The Enigma of Eclipses
Photo: Snapshot I took during the Great American Eclipse
Eclipses are a regular occurrence from our perspective here on Earth. On average they happen four times a year. On occasion we’ll have five, six, or much more rarely, seven in one year. The more eclipses, the more we have to process within the year. In the year 2020, for example, we had six. These celestial phenomena are junctures where fate steps in and ushers us in a direction we are destined to go.
If that sounds a bit too esoteric, let’s re-frame. No matter our beliefs, most of us can realize there have been moments within our life that were not consciously arranged by us but were in fact incredibly instrumental to our journey. Moments where perhaps, there was a decision to be made. Then, out of the blue or by coincidence, an event happened or a person showed up that influenced that very decision, seemingly changing the course of our life. Eclipses have been linked to these types of situations over and over throughout time.
The Latin root of eclipse, ekleipsis, means “to leave behind” or to cease. In the case of astronomy, a total eclipse of either the Sun or the Moon, quite literally cuts off the light the Earth is receiving. Astrologically, an eclipse is indicative of endings and beginnings. It is a stellar reboot of sorts, no different from powering down your computer in order to cease an old program and restart a new, upgraded one. Eclipses provide an opportunity for upgrading our understanding of life when we consciously work with them. They assist us in ways that may, or may not, be the most obvious in the moment but become more and more clear in hindsight.
In order to understand eclipse energies, we must first understand what exactly an eclipse is. There are two types; a solar and a lunar. And they come paired together within about a two week window. The lunar is yin, receptive in nature. The solar is yang, masculine in nature. Both are necessary to form the yin yang, which in its 2D version forms the black and white symbol most of us are familiar with. However, when we perceive this sacred symbol in its 3D version, what we see is a spiraling vortex connecting and integrating to opposite ends of a spectrum. This is how an eclipse window functions. The connection is between two opposing signs creating an orb of focus.
A solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the radiant Sun and this beautiful planet we call Earth. They can only happen when the moon is new. The Sun and Moon have to be on the same side of the planet in order for the Moon to block the Sun’s rays. If we are looking at a chart for a solar eclipse, we see the sun and moon occupying the same degree within the same sign; like a traditional clock when the hour and minute hand align within a certain hour.
A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth passes between the Sun and the magical, mystical Moon. They can only happen when the Moon is full. Here, the Sun and Moon have to be on opposite sides of the Earth. The sunshine actually has to be visibly projecting on to the in order for the light to be eclipsed. If we are looking at a chart for a lunar eclipse, we see the sun and moon occupying the same degree but in opposite signs. On a clock face, this would be like having the big hand at the top of the hour and the small hand at half past the hour.
Eclipses can also be total or partial. The distance between the Sun, Moon, and the Moon’s nodes is the determining factor. In case you're wondering what the lunar nodes are…” The lunar nodes are the two points where the moon’s orbital path crosses the ecliptic.” (1) The closer the Sun or the Moon to the nodes, the more powerfully an eclipse can be felt.
A total solar eclipse: indeed, it is quite a magnificent sight to behold! Of course don’t behold it with your naked eyeballs or it may be the last thing you ever behold.
I remember the total eclipse that took place in August of 2017; The “Great American Eclipse”. It was spectacular. I took off on an epic road trip from Austin, Texas to New Port, Oregon. I had just gone through a devastating divorce and, the loves of my life, my children, were at the age where they fly the coop. My Cancer rising self was deeply in despair.
I definitely was on an adventure to find and heal myself. It was like this eclipse was calling me to bathe in its path of totality, baiting me with the promise of change. After driving 2,153 miles, I had finally arrived to witness the piece de resistance. It was a hike from my car to the beach. I was toting a chair, a blanket and a pound or two of crystals. Walking up and down the grassy dunes, with their shifting sands, had me fatigued; life had, had me fatigued and I was ready to rest and reset.
As I lay there on my blanket, I made my peace with everything that had come before that very moment. This wave of serenity settled on me like a cozy blanket. The clouds parted just in time to reveal the eclipse as I gazed in awe through my posh cardboard glasses.
Slowly, the black whole of the moon slid into place. There was an eerie calm that preceded the moment of totality, akin to the stillness that pervades the wee hours of the morning. At the exact time of alignment there was a millisecond where the sky went dark, then pow, the most glorious and brilliant halo appeared as if it were crowning the head of an angel. It was pure magic; which did in fact usher in a great shift in my life. Within months, a beautiful man would walk into my life who would unconditionally love and support me as I healed the darkest parts of myself and passionately began to lead a joyful and purpose driven life; an oath I made to myself at the time of the eclipse.
While all eclipses may not invoke a sense of spiritual transcendence, they do usher in change and transformation. Whether it is minimal or grandiose in your personal world, depends upon the planetary placements in your natal chart and what houses will be activated.
When we are really paying attention to and present for the opportunities eclipses provide we take our ability to create in this life to a whole new level. Self awareness can develop to a point where you master surfing the waves of life. The more you understand the ebbs and flows of life, the easier it tends to become.
Knowing what house an eclipse will fall in your chart, gives you the ability to mentally prepare yourself and begin to ask “ What can I intentionally clear or create that will allow me to grow in the most beneficial way?” A little extra effort applied in an eclipse window can expand quickly. You’ve got to paddle if you're going to catch the wave.
A few cautionary words here…The energy of eclipses can be incredibly unpredictable in a “bad” or “good” way. The Universe has an interesting sense of humor. Sometimes the path that ultimately delivers us to our intended destination is anything but what we thought it would be; although, it’s always what we needed.
1. Wikipedia
