Eclipse Astronomy
A solar eclipse is the astronomical phenomenon in which the Moon is aligned between the Sun and the Earth, blocking the sun and creating temporary night-like darkness in the daytime. A solar eclipse will occur on a new Moon.
A lunar eclipse is when the Earth is positioned between the Sun and the Moon, so the Earth’s shadow temporarily blocks the light of the full moon.
A solar eclipse
Eclipses happen about every 6 months, but due to various astronomic and geographic factors (outlined in this excellent video) are rarely total eclipses while also visible over populated land masses, as opposed to over the oceans. This makes total eclipses visible to many people relatively rare.
Ancient cultures including the Chinese, Chaldean, Indian, Greek, Persian, Egyptian, Aztec, and Mayan were able to predict eclipses based on their study of the celestial cycles. Almost universally eclipses were considered significant, in general bringing great change, possibly upheaval, and a great awe of cosmic and divine forces.
In ancient Mesopotamian culture the divine light of the king- represented by the sun- being blotted out indicated the end of his rulership or possible death.
Spiritual Meaning of Eclipses
Eclipses are a time for reflection, for spiritual purification and awakening. According to mystic Rudolph Steiner, solar eclipses in particular act as a kind of valve to purge negative energy from the Earth.
The best spiritual purification process that we know of is mystical death and repentance. Mystical death is the attitude and practice of remembering ourselves as consciousness, thereby allowing a separation or distance between the consciousness and the psychological ego.
Repentance, from metanoia “change of mind” means to feel the natural pressure of the consciousness in the heart, in the soul and the mind, which moves us away from egoic patterns. Repentance allows us to definitively stop identifying with the egoic habits of thought, feeling, and action, so that the light of the essence is liberated, little by little.
There is an apocryphal tradition that a solar eclipse occured at Christ’s crucifixion, based on Biblical reference in Matthew 27:45 and others, of the darkness that lasted 3 hours:
“From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lemasabachthani?”
“For the stars of heaven and their constellations
Will not give their light;
The sun will be darkened in its going forth,
And the moon will not cause its light to shine.”
-Isaiah 13:10
Eclipses represent the internal phenomenon of the solar light of our internal Being becoming blocked by our egoic darkness. This is seen in the Arcanum number 21 of the Tarot, sometimes called The Fool, or Transmutation, in the Egyptos Kier deck. The initiate is underground, riding dangerously on a crocodile, and the light of his inner Being above his head is eclipsed. He is temporarily in darkness but must persevere.
Psychological Work with the Eclipse
“This is the part of an eclipse that we must take into account: that the physical eclipse (on any part of the planet) coincides with our spiritual life in eclipse. Then, our Being or Spiritual Sun will not be able to help us with his light because our (psychology) will impede it.”
-Rafael Vargas
“A similar phenomenon (an eclipse) can happen in a spiritual sense, when we allow small and insignificant matters to get so close that they block out the heavenly beauty, warmth, and light of the gospel of Jesus Christ, leaving a cold darkness in its place.”
-Samael Aun Weor
Eclipses will pour out aspects of the dark side of the psychological Moon, the part of our psychology that we can never see without special efforts in meditation, transmutation, and spiritual practices. Eclipses can trigger our deepest spiritual yearnings as we siddently feel and perceive a glimpse into the internal darkness without the Being.
Eclipses occur on a regular yet complex cycle, giving us an opportunity to comprehend the solar and lunar nature within ourselves during these rare cosmic events.