Unless you’ve been living under a rock… and if you have please share what kind, location, etc… you know that there is a potent solar eclipse headed our way April 8.

I have heard from a number of people asking about this event and what kind of magic should/could be made and if magic/ritual/ceremony should be engaged with at all… so I wanted to do a quick Q and A.

Q: I hear that Eclipses are dangerous times energetically and I shouldn’t even go outside to watch it… is that right?

A: Our ancestors regarded Eclipses as spooky and strange occurrences because one of the most reliable things…the presence of the Sun or Moon in the sky…was interrupted in a fairly dramatic manner. There are traditional cultures and societies now that have maintained those practices around Eclipse viewing and if you come from one of those cultures then my advice (as always) is to follow those practices.

However, with new information we are able to modify and adjust old traditions so that they are relevant to where we are right now. My attitude is that Eclipses are sacred moments of divine interruption and we can appreciate them — and observe them — while keeping that in mind.

For what it’s worth, I have young children, so I have been out for every major eclipse that has happened in the last decade and they have been powerful events that have carried some very positive benefits into my life.

Q: I have heard that when it comes to magic, ritual, and ceremony, Eclipses are a time when you don’t want to do anything…is that right?

A: Some magic makers prefer to not engage in any magic during Eclipses. For the past decade I have made a very specific kind of magic during Eclipses…magic that focuses on Breaking Patterns, Interrupting Non-Helpful Routines and disrupting stories and mindsets that no longer serve.

Q: I understand that Mercury Retrograde is happening at the same time as the eclipse…anything special I need to know?

A: You’ll want to follow your normal Mercury RX protocol and if you are traveling to watch the eclipse you need to be especially aware of the potential for delays and travel-related snags. Magically, Mercury RX can make us more RE-flective so it’s a good time to (again) reflect on what patterns need to be broken!

Q: What sign of the zodiac will the eclipse happen in…and do you think that matters?

A: The eclipse we are working with is at 19 degrees Aries at 2:18 PM EDT. When a Solar Eclipse occurs in Aries, the interruption is one of action. Our ability to take action, make a decision, pursue a specific project are all put on pause during this moment.

Our attitudes about our physical appearance, level of fitness, energy, and the way that we start, begin, and initiate…projects, relationships, and experiences…are all ready to be examined, considered, and sorted through.

This is a sacred pause and a moment that encourages something Aries Natives have a hard time with – stillness. But it is a proactive stillness that allows us to get to the heart of the gifts of Aries and determine for ourselves how we want to show up, and what patterns need to be interrupted and abolished in order for us to show up fully.

To explore astrology more fully with Hoodoo Psychic Miss Bri, join the Fixed Stars Society for astrological analysis and sacred arts ceremonies.