July 11 Solar Eclipse

In the olden times, an eclipse of the Sun  was viewed with a sense of dread.  The Sun, their great "giver of life" seemed to disappear from the sky, and they had no way to explain it.  It was like everything that they had taken for granted was thrown off as the sky darkened in the middle of the day.  Why, even the birds began to prepare for sleep!  It seemed that something dreadful must be going to happen...and then, the heavens began to lighten, and all was well with the world again.  Just try to put yourself in their place and imagine what they must have been feeling.

New Moons signify rebirth, beginnings, and the start of a new cycle. Eclipses speed up events and situations in our personal lives. They offer challenges. Tomorrow we will experience a solar eclipse, that special type of New Moon that occurs when the Moon (subconscious, instinct, emotion) moves directly between the Sun and the Earth.  The Sun which gives us life and lights our path will be momentarily joined by those dark and mysterious qualities that are a part of the Moon. And this eclipse will occur in Cancer which is not only ruled by the moon, but highlights family, home, roots, and the past.    This is always a very strong lunation during which one has a feeling of celebration...of inner/outer...male/female...a time to create and a time to reflect on the past.  The actions we take now and within the next six months can define our lifepath. 

The sign of Cancer (intuitive, protective, sensitive) is important to all of us.  It evokes the Mother, the ebb and flow of the tides, the nurturing womb and the emotional body that animates our Souls.  This means all the more to us for we, in today's society, are far too busy to pay attention to the ebb and flow of our lives, too stressed to listen to our emotional body, and we have poisoned our waters so they are no longer a source of nourishment.  You may also feel a strong pull to the past, something I have been feeling these past few days...remembering the early days of my pagan life...and the pull to return...not a wish to return to the past per se...but the opportunity to return for just one day to those early days in the city...to the pagan friends I met who taught me so, so much...those whom I have lost contact with throughout the years.  Just one day to walk into one of those creaky old bookstores.

All eclipses indicate change. And change itself is inevitable.  I can wish for a day in the past, but reality tells me it is time to move forward. Solar eclipses signify beginnings and usually manifest as events in the outer world.  Now is the time to begin something new, to make promises to ourselves, commit, rise up to the challenge, and take a chance. I've been thinking of something new and am ready to delve in headfirst.  Throughout the years of my studies, I've touched upon Shamanism and have learned so much about it, but have never put it to practical use...and, I do not know of my power animal for that is something I never touched on.  Today I am feeling the pull towards Shamanism and power animals. It's a new beginning for me.  See, you are never too old to learn.

On the day of the eclipse, examine what has begun to change and transform in your life...and make new effort to bring it to fulfillment. This is a powerful new beginning that we are now being offered, and it is up to each of us to make good use of it. Be very careful of your emotions at this time, not that you should suppress or deny them.  Just beware of the consequences should you act rashly on them.  Remember!!! Changing the world begins with us.  


What changes are you ready to make?