There’s a total Lunar eclipse on the 27th at 4 Aries 40, beginning at 5:11 PM Pacific time when the Moon is still below the horizon in that Western time zone; it reaches maximum at 7:47 PM PDT, though my software shows it completing closer to 7:50 PM, which is the chart I used. The eclipse is completely over by 10:22 PM Pacific. As you know, a Lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and Moon, with a Total eclipse caused by the perfect alignment of all three bodies along the ecliptic. The Earth blocks the light of the Sun from reflecting off the Moon; still some light from the Sun passes through the Earth’s atmosphere, which bends it toward the Moon, with most colors of the spectrum blocked or scattered (known as Rayleigh scattering) and red the only color that makes it through. This gives the Moon a reddish hue during a total eclipse, prompting the descriptor, ‘Blood Moon’.

This is also a Super Moon, which is the point on the Moon’s orbit when it’s closest to the Earth, known as perigee, making it appear larger from our vantage point, especially when it’s near the horizon. As to those end times prophecies about this combination being an unprecedented event (including the way we’ve had a series of these, not just one), check out this overview and scroll down to ‘Media Attention and Critics’ to see why it’s much ado.

This Full Moon is opposed Juno and Black Moon Lilith, is squine to Pallas (that’s an aspect halfway between a square and a trine, 105 degrees, that carries contradictory influences), sesquiquadrate to Venus, in wide square to Saturn, and in conjunction to Vesta. Full Moons are endings, culminations, conclusions–but as we know, in the endings lie the seeds of beginnings, and an eclipse goes one better, promising obliteration–in this case, obliteration of the emotions or short-circuiting the intuitive flow (Moon), specifically those things related to our highest values, or the home or mate (Vesta), by material considerations (the Earth), with the aspects describing how this will play out.

The Lunar eclipse conjunct Vesta, both in Aries, suggests that old values and priorities, especially those based on emotion or that have been passed down without examination, will be eclipsed through the mechanism of the material world; new leaders will be looked to, and independence and assertiveness may gain prominence. The individual cause may become paramount within the home, in the mate relationship, or in the causes to which we dedicate our energy; with this latter, what we get out of our commitment, and what we can do to make it happen, become the prime motivating forces (Vesta in Aries).

What causes the change is symbolized by the Sun (which casts the light that makes the eclipse phenomenon visible in the first place) and its conjunction to Juno and Black Moon Lilith. What triggers the change is a personal need for empowerment or to establish status, with this need motivated by matters hidden, ignore, denied, or that bring rage to the surface. The contact to Pallas suggests this can be wise and practical, but also impractical or unwise, all at once, perhaps in a ‘means vs. ends’ way, and the contacts to Saturn and Venus imply the reality picture may not be easily altered, while the effects of what transpires will be tough on relationships and/ or finances.

The Sabian for the eclipse is, ‘A Triangle With Wings’. This tells us that anything ‘in balance’, but most especially that which is Vestal and in balance (so related to the home, the mate, or the causes to which we’re dedicated) will be elevated, or perhaps set free, by what transpires with the eclipse. When we look at the Sun symbol, we get, ‘A Man Revealing To His Students The Foundation Of An Inner Knowledge Upon Which A “New World” Could Be Built’. This is the idea of revelation, of realization, and suggests that what we ‘see’ at the eclipse, literally or psychically, shows us the possibilities, where those wings can take us.

Generally, what we find at the eclipse is that we will be motivated to look after our own interests, to listen to the still, small voice within (as Edgar Cayce used to say), in order to blaze a new path as the potentials are revealed to us. We will see an assessment and re-establishing of our own Vestal priorities–and from this, all other changes emanate.

This is a great time to learn more about your Vesta–see my new book here–it covers all the signs and placements, offers lots of examples of Vesta active in the life, discusses possible origins of Vestal symbolism, and gives questions and exercises that will help reveal Vesta’s role in your life.