ELOVation: July 2019s Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Capricorn

On Tuesday, July 16, only two weeks after the Solar Eclipse in Cancer, there will be another eclipse. This time, a Lunar Eclipse, at 24'04 degrees of the ambitious, social-climbing, sign of Capricorn. Capricorn is the mountain goat. It represents the highest peak, and so, this Full Moon eclipse is all about ascension, elevation, as we reach the highest peak in humanity's development.

What is a Lunar Eclipse?

A Lunar Eclipse happens when the Earth stands between the Moon and the Sun, blocking off sunlight from the Moon. Since the Moon has no light of its own, a Lunar Eclipse will look to us as if the Moon has disappeared. While a Solar Eclipse coincides with the New Moon, a Lunar Eclipse always coincides with the Full Moon.

A Full Moon occurs when the Sun and the Moon are in opposition to one another. A Full Moon represents the peak or climax of the lunar cycle. A Lunar Eclipse has the same energy of a typical Full Moon, but even stronger. While the effects of a regular Full Moon last from about two to four weeks, the effects of a Lunar Eclipse can last up to six months.

Since the Moon rules emotions, there is a heavy emotional aspect to a Lunar Eclipse. Lunar Eclipses tend to bring out our darkest, most heavy, emotions. Feelings we've kept long buried will come rising out to the surface, often in ways we aren't expecting. Lunar Eclipses are said to draw out the shadow side—of both ourselves and of others. If we're willing to be honest with ourselves, and accept ourselves for who we are—both the good and the bad—a Lunar Eclipse can be a wonderful time for healing and transformation, helping us yield insights and revelations about both ourselves and the people around us.

It's always important to note that eclipses always occur when the Sun is near the orbit of one of the two nodes. The North Node and South Node are lunar points representing our karma. They are always in opposite signs from one another. The North Node represents where we are going, our purpose, what we came here to master. The South Node represents our karma and past lives, what we're familiar with and need to let go of. This is what makes an eclipse such a crucial time for evolution and spiritual growth.

Lunar Eclipse in Capricorn

Unlike January 20th's total Lunar Eclipse in Leo, July's eclipse is only a partial eclipse, meaning the Moon has only partially disappeared. While it may not be as intense as a total eclipse, it's still more intense than a regular Full Moon, and the effects will likely last until the next Solar Eclipse in Capricorn on December 26.

Capricorn is the sign of the mountain goat. This makes for a very ambitious character, aiming to climb the highest peaks that humanity can reach. But it's a rocky way to the top, and those influenced by Capricorn know that you've got to overcome a lot of obstacles to get there. Historically, Capricorn was seen as the "Gate of the Gods," where souls departing the earth would travel through before reaching the Heavens. In contrast, Cancer, was the "Gate of Humanity," or the gate of birth, which souls would enter through upon incarnating into the mother's womb. Perhaps, because of Capricorn's association with "the gods," goats were historically favored during times of sacrifice, placed on an altar, and slaughtered to collectively atone for humanity's sins. This is where the term "scapegoat," comes from.

With all that in mind, we can view this Lunar Eclipse as a time for elevation and ascension. Yes, we can accomplish our goals. We can reach our highest potential. But getting there requires sacrifice, and a lot of hard work.

This especially rings true when we keep in mind that this is a South Node Eclipse, making it a time for clearing karma, and any emotional baggage we have stored away in our subconscious. Furthermore, the Moon's close conjunction to Pluto at 21 degrees Capricorn makes this a particularly emotionally intense time. It is a time for purging, cleansing, clearing away whatever no longer works, both on a personal level, and on an institutional one. This can be a painful and difficult process, but once we throw away all that limits us from reaching our highest potential, we'll finally be able to see with clearer eyes the treasure that's been buried there all along.

Eclipses are known to affect people on a mass scale. Eclipses are known to affect whole nations, cultures, and governments, as opposed to just individuals. This is especially true when in Capricorn, the sign of hierarchy, order, and structure. It rules over governments, corporations/business, religion, and any other kind of institution. Thus, with this Lunar Eclipse, here could be a clearing away of the old system and an embracing of a new one.

The Moon in Capricorn opposes the Sun in Cancer, and the sign of Cancer also has an important part to play in this configuration. Cancer is the sign of the crab, which, as the vulnerable animal is protected by its hard and sturdy shell, rules over home and family. Since the Full Moon represents the integration or balance of two opposites, we may find that while the eclipse is in effect, we're having a hard time balancing our hard-working ambitious selves with our caring, nurturing selves. Living in a capitalist society, that often values profits over people, we sometimes forget what's truly important in our lives, what we're working for in the first place. In a capitalist society, many of us often find ourselves so busy, busy, busy, struggling to get by and make cash, that we forget to really nurture ourselves, and the people we love and care about.

The Sun's conjunction to Venus and the North Node is wide on its own (seven to eight degrees) but the conjunction between Venus at 16'15 degrees Cancer and the North Node at 17'39 degrees is a very close one. This conjunction emphasizes the power of love. Yes, this aspect could put many of us in touch with a ~soulmate~ or a fated love connection, while the eclipse is in effect, but more importantly, it teaches us the lesson of self love. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN THAT, it encourages us to build a system, a whole new paradigm for society, built on both Cancerian-Venusian values of true love, harmony, family, empathy, protection, and community. That's what the gate of the gods, the highest peak of development, the greatest elevation we can reach, is truly all about.

Eclipses are known to affect everyone, as they often influence events that happen on a mass scale. But check your natal chart to see if you have any planets or points between 19 and 29 degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) for people with these placements will especially be affected.

Eclipses are often known to coincide with big events such as a marriage, a promotion, or a baby being born. Since this is a Lunar Eclipse, it will especially bring about events that are of a personal, and/or emotional nature. Don't necessarily expect the events brought on by the eclipse to happen right away, however, because energies surrounding an eclipse are generally effective for up to six months.

The themes of this eclipse are very much intertwined with the themes of the New Moon Solar Eclipse on July 2nd ("ReLOVation") but because eclipses occur in cycles, they are also connected to the other eclipses of this season. Think back to the Capricorn Solar Eclipse on January 5th ("ReLOVution"), and the Leo Lunar Eclipse on January 20th ("ELOVution"): are certain events and themes repeating themselves? are the dreams you had then being made manifest?

Overall, this is a time of ascension, as we make our way to the the top of the ladder, and accomplish our goals and dreams, but we can not get there without sacrifice, and a realization of what it's truly all about, why we are there in the first place. In reality, love is the greatest height we can reach.