Eclipse Season is Coming: Your Guide to Shadow Work and Deep Transformation (Feb-March 2026)
Something Big Is Coming—And Your Body Already Knows
In exactly one week—on February 17, 2026 at 4:11 AM PST—a solar eclipse in Aquarius kicks off one of the most intense eclipse seasons in years.
And then, just two weeks later on March 3rd at 3:33 AM PST, a lunar eclipse in Virgo completes the cycle.
This eclipse season is happening alongside Mercury retrograde in Pisces (Feb 25-March 20) and the historic Saturn-Neptune conjunction (Feb 20).
It's not just eclipse season. It's a complete cosmic restructuring.
As a somatic therapist who helps clients navigate deep transformation, I want to prepare you—not with fear, but with tools. Because eclipse seasons aren't just "big energy." They're shadow work invitations, asking you to face what you've been avoiding so something new can be born.
This is the first post in a 5-week series guiding you through this entire eclipse season with somatic practices, shadow work, and integration tools. Continue to check back in weekly as we move through these transits! Let's begin.
What Are Eclipses (And Why Do They Feel Like This)?
Solar eclipses are supercharged new moons—new beginnings, but with a twist. Something must end first.
Lunar eclipses are supercharged full moons—completions, releases, revelations.
According to CHANI astrology, "Eclipses tend to bring power outages, power surges, and sometimes both."
Translation: your life might feel like it's short-circuiting. Plans change suddenly. Truths emerge. What felt solid shifts. What was hidden surfaces.
This Eclipse Season Is Different: Here's Why
February 17, 2026: Solar Eclipse at 28°49' Aquarius
This isn't just about personal transformation—it's about collective revolution. Aquarius eclipses ask:
Where do you need to break free from convention?
What outdated structures need to collapse?
How can you contribute to collective change?
Where are you hiding your weird, true self?
BUT—just three days before this eclipse:
February 20: Saturn conjoin Neptune at 0°44' Aries
This is a once-in-36-year event—the merging of structure (Saturn) and dreams (Neptune) at the very first degree of Aries (new beginnings). This conjunction is asking you to build your dreams into reality.
March 3, 2026: Lunar Eclipse at 12°54' Virgo
This eclipse is about release, purification, and letting go of perfectionism. Virgo asks:
What systems in your life aren't working?
Where is perfectionism blocking you?
What needs to be healed in your daily routines?
What self-criticism needs to end?
Shadow Work: What It Actually Means
Before we go further, let's get clear on shadow work—because this eclipse season is asking for it.
Your shadow (from Jungian psychology) is the parts of yourself you've rejected, repressed, or denied:
Anger you weren't allowed to feel
Power you were told to hide
Desires labeled as "bad" or "selfish"
Parts too big, too much, too different
Shadow work isn't about becoming "better." It's about becoming whole—integrating what's been exiled.
During eclipse season, your shadow will surface whether you're ready or not.
You might experience:
Old patterns returning for final release
People from your past re-entering your life
Emotions you thought you'd "dealt with" resurfacing
Sudden clarity about what you've been avoiding
Dreams revealing unconscious material
Body symptoms (tension, exhaustion, illness)
This isn't punishment. It's opportunity.
How to Prepare Your Nervous System for Eclipse Season
Eclipse energy is intense. Your nervous system needs support.
Practice 1: Grounding BEFORE It Gets Chaotic
Don't wait until you're activated. Ground now:
Feel your feet on the floor daily (60 seconds minimum)
Get outside, touch earth/grass/trees
Eat warm, nourishing foods
Sleep more than usual (your body's processing)
Practice 2: Resource Building
Identify what helps you feel safe:
A person you can call
A place that feels calm
A practice that regulates you (breathing, movement, creativity)
A mantra or reminder
Write these down. You'll need them.
Practice 3: Pendulation (Touch and Return)
Practice moving between activation and ground:
Think about something mildly stressful (not full eclipse intensity yet)
Notice what happens in your body (tension, heat, tightness)
Now shift attention to your feet, your breath, something neutral
Move back and forth several times
This trains your nervous system: you can touch difficult material and return to safety.
Your Week 1 Shadow Work Practice: Meeting the Shadow
What you'll need:
Journal
20 minutes of quiet
Willingness to be honest
The Practice:
1. Identify what you judge harshest in others (10 min)
Write down 3-5 qualities you can't stand in other people. Be specific:
Selfishness
Neediness
Arrogance
Weakness
Messiness
2. Turn the mirror (10 min)
Now ask: Where do I have this quality that I've rejected in myself?
This is uncomfortable. That's the point. Your shadow is what you judge in others because you've exiled it in yourself.
Write what comes up—even if your ego wants to deny it.
What's Coming in This 5-Week Series
Week 1 (Today): Eclipse season overview + shadow work basics
Week 2 (Feb 17): Solar eclipse in Aquarius + Mercury retrograde begins
Week 3 (Feb 24): Saturn-Neptune conjunction integration + lunar eclipse prep
Week 4 (March 3): Lunar eclipse in Virgo + release ritual
Week 5 (March 10): Integration practices + moving forward
Each week builds on the last, guiding you through this entire season with somatic tools, rituals, and psychological insight.
Journal Prompts for This Week
What am I most afraid will surface during this eclipse season?
What parts of myself have I been keeping in the shadows?
Where in my life do I feel something big is about to shift?
What outdated structures (internal or external) am I ready to release?
How can I support my nervous system through intense transformation?
Next week (Feb 17): We dive into the Aquarius solar eclipse and Mercury retrograde beginning. I'll give you specific practices for navigating both simultaneously.
If you're in New York State and want therapeutic support through this eclipse season, book a free 15-minute consultation. I offer virtual somatic art therapy and shadow work integration for people navigating major transformation.
Eclipse season asks you to face what's been hidden. You don't have to do it alone. 🌑🌕
