The Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Leo takes place at 0 degrees Leo on January 21, 2019 at 12:16 AM Eastern Time. This north node eclipse occurs four degrees away from the north node in Cancer, and completes an 18 month cycle of eclipses occurring across the Leo-Aquarius axis.
Astro Lore
The North Node of the Moon is called Rahu in Jyotish. It is the head of the dragon, which can exhibit and exert a tremendous appetite, miring itself deeper into the illusions of finding satisfaction rooted in material reality. Alternatively, the north node can magnify the qualities of whatever planet is closest to it by conjunction, so that its expression is exponential, for better or worse. A positive expression of Rahu gives the ability to see true reality with clarity.
In the Western tradition, it is thought that eclipses at the north node correlate with a surge or influx of energy. On a personal level, if the eclipse is occurring close enough to any planets or points, those points become sensitized as the eclipse brings forth a surge of energy to an experience related to the symbolism of that planet or point.
Eclipse Themes Emblazoned in the Sky
This eclipse is rounding out 18 months of eclipses across the Leo-Aquarius axis. Since that axis was also highly stimulated during last year’s Mars retrograde in Aquarius and Capricorn, it should be clear at this point which life topics were most impacted by this eclipse series.
A simple reflection on the most prominent themes of one’s life in 2018 will indicate the themes of this nodal axis passage in one’s personal life. The fixed signs of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius will have been most impacted, as last year’s Mars retrograde and eclipse series occurred in the dynamic, event producing angular houses for them.
Ancient wisdom counsels to stay out of the light of the eclipse for its entire duration, if it is visible in one’s area. Being in the light of the eclipse is to be particularly avoided if it makes a close angle to any planets or points in your chart.
A Influx of Energy to the Heart
A Lunar Eclipse in Leo emphasizes awareness of the heart and the heart chakra, as Leo rules these areas in astrology. In several ancient religions and cultural traditions, the heart was the seat of great importance.
In ancient Egypt, the energy of the heart was considered to reveal a person’s true character, even after death. It was the seat of memory, personality, and intellect, and was the only organ left in the body of a person who has died during mummification. A person’s heart was weighed against the feather of Maat, a figure that represents order, truth, and what is right. It was thought that the gods examined the heart during the weighing of the heart ceremony, and if it weighed more than the feather of Maat, it was immediately consumed by the monster Ammit.
In the Vedic tradition, the anahata chakra, located at the heart center, is correlated with the mind. So, disturbances in the mind reflect disturbances in the heart. Meditating on the heart sometimes produces awareness of the disturbances that exist there. It is said that meditating on the heart chakra will remove all blockages and bondages located there, willpower will increase, and a new attitude and vision develops, changing former ways of life, and dissolving negative tendencies. Concentration, memory, and creativity improve when the heart chakra is the focus during mediation.
For this lunar eclipse, we may all notice an increase in awareness of the experiences of the mind that pull us to and fro. The great influx of heart energy suggests that focusing on this space, and continuously bringing one’s focus back to this space presents an opportunity for developing greater discernment, guided by the wisdom of the incredible magnetic charge located in the heart. Just as the heart is the physical space of rejuvenating the blood with oxygen before it is distributed to the rest of the body, it can also be the spiritual space of re-focused attention and centering before performing any action in this world, healing ourselves, our minds, and our relations.
Warmly,
Ichrak
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