A full moon occurs on the morning of 28 July 2018. This full moon will be called a Blood Moon and it will be eclipse moon. It comes at at time of a number of events occurring, including the approach of Mars – nearest to the Earth since 2003.
July Full Moon
The July 2018 Full Moon will be in Capricorn, in Shravana Nakshatra. It will be close to Ketu (the cause of the eclipse) and Mars, who is exalted, retrograde (visually going backwards). The symbols of Shravana are the ear and the three footsteps. A key issue is that Ketu magnifies the energy of planets it is conjunct, in the manner of Mars. Mars is the engine room of heat, fire, the furnace, the firebox, the kitchen stove. Emotions may run hot at this time. An important key is to take time, remember God, and calmly discriminate. It would be beneficial to repeat some mantra around this matter as actions and words taken in haste cannot be recalled with gracefulness.
The three steps symbol of Shravana nakshatra come into play here. As the legend goes, King Bali granted a wish to the dwarf avatar Vamana (the granting of three steps) which caused his transformation as the third step was placed on his head, and all trace of ego was removed from him. The learning was that arrogance and pride prevent advance in life, and prevent spiritual advance in particular.
As far as visibility goes, July’s full moon will only look reddish to viewers in Africa, the Middle East, parts of central Asia, eastern South America and Australia. If you are watching for the blood moon from the U.S., you’ll miss the eclipse entirely. The “blood moon” aspect of July’s full moon is only a condition that parts of the world will see. Totality (the period of eclipse darkness – this will last 103 minutes) will be the longest for the 21st Century, so the foundations for much transformation will be laid during this eclipse. It will divert energies to the Ascension process, both externally and internally. Some of you will note that Crop Circle season has commenced giving cause for much reflection and intuitive understanding of the higher dimensions, the 4th and 5th dimensions.
The Sun is always opposite the Full Moon, and in this case, the Sun is in Pushya nakshatra – ruled by Saturn – in Cancer, an 2nd house placement for the Sun. Pushya nakshatra is a place of balance, a place of nourishment and thriving. However, the is somewhat curtailed by the presence of Rahu, the North Node, the head of the dragon. Sun and Rahu are dire enemies; where the Sun advances righteousness, Rahu advances self-promotion by any means possible. So in a sign of planets clashing, not a lot of nourishment is going to be streaming from the Sun.
Retrograde Planets
At this time of eclipse of the Moon, planet Mercury will have turned retrograde and is in the gandanta location of Cancer (the transit from water to fire sign; a knotty, challenging place), and will be in this region of gandanta for some 9 days. As Mercury is the planet of intelligence, intelligence may not express itself with grace and charm. On account of the gandanta location – the irresolvable inner knot (or birth challenges within) – may have you speaking with words which may be later regretted (if not instantly). Whenever you point the finger at someone, always look down at your hand: three fingers are pointing back at you. This is cause to stop and wait 15 seconds, take your breath, take your time, before lashing out with words that cannot be recalled.
Mars Close Approach is July 31, 2018
At this Full Moon in 2018, Mars will appear brightest from July 27 to July 30.
That is the point in Mars’ orbit when it comes closest to Earth. Mars will be at a distance of 35.8 million miles (57.6 million kilometers). Mars reaches its highest point around midnight — about 35 degrees above the southern horizon, or one third of the distance between the horizon and overhead. Mars will be visible for much of the night.
By mid-August, Mars will become fainter as Mars and Earth travel farther away from each other in their orbits around the Sun.
Mars Retrograde
Mars will continue retrograde in Capricorn, into the area which is allocated to Abhijit, which is the constellation of Vega (6.40-11.13.20). Abhijit is an intercalary Nakshatra which balances the lunar calendar with the solar calendar. It is not normally used for prediction. However, the time allocated to balance with Abhijit – usually some 7 hours – is often taken up as a time for starting projects which people desire to succeed. As Abhijit is located in constellation of Vega, Vega means victorious, and so it is held that any activity started during Abhijit Nakshatra will be victorious and successful. This constellation is very powerful and gives one spiritual drive and the ability to want to win regardless of circumstances. It is ruled by the Sun. In an otherwise gloomy time, Mars retrograding into Abhijit Nakshatra brings a bright spot as the drive to win is in itself dharmic activity.
