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TAURUS FULL MOON - 31 October 2020

10/27/2020

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TAURUS FULL MOON - Saturday 31 October, exact at 2.49pm GMT, 10.49am EDT

This Moon has the potential to provide some excitement, emotional turbulence and impetus for change, which can be quite uncomfortable for the Taurean part of us that might be quite resistant to change. We are in the midst of Scorpio season, which provides us with the opportunity to purge, release or transform any patterns, habits, attitudes, relationships or situations that have become stagnant, stuck or unhealthy. As the leaves fall from the trees in the Northern Hemisphere we are invited to strip back the layers, shedding any unwanted skin to reveal what lies underneath so that we can emerge, shiny and new and possibly a bit exposed. We then have this Full Moon, which could bring some rather intense emotions up to the surface so that we have no choice but to look at what needs to fall away. There is a sense of things coming to a head, and as they do we could be in for a bit of a surprise!

With the Moon in practical, earthy, sensual Taurus, sitting directly opposite the Sun in powerful,  transforming, intensely emotional Scorpio, we are invited to find the balance between the energy of the two signs. While the Scorpio part of us has a tendency to get caught up in the drama and intensity of life, this Taurus Moon invites us to ground ourselves, simplify, find some peace and stability and literally “smell the roses”. Scorpio is a sign that brings up issues around loss, betrayals of trust, abandonment, power/powerlessness and intimacy, and knows what it feels like to have the proverbial rug pulled out from under one’s feet. Taurus, however, is the part of us that knows that ultimately we have to rely on ourselves and learn to meet our own needs rather than placing too much pressure on others to provide for us emotionally, sexually, spiritually or materially. Taurus invites us to be resourceful and truly learn to trust ourselves, putting down solid roots so that it is harder to knock us sideways.

However, Taurus can be self-sufficient and self-reliant to the extreme and could learn a lesson or two from Scorpio around joining forces with others, merging resources and collaboration. The Taurus part of us finds change very challenging indeed and will resist anyone or anything that tries to push us out of our comfort zone or challenge us to do something we don’t want to do. Scorpio is adept at the art of death and rebirth and teaches us that if we get too stuck in our ways, so that we are not growing anymore, we may have to walk across a burning bridge and not look back, or the rug will simply have to be ripped out from underneath us! While Taurus part of us has quite a sensible, no nonsense approach to life, it can also tend to play it safe and finds it hard to take that trip into the underworld or look under the proverbial carpet, preferring to maintain the status quo even if it is not healthy anymore. Scorpio invites us to dive right in, to face the shadows and the rot, slay the demons and emerge from the experience much, much lighter! While the Taurus part of ourselves says “I’m alright as I am, thank you very much!”, Scorpio begs to differ, forcing us to be emotionally honest with ourselves and others, exposing the parts of us that we tend to hide from view and project out onto others.

This Moon has the potential to bring these themes to the surface, including any issues we have around survival, which is very much part of the Taurus experience. Uranus, the Great Awakener, Revolutionary and Harbinger of Change, is sitting directly on top of the Moon, which could be quite uncomfortable for that Taurus part of ourselves that resists change! We may receive some kind of shock, or curve ball, or wake up call that shakes things up and forces us to see things from a different perspective. Ultimately this could be very liberating and tremendously insightful, but it might initially bring about a bit of a wobble, causing us to feel like the ground under us is not as solid as we thought. The Moon and Taurus both like to feel safe, while Uranus has a tendency to favour freedom and authenticity over security.

Uranus represents the long term memory, which can include trauma stored in the memory banks that we have experienced in this and other lifetimes. Uranus in Taurus certainly seems to be bringing up our personal and collective trauma around survival in recent times, as we have all had experiences of war, famine, recession/depression and natural disasters at some point in our history, or at the very least our ancestors have. As such, the current situation could bring up a lot of fear and anxiety for people as their old trauma resurfaces. Uranus being such a big part of this Full Moon certainly has the potential for some kind of shock in terms of financial security. Taurus also represents Mother Earth and so we could experience some kind of wake up call from the earth herself.

Retrograde Mercury has just moved from intense, probing Scorpio back into diplomatic, peace loving Libra, a sign that invites us to balance extremes and take into account opposing points of view. Mercury is forming a challenging square aspect to Saturn in Capricorn, which could mean that it is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel for a few days. We may be forced to see things as they really are, rather than how we might like to see them, and our minds could veer towards dark, fear-based thinking and even depression. This too shall pass! Saturn’s realism can easily veer towards pessimism, so it is important to be mindful of our thought processes in the next week. In a literal sense, Saturn square Mercury could bring about mind control and also limit or suppress our capacity to communicate. Censorship could be rife during this time, as our ability to pass on information is somehow blocked or we find ourselves fearful about speaking up. This energy will be around until about the 8th of November, and Mercury turns direct on 4 November.

