The Astrology Newsletter - Lunar Eclipse Edition, November 2022
Darlings,
The New Moon and partial solar eclipse in Scorpio is behind us, and as Luna waxes, we prepare for a Full Moon total lunar eclipse, taking place on 8 November 2022 at 1.00pm SAST at 16'00 degrees Taurus.
Let's do a little refresh on eclipses:
Eclipses ONLY occur at New Moon or a Full Moon, when the Moon is conjoined to one of the lunar nodes (The nodes are points in space where the plane of the Moon's orbit intersects the ecliptic, which is the path of the Sun)
A solar eclipse occurs at New Moon, when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth
A lunar eclipse occurs at Full Moon, when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon
The degree at which an eclipse occurs remains sensitive to transits of planets in the months after the event
Eclipses are not rare phenomena: they occur every six months, and we can have up to 7 eclipses in a year
Eclipse cycles return to the same signs every 18-19 years - so think back to around 2003 for clues
THE TAURUS/SCORPIO AXIS
The North and South nodes of the Moon occur in signs that are always directly opposite each other. An eclipse series - like what we experienced with the New Moon on 25 October and will experience on the Full Moon on 8 November - ushers in an earnest invitation to bridge polarities. Taurus and Scorpio are fixed signs - meaning they correlate to the middle, more consistent or stable parts of (northern hemisphere) spring and autumn respectively. This is their only common ground. Taurus' element is earth, while Scorpio is a water sign. Taurus is ruled by Venus; Scorpio is ruled by Mars. Venusian Taurus is concerned with stability and the generative, sensual abundance of earth and materiality. Mars ruled Scorpio is concerned with razor sharp discernment, truth and getting beneath the shadows. Feeling the contrary vibes yet? Sue Tompkins provides the following keywords and explanation for this Taurus/Scorpio dichotomy in Aspects in Astrology: "The builder vs. the saboteur. Placidity v. Emotional storms. Security v. temptation. The status quo v crisis. Sex v. taboos. Both these signs are concerned with attachment and desire, and in particular with sex, money and power...Scorpio is concerned with consummating deep psychic contact with others and one's own soul; Taurus is more rooted in the physical, in security, in food and the accumulation of possession."
With all that said, Earth and Water need each other - and can complement one another. The call - especially during eclipse season - is to subtle awareness of the (opposite) extremes that we can be pulled towards. One is no better than the other. Each requires a deep honouring. Sometimes it will be necessary to relinquish something - an attitude, a belief, a situation, a relationship - another time it will be beneficial to cultivate and lean into such.
Perhaps what's most important to remember too, is that eclipses form part of their own cycle. If you really want clues as to what the eclipses across the Taurus/Scorpio axis is about, cast your mind back roughly 19 years. What echoes are reverberating now of who you were then, the experiences you had, the opportunities that presented themselves, the situations you were in? Can you weave a common thread that ties the present moment to nineteen years ago?
VENUS IN SCORPIO IS HBIC OF THE FULL MOON LUNAR ECLIPSE IN TAURUS
The Full Moon in Taurus is ruled by Venus, so we want to get a feel for what the Goddes of Love is up to in the heavens. Venus, recently reborn as an evening star following her cazimi with the Sun, is travelling through Scorpio. This is a prickly placement for Aphrodite: she is more sensitive; somewhat fixated on power issues, she feels the need to protect her vulnerability and she will wield her power for better or for worse. Venus in Scorpio is also the high-priestess of kink who needs to get to the core of often what's considered forbidden fruit. Regenerated in the shadows, no taboo is off limits if it serves the truth. She will not suffer fools; she has no interest in being a diplomat either. Distorted, Venus in Scorpio is unforgiving, ruthless, manipulative. In short, Venus in Scorpio is on a 'be kind, but take no sh*t' tip, and you want to get on the right side of her.
As the moon waxes, two significant Venus aspects occur:
1. Venus in Scorpio makes an opposition to Uranus in Taurus on 6 October 2022 at 17'03 degrees at 00.20am SAST. This is a signature for disruption - in relationships and socially. It brings the tremors of deep, earth shattering change and the tensions of the wild desires for freedom.
2. On 7 October 2022, at 6.28am SAST, Venus in Scorpio squares Saturn in Aquarius at 18'47 degrees. Following the opposition's rumbles of rebellion, this square reigns Venus in. Saturn is stern, restricting, authoritative and aloof. It's a clue that boundaries in relationships could be tested, or needed. The weight of responsibility and the burdens of reality make Venus a serious and possibly lonely girl, and throws a real curveball to her liberation struggle of the day before.
