by Robert Wilkinson
This article covers significant aspects, degree symbols, and other important factors in the Taurus New Moon chart. After the recent Great Fracturing that busted up some log jams, we’ll be able to begin re-building on what’s left after the losses this Eclipse promises. This can be a time when we find the ability to bring joy to self and others in dark hours.
As I noted earlier in this series, the November 2013 Scorpio Solar Eclipse is still in full effect. That one, along with the 2012 Scorpio Solar Eclipse, have been showing us how to experience delight as we shed old skins, finding ways to reverse magnetism, and take a new look at stuck situations as we find ourselves “sliding on the ice through the death zone.” This month’s Taurus focus can help us find gifts and productivity, as well as practical awareness and the ability to get to the heart of any matter. We should all be seeing clearly by the time this Eclipse is done.
Due to Venus in Pisces ruling this Lunation, we’re still getting signs and signals of a vaster connection with others and “All-That-Is,” as well as how Divine Grace has operated. So this is the time to navigate flowing on down the timestream leaving behind old sorrows and ambivalencies, and find value in having been freed to do our thing in our own way.
This month features some aftershocks to the recent Grand Cardinal Cross, since every time the Moon is in early to mid-Libra, Capricorn, Aries, and Cancer, the cross is triggered anew. As Jupiter is moving on in a couple of weeks while Mars hangs around making frictional aspects, know what you need, defend what you care about, and play good defense demonstrating the same balance and reasonableness that you’ve been practicing for the past 4+ months.
This Lunation, along with the inner planets, now begins several months when the New Moon will be between Uranus in Aries and Jupiter in Cancer, filling in that part of the zodiac. Therefore, we enter a period where the “Bucket Jones Pattern” gives way to a SeeSaw.
In this New Moon, the span occupied by the inner planets includes late Pisces through mid-Taurus, with stelliums in both Pisces and Taurus. The Pisces cluster features Neptune, Chiron, and Venus. The Taurus cluster features the Moon, Sun, and Mercury. This will make both these sign sectors highly active! This month we find 6 planets plus Chiron in the 65+ degrees between Neptune and Mercury.
So this month begins to even the spread in terms of planets in signs, since the 10 planets occupy 7 signs, and are fairly spread out around the zodiacal wheel. So this modifies the “Bucket” where we had all the planets in half the signs with Jupiter as a handle (focus), now we have a “See Saw” defined by planets in Cancer, Libra, and Scorpio opposed by planets in Capricorn, Aries, and Taurus.
So What is a “See Saw Pattern” and how does it work?
This type of spread, with two or more planets on one side of the map and the others on the other side of the map, with at least one or two oppositions to define the axis of awareness, creates a “See Saw” Jones Pattern. Where a See Saw pattern is present, stay focused and balanced at the center while taking note of the periphery of things, and don't get off on a tangent or limb.
This pattern shows a need to be able to see both sides of any given thing, especially where there are opposing trends or views. The strength is in an ability to triangulate to angles of approach beyond the polarity that allows for progress and understanding.
Up to now, the water trines of the past 11 months have ensured a flowing, moving, stabilizing quality. Though the Grand Water Trine in the early degrees of each Water sign is now past, we are still in a heavy water period, given the Jupiter trine Saturn in effect from last Summer pretty much through mid-January. Much became clearer in March as transiting trines to both Jupiter and Saturn tied together a lot of the mid-water sign lessons we’re learning now about protection, abundance, and caring.
As I’ve told you before, these Water trines show that if we have learned how to navigate the feeling-flow over past months, we’ll be able to practice our nearly-learned “emotional intelligence,” or “feeling-knowing,” as we learn to trust our deepest intuitions harmonized with a vast view of our needs, whether personal or collective. The numerous conjunctions, square, and oppositions will show us how to integrate frictional energies in dynamic ways and express the understandings and gifts we’ve learned since June.
