EACH OF US has
the capacity to use our minds as a tool for seeking truth. We have the
ability to learn, to ponder the validity of the information we receive,
to conceive of unique ideas, and to express our thoughts. In life, we
are each charged with the tasks of objectively questioning our
existence, of exploring a variety
of ways to interpret our life experience, and of developing our own
unique perspective on reality.
We
also use our mental capacities in communication. Interpersonally, we
come to understand the importance of not only speaking our truth, but of
attentive listening. We are enriched when we take the time to hear what
another person wants to share. Equally important, listening creates
deeper connections with others. As we tell our stories to someone who
listens with an open mind and
heart, we feel validated. When we receive and truly hear what someone
else has to say, without judgment, a bond is forged, even if our
opinions might differ.
Astrologically,
these mental qualities, tasks, and activities are associated with the
planet Mercury, and with the zodiac sign of Gemini the Twins.
MERCURY is again in the spotlight in the coming week, continuing many of the themes that we were working with last week – but whereas last week's Mercury aspects were mostly challenging, they are primarily harmonious this week. This
means new information and insights should be easier to access, and communications should flow more smoothly.
Mercury and the Sun are traveling side-by-side for much of the week. Their exact alignment occurs on Monday at 14°52′
Taurus, focusing our thoughts and conversations on our core values, the
need for self-reliance and inner peace, and the fulfillment of our
basic physical needs. Since Taurus rules nature and our five senses,
this is the perfect day to
spend time in communion with nature. Give yourself the gift of
appreciating simple pleasures such as smelling flowers, eating
nourishing food, or listening to soothing music that feeds your soul.
The
shadow side of Mercury-Sun in Taurus is stubborn adherence to the
familiar, and resistance to new ways of thinking. Hopefully, the recent
alignments of both planets with inventive Uranus have opened our minds
to new possibilities, so that we are less likely to fall into that
shadow.
IN A SHOW
of cosmic synchronicity, another astrological event this week draws our
attention to the Mercury/Gemini themes listed above. The nodal axis
changes signs, with the North Node moving into Gemini, and the South
Node entering Sagittarius.
(Please
note that there are two ways to calculate the Moon's nodes; the "true
nodes" change signs on May 4-5, whereas the "mean nodes" change signs at
the end of the month.)
The
Moon's nodes spend about 18 months in a pair of signs, and they move
backward through the zodiac. Energetically, they act like a spiritual
compass, with the North Node pointing in the direction of humanity's
highest evolution and the South Node indicating our potential
downfall.
Over the next 18 months, our collective evolution depends in part on our ability to ask important questions and to think for ourselves instead of blindly following rigid belief systems. We will be learning to focus more on facts and truth, and along the way will need to confront gullibility and fanaticism.
Here is a list of the attitudes we will be working to transmute, and what we will hopefully be moving toward. I call this our "evolutionary imperative" for the next year and a half:
- m being self-righteous to being tolerant
- From being dogmatic to being impartial
- From being gullible to being questioning
- From being fanatical to being rational
- From being aloof to being curious
- From being careless to being observant
- From being judgmental to being openminded
- From being thoughtless to being thoughtful
If we succeed, even partially, in achieving this evolutionary goal, just imagine what a new world we will be living in.
OUR FULL MOON perfects
this Thursday, May 7, at 3:45 a.m. PDT. This is another "SuperMoon,"
meaning that it occurs when the Moon is at a point in its orbit when it
is closer to the Earth. Although the Moon will not appear quite as large
in the sky as it did for last month's Super Full Moon, it will still be
impressive, and we are
likely to sense its impact more deeply than other lunations. This is the
last Super Full Moon we will see in 2020.
This
"deeper impact" is also indicated by the Moon being in Scorpio, one of
the more emotionally complicated signs of the zodiac. In its highest
expression, Scorpio is the alchemist who can turn lead into gold,
embodying qualities of creativity, healing, and regeneration.
Enlightened Scorpio is also the psychotherapist, able to delve into
profound issues with great courage and
tenacity, and uncovering truths that have been obscured or feared. At the other end of the vibrational spectrum, Scorpio can be suspicious, resentful, distrustful, secretive, and manipulative.
PERHAPS more
temperamental than other signs, Scorpio can quickly switch from
embodying admirable qualities to expressing traits that we fear or
distrust. It is appropriate that
Scorpio is the only sign of the zodiac that has two traditional animal
symbols, representing the two extremes of the
sign.
On
the one hand, we have the Scorpion, a venomous, predatory animal that
lives in crevices and under rocks, and tends to evoke uneasy emotions.
But, Scorpio is also symbolized by the Eagle – also a predator, but one that inspires us with awe, due to its fearlessness, its keen vision, and its ability to
soar.
As
we consider how to work with the energies of this Full Moon, we have a
clear choice: Which of these polarities, which of these animal symbols,
do we most want to emulate?
We can gain inspiration by realizing that
this lunation is also the Wesak Moon, the Festival of Buddha. For many
in the world, it is "the high point of the spiritual year, when the
forces of enlightenment flow from the higher worlds into the mind of
humanity."
It is a time when more light is available to those who set their
intention to open and receive.
AT THE TIME of the Full Moon, the Sun and Mercury are still in close proximity to each other – and
are, of course, both opposing the Moon. This Sun-Mercury alignment
reiterates the importance of using discernment with any information we
receive. It's important to be objective, to think clearly and
concretely, and not to be influenced by intimidation or manipulation.
To
help us navigate any challenges of this nature, Neptune is in
harmonious aspect to both the Sun/Mercury (sextile) and the Moon
(trine). In this position, Neptune enhances our ability to
access intuition for practical purposes. It also helps us to transcend
the lower-vibrational traits of the Scorpion, and to incorporate the
Eagle's more spiritually-aware approach to
emotional issues.
IF WE TUNE IN
to the higher vibrational potentials of this Full Moon, we may receive
profound insights that have the capacity to transform our lives.
Scorpio's determination and honesty can motivate us to seek deeper
truth, both in regard to the information we receive, and despite our
habitual ways of thinking.
We can call on Scorpio's passion to help us focus our intentions, and to empower our words as needed.
As
a final note, it's intriguing that there are even more animal symbols
that have become associated with Scorpio over time, each of which
expresses a different level of development. At the top of the
vibrational scale is the Phoenix, the bird of myth who has undergoes
deep transformation and then rises from the ashes of the past.
We
can use this Full Moon to transform ourselves and our thinking, and to
deepen our understanding of reality. We can call on Eagle and Phoenix to
be our companions, to help us see life from a higher perspective, and
to support us in more fully embodying the change we want to see in the
world.
FOR THOSE who are tracking important lunar aspects, here is this week's watch list, in Pacific Daylight
Time:
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