These are the tensions that get pulled into and amplified at the Full Moon lunar eclipse the next day at 1.00pm SAST on 8 November 2022 at 16'00 Taurus. Full moons are often about culmination, fullness, completion - and you really can't miss them - all pregnant with lunar light. The Full Moon in Taurus (and lunar eclipse) occurs conjunct Uranus: the times they are a-changin'. This is the ultimate restless Full Moon, ripe with impatience and impulsiveness. Uranus wakes up the usually steady and slow Taurus skies with a lightning bolt shot of chaos to break through any long-standing inertia. Frazzled nerves or full-blown anxiety may punctuate the moment. As the full moon occurs, we also have Mercury cazimi the Sun in Scorpio. This placement primes us for breaking news. It’s as if Hermes himself dives into the underworld bringing a missive from Hades. What secrets may get blurted out? What truths simply must be brought into the light of day? This moment is ripe for big reveals.
In short, we are compelled to examine our deepest desires and cherished values. We are being nudged to take a risk in shaking up stagnant anything - beliefs, systems, frameworks, behaviours - that keep us bound in the shadows, silenced, secretive and married to old ways. This moment has a now-or-never quality. The eclipse energies linger for weeks, sometimes months after they occur. On a mundane/political/collective level, we have seen the themes of this full moon's energies play out quite vividly: Women (Venus) uprising (Uranus) against oppressive patriarchal structures (Saturn) in Iran. Continued urgency around the climate crisis and the health of the Earth (Uranus in Taurus). These are just a few examples, there are certainly more.
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
Read your full moon lunar eclipse in Taurus horoscopes for your rising sign:
ARIES RISING - Your notions about what security means may shatter even more than they have already. Your money story is begging for a retelling -or recounting - as you untangle from beliefs, values and relationships that have kept you bound or in debt. Heatherash Amara writes: Power does not come from who you know, what you do, or how much money you have in the bank. It comes from blossoming into unconditional love for yourself and embodying joyful faith in your gifts". You have probably been grappling with a creative project - or perhaps a love affair or a literal conception of a child - which is linked to your financial freedom and how you manage your resources. You of all people need to remember not just the energetics of wealth, but the importance of switching gears to a plan that's abundant, generative, dynamic - and totally original.
TAURUS RISING - This is a critical moment in your re-birth journey. It's a coming out of sorts - where the Cosmos is conspiring to present situations that allow you to self-express and self-define in the bold ways you have been dreaming about, even if the conditions aren't quite perfect. While you may not be liberated from your responsibilities and worldly duties, freedom is an inside job. Untying yourself from stale relationships that have passed their sell-by date and committing to the deepest honesty to live in your truth brings a thrill. Gabor Mate said:"Safety is not the absence of threat. It is the presence of connection." Adventure is around the corner as you're less risk averse to greet the world in new ways. Leap into new life, you are your own safety net.
GEMINI RISING - It's a cosmic imperative to take some time alone. While insights breaking through to consciousness may feel spiritually and mentally destabilising, giving yourself time to integrate new learning can become invigorating once the dust settles. You may have been struggling with certain beliefs, religious or philosophical, that have pushed you to recognise and unearth underlying patterns and motivations. Maybe you were just working too damn much trying to quell that uprising in your psyche. But now is the time to stop and catch yourself before you default into self-undoing. Your capacity for healing is groundbreaking. As bell hooks said: 'Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving.'
CANCER RISING - Your social life and sense of connectedness to the collective has certainly gone through ups and downs lately. Flashes of good fortune and opportune friendships are balanced by upheavals in certain relationships. You are realigning your alliances and shaking up your social life. For a sensitive soul like you, this may all feel unpredictable. You want to find your freedom in the delights of friendship and group dynamics, because maybe your one-on-one partnerships and parenting (if you are a mom or dad) have felt oppressive or duty-laden. Toko-pa Turner talks about the need for reciprocal leadership in building community. She says: "The time of the lone wolf is over. Our future depends on us learning how to move as an ecosystem does, in harmony and collaboration" Whatever stirs your hopes and dreams, remember belonging is your birthright.
LEO RISING - "What is my purpose and where am I going?' is something you may be asking yourself repeatedly, as you pivot from pillar to post to get a sense of this new direction your life is taking. The impacts to your primary partnership are significant as you juggle your commitment to another and your ties to home and family. Your Leo courage is required right now as you're visibly shattering glass ceilings and gaining a reputation for what you do in the world. Success can mean many different things, but most importantly for you at this moment, it is to boldly go and innovate in your sphere of influence. A reminder from James Hollis: "We may choose careers, but we do not choose vocation. Vocation chooses us. To choose what chooses us is a freedom the by-product of which will be a sense of rightness and harmony within..."
