ASTROLOGY
The return to eclipse season features a Scorpio solar eclipse on Oct. 25 and a Taurus lunar eclipse on Nov. 8. The Taurus-Scorpio axis represents the polarity between the life’s manifestation and the mystery of death. Scorpio is the sign of the libido — the unconscious urges that propel us to action. Taurus is the sign of the sensual — the physical sensibilities that allow us to connect and form meaning. Both eclipses happen in conjunction with the planet Venus, ruler of Taurus, where the North Node is located. An underlying tension exists involving our values, resources, and relationships. Venus insists that harmonizing the psycho-spiritual and physio-emotional aspects of our being is not only possible, but necessary to realize our destiny. The discrepancy between how we purport ourselves to be and what we actually desire is the seed of self-sabotage. Meditate on the lotus, whose magnificent flower is rooted in the muck and the mud. We must learn to heed the call of our body’s deepest, darkest yearnings without succumbing to hedonism. We flourish when we learn to sublimate this raw power with clear intention.
ASTRONOMY
We’ve circled back around to eclipse season! Unfortunately, those in the United States will not be able to see the partial solar eclipse on Oct. 25; however, we will have a prime view of the corresponding total lunar eclipse on the evening of Nov. 7. Eclipses don’t happen every new or full moon because the moon’s orbital plane is inclined relative to the Earth’s around the sun. Thus, the moon’s path and sun’s path across our sky (also called the ecliptic) intersect only at two points, known as the lunar nodes, which are diametrically opposed. What makes an eclipse partial versus total is its proximity to these nodes. Eclipses occur when the sun is within approximately 18 degrees of the nodes. The closer the sun is to them, the more complete the eclipse’s totality will be. A solar eclipse is when the sun and moon simultaneously cross the same node, while a lunar eclipse is when they cross opposing nodes. Because the moon travels so quickly through the zodiac relative to the sun, eclipses come in pairs, as the sun remains close enough to the one node for the moon to meet it there and then oppose it (or vice versa). The lunar eclipse will begin at midnight on the evening of Nov. 7, reach its maximum at 3 a.m., and end shortly before 6 a.m. on Nov. 8. You’ll want a clear view of the southern to western sky to enjoy the full show!
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