Exact at 10.41pm BST, 5.41pm EDT
 
This is a highly energetic Full Moon with the potential to get us quite riled up and stimulated! It is the first of two Sagittarius Full Moons this month, making it a blue Moon. We are now entering Gemini season, so we can expect the pace to pick up because Gemini is known for being quite busy and interested in everything that’s going on. When I think of Gemini I picture a butterfly, flitting from place to place, gathering information and sharing it with others. Mercury, Gemini’s ruler, is stationary during this Full Moon, getting ready to turn direct after have been retrograde for three weeks. When planets are stationary their influence is very strong, and in Mercury’s case this could make things quite hectic and heighten the possibility of miscommunications and misunderstandings, which could be interesting during a Full Moon! Sagittarius isn’t exactly known for holding back what he thinks and with Mars sitting right next to the Sag Moon we could find ourselves blurting out all kinds of truths that have been floating around in the background! We shouldn’t be surprised if we experience a dose of Foot in Mouth Syndrome!
 
The Sun is in curious, versatile, communicative Gemini sitting directly opposite the Moon in optimistic, jovial and enthusiastic Sagittarius. This is the polarity of the right and the left brain, the intuitive and the rational mind. We are invited to find the balance between the two signs and the Moon may make it all too obvious if we are favouring one or the other. There is a light, youthful quality to Gemini which can also bring a certain amount of restlessness and nervous energy. This is the sign of the chattering monkey, so we must be careful that our minds don’t run away with us! Gemini wants to find out about life, while Sagittarius seeks to truly understand the meaning of life. Sagittarius has an eye on the bigger picture and instinctively knows that everything happens for a reason, even the challenging times. This Moon could give us a nice dose of faith, hope and trust that we are being guided in the right direction. With Mars right next to the Moon we could find ourselves full of verve, energy and enthusiasm, although with Mars being retrograde the energy could well be turned inward somewhat. This is the kind of Moon that could make us feel quite adventurous and could also make sleep a bit difficult!
 
In the background we have the Saturn Neptune square, forming a T-square with Jupiter. This Moon is right on time, because the T-Square is quite heavy and has a tendency to test our faith and cause irrational fears and anxiety to surface. This collection of planets is challenging us to truly trust that we are held and supported and to recognise how we hold ourselves back through fear and sabotaging beliefs. Neptune and Jupiter have so much faith in happy outcomes and “what will be will be”, while Saturn tends to point out the limitations, shortcomings and obstacles of anything we may be facing. Of course, it’s good to be realistic and not bury our heads in the sand or live in a fantasy world, but sometimes it can go too far and fear can lead to inaction, paralysis or procrastination. It is very important to make sure our thoughts are positive, because the beliefs we hold and ideas we have really do create our reality. What the mind can perceive the body can achieve! We are being asked to trust that we are being guided in the right direction, trust ourselves, trust our intuition, and trust that we know what’s best for us. It’s all about trust! We must keep an eye on those chattering monkeys and observe any negative, sabotaging thoughts that bring up fear or anxiety. Then we must change them to a feeling of acceptance of what is and thoughts of a brighter outcome.
 
Mercury has joined the Grand Earth Trine for this Moon, so this can help us manifest some of our desires in a concrete way. This Trine has some soul power behind it and seeks to gently nudge us in the right direction; moving forward on our soul’s path. I sense very strongly that our faith is being tested at the moment and it is very important to remain positive and optimistic. We must keep an eye out for the omens and recognise when we are being warned against doing something or when we are being encouraged to move forward. When things are flowing nicely it means we are heading in the right direction, while if we experience blocks or obstacles is it a sign that whatever we are trying to do does not align with our purpose somehow. There are always prompts and cues showing us the way; we just have to be open to them. Again, it is about trusting ourselves and the universe, and having faith that everything is unfolding as it should. Even when it seems like it’s all going wrong.
 
The Moon and Mars are sitting in exactly the same degree, 2° Sagittarius. The Sabian Symbol for this degree is “White capped waves display the power of wind over sea”. There is an enormous amount of power in this symbol, and as Dane Rudyar says, the wind represents the Spirit, which stirs up deep energies in us. Water represents the emotions, so we can expect to be stirred up emotionally during this Full Moon. I wouldn’t expect anything less from a Moon Mars conjunction in Sagittarius! Forces much larger than ourselves are at play here and they could be hard to resist! This is a Moon of much energy and gusto, when we could well experience a burst of optimism, confidence and zest for life! Two Sagittarius Full Moons are very welcome indeed while we are contending with the Saturn Neptune square, because they will help us find the faith and trust in life that we need. Sagittarius reminds us that no matter what happens in life, even if we fail, we still have something positive to take from it. He sees life as a grand adventure to be live to the fullest, and so must we all!
 
