This year we will have (or have had) six eclipses, three of which occurring during the months of summer. We have already had one at the beginning of the month. It was a Lunar Eclipse, in the sign of Capricorn. The next eclipse will be on July 21st, in Cancer. This will be followed by another Lunar Eclipse on August 5th.
It is interesting to note that the lunation cycle that begins with the Solar Eclipse on the 21st will not only have the New Moon as an eclipse, the accompanying Full Moon will also be an eclipse.
That makes this lunation cycle a very powerful one. The lunation cycle begins at the New Moon and runs until the next New Moon. This process takes approximately 28 days.
Another interesting fact about the summer eclipses is that the Solar Eclipse on July 21st is in the critical 29th degree. This degree, most often referred to as the Anaretic Degree, is sometimes also called the Karmic Degree. This could bring about of feeling of something coming to a close and a new beginning right around the corner.
People born with their Suns or Rising Signs at the 29th degree of any sign often like to rescue those less fortunate than themselves. Therefore it could be a good time for these individuals, and for that matter all people, to take a good look at how much they really give to those in need. It may be unbalanced by being way too much or way too little. Remember Cancer is the sign associated with mothering and nurturing. It is sign associated with family, our own nuclear family and the family of mankind as a whole.
Another thing to consider is that besides having a powerful eclipse at a karmic degree, the lunation is also going to be trining Uranus and inconjuncting Pluto. Even though Pluto is in an early degree of Capricorn and the eclipse is the last degree of Cancer it is still an inconjunct, albeit an out of sign aspect, but one nonetheless. A person would have to take a good look at their chart to what natal planets may be involved to get a better idea of how these aspects will manifest themselves.
Under the influence of this eclipse family relationships may be put to the test. Families in general may undergo strain in the months ahead. Many of these situations could be very karmic in nature.
Events that happen during the next year or so could be prime examples of mass karma. Many astrologers believe that at the time of the eclipse is when souls enter and leave this earth. Some beings who are old or ill may take this opportunity to pass on to the other side. There also be an increase in birth rates under this influence.
This eclipse will be very strong for people who have planets in the later degrees of the cardinal signs; Cancer, Libra, Capricorn and Aries
Monday, July 20, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
I decided to write something a little different this time. The recent passing of a friend got me thinking about the ritualistic nature of the funeral service. Got me thinking about rituals in general. What follows are some thoughts on the subject.
Traditional Rituals
What exactly is a ritual? A ritual can be defined as a ceremonial or formal solemn act, observance, or procedure done in accordance with a prescribed rule or custom. Now that's a broad definition that can certainly encompass much activity, but most rituals are meant to induce change, or reflect a change that is already taking place. Many rituals are in reality, nothing more than rites of pas-sage. Some examples of this are bar mitzvahs, baptizes, marriages, and funerals. Traditional events that are ritualistic in their very nature. These so called rites of pas-sage are just changes from one form to another. They are very analogous to celestial changes that are noted by ritualistic celebrations. Festivals in honor of the Spring and Autumn Equinox, or the Summer and Winter Solstice, do commerate the changing from one season to another. Every December 31st we all celebrate the dawning of a New Year.
Traditional rituals slow down the rush, and chaos of daily life. They present to us glimpses of eternity, and show us where we are in the midst of things. One thing that a ritual like a wedding does is freeze the clock against our most formidable opponent, time. At a wedding we have the parents, who inwardly wind back the hands of time. Visions of the child’s first steps, school plays, and first dates parade thru their minds. The elderly in attendance reflect up-on their marriages, and the changes they have seen within that union. They ponder on all that they have seen thru the years of their marriage. The younger ones cast themselves in the role of the betrothed.
Funerals and wakes are rituals that honor the dead. They spark the emotions, by triggering feelings of mourning and remembrance. These particular rites of passage can be very therapeutic for the living because it helps to set up feelings of acceptance, and lets them continue-with their own lives. It also helps dissolve any feelings of guilt.
Most traditional rituals make use of candles, in one way or another. In many Christian ceremonies, the candles are symbolic of Christ, as being the light of the world. One non-Christian us of candles in ritualistic celebrations, is the birthday cake. Light the candles, make a wish, and blow them out. Your wish will come true. In traditional rituals, as with any kind of ritual, candles are used as a symbol to focus ones attention, and aid in the total concentration of the mind.
