A Taurus New Moon: Self-Divining

 A New Moon against a field of stars....

On Saturday, April 21st, a New Moon at 1 Taurus will begin the lunation month leading into May’s solar eclipse.

Typically, the month before a solar eclipse is a bit of a bumpy ride…so what does this lunation bring to the metaphysical party?

For one, it’s happening at 1 Taurus, a degree which by default is about us…either physically or in terms of what we do. Taurus being an earth(y) sign, the issues are tangible. Or maybe our object or aim is.

Taurus is also the first of the zodiacal ‘fixed’ signs, ‘fixed’ here describing it’s astrological “modality.” What this tells is is that the tenor of feelings (the lunation) we are likely to…or perhaps need to approach things with…there’s some consideration in the mix. Taurus isn’t (by and large) hasty. Emphatic? Sometimes. Enraged? Also sometimes.

The core of the Taurean process is discovering what’s of worth. And that process is what leads to the building of self worth. Though this isn’t about learning per se (that would be Gemini), Taurus is about explorations which lead to an understanding about what’s safe and not safe – hence this sign’s association with security, which many simply interpret as ‘money and things’ (materialism).

 an image of Taurus from a 15th century medieval book on astrology 

The biggest challenge for anything (or anyone) Taurean is to see down the road. You know, how what I do or grab or hold onto today affects me next week, next month or ten years from now. Taurus is the first of four fixed signs – sign number one in the fixed sign process which, providing we work through all the challenges, leads to a kind of personal security which gives us the self assurance (confidence in self) which others respect, will always support and which can rescue us come what may.

So that’s something of the Taurean ‘vibe’ which is the basis for this lunation. Because of this vibe, we can assume that some of us are going to have our chains rattled this month (so that we can see what the nature of our self worth and security really are) and some of us are going to be moving ahead with developing/working on something of worth which we are invested in and thus recognize our own value as part of.

2012 - the Taurus New Moon

(Aries Wheel  - location not specific) 

 

1 Taurus in particular – as a degree – speaks to the emotional side of this process. Descriptions speak of an insecurity which can manifest as sensitivity – or then again as cruelty. The Sabian Symbol for 1 Taurus is ‘An electrical storm’…which in itself speaks to feelings of not being in control and the dangers we may feel because we could get ‘zapped’ at any moment.

Then again, this symbol also images being struck with a ‘bright idea.’ Whether we manifest the positive, negative or a bit of both here…? That’s all about our native self worth.

And it’s not all that simple.

This New Moon (Sun conjunct Moon) is going to form up between Scheherazade at 0 Taurus and Tantalus at 2 Taurus. Scheherazade being ‘the telling of tales’ and Tantalus being ‘temptation’ and often ‘temptation to do that we know we shouldn’t do,’ it’s to be expected that situations will tempt us to find excuses for things. Or to do things and ‘justify’ it in our mind (and to others) even though that niggling tug in our gut is telling us we’ve done something wrong.

 Scheherazade Went on with Her Story 

- an illustration done by Virginia Frances Sterreff in 1928

This would also be a time when situations already committed to or actions taken (somewhere in the past) come to light. Or maybe they become the foundation of a discussion about the ‘value’ (worth) of going forward in some way which (Taurus) matters to you and/or your security.

Because we’re in the month before a solar eclipse, this New Moon does carry an extra dollop of whammy. Namely, through such Taurean (Scheherazade, Tantalus) feelings we are being forced to focus on something which isn’t working correctly. Or at least the (Gemini) idea of it.

With Medusa at 4 Scorpio (in opposition to the New Moon) there is some ‘frightening truth’ (Medusa) to face – oppositions always being about facing something. Those of us who are willing to do this work ourselves will do so. But those who are card carrying members of the ‘me good, me entitled, my life is rosy’ club will like as not encounter people who will ‘stand in’ for this Medusa vibe, making sure we are forced to at least acknowledge (if not deal with) where we have gone astray of what are – in all likelihood – our own standards.

Astrologically, the solar eclipse is the ‘big dog’ on the block. So though this lunation has its own valid process, it does embrace the heart of the ‘breakdown’ period which precedes every solar eclipse.

