Eclipse Season, Consciousness and the Practice of Awareness

To live a yogic life is to live fully in the present — aware of where we are, what is happening, and how we are being affected by the world around us - and to maintain our sense of Self, or divine connectedness, through each of the moments that come. This is something I have become increasingly interested in observing during eclipse seasons.

Just as there are different seasons of the year, there are different seasons within our lives. There are periods that invite more outward engagement and others that encourage us to turn inward. There are times of greater ease and times that bring more challenge. In Vedic astrology, these cycles can be understood through the individual birth chart and the planetary periods and transits that influence it.

And then there are the collective cycles. Twice each year, we experience what is known as eclipse season, when solar and lunar eclipses occur within a few weeks of one another. These generally occur around February/March and August/September, although the exact timing varies from year to year.

The most recent eclipse season included a solar eclipse on August 12 and a lunar eclipse on August 27. Over the years, I have found it fascinating to be present and aware during these periods and to notice how each eclipse affects me personally.

An eclipse I didn't even remember was happening

One of the clearest examples happened when I moved from New Zealand back to Canada after living out of the country for nine years.

It was during COVID, so when I arrived in Canada I spent two weeks in quarantine at an Airbnb. During that time, I did an Ayurvedic cleanse, rested, taught my very first online yoga class, and spent time considering what I wanted to do next. 

My quarantine ended the day before an eclipse - but already the influences of this eclipse were acting on my mind and I was in avidya - ignorance - of it being so near. I checked out of the Airbnb and moved my life — which at that point consisted of two (or maybe three!) suitcases — to my sister's house. My intention was to stay in her spare room while I figured out what would happen next.

I had stayed there before, for about four weeks while transitioning between Hawaii and New Zealand. At that time, it had been comfortable and exactly what I needed. But this time, the moment I moved into the space, I became intensely agitated. The space suddenly felt too small. It didn't feel right. I had this overwhelming feeling of:

I can't stay here.

I essentially sequestered myself in the room, spending hours looking at apartment rentals, almost in a frenzy. My mind became completely preoccupied with finding somewhere else to live, with leaving, now.

Eventually, I let it go for the evening and returned to my practices the following day. It was then that I realized there was an eclipse. And once the eclipse had passed, the intense anxiety about where I was going to live disappeared with it. I was completely fine. In fact, I ended up staying at my sister's house for six months before I moved to Vancouver Island.

Looking back, what stands out to me is not simply that I experienced anxiety around the eclipse. It was the degree to which my perception had become clouded. I had completely forgotten that an eclipse was occurring, even though astrology and eclipse cycles were already very much a part of my life.

What is actually happening during an eclipse?

From a yogic and Vedic perspective, eclipses are interesting because they involve a veiling of the luminaries — the Sun or the Moon. The Sun can be understood as representing the Self, or Atman, while the Moon is associated with the mind, emotions, and our consciousness. When these lights are obscured, there is a natural symbolism of consciousness becoming veiled and as a result, of it being easier to slide into ignorance, avidya.

This is important because one of the central purposes of yoga is to cultivate greater clarity of consciousness. We are learning to observe the movements of the mind rather than simply being carried away by them, to feel the energy of emotions flow through us rather than becoming overwhelmed by them, and to remember our connection to the divine in all the moments of every day.

An eclipse can be understood as a time when this clarity may be temporarily obscured — when perception can become less reliable, the mind more disturbed, conflicted, or unsettled, and our usual sense of certainty less available.

That does not mean that every eclipse will produce a dramatic experience. Nor does it mean that an eclipse is "bad." It means that there is value in becoming aware of the influence of these larger cycles rather than moving through them unconsciously, because they do have impacts that vary from person to person and season to season.

In my case, the eclipse seemed to completely shroud my mind in a state of confusion and discontent. I had a distorted sense that I was not okay where I was and needed to change my circumstances immediately. Then the eclipse passed, and so did the intensity of that experience.

My most recent eclipse season

This past eclipse season was very different. For the August 12 eclipse, I was home and consciously practicing through it. The August 27 eclipse, however, I nearly missed. In the clouding of my own awareness I had put the eclipse in my calendar for August 28 instead of August 27.

I only realized my mistake when my boyfriend called me that evening, about five minutes before the eclipse peak, to say something about it. I realized I had the date wrong, promptly hung up, and sat to meditate for five minutes — about two and a half minutes before the peak and two and a half minutes after.

This brought me back to the idea that being human is an incredible opportunity. When we consider the purpose and opportunity of human life in comparison with other animals and beings, one of our greatest gifts is consciousness itself. We have the capacity to observe, discern, intend, and choose. We can become aware of our minds, senses, instincts, habits and patterns rather than simply being governed by them. This is at the heart of yoga.

And when we are on a conscious or spiritual path, becoming aware of the things that can cloud or occlude consciousness is a worthwhile pursuit. Ayurveda and yoga give us many ways to consider these influences. Tamasic influences can come through the foods we eat, our activities, thought patterns, relationship dynamics, the people we spend time with, our sleep patterns and sexual tendencies.

And, from the Vedic astrology perspective, we can also consider the larger cosmic influences in which we live. We are not separate from these cycles. In fact, we are a drop of the ocean, and we are the entire ocean in a drop.

Nothing is simply good or bad

One of the things I appreciate about Vedic astrology is that it doesn’t ask us to label experience as good or bad. There is simply the wisdom that everything is good for something.

An eclipse may not be considered an ideal time for certain outward, material pursuits, making decisions, changing the course of your life, or having important and intense conversations. But it is an excellent time for turning inward, practicing meditation, becoming quiet, observing the mind, and connecting more deeply with ourselves.

The value is not in becoming fearful of an eclipse or trying to control what happens during one, but in becoming conscious and little by little aligned with nature around us. That is ultimately what yoga asks of us: to be present enough to recognize what is happening, to discern what is true, and to choose how we engage with our experience. Different than being bulldozed by it - which is what I felt in that eclipse years ago!

I will share more in a future blog post about how to consciously work with eclipse seasons and make the most of these periods that can deepen our inner and spiritual connection. Rather than seeing them as something to fear or avoid, we can learn how to use them as an opportunity for awareness, reflection and transformation.

If you are interested in exploring your own cycles and planetary influences more deeply, schedule Vedic astrology consultations here.

And within my Elevated Living Community (coming soon, keep an eye out!), I share deeper resources and guidance throughout the year, including seasonal practices and cleanses, eclipse awareness, and all kinds of resources, guides, courses and support for yoga, Ayurveda and conscious living.