Element Balance
Of the traditional 10 planets, there are 4 planets in Water signs, 1 in Fire, 4 in Earth, and 1 in Air. This indicates a balance between feeling and practicality, with inspiration and relatedness in short supply. Due to the harmony of Water planets along with the harmony of Earth planets, there should be a very good practical flow for those areas where we have planets in early to mid-Earth and Water signs.
Air and Earth are “cool” elements, while Fire and Water are “hot” elements. With this distribution, things may feel strangely balanced even as the tides move us forward. Just keep in mind that Earth plus Water equals either mud or bricks, depending on how you work with the material.
Various Important Influences
As I explained earlier in this series, while the Grand Irrationality is not triggered by an inner planet in this chart, it’s still in full play due to off-again, on-again transits. As I’ve given you, right now the current hot zones are approximately 21-25 Scorpio, 12-16 Capricorn, 3-7 Pisces, 25-29 Aries, 17-21 Gemini, 8-12 Leo, and 30 Virgo-4 Libra. Those who have planets or angles in any of these zones are going through some major choices and changes that will alter their future destiny!
While they have receded, last year’s very powerful Grand Water Trines of June and July helped us all to experience a vaster time frame and a sense of finality as we turned various corners in our lives, with feelings of being connected on deep and vast levels. We’ve now flowed downstream, navigating the plunges of the subsequent powerful Cardinal T-squares forcing us to find balance, perspective, a sense of proportion, and new ideals to pursue.
As noted earlier, with Mars still retrograde in Libra just coming off the void of the Cardinal T-square made by Jupiter opposed Pluto and Uranus squared by each, we’re still in a time of practicing extreme moderation, peacemaking, reasonableness, and fairness while maintaining balance in situations that pull us off center. Be graceful in adapting and refining your responses to challenges.
We all became more emotionally intelligent in some way in 2013, and have set long range future patterns to be fulfilled over time. Stay practical as you navigate your now-established “feeling-knowing,” be humble and adaptable, and follow the growth path while not allowing things to get too blown out of proportion.
Saturn's Influence
I include separate sections on Saturn in two articles in this Lunation series since Saturn continues to wax in importance in all celestial events of these times. This is the twentieth New Moon of the Saturn in Scorpio era, and for many months it was one of the legs of the “Splay” Jones pattern during the Grand Water Trines, stabilizing the Jupiter in Cancer and Neptune in Pisces energies while in productive mutual reception sextile to Pluto.
In 2012 Saturn helped us cultivate a new strength, came to a philosophical completion, and finished repairing or reconstructing something so that some final dues are now paid and old karmas left behind. We are growing into a new intensity, focus, emotional depth, and greater maturity relative to shared values, shared resources, deeper ability to commune with others as well as Nature and Spirit, and getting a more structured connection and a more powerful Spiritual linkage with others and ourselves.
We ended the first phase of Saturn in Scorpio set into motion when it went retrograde at 12 Scorpio in February 2013 when Saturn moved beyond that degree last October. However, the Solar Eclipse at 12 Scorpio in early November has begun to shut down whatever is left of structures related to those lessons that we cannot take with us into the next phase of life.
Our emotional body will be cleared out for months to come, so get used to occasionally intense purifications that may leave us feeling vulnerable for a time, but cleaner and clearer over time. Slowly but surely we are being shown our integrity once we've been cleaned and scrubbed.
In 2012-2013, Saturn triseptile Uranus showed us how our individuality did or did not cooperate with our sense of purpose and breaking free of fear was put through numerous tests within irrational conditions, and which helped us define our expression for years to come. We’ve all been shown how our tradition can transmute and accept our individuality, and how our limitations can be renovated to express our unique qualities. Some had to confront fear of loss with a willingness to be a pioneer in some realm where they could express their genius or unique qualities.
Spirit has walked with us during the times that configuration was in play, as well as any other major septile series aspects between the planets. The choices we make as a result of these non-rational aspects show us our “direction of destiny,” and determines if the Spirit will grow stronger and closer with you, or if you will move in directions away from Spirit. Given that most of this community is intentionally trying to live in harmony with Life, Nature, and each other, chances are that whatever you – yes, YOU the reader – are confronting will show you a deeper, richer, more powerful Spiritual life. Which is a good thing.
