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Become more aware of Moon in the sky—and feel her flow!
Seek guidance from Goddess in her changing face.
Experience the magic of Moon within!
March brings both a lunar and a solar eclipse—
Eclipses show emphasis and focus. What will they mean for you!
O dark, dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon,
Irrecoverably dark, total eclipse
Without all hope of day!
—Milton, Paradise Lost
The mortal moon hath her eclipse endur'd,
And the sad augurs mock their own presage;
Incertainties now crown themselves assur'd
And peace proclaims olives of endless age.
—Shakespeare, Sonnets (1609)
I included the two quotes above at the beginning of the eclipse chapter, "From Obsurity to Enlightenment" in Moon Tides, Soul Passages. The first quote conjures the fear of eclipses that comes down from the ages, while the second allows a more philosophical view. Eclipse means obscurity in that one celestial body is hidden from our view, or partially hidden, by another. "To eclipse" means to outshine or surpass something or someone else. To be eclipsed is to fail to appear, to be obscured or hidden. With dictionary definitions such as this, perhaps it's no wonder that the ancients thought of eclipses as omens to be feared. Well, in our world, if you look around, it's always possible to find some calamity that we could associate with the nearest eclipse. But, if we looked, we could always find very good things happening at the same time. While we may or may not be able to do much about major events happening on the national or worldwide stage, we always have a good deal of personal influence on how events play out in our own lives.
In my experience, an eclipse means strong emphasis and focus, and the emphasis can just as often be found to center on something good as on something bad—and which is which depends a lot on one's attitude and perspective. As for me, I can relate some of the eclipses that "hit" close to personal planets in my chart as heralding some significantly positive things in my life. It's always best, I think, to act toward the potential of favorable outcome.
We might think of eclipses as being super New or Full Moons. A New Moon shows us a theme for the monthly period until the next New Moon. Interpreting the theme begins with the zodiac sign of New Moon, and can be expanded from studying a complete astrological chart of the moment New Moon occurs. The Full Moon shows us a theme of compliment and balance that lasts the two weeks until the next New Moon. The themes of eclipses are reflected in feelings or events with significance over much longer lasting periods, at least until the next eclipse and often even longer. I remember one total solar eclipse conjunct my Moon that coincided with an important turning point in my life. Other events expanding the same theme happened for several years afterward every time a planet crossed the eclipse degree.
The Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse, March 14
A Lunar Eclipse is always at Full Moon, and its sign is the Moon sign, always exactly opposite the sign of the Sun. Sun is in Pisces, so the Lunar Eclipse is in the Earth sign of Virgo, and it occurs at 6:35 pm EST. The eclipse degree, 24 Virgo, is in a very close square with Pluto, an indicator of extremes—extremes of emotion and quite likely, of change. Intuition is heightened, but also tendencies toward sensitivity and needs for control. Still Mercury is trine Jupiter, a quite positive aspect for good thinking and learning in the midst of the Mercury retrograde period that begins March 2 and lasts until March 26. This can be a good time to think through plans that have seemed stalled, reorganize them and and figure out what and how we can make them work out more to our liking.
In Moon Tides, I wrote about prenatal Lunar Eclipses as lessons the soul has come to learn. One line from my interpretation for Virgo says "What you do must feel right within your soul." Pisces is dreamy and idealistic, but dreams, alone, may drift into chaos. Like the Maiden who dances out of chaos, we must gather and organize what we need to change our Piscean dreams into practical, healthy realities. Though we may know what we need to do to achieve those dreams, knowing and doing are often two different things. Setting the subconscious mind into gear toward the "doing" can be helped by focusing intent within the sacred space of ritual.
Ritual for the Lunar Eclipse in Virgo
Gather candles to represent Sun (gold or yellow) and Moon (white, silver or light blue), plus paper and pen and whatever other ritual tools you like to use, such as water to cleanse your ritual space, and incense to charge it. Center yourself in mediation, create sacred space, then do the following:
Light the Sun candle, as you invoke inspiration and clarity of your intent:
Lord Sun Pisces, shine for me
With inspiration, clarity
I seek your help that I may see
My path ahead, so mote it be!
Breathe deeply, then hold your pen and paper in your hand and slowly circle the God candle nine times, while opening your mind to clarifying thoughts that come to you. Then sit down and clearly write down the end result you hope will come to pass—your dream.
Light the Moon candle, as you invoke her and emphasize your will and intent:
Virgo, Goddess of this Moon,
And Earthly practicality
I seek your help to organize
My dreams into reality.
This IS my will, so mote it be!
Gaze into the flame of the Moon candle for 9 heartbeats and then sit down and write all the things you can think of that you could do to make the result you want into reality. Brainstorm at first, writing anything that comes to mind at random. Then, reorganize your thoughts into a list, in a step-by-step format. This will be your plan. Now you must commit to it. Devise a short (one phase or sentence) affirmation of your intent. It should be tailored to your own dream and intent, but very simply stated. Then write it at the top of your list in big bold letters. Now, fold your list into your hand and holding it, slowly circle the Moon candle as you repeat your affirmation nine times. End by saying By all the power of three times three, this IS my will so mote it be!
Repeat the affirmation often and keep your list where you can firmly cross off each step toward your goal as you achieve it and congratulate yourself on the success you're achieving.
Total Solar Eclipse in Aries, March 29
This eclipse, in 8 degree Aries occuring at 5:15 am EST, is dramatic in part because it is also the day that Pluto, which has been moving slowly but steadily through the later degrees of Sagittarius, turns retrograde at 26 degrees 45 minutes. This is the zodiacal position of the Galatic Center, which may mean that this eclipse will be associated with major world events. Pluto is also in close square to the 24 Virgo Lunar Eclipse point, and that's likely to trigger a revisiting of the emotional intensity potential of the eclipse period earlier this month. Pluto's long transit through Sag has been fraught with examples of idealogy to the point of fanaticism and struggles for control. Aries, the sign of this eclipse, has themes of pioneering and courage, but is also named for Ares, the god of war. Still, while some factions stoke the flames of war, others courageously act to bring about changes that can benefit the larger society and restore peace. Saturn in Leo trines the eclipse point, offering hope that actions taken during this eclipse period will be done so responsibly. The Mars of this eclipse represents a "Mars return" for the chart of the United States. For individuals, a Mars return often heralds the beginning of a new project or activity. So, what will it mean for Uncle Sam? Let's hope it's positive, but meanwhile, it won't hurt and may help to make your new Moon ritual for this month one that encourages active cooperation.
Ritual for the Total Solar Eclipse in Aries
The ritual idea that just came to my mind is one of a large ring of candles (Aries is a fire sign) all around the world in a circle of unity. Idealistic, yes, but the more people who are able to come together in unity, the greater the potential for peaceful and productive progress. This ritual would be good to do with a group. Place a world globe in the center of your ritual space—outside under the stars, if possible. Get one of those big bags of 100 tea light candles and some white or light waxed paper cups. They make good luminaries. You might begin with a group discussion of what things can be done, no matter how small, by each person to contribute to cooperative action for the good of all, with personal pledges to do something.
Then, have everyone light the luminaries and place them in a wide circle all around the globe, while singing an appropriate song of unity, such as perhaps the well known, "Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me." The lyrics are easy to find through online search, both the original song by Jill Jackson and Sy Miller and also slight variations of the lyrics that make the spiritual portions universal. Do a group visualizaton of your candle of light expanding out to reach others all around the Earth.
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