Monday, October 29, 2012

Full Moon in Taurus: Awakening to the Depths of Truth

"The creative future descends first to that which becomes chaos."  -Dane Rudhyar

Leading up to this Full Moon, we had an astrologically eventful Sunday.  For many, the discordant energies likely overshadowed the harmonious ones.  The Sun, in a 150-degree inconjunct with Uranus, may have presented you with the paradox of having to adjust your visionary ideals to achieve your goals, or vice versa.  Venus was also in a discordant inconjunct aspect with Neptune, teaching us lessons of needing to look at life and love realistically.  Unrealistic expectations and high ideals in love tend to bring dissatisfaction, wasting energy on a vision of perfection that will amount to nothing.  Under this influence, you may also have found it difficult to make clear decisions...likely because you were more concerned with everyone liking you than actually making necessary adjustments.  The inconjunct aspect (also called a quincunx)...usually brings up issues that feel slightly off-kilter and under-the-surface irritating.  These energies are meant to push us toward growth.

But these weren't even the main astrological happenings of the day.  Mars in opposition with Jupiter (exact yesterday morning) likely brought about some major challenges for many of us.  There was likely some kind of competition, a tug-o-war of sorts, yesterday having to do with desires and ambitions being unchecked and too aggressive.  Whatever went haywire because a lack of temperance and moderation may have caused some sort of separation.  The main reaction this often brings up is one of having to silently consider (and likely regret) that you may have bitten off more than you could chew in some situation.

It would have been nice to have the focus be on Venus making her transition into Libra, one of the signs that she rules.  That, by itself can be a harmonious vibration to tap into...however, not when you are being faced with the discord the other aspects may have brought about.  However the harmonies play out, Venus in Libra (until November 21st) focuses our attention on relationships with others...and can be of help in trying to smooth over differences with loved ones and improve the quality of our partnerships.  Venus also made a 72 degree link with Juno (an inspirational  aspect between the Goddess of Love and the Goddess of Commitment)...so not everything was working against us yesterday.

So, this brings us to today...where many of these aspects from yesterday are still in effect but dissipating in intensity.  We have other things to consider now as well.

Just after 1:00am (CDT), Moon entered Taurus and Mercury entered Sagittarius.  Moon is exalted in Taurus, which means this energy is often beneficial or harmonious for our emotional comfort after a confusingly combative void-of-course Moon in Aries yesterday.  Mercury in Sagittarius brings a future-oriented optimism to mind, and gives us some freedom to explore expansive thoughts and ideas.  Of course, politicians enjoy getting away from the Scorpio Mercury's way of probing into the shadows to get to the truth, and into the broader 'big picture' discussions of Mercury moving into Sagittarius...where forward-thinking vision is the thing, though the details may be overlooked.  We'll get more into this when Mercury goes retrograde in Sagittarius on US election day (how fitting).

At 12:40pm (CDT) today, Mercury exacted a square with Neptune.  Miscommunications are likely, so be as clear as possible with what you mean to say.  Logic gets hazy under this transit.  Things may also irritate you in a very confusing way...so be careful not to snap about something that you can't really explain.  While our imagination is strong, our grip on reality may be weak...so avoid making major decisions or commitments.  Disorganization and deception may come into play this afternoon, as well as hypersensitivity and hurt feelings.  This is a fleeting aspect, as Mercury is quick to move on.  So...just be aware that tomorrow you may have to explain yourself about something you did or (more likely) said, when you can gather your thoughts a little better.  For now...let your creative and imaginative mind work with you, not against you.  Writing, painting, or playing music may be just what you need to work out those nebulous thoughts.

At 2:47pm (CDT), the Full Moon in Taurus will attempt to bring our energies back into balance...if we are open to it, of course.  Though, if we're still in combat mode, the tug-o-war continues.  Let's take a look into the specific imagery that this Full Moon alignment evokes.

