Astrology with Alice: September’s eclipses mean a pause before the leap

We’re coming up on eclipse season again! 

(As if we haven’t been through enough already this year, right?) 

So what will these eclipses bring? What changes might they spark? Astrology isn’t meant to be interpreted in a vacuum, so to answer these questions, we need to step back and take into account the broader astrological themes of the year. These eclipses should be viewed as part of an ongoing unfolding process rather than isolated incidents. So here are some things to consider as we dilate the lens to let in more astrological context before we dive into the eclipses themselves:

1. This is a threshold year. Every year brings change, but this one is really doubling down. Five major planets all changed signs within a year of each other—an event so unprecedented that even our grandchildren won’t see this happen in their lifetimes. And when planets change signs, the energy of planet Earth shifts. And when it’s five planets? Pangea might as well split on an energetic level. 
2. Eclipses ignite change. Eclipses tend to show us where the energy wants to focus over the next year. If the planets set the astrological stage, eclipses are the spotlight that shines on the major players—they direct the energetic attention. And this is the first set of eclipses fully established in the signs of Virgo and Pisces, which is a switch over from their time in Aries and Libra. So we have a changing of the guard happening with the eclipses, too.
3. Endings in Pisces. The planets Neptune and Saturn left Pisces this year. Neptune did it in March, followed by Saturn in May. Now, there’s going to be a total lunar eclipse also in Pisces on Sept. 7, and lunar eclipses always bring about endings. This eclipse is punctuating something already started by the planets, which is the bringing of a close to Piscean issues (which we’ll discuss below). 
4. Beginnings in Virgo. All of the big astrological transits so far this year haven't been in Virgo, and yet the solar eclipse in Virgo on Sept. 21 will point us in a new direction under Virgo’s auspices. Solar eclipses open new chapters, and, coincidentally, the numerology of 2025 also predicts a Virgoan direction of growth. Two plus zero, plus two, plus five, equals nine, which is the number of the Hermit card in the Tarot, and the Hermit is the card associated with…*drumroll*...Virgo. The entire astrological landscape is shifting away from the dreamspace of Pisces and more towards actually making something real and useful in the external world, which is Virgo’s MO.

September brings us to a threshold. The eclipses in the coming month will feel like a chance to gather what we’ve learned about faith, illusion, and surrender, and they’ll ask us to close the door on dreams that we’ve outgrown. At this point, we’ll be invited to pivot into something more real. Where Pisces drifts, Virgo grounds. Where Pisces dissolves, Virgo builds. Together, these eclipses mark the handoff from dreaming to doing, and they’ll invite us to get out of the pool and to start walking on solid ground again.

Let’s explore the flavor of each eclipse. (Remember, eclipses almost always come in twosies—one lunar, one solar.)

The Pisces lunar eclipse 

The Sept. 7 eclipse will be a total lunar eclipse, and total eclipses are always stronger than partial ones. So, between this one and the solar eclipse (we’ll get to that one in a bit), this one will pack more of a wallop. Total lunar eclipses always bring culmination, and in Pisces, this will be about dissolving illusions. We’re going to be asked to let go of old dreams, beliefs, and perhaps even goals that we’ve not only outgrown, but that are still tethering us to old spaces that are too small for what we could become. When plants outgrow their pots, they have to move into a new pot. But when we’re the plants, we often have to first mourn the loss of all the dreams we had invested in the old pot before we can even begin to look elsewhere to set our roots. Therefore, this Pisces eclipse will be all about releasing roles we’ve outgrown and forgiving ourselves for lingering too long in the proverbial pot that’s too small.

And because the planets Saturn and Neptune already spent years in Pisces before leaving the sign earlier in the year, this total lunar eclipse in Pisces will shine a spotlight in this area of life so that we can perform one final clearing. Pisces is the playground of dreams and imagination, and with this lunar eclipse capping off a year of strong energy vacating Pisces, we are leaving that dreamspace. Lunar eclipses culminate, yes, but they also signal endings, so an ending in Pisces means that it’s time to wake up.

The months following this eclipse will be the pause before the leap—a time to look back and recognize what you’re leaving behind before rushing ahead. 

