Eclipses: Predicting World Events & Personal Transformation - Softcover

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Graduating from the West Coast College of Astrology in the mid 80s, Celeste Teal (Arizona) actually began her journey into the field of astrology as a complete skeptic. The first time she opened a book on the subject, in 1975, it was to discredit astrology and to prove to an acquaintance that astrology couldn't be believed. However, the first book she opened happened to show a little more than the usual sun sign descriptions and she found enough truth within those pages to convince her that there was indeed something to it. The surprising revelation that the planetary positions at our birth and their movements following birth are somehow synchronized with human events greatly excited her and it wasn't long before she realized she'd found her calling as she delved passionately into the art of astrology as a means by which to learn more about the meaning of life.

Her goal is to promote astrology and teach astrologers the most valuable and reliable techniques for interpreting the horoscope.

Celeste Teal has continually written for the popular astrology magazines since 1986. These include American Astrology Magazine, Dell Horoscope, Astrology, Your Daily Horoscope, and True Astrology Forecast. She has written for Sydney Omarr's Astrological Guide and has contributed to Today's Astrologer, a publication by the American Federation of Astrologer's and to the Arizona Society of Astrologer's newsletter.

Celeste Teal is the author of three well-received books, Predicting Events with Astrology, Identifying Planetary Triggers, and Eclipses: Predicting World Events & Personal Transformation, all published by Llewellyn Worldwide. Her most recent book, Eclipses, was reviewed in Library Journal.

Celeste is hostess of her popular website, called Moon Valley Astrologer (at www.moonvalleyastrologer.com). Celeste provides fee-based personal tutoring services on line, in addition to providing consultations for an established professional clientele.

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An eclipse introduces an era and begins a lengthy process as it relates to mankind's activities and evolving consciousness. Regardless of the part of the globe over which it can be seen, an eclipse can always be traced to one of the twelve signs of the celestial zodiac and one of the 30 degrees of that sign.

An astrological chart drawn up for the event of an eclipse gives a specific picture, through planetary symbols, of the overall circumstances and conditions affecting earth and its inhabitants. It shows where transformation and change are due to take place and to where our attention will be directed. The eclipse, charted this way, provides a cosmic telegram for the world, and the symbols can be assessed for strength, breadth, longevity, difficulty, or ease. The eclipse chart can then be traced to those individuals, nations, businesses,1 or entities for which it holds special importance.

Beginning a cosmic process that requires a certain period of time to complete, just like any other entity, an eclipse has a birth, a rise to maturity, a decline, and then a death. Each eclipse initiates a theme or trend for a brief era of time, lasting from one to seven years but averaging about three and a half years. There are various features of an eclipse that determine the theme of the era, how long it will last, and the kinds of events or changes that are suggested, both for the world and for individuals.

The first of these variables and a most important factor depends on the presence and influence of the nearby Dragon's Head or Dragon's Tail when an eclipse occurs. Also called the North Lunar Node and South Lunar Node, respectively, these are the intersections of two orbits, and although invisible, they are the magical components that make an eclipse possible only about every six months, when a New Moon or a Full Moon aligns closely with either the North Lunar Node or the opposite South Lunar Node.2

Each month when we have a New Moon, it brings a one-month period of new beginnings and opportunities into a certain area of our lives, varying personally for each of us. This might be career, money, relationships, family, or another of the twelve areas of life symbolized by the twelve sectors in the astrological chart. When we have a Solar eclipse, it's like a super New Moon, with effects lasting for many months due to the magnetic properties of the Lunar Nodes, which draw upon the energy vibrations of nearby planetary bodies to a powerful degree. The North Lunar Node and the South Lunar Node act as portals through which cosmic energy flows, and these portals remain open during the entire span of the eclipse era, enabling new energy to stimulate conditions and bring about events at certain times within the eclipse era whenever another planet passes by the open Lunar portal. It is this nodal factor that heats an eclipse, and is the reason that an eclipse degree cools very slowly. If an eclipse touches upon a personal planet in an individual's astrological chart, it is of greater personal value and impact, also coinciding with more profound periods and eventful transformations in life. The planetary potential is magnified and sensitized to future transits.

