Taurus New Moon

 May 16, 2007 

3:27pm             EDT

2:27pm             CDT

1:27pm MDT

12:27pm             PDT

Taurus (25 degrees 33 minutes)

Sabian symbol:  A Spaniard Serenading his senorita

From:  http://www.amazon.com/Sabian-Symbols-Astrology-Symbol-Explained/dp/094335840X

 

Where should my focus be during this next 28-day cycle?

Every month there is a new moon and if we draft a chart for that new moon we can get a sense of the energy that will be up for processing for the next 28 days. 

Okay, what is this cycle?

This Taurus New Moon Lunar Cycle is most interesting.   On one hand it looks like everything is good and sane and secure but at the same time it is also stressful and kind of creepy.  

Let’s focus on the sane stuff first.  Taurus rules Resources and Values and things that are Practical.  So, that is your property, your money, your bank, it is where you feel secure.  It is the part of you that knows the value of patience.   It is the part of you that understands, “Sometimes it is better to skip the short cut- I gotta just do the hard work!”    

 

The area of your life that you value and the area that makes you feel secure, should be showcased during this lunar cycle. And in fact, I would encourage you to plant seeds during New Moon that will encourage slow, steady growth.   For example, this would be a great time to throw some money in your savings account, more than you normally do.  Or perhaps talk to your financial planner about some new strategies and long-term goals.  Perhaps begin new work for a new business.  Actually take the time to meet with the lawyer to begin the paperwork.  

 

And for heaven’s sake now would be the time to finally download Quicken or Microsoft money, just do something to get rid of the fuzz factor in your finances.  How much money do you spend on dining out?  How much do you spend on gas?  How much do you spend on entertainment?  Where the heck is your money going?  These are the questions you should/must ask self during the Taurus lunar cycle.   And what is your debt?  What is your spending plan?   And if just talking about it makes you uncomfortable then please, take an evening during Taurus New Moon and pull out the calculator and get to the bottom of it.  I am not saying you should run out and get a loan and pay it off… In fact I’m not saying that all!  I just want you to figure out the hard number.  That is a practical start.

 

Earthy Taurus is very much about the physical… don’t talk too much about spirituality or lofty stuff during this phase, just keep it down to earth which begs the question: “How is your body?”  Is it healthy? Do you need to lose weight?  Do you need to make some serious changes?  Then by all means begin that diet with discipline during the Taurus New Phase.  Ask that friend who lost a bunch of weight, how they did it?  Start the plan.  Start the discipline. 

 

And what about the stuff you have already been doing, is it working?  Are you being stubborn and holding on to ways and patterns just because you are too lazy to get some new input?  Has your friend who has gotten ahead of a problem (which is the same problem in your life) shared how they did it?  Can you possibly consider folding in that approach?  Again, I’m not saying give up your cholesterol medicine and switch to cayenne powder, but you could start researching ways to improve your body.  Or begin a process for other areas of your life that need focus and discipline.  Begin a slow search about a way to help.  This is the beauty and I mean real beauty of Taurus.  They understand the value of taking it slow and using patience. 

 

You have got to remember, life changed for Man (as in mankind) when he finally took the wild ox and domesticated it.  It sure made planting and hoeing a lot easier.  This is the same thing you have to do to yourself during this period.  You need to domesticate some part of yourself to get long-term results.  You can imagine how difficult this is for our 21^st century/ADD-HD society that wants it all NOW.    Even if you are the most flippant and frivolous person on Earth, even you in your heart of hearts know that there is value in slow, patient hard work for those things that are important.    Take a look at your life, where do you need to show this kind of hard work?   Plant those seeds. 

 

Okay, what about the stressful part of this cycle? 

Saturn in Leo Oppose Neptune in Aquarius—A royal pain in the butt.

Since last year we have been dealing with tough old Saturn in a tug of war with dreamy Neptune.  Have you ever looked at a teeter-totter, when one is up the other is down, right?  Well that is what is going on in the skies right now.  And sure we kind of get used to living in the war zone as these two fight it out but there are certain times when it is more stressful than usual and this new moon will ratchet up the stress. 

 

Why?

 

Because Saturn is in Leo.  Leo is glorious and big and dramatic and although generous it does have a finger on the trigger if someone does anything remotely close to insulting Leo’s ego.  And Neptune is hanging out in Aquarius, which is the antithesis of Leo.  Aquarius is about groups and community and what is good for the common man and … “…How dare you think you are more special than any of us!”    You can see how these two might not be doing so well these days.   Of course there is another sign that can get into this fray and that is Taurus.  (So can Scorpio but that is not the issue right now).  Taurus is completely annoyed by both of these jokers. Taurus wants to tell Leo to “Shut the eff up about your dang fragile ego” and Taurus wants to tell Aquarius, “How is going green going to help me pay my rent?!!!”

 

So here is our little Taurus new moon, the time of the year when we have to look at our resources and our values and our money and our properties…and while we are doing this work, Saturn is fighting with Neptune and they both are sticking it to Taurus. 