Jupiter and Pluto are working up to their third and final conjunction in Capricorn this year, which will be exact on 12 November, just as Mars goes direct. This combination of powerful Pluto and expansive Jupiter has been a major theme of this year, forcing us to examine our more rigidly held beliefs and to dig deep beneath the surface of reality in order to find the truth. Indeed, the truth has been hard to find recently, and so we are encouraged to trust our gut. Beliefs have become more of a matter of life and death in recent times, with people desperately attempting to convince and convert others to their point of view and severely judging those who think differently. Indeed, some have been downright nasty when expressing their beliefs and opinions. Jupiter is an expansive, magnifying planet, and when Pluto and Jupiter draw closer to each other in Capricorn there is the potential for fear-based beliefs being used to control and manipulate, not to mention paranoia running wild. By the end of this process our belief system will have gone through a profound transformation, as so much has been revealed and exposed about the reality we live in and the power structures that rule over us. It may not be pretty, indeed it could be downright disturbing, but we will probably be much closer to knowing the truth than we were at the beginning of this year.

Venus has now gone into its own sign, Libra, which is helpful! This can really help our relationships, helping us to truly listen to each other’s needs and to compromise where needed. During this Moon Venus is directly opposite Chiron the Wounded Healer in Aries, which does have the potential for some hurt to arise within our relationships, but could also bring healing. Chiron in Aries isn’t exactly known for its soft, gentle healing approach, but at least it is honest and direct and doesn’t have an agenda or hidden motivation. We may find that our loved ones somehow trigger our old wounds and sensitivities during this Moon, so we must be careful not to be too defensive or reactive. We may become more aware of how we give too much and neglect our own needs. Chiron in Aries invites us to be kind and compassionate to self as well as to those around us. Self-care is an absolute must at the moment.

The Sabian symbol for the Moon and Uranus is very poignant indeed, at 9° Taurus: “A fully decorated Christmas tree”, which Dane Rudyar describes as “The ability to create inner happiness in dark hours. We find a contrast between the tree outside – bare and normally covered with snow – and the tree inside the home – loaded with decorations and gifts for the family. Snow has come outside; but the prepared and closely united group has created abundance, beauty and happiness within, overcoming the cold barrenness of the outside world. This symbol suggests the ever-present possibility open to man to transfigure the darkness and deprivation of the low point of a life cycle by incarnating in it an antiphonic response celebrating the ever remembered and always expected high moments of life. It evokes man’s undying FAITH IN CYCLIC RENEWAL.” This is an invitation to focus on what really matters in life and cultivate happiness from within, even when things seem bleak and hopeless outside of us.

This Moon certainly does have the potential to jolt us or wake us up somehow! Those with personal planets close to 8 degrees of a sign, especially the fixed signs Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius, could feel the energy of Uranus and the Moon most acutely. Those with personal planets between 20° and 28° of the Cardinal signs Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn will probably feel the energy of the Saturn/Mercury square (26°) and the Jupiter/Pluto conjunction (22°). There is the potential for such profound soul growth at the moment, which is what the combination Jupiter (growth) and Pluto (soul) can literally bring, as well as exposing the truth. Uranus and the Moon remind us that we never know what is around the corner, and so we are invited to remain as flexible and open to the new as we can be in this time of great uncertainty. This Moon has the potential to bring quite a significant inner or outer shift, so it is important to harness one of Taurus’s superpowers and ground ourselves as much as possible, imagining that we are rooted in the earth yet still able to bend and sway in the wind.

Much Love

Amy
xoxo

Painting: Lightening Bolt - Annie Ovenden



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LIBRA NEW MOON - 16 October 2020

10/14/2020

1 Comment

 
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Exact at 8.31pm BST, 3.31pm EDT

There is a lot going on during this New Moon, as we have Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto and the Nodes of the Moon all forming aspects, in varying degrees of intensity, to the Sun and Moon. Not to mention that Mercury has just gone retrograde in powerful,intense and perceptive Scorpio! The Sun and Moon are forming their monthly cosmic union in Libra, the sign of relationship, balance and harmony. Libra is represented by the scales, which means that we can easily tip too far towards one extreme, and this New Moon encourages us to find balance in our lives; to somehow find the middle ground. Libra is the sign of cooperation, diplomacy, compromise and justice, and gives us the capacity to see both sides of an argument or situation. Libra reminds us that things are rarely black and white, and that it is important to truly listen to one another and understand where the other is coming from. During this Moon we might want to reflect on what in our lives is out of balance and seek to come back to the middle point somehow. Where are we seeing signs of too much extremism? How can we find a greater sense of peace and harmony? This is the beginning of the new monthly cycle, so we are seeding new growth and leaving whatever we don’t need anymore in the dark of the Moon.

