The annular solar eclipse on 29 April 2014 falls in the Taurus zodiac sign, but in the Aries constellation. At 8 degrees Taurus, this solar eclipse lines up with a fixed star in the head of Aries the Lamb called Hamal. What happened to Aries the Ram, I here you say? Well once upon a time, our sheep in the sky was drawn without horns, as an innocent lamb, and this symbol of sacrifice certainly fits with the astrological themes around this eclipse. We are still under the influence of the sacrificial grand cross, and the major aspect to the solar eclipse itself is to the planet of sacrifice, Neptune.

The Greeks joined the dots in the Aries constellation to form a Ram with Horns, but like so much of the astrology they tinkered with, they mucked it up. In the Dendera Zodiac, the Egyptian priests carved for this constellation, a Lamb with a Crown around it’s head, which some have mistaken as horns. The Hebrew name for the constellation is Taleh, the Lamb.

The fixed star Hamal, derives it’s name from the Arabic راس الحمل, which is supposed to translate to ‘the Head of the Ram’. Yet on Google Translate, we get the word ‘pregnancy’ and as an alternative translation, ‘Aries’. Jesus was known as the Lamb of God, with the symbolism of the Lamb most prominent in Christianity, as a symbol of sacrifice, but also of rebirth.

In the chart below for this solar eclipse, you can see how the red lines of the grand cross dominate the picture. In my post on Grand Cross 2014, I ended up summarizing its effects with just two words, “sacrifice and suffering”. This well describes the most prominent news stories of the last few weeks, the sacrifice of innocents on a plane and a boat, and the suffering of their families.

At the personal level, for each of us, the grand cross has forced us to address some source of hardship in our lives. Something which has been causing our loved ones to suffer. Perhaps a nasty side of our nature, a bad habit, addiction, or behavior which harms others.

The Moon moving over the face of the Sun at the moment of this annular solar eclipse, will almost, but not totally, blot out the power of the Sun, which is our ego. The Moon gains more power, but it is not a war, it is a union, synergy. Our subconscious, as represented by the Moon, gains a more intimate understanding of the workings of the ego, helping to find a better way forward.

The solar eclipse represents a rebooting of our unified conscious and subconscious, ego and feeling, together being the soul. This re-birthing by sacrificing the ego, is also represented by the leading star in the Lamb. And this same theme is shown by the rare grand cross, which is the urgency to radically transform, to evolve the soul.

Take actions to relieve the suffering of your loved ones, by sacrificing something, ultimately destructive, which has been propping up your ego. Sun sextile Neptune will reward this sacrifice with a clear conscience, and a renewed faith in yourself and the future.

Solar Eclipse April 2014 Visibility