Raju was eating plastic bags on the streets to keep his tummy full. Lakhi got abscesses on her feet while trudging endlessly on tar roads in hot temperatures. Suraj was a prisoner at a temple, restrained by spiked chains in a dark, dank room with little food and water. Rhea worked for fifty three years at a circus, performing unnatural, painful tricks for her owners’ profit.
Twenty elephants who have suffered similar abuse are now healing from their wounds at Wildlife SOS, a nonprofit conservation and care center in Mathura, India. Many are blind, lame or elderly, and therefore susceptible to ailments such as pneumonia and arthritis. So to keep them cozy during a cold snap this winter, staff members at the center designed and knitted special plus-size sweaters for the pachyderms. Thanks to a big dose of creativity and caring, these noble creatures are staying warm and comfortable. Draped in their colorful robes, they have become the kings and queens of their realm.
At Friday’s Full Moon eclipse in Leo (Feb. 10, 4:33 p.m. PST), we’re all encouraged to dress up a little and let our true selves shine. The Full Moon in regal Leo syncs up magically with stable Saturn, optimistic Jupiter and innovative Uranus, sparking unexpected solutions to problems. The Sun in Aquarius eclipsing the Moon in Leo reminds us that we’re all in this together. Progressive change and caring about the rights of others trump egocentric concerns. It’s possible now to see the light on the horizon.
So no matter how beaten down you may feel, don some colorful duds at this Full Moon and join with others to strut your stuff. There’s always hope – just ask Raju and his elephant kin!
To find out how this auspicious lunar eclipse is affecting you personally, order April Elliott Kent’s Followed by a Moon Shadow report, which illuminates a year’s worth of eclipses in your chart.