Full Moon in Scorpio – May 2012 – Kill or Cure

The Full Moon occurs at 03:35 (UT) on the 6th May 2012 at 16SCO01.

The Full Moon in Scorpio packs a significant punch as it forms an almost exact opposition to Black Moon Lilith who is conjunct the Sun. There is something dark and stormy about this Moon but it raises valid questions that many of us would perhaps rather put off until another day. This particular Full Moon is also a Supermoon which means that as the Moon is nearest to Earth in its orbit, it appears much bigger and brighter. Richard Nolle who coined the term over 30 years ago has connected Supermoons to a variety of phenomena such as earthquakes and great storms. He offers sensible advice “Don’t be paranoid but don’t be complacent either”. Currently some parts of the UK are experiencing severe flooding and as I look out of my window pausing for thought, the black sky threatens to throw down just that little bit more!

The Moon sits on the Sabian Symbol “A Woman, Fecundated By Her Own Spirit, Is “Great With Child”. Immediately this raises connections to the idea of a ‘virgin birth’ – the proliferation of a species by parthenogenesis. Interestingly, some Scorpions reproduce this way. On a deeper level, this heavily pregnant woman speaks of the creative spark within us all – the urge to give life to something whether it’s a child or a project. In Scorpio we are faced with life and death. This moon raises the questions: –

 What will you leave behind?
What will be your legacy?

Perhaps it is only when we truly accept death that we truly accept life and begin to LIVE.

The Full Moon is conjunct fixed star Zuben Elgenubi, a star with a rather nasty reputation. Robson says “It causes malevolence, obstruction, an unforgiving character, violence, disease, lying, crime, disgrace, and danger of poison.”. Situated in the southern claw of the Scorpion in the constellation of Libra there’s a sense of being in its relentless grip. Those Scorpions that do reproduce sexually, enact a courtship dance where the male scorpion grips the claws of the female. Some say this is so that the male protects himself from being eaten after the deed! Sometimes we too can be consumed by that which we seek to create. Sometimes we must face death in order to live on. Sometimes we poison what we have made by chance or on purpose, caught in the grip of our own darkness.

The conjunction to this star makes me think that maybe during this Moon, we will have to face the darker shadows within – the parts inside that haven’t forgiven or forgotten, the pieces of ourselves that have been lied to and twisted, by ourselves or by others. Somehow we must reclaim back these pieces.

The opposition between Black Moon Lilith and the Moon is a fascinating one. As I explained in this article, Lilith can only truly be seen when she is conjunct or opposite the Moon. Therefore this lunation triggers Lilith themes.

“But when she is conjunct and opposite the Moon, that’s when we see her. The Moon brings her to life – or perhaps like a ghost, the Moon provides the psychic lens by which we can see her.”

In one of her guises, Lilith was known and feared as a devourer of children.

So we have a woman pregnant without the need of a man, a woman spurned who destroys babies and then we have the delicate dance of Scorpions claw in claw, risking all to procreate.

The Scorpion is a kill or cure creature. Whilst its venom can be extremely poisonous, it can also be used as a treatment for various diseases. The sign Scorpio is associated with sex, both procreative and otherwise. And with sex comes the most complex of emotional triggers. Nothing moves us so much as when we are intimate with a partner. All our hang-ups, all our fears are laid bare. Love can become hate, sex can be used as a weapon. Sex and sexual relationships can make us feel like mighty warriors or dribbling broken husks of what we were before.

That fact that Lilith is revealed during this Full Moon says to me that we need some of her power and autonomy, much like the pregnant woman in the symbol. Whether male or female, we each need to become aware of just how creative and just how destructive we are within ourselves and with each other! Lilith will not let us shy away from the darkness within but be aware that conjunct the Sun she has a tendency to turn on herself – much like a Scorpion will rather sting itself to death than get cornered. By releasing your fear, you can face those shadows without submitting to any other authority than your own.

Key themes for this Full Moon
Challenge your inner saboteur. Stop poisoning yourself (metaphorically or physically). Be clear about what you want. Who or what is sucking the life out of you? Consider what you would want in your obituary. Imagine the world 100 or a 1000 years from now. Strive to forget if you can’t forgive. Forgive yourself. Redress the balance between the sexes. Redress the balance between your animus and anima. Yin and yang. Check where you have given away too much of yourself. Bring back your power. Autonomy.

Photo by Tony Fischer Photography on Flickr