Conference hydra::dejavu

    Re .0:
    
    >    For viewing the lunar eclipse, looking up with your unaided eyes
    >will do just fine.  However, for improved viewing, use binocular's or
    >a small telescope, and you will be able to trace Earth's shadow across
    >the Moon's surface as it covers the Moon's many mountains and craters.
     
    Yes, but ... as one who's spent many, many hours moonwatching through
    various astronomical telescopes, a couple of cautions.  First, the
    mountains and craters are at their _least_ visible when the moon's
    full.  What makes them stand out is shadow relief, best seen when
    the moon is in a phase other than full.  So don't be disappointed
    of the moon seems relatively featureless through a telescope.  Second,
    the Earth's shadow isn't sharply defined, and the increased
    magnification from a telescope will spread the edge of the umbra
    somewhat, so don't expect a sharp line if you're viewing in through
    an optical instrument.
    
    Metaphysically, the eclipse suggests a new cycle; much of the
    negativities many have felt might vanish after the eclipse.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.

    
    Will this be at all visible from the UK ?
    
    	Sarah.

RE: .3 (Guy)
    
    I'm not qualified to speak of the astrological consequences, but...
    
    1) A lunar eclipse can only occur at full moon (a solar eclipse can
       only occur at new moon).
    
    2) Full moon occurs only (and always) when it is in opposition to the
       sun.
    
    In other words, the answer to that question is yes, they will be in
    opposition.
    
    						Topher
    

    Does anyone know what effect this would have on stones
    that are placed in the window or outside for charging?
    
    Joanne
    

    Re: last few
    
    Echoing Topher's statement, when the Moon is 'full', there is always a
    Sun-Moon opposition in operation.  What is also very significant is
    that when the Sun and Moon are in opposition, the Earth is in the
    'middle'.  This facet of the configuration, not often focused on, is
    brought to conscious notice during those special full Moons called
    lunar eclipses.  During an eclipse, the Sun-Moon opposition falls right
    on the intersection of the Moon's orbital path around the Earth and the
    Earth's orbital path around the Sun.  Therefore, the shadow cast by the
    Earth on the surface of the Moon is at its most exact, and some of the
    reflected sunlight that we know as 'moon'light is blocked, and the
    light that does make it through is in the low end of the visible
    spectrum, turning the Moon a deep, coppery red.  I've been able to view
    two lunar eclipses in my lifetime; if you've never viewed one, you're
    in for a treat.
    
    It is interesting to contrast this phenomenon with the solar eclipse,
    which occurs only during a Sun-Moon conjunction -- which we call the
    new moon.  The basic mechanics are the same.  The special shadow cast
    by the eclipse occurs because the conjunction occurs at the
    intersection of same the two orbital paths described above, but with
    this important difference: the _Moon_ is in the 'middle' during a solar
    eclipse, instead of the Earth being in the 'middle', as happens during
    the lunar eclipse.
    
    Now for interpretive possibilities.  I admit I've not made eclipses a
    special study, but I can tell you that large chunks of older
    astrological literature on the subject are overly negative and
    alarmist.  They are, however, times of heightened natural power that we
    have tended to call magickal; like any power, this can manifest either
    inwardly or outwardly (as events), positively or negatively; an
    individual's free will has enormous power in how one's own
    manifestation of such power works itself out.  My own musings on this
    month's event are as follows:
    
    The Sun could be said to represent the basic energy of Being.  Because
    of the Sun and its light, life exists on Earth.  Our natal Sun position
    shows, by its sign placement, how we tend to manifest our basic energy
    of Being, the nature of the fire at our core that empowers us.  It is
    proably no accident that we express our Solar energy more as we age,
    because in order for this Being energy to find outward expression a
    person must develop his/her Will.  That takes time, maturity and
    practice.
    
    The Moon is a symbol at least as complex as the Sun.  One of my former
    teachers called it the foundation of the solar expression of self.  It
    has connections to the past, to the unconscious forces of the mind and
    soul, and therefore to intuitive knowing as contrasted with rational
    knowing.  Dane Rudhyar speaks in his book, _The Lunation Cycle_, of the 
    Moon as the means to discover one's Solar purpose.  He felt that this
    is the esoteric meaning underlying the physical fact that moon'light'
    is actually reflected sunlight.  He also described the lunation cycle
    somewhat like this: when the Moon conjoins with the Sun, a seed of some
    kind of energy is planted, planted in the unconscious.  The nature of
    what was planted, and its flowering and fulfillment became known to the 
    conscious during the time of the full moon, when the moon could fully 
    reflect the sun's light.  He considered both the new and full moon
    times of beginnings, with this difference: the new moon represented an
    unknown, or unconscious beginning, while the full moon could represent
    a beginning made as a result of full awareness.
    
