Eclipses of the Sun

Eclipses of the Sun

INTRODUCTIONLike it or not, eclipses of the sun and moon are historically associated with malefic events and influences, from earthquakes and plagues to the death of royalty. The solar eclipse in particular was cause for dread, supplication and sometimes animal sacrifices. Before we look at why this is so, and what eclipses mean to us today, it's important to make sure we understand the technical components of an eclipse.MECHANICSA lunar eclipse is, of course, when the earth comes directly between the moon and the sun, causing the moon to fall into earth's shadow. A solar eclipse throws the earth into the moon's shadow, as moon comes directly between Earth and Sun. Many people don't realize that a lunar eclipse always occurs on a full moon, while a solar eclipse always occurs on a new moon - but it's obvious if you visualize it. During the new moon, the moon is standing between the earth and the sun - we don't see the white orb of the moon, because the moon is reflecting the sun's light away from us, back toward the sun. On the other hand, the full moon occurs when the earth stands directly between the sun and the moon. We can see now that a new moon is necessary for a solar eclipse to occur, and a full moon is needed for a lunar eclipse. But it's not that simple! The moon's orbit is tilted (roughly 5 degrees) with respect to the Earth's orbit around the Sun. Therefore, there are only two points where the moon's path intersects the elliptic (Sun's path through our sky). These two points of intersection are called the North and South Nodes of the moon, otherwise known as the Dragon's Head and Dragon's Tail. The moon passes over each Node once a month, while the Sun passes each Node once a day. When both heavenly bodies cross a Lunar node at the same time, it means that the Earth, Sun and Moon are on a single axis, and light must therefore be blocked in some way. The required alignment makes eclipses somewhat rare.INTERPRETING ECLIPSES IN ASTROLOGYWhile the mechanics of eclipses are no longer a mystery, their energetic and astrological signature remains one of upheaval, changing of fortunes, affliction, and/or the resurfacing of neglected areas of our lives. Mysteries and blind spots are the bread and butter of eclipses. Because eclipses always occur on the Nodes, opportunities and blockages come into focus - powerful channels open through which we can pay off karmic debt, learn from the past, and progress into the new. Eclipses are widely considered to be collective, planetary events first, and individual events second. In other words, eclipses are important to mundane astrology (general astrological interpretation, planetary in nature and not linked to an individual). When applying eclipses to individual interpretation, astrologers look for very close aspects between the eclipse and the natal chart. For instance, particular care is taken when an eclipse is closely conjunct an individual's natal Sun or

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