“Why can’t I practice magic on the eclipse?”
A few years ago I was in a small online chat with some magicians and astrologers, where someone kept pressing the group on their thoughts around practicing magic during an eclipse. Despite a unanimous “just don’t do it,” this person kept pressing on until astrologer Freedom Cole, whose words I’ll now paraphrase, spoke up:
In India, they say that God shuts his eyes during an eclipse. The lights go out. While, yes, this could be a time to perform magic that benefits from the cloak of secrecy, if something goes wrong, there’s no one there to help you.
God shuts his eyes.
Each time I hear these words, they summon the first lines of Sylvia Plath’s poem, “Mad Girl's Love Song”:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead;
I lift my lids and all is born again.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)
All of which is to say, things get weird when the lights go out. The dreams get wild. The visions can be straight up hallucinations. If you’ve found yourself extra weepy the past few days, that checks. Both rulers of the nodes (eclipse points) are in Pisces, as my flatmate, Heath, reminded me this morning when I found myself emoting over coffee, despite feeling pretty ok. Weepy, weepy, Pisces. Tears emerging from the depths of the sea —
To practice magic or not, do as you will. If you are, however, looking for some general eclipse advice, mine is to get some rest and not act on every thought that pops into your head. Wait to send the email, have that conversation, sell your house, quit your job, whatever. You get the point.
If you’re looking for a group of likeminded astro seekers, Club Astro is your place!
We meet weekly to explore the sky in real time and make sense of what is unfolding in our lives and in the collective. This is your chance to ask me questions about your chart, share stories, and connect with a cohort of fellow astrologers.
Club Astro members also get exclusive perks:
Discounted astrological readings & mentorship
Secret invites
Discounted tickets to the Los Angeles Astro Salon and the LA Astro Fest.
Further Reading
Why I Hate Astrology: A Love Song for the Eclipse Season
I’m an astrologer, and I’m sick of reading about astrology. I’m sick of hearing about the eclipses and what lessons Saturn and Pluto have in store for me. I’m so fucking over reading for my sun, moon, or rising sign.