The December 21 2010 total Lunar Eclipse Full Moon is at 29 Gemini. We get very fiery astrology with this eclipse conjunct the fixed star Betelgeuse, in Constellation Orion and opposite the asteroid Pallas. It’s also conjunct Polaris, the Polestar used for guidance and navigation. But she tends to get overshadowed by her swollen neighbor as she is smaller and way off the ecliptic, motionless there up at the poles.
This puffed-up super red giant is the most famous star in Orion the Hunter. It’s the constellation said to represent God as it contains the most brilliant stars and is the most striking constellation in the heavens. The whole feel of Betelgeuse seems to be one of Mars and Jupiter.
Orion boasted he could slay any beast on earth, Artemis the Moon Goddess (rival Huntress Diana) decided this guy needed taking down a peg or two and sent a Scorpion to kill him. Orion is Osiris to the Egyptians, and corresponds to the Fool in the Tarot as both the Fool and Orion have two hunting dogs at his feet. Osiris is often painted green as is the Fool on the Crowley deck.
So this gives the impression of a rather swashbuckling, daring, Robin Hood type of guy in youth who then grows up to be a rather belligerent, over-weight general, weighed down with medals, well past his prime but still thinking he’s that young god.
The Godfather
Brady says Betelgeuse’s natural charisma gives fame, but depending on the rest of the chart can equally be a conman. I’m imagining a wheelin’ and dealing, duckin’ and diving wide boy who grows up to be the Godfather, a gout-stricken Henry the 8th or fat Elvis spring to mind. Both dashing and fit in their prime only to become bloaters. So this over-inflated ego is about to explode.
The tightest aspect to the Moon is a trine from retrograde True Lilith by only 7 minutes. Other than that, Mercury is retrograde opposing it by three degrees, time to sit down and talk with Il Padrone, just don’t do it at his daughters wedding…
The eclipse is trine the Neptune/Chiron conjunction by 3 degrees and square the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction also by 3 degrees. Two types of super gods. The first conjunction is more of a Priestess/Goddess energy with True Lilith there also, again three degrees away. Removing the old order? The square from Jupiter/Uranus is potentially explosive when aggravating this Betelgeuse Moon. A stick of dynamic for the warlord as he slams the door.
My first thoughts on this was dialogue and confrontation. It looks like reasoned, rational debate on one side from Pallas and Mercury versus an over-emotional, swollen, premenstrual Moon on the other. The Moon seems pumped up full off hormones. Betelgeuse we think of being very macho as I have described it above, but with the Moon it can equally be a Madrina. A woman used to ruling the roost. Whichever sex, it’s one that is overly hormonal. Too much testosterone in a man, too much oestrogen in a woman. Overly aggressive or overly nurturing to the point of smothering.
Both Mercury and Pallas are noted for not letting their sexuality get in the way. These are neutered, neutral types. In between easing the tension between these two opposites we have Lilith. She is aided by the Guru’s Neptune/Chiron. Neptune is also tight sextile Mercury. Adding some intuition to Mercury’s logic. An interesting set up and one very positive note to take us into Christmas. Which we will need because Mercury is also squared Uranus/Jupiter.
Christmas is a stressful time for a lot of families, plus we have the financial worries of the economic crisis to contend with. Reflecting that is the Juno opposition to Uranus squaring Mercury. Miss-communications and shocking revelations between spouses. Juno is opposed Uranus, divorce could sky rocket. Jupiter amping it up all the more. Neptune is quincunxing Juno also, so there is danger of deception or illusion in marriage, but with adjustment there could be profound healing with Chiron there too. This is a very complex chart and an influence that is going to last six months.
Going back to the original opposition, it looks like any dialogue and debate will definitely need mediation. A Betelgeuse Moon is a bit like a Bull in a china shop, it needs something more than just some sterile lawyer saying “let’s be rational”. The Moons eyes are red and it doesn’t listen to reason. It needs some sort of sorcery and horse whispering. This is where Black Moon Lilith and the Guru’s come in. They need to throw a rug over the impending explosion and contain it. Neptune is good at fogging and this is an eclipse after all.
Black Moon Lilith is the Lunar apogee, she describes the relationship between the Earth and the Moon. In an eclipse the Earth interrupts the light from the Sun to the Moon. This December Earth/Lilith is the mediator, smothering the flaming Moon. Orion was blinded for having pre-marital sex, but then healed by the Sun God Helios (rationality). This seems to be showing the need to not let our hormones rule us and try to look the situation objectively, if we can’t do that ourselves then we must get someone who can, a guide. Who is this guide?
Polaris
It is Polaris, the other star connected with this Moon. She is the Pole star that never sets and has been a guide for sailors for thousands of years. The star in the tail of the little bear “Polaris has been regarded as the most important star in the heavens. It has been known by many names in the past; “the Pathway”, “the Pointer” – indicating the way; “Navel of the World”, “Gate of Heaven”, “Hub of the Cosmos”, “the Highest Peak of the World Mountain”, “Lodestar” “the Steering Star” “the Ship Star” and Stella Maris “Star of the Sea” [1].
A very different vibe from Betelgeuse then. She’s silent, ego-less and eternal. Our higher self, an inner navigation. But we have to quieten down our ego and temper our hormones to listen to her. Robson interestingly says of it with the Moon “Hatred of the vulgar, ill-will of women and danger from thieves” [2].
Yet Ebertin says “It will give spiritual powers to the bearer, and he will be highly respected. The Pole Star serves as a guide and indicator. If it is conjunct with planets in the angles, the native will have a good sense of discretion and is able to follow his instinct” [3]. Therefore Polaris seems to share qualities with Lilith and shows how the mediator will work to defuse the huge Betelgeuse energy of this Moon. Robson then is reflecting the general distrust and suspicion of anything witchy and occult.
It’s hard to summarize this Lunar Eclipse because it is a complex one, difficult to see how it will pan out over the six months. Betelgeuse is gasping and puffing on it’s death bed. The feeling is that we are at the end of an era and that this overblown giant wants to go out with a bang. Maybe the best thing to do is just stand back and enjoy the fireworks knowing we are being somehow taken care of. For this process is also like a birth/death, a transition from one era to another. Lilith as the mediator takes on the role of a mid-wife. Ensuring a smooth transformation from one world to another.
The best place to view this total Lunar Eclipse will be in North America in the early hours of Tuesday 21 December 2010. 12:13 am in Los Angeles, 3:13 am in New York. Others may “feel” the eclipse at 8:13 am in London, 1:43 pm in Delhi, and 7:13 pm in Sydney.