Sunday night, the Moon enters Taurus (7:30 PM). She wanes strongly making no major aspects until Monday. Deeply waning Moons, particularly those in Earth signs, can feel heavy. The heaviness comes with use, though. Here we can discern what is too cumbersome or difficult to carry. We can slough off excess and aim to travel lighter. We can identify initiatives not worth our effort, shed habits birthed of self-disrespect and align ourselves more intimately with the root or core of our desires and values. Taurus is the sign of simplicity. In this sign, what has been acquired is of quality and has been well earned. When perverted or afoul, the sign can turn selfish, hoard or compensate for lack of self-value with material goods. With Pluto having recently turned Rx, what has been proven false, toxic, excessive or borne of ill repute was purged. Attachment to what Pluto identified as poison or hazardous has been stripped away. Pluto's station created fissures, voids, sinkholes and craters right in the middle of what we may have exalted as stable and in good condition. What remains is tinged with the putrid stench of death and decay. The rancid sludge of decomposition. Wet and malleable but buffering none of the hollow echo thundering with silence. Many find themselves disheveled. Perhaps with clothes tattered. Our bare feet seek slowly in the oozing aftermath as we eventually all realize either an atmosphere of barren loneliness and abandon or one reflective of discovering black gold rich with potential. Is it perspective or character that leads us from here into feelings of humble gratitude and grace or those of exploitation, greed and selfish entitlement? In truth, the happenings that bring us to these empty spaces in our lives are the catalysts through which both matters of personal perspective and character are weighed, measured, taken apart and put back together again.
Venus, the ruler of the sign of Taurus, has just entered Gemini (5/8 at 10 PM EST). This will allow us to be more flexible in regard to Venus while encouraging us to delight and diversify our palate. We can grow curious about trying new things. Our words may luxuriously ooze and drip like honey coated with praise and gratitude. We can find bliss in all the little things or become lost in wishing for everything little thing. Hearts can become light or turn fickle. The only constant with Venus in Gemini is that we are all learning and growing through experience of the Venus realm.
In the sign of the twins, Venus is curious. She flits around learning of and continually developing her personal aesthetic. She loves to make new friends and enjoys allowing herself to pursue her own interests. She adores laughing, puns, word play, banter and getting others to smile. But, she isn't overly interested in settling down or focusing her affection on merely one thing, person or topic. She's friendly and polite functioning best when matters of the heart are kept on a cerebral level. She will quickly change topic or flitter off somewhere else when the conversation is no longer interesting or when the situation becomes intense.
Venus in Gemini is energy that can help coax Taurus through change. As Uranus continues through the sign of the Bull, our most basic structures will continue to change and evolve which makes things tough for our fixed signs. Taurus, however, sincerely struggles the most with accommodating and adapting to change. In this sign, Uranus disrupts our stability. He enlightens us to what is of true importance and inspires moments of humble gratitude. He helps us to sharpen our ability to endure, stick with it and plod patiently forward. His methods of bringing all this about are usually not welcomed or comfortable. The changes in his wake are typically felt as forced rather than chosen. He strips us of our comfort zones and knocks us out of ruts. Venus in Gemini helps Taurus to shift perspective. With this Venus in charge, the cow is more inclined to be optimistic and more apt to find incentive to accommodate the rumblings of Uranus. Venus in Gemini makes it easier for Taurus to move on...something else Taurus really doesn't like to do.
Venus isn't alone in Gemini either. She joins Mercury who has been out of bounds since May 7. He remains in this rogue position as he enters his pre-retrograde shadow May 14. He returns in bounds on May 30th the day after he stations retrograde. Venus reaches out of bounds on 5/23 staying rogue until 6/13. On May 24, all three of our most personal planets (Mars, Mercury, Venus) are drenched in this wild card energy at the same time. Mercury's retrograde pattern provides additional trickery and tomfoolery throughout the ecliptic---a threshold we are pushed through following our New Moon in Taurus on the 11th.
Although the Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius at the end of the month and the Solar Eclipse in Gemini in June may seem far away from us right now, they are actually more close than they appear. As a matter of fact, we could be (if we have not already) met with introductory ecliptic themes as Mercury crosses the nodal axis in the wee hours of our Monday (2:44 AM). This, of course, occurs prior to Mercury entering his pre-retrograde shadow. There will only be a single pass for Mercury to our North Node. This, however, also allows us time to set intention for the ecliptic, Mercury Rx, to chart our general course ahead or, if we choose to just listen, we could even be provided the foresight needed so we can more clearly assess the weather ahead in effort to become better prepared. This conjunction occurs as 10 Gemini 44 at the end of the 1st Decan of Gemini. The North Node back peddles moving toward the Sabian symbol for 10 Gemini which reads “AN AIRPLANE PERFORMING A NOSE DIVE.” According to Dane Rudhyar the KEYNOTE for this symbol is A superior ability to challenge nature and play with danger. Further, Rudhyar describes this symbol's energy as an embodiment of mind vs matter. This energy allows us to be inspired to take a chance or to employ our current skills to precision. Either way, there is an element of danger and risk. Our ability to come out the otherside effectively and safely will be directly dependent on the mastery of our own minds and perspective. Will the surges of adrenaline help us to focus in on the task at hand or will we respond fearfully and uncertain of our own abilities? If you look closely at the symbol you can see the nose dive is being performed not forcefully incurred indicating that we have the skills present and ready to pull the stunt off.