The Lunar Nodes, or Dragon's Head and Tail, have long been associated with karmic workings, timing, and connections. Even the earliest astrologers were aware of the powerful energy flowing through the invisible Lunar Nodes during the time of an eclipse and attempted to convey this information to their heads of states. Unfortunately, some royals used the knowledge from their personal astrologers to manipulate the common people, warning them that a dragon would devour the Sun or Moon on a certain day, impressing and frightening the people at once when the eclipse did come to pass to put out the light of the Sun or Moon. Clearly, this did nothing to help the reputation of eclipses, but today the dragon lore lingers in the names given to the Lunar Nodes, which help to define their specific influence.

Traditionally, the Dragon's Head was considered a point of intake or gain, where benefits arrive more easily and without conscious effort. It has generally been considered to be luckier and more auspicious than the Dragon's Tail, which is equated with a point of loss or vulnerability, or where sacrifice is required. The Dragon's Head offers an inflowing rush of new energy, and the Dragon's Tail provides an extracting force, inviting the release of accumulated energy.

The particular magnetic attribute of each of these portals has its beneficial function. By understanding their differences, we have the opportunity to work with the universal forces and turn them to our advantage during the span of the eclipse process.

The energy of the Dragon's Head acts as an enticement toward participation in earthly matters and material acquisition. Even though the Dragon's Head eclipse offers new stimuli and often leads toward fresh opportunities of conquest, the rush of incoming energy may come as a surprise that is experienced at first as disruptive. And, because the Dragon's Head energy is an amplifier, when falling on a planet in the personal horoscope, this eclipse can unleash the greedy, materialistic, lustful, or less desirable traits of an individual, depending upon how spiritually guided and practically grounded the person is.

The Dragon's Tail acts as an attraction to timeless service and things everlasting. Through this vibration we are called upon to offer something back. It is payback time; time to balance the ledger. The energy of an eclipse with the influence of the Dragon's Tail may be exactly what is needed to complete a project that has previously consumed much time and effort. This eclipse has to do with giving back, serving selflessly, and practicing compassion. It may be the most difficult eclipse in many respects simply because we are more conditioned and encouraged to acquire than to give. When experienced negatively, it may bring about situations most symbolic of the traditional “eclipsed” symbolism. It can bring a distorted sense of powerlessness or low self-esteem, resulting in an uncharacteristic or desperate handling of situations that is to one's disadvantage.

For example, in 2001, prior to her insider trading scandal and fall from grace in 2003, entrepreneur and homemaking diva Martha Stewart experienced a powerful Dragon's Tail eclipse in her chart. It fell on her Moon, the planet representative of her public popularity, and opposite her progressed Jupiter, the planet representative of her financial wealth. It is likely that the insecurity and loss of control she felt at this eclipse contributed to some uncharacteristically poor judgment calls. But, from this example, one can see how the Dragon's Tail became equated with loss, vulnerability, and sacrifice.

Truly, the Dragon's Head and Tail form a continuous circle; they are connected to one another. If we visualize that the Dragon's Head breathes fire and the Dragon's Tail inhales smoke, we see how they portray karma and the laws of cause and effect. Whatever is put out at the Dragon's Head has its result, or effect, at the Dragon's Tail. One must take care not to misuse the power bestowed by the Dragon's Head eclipse because the effect of an eclipse with the influence of the Dragon's Tail is quite reliant on what has gone before.

Each eclipse has the influence of either the Dragon's Head or Dragon's Tail, and in any year we have about an equal number of them, equal shares of opportunities for give and take, equal amounts of incoming and outflowing energy.

Although there are additional features of an eclipse that may add to or take away...