    Times of the full moon are traditionally felt to be times of high
    energy.  Looking at this through Rudhyar's eyes, one can be made highly
    aware of how and where one wants to express one's Solar Will.  This
    phenom sounds great, but there is a problem from our cultural training. 
    (I admit I'm inferring this from my own observations of my own life.) 
    I was taught that in order to correctly develop and express my Solar
    Will consciously I had to ignore, suppress, even destroy the intuitive
    promptings and inner guidance that is 'Lunar' in nature.  And so for
    many years, the times of full moons that set off sensitive points in my
    natal chart left me feeling terribly split.  Here I was, trying to a
    'good', rational Solar person, but acting only on half the information
    available to me.  The harder I'd ignore the inner, 'lunar' voice, the
    louder it would scream, until I'd feel anything but rational and
    centered.  And then I wouldn't act rational and centered.  I felt
    pulled in two directions (a characteristic negative manifestation of
    the opposition aspect) and my life would often manifest this, often in
    the areas where the opposing luminaries fell.
    
    The challenge of the full moon is to become aware, and to admit into
    conscious awareness inner voices trying to get through to you.  If you
    feel pulled apart, pieces of you going in different directions,
    developing awareness of what's going on inside and _placing your Self
    *between* the seemingly 'opposing' forces_ (as the Earth is placed
    between the Sun and Moon) can help you come into balance.
    
    And I feel that the time of a lunar eclipse offers better-than-usual
    opportunities for this centering and balancing than usual.  It can be 
    actually quite easy to ignore the lunar eclipse times, because the
    lunar 'voice' can seem more muted, more subtle (the Moon's 'light' is
    blocked during the eclipse).  My feeling, though, is: don't ignore it. 
    Court it, invite it in.  With silence, the way a room must be made
    quiet in order to hear a softly played note.  The quality of a softly
    played note can be very pure, terribly sweet, delicate and clear in a
    way that a note blasted out at top volume is not.  During the time of
    lunar eclipse listen for whispers, not screams, from your intuitive
    Self.
    
    Joanne, it strikes me that this time would be especially good for
    charging stones, especially to intermix Earth energies with Lunar and
    Solar.  My only caution would be to select carefully the stones you
    charge.  Not all of them might store this energy as well as some
    others.  Since the Sun will be in Leo and the Moon in Aquarius, stones
    strongly associated with the energies of those two signs may fare best.
    
    Speaking of the energies of the signs in which the eclipse falls:  this
    can be a time to learn awareness of what it means to balance
    empowerment and detachment.  The areas of life in which you will find
    the most opportunities to exercise this (possibly new) skill would
    probably be symbolized by the houses in which the eclipse falls in your
    own natal chart.  But a general guideline might be that, whatever area
    of life is affected, issues of the balance between personal creative
    actualization (Leo) and shared creative actualization (Aquarius) will
    rise to awareness.  Issues of personal contribution and involvement in
    community can become very important.  Awareness of what it means both
    to give and receive love.  The desire to shine one's light on one's
    world and experience the joy of watching that world flower in response. 
    Humility rather than humiliation.  These are just a few of the ideas
    that have come to me in my own musings.
    
    One interesting question is: how long _is_ this time?  From observing
    my own life, I tend to agree with authoress Sophia Mason that the point
    where an eclipse takes place is 'sensitized' for about six months or so
    after the actual event.  In other words, after the eclipse, either
    lunar or solar, the point in the zodiac that was 'charged' with the
    energies remains sensitive for a period of time.  When other transiting
    planets cross those degrees, especially by conjunction, the issues
    involved with expression of the energy can rise up again.  And if your
    own natal chart contains a planet on the eclipse degree (like my own
    natal Mars in Aquarius for this eclipse) I've felt points like that as
    especially 'sensitive' to transits for a up to a year.
    
    Excuse this for being long and rambling.  Heads up, all you Leos and
    Aquarians.  This one's for you.
    
    Marcia

    
    re:.6(Marcia)
    
    Thank you, thank you, thank you!  
    
    That was very interesting.
    
    Guy

RE: .6 (Marcia)
    
    Thanks for the interpretation and explanation, Marcia.  I'll just
    expand on a few of your celestial mechanics points:
    
    > when the Sun and Moon are in opposition, the Earth is in the
    > 'middle'.
    
    This is true whenever two "planets" (in quotes to emphasize the
    astrological rather than the astronomical use of the term, i.e., the
    Sun and the Moon are called planets in astrology) are in opposition.
    Generally one planet passes a little above or a little below the
    direct line connecting the other planet and the Earth.
    
