Eclipse Portal with Hilma af Klint
Image above: I am giddy beyond words to be in the physical presence of Hilma af Klint’s The Ten Largest at the Grand Palais in Paris
"The pictures were painted directly through me, without any preliminary drawings and with great force. I had no idea what the paintings were supposed to depict; nevertheless, I worked swiftly and surely, without changing a single brushstroke." –Hilma af Klint
August 12th's New Moon Solar Eclipse at 20º Leo ♌︎ ushered us into this eclipse portal, and here we will be until the Full Moon at 4º Pisces ♓︎ on August 27.
I am beginning this letter to you from 30,000 feet en route to commune with Swedish artist (1862-1944) Hilma af Klint's Paintings for the Temple on exhibition in Paris.
The first time I saw Hilma's artwork, and particularly this collection of paintings, it was in the documentary Beyond the Visible.
I immediately burst into tears, completely touched with resonance.
It feels utterly magical to be making this pilgrimage to experience Hilma's artwork in person during this particular eclipse portal that opened with Leo New Moon energy – Leo being associated with unbridled creative expression straight from the heart, vivid colors and the pursuit of what fills us with joy.
Jupiter ♃ is also in Leo (July 2026-July 2027) and does what Jupiter does, which is to amplify whatever it touches.
While dancing through Leo, Jupiter makes big the invitation to live boldly and with heart. To leap towards our passions, our self-expression, our aliveness.
I find it gloriously sublime that Jupiter was in Leo in 1907 when Hilma af Klint received the "commission" for The Ten Largest paintings, which are part of her Paintings for the Temple collection.
The Ten Largest represent different phases of human life from a spiritual or energetic dimension: childhood, youth, adulthood and old age.
The "commission" for these works came from the Beyond. In addition to being a prolific artist, Hilma was a spiritualist and a medium. She was in relationship with the High Masters (Archangel Michael to name one), as well as the planets/astrology.
Image above: About The Ten Largest (from the exhibit at the Grand Palais)
“Hilma af Klint was one of the few female artists of her generation who fully pursued what she believed in. She was convinced of the importance of her artistic output and devoted all of her energies to her tasks. Evidence of this can be seen not only in the radical nature of her imagery, but also in the fact that she dared to express herself in monumental formats. She was not afraid of questioning entrenched patterns of belief in her work, nor did she hesitate to walk new paths. Her open-mindedness, coupled with her curiosity, runs like a golden thread throughout her entire oeuvre.”
From the book: Hilma af Klint – A Pioneer of Abstraction
Image above: Hilma af Klint’s birth chart
In Hilma's birth chart, we can be sure of the zodiac sign of each of the planets and the nodes, but we cannot know which houses they fall into due to not having her exact birth time.
It's fascinating to see that some of the outer planets are now back where they were when she was born: Uranus in Gemini (84 year orbit) & Neptune in Aries (165 year orbit).
The spirit of our times is ready for her message!
Hilma's work and life have a revolutionary, experimental, innovative, higher frequency signature, which we see in her chart so deeply with Uranus conjoined her South Node.
The South Node in the birth chart represents the patterns of energy we bring into our current incarnation, whether that be from past lifetimes or our ancestral lineage.
This energy we bring in contributes deeply to our natural gifts and strengths, as well as ways we may habitually operate that have grown weary, that lead to depletion/suffering and are ready for a shift.
With Uranus ♅ – the ruler of electricity, pulsing with the archetypal energy of the Revolutionary, the Disruptor and the Innovator – so closely connected to Hilma's South Node...this represents a strong drive to color outside the lines, to question and experiment beyond the status quo, to channel a non-ordinary frequency and a longing to contribute in some way to positive change in the collective.
Within the spectrum of Uranian energy, the archetype of the Exile also exists. Perhaps, one who is ahead of their time and therefore their contribution rejected or misunderstood by society. We can clearly observe this in Hilma's life and work.
She attempted to expose a few significant people to her abstract drawings and paintings, and they were not well received. Therefore, she did not exhibit any of her abstract artwork publicly during her lifetime.
She mandated in her will to wait at least 20 years after her death to even attempt unveiling her work to society. She was convinced that the significance of her paintings would not be understood before then.
She was truly painting for the future.
Lastly, in Hilma's chart, with both the South Node and Uranus in the sign of Gemini ♊︎, we see her gifts and strengths of open-mindedness, endless curiosity and a capacity to bring forth a fresh and impactful message.
To be in person with her paintings is electric! A full body experience. Her paintings vibrate with frequencies of unseen realities. They communicate directly with soul.
After the exhibition in Paris ends in a few days, on August 30, the exhibit will be traveling to Dublin.
