Eclipses: Disappearance of the Natural Order
/Excerpt from Before Your Future
“Nations, like stars, are entitled to eclipse. All is well, provided the light returns and the eclipse does not become endless night. Dawn and resurrection are synonymous.
The reappearance of the light is the same as the survival of the soul.”
—Victor Hugo
The Sun, our heavenly father, lights our way; the Moon, our heavenly mother, nourishes and nurtures us. During solar and lunar eclipses, the natural world is plunged into total darkness as the guiding and healing energies of the luminaries disappear from the natural world.
Most ancient cultures considered eclipses to be bad omens, as they did not follow the natural order. Ancient Vedic mathematicians were well versed in predicting eclipses and other astronomical phenomena to help us harmonize our personal actions with the events in the natural world. Historic Vedic literature contains many references to eclipses and their influences. Both the Hindu epics Mahabharata and Ramayana—which depict fierce battles of good and evil—refer to a solar eclipse during the peak of the battle.
Eclipses play an important role in Vedic astrology, both in our natal chart (i.e., if we were born during an eclipse) and world events. In Vedic astrology, eclipses not only block out the light of the luminaries (Sun and Moon), but also bring the influence of the lunar nodes Rahu and Ketu. These nodes twist and obstruct the creative energies and clarity of our Sun—the atman— and our Moon, the mind that creates a unique subjective experience for each earthbound soul.
Rahu and Ketu bring their influence in full force during an eclipse, representing a kind of “fake news” phenomenon of the zodiac as they distort reality and prevent us from seeing the Truth. Rahu overstates and amplifies the situation while Ketu understates, downplays, and criticizes.
The Vedic culture holds that eclipses are better suited for introspection, spiritual pursuits, and releasing old karmic baggage rather than engaging in worldly activities. For thousands of years, the Indian culture has embraced this belief and therefore discourages any initiative of profound importance for worldly success—such as marriage or starting a new business—around the time of an eclipse.
Eclipses are seen as ominous in astrology because they reveal our hidden darkness, anguish, and fears—both personally and in world affairs. Creating a sacred time and space during an eclipse to meditate, contemplate, and retreat allows us to manifest our inner higher aspirations and uproot deep-seated traumas. Such practices during an eclipse can be profoundly transforming experiences. However, no reason exists to fear the “end of the world” or plan for a sudden ascension every time there is an eclipse, as promoted by some astrologers. Eclipses are an essential part of nature and our spiritual evolution. Nature ensures that the light always returns.