Scorpio New Moon

This new moon takes place on the 9th Nov, around 11.05pm GMT. New moons are strongly associated with beginnings, while Scorpio is strongly associated with endings, so the beginning of the ending looks a logical theme to run with, especially with Scorpio ruler Pluto so near the end of its stay in Sagittarius.

Some people often look at astrology and the like for signs of doom to worry about, and there’s nothing like the mention of the beginning of the end to set folk off worrying we’re all headed for hell in a handbag especially when there’s an unexpected comet on the loose and 2012 is a date about to figure highly in any five year plan instead of just being a sci-fi theme or ancient manuscript reference; but what I’m discovering at the moment is that beginnings of endings can be more like a welcome light at the end of the tunnel, which is why I’ve decided to now interpret the Comet Holmes appearance as exactly that.

You see, this week was a bit of a week for me. I’ve had agoraphobia for years (which intensified dramatically once Pluto hit the 4th house cusp of my chart a while ago btw). But this week on the day that the sun hit 15 degrees of Scorpio, in fabulous aspect to freedom planet Uranus, and Scorpio ruler Mars, I suddenly ended up out and about on my own for the first time in many years, wandering around like a comet on the loose. And today I went back to the shops and stayed in there long enough to know the other time wasn’t a fluke. I was only vaguely aware of the exact astrology of now, having been all engrossed in my healing stuff for the past couple of weeks (how Scorpio in itself), so it was a bit satisfying to say the least to see the astro significance in all its glory.

If you’ve ever had a panic attack or you’ve a fear of heights, or enclosed spaces, or the dark, or the dentists, or spiders, birds, mice, love or commitment, flying/driving, life or death, etc etc, then you’ll have an idea of the kind of fear that goes with agoraphobia, and anyone who doesn’t relate at all to any experience of ‘irrational fear’, you’re either very very lucky or in complete emotional denial, and I don’t relate at all to you. It’s only now I’m realising the utter gift of this kind of experience, in the positive broadening and deepening of self-knowing that comes in direct relative proportion to the intensity of the negative experience. The balance of it feels like perfect justice. True it’s bittersweet, as I spent the best part of ten years chasing a freedom I only half believed existed, and I won’t get those ten years back (grief and loss is another Scorpio theme); but there’s no way on earth I would exchange what I’ve learnt about myself and the world as a result. Who would have thought an agoraphobic could learn anything about the outside world, but there you go.

I’m going to be writing more on this in connection to Pluto transits in particular, but wanted to mention it in connection with this new moon, because I'm feeling the joy at the moment of realising that while there’s no point (and no need) trying to be positive about whatever it is that is turning you inside out, there’s every reason to feel positive about the potential of the direction you are headed in as a direct result of the negative experience itself.

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.