May 22, 2024 | by Silvianne K. Delmars |
Our week begins on Thursday, May 23 with the trail-blazing Sagittarius Full Moon opposing the Sun in Gemini, and ends with the last quarter Pisces Moon squaring the Sun. Here are the highlights (all times given in PDT).
Thursday, May 23
The Sagittarius Full Moon (exact at 6:53 am at 02 Sag 55) will be with Antares. As mentioned in last week’s update, in some areas of the world, including Africa, the Caribbean basin, Central America, Africa, and the American Southeast, an occultation of Antares by this newly out-of-bounds Moon may be visible, taking about an hour to pass over the heart star of the Scorpion. The Moon continues out of bounds for much of this lunation week. Time to give ourselves creative permission to be radically ‘weird,’ forging new, more expanded allegiances to truths that may lie outside the bounds of consensus reality.
The original roots of the word “weird” come from Old English wyrd, with meanings related to fate, chance, fortune, destiny and the concept of becoming. The sense of uncanny, supernatural or even disturbingly different did not become prevalent until the 1800s. Maybe it’s time to reclaim our own weirdness – and, in so doing, our ability to control our own destiny.
We will certainly be supported in these accelerated manifestations of soul destiny by this highly activated Full Moon, with Venus just 3 degrees away, having met with instigator Jupiter only a few hours before in the very last degree of sensuous Taurus. She will then follow the Sun’s lead and enter Gemini in the late afternoon. This presages an upcoming month of focus on the multi-faceted, free thinking, idea-seeding sign of shape-shifter Gemini.
Look for the Full Moon rise the night before, or its setting early in the morning just before dawn. A great time to check in with the intentions you made at the Taurus New Moon two weeks back. What is coming to fruition from the seeds planted then? And what accomplishments would you like to celebrate?
In these intense times, it is vital that we make the conscious effort to recognize our everyday accomplishments, to counteract the endemic tendency to be self-critical. Remember, just showing up with heart and creativity, in the smallest of ways, is an accomplishment in these dense and volatile energies as the Kali Yuga speeds to its natural end. On the foundation of healthy Taurus’ sacred receivership, we can make any adjustments to our New Moon intentions, steering the course forward to the next New Moon in Gemini.
Saturday, May 25
Leo overstory Venus, currently invisible to us as she swings around the other side of the Sun, is plumbing the unknown depths in her journey through the Lower World portion of her 19-months synodic cycle. Having entered Gemini on Thursday, she will be trining retrograde Pluto in Aquarius this morning.
If we re-envision Pluto as an archetypally feminine energy (correcting the patriarchal highjack perpetrated by the Greeks and Romans) we can better feel into the transformational possibilities of this supportive encounter in the womb of the Earth. What might the ancient, deep-feeling, chthonic Mother of death and rebirth (currently at the beginning of her 20-year activation of expanded consciousness in Aquarius) long to express to the planet of the Sacred Feminine in her journey towards a more rooted embodiment of creativity, infused self-love? This would certainly be an auspicious timing for tuning in to find out!
Meanwhile, expansive Jupiter is making its yearly transition to a new sign, entering Gemini this evening, where it will stay until June of next year. In essence, Gemini dedicates itself to being in service to spirit by pursuing its enthusiasm for knowledge of all kinds, from all sources. As Jupiter amplifies this airily creative sign over the next year, we are encouraged to challenge ourselves to use the rational mind in order to transcend the mind – to be able to perceive beyond duality and polarity.
The Gemini theme is aided and abetted by the presence of both the Sun and Venus nearby as Jupiter begins its year-long sojourn. I am reminded of Rumi’s provocative invitation: “There is a field, out beyond ideas of wrong doing and right doing. I will meet you there.”
Meanwhile, the waxing Moon, just past full, enters Capricorn around noon, reaching its most extreme out of bounds south position for this month. Look for it to rise and set far south of the Sun on the horizon, as you solicit inspiration to forge a life outside of “business-as-usual” conformity.
Sunday, May 26
Gemini overstory Mars continues in his synodic cycle Growth of Wisdom phase until he joins Venus and Jupiter in Gemini later in July. For now, he remains in Aries, bringing a sparky sense of mission and boldness to the unfolding of a fuller expression of the Gemini Sacred Masculine on the world stage.
Today, he finds himself in a growth-inducing square to asteroid Vesta in nurturing Cancer. The fast-moving Aries masculine is being forced to slow down a bit. Although he may chafe at the delay, this seeming obstacle offers the potential gift of accessing heart wisdom, taking the necessary time to nurture what we most value in an emotionally present and responsible way. In what ways are we being invited in our own lives to truly show up and use our capacity for all-in, actional commitment to create a deeper, more-heartfelt, supportive experience, for self and others?
Monday, May 27
The out of bounds Moon moves into the sign of Aquarius this afternoon, reaching its monthly activation of Pluto in the evening hours. The Moon here is illuminating the potential shadow aspects of idealized Aquarian Age consciousness. What needs to be composted so we can wholeheartedly pursue true expansion of consciousness, freed from the tyranny of programmed “group think” disguised in the trappings of shallow, light-polarized New Age truisms?
The Moon moves back in bounds tomorrow.
Wednesday, May 29
Mars meets up with Chiron in Aries early this afternoon. Reiterating the themes of April’s eclipse conjunct Chiron in Aries, and the current journey of the Nodal Axis through Aries/Libra, we are being invited to a deep exploration and healing of the wounded Aries masculine expression, contorted by millennia of dominator culture. It is way past time to envision and foster a new, more life-giving version of the sacred masculine warrior archetype. One that is rooted in love and unswerving dedication to the needs of the tribe, rather than greed and mercenary service to the powers that shouldn’t be.
Earlier this morning, asteroids Ceres and Vesta face each other in Capricorn/Cancer. There are echoes here of Mars’ square to Vesta from Aries earlier in the week. Ceres in Capricorn has the ability to understand that nurturing others often means teaching them how to nurture themselves. Vesta in Cancer enjoys the feeling of being needed, fueling its ability to work hard in dedicated service to those it loves. This opposition asks us to find the balance between providing indiscriminate, watery, heart-centered caring and practical tough love. What patterns of over-giving, based on a need to be loved, might be ready to be healed in our lives so we can respond in any situation with what is truly most needed?
Thursday, May 30
The lunation week ends this afternoon with the last quarter Moon in Pisces (exact at 1:13 pm at 09 Pisces 46), squaring the Gemini Sun. We have arrived at the last turning of the Taurus Lunation, a time for assessing how far we have come, preparing to compost what we need to let go of as we look ahead to the Gemini New Moon coming up next week.
Pisces is the sign of the transpersonal giver, swimming in the sea of collective emotional consciousness, here to transmute grief into ecstatic oneness with All That Is. This 3-day Moon window would be a wonderful time to contemplate how we might best use our unique gifts in service to the larger collective, as humanity continues to navigate the murky waters of a dying age, poised upon the brink of something unimaginably different. Each of us came here with a part to play, no matter how seemingly insignificant. May the magic of this Pisces Moon infuse us all with the deep desire to unfold into our next right step along the path.