The Last Eclipse: Tarotscopes with Brandon Alter
Updated: Jan 12, 2022
By Brandon Alter:
It’s the end of an era, for all of us. Eclipse Season rocks our world, whether we want it to or not. This biannual encounter with chaos and fate that we call Eclipse Season wants to show us where the road has ended—for good.
Classically, Eclipses were said to take out kings and leaders to make way for new leadership and powers that be. In our own lives, beliefs and habits that have reigned supreme suddenly lose their grip or their luster. Consider Stephen Sondheim’s recent departure, a true emperor of his realm. His passing marks the end of an era for American Musical Theatre. I can't help but think of his song "The Last Midnight" when contemplating this final eclipse in the nodal axis of Gemini/Sagittarius. Our beliefs, our carefully crafted identities, they're all up for grabs.
With the old powers fading out, who might fade in?
But Brandon, don't Eclipses happen twice a year (you might be thinking)? What makes this one so definitive? Well, first of all, you're right. Eclipse Season happens roughly every six months. Eclipses happen when the Sun and the Moon get within shouting distance of the lunar nodes (also known as the Nodes of Fate). The lunar nodes represent a hot spot in the sky where the orbit of the Moon around the Earth and the orbit of the Earth around the Sun intersect. These lunar nodes suggest fated events, comings and goings of people, projects, ideas, and visions. Which is why they're commonly referred to as the Nodes of Fate. Generally speaking, the North Node shows us where we're headed—like a figurative North Star. The South Node shows us what we're letting go of.
The Nodes of Fate have been in Gemini/Sagittarius since April 2020. The North Node in Gemini has encouraged us to reconsider our means of mental engagement with the world. A North Node in Gemini bestows ravenous curiosity, and we've all been feeling hungry for new ways of living, being, and relating. If nothing else, Gemini has questions, and these last 18 months have certainly had us in a flurry of intense and personal questioning. The South Node in Sagittarius has tried to help us release old beliefs and philosophies that are no longer resonant with the present moment. If Gemini has questions, Sagittarius prides itself on having answers. But sometimes the answers are stale, and the best we can do is live the questions.
All of this brings us to tonight's Eclipse, a Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius. It's definitive because we won't have the North Node in Gemini and the South Node in Sagittarius again until 2039. So this is what I would call a smoke-em-if-you-got-em moment. It's now or never—the proverbial last midnight. Think of this Eclipse like a big old door to help you release whatever has had its claws in you, especially in terms of nasty thought patterns, self-destructive behaviors, and damaging groupthink.
Solar Eclipses take away the light of the Sun. The Sun represents our Ego, our identity, our ways of asserting ourselves in the world. When the light disappears, it can reappear as whatever it wants. Spend the next few days meditating on how you would like to liberate yourself from what you think others expect of you.
You are not a prisoner of who you've been; not if you don't want to be.
Eclipses can be an emotional and highly tense time because they show us something that's been lurking under the surface for what feels like forever. Where we thought everything was going so fine, suddenly the demon reveals itself. It can't hide any more; or maybe more accurately, we can't turn a blind eye any longer. Essentially, we reach a breaking point. This is the true nature of change. It builds slowly until suddenly, one day, you're different. Eclipses want us to face the music before the music ends. Try to pay attention to where in your life those final chords are being played. If you know your birth chart, look to the houses that Gemini and Sagittarius occupy for greater specificity.
I'll try to illustrate this by sharing a personal story with you because, why the hell not? The North Node is still in Gemini after all. These past few days have been a perfect storm of awakening. Starting on Monday when I went to get my yearly physical and was told that my Cholesterol is through the roof. For a thirty-six-year-old vegetarian who exercises regularly, this shocked me. Then yesterday, I went to get some acupuncture after a generous period of time away (like two years). And my acupuncturist tells me that my kidneys are basically gasping for breath. I'm suffering major adrenal fatigue—basically burn out on top of burn out. Who among us isn't feeling this way, I wonder?!
