The Cosmic Story: Taurus Full Moon 2018

The Cosmic Story: Taurus Full Moon 2018

The Pearl of Great Price

This Scorpio/Taurus Full Moon is all about the transformation of the Feminine. Both signs are considered feminine and receptive, and as they align with Venus retrograde at the end of her Wisdom aspect as the Evening Star, we get to evolve our understanding of the divine feminine energies. While Taurus, the Moon and Venus are all related to love, fertility, sexuality and connection – the essence of life – they are reflecting the Scorpio death energy. The divine feminine is grounded in the cycle of life – death – rebirth and so at this point in the year, we must learn to die to be reborn again.

Venus retrograde has to surrender all her ties as she does down into the underworld. Because she is moving from an Evening Star to a Morning Star, she holds Wisdom, the ancient knowing of combining masculine and feminine, heaven and earth. Yin and Yang. The art of completion. She reconciles opposites and creates harmony. She heals all misunderstandings, can transcend duality and brings about wholeness. 

Inanna & Ereshkigel 

But there’s always more to learn. And so she descends into the Underworld, shedding her layers like Inanna sheds her symbols of power as she descends to her sister Erishkegal. And there she dies to be born again.

The new energy she’ll bring back with her as she rises as a Morning Star will drive her concerns for true equality and freedom – for she ends her retrograde in the sign of Libra, the Scales. After the American Senate blatantly ignored a plea to look at the worst of white, male entitlement, I doubt women will be content to let things lie. This next phase of Venus’ journey will surely see more women working for equality and freedom than ever before.

This Full Moon reminds me of a square dance. Have you even gone square-dancing? (If you haven’t, you should try it – it’s fun!) In complicated patterns, 4 sets of partners face each other in a square and dance and change partners as the pattern shifts. 

Square Dancing 

That’s what the Grand Fixed Cross between Sun and Venus retrograde in Scorpio opposite Moon and Uranus Rx in Taurus squaring the Nodes in Aquarius and Leo feels like. With Venus ruling the Moon, the Sun ruling the North Node, Uranus ruling the South Node and the Moon exalted in Taurus, it’s hard to know where one energy leaves off and another begins. Oh, and let’s not forget the Caller – Saturn in Capricorn – who sets up the patterns and calls the changes. Saturn sextiles and trines this Full Moon.

The astrologer Alice Bailey said that Scorpio is the sign of major tests and spiritual initiations. The lower Scorpio who lives on an unconscious level is tested through sex, power, comfort and money. Her emotional battles are usually unconscious so she strikes out at others, being devious and manipulating by suggestion and innuendo. The Eagle of Scorpio is a bit more conscious, struggling with and tempted by her lower emotions – jealousy, anger, rage, obsession – but thinks about how she will react. Her major test seems to be power – over others or in business.

The third form of Scorpio is the Phoenix, who is consumed by the fires of transformation and is reborn within them. The Phoenix Scorpio works on transformation – surrendering all desires to pass through the cleansing fires to arise with new desires and new insights. The Phoenix contemplates the life-death-rebirth cycle of life, letting go of the need for retribution so she can release the emotional poisons stored up in the unconscious, poisons such as resentment, hostility, the fear of betrayal and the urge for revenge. Only then can she achieve the illumination she seeks.

In Scorpio, we master and transform inner habits and outer ego desire as we are tested about our heart’s desires. What do we really need to feel emotionally secure? The only way to to find the answer is to be open to grace and trust, which are gifts of Taurus. 

The Grail of the Moon

 

The Moon, the Mother of form and attachment, is exalted in Taurus, the sign of the body’s sensual pleasures as well as its alignment with the proper form of organic growth. Taurus is slow and steady because she knows how the form needs to grow and mature. The Phoenix Scorpio might want to exterminate all her shadow behaviors in one fell swoop, but like the legendary Hydra, as soon as we cut off one habit, 10 more form. Transformation takes time. Taurus can teach Scorpio the patience it needs to transform her shadow into gold. The secret is to surrender to the process. Evolution doesn’t happen overnight, although Scorpio would make it so.

This Taurus Moon is conjunct Uranus, not an easy placement for a Taurus Moon, who likes things just the way they are, thank you very much! With Uranus about to leave Taurus for a few more months of playing with our Aries’ identity, it’s going to crack open those old Taurus behavior patterns so our new Aries’ identity can shape new habits and new rules of engagement with others and with the Earth.

Did you know that Taurus is a very spiritual sign? We don’t give the Bull enough credit, thinking it’s only interested in the material world. But Taurus is the sign where the Spirit Incarnates in Matter. Taurus Moon can be very psychic. Back in Egypt, the Apis Bull of Taurus was associated with the gift of prophecy. Taurus Moon can be deeply devoted to Spirit, and is very often not only spiritually receptive but also artistically talented. Since Taurus rules our talents and what we value, as we refine our desire nature and leave behind outworn needs, we can put the tremendous energy behind this Taurus Moon into our self-worth rather than our monetary worth.

So with Uranus joining this Taurus Full Moon, watch for ways to break old patterns. You’ll be surprised to find that freedom is your new form of security.