As we try to figure out how to get our resource act together but at the same time we are being tugged by our Ego and Hard Work (Saturn in Leo) and our Dreams and humanitarian side (Neptune in Aquarius) and we just don’t know what to do.

  

Watch the news during this cycle. See what is out there.  Issues around real estate and foreclosures will surely catch people’s eye.  And what about the pet food/human food issues coming out of China?   Do we really feel safe in our little homes going to our little market and buying our box of crunchy something?  Where were those ingredients really made?  And God help us if we really think about how those workers in that factory in that far away land live.  Are toxins spewing into their rivers so we can eat our crunchy things?  This is the kind of stuff that we are going to have to think about during Taurus New Moon.    What is My impact in the world?  There will be some kind of reality check during Taurus Lunar cycle.   And it doesn't help that Neptune rules oil and gasses...but let's not go there.  Anyway, the next cycle we have a reality check with Saturn/Neptune will possibly be during the Leo New Moon in August but even then it will be a bit different than now.    

 

It is difficult but what ever comes up during this 28 day cycle (in particular I would watch the new and full moons) we are being asked to look at our value system and determine if it really working for us, on all levels.   Sure, a big, beautiful house might be lovely to own but if you have to drive to an awful office with horrible bosses doing a crappy job and commute an hour in the morning and an hour at night away from family and a real personal life---well, it just might not feel so right during this phase and you should take this opportunity to re-think your value system.  Maybe it is time for a change.

 

What about the creepy part?

Let’s go back to Neptune.   As I just indicated Neptune is continuing its journey in Aquarius and it is still at war (opposition) with Saturn in Leo and they are both sticking it to our New Moon in Taurus, but also what is happening is Neptune will go retrograde during this cycle. On May 24 –9:09pm (EDT).    

This is the creepy part because Neptune is so dreamy and at times illusionary and moves like a big ol’ drug addict.  They are so fun to have in the house, aren’t they?  But at the same time Neptune can be visionary and spiritual and way out there in a good way.  The problem is, which Neptune will we get? Is it going to bring out a bunch of liars or is there going to be a leader if not savior who will come forward?   And what does this do to help me?   And what about that old saying, “If you meet Buddha in the road, shoot him?” The only answer in my book is to get quiet, get meditative, reflect and find the best answers.   Take this opportunity of Neptune’s retrograde to dissolve the parts of your life that are no longer working.

 

And if you are unclear as to what is not working, trust me, this Taurus cycle will bring some needed clarity.  Like I said, Taurus is practical and Taurus is the one who is getting stuck by Neptune and Saturn so this is really a gift.   

We may feel a bit lost, screwed over; unsure, struggling, like we are between a rock and a hard place over some issue (or issues) during this period.   The key is to use the gentle side of Neptune.  See if someone wise steps into your life or the Internet may provide some help.  Aquarius rules the computer and the Internet and since Neptune will be going backwards there might be some help on the world wide web.  Of course, the internet is also vast and everyone is not what they say they are which again is so Neptune and of course there could be a big ass computer glitch during this cycle that will remind us how important it is to have real connections in real life.   It is always so fuzzy with Neptune, that’s why it is so creepy to me. Sigh.

 

How do I tackle this cycle?

 First order of business is start looking at the lunar cycle in installments.  Approximately every three days we have a new phase.  There are 8 phases of the moon and inside those phases is added information.  Let’s take a look. (As always I use Eastern Daylight Time )

 

 

New Moon 25 Degree Taurus 33 minutes

 

May 16 3:37pm  --- May 19^th 11:08pm

New moon: Plant seeds, make calls, activate, start projects.   Activate something that will ideally lead you to more.  This is the phase where INTENT is critical.  Even if the results are not immediate, the intent is there.  You may not have all the answers or road map but you should put out your Intent.  

Focus on Taurus matters which are practical, functional, concrete, slow moving, patience is a virtue type of thinking, discipline, money, resources, properties.  Do you still need a bit more information on how to access your inner Taurus?  Take a look here for inspiration.  

 

http://www.astrology-online.com/taurus.htm

  

May 19^th 11:08pm – May 23^rd 5:03pm

Crescent:  We will receive information, we will research a bit more, perhaps get feedback on stuff that we planted on new.  Perhaps get some information that will help down the road on a seed we planted a while ago.  We can collect some data now.  Even if you think you are not getting information, stop, and re-look at everything.  Who called you?  Even the silliest things, when they come up during Crescent are note worthy.  A parking ticket?  An argument with a spouse?  A refund check from the phone company?  All of it needs to be considered a message from the universe.  How can this information help you?

 

Focus on your emotions a bit more than usual for a crescent moon only because the moon is in cancer.  Kind of curious considering the crescent phase is a bit more mental than the other phases but in this case the watery nature of the moon will activate some emotions.   But remember in this case like anything else that comes up during crescent, your emotions are giving you information.   Like a detective, ask yourself what are they telling you?

May 21 6:11am Sun moves into Gemini.