The cross is another symbolic tool used in traditional rituals. The custom of making the sign of the cross is an instant way to a-waken, and activate the spiritual spark within us. The cross is not specifically a Christian symbol. It is a universal symbol, and can be found in all theosophies, in one form or another. In many ways the cross is an obvious manifestation of our whole world. It represents the four .seasons of the year, the four elements, the four direction- all points of the compass, the four cardinal points in astrology, even the four Archangels. Many different spiritual rituals are found to be based upon the powerful symbol of the cross.
Traditional rituals help us to deal with the inevitable changes in our lives, and present a chance to stop and take a good look at our lives, see were we have been, and where we are going.
Traditional Rituals
What exactly is a ritual? A ritual can be defined as a ceremonial or formal solemn act, observance, or procedure done in accordance with a prescribed rule or custom. Now that's a broad definition that can certainly encompass much activity, but most rituals are meant to induce change, or reflect a change that is already taking place. Many rituals are in reality, nothing more than rites of pas-sage. Some examples of this are bar mitzvahs, baptizes, marriages, and funerals. Traditional events that are ritualistic in their very nature. These so called rites of pas-sage are just changes from one form to another. They are very analogous to celestial changes that are noted by ritualistic celebrations. Festivals in honor of the Spring and Autumn Equinox, or the Summer and Winter Solstice, do commerate the changing from one season to another. Every December 31st we all celebrate the dawning of a New Year.
Traditional rituals slow down the rush, and chaos of daily life. They present to us glimpses of eternity, and show us where we are in the midst of things. One thing that a ritual like a wedding does is freeze the clock against our most formidable opponent, time. At a wedding we have the parents, who inwardly wind back the hands of time. Visions of the child’s first steps, school plays, and first dates parade thru their minds. The elderly in attendance reflect up-on their marriages, and the changes they have seen within that union. They ponder on all that they have seen thru the years of their marriage. The younger ones cast themselves in the role of the betrothed.
Funerals and wakes are rituals that honor the dead. They spark the emotions, by triggering feelings of mourning and remembrance. These particular rites of passage can be very therapeutic for the living because it helps to set up feelings of acceptance, and lets them continue-with their own lives. It also helps dissolve any feelings of guilt.
Most traditional rituals make use of candles, in one way or another. In many Christian ceremonies, the candles are symbolic of Christ, as being the light of the world. One non-Christian us of candles in ritualistic celebrations, is the birthday cake. Light the candles, make a wish, and blow them out. Your wish will come true. In traditional rituals, as with any kind of ritual, candles are used as a symbol to focus ones attention, and aid in the total concentration of the mind.
The cross is another symbolic tool used in traditional rituals. The custom of making the sign of the cross is an instant way to a-waken, and activate the spiritual spark within us. The cross is not specifically a Christian symbol. It is a universal symbol, and can be found in all theosophies, in one form or another. In many ways the cross is an obvious manifestation of our whole world. It represents the four .seasons of the year, the four elements, the four direction- all points of the compass, the four cardinal points in astrology, even the four Archangels. Many different spiritual rituals are found to be based upon the powerful symbol of the cross.
Traditional rituals help us to deal with the inevitable changes in our lives, and present a chance to stop and take a good look at our lives, see were we have been, and where we are going.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Eclipses (Part Two)
During a solar Eclipse the Sun and Moon are always together in the same sign, occupying the same house. When we experience a Lunar Eclipse, the Moon is always in the opposite sign and house that the Sun is in. A Solar Eclipse's energy will be concentrated in the sign and house that the eclipse occurs. On the other hand, a Lunar Eclipse's energy will fluctuate between the sign and house that holds the Sun, and the sign and house the eclipsed Moon is in. That is why the influence of the Lunar Eclipse will only last for a period of six months, while the Solar Eclipse can be felt for a total year. The energy of the Solar Eclipse is concentrated with all of the action being focused into one area. With the Lunar Eclipse, both signs and houses are going to be brought into the picture. The Lunar Eclipse is symbolic of the opposition between the two lights of our world.
