Ahhhh....

Finally, the dust has settled and the skies seem much clearer than they have for weeks.

The infusion of energy with last week's Lunar Eclipse was enormous and quite profound. Yesterday was the first day I felt and saw the light that was promised on the other side of the tunnel we entered last week. And based on how it feels and looks from here, the tunnel was worth it.

Adequate rest seems to be very important now. Holding this higher vibration is easier in the morning hours. You may notice that buoyancy of heart and step comes more readily early in the day. As we get into the afternoon and evening hours, we become increasingly aware of the physical body's need to restore itself through sleep. Last night after dinner I went to lie down to take a nap at about 7pm, and fell sound asleep, finally getting up at 11:30pm to "officially" go to bed.

In some ways, it looks like the same world. But in substantial ways, it feels very different internally. And that's the key to the castle door, is it not?

And the aftermath

For Wednesday's Lunar Eclipse being only a partial eclipse, it seems to have packed a whallop.

Thursday I felt sleepy all day, by afternoon barely being able to keep my eyes propped open, and feeling lightheaded all evening. Today's much the same, with very little focusing power.

It seems to be true that when the frequency on the planet is raised, it takes a while for our physical bodies to adjust. And yet, not everyone feels these things, which always raises the question, Why?

It may be that clues can be found in our astrological charts. Wednesday's eclipse was square my Mercury, so the corresponding fogginess and lack of brain power makes sense, since Mercury represents our logical thought processes.

And, since that Sabian symbol for the eclipse had to do with entering a tunnel, perhaps symbolically that is what is occurring. Our senses take a while to adjust when we enter a tunnel -- we can't see clearly because the light is dimmed, every sound has a little echo attached, even the air feels different to our skin and our lungs. Depending on how long this particular tunnel is, our senses will either adjust rather quickly, or we'll soon be emerging out the other side into the bright sunlight again.

In the meantime, a good snooze may be the best solution! We do a lot of assimilating of new information while we're asleep, and our physical bodies are able to recover more readily, too.

I've just convinced myself... Time for a nap.

Anticipation and intention

With tomorrow's Lunar Eclipse less than 24 hours away, already the other-worldly feeling has become predominant. The beginnings of this shift actually began yesterday (Monday), with an emergence from the tension of the previous days as we released the patterns represented therein.

Rational thought takes a backseat during such times of energy shift. The brain feels foggy, the heart takes precedence. There may not be much of a practical nature accomplished over the next few days, when what can potentially be achieved of a spiritual nature is paramount.

The Sabian symbol for tomorrow's eclipse, "A train entering a tunnel," fills us great expectations. We imagine the tunnel to have the qualities of a worm hole in space, transporting us magically to another reality. And while the rational mind doubts this possibility, who is to say what opportunities are before us?

I am in the middle of reading another Barbara Marciniak book, and am appreciating her suggestions for statements of intention. Making these kinds of statements during tomorrow's eclipse, to focus the direction of our journey, will be especially powerful.

Imagine that once having entered the tunnel, the place where you emerge will be decided by what intentions you hold firmly within your mind and heart. This is a powerful time indeed.

Here are a few of my favorites from Marciniak's book:

As a request: "Spirit, I am wishing to be employed by you. Put me to work and show me what I can do. Give me the opportunity to live my life, to speak my truth, and to carry this light around the globe."

To raise our frequency: "Use the pillar of light. Visualize a pillar of light coming in through the top of your head, opening your crown, and filling your body with light. Picture this cosmic pillar of light coming from the higher cosmos, filling you, and then coming out your solar plexus and making a ball of light around your body so that you exist within a glowing etheric egg."

As a statement of intention: "I want to accelerate my personal evolution. I want Spirit to assist me in a greater capacity. I want my body to regenerate itself. I am willing to give up difficulty so I can be a living example of what humanity can be."

The Lunar Eclipse is exact tomorrow (Wednesday, August 5) at 5:55pm PDT.

See you on the other side!

Pluto strikes again

I don't know about anyone else, but today's Pluto-Venus opposition is definitely making itself known, and not in ways that feel particularly good. Perhaps it's because Venus is quite strong in my chart -- ruler of my Sun (Taurus) and also ruler of my Ascendant (Libra), plus being in mutual reception with my Mercury, so strongly influencing my thinking patterns.

I just picked up my new issue of The Mountain Astrologer to read the forecast for today, looking for a bit of grounding. Here's what it says about the Pluto-Venus opposition today:

"Sweet Venus in caring Cancer meets the Big Bad Wolf of Plutonian desire, manipulation, and control. Unease in relationships may cause withdrawal and resentment. Yet, partnered or single, we can use this time to face the dark fears of dissatisfaction and rejection with tender care for our wounds and total commitment to change. The pendulum is ready to swing us away from our insecurities and toward deeper fulfillment."

I must say that "the dark fears of dissatisfaction" and the accompanying insecurities are definitely in my face today! But I'm also well aware that part of the healing is compassion for self and the willingness to accept the dark along with the light -- a very Plutonian lesson.

