Wesak Super Blood Moon/Flower Moon and Total Lunar Eclipse

May 15-16, 2022

We are in the last few days of the Moon’s waxing “gibbous” cycle leading into the full Moon/total lunar eclipse, which will occur on May 15 and 16 depending on your location. As the Moon is rapidly increasing in light now and in the coming days, our creative juices may be bubbling over, and some may be feeling a sense of anticipation.

At the same time, the waxing Moon leading up to the full Moon/lunar eclipse can trigger emotional intensity manifesting in irritability, anxiety, or strange dreams. Positive affirmations, prayers, mantras, and meditation are more necessary than usual during this time, in order to help us stay on the right track and avoid being pulled off course by the negative power which is also agitating now.

A total lunar eclipse will occur May 15 and 16 around the time when the full Moon culminates at the end of the purnima tithi and the beginning of the pratipada tithi. These are the terms for the last and first synodic lunar days according to Vedic astrology. The eclipse will take place in the early evening in Hawaii on Sunday, May 15, and in the late-afternoon of Monday, May 16 in New Zealand, and then all times in between for all the other areas around the globe. Check out Time and Date for the exact eclipse timings for any location you need.

This eclipse is indeed a “global eclipse” as it will last a long time and be visible over at least half the Earth, including South/West Europe, South/West Asia, Africa, much of North America, South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and Antarctica.

The lunar eclipse will occur close to the Moon’s perigee, when the Moon is nearest to the Earth during its monthly orbit, which will make the Moon appear about 7% larger than average. It is technically a “supermoon,” though the full Moons of June, July, and August this year are actually closer. Supermoons bring very high and very low perigean spring tides (king tides), with the threat of flooding to coastal areas, as well as a greater than normal tendency for seismic events, storms, and emotional intensity.

Here are the full Moon/eclipse wheel charts for Washington DC (based on the sidereal zodiac/Lahiri ayanamsa):

According to Time and Date, “during the lunar eclipse, about 1 hour and 25 minutes of totality will be visible (weather permitting) from across the 48 contiguous United States. Totality is the period where the full Moon is completely covered by the dark part of Earth’s shadow and turns a reddish color. For Pacific and Mountain Time Zones, totality will be a prime-time Sunday evening event: it will run from around 8:29 pm to 9:53 pm PDT/MST, and 9:29 pm to 10:53 pm MDT.”

The lunar eclipse will occur with the Moon at one degree of sidereal Scorpio eclipsed by the South Node Ketu at 28 degrees Libra, both in the fervent and polarized Vishakha nakshatra, and in full aspect to the equally passionate Sun in Aries in the fiery Krittika nakshatra. This suggests a great deal of "heat" around this full Moon, as well, including fires, criminality, anger, and all kinds of fearsomeness.

A total lunar eclipse is called a “Blood Moon” since the Moon often turns a ruddy color, reflecting disruptive and angry energies that may erupt in the weeks around a lunar eclipse. This period may entail a time of heavy vibrations, overall instability, and emotional challenges. Buried or unconscious issues can surface for some, which will force the need to face something difficult or to take new action to resolve a problem.

This eclipsed Vishakha Moon is generally good for spiritual ceremonies, as well as for activities that require hard work, versatility, and a strong mental focus. The eclipsed Moon will occupy the ninth-harmonic portion of Vishakha known as Cancer navamsa, which is sometimes volatile and dangerous. The fact that the eclipse is occurring during the Wesak Buddha-Full Moon highlights the extreme battle of light versus dark that is raging in our world today. This is a call to lightworkers (spiritual practitioners), as the Divine shakti of this Moon is potent.

Lord Indra is an ancient Vedic deity, who is the King of Svarga (Heaven) and the Devas. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows and war. In this image above, he is portrayed killing the Vritasura with his vajra (Image: Ramanarayanadatta astri - Story of Vritra.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=94831269).

Lord Indra is one of the presiding deities of Vishakha nakshatra, the section of late sidereal Libra and early sidereal Scorpio where the May full Moon/total lunar eclipse occurs. The other presiding deity of Vishakha nakshatra is Lord Agni, the God of Fire. See image below of Lord Agni: (A double-sided paubha depicting Agni and Maheshvari. 17th/18th Century. Nepal. Sotheby’s. The Richard R. & Magdalena Ernst Collection of Himalayan Art).

Being ruled by both Lords Indra and Agni, Vishakha nakshatra is sometimes represented by a quarrelsome, fixated, compulsive, or aggressive tone. This is even more likely because the Moon is conjoined its South Node Ketu in the eclipse. The Ketu energy can be volcanic and can indicate tendencies for mistrust, aggravation, belligerence, upheaval, and accidents, so please take it easy out there in the coming days and weeks. Be calm and maintain inner peace at all costs, as our thoughts do create our reality to a large extent.

Eclipses prompt and foreshadow upheaval and changes that affect the whole world even if they are not strongly influencing an individual horoscope or specific geographical area. Yogis recommend that we meditate, chant, recite mantras or do other kinds of contemplative and creative practices during an eclipse because the subtle powers generated during this time are conducive to higher consciousness and personal or collective spiritual empowerment. Native American elders as well as the Vedic/yogic teachings warn us not to look at an eclipse as this can lead to disturbances of the mind and physical health. I wish you a peaceful full Moon and eclipse season.