Of Swords and Torches
On November 8, 2022 there will be a total lunar eclipse. This is caused when the earth passes between the Moon and the Sun. The earth’s shadow blocks the sunlight from the Moon. What makes this eclipse particularly intriguing in the United States is that it is occurring on Mid-Term Election Day in the same year of the United States Pluto Return. Adding to the drama this will be a Beaver Blood Moon which gets its namesake from the fact that in November beavers begin to actively take shelter in their lodges in preparation for the winter, gathering up sufficient food storage for the long winter ahead. The reddish color, though ominous, is simply a result of the scattering of sunlight through the earth’s atmosphere, similar to what happens during sunsets that appear red. This eclipse is dripping with symbolism…
As if this isn’t enough, in checking the Sabian Symbol for Taurus 16 degrees 1 minute where the eclipse is taking place (and the opposing zodiacal degree Scorpio 16 degrees 1 minute) we gain further insight into this widely analyzed astrological event of 2022. Let’s look at the interpretation of Taurus 16:01 as provided by Lynda Hill author of the book “The Sabian Oracle: 360 Degrees of Wisdom”:
A battle between the swords and the torches
This Symbol shows a battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil. Although we all have our own ideas of right and wrong, this Symbol shows a desire to go head-to-head in an attempt to bring light and love to situations that seem dark or foreboding. Often, there is a struggle between one’s practical needs and the underlying reasons for having those needs. You may find yourself sometimes caught up in what you are trying to achieve and have lost sight of why. There’s often corruption around, but the endeavor to bring ‘enlightenment’ to people often meets with severe resistance. Witness the stranglehold the media has on information.
As we contemplate the aspects this eclipse will be making to other planets, the synchronicity screams out loudly – highlighting the enormously challenging times we are living in. At the moment of the eclipse, it will be conjunct (within 1 degree) Uranus, which possesses the archetypal energies of rebellion, individuality, and “enlightenment”- read torches. This seems to be an exclamation point to the Sabian Symbol for Taurus 16 degrees 1 minute, echoing the torch… bringing light to the dark places. At this same moment the eclipse point will be square to Saturn, which possesses the archetypal energies of fear, authority, and “control” – read swords. Squares represent a struggle, friction, or a battle that pushes for a resolution.
Looking briefly at the other side of this Eclipse we see the Sun in Scorpio. What sits opposite of anything in the Zodiac is often referred to as a mirror. In that mirror we often see things that don’t make us particularly comfortable. When the Sun is in Scorpio it’s a time of intensity, confrontation, and bringing the hidden into the light. Scorpio energy is all about transformation and rebirth but more often than not through some type of crisis. Here again we see the synchronicity crackle like lightning, giving us a sudden glimpse of things of which we previously were unaware. Also, just like the Taurus Moon, this Scorpio Sun has a very important conjunction itself… Scorpio Mercury is cazimi, a Medieval astrological term that is used to refer to planets that are so close to a conjunction with the Sun that they are “in the heart” of the Sun. Being its Mercury cazimi we can assume this signaling a moment of great clarity in thought. Mercury is all things cognitive, our communications, understandings, discrimination, and conceptualization.
So, this eclipse becomes a striking celestial marker in time that seems to be forecasting an awakening through the revealing of the hidden things, what lies in the shadows, the secrets. When things become illuminated by the proverbial torch light, we can expect it to be disruptive and met with great resistance. Dare I say, even by the sword. But take heart dear readers, it is all part of some higher purpose. How do I know that? Well, because as above, so below is playing out right before our eyes! The stars are marching lock step with the events you and I are experiencing, offering confirmation that something divine and destined is unfolding. Our job is to stay present, stay grounded in the midst of the clash of the swords and torches.
This leads us back to that mirror. The mirror in this case being the Scorpio Sun at 16 degrees and 1 minute. It is in this reflection that perhaps we can gain some insight into what we should be doing to navigate the electric atmosphere about to be unleashed. Here is where the Sabian Symbol for Scorpio 16 can lend some clarity. Returning to Lynda Hill’s interpretations of these symbols we find the following:
A woman, filled with her own spirit, is the father of her own child
This shows the ability, or the need, to be totally self-sufficient and responsible for one’s life. Often, there’s the issue of single parenthood, or the sense of having to raise yourself without too much input from others, or, coming from a broken family where someone had to take on the role of both mother and father. It can show someone that doesn’t require assistance for even the most complicated tasks, or you feel you can’t ask; perhaps there’s no one to ask or you feel that others couldn’t do anything as well as you. We are all blessed with individual qualities and it is the combination with other individuals that creates greater balance and depth.
What I believe this is telling us is the same symbolic message as the Beaver Blood Moon, be prepared for what is to come by storing up the personal peace and clarity that will be required to traverse the clash of the sword and the torch. It's quite possible you may feel very alone in the days ahead as the world passes through a tremendously transformative time where I believe the shift of power moves to the collective, to the people. There will be struggles, arguments, and battles but in the end, I believe the destination will be worth the journey.
Shanti
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