Taurus New Moon – May 19, 2023

The New Moon on May 19 is at 28 degrees of Taurus. This New Moon features a great deal of Taurus energy. Not only is the New Moon in Taurus (both the sun and the moon) but so are Mercury, Jupiter, Vesta, Uranus, and the North Node! That’s a lot of Taurus energy! Taurus rules money (banking, securities, investments) things of worth (jewelry, art, collectibles), and farming. It’s not just worth in the outer world that Taurus rules, but also in our inner world. How we value ourselves, how much we have been caring for ourselves, and showing ourselves self-respect. In fact, our inner worth is often reflected in the outer world, eg our net worth may give us an indication of what is going on inside. This New Moon in Taurus gives us an opportunity to set intentions for securing, protecting, and increasing both our inner and outer worth.

On one hand, the New Moon is trine to Pluto giving us a feeling of power and self-mastery. We will feel capable and innovative, guided by recent transformations in technology, science, and within the collective. However, two things we need to be aware of during this New Moon are the impulse to take on more than we can handle and the feeling of victimization and resentment. This is because the New Moon is Conjunct Phaethon, the asteroid associated with overconfidence, and Sedna the planet (minor planet) associated with the Inuit goddess who transcends her adversity only after letting go. These two energies ask us to take our time, measure our abilities, and surrender to what is. Surrendering does not mean accepting. It means that we don’t fight against the reality.

Much of the swing between these two approaches will be as a result of Mercury, Jupiter, and the North Node in the early signs of Taurus squaring Pluto. In fact, Mars at the last degree of Cancer is also squaring Pluto creating a T-Square. We may witness (or experience) things going sideways with money, the banks, and/or the food supply. We may have attacks on our sense of self and self-worth. What we witness or experience will likely trigger impulsive, intense, and even violent feelings.

However, there is something about this moment in time that is giving us an opportunity to do things differently. This is because the North Node is involved and when the North Node is involved it is giving us an opportunity to follow a new path and correct past errors (even past live errors). Normally the way to deal with the T-square is to look at the sign opposite the focal planets. In this case that opposite sign is Scorpio. But Scorpio leads us either to Mars, the classical ruler, which tells us to fight for our traditions, or to the modern ruler which is Pluto, which tells us to destroy our outdated traditions. And these two planets are opposing each other pushing us to go one way or the other… which will lead to problems. The trick is to find the middle ground. And this New Moon is suggesting that we lean on the loving planet of Venus.

Venus is the ruler of the North Node, but more importantly is it the ruler of the New Moon. Venus is in cancer and in mutual reception with the moon. This means they are helping each other out and strengthening each other. Venus in Cancer is caring and values family and people who they consider to be their tribe. Venus in Cancer likes the security that these relationships bring. Venus is also making many positive aspects that, if we lean on her, will help us to be stable, strategic, inventive, and willing to talk through a compromise.

We don’t have to do this alone. This New Moon is sextile to the spiritual planet of Neptune and opposite the Galactic Centre (where galactic information streams into our universe) reminding us to lean on our spiritual guides and galactic wisdom!

The Sabian symbol is “Two cobblers working at a table”. A cobbler is a maker or mender of shoes. Another meaning of a cobbler is a workman who is clumsy. This suggests that there are two ways to approach the situation. A clumsy workman will make mistakes, sometimes even fatal. A maker of shoes will take steps to build something solid and secure giving us good footing.

Happy New Moon in Taurus!

Scorpio Lunar Eclipse – May 5, 2023

The May 5th lunar eclipse is at 15 degrees of Scorpio.

Lunar eclipses happen because they are close to one of the nodes which are formed by the moon crossing the ecliptic (the path of the Sun). In astrology, the nodes are karmic points, and during eclipses, karmic things tend to happen, seemly out of nowhere. Scorpio is a money planet; it rules shared resources, taxes, insurance money and other people’s money. It also rules secrets, things that are hidden, control and manipulation. Scorpio rules sex, the cycles of life (life and death), psychiatry, and psychology. It’s mystical, magical and occult. So, Scorpio isn’t exactly light. It deep. Deep in a positive or in a negative way. But deep!