So I'm grappling with the idea that maybe I don't know how to take care of myself anymore. Maybe the ways in which I've tended my self-care are no longer what I actually need. So I do what any Aquarius Sun does in a crisis: I spiral out, I question everything, I have a good (private) cry in the car. And then, since I can't seem to find a therapist to take my insurance, I reached out to my sponsor to help me make sense of this Eclipse revelation.
I told her that recently I feel like I've been white knuckling my life. Like I'm just trying to get to the next checkpoint, and then on the way to the next checkpoint, another checkpoint appears after it. It's like that meme that's been floating around that says "Being an adult is saying 'after next week it'll calm down' for the rest of your life." And somehow, what comes up in our conversation is my dependence on caffeine. Which I've never even thought about before. Yes, I have to have some black tea in the morning or I'm a zombie. Yes, I'll have anywhere from one to four lattes a week. But, really, that's a problem? I thought that was a solution!
So now I'm being invited to reconsider my relationship with caffeine, who I've always thought of as my best friend and my most powerful cheerleader. I'm sitting with the question: does this actually help me get where I want to go? And I can already tell you, the answer is no. Sure it helps me reach the checkpoints, but maybe I don't want to perpetuate a life built around an endlessly moving finish line. My beliefs around ambition and achievement are being shaken down to the ground, and I bet somewhere in your life, there are some long-held beliefs that are starting to give way.
I share all of this to help illustrate that Eclipses show us what's already there. I didn't just become dependent on caffeine; I've been dependent on caffeine for a very long time. I just haven't been able to see it—or haven't wanted to see it. Who can really tell? But the Eclipse does just that: it eclipses us, takes out the light from our lives—then, when the lights come back on, everything looks different. From there we get to decide where to embrace the change or fight the inevitable.
The good news (and yes, there's always good news in Astrology) is that this Eclipse is in a really nice, helpful relationship with Saturn. This is a planet that knows how to get shit done and take things seriously. Should you choose to make some big changes, trust that there are helpful and powerful allies who can assist you in your transformation. Our latest podcast is actually all about the Saturn Return, a robust phenomenon that each of us will experience when Saturn returns to its natal position—usually around 27–30 and then again from 58–61 and then again, if we're lucky to live that long, around 87–90. Tune in and learn who Saturn is and how you can work with him at this time.
Come January, the Nodes of Fate will enter into Taurus/Scorpio, and the themes our souls long to explore will change dramatically. It's a big tonal shift that will serve as the cosmic tenor for our year ahead. If you're interested in getting a crash course on the biggest happenings in the heavens for the year to come, you should join us for our Astrology of 2022 Workshop. There's plenty to talk about, including Jupiter splashing all the way through Pisces into Aries and (of course) the Pluto return for the United States.
Astrology isn't out to get you, it's trying to help you make the most of the present moment. That's why we teach it from a heart-centered place of empowerment and fun. Our Capricorn Season Astro Club will cover just a bite-sized portion of Astrology that takes us through the middle of January. Thankfully, Eclipse Season ends, and the Full Moon in Gemini is the period at the end of that crazy sentence. We'll be channeling those deep Gemini Full Moon feels in our Breathwork offering for December. If you've joined us for Breathwork, you know that words fail to truly express the magic that happens. But for those of you who haven't quite taken the leap, let me assure you, this is a profound game changer. If you need an attitude adjustment, an emotional release, or a visionary experience, honey child, we got you.
Lastly, our Spirit Shop just dropped, and we are so excited to offer an array of Spiritual Gayz totems to enrich your life with style. There's something for everyone, and we will continue to add more fun items as they become available. But if your holiday shopping is already full of stuff, don't forget that readings and healings make great gifts (and they always fit!). The holidays can sometimes be the hardest period of the year, so do try to make your health and sanity a priority. I know I will be doing the same! Use our Spiritual Gayz Sagittarius Season playlist to help you feel yourself enough to put yourself first!
