Full Moon in Taurus: The Quickening

Image Credit: Devon Photography

The Full Frost Moon reaps her harvest of seeds from the now completely finished growing season of the Northern Hemisphere. In late spring, at the New Moon in Taurus, many of the seeds that are produced in this season will crack open. Sprouting new growth in new places. Although the original plant dies during the frost, the seeds of that plant will cast into a wider circle. Some of the seeds will go on a journey by way of influence from external factors (weather, wildlife, etc.) blooming in obscure or unexpected places. Others will sprout forth in the same vicinity as the original plant, but with more company. Either way, the death of one brings the potential for something larger to be born. A hint of that latent magic seems to crystallize upon the last night of green under the clear brilliance that is this season's Full Moon.

Within ourselves we echo the energies of the seasons. Just as nature reaps, molts, sheds in literal ways during Scorpio season, we too are given the opportunity to shed, molt and prepare to begin anew. With the Mercury retrograde in Scorpio, the literal concept of death has been thematic in my life. Each story that I've heard relayed thus far from this Rx has been very personalized and touched upon themes that rooted in core places. I've heard the retrograde in matters related to property, debt, taxes, inheritance, secrecy, abuse, the gamut of Scorpionic themes. At this Full Moon, we can now begin to release and absolve some of the themes this retrograde has dredged up on personal levels. The Full Moon occurs on 11/12/19 at 8:35 AM EST. Prior to the release of the Full Moon, there is energy in the sky that seems somewhat catalytic. The Moon is active in Taurus as the Sun and Mercury meet on 11/11 at 10:22 AM EST. There may be a need to withstand that catalytic aspect in effort to discern the best course of action moving forward. The Scorpio/Taurus axis being an excellent resource for enduring and grounding out the energy to begin with.

The occultation of the Sun by Mercury the day before this Full Moon plays largely into what we will experience as this all goes down. The axis of fixed degrees upon which this Full Moon culminates is known to bring with it a feeling of quickening as well as revelation. Plus, that quickening and sped up nature of the energy is compounded by the Sun/Mercury conjunction and the fact that Jupiter and Mars are in sextile.

The Sun falls on the sabian for 20 Scorpio which reads: A woman drawing two dark curtains aside.

The Moon answers to 20 Taurus which reads: Winds, clouds and haste.

Given those two points, alone, we can tell that something is likely revealed to us (which is also consistent with what we know of the nature of a full moon in general) and we will not only be prone to respond to it quickly but also in a way that we tend to make grand gestures or overreach due the Mars/Jupiter sextile which lays the Finger of God upon the Moon (aka: Yod).

However, the Moon is conjunct Vesta in Taurus. A placement that devotes itself to matters of personal value and worth while setting it's pace on diligent and thorough. The Sun and Mercury in Scorpio indicate a need to be wary of timing when divulging information. This is the sign of a detective and the researcher. We may learn something with the Mercury/Sun occultation but we need to be wary that Mercury is still retrograde and the timing for responding to or divulging what is uncovered needs to be perfected. Or, what we learn may need to be verified or further investigated/fact checked before anything is done in response or before it is shared (if at all).

In a natal chart, the Sun conjunct Mercury is indicative of communication and the thought process of an individual playing a large role in the development of their personality. It can give the “feel” of Sun in Virgo or Sun in Gemini where the nature of Solar expression in many ways connects to the placement of Mercury in the natal chart. On personal levels, with Mercury's occultation of the Sun, what we may discover is how the concepts of secrecy, mental/verbal abuse or even trauma or mental illness have played a role in how we express our personality or form our identity in some way. With that, there is a chance at integrating this information instead of allowing it to continue to play out in shadow. Instead, we can learn to express ourselves with the awareness of this influence in tow.

It's of relevance to note that this is the only conjunction of Mercury to the Sun during his retrograde cycle. But, he does traverse these degrees of the conjunction 3 times. The first of which occurred around 10/18-19 as Mercury was initially tracing his pre-retrograde shadow and then, again, as he traces his way back out around the 1^st of December. In other words, this Full Moon connects into an ongoing storyline that began in October and meets with some type of culmination in December. The impact of the Mercury/Sun occultation makes the retrograde strike a very deep personal chord. The whole which is as if one is reading a mystery novel and this is the spot where we begin to have a sincere inkling as to who the villain is. Yet, we have to keep reading to the end to be sure. A more finite perspective waits for us in December.

