Eclipses and Manifestation
Why it’s inauspicious to initiate things on an Eclipse: an Electional Astrology Perspective. From an Electional Standpoint, we are purposefully picking a chart for a new venture we are trying to start, that is meaningful to us. When we initiate something a chose a particular time, we are imprinting the omens of the sky, the astrology, onto our venture we chose to embark on. When you chose to manifest, set intentions, etc. this is a form of “election” because you’re choosing a particular moment in time to do a particular event. Eclipses are a special type of lunation (A Solar Eclipse being a New Moon, and a Lunar Eclipse being a Full Moon) where the Sun, Moon, and Earth align in a very particular way where the light from the Sun does not reach Earth due to the Moon’s shadow crossing directly in front of the Sun (Solar Eclipse) causing the sun to turn black, or the Earth’s shadow completely covers the sunlight from reaching the Moon, as a result causing the Moon to turn red.
Solar Eclipse Photolapse
Lunar Eclipse Photolapse
Depending on which Eclipse this is, eclipses are moments in time when the luminaries lights are cut off, and this was seen to be a bad omen by the ancient astrologers, and other cultures across the world. Think of it as a power outage; the Moon is cutting off the light of the Sun, and the Earth cuts off the light from reaching the Moon. This means, when we initiate something on an Eclipse, we’re “electing” a time to do something during a time of severing and blocking. The Sun and the Moon are regarded as the life-giving forces in Astrology in the chart. Luminaries are essential for life on Earth. The Sun provides heat and warmth, whereas the Moon regulates the seasons via its gravitational pull. In the Natal Chart, the Sun was seen as the emitter of heat to allow things to grow, and the Moon was seen as the receiver of this light/heat and talks about the function of reception of nutrients to feel nourished and the ability to grow. They are vital parts of our chart because they represent the energy our will has to act, and the ability of us to receive the will of the world and of others. Action and reception are the Sun and Moon.
Here are Vettius Valens’ significations of the Sun and Moon from Anthology:
Sun: “In a nativity, the all-seeing sun, nature’s fire, and intellectual light, the organ of mental perception, indicates kingship, rule, intellect, intelligence, beauty, motion, loftiness of fortune […] action, authority over the masses” - (Vettius Valens, Anthology, Book I, Chapter I. Mark Riley Trans.)
Moon: “The moon, lit by the reflection of the sun’s light and possessing a borrowed light, in a nativity indicates man’s life, body, the mother, conception, appearance, sight, living together, nurture […] fortune, the city, the assembly of the people, gains, expenses, the household, voyages, travel, and wanderings…” - (Vettius Valens, Anthology, Book I, Chapter I. Mark Riley Trans.)
These are just some of the major significations of the Sun and Moon. You’ll notice the distinction between the intangibility and the idea of the spirit, will, and idea of consciousness being associated with the Sun, since it illuminates light, and the Moon being the principle of fortune, representing circumstances, our physicality (with the body), fluctuations (signified by travel, expenses, etc).
When we talk about Eclipses, Solar Eclipses can be inauspicious because our symbolic life force and vitality are being cut off and weakened by the Moon, being changes in our circumstances stripping us of our ability to act or exerting our will. If the Moon has a power outage, it is a Lunar Eclipse, where the Earth prevents the Moon from being able to receive the light of the Sun, and because the Moon is all about cycles, habits, and the principle of reception: our ability to receive can be blocked. The principle of Solar and Lunar Eclipses is that our ability to emit and receive energy (light) is being obscured and thus it is inauspicious to begin an event. The concept of the Luminaries being maltreated is not a concept exclusive to Eclipses though. Take a look at the Detriment of the Sun and Fall of the Moon: no planets are exalted in Aquarius, because if the Sun is not dignified it means there is an exacerbation of barrenness in a Saturn ruled sign; and if the Moon, signifying growth and development, is in it’s depression, nothing can be exalted where the Moon is in a state of decay or corruption.
The nature of Eclipses is not growth-oriented, and as a result whatever is started may not last or follow through because the motions of the planets do not move towards a state of increase or continuous growth. Since eclipses are blockages and represent severing, if you want to use Eclipses as elections for severing ties with someone/something, then that can potentially have an auspicious outcome because the nature of your elected event is lining up with the nature of astrological (and astronomical) event taking place. I personally recommend, when trying to initiate endings during Eclipses, to proceed with caution, because Eclipse energy can be dramatic, unpredictable, and it is a point where we are low on energy, so we may not even have enough physical or spiritual strength to use our will to bring something into existence. Even on the day of Eclipses, it’s important to not plan anything and to just allow yourself to rest. Rest is super important because Eclipses can drain a person of their energy, especially if it is angular (in the 1st, 4th, 7th, or 10th Houses).
If we take into consideration that the Sun and Moon represent our vitality (on a spiritual and fortunate level, spirit relating to nous, and Fortune relating to physical matter), our vitality and energy source is being cut off. My analogy for energy levels for Eclipses is when you’re trying to have an Hour-Long Zoom Call while your phone is at 10% and you have no charger in sight. Should you really take that conference call? Or should you let your phone charge? It’s important to conserve your energy during Eclipses as much as possible that way you can “recharge” your physical and spiritual battery.
