I often use the word intense, when it comes to describing transits. Maybe I use it too much, because now I’m afraid the word intense has lost its meaning. This Full Moon is intense. The Full Moon in Scorpio arrives on April 26th 11.31 pm ET / April 27th 5.31 am CET at 7 degrees Scorpio. There’s a LOT that goes on in the heavens above when the Full Moon arrives.
The Moon in Scorpio is in her fall. This Full Moon is under the ruling of Mars, who’s currently in Cancer in his fall. Both the Moon and Cancer feel uncomfortable in those foreign watery signs of ‘underbelly feelings’ (while they feel extremely at home in their own watery signs of underbelly feelings; what an interesting thing to note). On the upside; the Moon and Mars are connected by trine and they are in mutual reception. Thus, they can support each other (and us) in navigating through the watery realms of emotions. This Full Moon comes with deep and maybe even intense and/or uncomfortable feelings, but we can find meaning in them for sure.
The Moon is uncomfortable in Scorpio. Scorpio is ruled by Mars. Scorpio is the fixed water sign. Scorpio transforms and penetrates that what is created by Cancer. Think of fixed water as water running through a pipeline with full force, underground. It’s directed, it’s deep. Scorpio digs, in order to find essence. I think of water under the ground, when I think of Scorpio. Liquid under the weight of the earth. Where pressure builds. Where the cores of volcanos are. Where oil is created. Liquid or water under pressure. That’s Scorpio. It may also be boiling water. Water under the pressure of heat. Water transforming into damp and mist. Water with the heat from Mars (the ruler of Scorpio). The Moon – waxing, waning and wandering as she does – likes to find herself in safe and comfortable and stable surroundings (like Cancer and Taurus). Volcanos aren’t stable. Boiling water isn’t comfortable. Volcanos create fertile ashes. Have you ever visited a volcano and seen the nature surrounding it? Intense (here we have that word again) green nature! I’ve visited Sicily and there are so many vineyards and citrus and olive tree fields near Etna. Fertility starts deep beneath the earth. Fertility also comes from death, from the ashes from the volcano. Did you know that Mars in Roman mythology was not just a god of destruction, but also of agriculture? Boiling water transforms uneatable foods into digestible food. That’s what Scorpio does. Scorpio transforms. Transformation isn’t easy. No wonder Mars rules Scorpio, it takes some courage and strength to take up that task. It takes some heat to make the water boil.
Mars is uncomfortable in Cancer. Cancer is ruled by the Moon. Cancer is the cardinal water sign. Cancer creates and contains emotional bonds. Think of cardinal water as the womb: a safe watery container where something is created and nurtured. Mars is a warrior, not a mother. Mars’s destructive forces usually penetrate through walls of safety. Mars is better at destructing safehouses than at building them. That doesn’t mean this warrior can’t fight while he’s in Cancer. This warrior needs to know his surroundings, needs to feel the waters that he’s in, before making his move. Mars in Cancer will show his strength when he knows the womb that he’s in. Wombs are dark places. Not so different from the dark places beneath the earth where volcanos are active. Both are places of death and life. Places where extreme forces of nature are at work.
The Moon finds herself in the volcano, or the pot with boiling water, or the pressured pipeline. Pick your metaphor. Mars finds himself in the womb (I have no other metaphors in mind for Cancer). The Moon and Mars find themselves in mutual reception, connected by trine. Because of this, they can help each other out. The Moon knows the womb, she’s able to help Mars understand the terrain and navigate. Mars knows the liquid gold in the volcano, the safe spaces and the painful ones, he can help the Moon to understand the terrain and navigate. This Full Moon is all about deep intuitive feelings, the ones that you find in the underbelly. It’s about getting honest with the feelings that carry the truth about something. The feelings that you’ve been avoiding. The ones that your pressed down. No more ignoring them. The water is boiling over. The volcano is about to erupt. No more pressing down those waters.
Pluto retrograde
Just after the Full Moon arrives, on April 27th 4.01 pm ET / 10.01 pm CET, Pluto stations retrograde. Pluto stations retrograde at 26 degrees Capricorn. Let’s dig a little deeper in those underbelly feelings. Pluto rules the underworld. He rules the domain below the earth. I don’t consider Pluto to rule Scorpio. I stick with the ancient system, where Mars rules Scorpio. It makes so much more sense (but that’s a lecture / discussion / article for another day). However, Pluto does have familiarity with Scorpio for sure. Especially if you look at the polarity of Taurus and Scorpio. Taurus is a sign of fertility, Taurus creates and gives birth. She creates beautiful flowers in Spring. During Taurus season Spring really is going on in full force. Taurus is the Empress (the Venus card in Tarot). Taurus is Hathor. Taurus is Isis. Taurus is Demeter. Scorpio, the sign opposite of Taurus, is when Fall is in full force. It’s the time of Halloween. During Scorpio season we’re confronted with death. The plants that were birthed by Taurus will die, their nutrients will compost, and this death will go under the ground during Scorpio season. Pluto has dominion over the underworld. Pluto rules that’s what’s below the earth, the places we can’t see. Taurus and Scorpio. Venus and Mars. Demeter/Ceres and Hades/Pluto. Fertility and Death. Again and again we see that life and death are always connected.
