Yesterday gifted us with a new moon in cancer AND a solar eclipse.
* Whew! * That's some potent magick!
New moons are all about new beginnings and fully processing and integrating the lessons from the previous month (moon cycle).
Eclipses are interesting. They are basically intermittent periods of shadow over either moon (lunar eclipse) or sun (solar eclipse). When this happens, it creates a portal for us to do a little shadow work of our own. In the case of a lunar eclipse, the shadows are more likely to be surrounding the deeper, darker, more secret aspects of ourselves, or the internal parts of us. With a solar eclipse, it's more likely to be some part of our identity or our fame/success/reputation that is needing some attention.
In many cases, these shadows - whether they be lunar or solar - were born in our pasts. Social programming and propaganda imprinted on us from birth to early adulthood can leave us loaded down with limiting beliefs that limit our potential, stunt our growth, and, in many cases, were somebody else's fears that we took on as our own because we didn't know any better.
That's why it can be helpful to look to the past to learn more about these shadows and how to work with them.
WAYS TO USE SIMPLE ASTROLOGY TO HARNESS THE MAGICK OF ECLIPSE SEASON
Astrology can be a valuable tool when doing this work. Becoming familiar with your natal chart can be a beautiful map for learning about who you are as a whole person. But, it can be somewhat overwhelming trying to figure it all out in one go. During eclipse season, there are three specific things that I believe are most helpful for understanding the shadow work asked of us during eclipse season. These are the natal sun sign, the natal moon sign, and the natal south node.
NOTE: There are other things in the chart that interact with these signs to complete the puzzle of who we are, but these three heavenly bodies are like the general icons for what is discussed in the descriptions.
The sun sign can give information on who we are at a deep core/Soul level. The sun represents our identity in the world. It’s the face we show the world, but often it takes us a while to actually fully grow into this identity. (So don’t fret if you don’t yet feel a ton of resonance with your sun sign. You may still be expanding into it.) The sun also gives us clues about how we are meant to shine in the world … how we are likely to find fame, success, and fulfillment, as well as how we light up the world for others (what gifts we have to share with the world).
The moon sign reveals our secret inner selves. It shows us who we are when no one is looking. It tells us about the deeper and darker aspects of ourselves, as well as how we are with cycles, our intuitive gifts, and the way we organize our internal thoughts and feelings.
The south node in our natal charts shows us what challenges or shadows we are to overcome in this lifetime. These are traits/beliefs/foibles we picked up in recent lifetimes, or in our formative years in this lifetime, that are getting in the way of what we are here to do in this life. They are hindering our progress, and so, we need to acknowledge them, work with them, and either release or transmute them if we are to complete the work our Soul’s came here to do. Understanding your south node can help you to better understand your challenges, so that you can begin to work with them more efficiently.
Now, obviously, your sun sign energies might seem the more relevant during a solar eclipse, and the moon sign energies more so during a lunar one. And while this is technically true (in my experience), both can be useful in both instances. During a solar eclipse, moon sign information can tell us how we are likely to feel as we do the shadow work we do with our sun, and how we are likely to process those feelings internally. Including the sun sign information during a lunar eclipse reminds us of who we are and how we function at our core, so we can get a better idea of how this deeper internal shadow work might play out in our mundane lives.
And throughout it all, using the south node as a compass for where to start looking for shadows in the first place (if they aren’t already glaringly obvious), can be a huge help for even knowing where to begin when embarking on this often arduous work.
I hope this has been a helpful lesson, blissmakers. Eclipse season can be a rough ride through stormy waters, or it can be an adventure into the deepest darkest parts of yourself with the most glorious rainbow on the other side. It’s all in how you choose to enter it. May the force(s) be with you! xoxo