by Agni Jnana Yannanda, The One Who Speaks With The Stars
featured artwork Alma Nungarrayi Granites Seven Sisters Dreaming
November 19th, 2021, 3:57am EST
Moon at 3°04′ of Taurus (SIDEREAL)
We are in the midst of the eclipse season with the Lunar Cycle that started on the New Moon on November 4th, the upcoming Full Moon in Taurus and the Lunar Eclipse on November 19th at 3:57 am EST, and the Total Solar Eclipse on December 4th at 2:42am EST.
The Lunar Eclipse on November 19th takes place in the early Taurus with Moon at 3 degrees and Rahu at 7 degrees, the first Decan of Taurus denotes more of a creative energy supporting the seeding of ideas (later Taurus is more material and business oriented). Taurus is a sign of strength and will power. Its focus is primarily on earthy and material matters, manifesting through concrete forms in the world. It rules the domains of: property, building, business, construction, home and family, stability and balance. As it is the earth fixed sign it expresses itself in persistent, industrious, determined and enterprising ways.
The Star of the Eclipse – Algol aka Medusa
The full moon and the eclipse fall on the same degree as Algol, the most visible star in the constellation of Perseus, and known as the Demon Star which is a rather menacing prognostic for the eclipse season. The stars of Perseus lie north of the ecliptic and express through the first half of Taurus. Perseus in the story of Andromeda and the Royal Family, is the hero who slays Medusa the Gorgon and rescues the princess Andromeda from being devoured by Cetus the Sea Monster. Perseus returns the princess to her parents King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia, the couple gets married and their first son, Perses, begins the history of Persia.
The stars in the constellation of Perseus express the quest in search of our destiny or place in the material world. Algol (astronomically Beta Persei) is the head of slain Medusa held in the hand of Perseus. To fight the demon Perseus cannot look at it directly but only in the reflection of his shield. Methaporically, this denotes the theme of our inner fears projected onto the external reality. We look at the monsters outside of the self, when in fact they are the repressed side of our psyche representing the shadow. This shadow repression conveys the energy of the Scorpio which is in the opposition to the constellation of Taurus. The fear and our shadow belong to the realm of Scorpio, and as they are being projected onto the material plane, we have to face our fears in order to transmute them and clear the path of our destiny – the star Algol initiates this process. The star brings us a physical challenge so as to activate our energies. It is that inner fear, that demon we need to slay in order to claim our creative personal power or be forever frozen (frozen Scorpio waters) in our tracks, unable to reach the fulfillment on this earthy plane and in this lifetime – a very pronounced theme on the Scorpio / Taurus axis which is highlighted by this Lunar Eclipse.
Ultimately, follow the grand rules of Astrofeminism and be mindful of the old patriarchal legends presenting women as menacing and evil. The story of Medusa encourages us to recognize our shadow side, so we can claim the dark feminine power as the source of transformation. Let this energy guide you rather than bring on irrational fear. Truth is there are a lot of successful people, including spiritual leaders with a prominent position of Algol on 3 degrees of Taurus.
Indeed, this particular position comes with the ultimate Lunar blessings, as this is the Moon exaltation degree within Kritika Nakshatra!
Kritika Nakshatra
Kritika encompasses late Aries and early Taurus, ruled by the Sun, and Mars and Venus respectively. The Hindu deity that rules Kritika is Agni, the God of Fire who acts as the mediator between Heaven and Earth. He represents the sacred fire, used in rituals, meditation, and purification ceremonies which are particularly beneficial under the influence of this Moon Mansion. The other deity of this Nakshatra is Kartikeya, son of Shiva, whose foster mothers were the Krittikas known to us as the Pleiades, the most mythical asterism of our skies.
Pleiades, Origins of the Starseeds
Pleiades are known to all of the cultures under various forms, but with the common myth representing women – like in the Nebra sky disc. The star asterism sits within one degree of Taurus, Sidereal: between 4°23′ (Electra) to 4°53′ (Alcyone the brightest star of the constellation). In the Tropical system they are between 29 degree of Taurus and 0 degree of Gemini. I use 2 degree orb within my interpretations of the stars therefore, the Pleiades are within the orb of the eclipse (3°04′ of Taurus Sidereal).
The Pleiades are a star cluster, situated on the shoulder of the Bull, also known as the Seven Sisters and Messier 45, or M45. Traditionally they were represented by six stars which are visible to the naked eye – see below Nebra sky disc, but there is another star, in many mythologies represented as the “lost” or “invisible” one. In Japan the Pleiades are called “Subaru”, in Persia “Soraya”, amongst Australian Aboriginal cultures they are known by many different names as each tribe has its own creation story associated with the Seven Sisters (Nyarluwarri or Yugarilya or the Maya-Mayi).
Lunar Eclipse Ritual – Trataka Sadhana Meditation
The ceremonial use of fire is advised as the lunar eclipse takes place in the Nakshatra Krittika ruled the God of Fire Agni. In yogic tradition the fire meditation technique is called Trataka Sadhana. During the meditation we use the candle as a mental focal point to help us cultivate awareness. As the element of fire has a mystic dimension and transformational power, this ritual can help us harness the energy to inspire personal growth and actualize the expression of the spirit within.
I personally call this ritual my Fire Guides. As the eclipse signify the occultation of the Lights (the Sun and the Moon) the fire meditation can help us keep our inner light bright. Choose the color of the candle that feels right to you, my personal suggestion is to choose white, silver or gold candles that represent the light. The Moon is associated with silver, and the Sun with gold, therefore, on the Lunar eclipse the silver or white candles would be alchemically aligned with your intentions. Then follow these 8 simple steps:
- Sit in front of the candle, and with a relaxed gaze focus on the flame
- Keep your focus on the candle flame allowing everything else to soften
- Count to 4 with each inhale, hold it counting to 7 and exhale counting to 7.
- Feel the wave of peace as you inhale, and on the exhale empty your mind from all thoughts
- Focus on the flame, and when you feel ready close your eyes
- Rest with eyes closed for as little as 5 minutes, but also you can maintain your meditation for longer if you wish
- When you are ready open your eyes, look into the flame again – does it have a message for you? can you see any particular shapes? can you hear your inner voice? did the meditation bring you some resolutions?
- Spend some time writing down the occult teachings of the sacred fire.
The Moon’s Nodes responsible for the eclipses are also called the Dragons in Vedic astrology from where the symbolism of the eclipses originated. For the original story of the Eclipses check out my article: THE STORY OF A WOMAN AND THE SNAKE, in which I relate the Hindu myth about the churning of the ocean of milk, and how the Nodes and eclipses were formed. It is an important event in Hindu philosophy, and the most common form of the story is from the Mahābhārata – perfectly describing the symbolism of the Nodes and Eclipses.
In Vedic astrology the Dragons, are in fact the Demons who caused the eclipse, which you can learn more about in the article THE DEMONS WHO CAUSED THE ECLIPSE.
Also, astro insights for the upcoming eclipse based on the Tropical / Western system:
With cosmic blessings,
Agni Jnana Yannanda
The One Who Speaks With The Stars weaving her hymns of unapologetic feminine power.
Follow me on TikTok @AstroCreatrix
Sources
Star Names. Their Lore and Meaning, Richard Hinckley Allen, 1899.
An Introduction to Astronomical Star Astrology, Nick Anthony Fiorenza, 2015.
Vedic Astrology, Ronnie Gale Dreyer, 1997.
The Nakshatras. The Lunar Mansions of Vedic Astrology, Dennis M. Harness, 1999.
