the new moon in earthy, grounded and embodied taurus is exact on friday may 6th 2016 at 12:29pm PDT. this new moon initiates us into a very different energetic frequency than the one we have been in for the past 2 months. march was dominated by the wounded Healer chiron on the karmic south node- bringing up a lots of emotions, wounds, pain, denial, delusion and deception to face within ourselves, with others and in the world around us. april was dominated by uranus, pluto and eris- the wake up/shake up crew and the Dark Goddess of chaos, destruction and rebirth- bringing much activation and upheaval with her! to say the last two months have been intense would be an UNDERSTATEMENT. the coming month of may changes out the deluge of water and the burning fire for some good old fashioned solid earth- bringing in some much needed grounding, stability, structure, new foundations and hopefully some deeply healing and revealing perspective.
when i looked at this new moon chart and felt into the month what came in was the following:
this lunar month is about embodiment, sensuality and manifestation.
it’s about being here on earth in a body- enjoying it AND at the same time staying aligned with the path of integrity, spiritual maturity, mastery.
we are being called to know when to rise above and know when to drop down below. too much of either keeps us stuck in shadow and light without finding the balance and wholeness we are searching for.
this is a month of navigating the heights and the depths- the ecstasy and the agony- all from a centered space as though we are the center of the wheel and not the spokes in constant motion.
we are being given the opportunity to truly understand that this is all the lila (the Divine Play of life) and that we cannot integrate it all until we have experienced and embodied it all- LIGHT AND SHADOW.
this is a month to step up fully on the path of transformation- no more side stepping or putting one toe in. this is about full blooded, full bodied engagement with the process of growth and evolution- personally and collectively!
the new moon falls at 16’41 taurus and it activates a very profound and powerful aspect configuration that has been unfolding throughout the first half of 2016. the sun/moon conjunction are both trine to jupiter and the north node in virgo and pluto in capricorn- forming a Grand Earth Trine of manifestation, embodiment, empowerment, transformation and self-mastery. ram das says ‘be here now’ and this new moon/month is all about being here now- through it all. through the ups and downs, ins and outs, good and bad, light and shadow. the good news is that the downs, outs, bad and shadow are definitely less present this month than in the last two- almost like the Universe giving us a little reprieve and reward for all the hard work done in recent months. when you are learning how to surf bigger waves the moment you master a particular level it’s time to up level and move to something more difficult. this month is like a sacred pause- in between big lessons and the next wave coming in. it’s a time to ground down, take care of ourselves physically, enjoy life, relax and retreat a little, and give thanks for being given the opportunity to be here now at this pivotal time on planet earth.
jupiter has been dancing with the north node since january. there are two variations of the north node- mean and true. jupiter aligned with the true north node twice in january (the 23rd and 28th) and he aligns one last time on june 20th- and jupiter will align with the mean north node only once on june 24th. jupiter aligns with the nodes approximately every 7-8 years- but it’s quite rare for jupiter to align with the nodes 3 times (this only happens with the true node as the true node is the only node that changes direction). the last time this happened was in 1842 and the next time this happens will be in 2073- so you can see this triple alignment is a rare event that brings a triple crown energy of expansion with major opportunities for significant growth, self-mastery and evolution. we are being pushed to grow and expand and move beyond preconceived limitations BIG TIME where jupiter and the north node are in our natal charts (be sure to read the weekly horoscopes for more info).
and then add in pluto to the mix- we have the lord of the Underworld and master of transformation trining both the north node (on june 16th) and jupiter (on june 26th)- helping us to access very deep reservoirs of power so that we can perservere and move through the profound portals of transformation and evolution playing out on planet earth right now (personally and collectively). with all this occurring in earth signs- it’s time to EMBODY the shift. we are not talking about it, preparing for it, thinking about it, visualizing it. we are BEING IT and bringing all aspects of self (emotional, spiritual, physical, intellectual) on deck. pluto brings deep and lasting change while jupiter makes sure it’s for our Highest Good and helps us to see that as well so it’s much easier to embrace!
this month the sun, moon, mercury and venus all trigger jupiter, the north node and pluto- forming a series of Grand Earth Trines that span the entire month. there is no escaping the potential for growth, evolution and transformation right now. of course you can bury your head in the sand and pretend it’s not there- but the Universe will conspire to bring these opportunities to your front door step again and again and again until you decide to embrace them ;) the good news is Grand Trines bring gifts, opportunities and abundance. they are harmonious so this is not a whack over the head kind of transit- it’s got a lot more grace and ease involved. we do need to be aware though that Grand Trines are not silver spoons in the mouth. so we have to do something with the opportunities presented to us. we have to embrace growth- it’s not going to drag us kicking and screaming (at least not this month).
