Total Eclipse of the Heart: May 2021's Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius

On Wednesday, May 26th, 2021, at 7:13 AM EST, there will be a Lunar Eclipse at 5'25 degrees Sagittarius. This will be a total eclipse visible from Australia, South East Asia, and the western portion of North and South America, affecting these parts of the world the most. Here's what to expect.

What is a Lunar Eclipse?

A Lunar Eclipse happens when the Earth stands between the Moon and the Sun, blocking off sunlight. Since the Moon has no light of its own, a Lunar Eclipse will look to us as if the Moon has disappeared. While a Solar Eclipse always coincides with the New Moon, a Lunar Eclipse always coincides with the Full Moon. A Full Moon occurs when the Sun and the Moon are in opposition with each other and represents the peak of climax of the lunar cycle. Essentially, a Lunar Eclipse has the same energy of a typical Full Moon except even stronger, and while the effects of an average Full Moon last from about two to four weeks, the effects of a Lunar Eclipse can last up to six months.

Eclipses are know to influence events that happen on a mass scale, particularly in the areas of the world where it is visible. But since the Moon rules emotions, a Lunar Eclipse is also likely to coincide with big and dramatic events of a more personal nature. They tend to bring out our darkest, most heavy emotions. Feelings we've kept long buried may come rising up to the surface. A Lunar Eclipse is often said to draw out the shadow side - of both ourselves and others - but if we're willing to be honest with ourselves and accept ourselves for who we are - both the good and the bad - they can be a wonderful time for healing and transformation, helping to yield insights and revelations about both ourselves and the people around us.

It's important to note that eclipses always occur when the Sun is near the orbit of one of the two nodes. The North Node and South Node are lunar points representing our karma. They are always in opposite signs from one another. While the North Node represents where we are going, our purpose, what we came here to master, the South Node represents our karma and past lives, what we're familiar with and need to let go of. This is what makes an eclipse such a crucial time for evolution and growth.

May 2021's Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius

May 26th's Full Moon / Lunar Eclipse will take place at 5'25 degrees Sagittarius, a mutable fire sign ruled by the planet Jupiter. Depicted by a centaur - half-horse and half-human - with it's bow and arrow aimed towards the sky, Sagittarius is a symbol of evolution and growth. Although prone to impulsivity and combativeness, those born under this sign are constantly on the hunt for new knowledge as well as something to believe in. With the Moon in this sign, we may feel a greater thirst for freedom, along with the temptation to run away from our problems, abandoning them as if they never existed. On the other hand, we might feel more inspired to live our truth, confronting our problems head on and speaking up about our feelings, for better or worse. While either of these things may seem fool-hardy, the goal is to release whatever's been burdening us so we can keep on moving up higher. In fact, the Moon's conjunction to the South Node confirms that there is something that we need to let go of, something that, emotionally speaking, has been holding us back.

The Moon in Sagittarius will be temporarily eclipsed by the Sun in the mercurial sign of Gemini. While on one hand, we feel inspired to live our truth, the influence of the Gemini Sun may cause us to overthink. Either we're impulsive and act too soon or we feel pressured to consider every single possibility before taking an action or making a statement. For some people, this time can be a very anxious one. There may be a conflict between speaking our truth verses pleasing others. While it's easy to say "don't what other people think," as a society, we are interdependent on each other, and sometimes we just have to. However, while Gemini is generally more "brainy" and logic-focused (as well as socially conscious) than Sagittarius is, both signs are associated with communication and knowledge so these themes will remain the same regardless.

The closest aspect made by this Lunar Eclipse is a t-square from the Sun and Moon to Jupiter, Sagittarius' ruler, at 1'11 degrees Pisces. Jupiter is associated with spirituality and religion, especially when in the watery sign of Pisces. Many people may find that their belief systems are tested at this time and there may be a crisis of faith. It is especially important right now to strike a balance between logic and faith, keeping your feet on the ground but without losing hope.

This lack of faith may be especially evident in our romantic relationships. This Lunar Eclipse corresponds with a square between Venus and Mercury, at 21 and 24 degrees Gemini respectively, and Neptune at 22 degrees Pisces. With Mercury about to turn retrograde, there could be communication problems. The square to Neptune can indicate deceit, but this includes various forms of self-deceit, such as projection and idealization. There could be a lot of doubt and mistrust in our relationships at this time. If so, it's important to discuss it openly, but without being too confrontational or accusatory about it.

Conclusion

It may help to think back to whatever intentions you set around the New Moon in Taurus, for they should be coming into fruition at this time. Because eclipses come in cycle, themes related to the Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius six months ago or the Lunar Eclipse in Gemini back in November, or even the Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius last year, may also repeat themselves. Meanwhile, any intentions you set now should come to fruition by the Solar Eclipse in Gemini on June 10th, 2021.

To learn more about how this will affect you personally, check your natal chart for any placements between 0 and 10 degrees of the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) for those placements will be most especially affected.

Essentially, this Lunar Eclipse highlights the balance between logic (Gemini) and belief (Sagittarius) with the square to Jupiter in Pisces indicating a crisis of faith. Since Venus and Mercury, about to station retrograde, are both square Neptune, this lack of faith may be especially evident in our romantic lives, with many people mistrusting their partners at this time. Apart from that, this Full Moon might also help us to strike the balance of speaking honestly about how we feel (Moon in Sagittarius) while remaining conscious of other people's reactions and societal expectations (Sun in Gemini).