Mercury, though, continues forward toward the Sabian symbol for 11 Gemini which reads “NEWLY OPENED LANDS OFFER THE PIONEER NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE.” Rudhyar assigns the KEYNOTE as The power and joy of new beginnings. He advises this symbol's energy is a reflection of our ability to rise to the occasion.
On Monday evening, the Moon communes with Mars in Cancer (5:12 PM) by sextile just before being destabilized, detached, liberated and enlightened by Uranus in Taurus (6:36). This provides intuitive insight while also instigating willingness or an impetus toward change. Before our Monday is finished, Mercury in Gemini will sextile Chiron in Aries. This can be like receiving encouragement from friends or finding a work around for something that we are unable to do alone. Then, the Moon in Taurus is held to task and boundary by way of a square to Saturn in Aquarius. These celestial movements set the stage for our Tuesday evening (3:00 PM) New Moon in Taurus.
The New Moon begins at 21 Taurus 17 and casts the Page of Cups as her Guide. The Page's presence echoes the energy coming from the smooth sextile received from this Moon via Neptune in Pisces. The Page of Cups encourages us to steer way from being overly zealous. Her suggested approach is that of creativity, gentleness and kindness. She recommends being accommodating, passive and indirect. Her intentions are crystal clear and heart pure.
This Page is a messenger of sentiment, emotion and dreams. In her presence, dreams may be particularly symbolic, music especially moving or connections with others tender. She challenges us with her naivete and can become quite love drunk or forget to remove her rose colored glasses or beer goggles. She can drown us with “touching” messages or intoxicate us with enchanting fairy tales. Her words are sparse but wafting about her is a natural type of music. Her steps magically follow her unique silent melody while her movements seem to make whatever mood she is in infectious.
The Page of Cups is an art student. A vocalist, lyricist and musician. She loves to swim almost as much as enjoys relaxing with dreamy naps in the sun. She's quiet. But, still waters do run deep.
The Page is innocent and somewhat vulnerable. She spends a lot of time in fantasy and escape. From that we are suggested to be imaginative and creative in our problem solving or in response to challenge. This Page is not going to fight. She will soothe the situation before adding more heat to it. And, if she doesn't want to deal with conflict, her budding intuitive systems will advise her to steer clear of the turbulence.
The Page's gentleness fits nicely with the softer more demure side of Taurus. In light of instability and forced change, the Page can soothe the unsettled cow and compassionately assist him with all his attached emotions. Plus, this brings to mixture the elements of water (Page of Cups) and Earth (Taurus). As the Moon pulls in Pluto by wide trine, the energy of the ground at this New Moon is fecund and inviting. Have great Voids truly been harshly ripped open in our lives? Have dangerous sink holes and fissures been viciously torn open in what was once solid? Or, has the crust of our slumbering fields been newly plowed and divided. I guess the only way to truly ever know is to throw in some seeds to see if something grows.
Of course this analogy reflects the conditions that await our New Moon intentions. The ground is fertile following the May Queen's spring clean. Our fields appearing at one moment barren and full of potential the next. Regardless of how this new space became opened and even though no definite outcome has been promised, all that remains is deciding which potentials we are willing to invest in limited only by our imaginations.
Those potential investments become our intentions. Our focus. Our fascination. We feed and tend them learning as we go. All other potentials are weeded out. Snatched up as tender sprouts, these undesired results are not allowed to steal resource from our cherished plants. Those moments of tending, weeding and cultivating reside a bit further out from where we find ourselves at this New Moon, though. As she dawns, we are merely standing ankle deep in rich fertile mud with a few sprinklings of hope and a bucket of desperation barely able to craft a hazy image of what it is we want to grow.
Few of us will be 100% certain of what it is we are doing as most endeavors at this Moon will translate to new stuff on individual levels. The work we have ahead us taunts and allures equally. Yet we realize the road behind us has been closed off. Before us then resides only two options: moving forward or standing still...becoming cemented in the raw swamp sewage the Universe has just wrenched from your guts as the Moon waned deeply. For most, it's easy to see it's worth it to emerge from the muck and take a chance on finding better conditions down the road ahead. Some, due fear or a variety of personal reasons, will choose to wallow aimlessly in the middle of their own mess. Each road chosen having purpose that does not outweigh the position of the other. Wallowing worms create an aerated and fertile soil providing beautiful support to that which chooses to grow.