The ruler of the New Moon is Venus, which is currently in Virgo, the sign of humility, purity and perfection. Venus represents our values, self-worth and capacity to attract and the sign Venus is in  indicates how we relate to ourselves and others. With Venus in Virgo from 3 October until 29 October, we may be likely to be hard on ourselves and beat ourselves up for things we may have done or not done. Virgo can analyse herself to death! We could be much more critical of ourselves and others than usual and also more prone to focusing on our flaws, imperfections and any feelings of shame, guilt and inadequacy. This is not helped by Mercury being in Scorpio at the moment, which can make our thoughts somewhat obsessive and compulsive and bring some cringing moments!

To harness the best of Venus in Virgo, we can look to our loved ones and see who needs our help. What little things can we do to make other people’s lives easier? Venus in Virgo is ever ready to be of service to others, although this can also veer into subservience if we are not careful. To be of service is a choice, whereas subservience occurs when we play small or give our power away, or allow ourselves to be take for granted. This is a perfect time for taking pleasure out of cleansing and purifying ourselves and our environment, as long as we don’t seek some unattainable perfection!

Pluto and Saturn are both square the Sun, Moon and Mars during this New Moon, which is rather intense as it could bring up issues around power, control, limitation and may bring about some kind of reality check and transformation. With Pluto and Saturn both joining forces in Capricorn, we are watching societal and personal structures crumble around us, not to mention witnessing the exposure of the rot within our power structures.We are in the midst of a collective death and rebirth of all that we have previously known and relied on. The heat is rising and the pressure is building! This Moon could bring about some kind of purging process and even more exposure, both personally and collectively. It is much harder to hide from our shadows at the moment, and this Moon encourages us to dig deep and be willing to truly face ourselves, warts and all.

With Pluto square the Sun, exact on Thursday, we may experience a battle of wills and intense power struggles, especially if we let ego get in the way. We could find ourselves on the receiving end of authoritarian control or oppression and may be forced to see things as they really are as Saturn and the Sun square off against each other, exact on Sunday. We may feel as if our will is being thwarted in some way and might feel as if the light has gone out and reality is a bit too hard to bear. Mars and Sun are opposing each other, exact on Wednesday morning. This combo could also bring a battle of wills and could force some issues out into the open. It is very important to be mindful of ourselves during this time, as disagreements are very possible, especially if we let our ego get in the way.  Mars and the Sun are both yang and are forceful in their own right, so together they could make people a bit more reactive or egotistical. Those with personal planets and angles around 23° of the sign they are in, especially the cardinal signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, will feel the energy on this Moon most acutely. The ingredients in the cosmic soup could easily cause us to be easily triggered, so it is important to take a leaf out of Libra’s book and try to find some balance, harmony and peace.

The Nodes of the Moon are also involved with this Moon, in a positive way, so there is the potential for some soul growth here. The Nodes are providing the backdrop for this year, combined with three conjunctions between Pluto and Jupiter over the course of the year, and the theme is around truth, lies and  beliefs versus facts. There is one thing that is absolutely true at the moment and this is that nobody is absolutely certain of the truth. With Neptune square the Nodes, the truth is shrouded by illusion, propaganda and smoke screens. As such, we are being encouraged to have a very open mind and to admit that our beliefs are just that; they are beliefs and not necessarily the absolute truth.

The Sagittarius South Node gives us a gut feeling and an intuition, while the Gemini North Node encourages us to take that feeling and do some fact checking and research in order to verify what we sense to be true. Gemini also urges us to find a palatable way of expressing ourselves rather than trying to ram our beliefs down one another’s throats. Gemini does invite us to find our voice so that we can speak up about what we believe to be true, but it also encourages us to listen to each other’s view points instead of trying to convince and convert each other to our point of view. It is so important to remember that the truth is completely illusive at the moment, so that nobody can be completely certain that their version of the truth is the right one. This Libra New Moon encourages us to temper any extremist tendencies and to take a more balanced approach and be willing to take both sides of the argument into account.

Mercury goes retrograde at the same time as the Sun Mars opposition is exact, in the early hours of Wednesday morning British time. As ever, the days before and after the planet of communication and travel goes retrograde can be fraught with misunderstanding, miscommunication, delays, confusion and chaos! As such, it is important to be mindful in our communications with others, as the potential for Freudian slips and saying things that are somehow misconstrued is rife. Scorpio does have a sting in its tail, and we may find ourselves on either end of some accidental but painful truths that cut to the core! Not to mention that our thoughts could be much more obsessive than usual.

Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio is an invitation to go back over things and dig deeper, using our inner detective to ferret out information that we may have missed in the past month or so. It is an ideal time to delve back into our past and come up with some profound psychological insight and understanding that hasn’t been available to us before now. Indeed, People that we have unfinished business with could pop up and we could have some penetrating and revealing conversations that really help us to get to the core of whatever issue we are facing. This is a very good time to do some deep, inner work and to be brave enough to reveal our more vulnerable parts in some very intimate and therapeutic exchanges with people we trust. Remember that with Venus in Virgo at the moment, we have the capacity to really help and be of service to one another. We just have to watch out for paranoia, obsessive thought processes and going into a spiral of dark or negative thinking. Mercury is Scorpio is very adept at smelling a rat!

The Sabian symbol for the New Moon, at 24° Libra, is: “A butterfly with a third wing on its left side” which Dane Rudyar describes as: “The ability to develop, for inner strengthening, new modes of response to basic life situations. The butterfly is the ancient and traditional symbol of the results of the process of spiritual rebirth. If the butterfly has three wings instead of two, a special development of an aspect of the spiritual life is shown. Three is a symbol of fulfilment. Some power has been added to the normal spiritual life of the individual person. The left side usually refers to the instinctual field of the consciousness, but it is also the heart’s side. A new strength is shown, perhaps as yet unrealised.” This is a very interesting symbol that certainly brings some hope that whatever we are currently going through has the potential to help bring some kind of new spiritual superpower! Certainly, it is the most challenging times that bring some kind of spiritual awakening and profound soul growth, and we are currently going through a collective spiritual growth spurt at the moment. As the third wing is only on one side, we could feel a bit wobbly or out of balance.

There is certainly some intensity to this Moon, with  these powerfully Yang planets sparking off each other! We could experience intense feelings of self-doubt, powerlessness and even depression, so it is very important to watch ourselves carefully and be mindful of our inner dialogue. There is some extremely powerful energy at play here which could be incredibly transforming but could also cause us to feel at the mercy of forces larger than ourselves. Self-care is essential at the moment, so we must harness the energy of Venus and Virgo and create little routines, rituals and habits for ourselves that help us to feel better. This Libra New Moon invites us to contemplate how we can find balance in a world of  such extremes. How can we cultivate a sense of inner peace and harmony in the midst of chaos and strife? How can we find some integration between the dark and the light? How can we listen to our head and heart in equal measure? Can we find a way to listen to each other better? Above all, how can we be more kind?
​
"It happens all the time in heaven,

And some day It will begin to happen
Again on earth -

That men and women who are
married,

And men and men who are
Lovers, And women and women
Who give each other
Light,

Often get down on their knees

And while so tenderly
Holding their lovers hand,

With tears in their eyes
Will sincerely speak, saying,

My dear,
How can I be more loving to you;

How can I be more kind?"

Hafiz

Much Love

Amy
xoxo

Picture: Unknown



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MARS SQUARE PLUTO - exact 9 October 2020

10/9/2020

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Today the challenging square aspect between warrior Mars and powerful Pluto peaks, bringing the potential for acting and reacting from a deep within our subconscious, for having the courage to face our shadows and shame, for being triggered and anger or rage coming up from a place deep within us. It can also bring power struggles and the urge to fight back against corruption and having the courage to expose the dark side of the power structures. This aspect could help us to find the will, courage and strength to transform ourselves in some way, but could also bring psychological “warfare” as the planet of the subconscious and psyche comes up against the planet of aggression and war.

However, the Moon, Venus and Mercury are all in earth and water signs, which are “yin” in nature, so it is quite possible that the battle is internal rather than external. Venus is currently in Virgo, which could mean that we are more self-critical than usual and more prone to focusing on our shortcomings and inadequacies. Venus in Virgo is very humble and willing to serve, but is also adept at being very hard on herself and can be her own worst enemy!

Mercury in Scorpio could mean that our thought processes are a bit more compulsive and obsessive than usual, even to the point of being paranoid. It is very important to watch our internal dialogue in the next couple of days, as our minds could potentially go to some dark places and make assumptions! However, Mercury in Scorpio can also help us to understand our psyches better, as we are able to probe beneath the surface of reality and gain some deep understanding of the way our subconscious works.

The Moon is in sensitive, emotional Cancer all day today, which does have the potential to bring up our insecurities and make us a bit more needy, but also invites us to feel empathy for ourselves and each other. The Moon is at home in its own sign and encourages us to nurture ourselves and one other. We could be a bit moody, with changing emotions over the course of the day, so we are invited to practice the art of self-awareness and keep an eye on how our inner child might be acting and reacting to whatever we are experiencing.

The Mars Pluto aspect has been building for a few days now and will be flt most acutely by people with personal planets within a few degrees of 22° of a sign, especially the Cardinal signs Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn.

Much Love

Amy
Xoxo

Painting: Mars, by WyldeFoxDesignLab
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    Amy Bird

    I love writing about the Moon and the effect it has on us all, both collectively and personally. We all look at the same Moon and feel her energy, albeit in different ways. It reminds us that we are not alone and there is something very comforting about that!

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