Sun In Taurus, Full Moon In Scorpio, Mars And Jupiter Opposition

Oh it's all happening at the mo. More than can fit comfortably in the title, because it's also the first of two full moons in Scorpio; first one today (20th April) just as the sun is moving into the sign of Taurus, and second one is 20th May, just as the sun is leaving Taurus.

Full moon in Scorpio happens every year around this time, but it's not standard astro procedure to have two moons in any sign, never mind Scorps (full moon happens when sun stands opposite moon, so to find which sign the full moon is in for any month, check what sign the sun is in, and the moon will standing 180 degrees away at some time in it's monthly cycle)...so really, the 20th May moon is a kind of zodiacal blue moon, which means the folklore metaphor applies: it's a time for things happening that don't happen very often, or at all, and these blue moon type events are building or unfolding from this current lunar energy right now and over the coming weeks.

The two full moons gives situations a strong Scorpio/Taurus theme for the next month, so for example there would be a polarity pendulum swing, or a 'to be or not to be' thing going on with:

SCORPIO/TAURUS =
letting go/holding on
going through a point of no return/unwilling to shift on an issue
what is hidden and concealed/what is touchy-feelingly obvious
hidden treasure/available income
trust/control
trust/value
unknown/known
your stuff/my stuff
endings/everything stays the same

Added to this mix is Mars, co-ruling planet of Scorpio, about to stand opposite Jupiter, in the signs of Cancer (emotions) and Capricorn (boundaries). It's another polarity to blend:

MARS OPPOSITE JUPITER
passion/expansion
action/increase
intentions/upliftment
desire/faith, hope and optimism

Mars is also in dynamic alignment with Venus, ruler of Taurus:
VENUS/MARS=
value/desire
worth/passion
balance/action
yin/yang

You can also mix and match the keywords for Mars/Jupiter/Venus together too...

and if THAT wasn't enough, how about throwing in the fabulous grand trine aspect between Sun, Saturn and Pluto that is part of the full moon pattern...

SUN/SATURN/PLUTO =
being self/authority/trust
shining out/allowing or disallowing/trust,
creativity/limits/unknown
heart of the matter/timing/conceal or reveal

And if THAT wasn't enough, the new moon (new phase) in Taurus on 5th May takes place at 15 degrees, which indicates it's the astrological Beltane (May Day), one of the important calendar dates in the Wheel of the Year, when energy is in full flow through the shifting of the seasons.

But lots to play with over the coming weeks means there's plenty to enjoy...

Full Moon In Taurus And Comet Holmes

Way back in 1892, two days after the annual full moon in Taurus, a comet was spotted by Edwin Holmes after its brightness increased significantly, making it more noticeable in the skies. Now 115 years later and two days before this year’s full moon in Taurus (UK time = 26th Oct @ 6am), it suddenly and unexpectedly expanded in brightness again, moving from being an under-achieving, average Joe in the luminosity ladder to being one of its fastest rising stars, plucking it out of astronomy obscurity faster than a reality-show contestant can say ‘overnight success’ (story here)

So what’s that all about then? Is it simply referring to the reappearance of the utterly luminescent reality-show winner, singer Leona Lewis with her newly released single, the darkly Scorpio/Taurus themed ‘Bleeding Love’ (You cut me open and I keep bleeding love!!)? Or is there something more? (And something more than being headed for those doom and gloom predictions that comet astrologers of old invested so heavily in, as I have really had it up to here with irritating apocalyptic predictions, it’s all SO 1999)

Along with the smooth as a sports car synchronicity of the Taurus full moon link-up spanning 115 years, it was the quick and unexpected change in the comet’s appearance that got my attention, because Uranus, planet of sudden, unusual, and unpredictable movement is currently opposed to Venus, the planet that rules Taurus, (and therefore a VIP planet for this full moon chart), while Jupiter, the planet of increase and optimism, sits at right angles to both Venus/Uranus.

But not only that, the comet is located in the constellation of Perseus, the mythical Greek action hero responsible for rescuing his future bride Andromeda from the clutches of some terrible sea monster while on his journey to slay scary snake-haired Medusa. Perseus is the ultimate swashbuckling romantic hero (very Mars in Cancer), and is portrayed as the emotionally driven Knight of Cups in the Mythic Tarot, because the authors saw a strong similarity to the arms-length idealising of women that medieval knights favoured . According to the Mythic Tarot description “Perseus is different from other heroes precisely because of this high idealism and worship of women”. Not sure about that, but it's certainly all very Venusian and rather lunar too, especially the lunar earth of Taurus opposing the deep waters of Scorpio; and weirdly the Perseus/Andromeda story seems to be playing out in the full moon line-up of planets. Taken from this translation of Ovid, here's the meeting of Perseus and Andromeda:

"As soon as Perseus saw Andromeda's arms bound to the rocky cliffs--he might have thought her a marble statue, save that the light breeze ruffled her hair and a slow tear dripped from her eye--he felt the fires of love. He gaped, so taken by the beauty of her form that he almost forgot to beat the air with his wings. Hovering he cried, "O, you shouldn't be bound with these chains but rather with the bonds that link lovers! Tell me your name, your nation, and why you are shackled here!"

