Monday, August 21 – 11:30 a.m. pacific time
28°52′ Leo
This Total Solar Eclipse will be visible to observers in the United States. Its path of totality is about 70 miles wide and stretches from Oregon to South Carolina. It passes through Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
The Moon is expected to cover the disk of the Sun for 2 minutes and 40 seconds. This event will mark the end of a very powerful Eclipse year. Eclipses, Equinoxes and Solstices — as well as other significant celestial events — provide an opportunity to consciously embrace powerful universal energies and this current Eclipse is no exception, because it also happens to be a rare consecutive New Moon in Leo – the first of which occurred on July 23.
“There is no passion to be found playing small–in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” ~ Nelson Mandela
We are fortunate to have two important Eclipses this month with energies oriented toward transformation and individual/collective destiny: The Full Moon Lunar Eclipse on August 7 and the New Moon Solar Eclipse on August 21. As you have experienced and know firsthand, Astrology is an effective tool for understanding the soul’s evolutionary journey. It is an amazing modality and when studied closely will provide wise counsel of your destined path. That said, it is always important to point out that the planets or birth chart do not cause events to occur in our lives, rather they reflect our level of consciousness — awareness of the stagnant patterns from which we wish to break free.
Awareness to your individual past patterning, as well as your soul’s current destiny, is one of the many gifts Astrology offers. When you feel stuck and not able to create movement in your life, you have likely become too comfortable with the security of past familiarity. Therefore, discomfort will become more intense in order to instigate movement into a new way of interacting in life. During important Eclipse periods such as this one, the universe is encouraging us to awaken to our individual and collective destinies.
Eclipses help you to create shifts in your life and encourage you to let go of old patterns that no longer serve you. They work on three levels: personal, collective, and ultimately, the integration of both. Where there is inner uncertainty, an Eclipse will encourage you to seek clarity. Pay close attention to the revelations occurring during this Eclipse month, as what was previously hidden gives way to the light.
Astrologers have studied Eclipses and their effects since the Babylonian Era and have found that they often coincide with Earth changes, modern stock market fluctuations and political upheavals. Solar Eclipses, in particular, have been associated with radical changes in governance, revolutions, and problems associated with the “king” or leader of the country they occur over. With the advent of external events, Eclipses can become powerful indicators of needed change — collectively as well as individually. As a potent example, the current political unrest within the United States is far from resolved, the climate remains heated, and the majority of citizens are solely (or should I say “soul”-ly) disillusioned. As I’ve shared in previous articles over the past months and years, the current Astrological signatures are encouraging us to “awaken from our complacency” and initiate change. These Astrological aspects are being experienced on a global scale and will continue to prove individually and collectively transformative as outmoded systems collapse.
The zodiacal sign this Total Solar Eclipse falls in is Leo, which is the sign that encourages creative self-expression and heart consciousness. The fire of Leo ignites passion, inspiration and the ability to single-mindedly focus on one’s goals. Leo also represents children and romance, marking a time to evaluate whether or not we are nurturing our inner child, and creating romantic moments of honoring and loving the self.
As the heart is ruled by Leo it is important during this Eclipse to set intentions that honor your heart’s desires. The essence of your creative light and the ability to love yourself and others exists within the center of your heart. Set strong intentions during this Solar Eclipse to always reside in the center of your heart and to honor your unique and special gifts.
Eclipse Contemplation Themes:
Am I participating in my destiny?
Am I “being” the change I wish to see in the world?
What are my heart’s desires?
Can I release what is no longer serving me?
What new cycle should I initiate?
Do I love myself?
Am I creating romance in my life?
Am I honoring my unique gifts?
Eclipses always occur in pairs. The first, a Lunar Eclipse, occurred on August 7, during the Full Moon in Aquarius. The next pair of eclipses will occur in January and February of 2018. The energies of an eclipse can be felt a couple of days before and after an eclipse. The ancient sages believed that eclipses were a time for meditation and learning; a special time to honor the spiritual aspects of your life. Try to keep your schedule light, remain internally focused, eat only pure foods, and do not consume alcohol. The veil between earth and the heavens is thinner during an eclipse, allowing you to more easily connect to the eternal universal wisdom that is your divine essence.
Copyright 2017 by Linda Kaye
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