The symbolism for the New Moon's degree reads:
WHITE DOVE FLYING OVER TROUBLED WATERS.
KEYNOTE: The spiritual inspiration that comes to the individual in the overcoming of crisis.
Here also we are confronted with a symbol of guidance, and the dove flying over troubled waters reminds one of the story of Noah and the Ark. Noah met his and mankind’s crisis courageously and in complete obedience to God’s promptings. The test completed, he received the dove’s message. It is a message from the Holy Spirit announcing a new Dispensation. This symbolic scene can be applied to personal crises resulting from emotional upheavals or from the irruption of unconscious forces and impulses into the consciousness — if the crisis has been faced in the right spirit. This second stage symbol is in contrast to the preceding one because here it is not the product of a culture, a “book,” but instead the rhythm of cosmic, God-ordained cycles that reveals its conclusive beat through a living and concretely significant sign — a REWARD TO THE FAITHFUL.
The energy of the Sabian for this degree resonates nicely with the energy of our guide, the Page of Cups. Like the Dove, the Page's symbolism resonates with peace, purity and innocence. She is most certainly a student of faith and the sea. Learning to focus upon her North Star or her true light of purpose while traversing any trials of storm or lull, feast or famine while remaining willing to go down only with her ship. She knows she will face elements and conditions that are beyond her control. But, her sense of direction is set. She has learned to bypass some of the threats imposed by the inevitable storm by keeping her eyes above it and on her destination allowing neither her focus or intent to waiver. Just like the Dove, her homing mechanism or directional system is love. Something within the Page quivers with a yearning for a peaceful place, sanctuary, home, something to believe in, serenity, harmony...her heart sings a Siren's call to Nirvana.
Venus, the ruler of this Moon, is found at 4 Gemini strongly waxing toward the North Node in Gemini. Her symbolism according to Dane Rudhyar reads as follows:
HOLLY AND MISTLETOE REAWAKEN OLD MEMORIES OF CHRISTMAS.
KEYNOTE: A longing for the pre-intellectual state of consciousness.
The intellect ruled by the ego has taken all that had been seen by the translucent mind (the “glassbottomed boat”) and has given it a logical, rational form. Yet old memories of childhood and its naive faith sometimes make their way into the consciousness. They are aroused by what remains of the ancestral images that once had great vitality and power (mistletoe was sacred to the Druids). The holly with its brilliant contrast of red and green recalls a more primitive and magical sense of color, as exemplified in Tibetan art. A nostalgia for more natural and feeling-oriented values tends to lead to a movement of protest — thus, to the intensification of the emotions in the individual personality, or to the Romantic Movement after the post-classical and post-rationalistic European period.
This is the fourth stage in the thirteenth series. It recalls the fourth stage in the eighth sequence (Phase 39, Taurus 9”) symbolized by “a fully decorated Christmas tree.” But the vivid experience of childhood now has become only an obsessive or nostalgic memory. It heralds a resurgence of deeper values and aspirations which had been forced back into the collective unconscious. What is stressed here is the value of tradition-based archetypes during the process of “discovery,” a RETURN TO THE SOURCE. The contact with archetypes may nevertheless lead to explosive situations.
This Moon provides us opportunity to perceive of matters of our core. Once we have been stripped, that which is core and essential is hard to miss because it's all we have left. We may be able to identify our deepest values or become more intimately acquainted with what it is that is of true importance to us. The ground we stand on may feel uncertain and unstable. It's highly likely we stumble around a few times until we become more well adapted to the terrain. Yet we can identify, employ and define our skill sets while remaining willing to allow things to develop and shape out in their own time...including ourselves.
Pressuring ourselves to identify definitive outcomes robs us of a chance to be experimental and imaginative. Nothing in the future need be set in stone at this time. The North Node in Gemini promises to throw a few time ripples and monkey wrenches in our near future during an eclipse season that unfolds during a Mercury Rx anyway. Mercury out of bounds in Gemini laughs wildly at any plans written in ink right now. Only our resolve and devotion given to the cornerstones of our values need be locked in place while we are allowed to stay open to all potentials and possibilities.
If these potentials and possibilities are fed with hope and pure intention then inevitable surrender to the forces beyond our control comes more quickly and are supported with faith. But, if we feed our future fear and bathe it in the fire of hatred, the ground we are working with becomes hard and unforgiving. We become stuck and stagnant. Resistant to change and unsupportive of our growth. Essentially, when we each look at the blank spaces rendered before us at this New Moon, whether we believe we are standing in nothingness, shut out, empty with despair or we believe we have been gifted with something magnificent and full of potential....we will be correct. The seed sown. The intention set.
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