The Eclipse of the Century?

Why you may ask, is this the Eclipse of the Century?

Well, let me tell you the facts and then you can decide.

-The Moon is full on July 27 at 1:20pm PDT/4:20pm EDT, at 4 degrees AQUARIUS, the sign of innovation, individuation, revolution, and the kind of mental brilliance that leads us forward in a deeply necessary and progressive way.

-It is in a tight conjunction to the blue smoke/fire of Mars in Aquarius, still retrograde, on the Nodal Axis, which is what makes it a total Lunar Eclipse.

-Mars makes its midpoint of the retrograde while opposite the Sun, in concurrence with this Eclipse

-This is a total eclipse so the moon will be blood red,

-It is to be the longest eclipse of the entire century.

-Mars is out of bounds (crossing south of the Sun’s most southerly possible declination.

-Mars the closest it has been to earth in 15 years (though hardly the size of the Moon as some are reporting)

Have you seen how crazy red and bright it has been in the night sky?

Any way you slice it, this eclipse is an amplified, combustible, and dramatic mix.

Anything on the Nodal Axis is being deeply churned and activated.

While Aqua is the sign of innovation, with Mars retrograde on the South Node of karma we can say that there is re-innovation happening to our will power and force and how we use it. Maybe the knock it over the head technique isn't always the way?

This is a time out of time where we are being trained, Jedi like, to learn to use the force, our force in a new and better way. It's neither a fast nor an easy process and we're only at the midpoint of the transit.

Although both Uranus/Aquarius and Mars are known for speed, this backward-ing is like handicapping a horse in a race. This is an intentional slowdown.

Use the force, Luke (and by Luke I mean everyone)

Furthermore, this eclipsed Full Moon is about the energy in our body and how we use it, and move it. When there is a strong Mars transit occurring such as this one, a fluctuation in energy levels may be noticeable. One good way to regulate and stabilize yourself is through eating enough protein, and eating frequent, small meals consistently throughout the day. This is a time to purge old habits that deplete you. Keep the ritual in place, just find some better replacements. You may be extra tired right now. If so, by all means rest! As much as you can manage. I know it's counterintuitive as it's summertime right now and it feels like we should be up and out, starting early and staying out til late, but not so much right now. Jupiter Scorpio is still in trine to Neptune Pisces, which says that our remedy is found in downtime, dreamtime and reverie.

Dreamtime is one of our best remedies right now.

Negative Mars is toxins, burning, inflammation, injuries and inflammation response. It is strong emotions, anger, fear and defense. These themes may show themselves over the next few days. This is a good time for calming nervine herbs. "Nervines are herbs that specifically helps support the nervous system. Their effects range from tonics like skullcap and oat tops, to mildly calming herbs like catnip and chamomile, to stronger ones like valerian and hops."

Treat this Full Moon eclipse as an inflammatory agent

The eclipse axis is T-squared to the awakening trickster Uranus in Taurus.

Trickster in its myriad of forms always is charged with tricking us into growth and greater awareness.

This is Taqlikic, which is the Tlingit (indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest) name for Raven, the trickster.

He was said to have brought water to earth, freed the Sun Moon and stars, created the dog, created death, introduced hunting and meat eating, created whale oil, and convinced the old sea woman to use tides... (pintrest).

In mythology, folklore, and religion, a trickster is a character in a story (god, goddess, spirit, man, woman), which exhibits a great degree of intellect or secret knowledge, and uses it to play tricks or otherwise disobey normal rules and conventional behavior.

Tricksters are archetypal characters who appear in the myths of many different cultures. The trickster is a boundary crosser and often breaks both physical and societal rules. Tricksters violate principles of social and natural order, playfully disrupting normal life and then re-establishing it on a new basis.

Often, the bending/breaking of rules takes the form of tricks or thievery.

The trickster openly questions and mocks authority. They are fond of breaking rules, boasting, and playing tricks on both humans and gods.

All cultures have tales of the trickster, a crafty creature who uses cunning to get food, steal precious possessions, or simply cause mischief. In Slavic folktales, the trickster and the culture hero are often combined. (wiki)

Trickster myths are always very central to the creation cosmology of a people and often represent a huge leap for humans, by way of the trickster tricking the Gods, such as the Greek myth of Prometheus giving humans the gift of fire.

A trickster may be a go-between or messenger between the human and divine worlds. Hermes, the messenger of the gods in Greek mythology, was the god of travelers and trade but also of thieves and deceit. Loki is the trickster in the Norse pantheon.

