Visible across the North American continent in the predawn hours on Friday, this Blood Moon will be the longest partial lunar eclipse of the century, at its peak, covering 97 % of the Moon. From the west coast, you can start watching at 11:00 pm on Thursday. But what will it mean for you?
In his book Why the World Doesn’t End, Michael Meade shares the Apache tale of an ancient woman who lives in a cave, unaffected by the strife of daily life. She spends her time weaving the most beautiful cloak she can imagine. Occasionally, she interrupts her task to go stir the soup in a great cauldron at the back of the cave. The cauldron hangs over a fire that began a long time ago. This ageless woman must stir the soup that simmers over those flames, for it contains all the seeds and roots that will become the plants and herbs of the earth. If she fails to stir the rich stew from time to time, the fire will scorch it and all of life will die.
As the Protector of Life makes her way to the back of the ancient cave, a black dog awakens and watches her closely. When she is gone, the dog makes his move. He picks up a loose thread with his teeth and begins pulling on it, unraveling the beautiful garment. When the woman returns, she sees the cloak she has woven with such great care lying in a chaotic heap. Ignoring the dog, she sighs deeply. Then she bends down, picks up a loose thread, and begins to weave the whole thing anew. Once again she imagines the most beautiful garment she can.Elegant new designs appear before her, and her hands give them vibrant shape. Soon she has forgotten the cloak she was once weaving as she focuses on capturing the new design and creating the most beautiful garment ever seen.
This reminder that life always renews itself (albeit in different forms) is needed right now, when many beautiful things have been torn asunder and the world is in a precarious state.And right on time, we have a profound Blood Moon eclipse, the longest of the century, to highlight this awareness. The Taurus Full Moon (Nov. 19, 12:57 a.m. PT) is a near-total eclipse, covering almost 97 percent of the Moon’s surface at its peak. As the Moon slips into Earth’s shadow for 3 hours and 28 minutes, it will be visible, weather permitting, throughout North and South America, Eastern Asia, Australia and the Pacific region. Here on the West Coast, it starts at 11 pm on the 18th, reaching maximum visibility at 4 a.m. on the 19th. If you want to be assured of seeing it, check out NASA’s livestream of the lunar eclipse.
When the Taurus Moon opposes the Scorpio Sun in such a dramatic way, there’s an important message about life, death and rebirth. While eclipsed, the Moon is like the ancient Protector of Life in her dark cave. She sits and weaves, instinctively expressing her creative power while freed from the Sun’s influence.
Karmic themes related to resources and security
No matter what is happening in your life, this is a good time to follow the Apache protector’s example. Rather than freaking out or blaming the dog when things look dire or you don’t know what to do, the eclipsed Taurus Moon reminds you to tend to basics, nourish yourself and others, and continue to create beauty in new and ever-evolving forms.
This will be a North Node eclipse, a warm-up to the shift of the transiting North Node into Taurus in January. Now we are looking ahead, making changes so we can pursue something new and more life-enhancing. As the North Node transits Taurus, sign of the Earth, through July 2023, we will be dealing with karmic themes related to resources and security (as well as several more eclipses on the Taurus-Scorpio axis). During this time, Earth herself will continue to go through changes as she shakes off unhealthy influences and awakens us to our role as Protectors of Life.
This Full Moon at 27 Taurus is regenerative in nature, as it sextiles potent Pluto and squares growth-oriented Jupiter. Mars in Scorpio opposite Uranus in Taurus magnifies the energy of the Nov. 4 Scorpio New Moon. Things are changing, opportunities are opening up – or at the very least, we’re having powerful flashes of insight that help clarify what we want and point us in a new direction.
If you’re not feeling this, you may need to get more grounded in your body.At this Taurus Full Moon, treat yourself to a massage. Spread a blanket and lie on the earth. Visit a rose garden or an art museum. Weave, draw or collage the most beautiful vision of the future you can imagine, and let this magical eclipse propel you into the heart of it. Ground, tend to the basics, and watch for powerful flashes of insight.
How is this eclipse affecting you? For a more detailed view, order my colleague April’s best-selling eclipse report: “Followed by a Moonshadow”
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