Total Lunar Eclipse
8th Nov 2022
Max Eclipse: 11:00 UT/GMT - Max Full Moon: 11:02 UT/GMT
Technical Astrology bits are in italics, which can be ignored if you prefer.
This Full Moon Lunar Eclipse will be visible over Asia, Australia, the Pacific and Americas. It will not be visible over Britain, Ireland, Europe, Africa and the western part of the Middle East. The Lunar Eclipse follows two weeks after the Partial Solar Eclipse that was on 25th October.
Whereas Solar Eclipses bring the opportunity for release and renewal at the collective level, acting via the Eclipse’s effects upon Earth’s energy grids, the subsequent Lunar Eclipse brings the opportunity for deep release, followed by renewal and re-integration at the personal emotional level.
This Eclipse will be particularly powerful at the personal level, as the Sun and Moon are each conjunct with several other planets. The key pattern that stands out in the Eclipse chart is known as an “Ambivalence Figure”:
The Sun is conjunct Venus, Mercury, and the Moon’s South Node, all in Scorpio; these are in opposition to the Moon, which is conjunct retrograde Uranus and the Moon’s North Node, all in Taurus. Saturn in Aquarius forms a “T-square”, with 90° squares to Venus - Sun – Mercury – S. Node and to N. Node - Moon – Uranus. Saturn is also 150° quincunx to Ceres in Virgo, which is 60° sextile to South Node – Mercury – Sun – Venus, and 120° trine to N. Node – Moon – Uranus, completing the “Ambivalence Figure”.
The North Node conjunct the Moon and retrograde Uranus, points to the spiritual purpose of this Lunar Eclipse: it is about waking up and shaking ourselves free from anything that no longer serves our true needs. The Sabian symbols for these degrees of the zodiac are concerned with stepping away from conflict and standing strong to uphold the true light of our inner being. The opposition to the Sun, Venus, Mercury, and the South Node, requires us to let go of deeply held ideas and emotional attachments, particularly when it has become plain to see that these are no longer working any more. If we continue to resist letting go and try to cling to the past, then Saturn may cause us to make heavy weather of this time; but if we willingly let go into the unknown, shifting our focus from the need for everything to be ordered and structured and instead listen to the needs of what each situation, person and particularly the Earth (Ceres) requires, then we are likely to feel a sense of liberation, lightness, groundedness and wholeness.
This is a time to make a choice between yearning for a new way of being, whilst still perpetuating the old paradigm, or stepping fully into that new paradigm, completely letting go and trusting that the new way will work out. The learning here comes from the green 150° quincunx between Saturn in Aquarius and Ceres in Virgo. This is highlighting the mismatches between our human-created structures and technologies (Saturn) and the structures, cycles and patterns of Mother Earth (Ceres) and the natural world. The evolutionary quincunx is showing us that we need to find effective, sustainable ways of creating new structures and systems that enable these two systems, with their often-divergent goals to co-exist and mutually benefit one another. It requires the application of genuine intuitive, rational and emotional intelligence and listening to what the Earth is telling us she needs, rather than assuming that we already know how to “fix it”.
A “Bijou” figure, comprised of a Projection Figure and a Searching Figure together, has retrograde Chiron with two 150° quincunxes, one to Ceres and another to Sun – Mercury – S. Node, which are also 60° sextile to Ceres; there is also a 30° semi-sextile from Chiron to N. Node – Moon – Uranus, which are in opposition to Venus – Sun – Mercury – S. Node.
This figure is concerned with the quest for how to heal (Chiron) our relationship, individually and collectively, with Mother Earth (Ceres). Chiron, being retrograde, suggests that we should examine what we need to release from our past, in order for that healing to occur. It is not so much about what we need to do, but more about how we need to be. Too much do-ing and not enough be-ing is what has caused us to fall out of right relationship with our Mother Earth in the first place. When we are rushing around doing and trying to fix things, we do not have time for just being still and listening to what the Earth requires from us…and she will require something very different from each of us, according to our understanding, abilities, talents and skills. The Earth knows what she needs from us – we simply need to learn to listen, and to respond appropriately. This of course is not possible, if we are stuck on fixed agendas, goals, ambitions or especially financial targets that we mistakenly believe have to be met in order to justify our existence or uphold an increasingly failing system.
There is a Grand Trine, with Venus – Sun – Mercury – S. Node in Scorpio 120° trine to retrograde Neptune, widely conjunct retrograde Jupiter in Pisces, and another trine to Pallas Athene in Cancer. Attached to this is a Small Leaning Triangle, with a 90° square from Neptune – Jupiter to Mars in Gemini, which is 30° semi-sextile to Pallas, which is 120° trine back to Neptune – Jupiter.
