by Robert Wilkinson
A Full Moon represents a potentially enlightened state, where the Moon, which symbolizes form, perfectly reflects the greater light of the Sun. It marks a time when the seeds of the previous New Moon begin to manifest. The Full Moon of Sun in Taurus and Moon in Scorpio is a very special lunation, since for millennia it has been celebrated as marking the birth and enlightenment of the Buddha, said to be the first human to attain full higher awareness and then teach the truths that show all sentient Beings how to transcend suffering.
While some believe that the Wesak is always the Full Moon of May, because of its associations with the Buddha, it must be the Full Moon of Sun in Taurus and Moon in Scorpio. So it’s safe to celebrate our “Happy Buddha Birthday” this year in April! (And yes, I know Sidereal and Vedic astrologers will say the Full Moon of Taurus and Scorpio won't fall until May 24-25, so this year will have two Wesak Celebrations!)
The Wesak is said to be the 2nd of the "Three High Moons" of Spring, anchoring the outpouring of life into forms of awareness that can help us transcend suffering as well. This year the very dynamic regenerative Wesak Full Moon falls on April 25, at 12:57 pm PDT, 3:57 pm EDT, 8:57 pm Greenwich, 1:27 am IST April 26, and 5:57am in Melbourne. This one falls at 6 degrees of Scorpio and Taurus, marking a point where the light of “cooperative bridge building to overcome chasms and voids” finds focus in “tearing away from the known and familiar, gambling on a great dream.”
I'll go into more detail about the astrological Eclipse factors of this Wesak Full Moon Eclipse in the next article in this series, since adding an explanation about the Wesak Festival to the usual elaboration of the qualities of the Full Moon would make this the article that ate Cleveland! So this one can serve to whet your appetites about the Spiritual nature of this Full Moon, while offering explanation about why this is a very special Lunation each year, along with the Aries-Libra Full Moon just past and the coming Gemini-Sagittarius Full Moon, a.k.a. "the Christ Fest."
I've offered explanations of what the Wesak Festival actually is in previous posts. To that end, rather than re-invent the wheel, here's what this global celebration is all about. From the past for the present-future:
Each year the Wesak Festival is celebrated at the Full Moon of Taurus-Scorpio in May. This global festival celebrates the birth, enlightenment, and teachings of Gautama Siddhartha, the Buddha, said to be the most enlightened human ever to walk this planet.He taught the doctrine of compassion and the ways to end suffering around 500 BC, and his teachings have spread through the entire world since then. This is the largest spiritual celebration in the world, and has nothing to do with religion, since the Buddha was focused on how to live, not what to believe.
Supposedly when He left the Earth plane, his blessing for all time was a thought-form of “Buddha Nature,” which would renew the loving-compassion on the Earth whenever it was sent forth. It is said that the Wesak Festival is when Shakyamuni, ("Sage of the Shakya clan"), through his eternal Buddha Nature, “opens the treasure chest” and sends out a new global energy form of compassion to end suffering every year. So this is the time when these energies are renewed for another year.
As a friend of the site offered previously, it is said that every Wesak the Buddha actually briefly descends from the Heavens to return to the secret valley in the Himalayas known as Shamballa. There, surrounded by Adepts, Disciples and others, he pours out an annual blessing for all sentient beings on this planet.
He taught the 4 Noble Truths about life on Earth, and the 8 Fold Path as a way to live to end suffering for ourselves and others. While this is not the forum for an exhaustive discussion of the 4 Noble Truths and the 8-fold Path, if you haven't already seen it, (and even if you have!), please get a copy of the extraordinary movie "Little Buddha" to know more about the life of this most amazing man for the ages. His life and teachings were dedicated to shine a light on the Way beyond suffering.
Though there are many ways his teachings have been stated and interpreted, anyone who actually practices the techniques will in fact find they are lessening suffering in their lives, and finding peace in a higher way of doing their Being. To quote HH Dalai Lama, “There is one thing we can all agree on. More suffering is bad. Less suffering is good.” This is the time of the renewal of energies that can lead all of us to less suffering in our life, and maybe be of service in lessening the suffering of others we know.
The Wesak Full Moon is the 2nd of the 3 "Three High Moons." The so-called "Three High Moons" of Spring relate to the teachings of the Tibetan Master D.K. as written by the venerable Alice A. Bailey. Briefly, they are the three Full Moons of Spring each year when the life force reawakens, is poured out, and refined into a higher vision and understanding by the World Teacher.
The Full Moon of Aries-Libra is the awakening of Nature Herself, with life blooming everywhere there is a living process occurring. The Full Moon of Taurus-Scorpio is the Wesak, the anchoring of the awakened life force in a form of compassion that will lessen suffering for all Earth's creatures for the next year. The Full Moon of Gemini-Sagittarius is said to be the "Christfest" where the World Teacher takes the new outpouring and through multiplication and distribution, spreads the teaching in infinitely varied ways according to local conditions.
So these next days meditate, open, feel the global compassion becoming stronger and more evident, and purify your life and consciousness however you need to in order to open to the timeless truths offered long ago by the one who set the pattern for the Ages. A Happy Buddha Birthday to you all, and may you all find a form of Buddha nature which increases your wisdom and compassion throughout the next year!
You can find out more about the Wesak legend and festivities at the Souled Out site here, with even more links to celebrations around the world at Wesak.org.
This celebration is happening all over the world, so enjoy this Happy Buddha Birthday however you can wherever you are. It's all good. Aum Mani Padme Hum!!
© Copyright 2013 Robert Wilkinson
Thank-you Robert. I just asked the Sabian oracle on Linda Hill's site about what the lunar eclipse will mean for me which I thought I would share with you as I think it is encouraging for us all.
I clicked on the galaxy map and got 3* Libra which is "The dawn of a new day reveals everything changed"
Take heart, realize that the darkness is abating and gradually let go of what went before.
New perspectives and new realizations.
Waking up with a whole new consciousness or sense of reality. Radical shifts and changes."
I thought this was very relevant especially as the eclipse will be occuring around dawn in my part of the world.
Happy Wesak all!
Posted by: Trinity | April 22, 2013 at 03:30 PM
Excellent explanation of what Wesak is all about. Yes, the Buddha does his part, as the rest of the "Universe", but the party, the festival is not complete if we don't participate on it. We are, in a way, the honour guest!
Bleesing be to everyone,
Cheers,
Nic
Posted by: Nic | April 23, 2013 at 02:48 AM