I suspect the occultation of the Sun by Mercury delivers unto us personally relevant information in some way and we will be quite prone to respond to it in a hastened manner. Yet, again, this is only the midsection of the entire story and it's best to take in the information in an analytical manner after the major emotions of the ordeal have been healthfully traversed. Since this occurs in the sign of Scorpio, these may be deeply affective matters that are excavated here or in the very least a very juicy piece of information that has been withheld or veiled in some way. With the ruler of this Moon, Venus, in waxing square to Neptune we may be anxious due the lack of access to resource or the confusion around the concept of Venus in general. Along with the notoriety of quickening with the degrees of this Moon and the combination of Mars/Jupiter we are in danger of over-reacting or over-reaching in our actions as a result.

The best use of Mars/Jupiter is less over-reach and more along the lines of tempering the “right” response. Falling in Libra and Sagittarius, it indicates taking action within the boundaries of the law and uniting people on the journey more so than splintering them apart. It calls us to do the right thing but can compel acts of self-justified righteousness too.

Our collective guide for this Lunation is the High Priestess which certainly smacks of the Sabian we have for the Sun. There is much to know. But the Priestess advises what is revealed here is for you only. Keep your visions to yourself for now and allow this personal time of divine prophecy and revelation unfold having faith in the fact that the story does have a continuance. Remain mindful of the concept of timing. There is nothing about the Mars/Jupiter sextile that is tolerant of action or activity that is biased, unbalanced, discriminatory or that falls outside the letter of the law. So, keep anything you do within that framework seeking right action more so than righteous or expedient. Go through the proper channels. Remain mindful of the future implications of your actions. It may feel as if we need to go big or go home. But, the best use is to move forward gracefully and with good tempo with the intention of supporting our personal growth. This could compel some aggrandized action with the tempered version bringing well orchestrated and perfectly timed acts of justice.

Venus, the ruler of our Moon, finds herself waxing in square to Neptune Rx. To me, this is more about veils dropping around matters of finance more so than new ones being constructed. Neptune is currently stationing to turn direct. In this chart we find him at 16 degrees. He moves backward just a sliver more before turning direct on 11/27 at 15 Pisces 56. Therefore, his energy is heightened. Riffing off the Sun/Mercury conjunction in the sign of exchange of resource and realization/exertion of power, veils may thud around matters of state or official expenditures or matters of global finances. As this aspect waxes during this Full Moon, it is an indication that the next two weeks may breed confusion or uncertainty about matters of finance, global resources/values or foreign allies. That energy will actually feed right into what we will encounter during the New Moon in Sagittarius/Full Moon in Gemini phase.

The square from Venus in Sagittarius to Neptune in Pisces perfects on 11/14 with Neptune positioned only 2 blips away from his official station point. Neptune remains prominent in multiple ways throughout the month of November due his position in station. Mercury will also complete 2 of his three trines with the God of the Sea in this month. The last of which occurs just one day after Neptune turns direct therefore holding special potency at that last trine on 11/28.

Yet, after her square with Neptune on the 14^th, Venus is released and begins to clarify herself. She moves on to conjunct Jupiter on 11/24 just as Mars has moved into Scorpio finding Uranus by opposition. Then, she moves into Capricorn on 11/25 where she will square Chiron (11/27 following the New Moon in Sagittarius) and then meets with Uranus by trine (11/28) before meeting with Pluto (12/13) and Saturn (12/11) by conjunction at the end of her Capricorn journey. So, know things of a Venus nature are likely confusing, muddled or may feel somewhat out of reach during the next two weeks. But, under our Sagittarius New Moon cycle, issues of Venus come forth with more clarity rather quickly. As the square culminates there may be feelings of loneliness, disconnect and we may question our faith in regard to our personal theories on Venus themed matters. What we experience in that, though, helps us to more clearly define those Venus concepts for ourselves.

For now, though, Venus is shedding during the Full Moon she rules over. She is shedding her culminating cycles with Neptune, Jupiter, Pluto and Saturn. Just as the seeds are reaped from the bounty of nature at this time of year, we too can reap the seeds of maturity and wisdom we've personally gleaned from the entirety of these interplanetary cycles. Shedding lesser mature versions of ourselves exposes us to new vulnerabilities. It's not a pretty process. But, it is a process necessary to the continuation of life and growth. It exposes us to tender, vulnerable new skin and the sacred process of protecting that new growth to ensure it's health and longevity begins. The Full Moon says it's time to allow the shedding to occur. To incorporate what has been learned into the core of the system but to hold our sacred vigils and rituals now in honor of what is being laid to rest. For with the death of this season comes the promise and seed of the new. Allow the old to slough away while gently nurturing the places of mourning. Hold your quiet vigil and prepare. For the death of one is simply a promise of something larger and brand new.

Image Credit: David Gough