Nessus in the Pisces/Virgo Eclipse Cycle

How the universe regulates astrophysics can be found in cycles. Tracking the nodes of the moon is not only useful for astrologers and astronomers, but the 18.6 year eclipse cycle is also used to predict tidal patterns and coastal flooding by oceanographers and coast gurads around the world.

Astrological understanding of Solar and Lunar eclipses begins with knowldege of the North and South nodes of the Moon’s cycle transiting two of the twelve zodiac signs for a year and a half, with an overlap rather than a linear progression. Pisces & Virgo’s last eclipse cycle began shortly after Facebook became available to all users (2006) and ushered in a time of global economics with the birth of the European Union and the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Our strength when the North Node is in Pisces lies with logical Mercurial Virgo and the S. Node of the past, actual information balancing deep spiritual and psycholigcal unknowns.  

The N. Node in Pisces whispers, “can you imagine if” and begs us to suspend our intellect in favor of trying new ways based on what we need and want rather than what we think. This is chaos at heaven’s gate, suspension of our quest for empirical evidence for that of unseen energy. Most can agree truth is not easy to swallow while swimming in a sea of information, but this is where unseen principles like archetypal psychology assists us with pattern recognition and benefits of disruption and redirection.

In addition to intensely strong change signatures of Jupiter, Neptune, and Mercury due to their positions, there is an element of hugely karmic energy in this eclipse cycle.

Nessus, a centaur minor planet discovered in 1993 between Saturn and Pluto, is riding with the N. Node in Pisces, and flavoring this cycle with the excessive appetites of centaurs in mythology. It isn’t all fun and centaur games in laid back Pisces, though. Unifying potentials tug at our hearts and the collective may witness harsh consequences for abuse of power. Sowing poison may be rampant, but few poisoners escape their own intentions. Sometimes the most positive contribution in an unhealthy situation is nothing. “I contribute nothing to (_fill in the blank_)”, is a powerful self-reminder.

In Greek mythology, Nessus becomes a ferryman carrying passengers back and forth across the river Evenus on his back; a third chance for the lusty Centaur who had escaped paying for his unapologetically immoral behavior countless times. On this day, Nessus told Princess Deianara, gorgeous, yet insecure wife of Hercules, he would be more than happy to offer her a ride across a roaring river bulging with recent rains to the road on the far side. “Just across the river and no further,” ordered Hercules without even a glance in Nessus’s direction. He may have recognized the centaur if he paid him even the slightest attention. But, he was preoccupied looking back the way they had come as the couple ran from the wrath of his father-in-law, King Oeneus, due to Hercules’s inadvertent killing of his favorite cup bearer. Thoroughly disgusted with her husband, Deianara accepted the centaur’s offer. Across the river, Hercules heard his beloved’s shrieks as Nessus ran his hands up her gown and over her legs and tried to carry her away from her husband. Pulling an arrow dipped in a hydra’s poisonous blood from his quiver, an enraged Hercules shot Nessus in the chest before the centaur made it to the tree line with his unwilling rider. As he laid writhing from the poison, Nessus begged Deianara’s forgiveness through sobs. Even in his weakened state he charmed her with his excuses. Surely, she knew he had lost his mind due to his nature as half beast coupled with her irresistible allure. It really was not his fault she had tempted him by riding astride as he had advised for the safest passage. Blood rushing to her cheeks at his innuendo, Deianara was caught off guard by his inappropriate speech.

As a token of apology to the princess, the cunning centaur collected a few drops of his hydra-tainted blood in a tiny vial and gifted it to Deianara.  A love potion made from his centaur blood was the least he could do to make amends. Potently effective, he told Hercules’s wife to save it in case her lover’s affection was ever captured by another, more youthful love interest in the future. Nessus promised if she used the contents of the vial Hercules would never look at another. While Deianara doubted Hercules would ever fall out of love with her, she still secreted the vial away in her purse. Nessus died happy, confident of his manipulation and eventual revenge on them both.

As Nessus predicted, eventually Hercules grew restless and dreamed of his love for the fair Iole. Her grandfather King Eurytus had reneged on granting Hercules her hand in marriage as a prize for winning an archery contest before he married Deianara because Hercules was cursed by Demeter and could be driven mad by her at any time. Years later, it bothered Hercules when he thought about how he, the most heralded hero in the entire universe, his strength equal to his father Zeus, was wronged by a mere mortal king. Vengeance was sweet when Hercules killed the king and his sons and took Iole as a slave after sacking the city. They would all know the price for denying him the respect her deserved.

From the balcony, Princess Deianara saw Hercules and his new richly dressed slave as they came through the estate gates. Deianara’s heart clenched at the young woman’s fresh beauty while the smug look on her husband’s face filled her with jealousy. Carefully, she laid out a new dark shirt for her beloved which perfectly hid droplets of Nessus’s love charm.

Within seconds of dressing Hercules fell to the ground screaming in torment from the hydra’s poison he himself had collected and used against his foes. The pain was unbearable and unrelenting, but he yelled out that it was his wife who gave him the poisonous shirt. Finally, he built his own funeral pyre from nearby trees, climbed onto it while still writhing in agony and begged for someone, anyone, to be friend enough to light it and end his life.

Deianara was heartbroken her jealousy had been used to kill the Hero Hercules and she knew she would be punished severely by the Gods. Deianara rushed into their home and stabbed herself to death. In the Greek language her name stands for “husband destroyer.”

In astronomy Nessus has an unpredictable orbit, making its future movements unknown, much like micro aggressions that fester if not forgotten. In archetypical psychology some or all of the characters are within our psyche. Do you recognize:

1. The Arrogant Hero displaying superiority and entitlement to the point of violence and murder.
2. The Wild Unbridled Horse- a part of the human psyche which celebrates freedom from man-made rules and cannot be tamed.
3. The Villain is morally corrupt and brings all the nasty emotions which drive violence like lust, jealousy, and spite.
4. The Jealous Wife who tries to manipulate and control her spouse.

A modern Nessus narrative may show up as a friend who leaves you alone to pick up food with an extremely attractive stranger who you mentioned was your type when you arrived at a party together. Hercules’s traits may be seen in a random person who assumes you want to dance when they grab your arm and spin you in a circle while announcing it will be a night to remember now that you are with him. Deianara may appear as you telling the overly enthusiastic dance partner that you have a friend who is perfect for them then introducing the two as soon as she returns. Meanwhile, your friend does not have the chance to tell you that she talked you up to the person you thought was extremely attractive.

We all have shadows/behaviors born from unmet needs or victimization, but it is the hiding of our human weaknesses that destroys relationships. As we travel with Nessus conjunct the North Node of fate over an unpredictable period, being aware of our desires and what we need to feel fully free keeps us safe from poisoning, or manipulation and misunderstandings. Revenge carries an energy in the Nessus mythos that doubles back and self-destructs.