In the underworld is where the transformation happens. When a seed falls beneath the earth, after a time of winter sleep, it will sprout. Still invisible to us. But it will sprout, in the dark. It will sprout in the rotten compost. It will birth in death. It’s the transformation of Scorpio, opposite to the stability of Taurus. These processes are intense. And intensity is exactly what Pluto brings. (Yes, there we have that word again.)
Uranus at 10 degrees Taurus
The Full Moon at 7 degrees Scorpio (and thus opposite the Sun at 7 degrees Taurus) applies to an opposition with Uranus at 10 degrees Taurus. As if this Full Moon hasn’t enough to digest and reflect already. Uranus is the planet of change, breakthroughs, rebellion and revolution. It shakes up the solid fixed earth of Taurus. Taurus generally doesn’t like change. But this bull does need to make some sudden shifts and turns between 2018 and 2026. With the Moon applying within only 3 degrees, Uranus is definitely putting his stamp on this Full Moon. Look at the houses that contain Taurus and Scorpio in your chart (and in a lesser degree Aquarius and Leo), to see where the drama is taking place. If you have the ascendant, midheaven, Sun, Moon or any of the traditional planets near 7 degrees of the fixed signs (and especially Taurus or Scorpio); this Full Moon may be an intense (here we have that word again) one for you. (Intense, by the way, is definitely not necessarily bad. Intense can be very exciting and pleasurable too. And intense doesn’t always relate to outer events. Rollercoaster rides and revolutions can also be hidden emotional adventures or spiritual experiences.)
Venus conjunct Mercury and Venus sextile Pallas
When the Full Moon arrives, Venus is separating from a conjunction with Mercury. Both are opposite the Full Moon. Venus rules over the Sun in Taurus, whose light the Moon is reflecting. The Moon might be under the ruling of Mars, but she’s reflecting the light of the Sun in Taurus conjunct Venus. In other words, Venus has her stamp on this Full Moon too. And Venus just received some insights from Mercury. Whatever this Taurus season is about for you; the Full Moon reflects it. There’s a beautiful sextile between Venus in Taurus and Pallas in Pisces on the day of the Full Moon. Athena and Aphrodite join forces. Athena, goddess of wisdom and warfare, gives her support to Venus and the rest of the gang in Taurus. A healthy dose of courage and some intuitive advice is available to us; let’s use it to navigate through the watery realms of deep feelings and intense emotions.
Astrology Forecast
April 30th Sun conjunct Uranus
When the Sun conjuncts Uranus at 10 degrees Taurus, the Sun shines his light on Uranus his agenda for Taurus. Uranus is in Taurus since 2019 (and was already in Taurus for a short while in 2018) and will stay here till 2026. Uranus breaks down the structures of Taurus, creating revolution and freedom. Taurus fixed earth. Uranus plows that earth. For some this is incredibly uncomfortable. For others it’s liberating. And for many it’s both. People with strong Taurus placements know all about this transit by now. On the world stage, for the human collective, we see the plowing of the earth and the changing of Taurus structures of comfort reflected in bitcoin, NFT’s and new forms of agriculture. All that we like to be stable and reliable (currency, food and shelter); is becoming unstable and is undergoing change.
Uranus’s agenda in Taurus is extra visible in 2021, because Saturn squares Uranus. Where Uranus breaks down walls, Saturn builds them. Saturn is tradition, where Uranus is revolution. Saturn is responsibility, while Uranus is freedom. In other words, these Saturn squares make the presence of Uranus extra noticeable. This Taurus season, with a gathering of Mercury, Venus and the Sun in Taurus all meeting up with Uranus… the Promethean urge for liberation and the breakdown of hierarchies, becomes visible in all layers of life and society.
May 3rd Mercury square Jupiter, Sun square Saturn
As the Sun separates from a conjunction with Uranus, he moves towards Saturn. With this transit we’re reminded that freedom comes with responsibility. Freedom exists only because there are boundaries. Free will exists as the opposite of fate. One does not exist without the other. If you want to think outside the box; you need to see, know and acknowledge the box. If you want to revolutionize society, you need to know the structures of society. The Sun conjunct Uranus showed us the freedom we yearn and the rebellions that we want to start. The Sun square Saturn reminds us that freedom comes with responsibility and that rebellion faces opposition.
