On Monday, December 14th, 2020, a solar eclipse is happening at 23º of Sagittarius. Eclipses add power and intensity to a lunation — and this one will certainly be no exception. Considering this is the last lunar cycle of 2020, it seems appropriate for this unprecedented year go out with a bang, so to speak.
Late last month we had a partial lunar eclipse in Gemini on November 30th, when the Moon was conjunct the North Node in Gemini. The theme of that Full Moon was about the future — because the North Node is concerned with all things future-oriented — it’s the direction we’re moving towards, the point to which we’re evolving. The upcoming solar eclipse in Sagittarius will be a total solar eclipse, and the only total eclipse of 2020. This total eclipse will only be visible in parts of South America — in Chile and Argentina — but it will most certainly be felt around the world.
The Sun will conjunct the South Node during the eclipse. This represents the theme of the past. The message of this eclipse is incredibly poignant for this time in our history. It’s calling us to reflect not only on our most recent past, but on the entirety of our lives in many ways, and even further, on the entire life cycle of our culture and society. Because we have to ask ourselves: what is being eclipsed? And what new cycle is trying to be born?
By nature of this eclipse occurring in the sign of Sagittarius, we are being called to ask — and seek to answer — these questions in the deepest and most meaningful of ways, searching to the core of our souls to understand what is unfolding around us, and how do to extract the highest truth and wisdom from this moment. That’s pretty profound. We’re being asked to put on our philosopher’s cap here, to formulate and articulate our deepest held beliefs and values, our personal sense of right and wrong, the direction of our moral compass. Think of the Archer — the symbol of Sagittarius — attempting to aim his philosophical arrows.
When I think about that image, I’m reminded of “Archer Pose” in Kundalini Yoga. It requires a wide and firm stance, where you’re rooted in your core. There’s a dynamic tension as you emulate the power of the bow string being pulled back to its greatest point of tension. There’s a laser-like focus on the target — one-pointed, concentrated, unwavering. You have to be able to hold that focus, hold that tension — without tension! Because there’s a relaxation in it. There’s a calmness to the rhythm of your breath. There’s a knowing, a certainty of your conviction, a complete and utter focus on your target. Then, at the perfect moment — phwww — you release the arrow. And if your aim is true, you hit the target of your desire.
This feels like an apt metaphor to meditate on with this total solar eclipse coming up in Sagittarius. Where can we stand firm in our deeply held convictions about ourselves? What are the targets for our near-term future? How can we hold and balance the required tension necessary to achieve a maximum of focus on our goals? How can we stay calm under pressure so that we can intuitively know the exact moment to release our arrow and hit our desired target?
Intuition is the great gift of Sagittarius. We all have it somewhere in our charts. We all have an area of our lives—a field of our experience—where our intuition is strongest. So I encourage you to find out where in your chart this eclipse will fall. Where is 23º of Sagittarius for you? Is it in your 10th House of career? Is it in your 7th House of relationships? What area of your life are you being called upon to zero in with laser-like focus and take aim at your loftiest goals? Where are you your own best philosopher, teacher, mentor, guru? How can you best utilize those gifts to achieve your life purpose? And how can you use those talents to help others?
There’s a lot of other things that we can say about this eclipse. When we consider it in relation to this entire year of 2020 — to all the personal, social and political upheavals of the time we’re living in — there are many ideas and concepts worth exploring. On the broadest level, what is being “eclipsed” here is an entire era. It’s highly unlikely that we are ever gonna return “normal,” to “life as we knew it” before the pandemic.
We’re already talking about a pre-COVID and post-COVID world. And that’s valid. It’s in keeping with the astrological symbolism. If we’re awake and attuned to the flow of the energy that’s currently swirling around us at this time, we get the sense of the proverbial calm in the eye of the storm. There’s a moment of grace. And in that moment, we realize: we don’t want to go back to the way it was. Many of us were deeply concerned that it wasn’t working anyway. Now, it’s as if we are being offered a glimpse of the silver lining that lies beyond the dark cloud that has been 2020. And there’s a real opportunity waiting for us all on the other side of this eclipse.
So do yourself a favor. On Monday, December 14th, take a few moments out of your day, and meditate on this metaphor. Get deeply rooted in your highest truth and take aim at your most cherished goals. Formulate a vision for your future. And let’s let the lessons of 2020 serve as additional arrows in our quivers, as the ammunition that we’re using to fuel our ambitions to build a better and brighter future — for ourselves, for our loved ones and for the entire planet. Sound like a plan? All right. See you on the other side!