there is one tense aspect to the new moon degree and that is to retrograde mars and retrograde saturn. this is not a month to skate through- there are still lessons, karmas to address, things to work out. the sagittarius area of your chart is where you are being asked to go back over and deal with the past before you can move forward. this new moon is a time to plants seeds- but those seeds will only take root if you have prepared the ground properly. using the gardening metaphor- you need to pull the weeds in the sadge part of your chart so that the new moon seeds you plant in the taurus part of your chart can truly take hold. with the sun/moon quincunx mars and saturn you have to question your motivation and make sure you are not impulsively, restlessly or immaturely/prematurely taking action in your life right now. much thought needs to go into things at this time. taurus is slow moving, stops to smell the flowers and thinks long and hard before it leaps whereas sadge is the complete opposite. but mars and saturn are retrograde so the sadge impulse to leap without looking, blast through something and/or force things to happen before they are truly good and ready is being reigned in, limited and disciplined right now- and learning how to work creatively within those limitations and restrictions will reap big time rewards on the path of self-mastery.
the sun/moon conjunction is opposite panacea- an asteroid that speaks to the journey of finding solutions or remedies to problems that have been long standing. if we can check our sadge desire to know everything and have it all figured out at the door- this new moon could reveal some Truths that shed Light on the WHOLE picture not just the part of the picture we can see clearly or that we are only interested in looking at. panacea can help us to find the solution we are looking for when we are willing to look in new direction and perhaps take the blinders off as well? we also have a stationary set to go direct jupiter in the new moon chart- he stations direct on monday may 9th. so the last 4 months of inward/downward journeying and getting clear on the INNER growth that is necessary before outer growth and shifts can take place is coming to an end and soon it will be time to take steps in a new direction! this new moon speaks to the preparation phase for these new directions. with mercury retrograde most of may and mars still retrograde till the end of june- it’s not time to be definitive and decisive as much as it is a time to get really clear on the past that has brought you to today and what you need to do to clear it, heal it, release it or transform it. luckily earth knows how to wait for something that is worth it- so this Grand Earth Trine new moon will help us to think long term reward, not short term gain.
and last but certainly not least, this new moon in earthy, sensual and embodied taurus is a call to be in the body and ENJOY IT. this is a month to dance, paint, do yoga, get a massage, give a massage, belly dance, pole dance, make Love- whatever floats your boat! we are spiritual beings having a human experience and our bodies are our temple. how we treat our bodies- the foods we eat, the things we drink, the products we put on our bodies, the ways we are present to our embodied experience (or not) are all ways that we honor (or dishonor) our temple. so this is a month to honor your body, honor the earth, honor the material world. we are not here to rise above it all in a way that cuts us off from our humanity. we are here to fully descend Spirit into body- so that BOTH are being inhabited fully. taurus knows this and is not quick to want to escape earthly living- but actually engages it and revels in it. bliss can be found when we can BE HERE NOW. the false bliss we get when we check out, do drugs or spiritually bypass is not fulfilling- much like eating a fat free sugar free cookie can feel like when you really just want something that truly satiates. and this new moon can help you to anchor into something within and without that is deeply fulfilling on many levels!
i leave you with ellias lonsdale’s star sparks meditation for 17 taurus. if you are not familiar with my column the star sparks meditations are like sabian symbols. when i happened upon ellias’ work i was so taken by these meditations and i personally prefer them over the standard sabian symbols. they are deep and they always get to the heart and core of energies playing out personally and collectively. for more information about these meditations and to purchase them you can find contact info for ellias here- http://www.stargenesiswisdom.com (***please note star sparks is different than ‘inside degrees’ another book he wrote on the degrees of the zodiac)
i love this degree- it reminds me of persephone (and her pomegranate). it speaks to the vital life juice/eros/passion within us all breaking out of the constraints- self imposed or otherwise. and it also speaks to the teachers among us- who are even more vitally engaged and they can lead us through and beyond.
blessings…
~divine harmony
Taurus 17 A pomegranate broken open
She has managed previously to keep herself unto herself and to resist the temptation to enter upon what she feels and senses inside. This way of life was developed to the max. She could hold her own against her insides overflowing and she could keep that tense edge forever.
But then it happens despite her best intentions. The depths overthrow every container she can possibly put around herself. There is just no way to put that top back on, to firmly plant that frown on the outside, to keep the world at bay.
Once she gets the hang of it, being inside the underworld is not such a strange place after all. For she finds that she has this immense affinity with this wild process she keeps going through and is more at home in the worlds that make it possible than in the safe precincts sentiments and memory have in mind.
Her path is a jagged one. She is too many worlds in one skin. She is always bursting apart, never hanging together. And there is this greater wave coming on.
For she finds that she draws to her a current that confirms, that strengthens, that profoundly nourishes this initial surge of movement beyond the known. She gives herself the breath of new life and this does the job of making what is bursting through, the vital fluid, and nobody can say otherwise.
For one who was starkly circumscribed by every tight role and mask she could stuff into her, it really is quite a ride to learn how to be here in the depths of life, free and clear. She’s got the instinct for it. Yet she has to keep shedding. It’s so easy to form identities around each stage.
Somebody even more vitally engaged with the core of existence is leading her through, patiently and with deep underlying passion.