The Jan 5, 2019 New Moon occurs at 20:28 EST in Purva Ashada in the sidereal degree of 21Sag17. The greatest eclipse occurs at 20:41 EST. It is visible in China, Japan, northeastern Russia and the islands of Alaska, USA.
Eclipses occur at New and Full Moons when the Sun is in the proximity of the Lunar Nodes (Rahu & Ketu). This New Moon occurs near the south lunar node, known to Vedic Astrologers as Ketu. This particular solar eclipse belongs to saros series 122 that began near the south pole at 70.8 South Latitude on April 17, 0991 (old style calendar date) and ends near the north pole at 69.1 North Latitude on May 17, 2235. Saros Series 122 contains 70 eclipses that recur every 18 years over a 1244 year period. The eclipses in Saros Series travel their way up the globe (or down when they begin near the North Pole). This current eclipse is number 58 of 70 in this series. It occurs at 67.4 North Latitude.
Astrologically, eclipses tend to obscure things or bring attention to something hidden in the dark. They are disruptive in nature because they involve Rahu and Ketu. Their effect tends to last for six months to a year causing their degree to be sensitive to disruptions anytime a planet passes over it. The effects of an eclipse can be felt a month before it occurs. Eclipses affect the matters of the houses in which they occur in our birth charts. Outcomes we expected may be obscured or fail to produce results until the effect of the eclipse passes. Something secret or hidden may come up in these areas of life as well. This particular Solar Eclipse is affecting the house of Sagittarius and the accompanying Lunar Eclipse on January 21, 2019 occurs at 06Cancer44 and affects the house of Cancer. Sometimes eclipses affect us personally and sometimes they do not. We are most likely to be affected by an eclipse if we have a planet within a few degrees of the eclipse degrees. Then too the eclipse can affect us in the areas of life represented by the houses our eclipsed planet rules.
The birth chart of the saros series provides additional information about the inherent nature of a particular eclipse, just as our birth chart provides information about our inherent nature. The initiating eclipse chart of the saros series on April 17, 0991 shows the eclipse at 22Aries sidereal (or 01Taurus48 tropical because the ayanamsha back then was only 9°48) with Ketu. Also, in the house of Aries at that time sits retrograde Mercury and Jupiter in early Aries, not combust. This gives clues to the eclipse being about information and beliefs, learning and teaching, conversations and philosophies, communication and Truth, commerce and legalities, discrimination and ethics, exchanges and Dharma – done in the bold autonomous way of Aries. This initial eclipse squares Uranus within 2-degrees and Uranus which indicates this series of eclipses can awaken us to new perspectives and cause apparently sudden changes or upsets. Uranus is conjunct Saturn in the saros birth chart indicating the new perspectives or changes are related to our structures or discipline. Pluto is with Rahu in the opposing house representing transformation at a deep death and rebirth level, which affirms the eclipse degree in Bharini Nakshatra whose symbol is the Yoni and keynote is vitality and restraint. Bharani is presided over by Yama the God of Death with the Shakti Power to “carry things away, clear impurities and move on”. On the rougher side, this eclipse series can indicate change or upsets to the structures in our lives that need to be cleared whether we want them to or not. On the positive side new information or perspectives can uncover information related to our Dharma. Anything that falls away under this series has the higher purpose of revealing Truths and awakening us to Dharma. This is inherent nature of all 70 eclipse in this series.
The eclipse chart for January 5, 2019 shows the new moon eclipse at 21Sagittarius18 sidereal (or 15Capricorn25 tropical because the ayanamsha is currently 24°07’). Also, in the house of Sagittarius sits Mercury, Saturn and Pluto. Note that Mercury, Saturn and Pluto are repeating connections from the initial saros series birth chart. In the area of life where Sagittarius sits in our charts, secrets or hidden information about the relevant structures of that house can come to light and create a deep transformation or renewal. Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter and Jupiter is in Scorpio is the dispositor of this current eclipse which helps to uncover the deep or dark Truths with the aim of filtering out what is not in accord with Dharma.
The seeds of this lunation cycle and overtones of this eclipse are sewn in Purva Ashada Nakshatra. The three Kaus stars in the bow of Sagittarius mark this nakshatra that holds a blend of all three gunas on the primary (sattva), secondary (rajas) and tertiary (tamas) levels and a primary aim of Moksha. It is presided over by Apas, the God of Water. Hymns in the Rig Veda invoke Apas to destroy poisons, end droughts, ward of jealousy and disease, and bestow creative energy. The Shakti Powers of the Nakshatras come from their presiding deity. Apas gives Purva Ashada the Shakti Power to purify and invigorate the cosmic waters. Thus, we see purification as the overtone of this January 2019 solar eclipse to the undertone of the April 991 saros birth chart to clear impurities.
Purva Ashada means “early victory” and it is often called the invincible star. It represents the spiritual environment of the indwelling soul and attunement to the interrelationship between all things in creation. The main attributes of this nakshatra are purification, transformation, intuition and universal sympathy. The evolutionary attribute of Purva Ashadha is to cleanse the soul of ignorance so it can awaken to a higher universal consciousness. Thus, this nakshatra is associated with nourishment of creativity, becoming aware of latent qualities and purification of the ego. Nakshatras are a way of approaching the Divine. Nakshatra translates to approach or attain here. To approach Purva Ashada is to ask for divine assistance in attaining insight to working with Divine Law (laws of karma & dharma), developing a spiritual quality of life and rectifying the karmic account. This is a very spiritual nakshatra that is associated with the teachers of the Devas (Jupiter as ruling planet of Sagittarius) and Asuras (Venus as ruling planet of Purva Ashada).
May we sew the seeds of a higher spiritual consciousness under this lunation cycle and work to clear away the negative thoughts and impurities of our mind over the next six months.
To listen to Gary Caton and I discuss this eclipse from the East & West perspectives, tune in to Gary’s Hermetic Astrology podcast or watch via Gary’s YouTube channel.