FULL MOON at 13 Taurus-SCORPIO 23
MAY 3, 11:42pm EDT, 8:42pm PDT, MAY 4, 4:42am GDT 
Image: Buddha Mind by Judith Wheelock. See more of her work at judithwheelock.com. Contact her at 617-608-3213.
“May had peynted with his softe shoures
This gardin ful of leves and of floures.
—from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, 1388*
This is the Buddha Full Moon. The royal Indian prince who became an iconic spiritual teacher is traditionally considered to have been born, enlightened and to have died on the Full Moon in May. Relevant to the teachings of the Buddha, the Taurus Sun/Scorpio Full Moon polarity stretches our awareness between tangible experience and inner depths. If you don’t like what is going on in your life, rearrange your subatomic, subconscious psychology. We need clear direction and clear minds to avoid distractions and feeling overwhelmed by the strong feelings that can’t help but be expressed with Scorpio’s passionate intensity.
Not only is this Buddha’s Full Moon, but also that of Master Astrologer Jeff Jawer, a name familiar to many. He was born on the Full Moon of May 16, 1946 and passed gracefully from this world in February. He is sadly missed. In addition to his consulting practice, teaching and public astrology work with business partner Rick “Merlin” Levine on StarIQ.com, Barnes and Noble Sun sign books and much more, for many years he wrote the “Forecast Calendar” for The Mountain Astrologer, premier astrology magazine. His last column was published in the April-May issue. In honor of his incisive and insightful astrology interpretations, I want to share what he wrote about this Full Moon, the polarity through which he lived a deep and rich life:
“Contrasts abound on May 3, when intellectual flights of fancy are grounded by a Mercury-Saturn opposition. However, an emotionally intense Scorpio Full Moon that day is anything but cool. Jupiter’s T-square to this Sun-Moon opposition could heat feelings to a boiling point, turning minor issues into major ones. Yet, bringing concerns about resources and relationships into the spotlight could lead to bold solutions.”
“Closing our minds to unpleasant thoughts or difficult conversations is understandable, but the looming Scorpio Full Moon demands that we bring everything into the light. The lunar opposition to the Taurus Sun…normally inspires the desire to control emotional extremes. Hiding our discontent is a common reaction. However, loudmouthed Jupiter in Leo’s square to the Full Moon will not be silenced. We may either speak in overly optimistic voices of denial or use honesty to heal mistrust and fear. Fortunately, Pluto is well positioned to help us face challenged from the depths of inner wisdom. Revealing secrets to others (and ourselves) is messy and may initially appear to make matters worse, but with Pluto the Cleaner in orb to trine the Sun and sextile the Moon, we have the capacity to transform even the most intense drama into a source of strength and inspiration.”
Thank you, Jeff, for so many years of inspiration. We hear you.
Jeff has about said it all about this Full Moon, but here are some of my thoughts as well.
Yes, JUPITER in LEO is exactly square this Sun-Moon opposition, turning the Full Moon spotlight on certain individuals and situations that catch our attention. Though Scorpio doesn’t show all its cards, there is some big drama going on. Motivations are exposed. Political leaders may rise or fall. Headlines grab attention, reporting major announcements, shake-ups and changes. On a personal note, show up as who you really are, whatever you are doing. Lead with your heart and speak your truth in well-chosen words. If you are in love, declare it. This can be a wonderful night for lovers. Ride the strong waves with courage and heart. You will come out with honor if you play fair. It’s not all about winning. Some tension ripples through the next week or two, with a feeling that “it’s not over yet.” What does this mean to you?
On the stage of life, are you acting from your heart? What does true leadership mean if a person is taking handouts under the table or acting against his/her conscience? There are many big issues “out there.” We can argue, push against and fuel the drama, or find a way to express a higher perspective that speaks to the heart. That’s a big agenda these days, as folks line up on their side of any issue. Logic is swayed and undermined by bias and beliefs that are taken for granted. This Moon may expose the manipulative underbelly of some shenanigans, be they yours or someone close to you. Certain public figures are bound to demonstrate the best and worst of the potentials cast into high relief under this Moon.
On another track, Jupiter’s Big Planet influence stimulates our creative juices. Face any fears and dig deeper into a fearless, erotic heart expression for those “bold solutions” Jeff foresaw above.
Use the MERCURY in open-minded GEMINI opposition to SATURN in visionary and intuitive SAGITTARIUS to imagine beyond limitations. Fresh points of view and different ways of thinking about any situation can move us beyond embedded belief systems that can be holding us back from our true potential. I’ve become aware of the work of Gay Hendricks, author of THE BIG LEAP, who talks particularly about four typical fears that prevent us from moving into our genius zone beyond self-imposed limits that have roots in early life:
- not wanting to outshine others;
- feeling that you don’t deserve more success or happiness;
- feeling disloyal about leaving people behind;
- fearing that greater success will mean a greater burden.
He also talks about getting stuck in our own excellence: continuing to do what we are successful at just because we are good at it, even if we are no longer excited about doing it.
I found it interesting to cogitate on these ideas, which helped me more deeply investigate some issues that came up in a recent group experience. In last weekend’s Awakening the Goddess women’s retreat, which I co-led with Janet Straightarrow, a strong theme that arose about life purpose, a deep sense that we were each reaching for the next level of our what we are here to be (doing then follows). Are you feeling that way too?
Mercury stays in Gemini well into July due to a retrograde cycle from May 19 to June 12, stirring up questions and multifacted perspectives that encourage us to keep asking a lot of questions and seeking answers in many places and from many faces, including odd and unorthodox sources. It’s like an exercise in cut-and-paste collage art, as we take a idea from here, an image from there, a sound bite from that person, catch a bit of dandelion fluff on the wind, try a new this or that, to add to our vision board. We put all the meaningful and appealing pieces together to answer Saturn’s recent demand for a new storyline, a vision that expands our horizons toward fresh adventures, something inspiring that makes life worth living. All right!
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*Thanks to Eric Linter for this delightful Chaucer quote. See more of his astrology at www.ericlinter.com.
