We’ve entered eclipse season again folks, with a lunar eclipse on March 24-25, 2024 and a solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.
In astrological terms, eclipses can bring in intensity and drama, and it’s important to make sure you don’t get negatively swept up in the moment and make choices you may later regret.
Here’s a lowdown on what you need to know about eclipses and how to get through them in general.
Solar versus lunar eclipse: the astrology lowdown
A solar eclipse occurs during a new moon, when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, blocking the Sun’s light and casting a shadow on the Earth. The energy of a solar eclipse can be intense and trigger important changes and shifts in a person’s life or in society as a whole.
A lunar eclipse occurs during a full moon, when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on the Moon and causing it to appear red or orange.
Astrologically speaking, the actual “flavor” of the eclipse will depend on the sign it falls in, what aspects it receives from other planets and whether the eclipse is triggered by Rahu (the North Node) or Ketu (the South Node). These two guys deserve a post of their own, but in general, Rahu will amp up energy, confusion and obsessive thinking, whereas Ketu is more about letting go, elimination, ungroundedness and the feeling of “losing one’s head”. Both can distort reality and hinder thinking clearly.
Solar and lunar eclipses can bring about significant and sometimes dramatic changes, beginning and endings and transformations. However, the specific effects of an eclipse on your individual life will depend on how it interacts with your birth chart (e.g., which house it falls in, what planets it’s aspects, etc.)
Eclipse Survival Guide 101
In general, eclipses:
can be hard on your health and bring low energy in their wake. Eclipses can also be especially hard on the eyes, so go easy on the screen time if this happens.
can heighten emotions and lead to unclear thinking. The sun and moon are the luminaries, and when they become eclipsed, we might not see things as clearly as we would otherwise.
can bring drama — and watch out! The effects of an eclipse are felt for months after the fact, so make sure you’re not the one creating the drama.
What you shouldn’t do during an eclipse:
make any major life decisions. If you have the sudden desire to quit your job or get a divorce, hold off a bit before you get the ball rolling. If you still want to make major changes a week or two after the eclipse, well, alright then. However, right before as well as during the eclipse it’s really not the right time for rash decisions.
start something new. You definitely don’t have to stop life and hide in the basement, but hold off on beginning new projects or starting a business, for example, until the eclipse has passed. The general (Jyotish) rule of thumb is to not start any new activities ten days before a solar eclipse or five days before a lunar eclipse.
take drugs or drink alcohol. The world won’t end if you have a glass of wine with dinner, but in general, you should avoid intoxicating substances on the day of the eclipse.
do any manifestation. The energy of an eclipse is intense, and it may ultimately bring positive change. However, the actual time when the eclipse take place is malefic in nature, and therefore definitely not the time to do any type of spellwork of positive manifestation, if that’s your cup of tea.
What you can do to help you cope with an eclipse:
bathe. I don’t mean just hop in the bathtub, although I’m sure that would also help. However, the best would be to take a ritual bath designed to protect against the negativity. I give a suggestion for how to do so at the end of the post.
spend the day at the ocean or a lake. This would be another option if you don’t have a bathtub or aren’t a bath kind of person. In general, spending time in a sacred water space is always a good idea.
meditate and focus on positive thoughts. As my teacher Freedom Cole says in this video about staying on the right side of an eclipse, Vedic astrology in particular stresses the mindset you have during an eclipse will be amplified and echo in the months to come. Do your best to make sure the echo is a positive, uplifting one rather than the opposite.
fast on the day before and of the eclipse. Although this can mean really not eating at all, you could optionally just not eat until the sun goes down or forego certain foods and drink. However, these should be ones that are an actual sacrifice for you, like your morning coffee or sweet treats.
If you don’t have the luxury of taking the day off of work (I definitely don’t), try as much as possible to take it easy and avoid unnecessary stress.
Lunar Eclipse on March 24/25, 2024
This lunar eclipse will take place in Hasta Nakshatra, which I will write about tomorrow in my 27 Moons Project series. In short, this gives the eclipse the following keywords:
creativity and skillful action
service and practicality
craftsmanship and attention to detail
It calls us to examine, redefine and let go of patterns that no longer serve us depending on the house (and axis) that has Virgo on the cusp (or Libra, if you are using the Western tropical zodiac).
Although what is stirred up can also vary depending on which planets you have in this axis, in general, the focus will be on topics related to some of the following:
Virgo on the 1-7 axis: issues with self, health and partners
Virgo on the 2-8 axis: issues with money, family and debt, occult learning, inheritance, longevity
Virgo on the 3-9 axis: issues with siblings, effort, will power and higher meaning/spirituality. This can also be about what you “do with your hands” as opposed to what you learn from a teacher, or creating a balance between partying, sex and good times with looking for deeper meaning
Virgo on the 4-10 axis: issues with heart, home, mother and career, social status, father
Virgo on the 5-11 axis: issues with children, students, future planning and financial gains and networks
Virgo on the 6-12 axis: issues with enemies, illness, pets and loss, private time, sleep and foreign lands
Eclipses and mantras
Although eclipses can be problematic for our life in the outer world, they are the perfect time to focus on spiritual practice. Therefore, the eclipse on March 25 or April 8 (as well as any other) is an especially powerful time to kick off a 40-day mantra practice.
Working with Narasimha for protection
The deity Narasimha is depicted as the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the preserver within the Hindu trinity. Often portrayed with a lion's head and a human body, Narasimha embodies the concept of divine fury and protection.
He’s the go-to deity when it comes to protection from the negative influence of an eclipse.
A great mantra to work with on an eclipse (as well as the days leading up to it) is the following, which is recited 27 times:
ugraṁ vīraṁ mahāviṣṇum jvalantam sarvato mukhaṁ nṛsiṁham bhīṣaṇam bhadraṁ mṛtyur mṛtyuṁ namāmyaham
Not exactly a beginner’s mantra at first glance, but it actually has quite a simple rhythm to it that makes it much easier to chant that one might think.
Here’s a video with the mantra as well as it’s English translation:
Ritual bath suggestion
If an eclipse is stirring up drama or uncomfortable feelings, another way to protect and soothe yourself is with bathing.
For a cleansing ritual bath, use bath salt, preferably natural ones without dyes or perfumes. Set the mood in a way you find relaxing (for example, light candles, play soothing music, etc.). In addition to the bath salt, add some cleansing and purifying herbs. Natural dried or fresh herbs are best. Some great choices include hyssop, eucalyptus, lemon grass, lemon verbena, rue, rosemary and lavender.
Once you’ve selected the herbs you’d like to use, say a little prayer. If you belong to a particular spiritual or magical path, you can do so in a way that aligns with your tradition. If not, just a simple request for cleansing, positive thoughts and peace of mind is fine.
Do not add the herbs directly into the bath (it’s messy and tends to plug the drain). Instead, put them into a standard tea strainer and either add this directly to the bath or steep it in a bowl of hot water first, then add it in later. Now sit back and enjoy your bath.