Full Moon/Total Lunar Eclipse in Leo: Reclaiming Power

Art by Donia Lilly

Full Moon/Total Lunar Eclipse in Leo: Reclaiming Power

Moon opposite Sun @ 11:15pm CST on 1-20-19

Eclipse lasts from 8:36pm CST on 1-20 till 1:48am CST on 1-21

Full Eclipse between 10:41pm - 11:43pm CST

Maximum Eclipse @ 11:12pm CST

'Blood' in red for dramatic effect

Welcome to the Full Cold Moon (or Super Blood Wolf Moon as it’s being hyped...whatever combination of sensational words most draws the attention of readers, right?). While there are many names for the full moons of the year, I go by the ones that make the most sense for me in the middle of the US...and the Full Moon in a midwest January almost always brings with it some freezing temperatures. From my observations, this is when most people in Omaha are really bemoaning the cold, after the holiday season (another fitting old name for this moon is ‘Moon After Yule’). And yes, it’s close enough to perigee to look a tiny bit larger (when the Moon gets a ‘supermoon’ status)...but it’s actually a bit closer at the Quickening Moon next month (which might not be as hyped because there’s no lunar eclipse then to also turn it ‘blood red’). 

Whatever fascinating words or events might have put this particular moon in focus for you...it’s actually the Moon herself who is pulling you in (even before you see her in shadowed fullness, if you are in an area of good visibility). She’s got a powerful message for us this weekend...one that will continue to resonate at least until the next eclipse season this summer. Pieces of this message may even come up after another 18 years, as eclipse cycles do. 

Moon messages communicate intuitively...sometimes through feelings, musings, visions, dreams, or symbols. Often times, you’ll see or hear something that connects you to an unmistakable knowing (do your best not to doubt it). This is the way I write these astrological blogposts...following the feelings that emerge from the connected symbols and sharing my musings. Here is how the Music of the Spheres speaks to me, and how I translate the messages within the music.

All Planets Direct (APD) from January 6^th to March 5^th

First page of a picture book called 'Slow Down, World' by Tai Snaith...
It says, 'Are you galloping along?  Faster and faster until...'

A day after the opening eclipse of this season, Uranus stationed direct and ushered in another time of APD quickening that will be especially potent throughout February. In March, Mercury gives us his first pause and shift of perspective of the year for our Collective Mind. At that point, we’ll be working through any of the inconsistencies or disregarded necessities of this APD time period. 

That this APD time period began within this eclipse portal is important...there may be a lot more ignorance of the shadow we’re carrying, especially collectively. In worldly affairs, we’ll see a lot of rushing about within the matrix of our human constructs...trying to get things done that may not be integral to the larger plan before the Universe can call us out on any failures. 

Here in the US, the Trump administration has forced a government shutdown to further continue an ultimately useless agenda. Trump was inaugurated during APD too...so it’s good to be somewhat skeptical of any APD hype that this is a time of wish-fulfillment with only good manifestations. Move forward, yes...but make sure you’re doing no harm or karma will eventually bite back (remember, it’s Eclipse Season). 

From the perspective of a woman with 6 natal retrogrades, don’t speed up so fast that you ignore the important things along the way. It’s not like you’ll be able to ‘take it slow’ while the world speeds up around you, but try your best to keep things in check. Also, this Full Moon and Total Lunar Eclipse carries a warning of using our power wisely as we call out the shadows.

Total Lunar Eclipse (Saros Series- 135): The Shadow of Sovereignty

Saros 135 began in 1550 with an imperceptible penumbral lunar eclipse. And thus began what is referred to as the First Wave of European Colonization and the First Atlantic System of Slave Trade. The shifting concept of Sovereignty emerged anew in France and spread, but it failed to recognize its Goddess roots in the land and Her integral role in granting sovereignty to human rulers. What was ignored is that Sovereignty does not represent ownership of land and people, but stewardship. And so a whole new treacherous wave of hierarchical ownership displaced the importance of a network of nurturing relationships. The misunderstanding of the value and worth of the land, Her anima loci, and Her indigenous lives, has had lasting consequences. Sovereignty was then used to colonize, dispossess, enslave, and threaten the ‘New World’...and continued to evolve over centuries through this 16^th century shadow.