    For a partial lunar eclipse to occur, the alignment must be close
    enough so that part of the moon is covered by the Earth's shaddow.
    For a total lunar eclipse to occur, the alignment must be close enough
    so that at some point *all* of the moon is covered by the Earth's
    shadow.  (I'll skip discussing penumbral and umbral lunar eclipses --
    too hard without pictures).
    
    Similarly for a solar eclipse -- as Marcia implied, what's a solar
    eclipse from the Earth is a "Terran eclipse" from the Moon.  There
    are two important differences:
    
    	1) The Moon's shadow is much smaller than the Earth's, therefore
    	   it is much more unusual for things to line up well enough for
    	   a Solar eclipse.
    
    	2) More specifically, at the distance of the Earth, the Moon's
    	   shaddow is much smaller than the Earth, so things are lined up
    	   right only for some parts of the Earth.  This means that while
    	   a lunar eclipse can be seen anywhere where the Moon is visible
    	   (i.e., anywhere where it is dark and not overcast), a solar
    	   ecllipse can only be seen from selected places.
    
    This is why solar eclipses are much rarer than lunar ones, particularly
    ones that you don't have to travel for.
    
    					Topher

    
    Don't think I'll do it that way - I'm holding the vision of a clear
    cool evening with perfect visibility. Anyone else want to focus in on
    it with me?
    
    gloria

    Thank-you also Marcia, for typing all that in.
    I know that the topic is August 16th. I have a question regarding
    the Solar eclipse at the end of the month. I was reading in Dells
    horoscope August issue, about the effects of te solar eclipse on
    your chart depending on what house it is transiting? or effecting.
    My question is how would you determine what house in your chart
    the solar eclipse is in? I just happen to have my chart if it is
    not a general formula.
    
    Thanks 
    Marilyn

  The solar eclipse occurs during the new moon on August 31st 1:44 AM DST
 at 8 degrees of the sign Virgo.

  You need your natal chart to determine which of your natal houses this
 zodiac position falls in for you.

						Todd 

    Well thanks Todd,
    	But Dahhh What does that mean? I have my natal chart, just not
    sure what I'm Looking for? Am I looking to see what house virgo
    is in?
    
    Thanks
    Marilyn

    Yes, that's what you're looking for.  On what house's cusp is the sign
    Virgo located in _your_ chart?  And most importantly, what _degree and
    minute_ of Virgo are located on the cusp of that house?
    
    Why that's important: Virgo is the sign located on my chart's 2nd House
    cusp.  However -- my 2nd House cusp is at 13 degrees of Virgo, and the
    eclipse point is at 8 degrees of Virgo.  This means that, technically,
    it takes place in my 1st House rather than the 2nd, although it's very
    close to my 2nd House cusp.  Because it is so close, and because it
    is in the same sign energy that empowers my 2nd House, I feel that its
    energy, while _originating_ in my chart's 1st House will shine through
    the door into the 2nd, so to speak.  So that is where I expect to feel
    the greatest effects.
    
    Marcia

    Thanks, ok Virgo shows up in my 5th house, My natal Chart reads
    Jupiter, Virgo 22 49R (longitude)  4 14 N (Declination) 1 31 N
    (Latitude) 174 0 (right ascension) -0 4 (travel)
    So is it still in the 5th?
    
    Thanks For your Patience
    
    Marilyn

    Sounds like what you're reading is the Celestial longitude and latitude
    of the planet Jupiter.  Is there a section on your printout that lists
    the degree and minute of the house cusps themselves (not the planets)?
    
    Marcia

    Hi Marcia,
    	Hope it's ok to send you mail, I didn't want to muck up
    the note any further.
    I have a section that says House Cusps (Placidus system)
    but there's no virgo on the list? There's Libra in the 6th
    house at 3 55.3 . There's Leo in the 4th 0 27.0 . And Leo in
    the 5th 26 27.9 .  So does that put Virgo in between in both
    or not all?
    
    Thanks
    Marilyn
***********************************************************************
Aha!  That's very significant information.  Virgo is indeed 'in between
both of them' as you put it.  That's a condition for a sign that astrologers
call interception -- when no degree of the sign is crossed by any house
cusp.  It kind of gives that area of life indicated by the house a double
or hidden agenda, with the sign energy actually on the cusp (Leo in your
case) being the more or less 'obvious' way you approach the affairs of
that area of life.  The hidden Virgo energy, however, is quite powerful
for being tucked away, and can come to the fore during strong transits
from other planets.  An eclipse is one such transit.  I suspect that
you will find that the dedicated Virgoan practicality will become very
important in your own personal creative actualization (5th House).  A
new beginning of recognizing how important it is, and working to integrate
that special 'practice-practice' approach to whatever creative projects,
avocations, etc., that you undertake.  If you conceive children at this
time (or bear them), you might find that your initial impulse was to
have a child as a creative extension of yourself, but that your sense
of duty to the child becomes terribly important.  You may also find that
giving love suddenly involves acknowledging the importance of what I call
relational 'gardening', the care and consideration and respsect-building
habits of thought, feeling and action without which love and respect wither
and die.  Relationships begun 'just for fun' will have more important
ramifications, because you may be more conscious of your perceived 'duty'
to the person.  You may start out endeavors being a star, and find yourself
taking on a more supporting role, or pursuing them out a sudden dedication
to mastery.  Play can become work very quickly, and you may become very
conscious of the idea that fulfillment requires skillfully combining
the two, rather than excluding either one from your typical mindset in
the way you approach things.

