Full and Freaky: The lunar eclipse full moon in Scorpio…
Recognize. Forgive. Release.
Last month, we experienced the first eclipse of the ‘eclipse’ season with a solar eclipse in Aries. A solar eclipse happens when the sun, the earth, and the moon align, leading the moon to cast a shadow that blocks the sun’s rays. During a lunar eclipse the sun, the moon and the earth are aligned in such a way that the moon passes into the earth’s shadow. The earth blocks the sun from the moon and a red reflection is cast upon the moon’s visible surface. Today, May 5th 2023, we will experience a lunar eclipse at 11:14 am, EST. Thus, for those of us in the USA, this will not be seen in the night’s sky, but it will certainly be felt.
A lunar eclipse is when we can SEE the shadow. So it is an apt and appropriate time for us to call in our shadow selves and see where they lead us. A full moon is not a time to start new projects, or set intentions. IT is a time to release and let go of things holding us back. Many of these things are deep within us, in our “shadow sides”.
What is the “Shadow” or “Shadow Self”? The shadow self is an inner part of us -a second self if you will- which we are grossly ashamed of, embedded in our subconscious. Yet, this second self is part of who we are, and we can’t get rid of it. It is everything we fear and everything we don’t want to be; embodied in this “Shadow” form. This side of ourselves gets its name as it follows us wherever we go, but it isn’t seen.
The concept of the shadow was coined by the psychoanalyst, Carl Jung. He believed that everyone has a shadow self regardless of how successful, confident, gifted or wealthy they are. He called it one of the “archetypes” we carry, which are ideals imprinted in our perceptions of the world. The most common archetype is the archetypal of the “Mother”. We all have an idea of what a mother should be even if this doesn’t represent what our actual biological mother was. This archetype does, however, shape what we expect from our actual mothers and what we expect from mothers in our society at large. The “Shadow” on the other hand is different from other archetypes that Carl Jung espoused because -as the others may affect how we see the world around us- the shadow determines how we see ourselves.
Have you ever…..
- Had thoughts that you were ashamed of?
- Looked in the mirror and winced?
- Cried for something you were not sure existed?
- Were unable to examine your fears?
- Felt true repulsion for something someone did that you had done at some point?
- Had secrets you couldn’t tell anyone?
That was a glimpse of your shadow…
Don’t worry: we ALL have a shadow self. Yet, until we make peace with it, it will continue to haunt us. But once we do: it becomes the “Golden Shadow” a place of depth: creativity and exploration, a place where true greatness can be found and felt.
This month the lunar eclipse is in the south node otherwise known as “the dragon’s tail”. When the south node is activated, we release karmic patterns, obstacles and burdens and let go. Oftentimes, this reveals hidden gifts and new creative potentials.
As you can see, the “Golden Shadow” and the “Dragon’s Tail” make quite a pairing IF we decide to level up with them…
The sun and north node are both in the sign of Taurus right now. This sign’s energy enhances our destiny potentials and gives us new bodily wisdom. All of our insights into our future possibilities will come through our body’s sensations: our gut feelings, our physical misalignments, the heart string pulls…
Pay attention to these physical signs Notice how the physical world shows up internally and externally.
THIS is particularly poignant because, at the moment, Mercury retrograde is in the sign of Taurus as well, and the modes of communication we are MOST familiar with are skewed and irregular. Use this moment to TUNE into your other form of communication: your body’s communication. Use the sense of touch instead of talk. See what getting quiet and mindful will disclose.
The other aspect of this solar eclipse is that the full moon is in Scorpio. Yes, steamy hot Scorpio.
It’s not that Scorpio is a more sexual sign or energy (well- yes- actually, it is!), it’s that Scorpio doesn’t shy away from that which it desires. And the full moon ENHANCES our desires. It shines light on these desires and it rewards us when we are truthful and honest about them. The full moon is passionate, but when there is a lunar eclipse we must be passionate about our inner worlds as opposed to our external worlds.
On the advent of May day this week (the granddaughter of Beltane which is the Celtic fertility celebration honoring birth, creation and fertility), we discuss these topics in Project Self. In this conversation, we acknowledged sexuality as the big influence on the day. Ironically, true Beltane- in astronomical terms- is actually May5th or 6th (I just got a chill up my spine: did you?!?)
We can’t hide our sexuality, nor can we (usually in a healthy manner) hide behind it. We must embrace it as it is the catalyst for life. May day has some obvious metaphors (and -YES- I am talking about the May Pole!) but more than that, it asks us to celebrate our humanness.
The hard truth is because the larger culture has such a warped perspective on this very essential human facet, most of us have been wounded here, in one way or another.
That might mean we’ve been shamed, humiliated, chastised, traumatized, ridiculed, ignored, abandoned, rejected, and/or mistreated…
It certainly means, when we open ourselves up to intimacy, we open ourselves up to our most vulnerable sides.
And so, as May Day is the “eve” this year to the eclipse in the intense Scorpio full moon energy, within the very physical energy of the sign of Taurus, and the “Dragon’s Tail” karmic undertones of our past; we must come face to face with our sexual shadows. Where have we been hurt? Where have we been wronged? How does this show up? Recognize. Forgive. Release. Recognize. Forgive. Release.Recognize. Forgive. Release.
Flowers symbolize joy and pleasure. The flower moon asks us to open up to our vulnerability, accept and receive it, so that we can nurture all of our intimacies, within ourselves and within our exchanges with others. So we can hold and be held, the sacred naked truth: we are fragile, we are human, yet we are oh so beautiful.
I would dance around a maypole for that- wouldn’t you?
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About the Author…
Did you know Meditation can reduce insomnia by 75%? It can reduce anxiety by 60%? It increases heart, hormonal and gut health!!