ANWR Porcupine Caribou

The last time this series of eclipses was total was on January 9^th, 2001. A day later, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was denied national monument status by the White House...shattering hopes that such status would prevent oil drilling. I bring this up because, fast forward to recent news and we see that the Trump administration is currently rushing to open up the ANWR, one of America’s last untouched pieces of wilderness, to oil companies. May the odds of APD endeavors be ever in Earth’s favor.

This is only one of the myriad of eclipse shadow manifestations in our modern times...but it distinctly brings up this Saros 135 theme of the misrule of ownership over the sacredness of the land, and disregard for the life that dwells upon it. What we must remember, as we peer into this eclipse shadow and watch the full light re-emerge as it passes, is that what we are here to do is in sacred stewardship to our Mother Earth and we must nurture this web of relationship that connects all life on this planet. It is the reclaiming of personal sovereignty that encourages healthy, heart-centered leadership to emerge by our example.

Moon in Leo 1

The Sabian Symbol for this degree is ‘blood rushes to a man’s head as his vital energies are mobilized under the spur of ambition’. In this first degree of Leo, the symbol refers to the individual experience of energy rising from the heart to the head. Essentially, in a creative sense, our heart’s desire comes to mind and seeks conscious manifestation. Or, in a destructive sense, the wrath that arises from a wounded heart starts a wildfire within…and the heat rises to the mind, creating a chain reaction of destructive thoughts. The original wording of this symbol gives more clues into the destructive shadow aspect of this energy: “a case of apoplexy”. Apoplexy is unconsciousness or incapacity resulting from cerebral hemorrhage or stroke. But apoplexy also has a more informal definition as an incapacity or speechlessness caused by extreme anger. In either definition, the result is incapacity in some form if we’re not careful with this energy. The different descriptions of this symbol present a choice. Will we intentionally focus this trailblazing force of bio-psychic energy into ambitious creative pursuits, or will we leave it unattended…resulting in a conflagration of disastrous effects?

The way this Full Moon/Total Lunar Eclipse energy manifests in our individual lives will largely depend on what energy we are currently holding in our hearts before it rushes to our heads. Are we holding space for love and gratitude in our heart center? Or are we holding onto damaging feelings of fear, lack, jealousy, rage, revenge, or hatred? Let the healing fire within purify your heart center during this closing of the Eclipse Portal...and then allow for grounded release. No matter how broken you may feel, that sacred flame is eternal. Whatever you hold in your heart right now (be it radiant love or a towering inferno)…it is bound to spread…first to the mind, then out into the world around us. As within, so without.

Sun in Aquarius 1

San Diego Alcala Mission

The Sabian Symbol here is ‘an old adobe mission in California’. In general, this symbol refers to enduring structures of group effort that outlive those who founded and built them. But, during an eclipse, it is often the shadow of the symbols that is most revealing. In the early colonization endeavors of the Spanish along the Pacific Coast in North America, a mission system was constructed to both defend against Russian fur traders and to convert the natives to Catholicism. What is often taught today, that the Franciscan friars and the natives lived together in these missions harmoniously, is a completely glossed over version of the darker truth. 

It often began with the youth of the tribe, being curious and more gullible to the false promise of a better life through conversion...but once in, they were never allowed to leave and were forced into slavery. Mothers would come next, searching for their children...followed by fathers in search of their whole family. The conditions were little more than concentration camps, and the baptized lives of these natives were considered worthless...except for their contribution to the workforce and their deaths meaning that more souls would go to heaven, in the twisted minds of those who controlled them. 

What this symbol brings to light is that Aquarian innovation often brings together group efforts from like-minded individuals...networking ideas and contributing talents for the greater good (such as the current Women’s Marches across our country, largely speaking to a shared message of gender equality). However, the shadow side of spiritual bypass comes in when our humanity is disregarded in ‘us and them’ distinctions. Consider, especially for those of us in the states, that this longest-ever government shutdown is because Trump wants funding to build his hyped-up border wall (a physical structure, like the mission system, which would do more harm than good).

