Image Credit: NASA Photo Gallery
April 15.2014
Full Moon in Libra
3:42a.m. (EDT)
Total Lunar Eclipse Begins 3:07am (EDT)
The Moon is Full in the early morning hours of April 15th in the astrological sign of Libra with a total Lunar Eclipse punctuating the energetic experience. This combination offers the potential for some very powerful and deep spiritual work.
A Lunar Eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the shadow of the Earth as it is lit from behind by the Sun. The usual orbit of the Moon is just far enough off the Earth/Solar plane that the Moon makes its journey avoiding the shadow of the Earth casts. The eclipse places the Sun directly behind the Earth as the Moon moves into the position within Earth’s shadow. This early morning eclipse will be a Total Eclipse meaning that the Moon passes through the entirety of the Earth’s shadow from 3:07am to 4:25am. The refraction of light occurring from the filtering of earth’s atmosphere as light shines directly from the Sun behind the earth causes a natural progression of changing the moon’s coloring from the creamy white of a normal Full Moon to a reddish brown coloring of the moon as the eclipse event takes place. The Moon returns to its milky whiteness as She basks in the full shining of Sun upon her face.
For lots of great information about eclipses and, in particular this eclipse go to: mreclispse.com. This site has everything you want to know about the astronomy of Solar and Lunar Eclipses.
If we consider the spiritual implications of the eclipse energy we are able to call upon the energies of Will (Sun), Manifestation and Foundation (Earth) and intuitive Heart (Moon). In the placement of the Lunar Eclipse, Earth receives the direct outpouring of the sun’s energy as its reflective back light of emanation towards the Moon’s surface. Divine Will (our Spiritual Sun) is brought to a place of manifest and practical use as we, as physical beings, are especially enlivened by its solar principle and dynamic of energy.
The reflection of this shadow of light emanates out towards the moon in her phase of fullness through the filter of Earth (and opportunity to bring it to manifestation). This refraction of sun’s light refines the matters of heart and quickens in a subtle yet profound way of application as it passes through the earth shadow of our form imbuing the Full Moon energy with the hidden resources of what lay at our inner sun’s core. Drawing this light shadow that holds the mysteries of our internal lunarscape into the intuitive waters that flow in the intermittent dimming (the frequency of the Lunar Eclipses) of its full potential provides the space of accessing those qualities that strengthen the aspects of our manifest nature that lay in the shadows and enliven these by emotional and intuitive insight so they may be used in a more practical manner as they are brought to the fullness of their potential. Who we are in the strength (Sun) of our manifest form (Moon) and the will we call forth empowers these deep waters of our intuitive nature (Moon).
Now, add the astrological component. The Moon is Full in the Cardinal sign Libra. Libra is depicted as the Scales of balance. Refinement and love of the intellectual nature of calibrating the scales of balance to maintain that balance is the type of mental gymnastics the Air (Intellect/mind) sign of Libra enjoys. The Full Moon ushers in the highest potential and peak of whatever energy it is reflecting, so heart infused by refined emotions and intuition honed by informed trial and error are at hand.
The emphasis of balance that Libra exerts is enhanced by this Total Lunar Eclipse. The polarities of Male (Sun) and Female (Moon) that are present in the opposition of Sun and Moon that occurs during a full moon are both subdued in their synthesis at the level of manifestation(Earth). In this case, the extremes of the natural flow of Sun and Moon are brought to the mid-point of Earth, standing as synthesizer of the two. This is the purposeful and modulated conversation between a pair of opposites (Sun and Moon) that has similar goal and each is willing to compromise (Libra) in its application and civilized assertion of its needs and desires so that something reflecting the harmonious (Libra) values of each may be initiated (Cardinal Modality) towards manifest form (Earth).
In spiritual working, making full use of these varied dynamics of a Full Moon and a Lunar Eclipse offers opportunity to reshape and refine what we think about those qualities of heart that lie just below the surface of what we normally express to inform our human experience. This action allows the calling forth of the informed intent to bring them into a state of balance and harmonious expression in our daily affairs. And, all works collaboratively in a balanced state knowing that strength of Divine Will (Sun) continually flows in support as the back lighting for the ebb and flow (Moon) of these energies as the foundational (Earth) work that the shadow of our inner creative Will to Manifest brings to the surface.
Other Resources:
NASA/Eclipses
First Total Lunar Eclipse of 2014: The Complete Skywatcher’s Guide
Temple of the Cosmic Spheres 