The New Moon occurs at 23:45 (BST) on May 4, 2019 at 14°Ta10′.
Taurus, first of the Earth signs, follows fire sign Aries, the first of all signs. In Aries we have the idea, the desire, the goal. It’s an uprush of energy, striking out, going after what we want. But for any goal to succeed or desire to be met, we need to move to Taurus because this is where we manifest on the earthly plane. Taurus is where we get in touch with ourselves and the world around us through our senses – touch, taste, hearing, seeing, scent. Taurus makes Aries slow down to get the job done because otherwise it will burn out long before we reach completion. In Taurus we want to see results – the money in the bank, the object on the mantlepiece, the lover in our bed! Don’t forget love Goddess Venus is ruler of Taurus so there is a pleasure principle at work here.
Taurus however works hard to get what it wants. It’s practical and focused on the basic tasks and tools that it takes to survive. It’s concerned with having enough food to eat, a roof over your head and physical comfort. Stability is important. After all the rushing around in confrontational Aries, the quiet life is much more appealing. We want to preserve what we create – whether it’s a painting, a bottle of jam or the carefully crafted life we’ve made for ourselves. In this sign we are in touch with our resources, material and emotional. We need to know what is valuable and what isn’t so that we know where to invest our energy for the best return. Going deeper, Taurus talks of our basic values because it’s these that underpin everything that we do in life. Here is where we also need to practice self-love and to know our worth.
Every sign has a shadow side and in Taurus, the shadow peeks out in possessiveness. Think of Gollum in Lord of the Rings ‘My Precious!’. We don’t want to share. We’re stockpiling, hoarding, treating others like we own them. Taurus can also be extremely stubborn. The desire for stability can turn to resistance to change at any cost – and ultimately it can be costly because without change we cannot grow.
We often talk of New Moons as the time to set seeds of intention and never is this more apt in this horticultural sign. The Moon is exalted in Taurus so emotionally we feel in a better place. Conscious (Sun) and unconscious (Moon) are brought together. The ego is united with the soul and we want to create something beautiful from this union.
The manifestation potential of this particular New Moon is potent as the Moon trines Saturn in Capricorn and sextiles Neptune in Pisces. This aspect then activates the ongoing Saturn-Neptune sextile that we have throughout this year. Yes, Saturn is still mixed up in the difficult South Node, Pluto karmic drama that’s going on, but this lunation shows us that we can draw upon this energy in a productive way. Saturn anchors us and gives us a mature outlook. As Saturn is retrograde and conjunct the South Node, we are already in a process of reviewing our commitments and releasing those that no longer align with our mission. Manifestation (Saturn) of our vision (Neptune) is promised if we focus our energies and knuckle down to the work. Long term stability is not out of reach.
We do however have an awkward quincunx to Pallas retrograde in Libra that brings up issues connected to sharing. Maybe we’ve fallen into feeling like there isn’t enough to go around. A shadow side of Taurus is greed, but it stems from insecurity. The fear of not having enough – physically, emotionally, spiritually can interfere with our relationships if we let it. Note that Venus, ruler of this lunation is square to Saturn. It brings up feelings of unworthiness and poverty consciousness. Yet Venus is also trine to Jupiter so if we can recognise our right to a share of this abundance then we can realise our potential. Just because we don’t have what we want right now doesn’t mean to say we can’t have what we want in the future. Venus square Saturn reminds us that good things are worth waiting for.
Insecurity perhaps is an issue rumbling beneath this lunation. This is because Uranus is busy bowling his way through this sign in chaotic patterns and Taurus hates not knowing what’s going to happen next! But nothing is predictable with Uranus here for the next seven years and somehow, we need to get used to that wild energy and find the freedom in that. Asteroids Babel, Discovery and Siwa are all conjunct Uranus in this chart, telling a mini story of their own. Babel reflects the chaos, the potential for misunderstanding. Babel can relate to ‘babbling’ and certainly Uranus in Taurus might make us nervous. Discovery though tells us that if we are flexible (something that Taurus finds very difficult), then maybe there is something precious to discover from these strange times. Siwa, a Slavic fertility Goddess, shows us creative potential. Changing the pattern, shaking things up – whilst it may be scary for Taurus to cope with, it inevitably leads to new and vibrant growth.
The Sabian symbol for this New Moon is :-
Head Covered With A Rakish Silk Hat, Muffled Against The Cold, A Man Braves A Storm
Yes, there may be a (Pluto-Saturn-South Node) storm going on in the background but hey, we can weather it in style. It makes me think of Venus putting on her lipstick despite a difficult night before and little sleep. Sometimes we do need to put a brave face on. We can still find beauty in the moment. On a cloudy day, the rose still blooms. Know that you are precious, even if times are hard.
Painting – ‘Rose Bush in Flower’ by Gustave Caillebotte