The Solar Eclipse will almost always be in the sign that is opposite what the accompanying Lunar Eclipse has occurred in. For example, if the Lunar Eclipse falls in the sign of Cancer, then approximately two weeks later, the Solar Eclipse would fall in the sign of Capricorn. Six months later, the Solar Eclipse will occur in the sign that the Lunar Eclipse was in. Consequently, the Lunar Eclipse will again be in the opposite sign that the Solar Eclipse was in. In this way, the eclipses work off one another. The Lunar Eclipse sets the stage for the upcoming Solar Eclipse, because they will occur in the same sign. The Lunar Eclipse awakens us and warns us of the upcoming Solar Eclipse. If we are able to deal with the Lunar Eclipse, then the Solar Eclipse can be worked out in a better way. Lunar Eclipses signal us to shape up the house that the eclipse occurs in before the Solar Eclipse comes to visit the same house. The successive series of eclipses run backwards through the zodiac. In this way we are tested on how well we are doing in relation to each house in our chart. Occasionally a Solar Eclipse will occur without an accompanying Lunar Eclipse, but the converse is never true. There can never be a Lunar Eclipse without an accompanying Solar Eclipse.
When we begin to delineate the Natal Chart in order to determine how the eclipses will work, the most important factor to take into consideration is in which house does the eclipse fall. Whatever house the eclipse occurs in, those activities and events that the house governs will be high-lighted during the eclipse period. An eclipse in a particular house brings the particular need of that house into the life of the native. This need becomes manifest through a crisis related to the activities of that particular house. When we have a Lunar Eclipse, the house that is opposite that of the house that the eclipse falls in will additionally be emphasized, because the Sun is directly opposite the eclipse position.
As I have stated before, the Lunar Eclipse is symbolic of the lights of our world. During the Lunar Eclipse, the individual is forced to make a decision, or he is faced with opposition from another, or within himself. Just as Full Moons indicate the completion of the New Moon cycle, Lunar Eclipses indicate the ending of the Solar Eclipse cycle. Even though the influence of the eclipse lasts for months, the few weeks that surround the day of the eclipse will be a critical period. This is especially true if any transmitting planets are brought into the picture as they aspect the eclipse position, activating the energy of the eclipse.
The Pre-Natal Eclipse point is the point where the last Solar Eclipse occurred prior to the birth of the native. The house in which the Pre-Natal Eclipse occurred is a very important house for the individual, as it activates activities and issues associated with that house throughout the native's life. The date of the Pre-Natal Eclipse will always be within six lunar months of the birthdate, and usually in the same house that houses one of the Lunar Nodes. The Pre-Natal Eclipse point can be viewed as any other natal planet or astrological point, and be treated in such a manner. People born within a matter of hours of the eclipse point can experience difficult and traumatic births.
Many astrologers believe that the eclipse point is the point at which the soul enters the world. Until the actual moment of birth, the entity travels through our world and scouts around for a perfect vehicle to complete what is needed to be within this lifetime. That is why the Pre-Natal Eclipse is of such importance and its influence can be felt during the life of the native. The house that contains the Pre-Natal Eclipse point is a very important house for the individual. The area of life that is governed by that house is an area that the native feels a strong need to grow and develop. The element of the sign on the cusp of that particular house indicates what mode of activity the native will initiate to expand that area of their life. For example, if the Pre-Natal Eclipse occurred in the ninth house with the air sign Gemini on the house cusp, then the native will seek to expand their spiritual awareness through mental activity. If the Pre-Natal Eclipse point should happen to conjunct a planet in the natal chart, then that planet will be utilized in the expansion process. If Mercury should conjunct the eclipse point of Gemini in the ninth house, then the native may use various avenues of communication in helping them to increase this spiritual awareness.
Obviously, when looking at how an eclipse will affect the natal chart, the chart as a whole must be taken into consideration. For the most part, eclipses are a fascinating territory of astrological study, and can be an integral part of chart delineation.
During a solar Eclipse the Sun and Moon are always together in the same sign, occupying the same house. When we experience a Lunar Eclipse, the Moon is always in the opposite sign and house that the Sun is in. A Solar Eclipse's energy will be concentrated in the sign and house that the eclipse occurs. On the other hand, a Lunar Eclipse's energy will fluctuate between the sign and house that holds the Sun, and the sign and house the eclipsed Moon is in. That is why the influence of the Lunar Eclipse will only last for a period of six months, while the Solar Eclipse can be felt for a total year. The energy of the Solar Eclipse is concentrated with all of the action being focused into one area. With the Lunar Eclipse, both signs and houses are going to be brought into the picture. The Lunar Eclipse is symbolic of the opposition between the two lights of our world.
