From where I am, the eclipse will already be in progress when the Sun sets and the Moon rises. I’ll be watching the eastern horizon at sunset to watch the coppery red moon rise. Mid-eclipse (dark moon) is at 6:21 p.m. eastern time. By 8:12, the Earth’s shadow will have left the moon’s surface (from the moon’s perspective, it would be a solar eclipse by the Earth). This total lunar eclipse is very special – it is partly visible from every continent around the world.

Check a visibility map, and get more detail at NASA’s eclipse page.

Thanks to a forward from my friend Kerritwyn, I’ve gleaned some tips about possible ways to celebrate the eclipse.

According to some astrological and magical systems, eclipses co-mingle the energies of Moon and Sun, often creating disturbing or intensified effects. The supercharged full moon and its eclipsing is a reminder that we are held in the dark by clinging to only one perspective.

This lunar eclipse resonates for break-through insights and practical solutions. Bring the mind and body together.

The Full Moon is in Virgo – a full moon of healing and service and breaking free.

Celebrate those who work tirelessly to serve the needy, the wounded, and the infirm. If you are one of these, take a break, recharge, and celebrate your hard work. If you have a friend or a loved one who is one of these amazing people, you might want to give them a chance to turn some of that love and attention inward. When most astrologers speak about Virgo, they tend to use descriptors like perfectionist, critical, analytical, discriminating, empirical, and calculating. Virgo understands the oneness of all life through the physical realities of cosmology, mathematics and physics. We all express our Virgo side when we strive to be our best. Also associated with Virgo are words like healing, service, sacrifice, and mentoring. Virgo is the healer, the doctor, the nurse, the teacher, the therapist, the worker, the researcher, the scientist, and the engineer. For Virgo, caring comes in the form of finding workable solutions to everyday problems.

Full Moon in Virgo reflects a tremendous desire to throw off unhealthy habits that create sickness and sadness. Take responsibility for your health. Start questioning and being pro-active. This is the ideal Full Moon to start a weight loss or de-tox program, especially with Venus in Aries (the athlete) and Chiron (wounding) in radical change, tell-it-like-it-is, unemotional Aquarius.

The Pisces Sun (which rules a spectrum of experience ranging from pure transcendence, selflessness, unconditional love, to addiction, co-dependency, denial and fantasy) temporarily covers the energy of the practical, analytical Virgo Moon; veiling this Moon’s clarity and grounded reality-based thinking but opening up new possibilities. Practical and logical processes are temporarily out of balance, and solutions seem blocked by harsh realities. The challenge is to stay open to inspiration regardless of our daily circumstances. Bring mind and body back together.

On this Full Moon, Uranus is conjunct the Sun in Pisces, which on the positive side enlivens the energy of radical awakening into divine transcendence, or on the more negative side, leads to trauma through mindless, addictive behaviors. Not a good night to be abusing substances, but a great night to deeply connect with clear-minded approaches to alternative realities and break-through solutions. Pisces understands the oneness of all life through a deeply spiritual lens.

The opposition of Moon with Sun/Uranus is square Jupiter in Sagittarius, creating a T-square. If one walks the path of mindful inquiry and deliberate seeking, this T-square will open Devic and philosophically deep realms to conscious awareness. On the other hand, if partying is your objective, Jupiter will heighten the potential for over-indulgence and harmful behaviors. Again – no partying tonight! There is also a yod between Moon in Virgo, Venus in Aries, and Chiron in Aquarius. This yod may make romantic endeavors feel a bit disconnected or emotionally off the mark. Keep your attitude compassionate and caring.

The Moon is focused on service, and together with the Sun/Uranus conjunction insistent upon compassion, peace, and love, the Virgo cry of “get real and heal” is powerful. This Full Moon is ripe with potential for new health and healing. Experience your celestial origins by celebrating your body as a heavenly gift. Celebrate a global consciousness – think solutions and healing.

This Virgo Full Moon is also an opportunity to make friends with the inner critic, turning it into more of a help than a hindrance. Tame the self-doubting perfectionist within, and hear only the criticism that can help you thrive and grow. The emphasis again – break-through understandings.

I’ve got less than an hour to prepare my own eclectic ritual for the eclipse. Enjoy!