Darkly Numinous Hope: Full Moon & Lunar Eclipse

The full moon is January 10 (1:23pm), with a penumbral lunar eclipse occurring shortly beforehand at 19˚ of Cancer (1:09pm).  The sun, earth, and moon align imperfectly during a penumbral eclipse.  The earth blocks some of the sun’s light from reaching the moon’s surface and covers all or part of the moon with the outer part of its shadow, called the penumbra.  Eclipses reveal obstacles.  The truths that come to light during this time help to release blockages and redirect the flow.  A letting go or an ending that precipitates transformation is shown as the moon forms an opposition to Saturn and Pluto.

The sun, Mercury, Saturn and Pluto fuse together in Capricorn, facing off with vulnerable moon in Cancer.  Effects of this eclipse may be more keenly felt if a person has planets or important natal point in a cardinal sign:  Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn.  Saturn in Capricorn symbolizes structures, rules and tradition.  Pluto influences the decay which breaks down these said structures.  When Saturn and Pluto join forces, there exists the potential for re-birth after a long demolition process.  This could apply to familial, governmental, and cultural structures, as well as “real” structures like homes and buildings. 

January 7 until January 14, Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn meet in the same degree (22˚) to form a conjunction.  The tightest orb, or most exact conjunction, is on January 12.  Some astrologers do not integrate Pluto into practice.  Whether or not this is the case, many astrologers look at this conjunction as demarcating an important turning point.  These conjunctions occur around every 33 years.  The last occurred in Libra in 1982, before that it was in Leo in 1947.  

Also, on the evening of the eclipse on January 10, the planet Uranus goes direct after retrograding since mid- August.  Uranus, currently in Taurus, symbolizes change and revolution.  What ideas that were in the strategizing and planning stages are now ready to break on through to the other side?  The direction changes of the outer planets, such as Uranus, can be a catalyst, especially if a person has planets or natal chart points (around 1˚-8˚) in a fixed sign:  Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius.

Image Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/johndal/19956322691?fbclid=IwAR3OPD676rfUrOY6okkMhklUSPQNjupiUCAsKj6GcuXO0fp1bpo9j4DCxv8