Didn't mean to run off at the mouth so much.  If you like, you can publish
both your question and my answer in DEJAU
VU in a single reply.

Take care,

'Mme.' Marcia

    	It's foggy in Colorado Springs, which is very rare and which
    	normally I would LOVE, but not when there's a lunar eclipse!
    
    							Carla
    

    Cloudy here in South Carolina also!
    
                                   Scott
    

    Boy, am I sleepy.  Also very serene.  I had a massively high-energy day
    at work yesterday: meetings all day that focussed on (yaaah! I only
    just realized this! synchronicity, anyone?) individual contribution to
    group endeavors.  Development team and project sponsors knock heads in
    the morning, user forum knocks heads with development team all
    afternoon; everyone excited and at the same time, peculiarly balanced
    and rational; my own inner observer surprised at the skill with which I
    managed to put alternatives across, the way that every different idea
    suggested synthesis rather than obstruction; decisions rather than
    squabbles forming, gelling).  
    
    Afterward, over to a friend's for a candlelight dinner and the
    celebration of stillness.  I just sat and stared.  Cricket orchestra in
    the darkness, deep rusty orb in the sky.  Darkness soothing, so
    tenderly inviting of the "sleep, that knits up the ravelled sleave of
    care."  Darkness as refreshment, renewal...
    
    One person I was with said in some awe: "It's like watching all the
    phases of the moon in a single night."  That struck an intuitive chord
    somewhere; when I've figured out the notes I'll write some musings here.
    
    Meantime: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....
    
    Marcia

    
    
    Videotaped the entire thing with time lasp. The first half was kind of
    clowdy, but the second half was clear. Time lasp recorded a frame every
    90 seconds.
    
    

     
    re:.22 (John Lawyer)
    
    Hey, John - where do you live?  It was cloudy at my house in Essex Jct.
    
    Guy

    The sky was clear over Maynard.  Nice, "black" eclipse (i.e., less
    atmospheric refraction than on some).
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.

    	We had a spectacular rainshower.  Unfortunately we weren't able
    	to see the eclipse.  It's just not quite the same to see it the 
    	next morning on the Today show.
    
    							Carla
    

       Living on a mountain-top enabled me to see it sooner than most
    around here...but I couldn't really see it until a few minutes
    after 8 p.m. when it was barely visible.  At that point it was
    past the full eclipse but pretty just the same.  The ocean fog was
    creeping up and was just 200 feet or so below me (covering me by
    this morning) and I was busy watching "Witches of Eastwick" on
    a rented video at the time, too.  By the time the eclipse was over,
    the rest of the sky was pretty dark (i.e. the sun was down and out)
    and the moon was quite splendid looking shining over that void.  
    
          We haven't had rain in several months at this point...fire
    season is in full tilt...those that have rain can count their
    blessings, from a different vantage place.
    
          Like many in this file, Dana (the SO-type person in my life)
    hasn't had a great month...minor depression, etc.  When I told her
    that many people in DEJAVU had felt the same way and that some people
    felt that this lunar eclipse and full moon would bring about a more
    positive reality, she was boosted a bit.  May all who see this (moon) as
    a positive sign be correct!
                                                                         
    Frederick

    It was bewitching in Francestown, NH.  The sky was clear with just
    a sprinkling of stars.  Most definately the start of a new phase
    for me.

    3.OO AM here in England and the skys were perfectly clear.

	It was clear here in Atlanta.  Saw it as I walked out of a resturant
	and watched for a while.  I looked at it, it looked at me, gosh it
	was great.  Went home and drew for a while, woke up and had a nice
	breakfast with a good friend.

	Looking forward to 1992.

	Terry 

    
    
    re.23 (guy)
    
     Hi Guy...
    
     I live in St. Albans. Like I said, the first half was clowdy. but it
    cleared up around 10:30 or so. Can't wait to get home tonoght to see
    how the time lasp video came out. I was to tired to watch it last
    nite...
    
    P.S. Who are you, and where do you work...send me mail as to not clowd
    up this conference...
    
    johnboy  g^)