New Moon, New Beginnings, New Opportunities
Today, the new moon, the Sun, and Uranus are all in the sign of Taurus. Venus, Mercury, and the North Node are all in Gemini. Pluto is now retrograde, Saturn and Mercury are about to be, and we have a pair of eclipses right around the corner. As spring wanes and summer waxes, as covid and our response to it continue to evolve, the possibilities and opportunities to start over, to begin again are practically limitless in some extremely specific areas.
Can you see them?
I can.
It starts with your hopes and dreams, your vision and intentions.
Then you consult the stars, your ancestors and other guides, and go from there.
The Spirit of Taurus
Welcome to the Taurus new moon—and, thanks to some transits and a global pandemic, a brave new world that is evolving at a predictably unpredictable rate. Of course, all new moons represent opportunities for fresh starts and new beginnings, the key is knowing which opportunity take. And making peace with it. Sometimes you have more options and opportunities than others; usually you have more than you realize. Let’s look at what this particularly relational and values-driven new moon has to offer.
A fixed, feminine, earth sign, Taurus rules relationships. All kinds of relationships. I’ll be unpacking all those delightful different kinds of relationships further down, but before I do I want to talk for a moment about values. More important than relationships, Taurus rules the values those relationships are based on. So, one of the biggest opportunities presented by this new moon and all its attendant transits is that of values clarification. Right now, you are being called revisit, review, and revise the qualities and characteristics you truly value and build your relationships on a newly renovated foundation.
The overarching theme of the last new moon (in Aries) was exploring and expanding your understanding of and your relationship to yourself as a soul: who you are and why you are here. The overarching theme of this Taurus new moon is exploring and understanding yourself in relationship to other. And others. Granted, figuring out where the proverbial “I” leaves off and the proverbial “you” begins is part of what defines the human condition. That debate continues to dominate human history. While we all must update our definitions and interpretations of that from time to time, we are all wrangling with those updates NOW. Especially as the numbers of vaccinated individuals increases and we have more choices about human interaction than we have had in over a year. So, give your particular version of the debate the time and attention it deserves.
Not sure where to start? Here’s an idea. Chronologically speaking, Taurus is the first of the earth signs, is nearly always the dominant sign at Earth Day, and the earth is currently undergoing both an ecological crisis and a global pandemic. So clearly our individual relationships to and with Mother Earth—Gaia, Pachamama—must change. Now is the perfect time to reexamine your relationship to her, and the values that relationship is based upon. Look at the ways you can level up, while we are we are all still spending more time at home and the earth has a rare moment to recover. In your prayers and meditations, ask for guidance on actions you can take to reduce your impact on the planet even further. How can you reduce your footprint? What good and services should your switch to or from? What ways of being should you adopt or abandon? These are very personal choices, and now is a good time to make them.
And then there’s Beltane – the third and last of the planting festivals in the annual manifestation cycle that is the Wheel of the Year. Each sign governs a vast realm and is frequently associated with a Shabbat day, and Beltane belongs to Taurus. Beltane is halfway between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice and is the marker for the advent of summer. Also known as Walpurgisnacht, Roodmas, Cethsamhain, and Whitsuntide, summer's official beginning has traditionally been observed on May First or May Day, though Lunar observances are sometimes slightly different. In ancient times Beltane was marked by rituals and observances that celebrated the transition from spring to summer. Key to this was taking appropriate actions on both the material and the spiritual levels as the newly planted crops were nurtured and nourished along. Ceremonies were held to ensure the fertility of the crops, herds, and people; to ensure the abundance of future harvests, and to purify the members of tribes and communities.
Ruled by Venus, the goddess of love, the terrain of Taurus is that of the divine feminine: beautiful, loving and loyal, sensual and sensuous, and stubbornly fixated on creating harmony and balance in ways that serve the highest good of all involved. On a good day, Taurus rules the selfless heroism of the doctors, nurses, hospital, grocery store workers, and other essential service providers who continue to risk their lives for untold numbers of people they do not know.
Each astrological sign has its brackets, its bookends, its higher octaves, and its lower octaves. As the second sign of the zodiac, Taurus rules the developmental-age range of two to four years old. So, on a bad day, Taurus is like a small child in the middle of her terrible twos, who has just learned the word No.
On a bad day, Taurus can be as slow and heavy as its constellation, the bull. Unevolved Taureans are inflexible and intractable, and often stubbornly stuck in a dogmatic position and has little basis – if any – in morality or facts. The lower octaves of Taurus look like our self-serving politicians: those who are only in it for the power, who have lost sight of their sacred trust, who are indifferent to the plights of their constituents, and who would rather watch their constituents suffer than listen to or work with anyone from another party.
Let’s make it a good day.
Not a Taurus? No worries. Everyone has Taurus somewhere in their natal chart. If you don't already know where yours is, now is a good time to find out. And here's why: where Taurus lives in your natal chart is where you are the most capable of being patient and present, grounded and calm, serene and emotionally steady, reliable, methodical, dependable, and extraordinarily graceful and gracious with the most awkward of people and in the most uncomfortable situations. Because of this, give yourself a lot of time and space this month to rediscover that aspect of your psyche and your soul, and then find a way to give her more freedom of expression in your daily life and relationships. Not in a megalomaniacal, narcissistic way; but in a way that demonstrates a healthy grasp of the delicate interplay between self and other.
