Eclipse
An eclipse happens when a new moon or full moon falls near the lunar nodes, the two points where the Moon’s orbit crosses Earth’s path around the Sun. At a new moon, the Moon then hides the Sun (a solar eclipse); at a full moon, Earth’s shadow veils the Moon (a lunar eclipse). Tradition sees it as a threshold moment, heightened, that marks a turning point.
Why it does not happen every month
Every month brings a new and a full moon, but the Moon’s orbit is slightly tilted, so it usually passes a little above or below the Sun-Earth line. An eclipse only occurs when that alignment lands near a node. If you want to watch a solar eclipse, always follow proper Sun-viewing safety guidance.
What the tradition invites you to do
Where older cultures sometimes feared these darkened skies, today’s tradition reads an eclipse as an amplified threshold, a sharper turn than usual. You can meet it gently, notice what is asking to change, without rushing into any big decision. An invitation to stay attentive, not a rule or an omen to dread.