Your Tarotscopes are below. Read for your Sun Sign first and then just keep on reading!
SAGITTARIUS Page of Cups
This is the vulnerability card. It wants you to open your heart to yourself and then share it wherever you go. The Page of Cups, who is you, enters a room and says, "Hello, this is me, here's my heart." When someone asks the Page of Cups (who is you) how they are, they don't respond with "Fine." They tell the truth. The whole truth. They explode with excitement for their latest project or pour forth their concern about the state of the world. Maybe they even have a good cry. The one thing the Page of Cups doesn't do is hide their emotions, their ideas, or their joy. A great therapist of mine once said to me, "Brandon, your life is a laboratory; experiment, make a mess." I say the same to you. Your life is supposed to be messy. Messy food tastes the best. Messy sex is the most passionate. So stop holding back, stop looking at how others are looking at you, and just let yourself be yourself no matter how broken, jumbled, over-the-top, confused, or burnt out you are. Tell the truth, from your heart, and you might be surprised how others respond to you from theirs.
CAPRICORN Page of Pentacles
The Page of Pentacles, who is you, wants to explore the newness of their surroundings. They are figuring out the nuts and bolts of current times and circumstances. It's like when you move to a new part of town and you have to figure out where to get your dry cleaning, where to go grocery shopping, where the cute boys hang out. Even if you haven't moved on the outside, something's moved inside of you. Time to do a little research and discovery. The key word here is INTEGRATION. The changes may have happened; how you reinforce them on the daily is a whole other matter. Give yourself permission to take it slow this month. Don't jump to figure it all out, enjoy the exploration. There is value in stumbling. There is value in risk and failure. Give yourself permission to make some beautiful mistakes. Simplicity is key. The Page of Pentacles, who is you, gets nourished by nature. So find a tree or a river and let them teach you how to support who you're becoming.
AQUARIUS Ten of Pentacles (Reversed)
The Ten of Pentacles wants to teach us how to handle abundance. You know what they say, "More money, more problems." So if you want more, you have to make sure you can handle what you already have. And the truth is, you have a lot. If it doesn't feel that way, perhaps that's why this card came in upside down. Because you're a little upside down to your own privilege. Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude is the name of the game this month. Count your blessings. For this month only, try waking up each morning and saying, "Thank You, Goddess. Thank You, Earth. Thank You, Guiding Stars"—or something like that. The more you can start to attune to the vibration of being blessed, the more blessings will appear in your life. Don't treat this like an intellectual exercise. Treat it like serious heart work. Can you allow the feeling of thankfulness to penetrate your heart? Can you let it surround you like a golden egg that hovers around you throughout your day? You're too blessed to be stressed. Don't just remember it, dress yourself up in it. Live from it. Everything grows brighter with gratitude.
PISCES The Empress
You own everything. No, really, you do. You own your body. You own your breath. You own your purpose and your destiny. And when you walk into the room, you own that, too. What more is there? The Empress shows up to help us reconnect with our passion. She's the patron saint of luxury and really liiiiiiving, henny. But she's not superficial. Quite the opposite, she's tapped into the depths of her being. Imagine you are a volcano. You are a fiery wellspring of lava and love. The world wants your heat, and it’s time you remembered it. We are physical beings with physical bodies, and they need not be ignored. No matter how spiritual or enlightened you are, you still have to eat, you still have to bathe, you still have to get dressed in the morning. These basic building blocks of living are not beside the point. They are gateways to joy. Let yourself celebrate yourself in each moment. Spoil yourself. Splurge. The Empress answers only to her whims, and your whims are some of the most magnificent in the Zodiac. Dream on.
