Beauty, Reflection And Blessings: December’s Lunar Eclipse

From Fred Espenak’s eclipse pages: A total
eclipse of the Moon occurs during the early morning hours of December
21, 2010 (for observers in western North America and Hawaii, the
eclipse actually begins on the evening of December 20). The entire
event is visible from North America, Greenland and Iceland. Western
Europe will see the beginning stages of the eclipse before moonset
while western Asia will get the later stages after moonrise. During a
total lunar eclipse, the Moon’s disk can take on a dramatically
colorful appearance from bright orange to blood red and more rarely
dark brown to very dark gray.

There are more reasons that
this is an especially powerful eclipse as the Sun will be passing over
Pallas Athena, the Moon’s North Node, Pluto and then Mars during the
days following the eclipse. This is a potent line-up of energies,
asking us to let go of things that are sabotaging our efforts or
holding us back emotionally. Further, Venus is back on the degree that
it went retrograde in October. 

It’s interesting to note that
this eclipse is most visible in North America and Iceland, especially
with the recent events around Wikileaks. Iceland is struggling to come
back from the brink of complete financial collapse and the United
States has to do some fancy footwork as well. 

Total lunar
eclipses contain and release potent energies, and they can push into
new realizations and situations, compelling us to purge what’s not
working for us so we can move onto the new. The effects of a lunar
eclipse can last for months, so whatever is being birthed now is likely
to be reflected and worked out for some time to come.

The Sabian Symbol for the full Moon and the lunar eclipse is Gemini 30: A Parade Of Bathing Beach Beauties Before Large Beach Crowds.
This speaks of beauty and society’s judgment about how one fits in,
measures up and stands up. Often, one can feel judged by others, or by
society, for how one looks or presents themselves. We can find that
we’re assessed, accepted or rejected on merely superficial standards.
Many are finding themselves lonely in this world obsessed with beauty
and youth and it can be hard if you feel you don’t measure up.  

Some Keywords and Cautions from my book: The Sabian Oracle: 360 Degrees Of Wisdom:

Keywords:
Being on show. Sheer attraction of beauty. Seeking praise. Displaying
in order to get people to observe and/or evaluate. Beauty pageants.
Bathing costumes and skimpy clothing. Beaches. Lifeguards. Beauty
judges. Nudist beaches. Breast sizes. The mysteries of the feminine.
Playing dress ups. Gatherings of goddesses. Mermaids converging. The
water element. Recognizing superficiality and shallow behavior. Water
nymphs.

The Caution: Using superficialities to
win support. Giving importance to the issues of appearance. Neglecting
the “beauty within”. Too much makeup. Flaunting one’s body. Not
employing intellect. Leering, jeering. Lusting after the unattainable.
Feeling like merchandise. Making superficial judgments.

A
message from this degree could be about getting into your physical body
and appearance so you can present a ‘better face to the world’.
Dressing up and feeling good about yourself can give you more self
confidence and the push to get out there and mix it up with others. With
the eclipse on this point, though, it may not be as easy as it sounds;
many can feel like giving up and not putting in the effort. Society
doesn’t always reflect back to us the beauty we may hold within.
However, radiating beauty is just the prescription for pushing through
some of the darker aspects that are likely to be unfolding now.

Something
is bound to be shifting, whether it’s on a physical, emotional or
spiritual level, there’s a changing of the guard in some way. The degree following the lunar eclipse degree is Cancer 1, which is a powerful cardinal point. The Sabian Symbol is Cancer 1: On A Ship Sailors Lower An Old Flag And Raise A New One. 

Keywords:
Changing loyalties. Turning points in one’s obligations or duties.
Announcing new standards. Turning a corner. Getting rid of the old
guard. Letting go of old allegiances and taking up new ones. Giving up
old ways. Changing bad habits. Taking the helm. Switching sexual
preferences. Sailors. Ships. Flags. Divorces. Marriages.

The Caution:
Rejecting the old just for the sake of change. Fickleness. Not
sticking with one thing for long enough to realize the rewards of
loyalty. Being a traitor. Religious quarreling. Going only where the
“good action” is. Piracy. Mutiny. Treason.