While the Sun squares the planet of limitation and depression (Saturn); Mercury squares the planet of growth and positivity (Jupiter). Mercury square Jupiter may come with insights as to how we can overcome the setbacks, limitations and boundaries that we have been facing lately.
May 4th Mercury enters Gemini
Mercury enters his home sign Gemini on May 4th. Given that the North Node is in Gemini too, get ready for increased communications and chatter. The house that Gemini is on in your chart, is about to get busy (and busier in a few days when Venus enters Gemini too). Gemini is the mutable air sign. Mercury expresses itself in Gemini through gathering and dispersing information. Gemini collects data all around itself. Gemini loves facts and bits and pieces of knowledge. Gemini doesn’t just love to collect gems of data, it equally loves dispersing those gems.
Mercury will station retrograde at the end of this month. All Mercury retrogrades of 2021 take place in air signs (Aquarius, Gemini and Libra). I’ll get back to you with more details on Mercury retrograde in the next lunation article; here you have a heads-up.
May 8th Venus square Jupiter
Venus is in Taurus and Jupiter is in Aquarius. The square relationship between Uranus in Taurus and Saturn in Aquarius is challenging, to say the least. This square between Venus and Jupiter might come with a brief moment of relief and hope in case the Saturn – Uranus square is driving you crazy. This day may come with insights on how to cope with the stress of revolutionizing your life; on how to deal with all the change and upheaval that is going on; on how to breathe through uncertainty. On how to ground yourself; how to see beauty; and on creatively visualizing the future. It may equally come with blessings to those that have taken up the challenge to revolutionize their life and show up for responsibilities in life. It may come with well deserved moments of pleasure and joy in between exhausting Zoom meetings.
May 8th / 9th Venus enters Gemini
Venus enters Gemini on May 8th US / May 9th EU. Last year, in May and June, Venus was retrograde in Gemini. How was that time for you? When it comes to Venusian topics like love and relationships and when it comes to the topics related to the house that Gemini is on in your chart? A new Venus in Gemini cycle is about to start. A fresh one. It won’t be the same as last year.
With the ingress of Venus in Gemini I expect to see increased socialization and connection. It’s not that social distancing will be a thing of the past. It’s not that lockdowns will cease to exist. I do expect to see some social distancing regulations lifted. Or at least an increased need for connection that will drive people to seek it out whether rules forbid it or not. Venus in Gemini is the social butterfly of the zodiac. She’s the one that has multiple boyfriends at once. Venus in Gemini doesn’t do well, sitting at home with just one pet, lover or grandma. This Venus needs to go out and about and connect with different people. Venus in Gemini stimulates us in engaging in loving communications. Send your friend a postcard. Express your love to the people that are dear to you.
Venus in Gemini is under the ruling of Mercury. Since Mercury is co present in Gemini, he’s pretty well equipped to support Venus in her endeavors. Venus supports Mercury in return. As Mercury will slow down and approach his retrograde phase in the upcoming weeks, Venus might become a little bit more hesitant about her work, dealing with imposter syndrome or something like that. But other than that, Venus is doing quite okay in Gemini this time.
May 10th Mercury conjunct North Node
When Mercury conjuncts the North Node we will see an increased amount of Mercurial and Gemini vibes. The North Node tends to increase whatever it touches. If you are not in the mood for that; turn your phone silent (though the chatter will find different channels to reach you anyway, probably). In case the chatter isn’t coming from the outside, it might take place on the inside. If your mind goes on overdrive, try to ground yourself. Gemini is an air sign. So, if there’s too much air energy, go opposite. Instead of high, go low. If your in your head, go to your feet. Turn to the earth. Ground yourself. Walk in the forest. Meditate on Ganesha or the root chakra. Turn to Ayurveda: eat warm and nourishing foods (Vata decreasing) instead of salads (Vata increasing). Another tip: if you actually want to use this strong air energy. This transit is supportive of studying, reading and collecting knowledge. Gemini loves to gather knowledge. The North Node also signifies hunger. Mercury supports us in studying, reading and the like. You can still your Mercurial hunger or busy mind by reading a good book. Satisfy your brain! In other words: make kitchari and make time for your favourite book or podcast.
The New Moon arrives on May 11th 2.59 ET / 8.59 pm CET at 21 degrees Taurus
I’ll be back with you before May 11th with updates on the New Moon in Taurus.
X Maud