Hopefully, since Mercury enters Virgo tomorrow (Sunday) and Pluto trines Mercury on Monday, we'll soon be able to take a step back from the emotional complexity of our feelings and to wrap our minds around the larger lessons. Virgo is very adept at analyzing and knowing what needs to be done for healing to take place. And with Pluto in Capricorn in positive aspect to Mercury, we should be able to use Capricorn's objectivity as a helpful tool rather than as an instrument of torture!

Standing in the lobby

Everything seems to be moving in slow motion this week. Even the weather in our area is contributing to the desire not to move or do anything strenous. Today was in the high 90s, which is very rare in the Pacific Northwest. And tomorrow is forecast to be 101 degrees in Seattle, an all-time heat record.

Energetically, this period between the Solar Eclipse on July 21 and the Lunar Eclipse on August 5 feels like we're in the lobby, bags in hand, waiting for our hotel room to be ready. There's really nothing to do but wait and take advantage of the chance to sit down for a while. After all, the journey's been a bit rocky lately, so it's important to take a few minutes (days) to pause and remember what a deep breath feels like.

No doubt the opposition between Mercury and the Neptune-Chiron-Jupiter conjunction is part of what we're feeling. Mercury rules our mental faculties and our day-to-day activities -- and being opposed by the Triad puts a big STOP sign right in front of us. It's not meant to be frustrating, but it is intended to help us detach from the need to be constantly active. Perhaps this is primarily an adjustment time, allowing our bodies to catch up with all the energy shifts that have occurred in the past three weeks. And one of the side benefits is that solutions to problems often appear more readily when we're not trying so hard to find them.

Take full advantage of any lull you may find this week. Get extra sleep, take good care of your physical needs, drink lots of water, enjoy being outside and find time to relax. The activity associated with next week's Lunar Eclipse will come soon enough.

In the aftermath

The energy from Tuesday's Solar Eclipse has been very interesting! All that day, it was hard for me to really feel motivated and to focus on anything for very long, and from what I hear, that was true for others as well. I ended up going to bed at 8 p.m., which is unusually early.

It feels a bit like a different reality is settling in, although the tangible evidence is sparse. Perhaps with this being the middle eclipse of three, it truly represents that midway point in a much larger shift. It doesn't yet feel grounded, and perhaps won't until the Lunar Eclipse on August 5/6.

It's interesting that there were auroras on Tuesday night, when none had been predicted. Here's what SpaceWeather.com had to say about that this morning:

"[The auroras] began when a seemingly minor solar wind stream hit Earth's magnetic field. The minor hit turned into a not-so-minor display because a crack opened in the Earth's magnetic field, allowing solar wind to pour in and fuel the storm. Northern Lights descended as far south as the Dakotas, Montana, Iowa and Wisconsin. The solar wind is still blowing, but the crack has closed, bringing an end to the lights."

I find it quite intriguing that Mother Earth chose to create an opening in her magnetic field on the night of the Solar Eclipse, when the impulse of energy for change was so strong. No wonder we feel that something big has occurred, and that there's a sense of waiting for the new form to manifest.

One other "side benefit" of this eclipse energy -- and appropriate, since the eclipse was in Cancer -- is a heightened sensitivity and stronger emotional response. It may be hard right now to keep the irritations and hurt feelings in perspective. But remember, we're in completion mode with this eclipse being in the final degree of Cancer, and so there may be several levels of emotional debris coming to the surface to be released. To stay in balance, it may help to ground our energy into Mother Earth, to consciously release the debris, and then to fill the space that is left with light.

The Solar Eclipse -- A change in perception

We saw five sharp-shinned hawks this morning.

We live not far from St. Edward State Park, and every morning walk there with our dogs. On this eclipse morning as we were walking, I saw ahead something on the ground -- and as we got closer, the "something" flew up into the trees. A few steps further, and three winged ones flew from one tree to another. Then, finally, as we were very near that tree, five hawks took flight.

And now, reaching for my "Medicine Cards" book, I opened directly to the chapter on Hawk. Here is what I now read:

"Hawk is the Messenger. Hawk teaches us to be observant, to look at our surroundings. The shrillness of Hawk's call pierces the state of unawareness and asks us to seek the truth.

"Hawk's messages are to be aware of the signals in our lives, to notice and receive them. Hawk also calls us to circle over our lives, to examine them from a higher perspective."

The fact that there were five hawks (or at least that was how many we saw) brings in the element of change. Numerologically, Five is about versatility, expansion and flexibility -- all qualities we need when moving from one state of being to another.

This being the day of the Solar Eclipse, it makes sense that it is a time for being flexible in our perceptions, opening our sight beyond the obvious, and seeing the higher perspective. And eclipses are usually energetic turning points, opening new doorways and initiating change.

Perhaps this morning's message from Hawk will become even more clear as the days ahead unfold.

If you have an eclipse story to share, please comment!