Eclipse Season & Shadow Work
Eclipses are an alignment of the Sun, Moon, Earth, and lunar nodes which are not tangible objects but exact, mathematical points in the sky where the Moon’s orbit intersects the Sun’s apparent path.
We are familiar with the dance of the Sun and Moon that brings us a new and full Moons every month. Eclipses, however, occur when the Moon reaches its upper and lower thresholds of its tilted elliptical orbit. These boundaries are called the lunar nodes. When the Moon reaches these thresholds, it forms a perfect alignment with the Sun and Earth. It is here that a new Moon becomes a solar eclipse and a full Moon a lunar eclipse.
Within astrology, the lunar and south nodes and represent destiny, spiritual purpose, and evolution. This sense of purpose that the lunar nodes act as a portal to travel through as the Sun—which represents our spirit, inspiration, and life force—comes into alignment with the Moon—which belies our intuitive nature, inner truths and emotional selves, alongside the planet upon which we bring our destiny into reality. Consider it a portal through which our call of destiny, alignment, and evolution can reach us.
It's a lot... I know.
A solar eclipse on October 14, the New Moon in Libra, marks the beginning of eclipse season 2023. The season draws to a conclusion with a partial lunar eclipse on the full Moon in Taurus, which takes place on October 28 and 29, 2023.
What does it mean for me?
As we look back on our life’s journey, there are often moments when our direction took a clear path. Perhaps something concluded or began. These could easily have been moments of plummet into total shadow that bring us to our knees, but Eclipses are often at the heart of these huge shifts or realignments of destiny.
Eclipses are understood to be when the voice of guidance—whether you consider that to be soul, higher self, god/goddess, intuition, the divine, or destiny—and during shadow season this voice seems to get louder, clearer, and felt more deeply in our bodies than ever before. It is during this season that we are supported to go deeply into the 'stuff beneath the surface' or 'shadow' as it's often referred to to observe, transform and alchemise our deep conditioned pain and trauma into healing potential that brings us closer to our destiny.
Eclipses carry the resonance of change. They bring the kind of cracking open that, when we look back on it, seems to be the moment of initiation that changed everything for the better. We may not always perceive or understand the purpose within the change at the moment as it can feel very choppy, but there is an element of surrender being asked of us throughout this season, a trust that something is being realigned for our greatest good in that very moment, regardless of whether we know what that will become or not.
Shadow season invitation
There is an undeniable power resonating within the very fabric of the season of shadow. Eclipses are the essence light that seems through the cracks. As Rumi says "the wound is where the light gets in..."
Moving into the darkness and the shadow can feel intimidating, scary and often like we're being tossed around the washing machine a bit, but if we know anything about transformation, it is that we cannot control it. We cannot orchestrate it and we cannot see to the other side of it. But it is within transformation that we are often led to our edges where the only option from there is to unclench our hands, breathe out, allow, trust in ourselves and life, and remain receptive to the lessons being offered.
While we may say that shadow work is difficult, we can also say that all we know is change. We know this terrain, for we have been journeying it for as long as we have been breathing. To go against this work is to go against our very nature.
This eclipse season, can you use the momentum of the astrological alignments to boldly dive into the dark recesses of your shadow?
Can you feel what might be being stirred up, that you thought had been attended to many years ago?
Can you take up the invitation to surrender to the major shifts happening without ego and resistance? Trusting that these 'realignements' are all happening within your greatest favour.
Happy eclipse season x