age of Aquarius also marks the spring equinox or cycle of initiation of the Great Year of the Precession. So we are not only beginning a new astrological age of 2152 years; we are also beginning an entirely new 25,826 year of cycle of the Precession. The axis of the equinoctial and solsticial points in the Great Year are in the fixed cross of Aquarius (spring equinox), Leo (fall equinox), Taurus (winter solstice) and Scorpio (summer solstice). Therefore, the August 11 solar eclipse has a degree of resonance with these larger cycle shifts, especially since it contains a grand cross which activates all four of the arms of the fixed cross. The result is a powerful entrainment of cycle energies, a constructive reinforcement pattern that allows the macro cycle energies to be transduced or precipitated through the August 11 event. All this should set the stage for a significant evolutionary catalyst, which will propel us in the direction of making the shifts necessary to both complete and reinitiate all these cycles (millenium, Age and Great Year). What an evolutionary opportunity!