FULL MOON at 2 Taurus-SCORPIO 31
April 21, 10:24pm PDT,
April 22, 1:24am EDT, 6:23am GMD
Image: A sculpture of the Lake Champlain sea dragon, seen along the waterfront in Burlington, Vermont. Some people say they have seen the “monster,” offering competition to the famous one in Loch Ness. All kinds of serpents and dragon power will surface under this Full Moon!
Taurus is a steady earth sign, productive and persistent. Scorpio goes deeper than any other sign, down into the dark beneath the surface. Under this Full Moon we go deep beneath the surface of the earth. Like the roots of an ancient tree that have dug their way deep and wide, we seek stable ground in shaky times. What has long term value that can steady the ship on choppy seas? Even as I mix metaphors, you get the drift—the times they are a’changing and we need to establish a base upon which to build afresh.
MERCURY RETROGRADE ALERT
The earth element is strong now, thanks to the SUN entering TAURUS where it joins PLUTO in CAPRICORN and JUPITER in VIRGO. MERCURY, also in TAURUS, has decided it’s worthwhile spending extra time here, going retrograde on April 29. In Taurus, Mercury thinks things through, thoughtfully chewing the cud like a cow with several stomachs. It suggests careful common sense to figure out how to proceed. Don’t plan on spending much money during May, unless it’s already earmarked. Taurus generally has a hard time parting with hard-earned cash, but is known for indulging in luxury items or consumerism as a hobby. “Stuff” can feel like a reward, for doing “stuff” we don’t want to do, especially encouraged by Neptunian advertising that makes consumerism a hobby, if not an addiction. Neptune idealizes everything to look not only good, but glamorous and necessary to one’s happiness.
With Pluto’s help, you might consider getting rid of clutter, donating your “stuff” to those who can really use it. It’s no wonder Marie Kondo’s book, THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP, is SO popular right now. Get every thing out, she urges, every little nut and bolt. Do you love it, for its texture, color, usefulness, history, personal touch? If not, out it goes. What is useful in the long run? is a relevant question. To be thorough is the key. Pluto agrees, and so does Mercury retrograde in Taurus, giving us extra time to clear out useless stuff, including psychological baggage and old ways of thinking about things. Then we can make a fresh start. This Full Moon is all about that.
CARITAS
The most potentially delightful thing about this Full Moon is the VENUS-URANUS combo that peaks this weekend. Venus is also challenged by Pluto, urging the necessity of empowering Venus, our emotional intelligence. As we “expect the unexpected” from Uranus, let’s bring in our full emotional intention that changes will be welcome and enriching on all levels. We want our lives to be more rewarding, naturally. Let’s look at the Sabian Symbol storyline going on with these two planets, that have a subtle mythic resonance. VENUS URANIA is the sky-dwelling version of the Goddess of Love, who radiates “caritas,” altruistic, brotherly/sisterly love and friendship. This friendship extends to each other and beyond, as a feeling of friendship, familiarity and union with the Divine. It is translated as “charity,” a benevolence of spirit and generosity of heart.
In the First Letter to the Corinthians in the Bible, Paul wrote these oft-quoted words: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”
Christian theologian Thomas Aquinas considered that charity has two parts: love of God and love of man, which includes both love of one’s neighbor and one’s self. If we love ourselves truly, we cannot help but love others on this level. That’s what love is when infused with the divine. Uranus awakens us to this broader quality in love.
Now that we have this perspective on charity, let’s look at the Sabian Symbol story, that comes together with a good deal of resonance:
Venus at 21 Aries: A BOXER IS ENTERING THE RING
Whatever issue you are taking on or stepping into with the initiative of Aries, bring along this quality of caritas that takes into account the wellbeing of all, not just your smaller self. Let go, even, of what seems to be the current “way of the world,” which defines success by the ka-ching of money in the pocket. A new agenda is beckoning, that feels so much more meaningful and rich in ways that truly count.
Sun at 22 Aries, soon joined by Venus:
THE GATE OPENS TO THE GARDEN OF ALL FULFILLED DESIRES.
This is a powerful invitation! Such a Venus image, such fulfilled desires. How do we enter this gate? And what do we desire?
The FULL MOON degrees of MOON and SUN give us clues.
SUN in 3 TAURUS:
NATURAL STEPS UP TO A LAWN BLOOMING WITH CLOVER.
Let’s take our time and walk the walk. Bounty and beauty of Nature all around, no matter what hemisphere you are in. No matter which season is “blooming,” there is natural beauty all around us. In some places we need to look harder for it. The life-giving fertility of Nature in the round of the seasons is a never-ending source of grounding, support, and comfort.
MOON in 3 SCORPIO:
NEIGHBORS HELP IN A HOUSE-RAISING PARTY IN A SMALL VILLAGE.
This is clearly an image of caritas at work, which so perfectly aligns with our
highlighted attention to the VENUS-URANUS pairing in Aries. Try something you’ve never tried before. See where it takes you and who you meet along the way. Global examples of this house-raising party are popping up all over the web, with innovative, ecologically-appropriate architectural designs being constructed wiht natural materials, etc.—as just one, literal kind of example of house-raising.
What “house” are you raising? What are you building in your life? What are you stepping into that is delightful, exciting, motivating? With so many planets in retrograde mode (Saturn, Pluto, Jupiter, now Mars and soon Mercury), going back over what has gone before, we have time to find that spark, to tune into just the thing we might not even know we are looking for.
MARS, the action planet, is retrograde as of April 17. Slow down, stop sign. What direction are you going in—and why? Is your current path going to bring you where you want to go? Things are being “re-done.” You might go back to something you used to do and pick up that stitch. It may be meaningful. We may be running (or driving) too fast, and may trip up over our own two feet (or have an accident, with all kinds of crazy drivers out there on the roads).
A key question, then, is WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT? Mars will be retrograde through June, dipping back into the deep waters of Scorpio to tap into a deeper vein of subterranean water. We ‘re deep in dirt now, and will be diving back into deep waters by the end of May. Energy will surge forth, like a fresh spring to fill a dry well. Hopefully we will have the energy, the motivation to make the changes we know we need, to see things through, and make good things happen!
Let’s make it so!