The modern ruler of Scorpio is Pluto and the classical ruler is Mars. Any way you look at it, modern or classical, this is a tricky and explosive eclipse. This is because both rulers, Mars and Pluto are coming into opposition. By May 19th and 20th they will also be square to the nodes. At our last eclipse (also in Scorpio) we saw the FTX crypto exchange crash and disappear, and with it, a lot of other people’s money. And as Pluto transited at the last degree of Capricorn, large banks started to fail. This eclipse will likely bring similar news. We’ll also likely see difficulties in any sexual relationships where power plays may emerge. The lash-out might also be connected to stress around money. Finally, dark magic or occult issues may surface (Don’t forget, words are magic spells). You may want to keep your shungite, black tourmaline and your red jasper close by! Some sage might also be helpful. This will help you block whatever shade is coming your way.

If you want to know how the eclipse is affecting you personally, you can book some time with me!

The eclipse is opposite Uranus, the planet of surprise and Vesta the asteroid associated with work and commitment. Don’t be surprised if you decide to quit your job out of nowhere, or if your workplace experiences a mass exodus. Uranus and Vesta are in Taurus, so there is a large focus on money, increasing our worth, and creating stability. Don’t expect loyalty to a workplace if it doesn’t help to meet basic needs. Choices made at this time will reflect a commitment to ourselves and to increasing our worth and stability.

This lunar eclipse has a special relationship to Mercury, which has been travelling close to the Sun and has been triggering this eclipse over the last couple of weeks. This simply means that Mercury has been helping to build the plot line of this particular eclipse. On April 17th it opposed the eclipse point. On the 25th, it happened again. Mercury will go over the point again on May 31. This eclipse story is likely an epic rather than the usual novella.

The good news, thank God there is good news, is that the moon is conjunct Poseidon. Poseidon brings higher consciousness, truth, spiritual illumination and enlightenment. Although this all comes in the wake of some very difficult energy, we will feel good about it as it always feels good when we finally connected with the truth. If the dots haven’t connected or a piece of the story seemed to be missing, the dots and pieces will emerge and things will finally start to make sense!

The Sabian Symbol for the moon is “Children playing around five mounds of sand”. Children playing around sand mounds is bound to result in a half-buried child (head poking out), or attempts to dig tunnels and build sand castles. There may be biting ants in the sand, or sand flies. Five is the number related to change, creativity, and inventiveness, so this suggests that even though it may be a bit dangerous, playing and being lighthearted within the energy will bring solutions and strangely, some element of fun.

Happy Lunar Eclipse!

Aries Solar Eclipse – April 19/20th, 2023

“It is easier to live through someone else than to complete yourself. The freedom to lead and plan your own life is frightening if you have never faced it before. It is frightening when a woman finally realizes that there is no answer to the question ‘who am I’ except the voice inside herself.”
Betty Friedan

The April 19/20 solar eclipse is at the critical 29 degrees of Aries. Aries rules aggression, impatience, courage, and self-reliance. It rules war, conflict or military action. It also rules new enterprises, entrepreneurs, and pioneers. It’s a fire sign that rules fire, knives and machines. Emotionally, Aries can flare up with anger and be very direct.

The sign of Aries answers the question of “who am I” and at the last Anaretic degree of 29 Aries, “who am I” feels like life or death. Pluto square to the solar eclipse intensifies this feeling as it ushers in intense, explosive events that cause us to go to our automatic place of fight, flight or freeze. The sign, anorectic degree and solar eclipses all point to events out of our control. But, since this eclipse is in Aries, the likely response is a fight. At the core of the fight is a need to protect “who am I” and actions we take may reveal “who we are” in ways that we do not yet appreciate.

Pluto is only a degree into Aquarius and we are already seeing transformation happen. The energy of Pluto in Aquarius brings destruction and transformation in technology (computers, Artificial intelligence), media (including social media), groups (humanitarian and political) networks, and innovations.  As this energy squares the Aries solar eclipse, our sense of identity is challenged.

