May’s New Moon: Spangled and Milky

 'Spilt Milk' by Thomas Prichard Rossiter (1818-1871)

Lunar cycles have nicknames – did you know that? And though in the ‘calendaric’ sense such names are generally assigned to the Full Moon, since those of us who think more or less in astrological terms see things in (or as) cycles, that would make the New Moon of May 3rd, 2011 at 6:52am (UT/+0) the founding of that which…well, will come to be ‘milked,’ as it were!

Or at least we hope

Positioned at 12 Taurus, this New Moon speaks to starting things in a patient and optimistic mode. Lore speaks of this degree as imparting the ability to see both sides of the question without what we might think of as the ‘Libra-like’ tendency to want to balance things out…put a little to each side, don’t you know…

No, this isn’t Libra time – this is Taurus New Moon time so the emphasis is on the facts and the results: what can be done considering what’s on hand.

Some will tend to think this all amounts to people being stodgy, conservative...or possibly short sighted. And if there is a problem at the moment, it may be of that ilk, for just after the New Moon comes Echo’s Capricorn turn to retrograde. And where is Echo doing this turnabout? At 11 Capricorn, which is by any breadth of slicing (hold the mayo, please?), a solid trine to 12 Taurus and thus the New Moon.

May 2011's Taurus New Moon - Aries Wheel (Location Not Specific)

Capricorn being structural – life’s ‘rules’ and ‘structures’ upon which we base decisions – and Echo being the tendency to robotically repeat that you’ve heard or been told to say (or think), this would tend to ‘weight’ this New Moon towards the conservative.

Why not the forthright, far-seeing or imaginative? Because we’re talking about earthy earth signs here. Earth signs deal in the tangible – often so much so that it’s hard for them to make any leap of faith or imagine things being any other way.

And there’s another little celestial tasty being tossed into our Milk Moon stew…namely that Eurydike will enter Taurus as of 1:03 in the afternoon (UT/+0).

The story of Eurydike (most often entitled Orpheus and Eurydice if you’re working in the wonderful world of English-isms) is one where fair maiden (Eurydike) volunteers to give her own life to save her beloved lover, Orpheus. He’s so handsome! So talented! Oh gosh – let me pay for his freedom with my own life…take me, not him!

And when the fair Eurydike said this, the Greek gods gave a collective shrug and said ‘okay, sure.’ So off she gets schlepped to the underworld. And Orpheus, after turning around and saying ‘Huh? Where’d she go?’ learns the truth and, feeling a wee bit responsible does a bit of a frantic Peter Pan-ish (I could have said Peter dead-Pan, would you have liked that better?) routine be-wailing and be-moaning and in general be-having like a pain in the very (very) low back…

…Whereupon the gods, apparently not in the mood to hear such human drama (they make plenty of their own – what, humans are thinking to butt in on their Olympian act?)…they make Orpheus a deal on how to get Eurydike back, which he accepts then promptly flubs.

And because Orpheus so excels in flubbery, Eurydike gets to live on in the land of the dead (or whatever).

Thus Eurydike stand for ‘the cost of…’ (insert thing) ‘that you love, want to protect, care about…’ etcetera. Transits of Eurydike tend to put to areas where a cost may be due, and you may emotionally want to pay that cost….but are you really ready to live with that cost?

Or what you lose in the process?

There are two more commentaries to be added here...the first of which concerns the fact that Earth is currently passing through the trailing tail of Haley's Comet (yes, the famous one!) The comet itself is not around at the moment, but being that all meteor showers represent a 'sprinkling of light' and hence ideas or moments which 'spark' something, this highlights the New Moon concept about newness and beginnings.

However, since every spangle of light could possibly spark a controversy, there is the fact that this particular meteor shower, which is known as the Eta Aquarids for the namesake star in constellation Aquarius which the meteor shower's radiant appears to lead to.

Taurus to Aquarius? That's a square aspect - which in astrological terms is a challenge which asks us to 'pick up' both sides of any question. The object here is to learn how to use two aspects of something together as a strength. And if we don't? Some sort of friction, setback or conflict usually arises therefrom. 

As for the last celestial commentary to be added to this meteorically milky lunation recipe, that would be about Lust. Asteroid Lust (fixation) is entering Taurus at 9:35pm (UT/+0) on this day of the May New Moon.

And yes, that’s a lot of Taurus in the mix – not to mention that though Mercury, Mars, and Venus (the rest of the personal planets) are currently in Aries (you know, “I Am/I Do” Aries?) before this lunation comes to its full phase on May 17th, they all will have moved into Taurus.

 Orpheus and Erydike by Frederic Leighton (1864)

So at the moment, we are in a fervent mood. It’s all about what our attention is on now. But before yon fortnight passes (yes, I’ve suddenly gone all antique and literary) we will be in a mode of asking what? This is going to cost me WHAT? 

In this moment, Jupiter and Mars are hanging in tandem at 22 and 23 Aries with Mercury and Venus at 14 and 16 Aries. Thus, questions about what we think life should be - and what we’re prepared to do to make it that way are being thrust upon us. We are reflecting. We are considering. We are responding with yes, it should be like this…. 

…BUT…

Unsaid, that ‘but’ is going to hang in the air waiting to get said. And said it will be – and in relative short order.

With Saturn currently at 11 Libra there is a temptation to pull back and recognize one’s limits. There’s also an odd implication (made by Saturn being retrograde at that position and by the inconjunct struck between 11 Libra and 12 Taurus) that those who should be listening to you…or who you should be listening to…there’s a bit of a resistance, a disconnect going on.

And that’s part of the ‘conservative’ aura here; this is not just ‘playing your cards conservatively’ so as not to exceed one’s resources or abilities, this is not even going beyond what you like or already believe. That’s Lust as fixation – our being ‘fixated’ on what we want, our our point of view, or what benefits us, which at its extreme may exacerbate (inconjunct) situations vis-à-vis others during these next few weeks to come.

At least.

The optimal use of this period is to examine what will work and what is necessary and maybe not perfect, optimal or even fabulously fun, but which if worked at… 

Can you think long term? Taurus is about our personal satisfaction and security, but only as a result of what we do. Taurus asks that we make of ourselves and our resources something which has benefit all the way around – and that the proceeds of our efforts are that security, that satisfaction that yes indeed, we’ve done it right. We’ve grown – and grown into – a new way of doing things.

Those who clench, clutch or deny now are in for some big, giant surprises. Right makes might, they say, but only where right really is right.

It’s to think about! And fortunately, this is a good time in which to initiate a little bit of far ranging thinking!