We are having a Total Lunar Eclipse in Leo on January 31st. These eclipses are also referred to as ‘Blood Moons’ due to the reddish color that occurs, and interestingly this is also a ‘Blue Moon’ as it will be the second Full Moon of the calendar month of January. And last but not least, this Full Moon eclipse will also be a ‘Supermoon’ which occurs when Full Moon’s are closer to the Earth causing them to appear bigger. This combination of all 3 things hasn’t occurred in North America in over 150 years. However, it did occur in Eastern parts of the world on the lunar eclipse on December 30th 1982 which was a Blue Moon outside of North America.
Unlike a Total Solar Eclipse, like the one we had on August 21st, Total Lunar Eclipses are visible over a larger geographical region wherever the Moon is above the horizon. This is because it is created by the shadow of the Earth as opposed to the shadow of the Moon which is much smaller. The entire Total Lunar Eclipse process lasts over 5 hours, however, the Full Eclipse lasts for an hour and sixteen minutes. Click here to if it will be visible in your location.
Eclipses occur every 6 months, usually in a series of 2 with a Lunar and Solar eclipse happening back to back, but in some cases we can also have 3 occur in a series. They happen when we have a New Moon or Full Moon near where the path of the Moon meets the ecliptic, which is the apparent path of the Sun from our Earth based perspective. These points are known as the Lunar Nodes. The closer to the nodes they occur, then the more totality the eclipse will have. We will also be having a Solar Eclipse in Aquarius on February 15th, which will be a partial eclipse as this New Moon will be further away from the nodes from this lunar eclipse.
Astrologically, eclipses reflect changes and shifts in our lives which could start in the weeks or month prior, but they can also play out over the six months following until the next series of eclipses. Symbolically, eclipse season can be seen as starting and ending a chapter in our lives, with some eclipse periods reflecting that much more profoundly than others.
Lunar Eclipse In Leo Conjunct Ceres
Eclipses in the Leo-Aquarius polarity began almost a year ago, but this energy started to increase even more so when the Lunar Nodes moved into these signs in May, which was followed by the Summer eclipses in those signs as well. The North Node, which is in Leo, points towards an energy in which we need to learn to express in new ways. The South Node, which is in Aquarius, reflects aspects of that sign that is not serving us and we need to move beyond.
Leo is about tapping into what brings us joy, being in our heart, our creative self-expression, leading, and tapping into what makes us great and unique. This sign is also associated with children, hobbies, romance, sports, performing arts, and what we do for fun. It is possible that for some people that things which started in the summer related to these energies may be culminating at this time.
This eclipse is aligned with Ceres, which is part of the asteroid belt and is classified as a minor planet. It brings its themes into this current eclipse period and over the coming months. Ceres is a feminine and motherly energy associated with the way we nurture ourselves and others. It is also connected to our inner needs, self-care, and doing what is good for us and our loved ones which sometimes could involve some sort of sacrifice. Ceres also rules over food, nutrition, fertility, and agriculture, and could even be connected to eating disorders and overcoming them.
Lunar Eclipse Quincunx Neptune and Opposing Venus and Sun In Aquarius
This eclipse is in a quincunx aspect with Neptune which is in a semi-sextile aspect with the Sun conjunct Venus in Aquarius. Neptune here can amplify the sacrifice theme of Ceres, however, we need to be cautious of self sacrificing at the expense of our inner needs and self nurturing. Circumstances around our relationships, friends, groups, colleagues, and social network is where this has the potential to play out.
We may need to decide what needs to be sacrificed in order to help us find more joy and to better take care of ourselves or those in our personal lives. Neptune here can also bring challenges related to confusion, deception, illness, escapism, or being too caught up in an illusion instead of what is real. Externally in our relationships, delusional or flaky behaviour could also be a source of challenges and need for adjustments.
Saturn In Capricorn Combined With Leo and Ceres
Saturn is still fresh in its sign of Capricorn which started near the winter solstice. This can ultimately be a time of restructuring, redefining, as well as laying foundations connecting to our careers, ambitions, and long term goals. However, considering the Leo emphasis at this time, a big part of this is to fulfill our ambitions in a way that brings us joy and is heart centred. It is about being in alignment with what it is that we truly want instead of being in our heads and just blindly going for the hustle.
Going back to the Ceres themes mentioned above, this heavenly body is very similar to the sign of Cancer which is the opposite of Capricorn. Nurturing our inner needs, our personal lives, and our heart’s desires is an important factor to consider as we build structures and lay foundations in our lives over the next few years.
Things To Consider At This Time
What is your heart’s desire, what is it that you want to create? How can you better take care of yourself and the challenges in your personal life? How can you apply and shine in your gifts and talents in a way that is a true reflection of who you are? What changes should you make to your nutritional intake in order to feel more sustained, healthy, and to help you to be a much more effective conduit of your creative expression and higher self?
These are just some examples of what could be coming up, but not limited to them either. If you decide to use this energy to intentionally release something from your life, it is best to start that after the Moon starts to wane prior to the peak of the Eclipse, or even over the following two weeks. The exact moment of the peak will be at 1:27pm Universal Time on January 31st. You can click here to see what that is for your time zone. For the exact timeline of the eclipse, click here.
Have you listened to my recent interview on the all new Collective Evolution Podcast? We spoke about astrology in general as well as some of the stuff going on in 2018 and beyond. Check it out here.