The Virgo solar eclipse

The focus will shift by the time the partial solar in Virgo comes around on Sept. 21. Where Pisces was all about dreaming, Virgo is focused on doing. Virgo is the sign that’s ready to roll up its sleeves to fix problems and get stuff done. It’s a grounded earth sign that’s more concerned with what is than what might be. 

Solar eclipses also indicate new beginnings, so with this solar eclipse happening in Virgo, the intent of the universe is to have us do more and dream less. The intent with this eclipse is all about new beginnings that are small but significant, such as changes in routines, new commitments to health, or concrete steps that turn intention into reality. The call here is simple—show up, do the work, and trust the process.

And this actually aligns with Saturn and Neptune's recent ingress into the sign Aries. Where the closing lunar eclipse in Pisces echoes Saturn and Neptune departure from Pisces, this Virgo solar eclipse, for me, echoes the energy of Saturn and Neptune moving into Aries.

The intent with this eclipse is all about new beginnings that are small but significant, such as changes in routines, new commitments to health, or concrete steps that turn intention into reality. The call here is simple—show up, do the work, and trust the process.

But wait, you might ask—what on Earth do Aries and Virgo have to do with each other? One is a fire sign (Aries) and one is an earth sign (Virgo). The astrologically adept would even remind us that they’re quincunx signs that are foreign to each other and share little in common. However, in traditional astrology, Aries and Virgo are antiscia signs, which means that the amount of daylight that grows day-by-day during Aries season is symmetrical to the amount of daylight that shrinks day-by-day in Virgo season. Ancient astrologers such as Ptolemy and Firmicus Maternus highlighted the unspoken connection between antiscia signs, and 17th Century astrologer William Lilly even considered the antiscia relationship a beneficial one.

If you have Aries and Virgos in your life, just think of how exacting and thorough your Aries can be when they put their mind to a task. Similarly, think of how your Virgos can be courageous and loud when they’re in service to work that they believe in. There’s a little Virgo in every Aries, just as there’s a little Aries in every Virgo—that’s the antiscia relationship.

So while Saturn and Neptune moving into Aries aren't exactly singing the same cosmic tune as the solar eclipse axis shifting into Virgo, they actually harmonize with each other. Aries demands bold action. Virgo wants to do something useful. Together, they want us to start breaking ground with meaningful actions. They both want us to do more and brainstorm less.

The cosmic backdrop of Saturn and Neptune

As we’ve discussed, the weight of these eclipses is amplified by the larger story unfolding this year with Saturn and Neptune leaving Pisces and entering Aries. These shifts are significant. Pisces softened where Aries sharpens, and Pisces drifted where Aries acts. The eclipses in September will feel like punctuation marks that close the sentence of the Pisces years while starting a new one that encourages action. September’s eclipses arrive as a threshold period between old and new chapters. The Pisces lunar eclipse clears space, urging us to finish the story of the past few years. The Virgo solar eclipse begins the next one with an invitation for us to ground ourselves in action. And with Saturn and Neptune in Aries, the message is unmistakable—the dreaming chapter is over. 

The time has come, over the next year, to act.

General rules for navigating eclipses

Eclipses always bring volatility. The energy runs high, the ground feels unsteady, and events often unfold outside of our control. This particular season may feel even more charged, since it’s arriving on the heels of a disruptive Mercury retrograde in the summer. This is not the kind of sky that supports making major decisions, signing contracts, or trying to force outcomes.

Metaphysically, eclipses are not the time for manifestation rituals or bold declarations. Instead, think of them as cosmic recalibrations, moments when the universe reshuffles the deck in ways we can’t quite predict just yet. The best thing you can do is lay low, attune to your own rhythms, and give yourself space. Like an athlete resting before the next race, this is the time to pause, reset, and let your body, mind, and spirit prepare for the new momentum that will develop later.

Also, remember that eclipse energy can take a year to play out. There’s really nothing you need to do during the actual eclipses themselves. (So breathe. Chill. We’re okay.)

Sign-by-sign forecasts

Here’s how these eclipses may show up for you, depending on your sign. Read for both your sun and rising for a fuller picture. (If you don’t know your rising sign, you can use this free rising sign calculator.)