Much Love
 
Amy
xoxo
 
Image by Duy Huynh

TAURUS NEW MOON – Friday 6 May, exact at 9.29pm BST, 4.29pm EDT
 
This Moon is an invitation to slow down and smell the roses; to decide what is really important to us. New Moons are a very potent time of the month, when energetic seeds are being sown that will come into bloom as the Moon becomes full. This Moon is a particularly good time to set some solid, practical intentions for ourselves, planting the seeds in the rich, fertile soil of Taurus and allowing them to grow. This particular Moon is also the third supermoon of the year, which means that it will have a stronger impact on us as it is closer to earth than your average Moon. Taurus invites us to really be here, on earth and in our bodies and to enjoy all that Mother Nature has to offer. She reminds us that we are safe, held and supported by Mother Earth, which is very comforting indeed! If we fall, she will help us find our feet again. Taurus is a steady, patient, stabilising sign that asks us to consider what we truly value and, indeed, if we are valuing ourselves enough. Issues of self-worth could come to the surface now and we could also become very aware of where we are stuck or staying in a situation or mindset that is no longer healthy for us. Taurus is known for being stubborn and digging her heels in somewhat, so this is a good time to become conscious of where we experience feelings of resistance.
 
The Sun and Moon in Taurus are forming a Grand Earth Trine with the Jupiter/North Node conjunction in Virgo and powerful Pluto in Capricorn. This is a subtly transforming aspect that has the potential to gently prod us in the right direction rather than giving us a giant cosmic kick up the backside that the last few moons have given us! There is much opportunity for soul growth here and for empowering ourselves on a deep level so that we can truly operate from a place of authenticity and integrity. This earthy, practical, grounded Trine can help us look at the reality of our lives and make any necessary changes to help us blossom and grow. It’s a good time to consciously strip away anything that is holding us back or preventing growth rather than holding on too tightly so that it has to be ripped away! Jupiter is stationary right now, getting ready to turn direct after having been retrograde since January. As such, his buoyant, optimistic, expansive growth-oriented energy will be much stronger during this Moon and will help us to make some positive decisions to help improve our lives. It definitely helps to be able to see whatever situation we are in in a positive light because then we can make informed choices without fear or panic.
 
Jupiter is also involved in a tense T-square with Saturn and Neptune, which could cause us to have to look reality square in the face rather than burying our heads in the sand. This aspect represents a battle between reality and fantasy, between optimism and realism, between fear based control  and universal love. With Saturn squaring the healing axis, we could have no choice but to face whatever health issues have been lurking in the background. This certainly isn’t a time for avoidance tactics or escapism, that’s for sure! It’s time to face the music! It is quite possible that we will be made uncomfortably aware of our blind spots and unconscious habits during this time, as well as becoming more conscious of how we sabotage ourselves. This is a time for questioning some of our deep-seated beliefs and recognising how they may be holding us back from the happiness we seek. This could well be a time when we contemplate what we really, truly want for ourselves and take a long, hard look at where our lives are falling short of our ideals. This applies collectively as well as personally, as we need to consider how to change our ideals and visions for a better future into reality. This T-square could well cause us to feel a little depressed or disillusioned about the state of things but it will also create pressure for us to find solutions.
 
We currently have Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto retrograde, albeit Jupiter is getting ready to go forward again. It is important to consider this when taking in the whole picture, because this involves a lot of looking back and turning in. This certainly feels like a Moon for slowing down and considering our next move, and we may have no choice in the matter anyway. It is as if the universe has the breaks on somewhat at the moment, limiting movement forward so that we have time to contemplate what it is we really and truly want. This is a time for wise and considered action rather than blindly leaping forward. Our past has a strong part to play when Mercury is retrograde, as old friends or lovers could come back into our consciousness for some reason, especially if there are still loose ends dangling. This could be a good time to revisit or reunite with that person if the story needs completing or even rekindling. It is important to pay attention to our dreams, and if someone keeps popping up then maybe it’s time to get in touch.
 
The Sabian symbol for the New Moon is 17° Taurus:  A symbolical battle between “swords” and “torches.” This symbol feels a little like the T-square, in that it represents an internal battle between darkness and light, fear and love, our ideals and reality, the ego and spirit. A sword is a weapon that wields power and can do harm, while a torch brings truth and light. Might versus Light! This is what Dane Rudyar writes about this symbol: “When Gautama, having sought in vain for the answer to his questions among the teachers of tradition, sat under the Bodhi Tree, he had to fight his own battle in his own way, even though it is an eternal fight. The spiritual light within the greater Soul must struggle against the ego-will that only knows how to use the powers of his material and intellectual world. There is no possibility of escape; it is the energy that arises out of the present moment – the inescapable NOW – that the daring individual has to use in the struggle”. This Moon could well ask us to make some kind of choice and to pledge our allegiance somehow. It seems to speak both of an internal struggle and also the universal, collective struggle between those who wield power and those who hold the light.
 
After all of the intensity and turmoil of the past couple of months this New Moon is a much needed breather, although while it does ask us to slow down and chew on the cud for a while that doesn’t mean there isn’t still a lot going on! The Grand Trine may be gentle in nature but it also powerfully transforming in a very concrete, tangible way. It has the potential to help us shift on a soul level.  As it is in an earth trine we have a chance to really ground the profound changes we are experiencing in reality and to truly come from an empowered place. When we align ourselves with our soul’s purpose our lives automatically flow more easily. This trine will help us do just that if we open ourselves up to it and move past any resistance to growth. We all know what we need, deep inside. This Moon offers us a beautiful opportunity to allow it in. In the meantime, let’s enjoy the earthly delights of Taurus and get into our bodies, roll around in the hay, celebrate and connect to nature and simply be here, in the moment.
 
Much Love
 
Amy
xoxo

​Photo: Agapanthus by Dan Leak (Flower of Life Photography)  https://www.flickr.com/photos/floweroflifephotography/