Saturn taught us a lot about how to conduct ourselves at a higher, more elegant and/or formal way of relating to others in 2013. The Eclipse in Scorpio again put the light on those Saturn lessons, and we’re learning new ways of applying those truths of our direct experience that will be a part of our lives when Mars next enters Scorpio in late July 2014, with major focus on the third week of August when Mars crosses the Moon, Sun, and Saturn degrees of the Eclipse.
Generally, when Saturn was in Virgo we learned lessons of Divine Discernment, practical functioning, and attention to detail as we were educated through learning to see life as a series of experiments. In Libra, we all went through a transfiguration in our ideals and relationships, and many started living elements of their Divine Archetype. That required some ability to do forms of repair and reconstruction work in the last half of 2011 and most of 2012 to pay some karmic dues and come to a philosophical completion.
Now we’re experiencing deeper relationships, within and in external affairs. We’re cleaning out, letting go, purifying, focusing, dealing with death and loss, restructuring how we share with others, and all those other Scorpio keywords that usually terrify the lower ego.
As Saturn rules Pluto in this chart in worldly affairs, it shows that when we are confronted with the need to deal with something or someone in an organized, efficient manner, reference Saturn in Scorpio and the lessons of focusing intensity. Feel what needs to be eliminated to achieve emotional stability or movement, and being efficient and truthful in getting to the core of any matter.
Naturally, the usual Saturn keywords will be crucial to effective behavior - patience, discipline, organization, patience, structure, maturity, patience, understanding, wisdom, patience, authority, responsibility, and of course, patience.
Mars in Libra disposits Saturn in Scorpio. That is adding an element of moderation, refinement, and blunting Saturn in Scorpio extremes. Libra is also where we refine our expression to make it more graceful, elegant, and understanding of other views. As long as Mars is in Libra, Saturn will be made more graceful in its expression.
So as you open to the fifth New Moon of 2014, take a new look at what Saturn helped you let go of throughout 2013, as well as the long term regenerative self-discipline that’s also been there, if you saw limitations with a mature eye. We continue to let go and go even deeper in a connection with our regenerative life magnetism, or a deeper communion with some inner or outer element of our Being.
Important Aspects
Remember that in reading a Lunation chart (as well as a horary, inceptional, electional, or any event chart) the forming aspects show things to come, while separating aspects show things already past. As noted, this New Moon triggers the T-square big time and launches the entry into the Great Fragmenting.
The prominent aspects in this Lunation feature an off-set rectangle between Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto, showing that every productive understanding will lead to an awareness, and every opposition lead to multiple ways of productively harmonizing what presents itself. While the friction of the T-square is past, we’re still subject to those lessons, since it keeps getting re-triggered every day.
To refresh you, the primary lessons of this time involve staying balanced, keeping a healthy sense of proportion, and finding a new way to make small steps toward a more ideal way of doing your Being. Other lessons require staying alert to dishonest manipulators, any deal that is not above board, potentially dangerous “opportunities” that are not really honest or in your best interests, and any exaggerated sense of neediness.
Be open and above board in asking for what is in your best interests, be willing to change directions and go your own way if needed, and walk away from those who are not honest in their communications, claim privileges they’re not entitled to, use extreme examples to create chaos rather than order, or who are simply unfair or out of balance.
There are very few frictional aspects, and a host of forming harmonious aspects, more than we’ve had in a long time! Pretty much the only difficult forming aspect is Mercury opposed Saturn. That requires that we take a broad view of things, not get too narrow or pessimistic in our judgments, and cultivate our spiritual rapport with others. Even that opposition will lead to great good via Mercury sextile Jupiter and Jupiter trine Saturn, with Saturn tredecile Neptune and biquintile Uranus.
