July 2020 Full Moon Eclipse Astrology
From Resident Astrologer Amelia Jordan Lee
ARE YOU READY TO RELEASE?
There is a lot happening in the world right now. From the pandemic to the upheaval around race relations, the structures we are so familiar with are crumbling around us. If we look to the stars, we find a few answers as to what is really going on that may help us to align with the changing tides.
WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A POWERFUL ECLIPSE SEASON
Beginning on June 5, 2020, we are now approaching the third in a powerful series of eclipses that will in total span thirty days. This is rare, as eclipses typically take place in pairs. What is more important is that this final eclipse is completing the cancer/capricorn lunar nodal cycle that began July 2018 (more on that in a moment).
Four to six times a year, the new and full moons are also eclipses. Eclipses are agents of change and growth, often prompting sudden turning points in our lives. They usher in evolution, illuminating what is hidden in the shadows; our buried and suppressed emotions, old memories, traumas and wounds that still need to be dealt with. Where have we been procrastinating or avoiding a decision? The eclipses will reveal that and can force our hands.
Eclipses are like the cosmic helping hand of the Universe.
There are two types of eclipses: solar and lunar.
Solar eclipses correspond with New Moons. During this lunation, the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, temporarily obstructing the Sun. If you’re in the “path of totality,” you can witness this striking visual as the Moon silhouettes the Sun, creating several minutes of complete darkness.
Lunar eclipses occur during Full Moons, when the Earth wedges itself between the Sun and Moon. But, unlike a normal full moon that reflects the sun’s illumination, a lunar eclipse occurs when the moon is full and its light is blocked by the earth’s shadow.
A full moon is traditionally a time of harvest and fulfillment, but when eclipsed it heralds, instead, hidden fruits and obscured results. Nothing is quite as it seems. At a lunar eclipse, the shadow of the Earth falls across the face of the Moon bringing unconscious feelings to the surface, grounding them in reality. Lunar eclipses are culminations of emotional cycles that have run their course, and they encourage us to let go of emotions and attachments that are no longer serving us.
Lunar eclipses are high-energy full moons and they signal a time of dramatic culmination and fulfillment. They are viewed in astrology as being deeply transformative times that can bring abrupt and sudden change.
Combined with the energy of the full moon, the lunar eclipse on July 5, 2020, will be an extremely powerful time for cleansing our emotional waters and setting intention for renewal and rejuvenation in the coming three months, because the energetic cycles of the lunar eclipse tend to extend through the period of next three months after its event.
Imagine the energy of an eclipse like a Universal hand that reaches down from the heavens and puts you where you need to be. This can be a time of leaving what is safe and comfortable in order to grow more fully into yourself.
The solar eclipse in Cancer on June 21 and the lunar eclipse in Capricorn on July 5 are the final installments of the Cancer-Capricorn eclipse series that began on July 13, 2018. This nearly two-year-long eclipse cycle has been the backdrop of our personal and collective stories for the past two years.
This cycle has been electrifying the Cancer-Capricorn axis (lunar nodes), shifting our public perception of safety (symbolized by Cancer) and authority (represented by Capricorn) — sounds about right, doesn’t it? The final eclipse on this axis will occur on July 5, 2020, when a total lunar eclipse at 13 degrees Capricorn concludes this two-year cycle.
Major themes on the Cancer-Capricorn axis (lunar nodes) are tradition and security, so as you look back in your recent personal history, consider how these concepts shifted in your life. What have you learned? What have you accomplished? How has your reality shifted?
As the Cancer-Capricorn eclipses come to a close, reflect on what has transformed in your reality since July 2018. Solar eclipses (like that on June 21) are all about opportunities, while lunar eclipses (like the one upcoming on July 5) are connected to release. So even though things may seem very strange at the present moment, don’t forget that—when it comes to astrology—there’s always a method to the madness.
Brace yourself for a wild few weeks, because everything is changing.
WHAT DOES THE MOON HAVE TO DO WITH IT?
