Full Moon // Lunar Eclipse January 2020
Cover Image By Physics in My View
By Benjamin Brown
On January 10, at about 9:15 PST, there is a penumbral lunar eclipse in the night skies over Europe, Africa, and West Asia. Though the Moon will be below the horizon for those of us in California, the effects of an eclipse are felt worldwide.
During a lunar eclipse, Earth is passing directly between the Sun and Moon. The shadow of the Earth is cast onto the Moon, partially obscuring it.
The Moon is our manas, our emotions and feelings.
During this eclipse, the Moon is passing by Rahu, one of the points on the orbital path of the Moon where eclipses can occur. Rahu has as potent an influence as the physical planets do.
This influence is one of compulsion, disdain, and ignorance.
During this eclipse, the effect of Rahu may be keenly felt on our emotional state. There may be inexplicable fears and aggressions.
We are given a saving grace by Mercury, who is the ruler of Gemini, where the eclipse occurs.
While the lunar eclipse comes to pass, Mercury is passing through the disc of the Sun. This is a period of intense purification for Mercury, who is otherwise prone to all sorts of wiles.
Mercury has an eclectic character. Sometimes, he is friendly, charming and brilliant. At other times, he is devious and deceptive. He is most impressionable, and depends on the presence of other luminaries nearby to direct him.
The Sun tolerates only total clarity.
So, the wits of Mercury are passed through a purifying fire, and all that remains is the truth.
Mercury is our buddhi, the thinking mind. This is the mind that narrates our lives in each moment.
Mercury is the giver of words. We use these words to define our reality.
While the eclipse of the Moon may aggrieve us emotionally, we may also find that our thoughts have arrived at a point of clarity.
We may also look to the nakshatra, or lunar sign, where the eclipse occurs. This particular eclipse is in Punarvasu nakshatra. In Sanskrit, punarvasu means “the renewal of the light.” This is an auspicious lunar sign that can enliven us. It is presided over by Aditi, an ancient earth goddess who grants abundance. Where this abundance comes to us is dependent on our own birth charts.
Across the sky, the Sun, Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn are all huddled together.
Jupiter has a special precedence during this eclipse. He encourages us to move through the ever-rising and falling waves of our emotions, and abide in gyana - wisdom that is timeless throughout all transitions.