 

May 23^rd 5:03pm – May 27 7:32pm

First quarter: We do more actions based on the information that we just received.  Or we feel our instincts guide us on something.  We pursue again.  We make another call or we see someone. We mail something.  We stir the pot again.  This can be a time when we realize that the goals we planted on New need more action from us, perhaps actions that involve breaking away.   Are there people who say they have our best interest in heart but fear us growing away from them?  Maybe we need to get help from others not the usual suspects.  Some independence may need to be exerted.

 

In addition focus on:

May 24^th 9:09pm

Neptune retrogrades

22 degrees Aquarius 02 

Sabian Symbol: A carrier pigeon

From:  http://www.amazon.com/Sabian-Symbols-Astrology-Symbol-Explained/dp/094335840X

 

Neptune slows down and begins to go backwards. It is a long dissolve.  Things that appeared to be so lovely and fun and glossy now look dingy, tired and troubling.  But in truth we need to ask ourselves, “Why did I want to believe the smoke and mirrors?”   There are times when it is fun to go to the magic show and watch the magician saw the lady in half but seriously, do we ever really believe that he is really doing it?  No of course not.  It is a magic trick.  Well, now with Neptune retrograding we get another chance to look at the illusions in our world and the world at large. Again, why did we want to believe it?  Didn’t we have a hint inside us that all was not what it seemed?   The key is not to personalize the yucky part.  Rather dissolve the desire to believe the lie and find a bigger greater truth.  Healing can come in daily meditations, communing with spirit, asking for some greater wisdom and of course counseling and spiritual advisors may provide some relief.  As with everything important, inner peace always takes time but be patient it will appear.

 

May 27 7:32pm – May 31^st 9:02pm

Gibbous:  We refine our information.  We pick and choose, we discriminate, and we organize.  We tend to be ‘Virgo’ like.  We sort through details.  Have we missed something?  How are we sifting through the information?  Go back and make sure something hasn’t been neglected.  Refine our actions. 

Focus on whatever has happened in the last week between the new moon with the cranky input between Saturn and Neptune and now Neptune’s retrograde, it is probably very clear you need to refine some of the things you put in motion back between May 16-May 19^th.   Are you up to speed on all the details?  Is your desk a mess? Do you need to return some important calls?  For heaven’s sake clean stuff up and get organized.  It will be soothing by the way.  Sometimes clearing the clutter is therapeutic.

 

May 28 9:04pm Mercury moves into Cancer.

 

May 30

Mercury goes into shadow.

What the heck does that mean?  In about two weeks Mercury will be retrograding and unless you lived in a hole for most of your life, you have likely heard about Mercury retrogrades. This is when things get really chaotic and things break and it just is when things get confusing and you want to scream, “Arrgh!”    Okay that is in two weeks but in the meantime Mercury has just crossed the point that it will revisit in about six weeks when it has finished going backwards and gets back to this point in the road again.  Just note that stuff that comes up now and for the next few weeks because it may come back for a revisit by July 24^th when the shadowy period ends.

 

May 31^st 9:02pm – June 4 5:10pm

Full Moon:  We make the needed adjustments on the things we planted. Usually emotions are up and running and for those people who perhaps did not utilize the new moon and the rest of the waxing moon, this is when emotions can get the better of us.  There can often be a big emotional break, for no other reason than to get back on track.   Some partnership will offer up some balance.  The moon is bright and full and there is no room for shadows, what is reflecting on you? 

Focus on the stuff that needs to be adjusted since New Moon May 16^th.  This full moon will have all the noise and righteousness and opinions one could expect from Sagittarius.  Sag with its big mouth will be clear on saying what is true and what is not. The unfortunate part is the truth will be lost if the messenger has no finesse.   Sag can be a bit blunt--to say the least.  But and this is a big but, if we can utilize the Sag energy which can be philosophical or at the very least humorous that will help dissipate some of the big emotions that need to be released.  

 

June 4 5:10pm – June 8 7:41am

Disseminating: Share information, find a teacher or someone who has more knowledge. Perhaps there was a big ol’ blow out on the full and one feels in need of support and help, this is the phase to reach out to one who knows more. This is when we find a rabbi or a minister or therapist who gives us more insight.   And of course, you too may be ready to teach and share your own information. 

 

June 5^th Venus enters Leo.

 

June 8 7:41am – June 11^th 4:33pm

Third Quarter moon:  Now we do the final adjustments to the seeds we planted on new. The final call, the final letters to send, we follow all the trails that came up that still make sense.  And we let the other parts lay fallow. It is a time of action but wise action.  It is a time for living  “The serenity prayer”

God, grant me the Serenity
to accept the things
I cannot change Courage to change the
things I can, and the
Wisdom to know the difference.

 

June 11 4:33pm – June 14^th 11:13pm

Balsamic:  We release.  We let go.  We prune, we discard, we ditch stuff. We house clean. The things that no longer work, we let them out of our life.  We release so we can clear our unconscious and dream.  We prepare our unconscious to be ready for the next New Moon

 

 

"Links to Think" about this Taurus Lunar Cycle:

 

 

http://www.kiva.org/app.php

 

http://www.modestneeds.org/

 

New York Times 05/11/2007

 

New York Times 04/30/2007

 

 

Gemini New Moon begins June 14^th 11:13pm EDT