ARIES The Sun
Here’s where plants have one up on us—ok, actually there’s a lot of places where plants out pace us—but the biggest show-off is that they can BIND THE LIGHT. Right? They actually soak up all that Sun energy and they metabolize it into growth. The best we can do is metabolize it into a great tan. But listen, eating up the Sun is exactly what you’re supposed to be doing right now. All the warmth and joy and attention that comes your way, you need to soak it up and drink it in. Practice accepting compliments and gifts and maybe even a bonus check or two. Don’t feel guilty, feel worthy. The Sun shows up to usher us into the spotlight of our lives. And this Eclipse wants to help escort out any demons that want to keep you from your due. You only get one life, so send your shame into the South Node and let yourself get good at getting attention. Don’t overcomplicate it. Don’t fall in love with the problems. There is a cornucopia of pleasure and power surrounding you, all you have to do is enjoy.
TAURUS Page of Wands
The Page of Wands, who is you, knows how to take their time. They feel a spark of something inside— courage, inspiration, who can say? But they are in no rush. They know that the quickest way to dampen a fire is to crowd it. This next month is the perfect time to re-sensitize yourself to the winds of change. When they blow hard, catch them, like a kite, and fly where they might take you. When the wind is but a whisper, let it stoke your fire while you give yourself a manicure. There is something of a ceremonialist in the Page of Wands. A person who recognizes the sacred in all things. Achievement is sacred but so is stillness. Completion is sacred but so is the idea first popping into your head. Pay attention to divine timing and seek flow in all things. If it feels like too much work, back off and allow the play. If it feels like too much waiting around, explore how you might be able to call the wind to you.
GEMINI Ten of Cups
Honestly, I’m jealous. This is the second month in a row this card has shown up for you! And if you’ve got to spend some extra time in a Tarot card, the Ten of Cups is it, baby. Like I said last month, this is a card that suggests a bounty of support, joy, and emotional nourishment. It’s like the best dinner party you’ve ever been to. Everyone is gorgeous, including you. Everyone is interesting and generous. Everyone asks about how you’re doing and they really mean it. The food is local, seasonal, and exquisitely coursed. Not to mention the wine is top shelf and generously poured. Your life is this dinner party right now, so eat up, honey. On a deeper level, this card suggests that your heart is in right relationship with the hearts of those around you. You’re well resourced at this time to pour your love and compassion into those you care about, and they want to return the favor. It’s so easy to let our relationships run on auto-pilot and take the good times for granted. Let those you love know it. And let yourself be loved; it seems like there are plenty of people who adore you. Let them have the pleasure of giving to you. Don't deny them that. You know how good it feels to give, and this month you also get to keep practicing how good it feels to receive.
CANCER Temperance (Reversed)
Sometimes a card comes in upside down because we’re supposed to hold back the quality it expresses. It says, "Hey girl, you’re really good at this, but right now you need to find another way." And I think that’s what’s going on here. Temperance reversed might be suggesting that moderation is overrated at the current moment. You’re supposed to go whole hog. Give over to your full emotional depth and range. Shout your joy from the windows . . . or your rage. Subvert your urge to be a good little Christian soldier by letting yourself behave in ways that would send you straight to hell. This is a season for excess, for abundance, for throwing caution to the wind and playing devil may care. Enjoy it. Temperance is how we compromise and blend with ourselves and others. It wants us to explore our edges and the unity that lies underneath them. But for this month, don’t try so hard to be yourself—just be yourself. Maybe even surprise yourself. And if someone asks you for a favor, it’s ok to say no. Notice where you find it easier to give over to others than to stand your ground and let your authenticity shine. Not everyone is going to be your biggest fan, that’s not the point. But if you hold your center, others will respect you. And respect pays more than likes, no matter what the socials say.
