Don’t Poke the Dragon: Understanding the Mysteries of Eclipses
Eclipses are important cosmic gateways that shape our spiritual journey. They occur when the Sun and Moon align closely with the Earth.
The Moon is the closest planet to Earth; she orbits the Earth, revolves around us, whereas all the other planets, including Earth, go around the Sun. We have a special symbiotic relationship to the Moon.
The nodal axis marks pivotal points in the Moon’s orbit. The North Node is the point where the Moon moves into the highest half of its orbit, and the South Node, Ketu, is the point where it dips down into the lower half of its orbit. When the New Moon or Full Moon is near these nodes a solar or lunar eclipse occurs.
In ancient mythology, these points are often depicted as dragons – symbols of power and transformation. Rahu and Ketu, the lunar nodes, churn the primordial ocean, a fitting image to describe the emotionally chaotic influence of eclipses. While some embrace the dragon’s energy, I approach it with caution, preferring to step back and observe the unfolding influence, rather than seeking to direct it.
Outside of eclipse season this nodal axis quietly works in the background, and if we're not working with it consciously, it tends to come up and bite us in the bum at the eclipse.
Purification and Alignment
Eclipses are powerful times of accelerated change, but I don't play with dragons. Some astrologers and magical practitioners are happy to engage with eclipses, but I'm more cautious, and, see it as an opportunity to step back and let the dragon do its thing.
I tend to use eclipse season as a time for spiritual cleansing and releasing, a chance to assess my current situation. I consider whether my current thoughts, beliefs and actions are moving me closer to what I want—or not. Last eclipse season, I abstained from alcohol to purify my body and mind. I didn’t become enlightened but my sleep quality improved and I continue to drink less than I did before. As the next set of eclipses looms, I contemplate what junk habits and beliefs I can shift, clearing the way for new growth and experiences.
I strongly believe in astrology as more than just a one-way communication and like to think the planets notice my efforts down here on Earth to be the best version of myself that I can be. It's not simply about the planets dictating; we can engage in dialogue, building relationships and conversing with these celestial bodies.
If the planets think you need a kick in the butt though, it’s quite likely to be delivered at an eclipse.
The Wisdom of the Nodes
Eclipses tend to act as portals to new realms of existence. It's reality but not as you know it— maybe you don't even want to know—and the eclipse is a one-way express ticket with your name on it. Eclipses help you to leap into this new reality, sometimes before you feel fully ready.
Around eclipses, we can be overly reactive. There's a sense of urgency sometimes and a tendency to accelerate situations. This hunger and impatience is especially true of a North Node eclipse. South Node eclipses are more about letting go, which challenges us to stop resisting and surrender.
Some astrologers connect the nodes to concepts of fate and karma. Being slightly more basic, I tend to think of the nodes as a shower. The North node is the incoming energy, the cleansing shower head, and the South node is the drain. The North node is said to be hungry and materialistic, whereas the South node is unconscious and leads to spiritual liberation. This imagery can be mistaken as a polarity – most people preferring the rewards of the fresh water over the mysteries of the partially clogged drain.
The nodes are always exactly opposite each other on the zodiacal wheel, so you can't work with one without involving the other (although we tend to favour one end of the dragon at a time).
The Nodal Axis in 2024: Aries and Libra
All through 2024—the nodal axis wobbles around a bit, so I work with the mean node—the North Node is continuing through Aries, and the South Node is moving through Libra. The ‘me versus we’ issues will continue to be in the spotlight, independence versus partnerships, autonomous collaborations, the heroic pursuit of justice.
These themes are especially relevant if you have planets or points in Aries and Libra, and you'll continue to work through those relationship challenges that you've been negotiating in 2024. Of course, we've all got Aries and Libra somewhere in our chart, so we're all continuing to work those themes and going through accelerated learning during eclipse seasons.
My general eclipse motto is: don't poke the dragon. This particular dragon could be your partner, your ex, your enemy, your hero; it could be a competitor or a collaborator, and when you're engaging with this Other, this other person, the We to your Me, it could feel like looking into a funhouse mirror. The reflections can be a bit distorted; there's this tendency to project. It can be positive projection and not owning your own beautiful qualities, or it could be your projecting your shadow self.
The insights shared in this article are based on this except from my 2024 Astrological Forecast on YouTube. Subscribe to my channel for regular updates and in-depth analysis of celestial events and their impact on your life.
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