The Grand Trine (large blue triangle) represents the reward or “gift” that can come to us from this Lunar Eclipse, but this is not automatic; we will have to work for it. The South Node conjunct the Sun, Mercury and Venus in Scorpio means letting go of our mental and emotional attachments to the past, but this is not just our personal past. The presence of retrograde Neptune and Jupiter in Pisces, the sign they are both said to rule, means that we are letting go of our cumulative attachments and beliefs from the past 2,000 years of the Age of Pisces. With Mars in Gemini also retrograde, this indicates that there will be a reluctance or ambivalence about doing this, even though we may clearly see the urgent need for it. These attachments run deep into the very core of our being, soul and sense of identity. Pallas Athene holds the key to resolving this ambivalence. It means trusting our intuitive knowing and not being afraid to stand up and act in radical ways to bring about change that will ensure our future nurture, and our collective safety and stability.
Pallas is part of a “Megaphone” pattern; she is in opposition to Pluto in Capricorn, 150° quincunx Vesta in Aquarius and 120° trine to Jupiter and Neptune in Pisces. There is a 60° sextile from Jupiter to Pluto and 30° semi-sextiles from Jupiter and Pluto to Vesta.
The key with a Megaphone pattern is that if you speak quietly at the thin end, your voice will be heard loudly at the wide end. The awareness inherent in this pattern comes from the green 150° quincunx between Pallas and Vesta – if you quietly speak and act consistently from the truth of your heart, then the world and those in power (Pluto) will eventually hear it and have no choice but to respond appropriately. With Pluto thankfully finally going direct after a long period of being retrograde, this may not take quite as long as it has been, although with Jupiter and Neptune retrograde in Pisces, it is also important to remember that we are letting go of 2,000 years of conditioning, beliefs and acceptance of certain attitudes as norms, which are no longer so.
A “Stage” pattern is formed by the opposition from Pallas to Pluto, each with a 30° semi-sextile to Mars and Vesta, respectively. Mars and Vesta are 120° trine each other, with 150° quincunxes from Mars to Pluto and from Vesta to Pallas.
This pattern is about finding ways to reconcile conflicting or opposing points of view. On the one hand, we may have the urge to act (Mars) decisively and with power (Pluto) to bring about change, no matter what the cost; on the other hand, we may have the urge to take a stand and protect (Pallas) the integrity of our heart (Vesta) and our innermost convictions, above all else. These two urges may be quite at odds with one another; both will require us to make compromises, so that we can move forward in a balanced way that enables us to act effectively in the world, without compromising the integrity of our heart.
Suggested Meditation
As the Lunar Eclipse is about personal integration, following on from the Solar Eclipse, we are not planning any group ceremonies.
Instead, we suggest you find a quiet place in your home or in Nature around you, and sit in quiet meditation and reflection, to allow for the release of the old and the integration of the new.
The key time will be in the half-hour around maximum eclipse at 11.00 UT/GMT, so between 10:45 – 11:15 UT/GMT (UK); 11.45 – 12.45 CET (W.Europe); 05:45 – 06:15 EST (USA); 21:45 - 22:15 AEDT (Australia). For the local maximum eclipse time where you are, enter your location in Timeanddate’s Eclipse Lookup
Suggested Meditation:
Sit quietly. Breathe into your heart and breathe out, down through your body, into the Earth.
Breathe the golden light of the Sun into your heart and out down into the Earth.
Breathe the golden light of the Sun into your heart and imagine it flowing to every cell in your body.
Focus your attention at the Alta Major Centre, between your eyebrows.
Breathe in the light of the Full Moon.
Imagine that light flowing in the cerebro-spinal fluid around the brain and down your spinal column.
As the light of the Moon descends through your body, it gradually becomes darker and reddish like the Lunar Eclipse.
Imagine the image of the Eclipsed Moon reflected in a pool of water that gathers just below your navel, at the Sacral Centre.
Breathe in and out from here and simply allow your thoughts, feelings, images and impressions to flow freely, whilst keeping focussed on the reflected image of the Eclipsed Moon.
Do this for as long as you wish.
When you are ready, bring your attention back to your heart.
Breathe in to your heart and out down your body into the Earth, three times.
Reach down to the Earth.
Draw up a cloak of gold and emerald-green light and wrap it around your entire body.
Open your eyes, move your body and drink some water.
For All Our Relations