The Solar Eclipse will almost always be in the sign that is opposite what the accompanying Lunar Eclipse has occurred in. For example, if the Lunar Eclipse falls in the sign of Cancer, then approximately two weeks later, the Solar Eclipse would fall in the sign of Capricorn. Six months later, the Solar Eclipse will occur in the sign that the Lunar Eclipse was in. Consequently, the Lunar Eclipse will again be in the opposite sign that the Solar Eclipse was in. In this way, the eclipses work off one another. The Lunar Eclipse sets the stage for the upcoming Solar Eclipse, because they will occur in the same sign. The Lunar Eclipse awakens us and warns us of the upcoming Solar Eclipse. If we are able to deal with the Lunar Eclipse, then the Solar Eclipse can be worked out in a better way. Lunar Eclipses signal us to shape up the house that the eclipse occurs in before the Solar Eclipse comes to visit the same house. The successive series of eclipses run backwards through the zodiac. In this way we are tested on how well we are doing in relation to each house in our chart. Occasionally a Solar Eclipse will occur without an accompanying Lunar Eclipse, but the converse is never true. There can never be a Lunar Eclipse without an accompanying Solar Eclipse.
When we begin to delineate the Natal Chart in order to determine how the eclipses will work, the most important factor to take into consideration is in which house does the eclipse fall. Whatever house the eclipse occurs in, those activities and events that the house governs will be high-lighted during the eclipse period. An eclipse in a particular house brings the particular need of that house into the life of the native. This need becomes manifest through a crisis related to the activities of that particular house. When we have a Lunar Eclipse, the house that is opposite that of the house that the eclipse falls in will additionally be emphasized, because the Sun is directly opposite the eclipse position.
As I have stated before, the Lunar Eclipse is symbolic of the lights of our world. During the Lunar Eclipse, the individual is forced to make a decision, or he is faced with opposition from another, or within himself. Just as Full Moons indicate the completion of the New Moon cycle, Lunar Eclipses indicate the ending of the Solar Eclipse cycle. Even though the influence of the eclipse lasts for months, the few weeks that surround the day of the eclipse will be a critical period. This is especially true if any transmitting planets are brought into the picture as they aspect the eclipse position, activating the energy of the eclipse.
The Pre-Natal Eclipse point is the point where the last Solar Eclipse occurred prior to the birth of the native. The house in which the Pre-Natal Eclipse occurred is a very important house for the individual, as it activates activities and issues associated with that house throughout the native's life. The date of the Pre-Natal Eclipse will always be within six lunar months of the birthdate, and usually in the same house that houses one of the Lunar Nodes. The Pre-Natal Eclipse point can be viewed as any other natal planet or astrological point, and be treated in such a manner. People born within a matter of hours of the eclipse point can experience difficult and traumatic births.
Many astrologers believe that the eclipse point is the point at which the soul enters the world. Until the actual moment of birth, the entity travels through our world and scouts around for a perfect vehicle to complete what is needed to be within this lifetime. That is why the Pre-Natal Eclipse is of such importance and its influence can be felt during the life of the native. The house that contains the Pre-Natal Eclipse point is a very important house for the individual. The area of life that is governed by that house is an area that the native feels a strong need to grow and develop. The element of the sign on the cusp of that particular house indicates what mode of activity the native will initiate to expand that area of their life. For example, if the Pre-Natal Eclipse occurred in the ninth house with the air sign Gemini on the house cusp, then the native will seek to expand their spiritual awareness through mental activity. If the Pre-Natal Eclipse point should happen to conjunct a planet in the natal chart, then that planet will be utilized in the expansion process. If Mercury should conjunct the eclipse point of Gemini in the ninth house, then the native may use various avenues of communication in helping them to increase this spiritual awareness.
Obviously, when looking at how an eclipse will affect the natal chart, the chart as a whole must be taken into consideration. For the most part, eclipses are a fascinating territory of astrological study, and can be an integral part of chart delineation.
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