Lunar eclipses were the hypnotic, celestial dances that drew my attention to the heavens as a child and mesmerized me. I remember getting in the car with my mom and driving out to the middle of the desert outside of Tucson, AZ to watch the moon rise above the Rincon mountains and turn red as the Earth’s shadow moved across it. This was well before smartphones and other electronic distractions, but I do not remember needing to be entertained by anything other than the Moon (my mom might have different memories, however!).
Living in Seattle has made me realize how much I took the clear desert air for granted growing up. In Arizona it was no big deal to drive 20 minutes outside of town and watch a lunar eclipse. The last few times I’ve watched lunar eclipses on NASA TV while staring out at the overcast and precipitating sky. Though I do remember being able to watch one lunar eclipse in 2015 which was pretty cool.
This Sunday evening’s lunar eclipse will actually begin while the Moon is in Cancer. The eclipse begins at 6:36 p.m. Pacific time and the Moon enters Leo at 7:54 p.m. Full eclipse is from 8:41 p.m. to 9:43 p.m. and the eclipse ends at 11:48 p.m. Eclipse energy is similar to retrograde energy in that it shifts the focus from what is usually illuminated and cast our awareness onto hidden aspects instead. Think of when you go outside on a bright and sunny day: you squint your eyes because the light is so bright that it’s hard to see, especially any areas that are in the shadows. However, if you put your hand above your eyes to shield the sun, or put some sunglasses on, the light from the sun is blocked making it easier to see. The lunar eclipse is a great time to look at the shadow aspects of the Cancer moon. From the start of the eclipse at 6:36 p.m. until 7:54 p.m., answer the following questions:
- In what ways do I exhibit self-pity?
- In what ways am I the victim of circumstance?
- In what ways am I oversensitive?
Explore the scene of each example that you have as if you were critiquing a movie. Who are the other people involved with the way that you feel? How did they contribute to your feelings? What was their side of the story? Why did they do what they did? Does understanding their side help you feel better in any way? Why or why not? Why do things happen the way they do? Eclipses are a great time for release, so if you uncover any limiting or false beliefs, write them down and then burn the paper to release them. Then write the new belief on a sheet of paper that you can keep.
For example, say I think that bad things always happen to me, especially when things are finally seeming to go right for a change. Examples of this are my car breaking down requiring expensive repairs, an unexpected trip to the emergency room after an accident at home,and property taxes going up, all at the same time. All of this after I just got a raise, which I really needed to feel a little more financially secure. But instead of security, I’m feeling even more worried about my finances. Exploring each event objectively, I remember that my car had been acting up for a while, Ijust hadn’t made the effort to take it into someone to look at. The accident at home could have been prevented if I had done a better job at keeping up my housework. And property taxes have gone up for everyone in the area, not just me. So it seems that I could have possibly been a little more proactive about taking care of some things in advance instead of letting them get to a breaking point. Being able to look at things this way might help you remember that the Universe isn’t personally attacking you for any reason, it’s just that sometimes life takes over and shit happens. On a sheet of paper I would write, “Nothing good happens to me,” “I have bad luck,” and “the Universe has it out for me,”and burn the paper and these false beliefs. On the other piece of paper I would write as many times I could think of when something lucky/good happened to me,like the time I found $20 on the street or all the people who called me on my birthday. Then I would write the new beliefs I have based on my new understanding of my circumstances: “Good luck finds me when I least expect it,”“Good things happen to me,” etc.
Leo energy is all about being playful and child-like, so when the Moon enters Leo, think about your inner child. They can be one specific age, or you might have many that need attention at different ages. Spend some time with each that makes themselves known. Ask them what they think about the new beliefs you have just created for yourself and provide them with as many examples that help prove it to them. Ask them what they would like to create or play. Write down everything that they want to do and see if you can spend some time during the eclipse playing and/or creating with your inner child. This will help them feel seen and will help nourish apart of you that has needed attention.
Venus and Jupiter at close to being conjunct during the eclipse which makes it a great time to celebrate, too.What is something that you can celebrate about your inner child Sunday evening, Monday, or Tuesday before the Moon enters Virgo at 7:21 p.m.?
Our allies for this work are Frankincense and Yellow Jasper (also called Mookaite). Frankincense clears negativity which will help see things from a neutral perspective when working on the first part of the eclipse meditation when the Moon is still in Cancer.Frankincense also heightens your spiritual connection which can help you when trying to access your inner child(ren). Yellow Jasper will help us let go of our false beliefs and help us with self-confidence and realizing our self-potential.
I realize that not everyone will have 5+ hours to meditate and explore all that I have written above on Sunday night/Monday morning, but I do encourage you to spend some time on these exercises sometime before Tuesday evening. Feel free to share any of your thoughts or experiments with me, if you wish.
I also have 2 available appointments on Sun. Jan. 20 at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the CunningCrow in Seattle, WA on a donation basis; recommended sliding scale of$0-$125 per session (no one turned away for lack of funds). Click here if you would like book. I’m Montine and I would happy to work with you!
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