Scorpio Full Moon: Answered Prayers

For two weeks, author Gregg Braden had acclimated his body to altitudes of over 16,500 feet above sea level. Along with 20 other seekers, he had crossed an icy river in hand-hewn wooden barges and hiked up the steep, jagged peaks of the Himalayas to a remote monastery, with one burning question in mind.

As he knelt on the cold, wet stones of the temple, Braden posed, through a translator, the question that had propelled him halfway around the world. He gazed into the eyes of the timeless-looking abbot, seated lotus style in front of him, and asked, “When we see you tone and chant for fourteen hours a day, when we see the bells, bowls, gongs and chimes, the mudras and the mantras on the outside, what is happening to you on the inside?”

The abbot adjusted the heavy wool robes beneath his feet and replied, “What you have seen is what we do to create the feeling in our bodies. Feeling is the prayer.”

The holy man’s words thrilled Braden. They confirmed what he’d learned from native healers, and even from a 2,000-year-old Dead Sea Scroll. The key to answered prayers is to engage one’s entire being – heart, mind, soul and body.

In an essay, Braden explained that a Native American friend had once told him that when praying for rain during a drought, they begin by hearing the sound and smelling the rain on the earthen walls of the village. Then they dance, feeling the sensation of their naked feet in the mud. In this way, they engage the power of their senses to bring their prayers to life. And if they do it right, the rain naturally follows.

Braden concluded that the secret to prayer is this: “Whether we are bringing rain to our land, peace to our world, or healing to our bodies, the principle is the same. To breathe life into our prayers, rather than asking for intervention from a higher power, we are invited to fuel them ourselves with heartfelt feeling, as if our prayers have already been answered.”

If ever we were in need of such prayers, it is now. With so many things seemingly beyond our control, many of us feel powerless to effect real change. Protesting and contacting your representatives can be effective at sending a message or bringing a sense of solidarity. But we also need personal prayers that cultivate peace, healing, kindness and justice – starting within and rippling outward.

The Scorpio Full Moon (May 12, 9:56 a.m. PT) invites us to feel and pray deeply. As the passionate Scorpio Moon opposes the powerhouse Taurus Sun, what we feel inside can move mountains. The Sun and Moon at 22 Taurus-Scorpio engage with unpredictable Uranus and potent fixed star Algol at 26 Taurus. Though considered by the ancients to be a difficult energy, Algol also emanates high spiritual rays to those open to receiving them. If this lunation falls within four degrees of any key planets or angles in your chart, try to avoid “losing your head,” and be alert for a breakthrough or an awakening.

Mercury in stubborn Taurus is exactly square Pluto in Aquarius at this Full Moon. Words hold greater-than-usual power and need to be used wisely. And sudden realizations can accelerate change. This intense lunation urges us to combine passionate feelings with grounded action, and to watch out for curve balls. Luckily, the Sun and Moon are stabilized by Saturn and the North Node in Pisces. providing intuitive and spiritual support. The fixed Scorpio Moon is Mars-ruled, inspiring bravery and action. And it’s strengthened by Venus in warrior Aries making a comrade-at-arms trine with Mars in Leo. Luna in Scorpio conjuncts asteroid Juno, goddess of love and marriage. Even the strongest emotions can be harnessed in useful ways – especially when shared with those we hold dear.

At this Full Moon, your prayers are especially needed. Whether you’re conjuring life-giving rain, a more peaceful relationship or justice for all, begin by connecting to your source. Rather than asking a higher power to intercede, remember that your own exalted feelings are the key to prayers that work.

For more clues on this process, I consulted author Arielle Ford. From her latest Soulmate Secret newsletter:

• Sit down. Hand on heart. Three deep breaths.
• Ask your body, What do you need right now to feel safe or soothed?
• Say a prayer—not for answers, but for a moment of grace.
• Reach out. Don’t isolate. Connection is a miracle drug.
• Remember: this too shall pass. Really. It will.Have a blessed Full Moon!