*********

Let’s pull it back now to our individual lives. We’re at the figurative flowering phase of this current lunar cycle that was seeded at the New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse on Jan. 5^th. The intentions set forth then are now in full bloom. What grew from there might look different than you envisioned a couple weeks ago, as what is grown in the eclipse portal can often surprise us (especially this one, which has had a very Uranian influence throughout). Beyond this cycle, there is a larger lunar gestation cycle...and this one began with the New Moon in this same degree of Leo on 7-23-17. So something that began then in your life is now culminating. And beyond this, the Saros cycles of eclipses come back around roughly every 18 years...so things may be resurfacing in a graduated light that happened in your life in 2001.

As we close out this Eclipse Season, our cauldron is full of the many ingredients we’ve been stirring into this Strange Brew. As the moon starts to wane, we’ll be going through a distillation process where we extract the essential meaning from these eclipses and use it as a potent elixir for the integration of these lessons.

Love and Gratitude,

Felina Lune Kavi

New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse in Capricorn: What it Takes to Move Mountains

New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse in Capricorn: 

 What it Takes to Move Mountains

Moon conjunct Sun- 1/5/2019 @ 7:28pm CST

Welcome to the Cold Moon (also known as the Moon after Yule or, sometimes, the Wolf Moon), our first New Moon of the New Year and the opening of another Eclipse Portal! Now is the time to set solid intentions while we do the shadow work that is often called for during Eclipse Season. I refer to the two week window in between eclipses as the Eclipse Cauldron (because of the unique elements brewing each time). The luminaries, lunar nodes, planets, and asteroids all add their own elements into the brew that will become the elixir we’ll need in the months ahead. The stronger ingredients come from Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn in conjunction with the luminaries, dropping some weighty responsibilities into the mix. There is also a supportive sextile to the New Moon from Neptune in Pisces, a subtle hint that can bring in some creative communication opportunities.

New Moon in Capricorn 16

Sabian Symbol: Children in gym suits

What is active at the center of your being this weekend? What moves you? Yes, many important people in our lives will be inspiring us to activate in this energy...but what is that inner motivation whispering of your truth? Now is the time to align it with your outward expression and create something tangible from the tools provided in this gymnasium of possibilities. Mars in Aries energy is stoking that fire in each of us, and the planet party in Capricorn gives us the structure to build upon. We could do anything with this active Mars energy in an open gym...but put an obstacle course in front of us and we’ll learn specialized strategies while imagining each goal. This is the kind of gym we are walking into. Some of us are ready for anything...some of us may feel a bit apprehensive about challenges and even some awkwardness as we get used to a gym suit that doesn’t quite ‘suit’ our individuality. The point is to explore the possibilities...have some fun while doing the work that is being called for now...but don’t be afraid of the shadow of disappointment. It will want to be addressed in this eclipse window we’ll be opening. But whatever shadows may arise that want us to examine our beliefs of failure...know they hold valuable wisdom for our success. Maybe the monkey bars aren’t an inherent strength of yours...but practice makes progress.

New Moon conjunct Vega

The symbol for the fixed star, Vega

I don’t usually include details about the fixed stars, but Vega is a particularly familiar star for me (and for my daughter, Alyrica, whose nickname is ‘Lyra’...the constellation of the harp that Vega is in). There is an abundance of creativity in this Vega New Moon...like so many kids bursting through the gym doors to engage in creative play. Ah, an outlet for all this learning we do! Time to release some physical energy! This is innovative energy that thrives in the structure that Earth provides us. It creates from within and then releases that energy with others...growing something tangible and sustainable for all to enjoy. Alyrica and I find this particularly suitable to creative endeavors such as storytelling, visual art, or musical expression. But the energy can be channeled into anything, really. What makes you shine, even in the shadows? This is where Vega will be guiding us as we begin another eclipse season.