The Moon is mysterious. She moves so quickly that even over the course of one night, it can be hard to catch up with her as she darts across the sky. Usually, the Moon’s movements are solo: This celestial satellite enjoys doing her own thing. As the Moon cruises around her own ecliptic (in other words, she follows an independent circular orbit around the Earth), she will occasionally reach the upper and lower boundaries of her path. And sometimes, when the Moon reaches these two points (referred to as the lunar nodes), she will have company. In certain, extraordinary moments, the Sun, Moon, and Earth perfectly align at these nodal points, resulting in the solar and lunar eclipses we just discussed.
The moon signifies our inner landscape. Where as the sun identifies powerfully with the self, this lunar eclipse encourages us to look to our outer world as a reflection of who we are on the inside. In a lunar eclipse, the sun momentarily blocks the illumination that creates a full moon, thereby resetting the current emotional cycle and allowing the shadow to reveal what is hidden in our subconscious or keeping us blocked from seeing more clearly. The spiritual aspects of the moon represent our deep emotional tides. So when the shadow passes over the moon, temporarily ceasing the illumination of our emotional being, there is an opportunity to reveal and transform our current emotional state.
The Moon’s lunar nodes are referred to as the North and South Nodes, often termed the Nodes of Fate, symbolizing our past and future destiny and purpose—our karmic pathway. Because eclipses occur on the North Node and the South Node (as the Sun, Moon, and Earth all align), these karmic points are activated by eclipses, kicking off major transformations in nearly every area of life.
The Lunar Nodes are the karmic pivot points of the universe. And eclipses serve as dynamic cosmic occurrences that activate the Lunar Nodes.
The South Node is where you carry old unresolved karma. The North Node calls you to engage with the world constructively, solve problems and balance out your karma.
Capricorn and Cancer (the current eclipse axis, or lunar nodes) are dynamic, proactive signs, so we have seen things getting unstuck and moving forward in 2019–2020. Cancer is the star sign of the womb, the source of all life. It’s where things grow organically from within, inspired, miraculous, unseen and protected from the harshness of the world.
Growth cannot be forced from a place of lack or scarcity—this only leads to destruction. We have seen this destruction across the globe. The North Node in Cancer is a universal call on the life-giving waters to replenish the parched earth devastation.
The South Node in Capricorn is about ripening political karma. The world is tired of pushing itself uphill without any real oomph. And you may be feeling tired of going through the motions, doing as you’re told with little satisfaction (and even less remuneration!) and kowtowing to those you now know do not know any better.
We have witnessed the karmic whiplash created by this powerful nodal relationship. The last 18 months have heralded important chapters in our history.
TAKE CARE
A lunar eclipse signals the need to be gentle with each other and ourselves. To recognise that human life can be intensely challenging and we can help ease some of that angst simply by the ways we treat each other. Reaching out the hand of friendship to someone in pain may become the difference between life and death. A smile and quick chat in the checkout line could make the day for someone living in lonely isolation. Stopping to smell a flower, to watch the birds, to laugh over a silly joke told by a friend; these can contribute to our own well-being amidst the myriad pressures we face in the modern day.
A lunar eclipse reminds us just how vital it is to be aware of, and attend to, our inner lives.
Things to DO to nurture yourself at this time:
Meditate.
Rest, Reflect, Release.
Let go.
Hold a moon circle.
Do a manifestation ritual.
Take a moon bath.
Participate in a cacao ceremony.
What NOT to do during the full moon/eclipse:
Start something new.
Overwork or overstress.
Make life-changing decisions.
WHY CACAO DURING THE FULL MOON AND ECLIPSE?
Cacao is a powerful plant medicine, connecting our inner landscape to our hearts and what is happening in the present moment. While many plant medicines take you on a journey, cacao supports what is present in your heart in this moment.
So, how can cacao support you during a full moon lunar eclipse? The answer is simple. The spirit of cacao will allow you to deepen your connection to your inner state of peace, love and harmony. And from this place, you can experience more allowance and acceptance of what needs to come through to be seen, heard or felt. As we have learned from the full moon lunar eclipse, this is a time to release, let go and fully connect with your emotional inner landscape.
An open heart will assist you in doing so.