MORE ON THE ECLIPSE PORTAL:
The time between eclipses can have threads of a fated, destined, charged kind of feel.
Insights, unexpected realizations and experiences that link us up with our soul's deeper currents often occur during these portals of time – especially if the eclipses are stimulating planets or sensitive points in your birth chart.
For the Leo New Moon Eclipse at 20º Leo that opened the gates to this portal, look to see if you have planets or sensitive points around 20º of the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) in your birth chart.
If yes, this eclipse portal has a potential to be particularly meaningful and potent for you.
And, know that the series of Leo / Aquarius eclipses we are now experiencing (Feb 2026-March 2028) echo back to Feb 2008-August 2009, the last time we had a Leo South Node ☋ / Aquarius North Node ☊ eclipse cycle.
The time before that: August 1989-July 1991. You can continue to count back every 18-19 years.
It could be insightful to reflect back on the time periods relevant to you and what was unfolding in your life.
Image above: The Dove Group IX by Hilma af Klint
Now, let's talk about the fact that the New Moon Solar Eclipse in Leo happened near the South Node ☋.
The transiting South Node is a catalyst, igniting a process of revealing/making conscious the lower manifestations of whatever sign it is in (now in Leo through March 2028).
The lower manifestations of LEO can include:
–feelings of superiority/entitlement
–self-absorption/inability to see beyond oneself
–creation of drama "all about me"
–approval-seeking
–performativity
–stubborn pride
And, with transiting ♃ Jupiter also in Leo (through July 2027), the whole spectrum of Leo energy is being amplified, including the lower manifestations.
The transiting South Node brings with it a reckoning and a purging.
As the lower manifestations of Leo are made impossible to ignore, an energizing process can be ignited in the sign connected to the North Node, which is Aquarius♒︎.
Aquarius (ruled by the planet Uranus) offers heightened opportunities to disrupt the status quo and enter into a process of deep examination of our societal conditioning. Aquarius seeks to topple hierarchies in an effort to decentralize power.
Innovation, fresh new ways of approaching life and each other, along with a recognition of the power of the people and the utmost importance of community – all of this Aquarian territory is calling to us now.
This transiting nodal combination - South Node Leo / North Node Aquarius – sharply reminds us not to pedestalize anyone.
It serves as a powerful stimulus for the fall of leaders holding power or influence who are operating with an inflated ego and an unwillingness to embrace humility, accountability and evolution.
I have an example to share below that hits a very personal chord.
STEVEN FORREST
Some of you may already be aware of the upheaval in the astrology community over the last several weeks, due to a highly esteemed elder astrologer, Steven Forrest, using a racial slur and perpetuating racist propaganda on the Lila astrology podcast.
I was able to listen to the podcast episode before it was taken offline and edited. It was really horrifying.
No matter what Steven's intention, the impact was deeply harmful.
So far, he has not risen to the evolutionary potential of this moment with humility, accountability and a willingness to repair.
I studied in Steven's Evolutionary Astrology Apprenticeship Program for three years in Southern California back in 2014-2016. It was the beginning of my path in officially becoming a professional astrologer, after years of my own independent study.
I have felt a lot of respect and appreciation for Steven as my foundational teacher. I have felt fortunate to have studied in depth with someone who I and many others have considered a master of the craft. I have recommended his books and classes to many clients, students and friends.
I did not imagine Steven to be one who would fall in this Leo South Node time...yet here he is.
There's both grief and anger in witnessing a once-beloved teacher (and brilliant astrologer) so unconscious and perpetuating great harm.
The following quote is by Janét Jones from A Black Friend is Not an Alibi: Steven Forrest, Ricky Williams and the astrology community's selective empathy:
"You can acknowledge that somebody’s work shaped you without surrendering your discernment to them.
You can respect what they taught you without turning them into an untouchable authority."
If you wish to learn more about this situation, Chris Brennan (host of The Astrology Podcast) has posted a recap on his Facebook page of the parts of the Lila podcast episode that were harmful.
There has been a tremendous outcry for Steven to take full accountability for his words and to engage in a process of repair.
Steven did post an "apology" on his social media pages. However, it has landed for many, including myself, as a NON-apology. He centers defending himself and doubling down that he did not intend the harm.
Steven is clearly demonstrating that he does NOT understand the gravity of the situation and is not willing to learn and take full responsibility.
It is deeply disappointing and upsetting.
Steven absolutely needs to do better.
AND, this is so much bigger than Steven.
With all of us swimming in the waters of white supremacy culture, if things are going to deeply change, we, as white people, must reckon with our conditioning around race and our capacity to do harm.