 |
| Sculpture of Prometheus by Hungarian sculptor Imre Varga; 1978; Szekszard, City Centre; Photo by Csanady via Wikimedia Commons. |
Total Lunar Eclipse @ 15 Aries 05'
Oct 8, 2014
3:51 AM Pacific
6:51 AM Eastern
The paradox of light is that it reveals artifacts within the visible spectrum but obfuscates that which is hidden from perceptual view—the unconscious, ethereal, and unseen chasms of reality. The visible world is a façade; all spiritual teachings tell us this (this has been a redundant theme in the astrology lately). Deep down, we intuit this to be true, but what we see with our eyes is so convincing and palpable; it’s all we really know. Who we think we are, our identity or ego, is equally illusory, a momentary garb to interact with the visible world.
Eclipses are mysterious moments in time when the light that emanates from the Sun becomes eclipsed and the visible world becomes momentarily obscured from view, symbolically and literally speaking. During a Lunar Eclipse, which occurs on Oct. 8, the Sun’s light is concealed (though not entirely) by the presence of the Earth which casts its shadow upon the Moon. This alignment of celestial objects emerges within each of us as a bursting forth of unconscious content.
The light that illuminates gives way to that which it hides from view. For some, that is a precarious situation, for others a moment of clarity and ironically, illumination. A Lunar Eclipse, we could say, is an amplified Full Moon—a critical culmination of psychic energies from the depths of the unconscious. Eclipses are collective opportunities to make shifts and adjustments within ourselves—to respond to messages arising from our very souls and to acknowledge what it is we really are.
When you strip away the exterior garment, you’re left with only the essence of your true nature. The degree of your attachment to that façade indicates whether such times present you with a liberating experience or a crisis (or both). Naturally, during a Lunar Eclipse, as well as a Solar Eclipse, we are encouraged by the universe to simply observe our very nature, to see consciousness as it truly is, not what we project on to it.
A Lunar Eclipse, specifically, is a time to recharge our souls and to allow that which is eternal and authentic to imprint itself upon the very fabric of the external. I can’t help but overemphasize the profundity of these events, which happen (usually in pairs) two times a year. When we embrace the Eclipse process we come out the other end renewed and reconnected to our life path and potential. We are given the opportunity to change our course which happens only after we have made a shift within ourselves.
Mercury is still stationary and changing direction at the time of this Eclipse—indicating that we are stepping back to essentially move forward. To complicate matters, this month’s Full Moon/Total Lunar Eclipse (total as in complete obfuscation of light and thus more impactful) occurs in the tropical sign of Aries—which, to say the least, is a very action-oriented sign, a sign that emphasizes the power of the will to take action and make change.
But only fools will actually jump off the precipice with this lunation—that is, take the archetypal impulse literally. Change begins inside of us; remember that. If you want to see changes in your life, you have to shift your inner life first and foremost (thinking, beliefs, and emotional reactions). During times such as these, we are usually better off to remain stationary while the events unfold around us. What we have already put into motion will simply transform accordingly. All we have to do is watch and respond appropriately at the opportune moment.
In other words, life doesn’t stop, but rather the usual process—the dynamics of cause and effect often becomes inverted. If we are aware of this, we can simply be in the moment and not push ourselves into forcing anything to happen through willful action. That is how we can work and flow with the Eclipse and retrograde energies. Mercury’s retrograde cycle encourages us to make changes and adjustments to a project or process that we’ve already put into motion—to deconstruct and ultimately refine. If you come up against resistance it’s usually a sign to back off and adjust your strategy.
Interestingly, there are many layers of obfuscation with this Eclipse. The Moon, prior to coming to full opposition to the Sun, occults the planet Uranus, concealing it from view; or looked at another way: merging completely with its archetypal nature. The two become one, both Moon and Uranus. Of course, without a telescope or good pair of binoculars, Uranus is invisible to the naked eye; it belongs to the trans-perceptual realms. Its vibration is subtle yet that does not lessen its influence upon the psyche. That which is unconscious (invisible) often has more power over us than we wish to admit.
Yoda meme exemplifying Uranian wisdom.
That which we don’t see, or worse, what we refuse to acknowledge, tends to direct our lives, often to our detriment. The need for emotional individuation is strong with this lunation, but the risk of drowning in overt subjectivity is equally tenacious. Uranus must be acknowledged and heard: you are not the product of your conditioning; you are vastly more powerful and eternal than you have been led to believe. The paradox of this lunation is that freedom is essential but ultimately limited and finite. While we all need our own space to become who we are, we depend on others for optimal survival. Freedom is always a double edged sword.
This South Nodal Eclipse opposes the Sun, Venus and North Node in Libra—emphasizing relationships and negotiation. Often, our facades become mechanical and routine—our interactions scripted and banal. Uranus hiding behind this dimly lit Full Moon reminds us that we need not hide who we are. We can be authentic and still interact with the world. Whether the world approves of us or not isn’t the point. The risk of being authentic nourishes our soul and that is reflected in the external environment. Eventually, the more we remain true to our nature, we attract those (soul mates) that can respect and love us as is.
As this lunar cycle culminates, we are encouraged to face our stale and mechanical acts—to nourish our soul essence and allow the true being to burst forth. Beyond all those layers of social conditioning lies the divine genius, who revitalizes us through bursts of spontaneous creative inspiration. How have you lost touch with such a force? How can you revitalize your connection? A fire grand trine between Moon/Uranus, Jupiter and Mars connects this Eclipse in a web of passion, playfulness, motivation, adventurousness and the eternal fire that fuels the life force within all sentient beings. Creativity is strong here and there is certainly no shortage of supply.
*This eclipse will be visible throughout much of the world including North and Central America, Greenland, some parts of Austrailia and most of Asia. South America will only see the onset of the eclipse. It will not be visible in Africa, Europe or the western portion of Russia or Asia. During a Lunar Eclipse, the Moon will gradually take on a red-orange hue often called a "Blood Moon". The effect is quite ominous looking and hard to miss (if you're awake, of course).
The West Coast of North America will have the best view, since it occurs several hours before sunrise; thus the Moon's reddish-orange color will be particularly striking. If you can stay up or get up for this Eclipse, it will be worth your while, especially if you've never seen one. I've seen several, so I may actually skip this one (sleep is far more valuable for me these days). For more on the astronomy of this eclipse, check out this article over at Space.com.
In case you didn't know, I do give personalized astrology readings. This of course requires an accurate birth time. If you are interested, please contact me by e-mail: kosmicmind@gmail.com
If you're reading this from an e-mail, head over to my blog page via this link for information on pricing and my methodology. Note: I adopt a sliding scale/donation policy.