Hot on the heels of last month’s ‘Pink Moon’ , this month’s Full Moon is a lunar eclipse in Sagittarius on May 26th. It’s also a ‘Supermoon’. In my earlier post I explained what a supermoon is, but for those who haven’t read that post, the explanation is simple. The Moon orbits the earth in an ellipse (not a circle) so sometimes it is closer to the Earth than at other times. This is one of those times.
In astrology, this is important because the closer the Moon is to the Earth, the stronger its effects are on those of us who live here. Life on Earth is intimately bound to the lunar cycle. Everything from the tides, plant growth and the reproductive cycle of all animals – including us – follows the lunar month. And who among us hasn’t felt a little bit of lunacy under the light of the Full Moon? This month, however, the lunar eclipse makes things rather different from the usual ‘Full Moon experience’.
What is a Lunar Eclipse?
Let’s get technical for a moment. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth’s shadow. This can only happen on the night of a full moon when the Earth , Moon and Sun are aligned. This eclipse is also a ‘Blood Moon’ as it’s a total lunar eclipse – and that makes it even more special. Usually, with a full moon, what we see is the Moon’s surface reflecting the light of the Sun – with a blood moon, however, that light is blocked and the red colour we see on the Moon’s surface is the light refracted from the Earth’s atmosphere.
Sound complicated? It’s not really. Think of the red colour we see in the sky at sunrise and sunset – it’s about the wavelengths of colour and how they are scattered in the upper atmosphere. That’s the science. Getting back to astrology, however, it’s not surprising that lunar eclipses – and blood moons in particular – have always been seen as a sign of significant events happening here on Earth. So, what can we attribute to the forthcoming lunar eclipse in Sagittarius?
What Does a Lunar Eclipse Mean?
To begin to answer that question, I want to point out the differences between a regular full moon and a lunar eclipse. As I wrote last month, a full moon marks a time of completion or revelation. The full moon shines its light on things that we need to deal with. This can be emotionally testing – as the Moon rules our emotional base – and often it’s a signal that we need to move on in life. There may be situations in our lives where we can do no more – so they are best left behind.
With the lunar eclipse in Sagittarius, we would expect a full moon in this sign to really offer us a positive vision of the future and open our eyes to future possibilities. However, this is a lunar eclipse and the light we would expect from the full moon is simply not there. This is why the interpretation of a lunar eclipse differs from what we would see with a full moon – we are not going to see things in the same way with a lunar eclipse. The light is not available to us and it may be difficult to see the road ahead.
This means that the events that happen during an eclipse can be sudden and dramatic – and they may feel unexpected because we don’t see them coming. It’s as if the universe is giving us a celestial upgrade, but unfortunately something has to give – or break – before that can occur. It’s this concept of having to lose something precious to you, or be forced to change direction before you can move on to (hopefully) better conditions, that have always made eclipses so feared.
The Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius Chart
So what messages are being sent to us by this lunar eclipse? The chart for the lunar eclipse in Sagittarius shows one significant aspect – a mutable ‘t-square’ involving Jupiter in Pisces. A ‘t-square’ always suggests stress and tension and demands that action is taken. The inner planets are not involved in the eclipse aspect pattern, but they are in aspect to Neptune on its journey through Pisces. The emphasis in this chart suggests the lunar eclipse in Sagittarius is pointing us towards coming to terms with a few things – and when we look at the placements in more detail we will understand why that is.
The Lunar Eclipse and the Gemini Sagittarius Axis
The lunar eclipse in Sagittarius has the Moon in that sign opposed by the Sun in Gemini. The emphasis on the Gemini – Sagittarius axis reminds us that this axis concerns the mind. Gemini is the sign of communication and information and Sagittarius is associated with the higher mind, academia and cultural exploration. It’s through the sign of Sagittarius we learn to develop a perspective on life – and with the lunar eclipse in Sagittarius, it’s our perspective on life that is being challenged now.
If we have received disturbing information or bad news, or find that our mental perceptions of the world are upsetting in some way then the lunar eclipse in Sagittarius is likely to bring such events to the surface – though the lack of light may mean we struggle to identify what the problem is, or we may feel powerless to do anything about it. The problem is you may be entrenched in your view of the world – and when the world starts to change you may need to be reminded to change too.
For many of us that can be an emotional experience, particularly if you struggle to understand why you seem to be out of synch with the world around you. It’s not unusual when there is a lunar eclipse in Sagittarius to feel more emotionally impulsive, to feel that you want more out of life or to feel restless and in need of stimulation. Being prompted to deal with feelings of boredom and apathy are characteristic of this lunar eclipse because Sagittarius is the sign that wants us to expand our lives and live life to the full.
The Lunar Eclipse Square to Jupiter in Pisces
This lunar eclipse in Sagittarius is squared by Jupiter in Pisces. Jupiter is making a brief visit to Pisces – one of the signs associated with Jupiter’s rulership – this year, before returning to Aquarius on July 29th. Jupiter in Pisces is a sensitive, empathetic and healing influence – and that is welcome after a period where many of us may have been experiencing major (Jupiter) disruption (Aquarius)in our lives. However, this is a square aspect and, unless we are prepared to work hard at the healing process, the door will be open for confusion and delusion to walk in and cause even more mental anguish.
So, what we need to do is listen to the message that Jupiter’s square aspect from the lunar eclipse in Sagittarius is sending to us. That message is one of acceptance and learning not to be too proud or too afraid to look at life from a different angle, or appreciate another’s point of view. As this lunar eclipse is a ‘Supermoon’ and ‘Blood Moon’, its effect are going to be noticeable. Some of you may be pleasantly surprised by events – after all, Jupiter and Sagittarius are known for optimism, good luck and positivity. So, work with this eclipse and you may be pleasantly surprised – though it may not feel like that initially.
The Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius and You
So, who is going to feel the lunar eclipse in Sagittarius most of all? Those of you with significant emphasis on the mutable signs in your natal charts (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces) will be best placed to tune into the energies of the lunar eclipse in Sagittarius. This is because you will have experienced changes and shifts in your life – and in your consciousness – when the Gemini – Sagittarius series of eclipses began on June 5th 2020.
So, if you think back to last summer, many of you will feel that period of time marked the beginning of some changes in your life. The changes you are going through may be particularly emotional if you have your Moon (or lunar nodes) in any of the mutable signs and they are likely to be most visible in the house occupied by your Moon or Lunar nodes. However, the lunar eclipse in Sagittarius will affect all of us to a greater or lesser degree – and those same rules apply.
Things that have been under the surface may erupt unexpectedly, or you may have to deal with the aftermath of those events – and the mutable emphasis implies you may need to be flexible. However, there is no need to panic, as not all events are bad or difficult to deal with! Whatever happens to you during the time of this lunar eclipse – this is a period of your life that will enable you -or force you – to look at things from a different perspective, and that may be just what you need.
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© Sara Shipman 2021
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