Eclipse Power and Tarot Spreads by Liz Worth

Every so often, you might see people buzzing about “eclipse season” and the change, intensity, and excitement it can bring.

If we aren’t paying attention, eclipses can come and go. So it is with much of astrology: We can see the sun and moon, and so it can be easier to connect with them.

We all tend to know our sun signs and the energies they represent. When the moon is full and the sky is clear, there’s no missing its presence.

Solar eclipses occur two to four times per calendar year, though they are only visible from certain parts of the world. They are also often partial. Total solar eclipses occur about every 100 years.

Lunar eclipses are less frequent than solar. There can be up to three lunar eclipses a year.

How Does a Lunar Eclipse Affect Us?

Just because we can’t see always see an eclipse doesn’t mean its potential is diminished. Something is always happening astrologically. We can’t see Mars, Venus, Neptune, or Pluto, for example, but they are working on us all the same.

We can’t see an astrological transit or aspect taking place, but can experience its influence here on Earth.

The word eclipse originated in ancient Greece, as a statement meaning to abandon, or to leave behind.

Throughout history, eclipses have inspired fear in cultures around the world. And have inspired a range of myths and folklore throughout time.

In a piece in National Geographic about eclipse myths throughout the globe, E.C. Krupp of California’s Griffith Observatory said, “…the theme that constantly appears, with few exceptions, is it’s always a disruption of the established order.”

As above, so below. Intuitively and instinctively, we are all connected to the ebbs and flows of the cosmos. We are part of a vast universe. We don’t operate in isolation from the ever-shifting environment that surrounds us.

Should I Be Afraid of the Lunar Eclipse?

While eclipses aren’t necessarily a reason for fear, they can inspire change in our day-to-day lives. Things can become “eclipsed” for us as a result. Rites of passage, awakenings, and new directions can all appear during eclipse season.

Leaders are often born, or rise to power, during eclipses.

As with any predictive, energetic, or divinatory practice, the impact of a shift depends on a very important question:

What is your relationship to change?

Some people love change. Others resist it with all they have.

No matter how much we tell ourselves to surrender, let go, and grow through times of transformation, it isn’t always to embrace a shift. Especially if the changes are uncomfortable or unexpected.

It’s hard not to feel afraid of change, even when we want it.

What to Expect During an Eclipse

The energies between solar and lunar eclipses are different.

Solar eclipses occur during new moons. New moons mark the start of a new cycle. They are times when many people set intentions, start projects, or make changes.

Solar eclipses are times of breakthroughs. While new moons can already be potent times to begin new cycles, solar eclipses enhance the potential to make or break patterns.

They can also initiate change around us, sometimes suddenly. The things that enter our lives – or the things we invite in through our actions or intentions – can have staying power.

Lunar eclipses occur during full moons. Full moons are often seen as times of completion. We can be ready to say goodbye to something, or we can use full moons as times to release.

What Might I Feel During a Lunar Eclipse?

With a lunar eclipse, the shift may feel more internal or reflective.

Lunar eclipses are often catalysts for change that begins from within. They are pathways to personal transformation.

Sometimes, what ends up getting released during a lunar eclipse can be linked to karmic or ancestral patterns so that we can create space for our own evolution.

That being said, there can also be external change during a lunar eclipse. Many of us have experienced full moons when our lives suddenly intensified. If there is a change being introduced by outside forces during a lunar eclipse, it can come in the form of an unexpected ending or loss.

Look to the sign the eclipse is in. The zodiac is how astrology expresses itself. The themes of an eclipse will be flavoured by the sign it occurs in.

If an eclipse occurs in a fire sign (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius), think about what the element of fire represents: independence, confidence, willpower, courage, leadership.

In an earth sign (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn), an eclipse might ask us to focus on work, stability, health, or responsibility.

In an air sign (Gemini, Libra, or Aquarius), ideas, communication, relationships, and learning might come up.

And in a water sign (Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces), we might experience spiritual, intuitive, or emotional shifts.

How to Harness the Power of a Lunar Eclipse

The best way to begin working with astrology is to pay attention. Keep a journal and make note of what’s happening for you during every new moon, full moon, and eclipse.

What changed? What questions or challenges were you working through? Who or what was prominent in your life?

Remember that change can sometimes occur as an idea or feeling. Sometimes it happens when we hit “publish” on a new blog post, or through an inspiring conversation with a friend.

Astrology can influence us in many ways, but its presence in our lives isn’t always immediately obvious. Life would be too easy if every spiritual milestone came in the form of fireworks.

Tarot is a wonderful tool to use during any eclipse season. Here are two spreads to open to the potential of an upcoming eclipse:  

Solar Eclipse Tarot Spread 

 1. What pattern am I breaking with this eclipse?
2. What can I now create in its place?
3. What new cycle is opening for me?
4. What unexpected change may be happening around me?

Lunar Eclipse Tarot Spread

1. What kind of karmic or ancestral pattern is ready to be released?
2. How am I ready to evolve?
3. What must I listen to at this time?
4. What can I consciously let go of?

Thanks, Liz! We'd love to see how these Tarot spreads work for you throughout Eclipse Season! Post your Eclipse Tarot Spread on Instagram using the hashtag #biddytarot so we can all share the magic and inspiration of the season.

Harness Your Energy with Tarot

Do you want more structure in your day? Are you going through a spiritual awakening? Do you want to be and feel rich in every part of your life? I made something that I think will help. Soul Meditations is an intuitive, guided tour of the Tarot’s 22 Major Arcana cards, with one goal: showing you how to manifest anything you want in life, directly and intuitively.

Click here to learn more!

CATEGORIES