Other aspects of note are the Lunation sextile Jupiter and trine Pluto, Venus tredecile Jupiter and quintile Pluto, Jupiter trine Chiron. We should all experience a little relief from the Uranus square Pluto symbolizing the global collision between a new humanity and an old slave system. This Eclipse will bring major serendipity in the areas influenced by Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune, so stay alert to interactive gifts, blessings, and unique circumstances that will turn out very favorably.
Areas where special gifts and unique interactive circumstances will prove serendipitous via Venus and Jupiter are 1-4 Taurus/Scorpio, 7-10 Sagittarius/Gemini, 13-16 Capricorn-Cancer, 19-22 Aquarius/Leo, and 25-28 Pisces/Virgo. The same will be true of 1-4 Aquarius/Leo, 7-10 Pisces/Virgo, 13-16 Aries/Libra, 19-22 Taurus/Scorpio, and 25-28 Gemini/Sagittarius, via Saturn and Neptune.
Major Star patterns are also promised by Venus quintile Pluto and Saturn biquintile Uranus. Venus and Pluto are stimulating 12-16 Capricorn, 24-28 Pisces, 6-10 Gemini, 18-22 Leo, and 30 Libra-4 Scorpio. Saturn and Uranus are stimulating 1-4 Aquarius, 13-16 Aries, 25-28 Gemini, 7-10 Virgo, and 19-22 Scorpio. So clearly, we have a number of unique, interactive, and specializing aspects involving a bunch of planets. For many, this will be a very gifting and gifted joyous New Moon!
The Sabian Symbols for the New Moon
A New Moon sets the seed forms for what the following month will demonstrate. This Lunation falls at 9 Taurus. While I've given you a sense of this degree up to now, this is where we go into depth.
The symbol for 9 Taurus is “A Christmas tree decorated.” According to Rudhyar’s notes from the Marc Jones class, this degree is one of “A symbol of the promise which outer life offers to the pure in heart; of immortality through giving of self to the race.”
In the Astrological Mandala he states this degree is one of “the ability to create inner happiness in dark hours,” where despite outer “cold” or “barren” circumstances, we can find “abundance, beauty, and happiness within, overcoming the cold barrenness of the outside world.” He also notes this may include a “vivid faith in a transformed future.”
He continues by stating this symbol “suggests the ever-present possibility open to (us) to transfigure the darkness and deprivation of the low point of a life cycle by incarnating in it an antiphonic response celebrating the ever remembered and always expected high moments of life. It evokes (our) undying faith in cyclic renewal.” This symbol is said to be in the Span of Experience, Act of Differentiation, and the fourth degree of the Emotional-Cultural level of the Scene of Substantiation.
Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, says this degree is one of “a self-renewal through a sharing with others, or a remaking of ties and a regathering of visions through the recurrent birth of a world spirit,” where “reciprocity is given added dimensions as both a practical fact and an idealistic pattern or ritualization.” We are told to exhibit our possessions so that our enjoyment is enhanced in some way.
He offers us the keyword of SYMBOLIZATION. He states that when this degree works positively, it is one of “(our) achievement of complete self-satisfaction through a simple sharing of (our) potentials” with others.
So we enter a time of learning how to create happiness and hope in the midst of dark influences, and renew our sense of self through what we share with others. This one offers that interaction with others brings forth new dimensions of experiencing an ideal, and as we share, we gain self-satisfaction.
Other Influences
Pluto, the Cosmic Purifier, will be in Capricorn for many years. It continues to teach us deep lessons about practical, organized economy of energy and efficiency in sprouting seed forms of the new "laws of our lives" we can relax into. 2012 and 2013 were mainly about being organized in finding and demonstrating ways to get beyond fear and radiate harmlessness and mature fellowship with Nature, whether our own, another's, or Nature Herself.
Pluto is now in a zone in Capricorn it hasn’t been in for 250 years, and has gone retrograde at 14 Capricorn. 14 Capricorn is a technique for sorting out what’s valuable and what’s not in our past, so we can find a way to a greater assurance and “personal immortality” (as strange as that concept is!)