At first the maiden said nothing, embarrassed to answer a strange man. She would have hidden her modest face in her hands had they not been bound. Her eyes were free; they brimmed with tears.

Finally after many false starts, afraid that it would seem her silence was hiding her own crimes, she told him her name and her country and explained that she was chained here because her mother had so boasted of her beauty. Before she could finish the story, the waves thundered and an oncoming beast towered over the great sea, hiding the waters beneath its breast".

Isn't the sheer optimism of Perseus, in his willingness to take on the 'impossible' task and heroic journey of slaying Medusa, more than a bit Jupiter in Sagittarius? and then there's the modest maiden (Venus in Virgo) reaching for freedom from the sea monster unleashed by Poseidon (Uranus in Pisces). Turns out this full moon theme unexpectedly has Perseus meeting Andromeda, via the slaying of Scorpio type she-devil's, written all over it.



There's more on the comet here, and from Lynn Hayes here,
on the astrology of comets here,
and more about the myth of Perseus here , and here.

'Les Fleurs' For 15 Degrees Of Taurus

When the sun reaches 15 degrees of the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius) it indicates a cross-quarter day in the cycle of the year, and marks a mid-point within the cross of cardinal signs Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn.

At this point in the wheel of the year, we're mid-way between the equinox point of zero degrees Aries, and the solstice point of zero degrees Cancer. It's a seasonal turning in the wheel from spring to summer if you're in the northern hemisphere, and the corresponding festivals reflect this. As earthy Taurus is ruled by Venus, who was a Goddess of love and beauty, it's no surprise there are blossoming flower maiden's and May Queen's in abundance at this time of year.

The sun reaches 15 degrees of Taurus on 5th May 2007, so in celebration and appreciation of the Venus spirit here's Minnie Riperton's goose bump inducing 'Les Fleurs' on a great YouTube offering. Interestingly, Minnie Riperton was born at 15 degrees of Scorpio...

LES FLEUR
Will somebody wear me to the fair?
Will a lady pin me in her hair?
Will a child find me by a stream?
Kiss my petals and weave me through a dream.

For all of these simple things and much more a flower was born
It blooms to spread love and joy faith and hope to people forlorn

Inside every man lives the seed of a flower
If he looks within he finds beauty and power

Ring all the bells sing and tell the people be aware that the flower has come
Light up the sky with your prayers of gladness and rejoice for the darkness is gone
Throw off your fears let your heart beat freely at the sign that a new time is born

Full Moon In Scorpio

This week the annual full moon in Scorpio is on the 2nd, then the sun reaches 15 degrees of the sign Taurus on the 5th. Meanwhile Venus, ruler of Taurus, is moving to stand in opposition to Pluto, ruler of Scorpio.

Which means Taurus and Scorpio themes abound. Ownership, possessions and relationship to the material world are the realm of Taurus, and what lies beyond, underneath or within it all - the space between - is Scorpio. There's also resources (Taurus) and others resources (Scorpio); your energy and their energy. And the trust issue of relationships. It’s all at the forefront now, and wherever there’s a full moon there’s an amount of tension associated with it, as a full moon represents a culmination of energy, and a change in emotional focus or attitude.

I’m feeling all this in my search for somewhere new to live. My current house is driving me nuts with noisy neighbours and loud traffic (hence blogging is thin on the ground until I get some PEACE to concentrate!). And I’ve been looking for somewhere new for months but I’m renting and it’s a nightmare with my budget and current availablity of properties. Also, my Venus in Taurus doesn’t relish renting ANYTHING off anyone, but unfortunately I have Neptune right opposite Venus. Plenty of character building lessons for me in that one, let me tell you.

Ready to count the Taurus/Scorpio themes? Here goes: I have this deep, abiding resentment of landlords. I have a deep discomfort about being beholden to them for my living space. Many bad experiences in the past have led to a deep mistrust. I don’t like the way some of them take advantage of tenants, and I don’t like that my home is their business. It was all summed up the other day on one of the myriad of property programmes currently flooding UK television screens, when a buyer looking at a potential place was advised it wasn't suitable for him to live in, and was only for the rental market. Apparently it wasn’t nice enough for an owner-occupier, it was only good enough to paint over the cracks and get some tenants in to pay dearly for it.

I’m FED UP of landlords/whoever thinking that if you have little money and few possessions you don’t want a decent place to live, and have no interest in keeping the place you live decent. I could send them something informative on Venus/Neptune contacts I suppose, but I’m too into the idea of the Law of Attraction at the moment. The idea that I'm responsible for my reality through the nature of my thoughts, beliefs, and attitude both excites and repels in equal measure, and this is the crux of my full moon in Scorpio dilemma: dropping the bitter taste of Scorpionic resentment towards the average landlord feels like I'm letting 'them' get away with it, but at the same time, letting it all go and Taurusly owning my reality does curiously feel like the ultimate living space I’ve been craving for years...