Red Moon

Picture courtesy of NASA

Last night (or this morning, depending on your perspective) I had the opportunity to witness relatively common events in a rare arrangement.  The full moon, the winter solstice, and total lunar eclipse by themselves are just parts of the cycles we may enjoy as part of living on Earth.  But this was special.  I was determined to stay up hours past my pass out time (roughly any time between 8pm and 10pm depending on, well, whenever I pass out).  The lunar eclipse took place between 11:41pm through 12:53am Pacific.  The kicker?  Fresno has been experiencing Seattle-like weather since the weekend.  Weather forecasts promises a zero percent chance of rain from midnight to 2am, but the clouds didn't let up during prime viewing time.  

As we craned our necks for nearly 45 minutes we saw glimpses of the orange hue of the total eclipse.  Literally split seconds occurred where the clouds would break momentarily and we could see the faint outline of the lunar eclipse.  I found it beautiful and even though I could barely make out the astronomical event for most of its occurrence I am happy I had an opportunity to witness it.

In fact, I've been feeling rather upbeat ever since.  It's a lot of energy in a single astronomical event.  First the seasonal change from fall into winter and the longest night of the year is cut into by the brightness of the full moon which then goes through a complete 29.35 day cycle in a matter of 3 or 4 hours.  The winter solstice is a time of coming together, enjoying company and revelries, celebrating the fact that the light will begin to wax again.  The moon's wax and wane cycle represents growth and decrease in efforts and projects.  Combine both of those energies and you have a very strong energy for change in general.

I took some time in the evening prior to the event thinking about the last 15 months.  All that has changed in my life.  All the changes I still want to make in my life.  Now that I have closed some very big chapters, I'm getting ready to open some very big new ones.

Perhaps that's why I'm in a good mood.  For once, rather than resisting change and flailing with my lack of control over my circumstances, I'm learning to really embrace the unknown and gearing up to take some major chances that (I hope) will change my life for the better.

The last 15 months have been a toiling of thesis and antithesis energies, a creating and destruction of life energies.  The lunar eclipse, for me, signals true change, not just the contemplation thereof.  It is synthesis.

Today, I begin.