During this time, Moon will be in the 7th degree of Taurus.  The Sabian Symbol for this degree is 'A woman of Samaria'.  The keyword for this degree is 'awakening' and the symbol alludes to the bible story of Jesus stopping in Samaria and meeting a woman at their ancestral well as she is retrieving water.  Back then, Jews and Samaritans did not get along...mostly because they disagreed on where and how to worship God.  Sound familiar to the 'which religion do you belong to and which church do you attend' judgments of today?  Well, Jesus's conversation with this woman put such petty separations into perspective.  Though she was an outcast among outcasts, Jesus revealed himself to her as the Messiah...awakening a sense of unconditional love and acceptance of all, not just the pious and devout followers of one way.  In essence, this woman was an empty vessel and ready to receive a vision of the future...one that expresses universal love over tribal law for all people who yearn to be liberated from limiting dogma.  Here, at this well, there was a meeting of the traditional past with the creative spirit pointing toward the future.  This meeting always takes place in the present...a time far more important for awakened action than what has passed and what is to come.  This woman was moved into a present revelation.  Here lies a test for any person who claims to know their Creator.  Is this the God of today, speaking the language of today, and meeting the challenges and needs of today?  Many waste their lives fighting the battles of yesterday...wanting to re-establish the revivals and movements of previous centuries.  In the US, as elections approach quickly, we seem to be faced with a similar thought...will we be moving backward or forward with our decisions of who we put in power?  And the lines of separation between this faulty two-party system are drawn as clear as the disdain between the Jews and Samaritans of this story.  Each thinks the other is a step backward in the wrong direction...while they can only see themselves as a step forward in the right direction.  None of that nonsense gets us anywhere if we're overlooking the present...what is right for us right now?  Alluding to this bible story is not to make our impending choices a religious matter...in fact, that's what has always limited us in the past.  But religious stories are meant to show a deeper meaning that calls upon us to question our moral values and how they effect the state of the world in our present time.  The moral of this story is that we are all one...and that clinging to the ways of the past does not help us to grow to our higher potential as human beings.
Now, to bring this symbolism to a more individual level, the Moon is calling us to embody the archetype of the Samaritan through understated, kind service to all...even those who are often avoided...with no expectation of gain or compensation, for the betterment of society.  We are meant to separate superficial spin and rationalization from the search and source of being genuine.  So today, keep your mind open and listen for something said that may reveal a deeper truth and perhaps put you in contact with the very source of your own concerns.  Search for honest and meaningful disclosure...not avoidance by lies or half-truths.  Deception is all around us...engrained into our lives by way of outdated customs, traditions, and programming.  You may find it difficult to uncover the truth.  Those who are lying may mask it well with confidence and a reasonable tone.  Just be sure you are not one of them upholding the lies...act with integrity and kindness and you will discover the path that is right for you.

Now, presenting the key to balance of this Full Moon opposition is the Sun in the 7th degree of Scorpio.  The Sabian Symbol for this degree is 'deep-sea divers'.  The keyword is 'involvement'.  Here we are meant to allow our inner light to guide us through the abyss.  In the depths, we can realize our true potential and raise awareness by experiencing the world that too many take for granted.  The depths of the sea in this symbol refer to plunging into the depths of our emotions and connecting with the truth that lies beneath.  Careful and thoughtful consideration of a matter can bring us to a point of choice today.  You may find that the high principles of the mind are deeply different than the life-giving truths of the heart.  If you are Christian, or at least know your bible, you may refer back to that story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman where he explains to her that the water she seeks in the well will always need to be refilled as she thirsts again, but the life-giving water of the Spirit will become a 'well of water...springing up to eternal life'.  In other words, the old ways are unsustainable...but the deepest truths of the heart and soul connect us to our higher selves...and we can learn to live without wasting our time and resources.  Now another key message in this symbol of the deep-sea divers is that we need a life-line on the surface.  If you need to plunge into the emotional depths, be sure that you are still connected to the reality of your natural environment so you don't get lost...or, figuratively, drown.  The key to your involvement is choosing the right course of action...so, stay connected and alert.  And have a happy full moon!

Love and Gratitude,
Felina

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Welcome the Fall


Mother Nature shows us the most majestic ways of death.
There’s no flood of tears to blur the beauty of the release…
Only a graceful letting go of dried up dreams in warmer colors.
There’s no painful screams to drown out the presence of the Fall…
Only whispers of wind to carry life scuffling along with new meaning.

She watches us too…in all our stubborn refusal of becoming.
Are we as frustrating as we feel, or does She share a similar awe?
Perhaps, in our Mother’s eyes, we are goldening in a fiery display...
Giving birth to new life in the midst of our own dying Autumn.
We stand our ground in the cold that consumes us, warming what waits within.

We are aging together, side by side, like old friends.
She in her glory and we in our agony, reflections of each other.
We learn from each other our own catharsis, our own liberation,
And we let the old self go--in our own understanding of change…
Turning in season, we honor the harvest and welcome the Fall.