Partial Solar Eclipse (Saros Series- 122): The Anarchy

12th Century Knights depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry

Each eclipse is part of a long-running series, and the Saros 122 solar eclipses were at their longest duration of totality in 1135 and 1153. These years marked a historical period of civil war in England and Normandy which has been called ‘The Anarchy’. Looking into the history of when a Saros cycle is strongest can give clues to the shadow energies at play when this series comes up again. This eclipse is only a moderate partial eclipse now...with 71% of the sun covered for viewers closest to the center. Most of us won’t get to see this one...unless you live in north-east China, Japan, or eastern Russia. And still, the eclipses have a palpable effect upon the world...even when mostly unseen. England and Normandy never saw the total eclipses in 1135 and 1153 either...but King Stephen’s reign between those total eclipses (from the death of King Henry I to Stephen’s own death and the succession of King Henry II) was full of conflict and a widespread breakdown of law and order. And all because the oaths King Henry made his court take about his successor being his daughter, Empress Matilda, were not upheld after his death in 1135. This eclipse series holds the shadow of contested, unsupported, and unfit leadership. And while the implications may be very obvious on the world stage, how might it translate on the individual level? In some part of your life (which the New Moon can clue you into if you know which house of your natal chart it is transiting), your authority may be challenged (either by your inner saboteur or by others). As mentioned before, feelings of failure and/or disappointment may arise in the shadow of something you are trying to accomplish. And yet, you still have to do your best. Maybe others are relying upon you to provide some sense of stability, safety, or even fulfillment at this time. How do you rise to the challenge of being under pressure to perform? In this New Moon, you’ll have to get creative with the obstacle course before you. And if you feel overwhelmed, look to others who can provide some support. Mars in Aries may be pushing for self-reliance...but there is no shortage of support from the current Capricorn Council of Wise Ones.

The Wisdom Keepers

At New Moon, 3 planets (Mercury, Saturn, and Pluto) and the South Lunar Node are in Capricorn with our luminaries. This is another packed Council meeting. Mercury has just begun his trek through this earth sign, but Saturn (the traditional Capricorn guide) and Pluto are close enough to the middle of Capricorn to conjunct the Sun and Moon. Not only is Saturn in his home sign, but Pluto has been a very strong teacher of this medicine for a while already...he takes his time in each lesson and makes sure we feel it at our core. All 5 of these guides are moving ever closer to meeting up with the South Lunar Node, each in their own time. Mercury starts off this moon cycle by teaching how to better use our mind power through communication, Saturn is giving an informative lecture on the laws of nature, and Pluto is backing up the New Moon gymnasium energy in the ‘relay race’ degree. This is a lesson in working together and sharing responsibility to reach group goals. And they’re all making the Capricorn climb with us to highlight the South Node in the ‘mountain top pilgrimage’ degree. We have climbed this mountain many times before...even just a year ago (New Moon in Capricorn last year was in that ‘mountain pilgrimage’ degree)...but there is something new to learn every time from the Wisdom Keepers of each Capricorn Council. This time, with South Node here, the purpose of this climb is one of release. Whatever we are collectively learning, we learn to give it back in productive and sustainable ways.

Kite with Nodes, Venus, and Chiron

Connected with South Node in Capricorn is a Grand Water Trine between the Cancer North Node, Scorpio Venus, and Pisces Chiron. Together, these four energies create an aspect pattern called a kite, where second element (Capricorn Earth, in this case) anchors the Grand Trine with sextiles and an opposition. In this, the creative current flowing easily with the trines finds a place to ground. So, all that we are learning also has this supportive flow backing it...to creatively manifest the wisdom into new forms.

Uranus Stations Direct in Aries 29

Sabian Symbol: The Music of the Spheres

'Music of the Spheres' by Fiona Watson

The day after New Moon, when Moon reaches her South Node in Capricorn, Uranus stations direct in Aries in a dynamic square to Moon. By Sunday night, we’ll be back in that ‘all planets direct’ energy...which is so different from the ‘6 planets retrograde’ energy we felt last year. The fast-paced world doesn’t often slow down for us when all planets are direct, so we have to keep up. However, at the time of this New Moon...Uranus is at the very end of his retrograde and has paused in this degree before shifting direction (in our sky). There is a slow-down point here at the beginning of this lunation. There are a lot of ingredients at this time to stir into our Eclipse Cauldron, after all. With Uranus Retrograde medicine so focused right now, this is likely to be a strange brew we’ve never even heard of before. The contents in this cauldron are a mix of tried-and-true Capricorn earth, juicy water signs, and the unpredictable fire nature of Uranus in Aries innovations and oddities. In this degree of ‘the music of the spheres’, take a pause with Uranus to listen to what our Cosmic Neighborhood is communicating. They are guiding us, even if we don’t grasp every detail of what we just read about them here. Tap into these frequencies, and play along. The spheres aren’t the only ones meant to make music.

Love and Gratitude,

Felina Lune Kavi