Full Moon Meditation
Clearly this is a time leading up to the eclipse (and after) wherein we are asked to pause and to listen to the inner voice, the voice of conscience within. Conscience is fuelled, energised by the spark of divinity within, the Atma, the soul. It is the soul voice.
Full Moons are times when strong and plentiful energy floods the Earth. This energy, directed by the Full Moon – may be taken and used for benefit. Hence, the Hierarchy offer us the choice to harness energies for planetary benefit by doing group meditation and directing energy in the form of love, light or healing, wherever there is a need. There have been many places experiencing disturbances on Earth in the past month. A prolonged heatwave has tapped Japan after destructive floods. Yet another heatwave strikes the United Kingdom with record temperatures, and there are historic wildfires in Sweden, within the Arctic Circle. Record high overnight temperatures were experienced in the UAE and meteorologists worldwide now seek to include climate change reports in their daily weather bulletins. The Kileua fissures continue to explode and emit magma and monsoon season takes its toll in South East Asia along with tornadoes … … all these places – and many others – will benefit from Full Moon Meditation, and sending of light, healing and love.
The Hierarchy have advised us that the times of the Full Moon are times when energy is magnified, and multiplied. Groups sitting together in meditation on peace, harmony, goodwill towards all have a manifold affect on the energies surrounding our planet when they do this on the Full Moon day. If it is not possible to do so on the actual day, then, we have been told, the day before or the day after will also serve as days of excellence in sending out positive harmony, peace and helpful energies to all places on our Earth.
In the time of eclipse, it is taught that energy is magnified, multiplied many time. It is said that mantras obtain the efficacy of 100,000 times chanting, so time spent in meditation will reap reward for both the Self and the Earth our Mother. We would serve the Earth our mother best by sending energies to those who care for cows and those who incur terrible karmic consequences by way of slaughtering cows. The bad karma of killing cows has effect on the mind, on the economy, on the media, and on the society. The Cow is the Mother, Gomatha. So we can send energy to to those who care for cows and those who butcher the cows.
Meditating on light can raise the level of light within the individual. Meditating on light for our home, Planet Earth, can raise the level of light in places where this is needed. For LIGHT can be, as you know when you turn on a light in a room it has different voltages in different countries – in some countries it is brighter – sometimes it is darker. In a way, the Light in each individual on this Earth is the same. Sometimes it is brighter and sometimes it is darker. Such meditation is always of help to others.
Black Hole Meditation
Reply: Go inside in any given cell. Choose any one cell and concentrate on it.
Question: Can I take a cell in my knee, for instance?
Reply: Yes, cellular consciousness is one and the same in every cell of your body and Atmic consciousness is one and the same in every cell on earth. Visualise a schematic picture of the cell. Take an ellipse form, and realise that this ellipse is infinitesimally smaller than the one you visualise. Now visualise in the cell, space as you know it – the universe with all its stars and planets. Then visualise in that space an infinitely small point, turned upon itself.
Question: A sort of black hole?
Reply: Yes, a sort of black hole, but then one which gives energy. That is the Atma-point. Visualise the Atma-point in each cell as a reversed black hole – as the source of everything.
Comment: When I close my eyes and try it, I see a black sky with stars and one tiny point from which energy gushes up as a sort of fountain.
Reply: Go now to a cell of your throat.
Question: The space there is much lighter. It is as if the sun is shining there.
Reply: You have arrived at the throat-chakra. In essence each cell in itself is a power-station of energy. But in the chakras there is a large assembly of energies.
From now on do this exercise at the end of each morning and evening meditation. That is the way to unity. Try to do it as often as possible. You can do it more often if you feel like it. It is always possible; in any place, at any time, during any activity.
It is not about your knee though, or about your throat or any other body-part. It is about each individual cell, which is enormously magnified in order to visualise it, but which you know to be infinitesimally smaller.
You may also concentrate on the atoms in the cells. For what you really concentrate on is neither cell nor atom. You use these ideas as metaphors for what it is really about. It is really about the Atma, which is in every atom, in every cell, in every being. The Atma is the all-penetrating force which cannot be expressed in an earthly substance, but which gives existence to all that is.
