Aquarius Full Moon and Penumbral Eclipse: Significance in the Shadow

Aquarius Full Moon and Penumbral Eclipse:  Significance in the Shadow

8-18-16 @ 4:25am

This full moon (called the corn moon, the green corn moon, the grain moon, or the sturgeon moon, depending on what is most plentiful at this time in your particular region…obviously for those of us in the heartland, corn and grain is most appropriate) comes at a time of giving thanks for all that our earth provides.  August begins with Lughnassadh, the first of three harvest holidays on the wheel of the year, and this moon holds that energy of reaping what we have sown in previous months.  

In Aquarius, this moon illuminates awareness on many levels, but also holds the energy of Buddhist detachment exemplified in the phrase ‘suffering is caused by attachment to impermanent things’.  The Moon is the luminary associated with the physical and, especially, emotional realms…while Aquarius is the sign associated with detachment to such things and transcending into the mental and, especially, spiritual realms.  In this light, our physical and emotional reactions, symptoms, and attachments are cropping up all over our awareness…and yet, we are now feeling the urge to detach and pull out into a more expanded view of Cosmic Consciousness in order to understand what we currently see as reality in a way that can make sense of the many things that we deal with inside of our human bubble which are dissonant with our souls’ true intent.

The Penumbral Eclipse (not visible here unless you’re on the east coast, though the energy of it remains) gives us a glimpse of that shadow which most people’s understanding of Aquarius energy often glosses over for a new age, fluffy-bunny approach to life that has a hard time feeling it’s way through the dark that is actually there within our very existence.  Fear of the shadow, though, is a shadow reaction itself.  Anger, which fear often disguises itself as, can dip into the shadow too, and stay there just as long with detrimental consequences.  But we feel them, those emotional reactions are very real, so what do we do with them?  We bring them into the light to examine with Aquarian detachment.  Then we use them as ignition for positive action and find a balance where we can finally navigate between extremes. This Penumbral Eclipse opens a month-long eclipse window that ends with another Penumbral Eclipse on September 16th, with the Solar Eclipse on September 1st as its midpoint.

Moon in Aquarius 26

The Sabian Symbol for this degree is ‘a hydrometer’, which refers to an instrument used to measure the specific gravity of a substance suspended in another (as in the alcohol content of wine, for example).  If we measure the significance of our ordinary reality within the cosmic overview, we have a rather miniscule percentage floating within the larger whole.  And yet, here we are…however small, we are part of it all (at least for now).  What makes us so important?  It should be what we contribute to the whole, and not what we take from it.  In the cosmic view, we are like a floating dream…but within that bubble, we are important (at least we should be…to each other especially).  We are dynamic and creative…and we have the ability to sustain our lives for many generations if we recognize that importance in positive ways.  This ability to view our existence in an expanded light and then refocus in allows us to free ourselves from being stuck in the belief that difficult situations are insurmountable.

Sun in Leo 26

The Sabian Symbol for this degree is ‘a rainbow’.  The rainbow is a symbol which acts as a bridge between the physical and the spiritual.  It is also a harbinger of hope and a manifestation of peace after a storm.  The Sun illuminates the Leo ideals of developing radiant and radical self-love, self-confidence, self-acceptance, and self-approval.  It holds the essence of visionary leadership while being able to express the joy and wonder within our world with a healthy child-like view.  In contrast to the very intellectual view of the Aquarius energy, the Leo energy doesn’t take life so seriously and prefers to enjoy the moment while it lasts.  The bridge between…where we find balance in this opposition…is that both energies honor the spiritual side of life (though in different ways).  This degree still allows us to clearly observe situations and analyze the many parts of the whole in order to make important discoveries…but it doesn’t shy away from the many feelings that arise along the journey.  It takes that pure white light we long for in our Aquarian state of non-attachment and it disperses into all of its many colors to let it connect with our physical and emotional states of being.  Since we are all on different wavelengths, sometimes we each need big ideas broken down in various degrees in order to understand the larger truth of a situation.  With that understanding and connection, we can shine our own light into the dark and discover its necessary lessons, and embrace the shadow as an ally rather than an enemy.

Have a happy full moon!
Love and Gratitude,
Felina Lune Kavi