This is a threshold where we can see how the seeds of the future have been “gestating in the past,” or conversely, how the present transformational energy was set into motion in the past. Take on a graceful self-discipline, and you will know Divine Grace in operation.
Now that we’ve learned to attune to the invisible realms and to whatever degree gotten beyond fear, in 2013 and 2014 we are in a time of opening to new ways of viewing how to claim our divine power and express it creatively as we explore the natural laws underlying manifestations, and see Nature Herself as a laboratory where we learn about how our system is constructed. We can “pierce through appearances” to see the magic at the core of things, and through a “keen vision” can find or demonstrate a “universal living touch.”
In February we moved into signs and signs of self-transcendence. These set the stage for current and future new perspectives that will lead to another phase of self-transcendence in June and the first half of July 2014, with the completion of the process achieved by February 2016.
Because Uranus in Aries leads the Lunation, the Aries influence will be extraordinarily strong. This will show us how we need to see our relationships as a dance between the eternal and the conditional, and allow ourselves to see all interactions from a higher, more sacred view. This continues to revolutionize our lives wherever we have Aries in our chart.
Neptune represents what is “in fashion” in the collective. Different cultures and subcultures interpret this global pulse in different ways. The Sabian Symbol for 8 Pisces indicates we stand on the threshold of a major life renewal by hearing “the call,” or “sounding the call.” This one shows us the future, and many will be called to a larger social or global work. See how you can best be of service to a greater whole, and allowing your Spirit to find its best expression in a social form.
Since Summer 2013, we’ve found a new dedication to “collective values” we want to uphold and defend, and many have perceived higher goals through a process of “self-testing.” We now flow deeper into that dedication. This will have an impact on the collective atmosphere in August 2014. Withdraw from an old experience so you can regrasp reality in another realm, especially when the situation attempts to repudiate your higher ideals.
Be active in defending and/or maintaining your allegiances “through which life has been made worthwhile,” and by listening to your inner voice, you’ll quicken your Soul’s expression. Follow your conscience into a great compassion for yourself and others, and be independent of spirit while courageously rejecting that which would compromise your highest spiritual principles.
Feeling, then Thinking, then Deciding
As a process of moving through events, we’re all going to be inclined to feel our way into decisions and actions. Once we’ve flowed into a clear sense of what to do and/or how to do it, then allow for new ideas, visions, interactions, and understanding. Do not rely on old information! Once we’ve found a new vision, understanding, or interaction, then a new feeling will naturally arise showing the next action to take.
Just be aware that since Mars is retrograde in Libra, it may involve a bit of “back and forth” with the information or understanding so we get to a balanced or refined way of doing whatever single step we need to do to go forward. So feel, flow, experience, since these will lead you to decisions that will in turn lead to new information and understanding.
When your understanding leads to a clear vision, then follow your feelings and sense of experience to find the fundamental fact, or act that must be done to move it all one step forward. Then go get even newer views and understanding.
This Eclipse will show us how to enjoy life in new ways, and help us see the structural strengths we can build on in any life area requiring our attention in that way. This will help us walk on out of old ways into new lives, and help us stabilize after the recent time of fracturing. And we continue to synthesize “feeling-knowing” with “mental-knowing” at the threshold of a new life era.
With Saturn in Scorpio, the more you understand how Life itself requires constant elimination of old forms and occasional major restructuring regarding duties, obligations, and ultimate loyalties, the more you make Saturn your friend through embracing its virtues of self-discipline, patience, persistence, understanding, and long range vision. Keep growing into a reflected, illuminated transcendent wisdom that allows your maturity and authority to come forth in potent, focused ways.
Stay focused on experiencing feelings of deep connectedness with the life that’s all around you as you eliminate the next layers of what you no longer need and move into a new expression of your individuality and/or unique qualities. Accept that some part of your life work has now ended, and be thoughtful in going deeper, but also coming up for “fresh air and sunshine” after your time working in the mine.
