“Don’t let what he wants eclipse what you need. He’s very dreamy, but he’s not the sun. You are.” —Cristina Yang, Grey’s Anatomy 10x24
I think about this monologue a lot, and not just because it was Sandra Oh’s last before her character’s exit from Grey’s Anatomy after 10 seasons. Underneath the evocative writing and Oh’s masterful delivery is a powerful way of conceptualizing eclipses.
When eclipses occur, all or part of a luminary — the Sun or Moon depending on whether it’s a solar or lunar eclipse — is obscured from our view on Earth. Many ancient civilizations feared eclipses, and it’s easy to see why. Watching a dazzling Full Moon or brilliant midday Sun become blotted out is objectively terrifying, especially without a modern understanding of the astronomy behind it.
There’s a lunar eclipse in Taurus this Friday, November 19 (or late at night on Thursday, November 18, depending on your timezone). Lunar eclipses can only occur when the Moon is full, so they are associated with many of the same themes as Full Moons: culminations, revelations, breakdowns, breakthroughs. The thing is, they bring about these experiences in an all-consuming way. There’s a reason astrologers say not to manifest during an eclipse. This energy is potent, magnetic, and wholly unpredictable.
So, we’re not manifesting this week (or the next few weeks, to be totally safe). What should we be doing?
This is an excellent moment to step back and reassess. Friday’s eclipse is happening in Taurus, the sign of the Moon’s exaltation. In astrology, the Moon deals with our physical body and emotions. Taurus is associated with how we nourish ourselves, both literally and figuratively. How are you tending to your needs and desires? Better yet, what are your needs and desires? Name them so you can claim them. How have those impulses changed over time, if at all? What (or who) is standing in the way of you fulfilling them?
Answer these prompts and allow yourself time to digest what you uncover. Learning to nourish yourself is a sacred and ongoing journey, not a race to be won.
Today’s Moon: Again, there’s a lunar eclipse this Friday (November 19) in Taurus. All those Full Moon keywords we’ve established over the past few months are still applicable. If your rising sign is in Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, or Aquarius, you are the main character this weekend. You’re welcome/I’m sorry. Look to the houses where Taurus and Scorpio fall in your birth chart, as well as your natal Venus and Mars placements, for more insight into which areas of life will be impacted.
Friday’s eclipse marks the start of eclipse season, which will play out over the next few months, and the precursor to a new eclipse cycle on the Taurus-Scorpio axis. The previous eclipse cycle will conclude with a solar eclipse in Sagittarius in early December. (Eclipses occur on the lunar nodes, which are about to shift from the signs of Gemini-Sagittarius to Taurus-Scorpio. It’s kind of a big deal. I loved Kelsey Rose Tortorice’s breakdown of this “cosmic recalibration.”)
This eclipse in Taurus is happening opposite Mercury and Mars in Scorpio, the latter of which is well-armed in its domicile. The vibe is bitter, and the revelatory nature of eclipses, plus this eclipse’s Scorpionic signature, means confrontations could get dicey. Remember how I mentioned not manifesting? Consider carving out some alone time this weekend to meditate, journal, brood, draft angry emails, shit-talk in the group chat with trusted friends — whatever lets you safely flex that stinger.
Also of note: It’s occurring in the same sign where Uranus has been hanging out for the long-haul, and its ruler, Venus, is juuust coming out of a trine to Uranus. Bank on shake-ups to the status quo, but know that these disruptions are in the interest of more just, harmonious dynamics.
Favorite astro content: With Transgender Day of Remembrance on the brain, I gave this excellent episode of The Astrology Podcast a re-listen. I highly recommend it, as well as anything Michael J. Morris (@cowitchcraftofferings) posts.
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