How To Prepare For September 17's Lunar Eclipse Full Moon

Buckle up, because the astrology of September 2024 is about to shake up the end of summer with a powerful lunar eclipse. The full moon lunar eclipse on Sept. 17 rises less than a week before the autumn equinox, and it’s kicking off the year’s second set of back-to-back eclipses. All zodiac signs are about to enter a portal full of rapid changes, massive realignments, and powerful revelations, so knowing how to prepare for September’s lunar eclipse is important.

You’ve probably heard of eclipses because of the visual phenomena that sometimes accompany them, but in astrology, eclipses are known as fateful harbingers of change. They occur when a new or full moon peaks right along the ecliptic — an astronomical term that refers to the apparent path that the sun takes through the sky — which activates the North and South Nodes of Destiny and supercharges the lunation with a ton of extra power. This is why eclipses are thought to bring such meaningful meant-to-be moments, or wildly speed up events that were inevitably going to happen anyway. While these eclipse shake-ups can certainly be disorienting or challenging, they’re usually happening in a way that helps to push you toward the paths that’ll bring more fulfillment in the end.

The Sept. 17 lunar eclipse is taking place in the dreamy and sensitive sign of Pisces, pulling themes like spirituality, escapism, and intuition into the mix. Four of the past six eclipses have taken place in the signs of Aries and Libra, but as the Nodes of Destiny slowly inch toward the signs of Virgo and Pisces, the eclipses are beginning to transition, too. The lunar eclipse on Sept. 17 happens to be the first eclipse that’s taking place in this new series, so this marks the very start of a new and transformative journey that’ll go on until the beginning of 2027. The last time there was an eclipse in Pisces was in February 2017, so it’s been a while since one of these electrifying lunations has touched these areas of your birth chart.

September’s lunar climax pulls everyone into the unpredictable eclipse vortex, and its energy will be potent until the solar eclipse in Libra on Oct. 2. Ready or not, this lunation is like the first episode of a whole new season of your life, so doing some prepping for the Sept. 17 lunar eclipse is a must.

Get Your Manifestations Out Of The Way Now

New and full moons are thought to be magical manifestation periods for a reason, as working with the ebbs and flows of the lunar cycle can infuse your intentions with added cosmic power. The exception to the rule is when a new or full moon is also an eclipse. During these sensitive lunations, it’s advisable to put your moon rituals on pause — as it’s better to let the hands of fate take the wheel a bit and observe where you’re being steered rather than trying to assert your own will. Because September’s eclipse is in whimsical and watery Pisces, it’ll have an even more intangible and intuitive vibe to it, so your energy will be much better spent tapping into the universe’s signs and symbols.

If you have spells you’d like to cast or major manifestations you’d like to set in motion this month, it’s best to get them started ahead of the eclipse on Sept. 17. The chaotic energy of eclipse season will be highly active until the solar eclipse on Oct. 2, so the first half of September is your best bet when it comes to cosmically timing your intentions.

Be Willing To Face Reality

At the time of September’s lunar eclipse, the moon in ethereal Pisces will be in a tight conjunction with Neptune — the illusive planet of dreams and delusions — and both planets will be facing off directly with the sun in meticulous Virgo. The discerning and down-to-earth Virgo vibe will be at odds with the rose-colored haze of idealism that may be clouding your judgment in some part of your life, so this eclipse might wind up shaking you out of a reverie, forcing you to look at certain things with a more realistic and practical perspective.

While it’s no fun to be plucked out of your cozy cocoon of escapism and have your fantasies shoved into the harsh light of day, trust that this cosmic reality check is for the best. Building castles in the sky isn’t going to provide you with any solid ground to stand on, so it’s time time to start making space for magical, dream-worthy visions that you can rely on.

Check Your Birth Chart

If you want a heads-up about how September’s lunar eclipse might affect you personally, the best thing to do is grab your birth date, time, and location, and check out your birth chart. Whatever houses of your chart the signs of Pisces and Virgo fall into symbolize the parts of your life that are likely to be most impacted by this eclipse. For September, you’ll likely be breaking through the fourth wall of any unrealistic fantasies or delusions you’ve held in place in the Pisces-ruled part of your chart.

People with Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, or Pisces as their rising sign are more likely to feel this eclipse’s energy in a more tangible way than the rest of the zodiac, while people with a Pisces sun or moon are also likely to be more meaningfully affected.