FEBRUARY 2008 LUNAR ECLIPSE

A Closer Look at the Lunar Eclipse...

Here is a brief outline of the effect of the Lunar Eclipse and the area of life it will most likely affect….for a brief outline of the effects of the Solar Eclipse, click on the link or go to the February 2008 Eclipse Overview page.

Lunar eclipse in Virgo

The lunar eclipse on the 21st marks a turning point  - occurring in the sign of Virgo, it is the last eclipse in the Pisces-Virgo series that we have been seeing in the last few years and so, is symbolic of the transition into the Aquarius-Leo family of eclipses.

Consider this your last chance to take care of any unfinished business from the last eclipse back in September 2007, particularly matters related to mind-body health, service to others, the balance between spiritual contemplation on one hand, and spiritual practise, on the other and how to integrate the two, possibly through ritual.

Lunar eclipses highlight the feminine aspect and are therefore likely to involve women, mothers and revolve around lunar issues, such as birth, family, the home, diet & nourishment, instincts, knee-jerk responses and daily routine.

It is worth noting that the planet of duty, responsibility, manifestation and mastery, Saturn, will be conjunct the Moon as it is eclipsed by the Sun. The lunar eclipse is therefore likely to take on a slightly heavier emotional quality than it might otherwise have. Any changes made now are likely to be longer-lasting and have a more profound impact because of the weight of Saturn, which in traditional astrology, is the planet considered closest to the gods because it is was the highest planetary sphere in the Platonic cosmos. Saturn can also add a bit of a gloomy and more serious tone to affairs which means that some of you may experience fleeting depression. Fortunately, because the Moon moves so quickly, this shouldn't last for very long. If you are feeling a little glum, it is probably worth putting off important decisions until the mood passes when you'll be able to see things a bit more objectively.

Another reason you may want to take your time is that the Moon will also be making a positive aspect to Pluto, planet of transformation. Pluto, which has just moved into the early degrees of Capricorn, is related to deep and profound change - the type that is gut-wrenching, dramatic and often irrevocable. Pluto is great for purging yourself of pent-up emotion as well as for energetic healing, so try to use it positively to reinvent yourself rather than burn your emotional bridges.

Date:     21 February 2008

Sign:      Virgo

The emphasis in energy is generally inwardly-focused and emotional in nature and concerns how we may wish to be of service to others, or choose to implement plans or blueprints, conduct rituals or plan schedules, look after small pets and take care of health matters.

Virgo is a mutable earth sign and is associated with practicality, detail, healing (especially herbalism), gardening, craftmanship and hard work. Negative Virgo characteristics include: anal retentiveness, being overcritical, verbal carping or nagging, lack of spontaneity, a tendency to avoid making decisions or taking overall responsibility, fussiness and small mindedness.

Moon phase:      Full Moon

The moon was full, signalling endings, culmination points, fulfilment and crisis points. Full moons are often associated with a time of increased emotion too.

Areas of life affected

Below is a list of the likely areas of life highlighted or influenced at this time by the solar eclipse, classified according to sign. You can also cross-reference this by looking at the entry for your rising sign or Ascendant.

Aries
Sixth house of health, personal habits & hygiene, job, work environment, colleagues, employees, trouble-shooting, dealings with the medical profession, occupational health & safety, detailed work or responsibilities  

Taurus
Fifth house of creativity, natural talents, pursuit of pleasure, hobbies, sports, romance, new relationships & sexual involvements, children, pregnancy & childbirth, gambling, the entertainment industry, social popularity (or lack of it)

Gemini
Fourth house of home and domestic life, family members, activities and influences, motherhood and relationships to mothers or primary care-givers, food & nourishment, conditioned responses and ingrained emotional attitudes

Cancer
Third house of communication, speech, thinking, ideas, study (especially early education or school), teaching, siblings and relationships with brothers & sisters, neighbours and one's local community, logic, day-to-day decisions, the intellect and thought processes

Leo
Second house of money & finances, personal wealth, personal resources (including skills) real estate, values, desire for material status or security

Virgo
First house of self-esteem, self-expression, personal decisions or actions, physical appearance, physical vitality, new areas of personal experience

Libra
Twelfth house of the unconscious, hidden activities or things done in seclusion, confinement (and therefore also hospitals, prisons and mental institutions), secrets or private matters, spiritual activities (including meditation, mystical experiences), intuition & dreams, empathy towards others and therefore the caring professions, the creative imagination & escapist tendencies, drugs, self-delusion, neurotic tendencies, the cinema and the acting profession

Scorpio
Eleventh house of friendships, groups, clubs, personal objectives & aspirations, invention & unique insights, detached observation, scientific study, the need for independence or to belong, humanitarian endeavours, taking a stand against misuse of power, the study of alternative or esoteric systems such as astrology, mass communication including the media

Sagittarius
Tenth house of ambition, fame, honours and public life, career or profession, reputation, obligations & responsibilities, desire for power or status, gaining or falling from positions of power, relationships with authority, bosses or government, parents, especially father, political life

Capricorn
Ninth house of expansion, long-distance travel & adventure, higher learning, lecturing, personal, philosophical or religious beliefs, contact with foreign cultures, people or organisations, publishing, the search for meaning, cultural values and trends, the law

Aquarius
Eighth house of sex, power, death, inheritance, taxes, shared resources (including taxes, insurance, alimony), large financial institutions e.g. banks & big business, dramatic personal transformations, antiques, reincarnation, regeneration, psychic abilities, the occult, parapsychology, extremes

Pisces
Seventh house of personal relationships, marriage, enemies, business partnerships, diplomacy and compromise, justice, fairness, balance, desire for social interaction and cooperation, need for peace, harmony and moderation, the reactions of others to personal action

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