At the same time, Uranus opposes Venus retrograde. In the Greek creation myth, Aphrodite arose from the ocean where the phallus of the sky god Ouranos fell. From the starry heavens, love arose in our collective unconscious. During this complex Full Moon and Venus retrograde, I believe we’ll see a real resurgence of Love. Not a love directed at a man or a woman, but love focused on the world. A greater love that will sacrifice old desires for future needs.

There is a beautiful gem that is associated with both the Moon and Venus/Aphrodite. It is the pearl. The pearl symbolizes the feminine power of the Moon, brought down to a size where it can become adornment for Venus. It represents the precious essence of the Moon's powers and properties. The pearl was thought to be the result of lightning penetrating the oyster. Therefore, it was regarded as the union of fire and water. 

 

Uranus - intuition-lighting-fire + sea-unconscious-movement-water = Aphrodite-pearl.

The 'flaming pearl', the union of fire and water, is the pearl of perfection in the East. As the Third Eye of Shiva and the Buddha, it represents the crystallization of light, and spiritual enlightenment and consciousness. The truth of the pearl is that it is the irritation of the sand that makes the oyster secrete a liquid that forms the pearl. The luminous beauty of the pearl is created through suffering (which is passion!). Our lunar nature is created by the daily struggles that force us to new levels of consciousness. 

Venus is at the very end of her cycle and will conjunct the Sun on Friday, October 26th.  This begins her new cycle at 4* Scorpio.  She'll stay hidden in the Sun's glow until she rises as the Morning Star of November 1st.  If you go out before dawn, you might see her glow before sunrise.   

This intense Taurus/Scorpio Full Moon squares the Lunar Nodes in Leo and Aquarius. We are nearing the end of this set of nodes, which goes from May 10, 2017 to November 7, 2018. The North Node in Leo/South Node in Aquarius offers us a chance to step into the spotlight with our creative self-expression (Leo) for the benefit of the group (Aquarius).

This is that square dance I was talking about. The four power signs concentrate energy, so sometimes we find it hard to move around the circle. You’re going to have to give up/sacrifice/ release old habits to move through these new patterns gracefully and successfully. We can’t dance the patterns alone, but we have to make sure we’re centered in ourselves so we can align with others.

Saturn is like the caller in a square dance, the one who names what steps to take and how to take them. So listen to Saturn in Capricorn’s demands to take responsibility for your own creations.

The Taurus/Scorpio Full Moon occurs on Wednesday October 24^th at 9:45 am PDT/ 12:45 pm EDT/ 7:45pm GMT. 

 

Along with the energies of the Grand Fix Cross, Mars in Aquarius, the old ruler of Scorpio, squares Mercury in Scorpio. Watch out about making rash decisions now. You might find yourself rushing into things before you have all the information you need., like a white knight riding to the rescue. But with Mercury in Scorpio, take time to dig out the truth. Watch out for Shadow issues.

The Sabian symbol for the Sun at 2* Scorpio is: From a broken bottle, traces of perfume still emanate. Perhaps this perfume is the essence of what you need to bring into the future as you discard the past.

The Sabian symbol for Venus retrograde at 5* Scorpio is: A massive rocky shore unchanged by centuries of storms. Fundamental principles never change.

The Sabian symbol for the Moon at 2* Taurus is: An electrical storm brilliantly illuminates the skies. Here’s that Uranian flash of lightning. A transformative vision.

The Sabian symbol for Uranus at 1* Taurus is: A clear mountain stream flows through a rocky defile. The power of life itself, sustaining and refreshing us.

The Sabian symbol for the North Node at 2* Leo is: The School closed by an epidemic, children play together. One avenue closes while another opens.

The Sabian symbol for the South Node at 2* Aquarius: Unexpected thunderstorm brings relief to parched fields. Liberation from adverse conditions. Perhaps a cosmic visitation?

This dance is playing with cosmic energies. So enter the dance. Especially if you have planets at 0* – 5* of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius.

The Sabian symbol for Saturn at 5* Capricorn: A Native American camp. A fierce war-dance begins. Watch and listen for this caller – he’s the Lord of the Dance. Be fierce but make sure your war dance is for the good of the tribe. Let it be centered in Love, a love that is willing to do what needs to be done. 

May Hecate Light Your Way in the Dark

On October 31^st and November 1^st, we celebrate Samhain, the Day of the Dead. Remember that as the veils between the worlds thin, it is easier to release what is dead, especially if we honor it. Whatever has come before has brought you to where you are now. There are no failures, only experiences. Find the meaning of those experiences and let the rest go peacefully to its grave.

           Samhain Blessings,

Cathy

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Blessed Be! oh Guardians

Blessed Be! loved ones and friends

Another year's upon us

As the wheel has turned again

We invite the ancestors one by one

To join us at our meal

We raise our cups in honor

And share memories with zeal

We share a harvest's bounty

And know deep in our hearts

The past must be cleansed away

For the future to start

The veil is at it's thinnest

We walk between the worlds

Diviners bring their instruments

And mysteries become unfurled

And now the witching hour is upon us once again

We share a blessed circle with our loved ones and our friends

Blessed Be to Guardians, To deities and more still

Blessed Be To You,

Let The Harvest Your Heart Fill

So Mote It Be!

- Rev. Brightrose Aradia