The Sun is on Sagittarius 30: The Pope Blessing The Faithful.
This speaks of rituals of reverence, blessings and worship, taking a
sincere interest in others, being on the inside looking out or being on
the outside looking in, rewards for loyalty, seeing support or
recognition, eye-to-eye contact, being remembered, charisma and
presence, having an audience with someone. The cautions include the lust
for power, negating, projecting and transferring ones shadow onto
others, not taking responsibility for ones actions, manipulating for
desired ends, nervous reaction to power or position, demanding
obedience, lording it over people, having people at ones beck and call.
Who are the faithful and how are the blessed?

The Quest degree of the Sun is Capricorn 1: An Indian Chief Claims Recognition And Power From The Assembled Tribe.
This shows the need to stand up, be counted, take charge and rein in
energies that may be scattered or unfocused. It can be about finding a
true sense of place and claims of recognition. Perhaps there’s a need to
recognize your own authority, your own sense of power?

 Mercury, the ruler of the Gemini eclipse, is on a power point of the zodiac. Sitting retrograde smack on the Galactic Center, it brings a promise (or the necessity) of finding ones way, creating the vision or making some big decisions. The Symbol is Sagittarius 27: The Sculptor’s Vision Is Slowly But Surely Taking Form. This
degree, combined with the Galactic Center, speaks about concrete
creative manifestation, the Godhead, evolution, molding shapes and
forms, seeing and visualizing things ahead of their time. Perhaps it’s
time to write up your wish list for the future? It may be with Mercury
retrograding over this degree a time to analyze what you don’t want in
your life; to clean out the cobwebs, to come up with a new design. 

Exactly squaring Mercury are Jupiter and Uranus,
bringing the element of surprise and expansion. Uranus can bring
lightning rod revelations and decisions and Jupiter can ramp up things
by asking us to push our boundaries, explore new territory, etc. The few
days following the eclipse are bound to be full of surprise
announcements and, possibly, a backlash from people if the powers that
be step over the bounds of decency. 

Jupiter is on Pisces 26: A New Moon Reveals That It’s Time For People To Go Ahead With Their Different Projects.
Time to peel off in a different direction? This speaks of new
opportunities and potentials, but there may be a need to say goodbye to
something or someone, perhaps a job or a way of making a living needs
to be changed. Jupiter has recently been over Pisces25: The Purging Of
The Priesthood. We’ve had a good look at how ‘the priesthood’ acts and
reacts and some in their ivory towers have fallen off their perches. 

Uranus is on Pisces 27: A Harvest Moon Illuminates The Sky.
Interesting that Uranus is on this degree for a full Moon eclipse.
This speaks of acknowledging things that are ripe and full of fruition,
celebrating what you have and can bring an expanded awareness and
perspective, making everything clear. Sounds like it’s time to really
start seeing in the dark.

As mentioned above, Venus is on the
degree it went retrograde in October = it is now finished the
retrograde period and is moving over fresh ground. The Sabian Symbol
for Venus is Scorpio 14: Telephone Linesmen At Work Installing New Connections.
This speaks of forming new lines of communication, linking people up,
networks and networking, getting other peoples’ wavelengths, the
ability to reach far distances, etc. 

Mars is on Capricorn 11: Pheasants Display Their Brilliant Colors On A Private Estate.
This speaks of luxury, glorious houses and estates, lawns and gardens,
statues and birdbaths, nature reserves, game birds, fabulous displays
of color, parks, beauty, elegance and grace, etc. There can be jealousy
and envy involved here with Mars on this degree. However, it asks that
we see the beauty around us, don’t be blind to it even if it’s just a
small token of beauty in a busy, dusty and fast world. 

In
amongst all the frantic running around for the holidays, Saturn appears
to be suggesting the need for a break. Perhaps it’s more that one
can’t take time off, perhaps you’re sick of being by yourself and just
watching others go about their business while you hold down the fort.
The Sabian Symbol for Saturn is Libra 17: A Retired Sea Captain Watches Ships Entering And Leaving The Harbor.

Whatever
is happening in your world, I wish you a wonderful holiday season with
much love and happiness with friends and family and great things for
2011!