You've heard about it in your horoscope. People are chattering about it on Twitter. The signs of its impact are all around if you know where to look. It's eclipse season, stargazers, the term that the astro community has adopted for this roughly month-long period in which we'll see a total of three eclipses. The first, a partial solar eclipse, arrived on July 13. The second, a total lunar eclipse, will coincide with the July full moon this Friday. Finally, another partial solar eclipse will close out the "season" on August 11. Phew, got all that in your calendar now? Good — here's what it actually means from a spiritual standpoint.
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The idea of experiencing a solar eclipse, then a lunar one, then another solar one might sound disorienting, but writer and practicing witch Julia Penelope says it's actually fortunate that the three eclipses of summer 2018 occur in this order. "Solar eclipses usually signify change, opportunity, and new beginnings, whereas the full lunar eclipse offers us a chance to change our perspective," she explains, adding that the lunar eclipse is an opportunity to process (and prepare for) the shifts brought on by the solar eclipses. Think of this Friday as a spiritual rest period between two potentially major shakeups.
That said, if you look back on July 13's solar eclipse and can't think of any major changes that took place, stay vigilant. Penelope explains that this eclipse took place in the sensitive sign of Cancer, "so it was probably a very emotional time that may have felt very confusing. In fact, you may not even realize that changes occurred until much later." Even though we can't see them (like we could with last August's total solar eclipse), these solar eclipses probably hold more sway over your everyday life than you think.
This week's lunar eclipse (and full moon, for that matter) will occur in Aquarius, which is also associated with "strong emotional reactions," Penelope explains, though this sign's influence can prompt us to act in favor of the greater good. She calls Aquarius the "sign of the collective conscious," so, once you resolve any upsets in your personal life this Friday, spend some time thinking about how you might support those around you during this celestially tumultuous time.
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An Aquarian full moon can also inspire decisive and strategic thought. By the time August's partial solar eclipse arrives, you may have a plan in place for how to actively observe it and, in turn, absorb its effects. And when we say "effects," we mean anything that may signal the culmination, conclusion, or beginning of something in your life. As Athena Perrakis, PhD, founder and CEO of Sage Goddess, told us last year, eclipses "create an internal transformation that ultimately results in an external transformation."
So, if you've been considering making a major career move or getting more serious with a casual partner, you may follow through on those thoughts around August 11. Yes, for all the drama surrounding this cluster of eclipses, you may come out the other side having benefitted from all that energy.
Whether you're bracing for the worst or hoping for the best, we're in it now, astro buddies. All that's left to do is ride out the last two eclipses of the "season" and keep our eyes and ears open for any messages they're sending us. If we're lucky, they'll unfold as cleanly as Penelope predicts: "I view three eclipses in a lunar month as a time for changes that will be full circle. Changes that will truly mark a new beginning or a new end."