Another piece of information on this lunation is given us by Venus and Byblis both being positioned at 14 Gemini – a fact we care about because Venus rules Taurus. The Sabian for this degree (14 Taurus) is ‘Two Dutch children talking to each other, exchanging their knowledge.’ That’s at least a signal of talking to people of like heritage, and probably a desire to build alliances. (Or maybe to get your stories straight before you each go home to your mothers!)

Interestingly, both 14 Gemini and 1 Taurus have a ‘reputation’ in lore for being difficult in the sense that when we see something positioned in either degree we know that there is a problem to be met which has to be dealt with before any good can come of the situation. 

The overriding Taurus lunation issue – as described (sensitivity, cruelty, self-protection through denial, maybe?) – is plainly emotional. Or maybe emotionally provocative. Add Venus in Gemini and we have some concept or idea which either seems emotionally challenging, or which requires that we face some ‘scary issue’ (Medusa) if we are to capitalize on.

On its own however, 14 Gemini is a call for greater perspective and objectivity.

But then we need to add in Byblis. The specifics of the Byblis story have to do with child abuse – specifically, sexual relations with children. But since not everyone is a pedophile (nor will we all deal with such ugliness) in a greater sense, Byblis is about ‘trying to defend the indefensible idea.’

Venus/Byblis thus stands for ‘the idea of getting what you want (Venus) through undesirable means.’

I know…much symbolic drama for something which is in the end, rather regular. But that’s the point. The incoming solar eclipse will be at 0 Gemini: there is some ‘starting anew’ coming at us, with a lot of us having some old ‘idea’ of life (or facet of life) being given up along the way.

Two more items about this New Moon. One is that asteroids Lust (over focusing) and Amphitrite (something you’ve gotten used to) stand with TNO Chaos at 13 Gemini…a degree behind Venus/Byblis. That’s a picture of all which has been done or gotten from (TNO Chaos) something you’ve been over focused on and gotten used to.

 Planet Venus, wreathed in clouds of sulfuric acid,

showing us that Venus is not all sweet - and that

sometimes dealing with that which is difficult

 (life's more 'acidic' moments) in time gets us to

where we want to go. (photo credit: NASA-JPL)

Coupled to Venus/Byblis, this is very much the image of needing perspective. And when we take all that back to the lunation, it would appear that this month we all are going to be either challenged…or getting a lot of clarity on something which our ‘habitual response’ (Taurus) to having challenged is that insecurity or snarkiness thing.

To everything, there is a season (turn, turn, turn…). 

Apparently it’s time to get real with ourselves.

The last note for this blog-thought is that as this lunation occurs, Neptune is conjunct Niobe at 3 Pisces (conjunct royal star Fomalhaut at 4 Pisces), with all in square to the nodes. Just to make this a little more pickle-like, Juno is exactly conjunct the North Node.

Put simply, this means we (North Node) need to use some (Juno) self discipline this month. Or maybe a better word for this particular Juno placement might be 'integrity.'

Whichever word you choose, North Node/Juno in early Sagittarius is the need to do something which works. It's also all about recognizing what doesn't work and getting to the fixing of problems. The object is applied functionality - getting to your goals in a manner which doesn't just work for you, but which works all around.

Not that glitches and negative feedback is going to be putting a smile in our day, no. South Node in early Gemini promotes a desire for 'wealth and power' - which in your life may be literal, or maybe just the ability to have your way and not be bothered with having to listen to anyone.

That may work in the short run. But then again, with a solar eclipse about to happen in conjunction with this degree ('eclipsing' that idea), is that really a good bet?  

And about that Neptune-Niobe/Fomalhaut thing...standing at the ‘t’ of a t-square, this is something of a pretty good image putting us all on notice about how illusions of grandeur are self-defeating.

Again, we probably need a little (Juno) self-discipline. Or something!

So that’s the Taurus lunation image. We may seek much in life and from our world, but in the end, none of that matters. What matters is whether we are satisfied with ourselves.

Remember the famous line from the old movie ‘The Wizard of Oz’…? Just before it ends, Glinda asks Dorothy what she’s learned. Her answer is all about how when we go looking for our heart’s desire, we don’t have to look any farther than our own back yard.

As a human being, that’s inside ourselves.

‘….there’s no place like home…there’s no place like home…’

May you always feel welcome, safe and secure in your own heart.