Mercury with Cadeusus

With a triple signature of Uranus/Aquarius all over this Full Moon, it's all about trickster medicine. Caroline Casey invokes the archetype regularly and refers to it as the Trickster Redeemer. Sometimes help comes in forms that seem strange or backwards or even ridiculous. As Mercury has also just begun its retrograde dance, its time to expect the unexpected. It's time to do more than expect it, it's time to dance with it. Expect strange angels in your path.

This is a graphic from Maurice Fernandez, showing the Mars retrograde cycle. You can see that we are indeed right at the midpoint. It will station direct on August 26 and will leave the retrograde shadow on October 8. Among other possibilities, Maurice says that Mars retrograde is a time where you may change your job or career path.

How's everybody doing out there? It's been a pretty intense eclipse season so far, the portal is definitely wide open. I've had deaths, a resplendent birth and a close-call of a dear friend in this window of time. I'm saying lots of prayers of protection and healing and integration for everyone.

This eclipse lands on the South Node of the Moon which tells us that there is a letting go that needs to take place for the best use to use this eclipse medicine. As Aquarius is the mind, what are some old thought forms that have served their function and are now bogging you down? A mind cleanse. Sounds like it's time to meditate.

Astrologer Austin Coppock says that to mitigate the potentially negative effects of an eclipse on Ketu or the South Node, listen to this link below while it's happening, (ideally chant along).

Dr. Robert Svoboda says "Eclipses are excellent for people like you and me because their gravitational effects multiply the effect of our sadhana (practice). If you do one hundred repetitions of your mantra during an eclipse it is like doing one hundred thousand repetitions on an ordinary day. If you offer one oblation into the fire it is like a thousand oblations. And nothing beats this time for offering prayers and performing rites for your deceased ancestors."

This is an illustration of the way that eclipses amplify things in our lives.

The Sabian Symbol for this 4 degree 44 minute Aquarius Full Moon is:

A council of ancestors have been called to guide a man.

That man is all of us, and the council of ancestors are our ancestors who have been where we are, and are rooting for us. It's that whole, 'Evolve or Die' thing that we're up against as a species, taking many other species with us in either direction. We need your guidance ancient ones.

Aquarius and Virgo are the only two signs that are human symbols.

Virgo is the Earth Goddess and Aquarius, the water bearer, is the sign of the human. The water he is bearing is the care for humanity as he works tirelessly to improve their lot. But whereas Aquarius cares immensely for humanity as a whole, the whole one on one thing can leave him a bit squeamish. While Aquarius has many super powers, where he can falter is in coming from his heart and remembering to play. That's where his polarity point comes in: Leo! While the Moon Mars are in Aqua, the Sun is in the opposite sign of Leo. Leo rules the heart, the spine, and is why and how we are able to continue life. Leo simply must create and the highest creation for anyone is to create life. Leo is the torch burning away the darkness. Life will continue, and ideally it will take place through pleasure and play.

Thank you Leo!

Don't forget to come from the heart, and to play

Pluto in Capricorn is exactly trine Venus in Virgo at 19 degrees, which is the only sort of sweet thing about this eclipse. Virgo is the Earth Goddess of the pagan cultures. Tune into her. Eat some good, fresh, grounding earthy food, like roasted root vegetables. (Squeeze half an orange and add fresh rosemary for maximum yumminess).

It is Virgo who embodies both the fullness of the harvest, and the knowledge with which she carefully preserves the seeds to be planted next spring. Thus in her own way she to is charged with the continuation of life. This placing tells us that another remedy for this intense passage is in the garden. Go find one and tuck in for a while.

Venus in Virgo is the pagan Earth Goddess

To recap, this total Lunar eclipse is sandwiched between 2 partial Lunar eclipses. One we experienced at the New Moon on July 12 and the other is coming with the next New Moon on August 11. In its entirety that is what we refer to as 'eclipse season'. Again... they happen twice a year, every year, 6 month apart. They are determined by the Nodal Axis of the Moon lining up with the Sun and the Moon.

Mercury is stationing retrograde in Leo right now (joining Mars, Saturn, Neptune and Pluto), and will move into proper retrograde on July 30 (that's your ok to start, buy and sign things if needed) and then it will station direct from August 15-22.

August 23 is your official M retro clearance to move forward. Put it on the calendar now.

So what do you say? Eclipse of the century? Let me know after it happens how it went.

Happy Blood Red, Super Long, Extra Close, Mars Flavored, Eclipsing Full Moon.

Wanting guidance in general, or on a certain topic like relationship? Sounds like you need as astrological consultation with the likes of ME.

Come visit!

Paetra Tauchert, Astrologer

PaetraTauchertAstrology.com