South Node Solar Eclipse in Virgo
We stepped into a powerful moment of reset with the South Node Solar Eclipse at 29° Virgo on September 21, a shift whose ripples will be felt over the next six months.
Eclipses always occur near the Lunar Nodes, which is why the Nodes matter so much in Evolutionary Astrology.
When the South Node is involved, the themes are unmistakable: endings, karmic release, revisiting the past, and closure. The past comes back — not so we can linger in it, but so we can finally move through it and start anew, since that’s what New Moons symbolize.
This eclipse is especially charged. Two kites are active in the sky, one with our Solar Eclipse at its apex. The underlying energy of the other kite, with its apex at the North Node in Pisces, is where we strive toward; it’s our evolutionary direction now. I spoke of that in my video “Supersensitive Lunar Eclipse in Pisces” which you can watch here>https://youtu.be/2DpUHIkYwhY?si=ePDsx4A3cw-7HpNP .
29° Virgo – the Mystical Anaretic Degree
The eclipse takes place at 29° Virgo, the very last degree of the sign. This degree is called anaretic or critical — a place of culmination, crisis, illumination, and mastery. The 29th degree of Virgo belongs to the degree of ether — the threshold between material and spiritual, where control is surrendered and trust in something larger begins.
What makes this Solar Eclipse even more potent is its alignment with the Equinox, which happens the very next day — not even a full 24 hours later — as the Sun enters Libra. The symbolism is striking: endings blending into the moment of stillness, a moment of confusion, dead-loud stillness, a rebalancing of light and dark, and then a shift of perception — a reset button.
And while South Node eclipses often feel melancholic — they pull us into old stories, old entanglements — this one seems gentler. The pull backward is here so we can finally release what keeps us stuck, so we have a chance to respond differently this time. That’s how we break the pattern. It is very much a call to karmic liberation.
Saturn, Cycles, Closure, and Forgiveness
Another reason this eclipse feels like a karmic threshold: it stands exactly opposite Saturn retrograde in Pisces. Saturn is the teacher, the tester, the one who confronts us with illusions and avoidance. Its opposition to the eclipse signals not just the end of a three-year cycle, but the winding down of a 29-year one. Saturn is on its way to finish its full zodiac journey within the next five months. We may not fully realize it yet, but this eclipse is preparing the ground for an entirely new structure of life. With Saturn involved in this eclipse, there is an underlying tone of seriousness, a shadow of fea, and a quiet depth of sorrow beneth the surface.
Mercury and Neptune – Between Past and Future
The rulers of the nodes themselves are in tension: Mercury in Libra (South Node’s ruler) opposes Neptune at the Aries Point (North Node’s ruler). This is the liminal space we are in — between what was and what’s about to be. Neptune dissolves illusions; Mercury seeks clarity. The result can feel confusing or foggy, but it is also an opening to see beyond appearances.
This is collective as much as it is personal. Neptune here speaks of old beliefs and societal myths dissolving on the world stage, while Mercury asks for dialogue, fairness, and communication to establish balance.
Supportive Uranus and Pluto
Despite the unsteady transformative currents, we are supported by a grand trine: Uranus retrograde in Gemini and Pluto retrograde in Aquarius flow harmoniously with this eclipse. Uranus frees us from old mental loops; Pluto clears away hidden collective ties. Together they create a container of ease, helping us release without chaos and opening the door for real soul-level change. It feels like a corridor of growth — and a chance to take a quantum leap.
The Tension of Squares
There are also challenges to keep an eye on. Venus in Virgo squares Uranus in Gemini, shaking up relationships and highlighting rigid expectations, dependency, or control. Mars opposes Chiron in Aries and squares Pluto in Aquarius — power struggles, control issues, jelousy, manipilation, exposing hipocricy in groups and society. The shdow side of both planets can surface. Mars at the final degree of Libra, enters Scorpio at the time of the Equinox, intensifying this square aspect through early October. This could bring clarity around other people’s intentions and the dynamics of power and trust .
Yet Venus and Mars also form a harmonious connection — where love and desire, devotion and raw passion meet. This softens the edges and reminds us transformation doesn’t have to be destructive; it can also be very creative, supportive, practical and connective.
This South Node solar eclipse is softened by the influence of trines, yet it is tinged with nostalgia and sorrow. It asks us for honest decisions, to take responsibility for our actions, and to consciously choose the path ahead — honoring what is coming to an end. These endings are not about loss, but about release, creating space for the new. Move gently, care for your health and your loved ones, notice what re-emerges from the past, and above all, trust in the greater unfolding.
Equinox and eclipse blessings.
-Tea