As you do, remember that Taurus rules love, and it loves fiercely. It is hell-bent on carrying your karma forward, healing your deepest wounds, and expressing your greatest gifts. Especially your karma around love, relationships, and the values they are based on. Right now, Taurus has us all searching for relationships of greater depth and meaning. Most of us are just waking up to the fact that we don’t need 10,000 Facebook friends and followers. We need a small handful of folks that are right as rain, who are there with us through thick and thin, and with whom we can love and be loved unconditionally as our authentic selves, free—or freer—from masks and projections.
The challenge of last month’s Aries new moon was to determine which lane was yours to drive in. The dilemma of the Taurus new moon is determining how best to stay in your lane, as well as when and how to merge. Adding to the complexity is that we are now well into the prelude period for both the Saturn and the Mercury retrogrades. This will be a massive opportunity to clean up relational karma within yourself and with others. Easier said than done, I know. But it is why you are here. Remember, the answers lie in your faith and your relationship to spirit, not in your intellect or your physical strength. So don’t skimp on your prayers and meditations, gratitude exercises and spiritual best practices. Listen, lean in, and rise to the occasion—or at least find some way to start listing in that general direction. And if you get stuck, call me. We’ll figure it out.
Calendar
Below are some of the dates where your opportunities for awakenings and epic breakthroughs will be the greatest.
May 11: New Moon in Taurus; Ramadan ends
May 13: Jupiter moves into Pisces
May 20: Sun moves into Gemini
May 23: Saturn retrogrades in Aquarius
May 26: Full Moon in Sagittarius, also known as the Flower Moon, the Milk Moon, the Dyad Moon, and the Corn Planting Moon; Total Lunar Eclipse, the Full Moon is at 5° Sagittarius, opposing the Sun at 5° Gemini,
May 29: Mercury retrogrades in Gemini for 24 days
May 31: Memorial Day
June 2: Venus moves into Cancer
June 10: Annular Solar Eclipse, the New Moon is conjunct the Sun at 19° Gemini
Everybody’s natal (birth) chart is different. These differences reflect our individual souls—their journeys and evolution, their triumphs, and their tragic flaws. As such, the specific impact of each of the following dates will hit each person differently. But there are some general themes.
Holy days, holidays, and astrological transits are opportunities for us to experience grace. But remember how grace happens: sometimes it comes through discomfort. The gifts aren’t always immediately apparent. All the days on this list ask you to be more compassionate with yourself and others, to try and be more awake, and to be more open to synchronicity and messages from Spirit. On days when more than one astrological event, holiday or holy day occurs, know that the power of that day will be even more profound. The more events in a day, the more powerful that day is, and the more intentional you should be.
Again, in general, full moons are a good time for ending things, wrapping things up, conclusions, and closure. New moons are opportune times for new beginnings: starting a new chapter of some aspect of your life, tackling a new project, or launching something new. Retrogrades are always about slowing down and paying more attention to aspects of your creative, spiritual, and social lives. The eclipses always reveal; sometimes it is something others have hidden from you, sometimes it is things you have hidden from yourself. Usually, it is a little bit of both. To go deeper, look to the planetary signs and the houses they fall in, and, of course, to your natal chart. Or give me a call. I can help you with that.
Retreats, Rituals, Services, Ceremonies and Journeys
Choosing the best day or days is a very personal thing. You have to feel your way into it. But there are some generic rules that can help you in your decision-making process. Full moons and new moons are considered the best. Holidays and holy days are powerful, as well. Full moons and new moons that occur during or over a period of holidays and holy days are extraordinarily powerful.
Factor in a retrograde or two and you pretty much cannot avoid leveling up and becoming a much more masterful magician. Especially around anything that has to do with your faith, your trust in it, your ability to serve your faith and serve with it. Seriously.
With that in mind, in the next month, the best days for deep, transformational experiences are: May 11, 13, 20, 23, 26 and 29; June 2, and 10-11.
The next Mercury retrograde starts on May 29th, at 24 degrees Gemini.
“Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From quiet reflection will come even more effective action.”
The Mystery School Guidebooks
For as long as humans have traveled the earth, we have turned to the cycles and movements of the natural world and celestial bodies to guide us. Over time and across cultures, the art and science of navigation has provided powerful tools to ensure safe passage through the mysterious currents of life's more difficult moments. Now, by combining ancient practices with modern modalities, you can chart smooth and successful routes through the most important journeys of all: the integration of your internal landscapes, your relationships, your spiritual and professional paths.
The Mystery School Guidebooks are the culmination of my 30 years of dedicated research and practice as a business consultant, astrologer, and intuitive. I am currently offering six guidebooks: Mars Retrograde, Level 1 and Level 2; Mercury Retrograde, Level 1 and Level 2; and Venus Retrograde, Level 1 and Level 2, with more in the works. Each one is a magical combination of information and experiential exercises, designed to provide you with the tools that mean the difference between falling prey to your innermost demons—fears, outdated behaviors and belief systems, and long-buried traumas—and discovering, perhaps for the first time, greater joy in relationships, success in career, and increased self-confidence, access, and flow in your personal and spiritual lives.
The next Mercury retrograde starts on May 29th, at 24 degrees Gemini. If you or anyone in your immediate sphere has significant emphasis the sign of Gemini, now is the time to act.