LEO The Hanged Man
Ok, so listen, sometimes we make plans, very good plans, well-thought-out, brilliantly organized plans, and then the world changes. What can you do but change along with it? So here’s what you’re going to do: you’re going to write a list of all the things you can control and all the things you can’t, and then you’re going to only concentrate on the former. The Hanged Man (or the Hanged One as I like to call it) is all about surrender. When you accept the rain, you can dress for it. If you pretend you don’t hear the thunderclouds, you’re gonna get wet. Acceptance is power. It’s how we actually regain our agency. Until we accept the truth of our lives, the truth of our circumstances, we will be doomed by it all. But as soon as we wake up to the weather, providence knocks on our door with a fresh raincoat or some really cute boots. Stop agonizing over how you wanted it go— if it was supposed to happen that way, it would’ve happened that way. Instead, accept where you’re at and from there, figure out how you want to move forward. The Hanged One has power, and that power is in the ability to surrender and adapt. And who knows, maybe your plan wasn’t all that fabulous to begin with. Or maybe it was but this new plan will be even better.
VIRGO Knight of Wands (Reversed)
The Knight of Wands is you when you are at your most dynamic. This is a person who is the life of the party, no matter if it’s a cocktail party or a cookie party or even a pajama party—the Knight of Wands, who is you, lights up the room. Charisma doesn’t mean being the loudest person in the room, it doesn’t mean needing all the attention. Charisma is confidence mixed with compassion. And this eclipse wants to help you explore new dimensions of your own personal power. The Knight of Wands reversed suggests that we are in the midst of exploring new ways of being our most dynamic self. The old haunts no longer thrill. The old tricks feel stale. So let yourself grow curious about where your charisma wants to be expressed. And try not to let others dictate how your party has to be celebrated. Maybe you’re the life of the prayer party these days. Seduce your life force from its comfortable routine, and then you’ll find untapped energy ready to coil into new adventures.
LIBRA Three of Pentacles
Libras are known for their ability to collaborate and compromise. They’re the picture of diplomacy and deference. So I’m curious why a card like the Three of Pentacles would show up for your Eclipse Season finale. It’s a card that speaks to the very things Libras do best: teamwork and group projects. It’s a card that suggests your goals can’t be accomplished alone. And maybe you need that reminder. Even if you’re the team leader, you’re not responsible for the whole project. Explore where you are trying to carry more than your fair share of the weight. Explore where you might be trying to do other people’s jobs for them—which isn’t your job. And that’s actually the juicy core of this card, which is getting clear on what your specialty really is. When you walk into a room, or a cocktail party, or a board meeting, what is that unique sparkling thread of brilliance only you can sew? The more clear you can be on what your gifts are, the less you’ll be tempted to try to do the holiday shopping for others.
SCORPIO Knight of Pentacles
The Knight of Pentacles, who is you, knows how to bring a project across the finish line. They may move slowly, but they keep the momentum steady. There’s a particular kind of magic when someone has the confidence to keep their head down and their nose to the grindstone. It may take a year, a decade, but there’s an unshakable certainty the job will get done. This card appears to help us with the nuts and bolts of manifestation. The Knight of Pentacles (who is you) has both the vision and the skill to succeed, but any great work also has that ineffable bit of magic. It’s the magic you must make room for. When it comes to making magic—or rather making the space for magic—our work is in creating conditions for miracles to occur. So we need not be too concerned with HOW things come to be; rather, our work is in staying single-minded and clear on our overall intention. If you’ve gotten bogged down in the weeds of creation lately, see if you can keep your mind clear and take one giant step back. Unseen assistance can only step in when it’s invited.
BRANDON ALTER is a spiritual healer, Tarot reader, Astrologer, mystic and writer living in Los Angeles. He is passionate about sharing spiritual tools that have helped him reconnect to the wisdom of his heart. Brandon is a thoroughly trained healer and teacher who co-hosts The Spiritual Gayz with his husband, a twice-monthly podcast dedicated to exploring the wide reaches of spirituality, without pretending that it all makes sense. Brandon’s mom took him to his very first psychic when he was seven and gave him his first Tarot deck when he was eleven. Since then he has devoted himself to the study of Tarot, Yoga, Pilates, Reiki, Astrology and the myriad ways one can work and heal with the help of the spirits.
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