VIRGO RISING - Your faith journey makeover has been a few years in the making, but this full moon moment is a huge up yours to either a religious establishment or teacher that has deeply impacted your worldview. Ani Tenzin Palmo advised: "...if you do happen to meet a perfect master...good for you! In the meantime, just get on with it...in the final analysis, we are all our own gurus." You're carving out your own 'way' and that could mean either turning towards a particular tradition or rejecting it. Your sense of duty and service may have held you back and delayed you finding your own sacred path or pursuing studies to enhance your faith goals. It could be as simple as getting on a plane after a long time of staying put, that reboots your outlook and infuses you with a sense of devotion to life's higher meaning.
LIBRA RISING - Rumi said: "Don't grieve. Anything you lose comes around in another form" Joining forces with another means your fate is tied with theirs, their wins are yours but so are their losses. The full moon spotlights your shared resources - material and energetic reserves - that come to you by way of others, as well as your debts. The secret is not to view dependency on others as a snare. Paying your dues can be a necessary step towards the agency you seek. Your independant streak in matters that require compromise and understanding shouldn't be shunned. New and unexpected collaborations may bring some jitters, but also yield surprising gains.
SCORPIO RISING - One-on-one collaborations are being totally redefined, facilitating the foundations for intimacy, joy, abundance but also security and trust. You're rapidly finding new ways to do partnership. Sobonfu Some writes: "There is a need to periodically cleanse our relationship with our partner...the growth of a relationship is enhanced by constant compromise, letting go and healing". The changes that are sweeping in may create tension on the homefront. Not only may your family just not get it, it may be that inherited patterns around relationships are the very things that you're unearthing now and discarding, hence the shock and horror! Reciprocity is an innovation you're championing as you seek renewal in love in all its forms.
SAGITTARIUS RISING - Health crises are sometimes the only way the Cosmos gets our attention and allows us to stop overworking. You're being compelled to find new ways to be of service that don't compromise your wellbeing. There could be changes in the workplace with colleagues. The lunation for you may have something to do with animals or pets in your care. Either way, it's as if your daily surroundings and overall environment has been a bit at odds with you getting your routine on track, but this is all going to change from this moment on. A wake-up call doesn't have to spell disaster at all. Caroline Myss says: "Biography becomes biology" - what may feel like a shattering may be the call to healing and wholeness.
CAPRICORN RISING - Money worries and financial responsibility can be a real buzz-kill, and yet levity and luxury are the exact elixirs that the full moon is highlighting. The shock of being brought to your senses - and I mean that literally as in remembering that life is a sensual journey - may steer your path in unexpected ways. You're releasing suspicions and inhibitions around giving yourself the full and unbridled permission to embrace life with the openness and innocence of a child. Thomas Moore writes: "We make the mistake when we think of sensation as a purely physical experience. Like everything human, sensation cannot be separated from imagination.'' In fact, study the ways of children, they will show you how to innovate and romance life again.
AQUARIUS RISING - This full moon eclipse is shaking up lines of lineage forcing us to retell ancestor stories. Family dramas are coming to light and home is a hotbed of disruption. Domestic chaos is enough to feel like the literal foundations beneath you are falling apart and yet this is a moment to embrace uncertainty as you re-orientate your roots. Moving home or renovating bricks and mortar could be a theme as you grapple with important core issues around where you come from and where you belong. The tensions may have been brewing already, as you feel yourself having matured and taken on a lot more personal responsibilities. You may have relinquished certain public roles or career advancements in order to tend to the earthquakes on the home front. Iyanla Vanzant writes: "We all start out in the basement of life. This is where we are first programmed and indoctrinated about worldly affairs...willingness is the spiritual cleanser you will need to make your way out of the basement."
PISCES RISING - Your everyday environment and the places you frequent, all the circles you move in, your local community and extended family are getting a reshuffle. It would be best to try to go with the flow, despite any latent fear or impulses to control the situation. The upside is that a new broom sweeping clean in this area of your life means you can step into new ways of learning and innovative ways of communicating. You're primed to receive messages of inspiration and clarity, to release yourself from teachers or teachings that no longer have any knowledge to impart. Trust that you have a message to share and that you're in the right place at the right time. Deepak Chopra calls this synchrodestiny and says: "Although we think of them as extraordinary, miracles also streak across our consciousness everyday"
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