“He allowed himself to be swayed by his conviction that human beings are not born once and for all on the day their mothers give birth to them, but that life obliges them over and over again to give birth to themselves.”
Gabriel García Márquez, Love in the Time of Cholera

Many define who they are by what they do for a living. Pluto in Aquarius so far has stormed in with ChatGPT and GPT4. Many have tested out the AI’s capabilities, only to be shocked and shaken. Its capabilities dawn the realization that work is about to change, and we/you/I may not be needed. The question of “who am I” in the face of AI becomes urgent at this solar eclipse. In fact, AI is threatening to replace 1/3 or all workers. Enterprising types have taken on two full-time jobs, having AI do 80% of the work for them and collecting two pay cheques. But as employers wise up, this opportunity may be kiboshed. And what if you aren’t so enterprising? If you identify who you are with what you do, where does this leave you? The New Moon solar eclipse is also conjunct the asteroid Industria, the asteroid that represents work and career. In the face of AI, how do we make ourselves relevant and meaningful? Do we allow our work to continue to define us? And if so, how does it make us feel?

“You are not your job, you’re not how much money you have in the bank. You are not the car you drive. You’re not the contents of your wallet. You are not your fucking khakis. You are all singing, all dancing crap of the world.”
Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club

Others define who they are by their worth. The new moon solar eclipse is conjunct Vesta and the North Node in Taurus. Vesta is the goddess of the home and hearth. She keeps the sacred flame and the flame of the hearth going. Her constant flame represents dedication and perseverance. In Taurus, this represents a need to keep a flame going in a way that maintains our wealth, stability and security. But Pluto in Aquarius has also brought in a banking crisis and behind it Centralized Digital Bank Currencies (CBDCs). Who are we/you/I when are wealth changes?

Some define who they are by their freedoms. Freedoms that were fought for and established in constitutions. Freedom and independence are areas ruled by Aries and with Mars, the ruler Aries is in Cancer, a sign that is protective, patriotic and sometimes tribal, who you/we/I are in terms of our rights and freedoms is also challenged. Two throwbacks emerged recently that harken back to the last Pluto in Aquarius. Similar to Marie Antoinette’s remark of “let them eat cake” to her starving French subjects during the last Pluto in Aquarius transit, French President Macron took off his Luxury watch as he told his country they would need to work two more years before they can take their pension in what can be called a 2023 “let them eat Macaroon’s” moment! During the last Pluto in Aquarius transit in the late 1700s, rights and freedoms were established in France. The French abolished the idea of being Subjects and established the French identity of Free citizens. This identity is again being challenged.

Similarly, the United States was in revolt during the late 1700s when a fight emerged over Tea! The colonist were frustrated with being taxed and not being represented. “No taxation without representation” became their slogan. In a reminiscent throwback, The company Anheuser-busch sparked a financial revolt losing 7 Billion dollars within 6 days on the Stock Market and millions more in sales after hiring a trans woman to market Bud Light. A cartoonist depicted it like the Boston Tea Party revolt leading to the American Revolution. Instead of throwing tea overboard, cases of Bud Light could be seen pitched off the ship. The beer conflict, the tea conflict is about recognizing or confirming identity. In 2023, without a doubt, the beer you drink is a reflection of your identity. A craft beer drinker is a different person than a draft bud light person! Who am I and who reflects, defends and protects my identity is another manifestation of this Solar Eclipse. It triggers a protective side of Aries with a need to defend our individual rights.

“I am a citizen of the world.”
Sylvia Beach

Though challenges to “who am I” are sure to emerge, The New Moon Solar Eclipse in Aries is also conjunct Astraea. In Greek Mythology, Astraea ruled over a Golden Age. The golden age was a time of peace, prosperity and fairness. Astraea was said to have lived amongst humans until the Bronze Age when men became filled with war and greed. The story goes that she fled to the stars where she appears as Libra, holding the scales of justice. Perhaps Atraea’s appearance with the Solar Eclipse signals a time for us to consider who we are, how we can achieve personal freedom and self-reliance, and shape or reshape our identity without war or fighting. Astraea with the Solar Eclipse brings us hope of fairness and a return to a golden age. The Greeks believed another Golden age would come and at that time Astraea would return. Who do we need to be to make that happen? The Sabian symbol for this eclipse is “A duck pond and its brood’. Perhaps it’s not necessary to seize the oceans. Maybe we can be contained within our own pond and with our own brood. The dictum live and let live comes to mind during this Solar Eclipse.

The Solar Eclipse is a supercharged New Moon, so use it to set careful intentions of who you now want to be!

Book some time with me If you want to know how the eclipses will affect you personally, (there is also a Lunar Eclipse coming up in May).

Happy Solar Eclipse in Aries!