Cue the chaos and the closure.
A full bull moon lunar eclipse in Taurus is on the rise.
The moon will reach peak illumination at 4:24 P.M. EST on Saturday, October 28 and the partial eclipse will be visible over much of Africa, the Middle East and Asia, but will only be observable in the far eastern areas of North and South America during moonrise, and in western Australia during moonset.
Regardless of whether or not we can see the eclipse we will all feel the effects of this power player of a lunation.
To see if/where you fall within the range of visibility, see this map.
What is a lunar eclipse?
A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes into the earth’s shadow, darkening/obscuring its face partially or completely. A lunar eclipse can only occur during a full moon when the sun, earth and moon are aligned.
This weekend you can go ahead and scrap your Bonnie Tyler karaoke plans as this lunar eclipse in Taurus is a partial, rather than total eclipse meaning only a slip and sliver of the moon will be darkened by the earth’s shadow.
This lunation occurs as the nights are lengthening, giving us the gift of darkness. Elise Wells of Planet Poetica recently imparted to me the knowledge that black and white stem from a common root and that root translates to “shine.”
In this way we can look at the winter to come and the soon-to-be celebration of Samhain as opportunities to burn with themes relative to night, to blackness; rest, reflection, recovery, germination, release, all tenets of the process of ending and becoming. If you are brave enough to investigate and integrate the shadows they can bring you closer to the full power of that promised shine.
Meaning of the Hunter’s Moon
The second full moon after the autumnal equinox is known as the Hunter’s Moon, Sanguine or Blood Moon, with the spilling of vital life force being the red thread between all three. The name Hunter’s Moon comes from the practice of late autumn preparation when hunters (human, fox and wolf alike) would seek prey who were easier to spot among the freshly reaped fields and under the luminous light of the full moon.
Eclipse season
Full moons are moments of culmination and eclipses serve to amplify that energy. This eclipse is the final one in a cycle/saga that began in November 2021 and the last one we will see in the Taurus/Scorpio axis for the next decade.
Taurus rules the second house of values and possessions, hunger and home goods, wealth and worth as well as the throat, vocalchords, tonsils and thyroid and the heart chakra. The focus here is on what we are digesting and accepting, what true nourishment is and whether we are operating from a place of deserving abundance or fearful scarcity. Themes present during this curtain call are power, money, resources and reception.
The moon is exalted in Taurus, able to fully own its needs and this eclipse will highlight the parts of our lives where security and stability are needed and where practicality and true purpose can be called in.
Consume and expel
The moon is opposing the sun in Scorpio, ruler of the eighth house of sex, death and transformation as well as the reproductive and excretory systems and the sacral chakra. The focus here is on what is buried, and themes of rot and renewal, endings and beginnings.
As Sarah Faith Gottesdiener eloquently explains, “After too long spent in one state, without compost-without death, we forget our true natures and become stagnant. We are nature, and nature is meant to change. The seasons shift, animals and plants adapt, and ecosystems rely on decay. So do we.”
The beautiful thing about both Taurus and Scorpio is that while it may take a tremendous amount of time for them to let go, grieve and step away, once they do, they rarely, if ever, step backward.
With this eclipse, what rot will revitalize you? What dirt do you come from, will you pull from?
You’ve come a long way, baby
As a cumulative eclipse, there is an energy of completion and of standing still to measure how far we’ve come.
Whether we idealize it or suffer from the sins of it, the past is a ghost and this lunation invites us to compost our pain for the purposes of expansion and remove our resistance to prime ourselves for ultimate reception. Remember, we do not inherit our demons, we construct them. Our ramparts, walls, defenses and tendencies were established to protect us, we can abolish them while also being wholly grateful for the work they have done.
The past is a ghost.
As these signs teach one another. and this eclipse will teach us, transformation does not come from stagnation, neigh, it comes from a serious and often seriously disruptive catalyst. You see my babies, calamity begets clarity and in regards to the hoarder, “my precious” mentality of the Taurus/Scorpio axis, this eclipse provides an opportunity for a final purging and invites us to separate our worth and worthiness from the high shine of consumable goods and to prioritize passions over possessions.
Planetary forces at play; expansion and belittlement
This eclipse in Taurus will be conjunct with Jupiter, the optimistic, big-getting planet of abundance and future richness indicating that whatever is lost or surrendered during this time will serve as the compost for the wild gifts we are poised to receive in the months to come.
Making space by making change, my babies.
The eclipse in Taurus is opposing Mercury, planet of the mind/mouth and Mars planet of will and conflict indicating a lot of heated dialogue, trash-talking, unsolicited doubt and general negative flotsam and jetsom. Helpful hint: pause before you respond like a reptile and consider releasing your thoughts into a stream-of-consciousness writing exercise rather than an online diatribe or bitter text message.
Do not take criticism from people you would not take advice from.
Haley Comet
Because this axis is about reception and expulsion, spend time thinking about who you take s–t from and why. Can you discern between what is constructive and what is detrimental and let the hater-ade flow right off your horned shoulder pads? YES YOU CAN. In the words of astrologer Haley Comet, “Do not take criticism from people you would not take advice from.” PREACH.
Astrology 101: Your guide to the star
- The 12 zodiac signs
- What are the astrology houses
- Here’s what each planet represents
- Sun, moon and rising signs: Get to know your Big 3
Eclipse practices/survival checklist
How to make the most of, and make nice with this cataclysmic energy? Do not fight the end and look ever forward to the after, remember that the difference between doom and destiny is a matter of perspective.
The way out is forward, stay hydrated, and stay hopeful. Because this eclipse is active in a fixed sign, signs of this modality; Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius will feel its effects most acutely. For these four, this eclipse is the last act in a long two-year story of upheaval and up-leveling.
Regardless of your sun/rising sign, look to the area of your birth chart ruled by Taurus and Scorpio to learn more about where and how these lessons, endings and shifts will play out in your life.
For more information, read your full October horoscopes here.
The next full moon is the Beaver Moon in Gemini on November 27. See you on the other side.
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture and personal experience. She is also an accomplished writer who has profiled a variety of artists and performers, as well as extensively chronicled her experiences while traveling. Among the many intriguing topics she has tackled are cemetery etiquette, her love for dive bars, Cuban Airbnbs, a “girls guide” to strip clubs and the “weirdest” foods available abroad.