Solar Eclipse in Jyestha

by James Kelleher December 01, 2021

There will be a Total Solar Eclipse on December 4, 2021 at 7:33 a.m. UTC (GMT). That will be 11:33 p.m. on December 3rd, pacific time. The eclipse will take place in Jyeshtha Nakshatra. Jyeshtha, in Sanskrit, means “the eldest”. It is symbolized by a circular talisman. Jyeshtha’s shakti is the power to rise, overcome, and conquer (arohana shakti). Its basis above is 'to attack.' Its basis below is 'to defend.' Its desire is the desire 'to gain supremacy among the gods.'

Eclipses, like everything in astrology, are symbolic. They can be associated with a variety of events based on the nakshatra in which they occur. For example, Jyeshta’s meaning, “the eldest”, can suggest challenging events that are related to authority figures or world leaders. This could bring the downfall of an important political leader or simply bring power struggles between political leaders.

Jyeshtha’s shakti, the power to rise, overcome and conquer, suggests military activity. Similarly, the basis above and the basis below (fundamental components of the symbology) are the power to attack and to defend. In this regard, it is worth noting that the eclipse takes place near the natal Mars of both Russia and the Ukraine. We can watch those two countries to see if there is an increase of tension, or even military conflict, in the next couple of months.

The period of the eclipses influence is generally from one month before the eclipse to about 3-6 months after the eclipse. For example, even though the eclipse doesn’t occur until December 4th, the news coming out of South Africa about the new Omicron variant of the Covid virus is probably part of its advance influence. Similarly, the recent build-up of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border may also be a part of the same eclipse-effect.

Eclipses are also said to have a pronounced influence on countries where they are visible. Although this rule is not always reliable, it does work much of the time. For example, the solar eclipse on August 21, 2017 was dubbed the Great American Eclipse because it crossed the US from the Northwest to the Southeast, effectively giving the impression of cutting the country in two. It is hard to deny the obvious symbolism reflecting a country divided into red/blue and conservative/liberal camps, and spinning down the rabbit hole of political bickering.

The eclipse on December 4th will not be visible in the northern hemisphere, but it will be visible in South Africa, which again is interesting, considering that the new Covid variant was discovered from that part of the world.

But eclipses are not universally negative. In fact, some can be quite positive. I don’t think this is one of the positive eclipses, but even a challenging eclipse can be good for some things. For example, there is no better time to initiate someone in the practice of meditation than a solar eclipse. So the period surrounding the eclipse, for a week or so on either side, is a good time to get more involved in whatever spiritual practice you tend to do. This eclipse is also a good time for any type of physical activity that puts you in the zone. Yoga, Tai Chi, running, walking, and hiking are all things that can help you center yourself and channel the eclipse energy.

In ancient times, eclipses were looked upon as evil omens and the harbingers of gloom and doom. You can look at eclipses that way if you want, but I think it misses the whole point of astrology. Vedic astrology is called Jyotish, which means “light”. The whole idea is to shed light on the events and trends of our lives so that we can meet everything with an even mind. Eclipses are only symbols that reflect what is going on around us right now and what might be coming up in the near future. They show temporary trends in our world and in our lives. They also give us hints at the best way to deal with the trends and events that they symbolize. Typically the effects are felt for 3 to 6 months at the most. In any case, the point is to cultivate detachment and a sense of wonder. It’s like the universe is talking to us, letting us know what is happening and giving us insights about how to deal with it. So you can look at this eclipse as an evil omen if you want, but to me, it’s just a message from the stars.

The mantra for this eclipse is Om Indraya Namah.