by Agni Jnana Yannanda, The One Who Speaks With The Stars
featured image, Betye Saar
An eclipse occurs when the Sun or Moon is obscured from view due to a specific alignment between the Earth, Sun, and Moon. A lunar eclipse happens during a Full Moon (when the Sun opposes the Moon), as the Earth passes between the Sun and Moon, blocking the Sun’s rays from reaching the Moon. A solar eclipse occurs during a New Moon (when the Sun and Moon are in conjunction), as the Moon passes between the Earth and Sun, blocking the Sun’s light.
Eclipse Symbolism
In astrology, an eclipse’s symbolism mirrors its physical occurrence—what happens in the sky reflects something deeper. When the sky goes dark and the Moon is blocked, we lose a familiar light. Similarly, during an eclipse, something we are used to seeing or understanding may become obscured or hidden. In ancient times, eclipses were seen as omens, often linked to significant events like the rise and fall of rulers, wars, or natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods.
What Do Eclipses Bring to Our Personal Lives?
Anything with great power and influence on a global scale is bound to affect us individually. If the degrees of the eclipses align with a significant point or planet in our natal chart, the impact can feel similar to an outer planet transit. Even if none of your personal points or planets are directly involved, the eclipses will always activate a house in your chart.
It’s essential to observe where the nodes and eclipses fall in your chart, particularly if they align with a planet or personal point. If they do, especially in combination with a retrograde, they will activate that area of your life, bringing hidden aspects into focus. These revelations can be positive or challenging, but they will demand your attention.
As of mid-September 2024, several planets are in retrograde, creating a time for introspection and revisiting past themes. Pay special attention if these retrogrades aspect your Sun, Moon, or other personal planets or points.
- Saturn Retrograde: From June 29 to November 15, 2024, Saturn is retrograde in Pisces. This period encourages a reevaluation of boundaries, responsibilities, and long-term goals.
- Uranus Retrograde: Uranus has been retrograde since August 28, 2023, and remains retrograde until January 27, 2024, in Taurus. This energy brings sudden insights, disruptions, and shifts in areas related to stability and security.
- Neptune Retrograde: Neptune is retrograde in Pisces from July 2 to December 7, 2024. This is a time for reassessing dreams, illusions, and spiritual beliefs.
- Pluto Retrograde: Pluto is retrograde from May 2 to October 11, 2024, moving between Aquarius and Capricorn. This deepens the process of transformation and power dynamics in our lives.
As ancient texts remind us, during these times it is wise to stay focused, meditate, and reflect. This practice helps you gather the inner strength needed to navigate whatever the eclipses may bring.
Dates of the Eclipses in 2024:
- March 25, 2024 – Partial Lunar Eclipse
- April 8, 2024 – Total Solar Eclipse:
- September 17, 2024 – Partial Lunar Eclipse
- October 2, 2024 – Annular Solar Eclipse
What Causes Eclipses?
Eclipses are caused by the interaction between the Sun, Moon, and the Nodes. The Nodes, while not physical planets, are critical points where the orbit of the Moon intersects the apparent path of the Sun (the ecliptic). The point where the Moon moves from South to North is called the Ascending Node, or North Node.
In Western astrology, the Nodes represent points of evolution. The South Node symbolizes familiarity, comfort, and patterns from past experiences or past lives, where we may feel inclined to stay. The North Node represents the direction in which we are drawn to grow and evolve, urging us toward new challenges and opportunities for self-development. Ultimately, the goal is to balance the energy of both Nodes by integrating the lessons of the past while embracing future growth through the signs and houses they occupy.
The Moon’s Nodes, responsible for eclipses, are also known as the “Dragons” in Vedic astrology, where the symbolism of eclipses originated. For the full story of how eclipses came to be, 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. You can learn more about this fascinating myth in the article THE DEMONS WHO CAUSED THE ECLIPSE.
Wishing you a peaceful and transformative Lunar Eclipse, meditate and tune inwards,
Agni Jnana Yannanda
The One Who Speaks With The Stars
With Astraes’s Sound Gode, a ritual object from Astraea’s Second Coming, wood, yarn, reclaimed wood, photo by Andrew Forbes, taken on the Full Moon, May 23rd 2024, Rosekill, fire pyre in the background awaiting the night.
Agni Jnana Yannanda, which translates from Sanskrit as Mystic Fire, is an astrologer and an artist originally from Masuria Lake District and currently living in the Shawangunk Mountains.
