Sabian Symbol: A Man Possessed of More Gifts Than He Can Hold.
Obsession of potentials, warning against undertaking more than is safe and sound to attempt.
Tonight at 7:38 p.m. EDT, the Moon, in the sign of Aries, will be opposite the Sun in Libra, which means it’s a Full Moon. It also will be a penumbral eclipse, when the Earth’s outer shadow partially covers the lunar surface. This is the first of a pair of eclipses, with the Solar eclipse occurring November 3rd.
According to Jim O’Leary, senior scientist at the Maryland Science Center, with tonight’s lunar eclipse, “You might see a little darkening. It happens very gradually. It’s not like a snap of the fingers.” The eclipse event begins around 5:50 p.m. Eastern time, peaks around at 7:50 p.m. and ends around 9:50 p.m.
This is the Hunter’s Moon, which is always the first Full Moon since the Harvest Moon. It is also called the Blood Moon, which, in its partially eclipsed state tonight, may describe Her well. It is also known as the Sanguine Moon, the Kindly Moon in Chinese lore, and the Moon when Quilling and Beading are Done by the Lakota Sioux.
At this time of year, Her path — called an ecliptic — is shallow. That means for several nights in a row, the Moon sits farther north on the horizon. According to EarthSky. “It’s this northward movement of the moon along the eastern horizon at moonrise that gives the Hunter’s Moon its magic.”
Speaking of magic, astrologer Diane Lang offers her always wonderful perspective, regarding this Moon’s energy.
“The luminaries sail through this lunar eclipse…,” she writes, “with no close aspects, which allows us to experience this classic opposition between Aries and Libra with few distractions.”
She explains, “Aries is the ultimate self-starter who knows all about the importance to taking action rather than dithering around waiting. In fact, they hate waiting! Libra prefers to consult with others before taking that important first step.
“Under ideal conditions they balance each other out nicely . . . something we haven’t seen ever since Uranus entered Aries. Uranus in Aries has been hounding Aries folk to MOVE regardless of whether conditions are right or not. Libra has adjusted with help from Saturn but still is not happy, feeling like they are being rushed into making choices.”
I can’t even count the number of people who have been confiding to me they feel like they are in a neck-and-neck race against overwhelm: crazy speeding up of time; far too much to get done; unforeseen obstacles popping up at that worst possible moment; all compounded by crises and emergencies boiling over without warning.
And even that’s before Mercury retrograde arrives this Monday (Hint: back up your technology NOW!).
In addition, Diane writes, “Eclipses have a way of expanding their influence beyond the usual for lunations.
“The Full Moon opposition is enhanced because it is Aries opposing Libra, bringing relationship challenges to the foreground. We may need to examine where we are putting our own interests ahead of our partner’s AND where we place our partner’s needs before our own.
“This is part of the relationship package, folks, because learning how to keep these two elements in some sort of balance can mean the difference between a healthy relationship and a dying one.”
Our friend, the brilliant Lorna Bevan adds:
The Node of Fate is sandwiched between Sun and Saturn bringing a note of seriousness whilst the Sun and Moon square Jupiter in Cancer. This is a cardinal eclipse, meaning that it will be dynamic and hard to ignore, even though it’s penumbral rather than full. It is conjunct Arcturus, said to bring events outside our control.
If you have planets and points between 22-26 degrees of Aries/ Cancer/ Libra/ Capricorn, you’re at a crossroads, depending where in your chart these degrees fall.
Don’t make any big decisions, especially where relationships are concerned, until at least a week after the Solar eclipse on November 3rd. Stay centred and sidestep dramas.
Many of you have noted that you really enjoy the suggested Moon rituals that I’ve linked to in past months. The very powerful one for this magical Moon is here, but you might also want to heed this caveat from Dana Gerhardt:
It’s a lunar eclipse! What should you do with it? You could bang pots and drums like the ancients to let the Moon know you’re eager for her return. You could park yourself in some beautiful spot and watch it—if you live in Europe, the Eastern Americas, West Asia or Africa. You could perform a ritual during the eclipse hours.
Or you could make a point to avoid performing a ritual, as there are two schools of thought here.
Some believe eclipses supercharge your ceremony. Others feel the energy is wonky and shouldn’t be trusted with important workings.
I say, investigate! Lunar eclipses occur at least twice a year, every year. So the first thing to do is start paying attention to them whenever you get the opportunity.
This year, the lunar eclipse begins with the Full Moon on Friday October 18 at 7:38 pm EDT (adjust for your timezone) and lasts for about four hours. This is the eclipse window. Pay attention to what happens during this window. How do you feel? What’s the energy like around you? Are you inspired to do anything? In other words, tune in and let the eclipse tell you what to do with it.
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I’ll be at Dancing Moon Books from 11:30 to 6pm tomorrow, so you might make an appointment to get a reading. I can help you navigate this darkening time of year and the “eclipse season” we now find ourselves in.
And in whatever ways you wish to observe the wonder of this magical night, may your rites be blessed!