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I’ve given you these links the past several months, since Solar Eclipses are powerful influences that persist for years. Please peruse them if you want to know more about what’s been shut down and why over these past 3 years. Consider all I’ve written with an eye to these things occurring in the houses where these Eclipses fell. Briefly, we’ve all had major Taurus, Gemini, Scorpio, and Sagittarius energies shut down, and new forms of these have come forth.
As long time readers know, we all had to let go of the ghosts of the past as we experienced many months of Grand Irrationality “forks in the road of destiny” after the June 2011 Gemini Solar Eclipse. Though we’ve finished the effects of that very powerful Eclipse, the other Solar Eclipses since then continue to affect all of us. One thing is for sure - we'll be feeling the effects of the 2013 Solar Eclipse in Scorpio far more than we felt the 2012 Solar Eclipse in Scorpio!!
Here are the articles explaining the Solar Eclipses of late 2011, 2012 and 2013 still playing out on the world stage and in our lives in major ways! They are listed from newest to oldest.
2013
The Annular Solar Eclipse at 20 Taurus May 9-10, 2013 Pt. 1 - Who Does It Affect and for How Long?
The May 2013 Solar Eclipse in Taurus Pt. 3 – How Will This Lunation Affect Us?
The May New Moon Solar Eclipse in Taurus Pt. 4 - Signs, Sabian Symbols, and What It All Means
2012
The Total Solar Eclipse at 22 Scorpio Nov 13-14, 2012 Pt. 1 - Who Does It Affect and for How Long?
The Solar Eclipse at 22 Scorpio Nov 13-14, 2012 Pt. 2 - How Will It Manifest?
Astrology in May 2012 - On The Threshold of an Annular Solar Eclipse at 1 Gemini
The Solar Eclipse at 1 Gemini May 20-21, 2012 Pt. 1 - Who Does It Affect and for How Long?
The Solar Eclipse at 1 Gemini May 20-21, 2012 Pt. 2 - How Will It Manifest?
The Solar Eclipse at 1 Gemini May 20-21, 2012 Pt. 3 - Signs, Sabian Symbols, and What It All Means
2011
The Solar Eclipse at 3 Sagittarius November 24-25, 2011 Pt. 1 - Who Does It Affect and for How Long?
The Solar Eclipse at 3 Sagittarius November 24-25, 2011 Pt. 2 - How Will It Manifest?
© Copyright 2014 Robert Wilkinson
Just needed inspiration - Thanks!
New me and my piano video (not professional and only to my friends) is now Sibelius Spruse (Christmas tree) :)
Posted by: Helina | May 01, 2014 at 09:37 AM
Great post. So clear, so much information and wisdom. Many thanks for the light.
You wrote " so we can find a way to a greater assurance and “personal immortality” (as strange as that concept is!" Not strange to me, but so welcoming, comforting and true. Puts things in a clear (or clearer) perspective.
Again many thanks and blessings be in these times of opportunity.
Posted by: Nic | May 01, 2014 at 01:54 PM
Dear Robert,
If my jupiter is 21 deg 38 Taurus, venus is Gemini 22 deg 25 & Mars Gemini 24 deg 19. Then what is install for me? Can I get the career I want?
Regards
Susan
Posted by: Susan | May 06, 2014 at 06:52 AM
Hi Helina and Nic - Thanks for the praise of the work. And yes, "personal immortality" is actually closer than we think!!
Hi Susan - Impossible to say. Not enough information. I would think you can get any career you're willing to learn and practice with excellence. The trick is in the question "is it the right career?" While we may want something, if it's going to take us into error or a bad attitude, then we probably will find stumbling blocks in our path. Right now you need a creative challenge and a broad view of what you COULD accomplish for the greater good. By late July or sometime in August, you will have a unique opportunity or gift of vision that will help you hit maximum productivity by Oct-Nov.
Posted by: Robert | May 06, 2014 at 10:48 AM