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Taurus New Moon: Down to Earth

By Jessica Shepherd

It hit me that I was now living in Hawaii. I mean, it finally hit me. I literally thought, “What have I done?” It wasn’t the move itself; the move was an external result of years of inner change. I was keening from changes that had been slowly happening over the years. Gone, friendships, community, teachers I have loved…and now my former residence of twenty years. All that loneliness I’d been feeling lately… grief.

The floodgates opened. Oh god. I felt so unanchored in this purgatory world-between, between the old life that used to be and the new one that has yet to reveal itself.

In that moment, I needed something that I realized I’d been denying myself all along.

I needed the creature comforts of physical life and identity. Things to touch, look at, hold.

I needed pictures of my family around me. Pictures of loved ones, because I came from these people and because love transcends all (even the problematic issues). I needed to get my books out of the moving boxes and onto my bookshelf, books I no longer identified with and would rarely consult again, since my relationship to practically everything I once studied has since changed. Once, if someone had asked me what items I’d take were my house burning down I’d say, “my favorite books”. Books reminded me of me.

I needed to open that old box of written letters and blank cards, to leave them laid out on the dining room table for far too long (so long that my husband asks, Soooo…tell me, again. How long are these going to be living here?). A little longer, I replied. I needed to see them, touch them, smell them. I needed to cry over the fact that no one writes letters or cards anymore, and that since my Great Aunt died this year (during the same week we moved to Hawaii) there’s finally no one left to receive my handwritten cards.

I’d been giving up, letting go, nomadically adapting to change, pushing aside basic things that others’ seem to need: the fruits of connection to things, to stuff, to the past, even to one’s past self. Turns out I need those, too. No one can live on bread and water alone.

In the spiritual community it’s easy to unconsciously ingest the belief that one can live off of thin air. Stuff? Nah, I’m good. Material things? Bah! I’m a spiritual consciousness. The tendency to minimize the value of physical things, of money, identity, body and pleasure can go too far. Non-attachment can become dissociation. We can go without any of that. That doesn’t mean we should.

And sometimes, despite all of our gluten and sugar food sensitivities, we need to eat pie.

My pup Magnus has a habit of visiting our neighbor. Prancing through the open door of her walk-up, he’ll stop by after our daily walk for a quick treat. The other day, when he didn’t return I got worried. I walked up to her house, the smell of fresh baking pies wafted through the air, she came to her door in her apron, and explained that Magnus had made himself comfortable on the kitchen floor and they were keeping each other company. I understood. That boy only thinks with his stomach. Likewise, when I went to leave, he stubbornly refused to heed my command. He had spied a fresh pie sitting on the foyer table, and was up on his hind legs like a circus dog, dancing for it. We laughed. “Would you like a piece of pie?” she asked me. Oh, no, I couldn’t, I said (YES PLEASE!!! said my body). Of course, she couldn’t find the right cutting utensil, so she ended up giving us the whole mixed berry pie.

That pie brought me back to life this week.  Magnus is my new pie wingman.

During Taurus season, we come back into the body. The breath needs lungs to breathe it. The spirit needs the body– its constant companion. So we ask, what does my inner creature/animal want? What am I hungry for? What bodily instinct have I been denying or repressing? What material resources might help me get where I’m going? What pleasure or beauty am I keeping at arms’ length? Venus, Taurus’ ruler, knows: pleasure has tremendous intelligence in it.

Frazzled nervous systems need gentle soothing. The reassurance of hugs, books, pictures, homemade pie, connection, touch… I’ve been spontaneously doing self Reiki, for the first time ever. Gentle touch, without agenda, desire to diagnose or figure anything out, has calming, healing power. Taurus season reminds us to turn to the simplicity of what feels good to the body, because that will always deepen our connection to our True Self. Ground control to Major Tom… Taurus reminds us to come back down to Earth.

To not overthink it, to simply go with what feels right, because what intuitively feels good is also what’s true for us, is a radical shift from Uranus’ passage thru Aries, where we have been in our heads, working with retraining the Ego and uncovering some of the more troubling ways of thinking keeping us from inhabiting our True Self (programming like, I’m pure consciousness, I can live off of bread and water.) While Uranus is in Taurus (till 11/5/18, re-enters 3/6/19), our progress as individuals and as a collective is inextricably tied to the body, the earth, material and physical life. To the simplicity of trusting what feels good and peaceful to our physical being as our rudder — our truest north.

No fancy agendas. No complexity required. The simpler, the better. Definitely some pie, too.

 

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About Jessica Shepherd

Jessica Shepherd is a writer, astrologer and health coach who has studied and practiced modern astrology since 1992. She is the author of A Love Alchemist’s Notebook: Magical Secrets For Drawing Your True Love Into Your Life (Llewellyn, 2010) and the books Venus Signs: Discover Your Erotic Gifts and Secret Desires Through Astrology
(Llewellyn, 2015) and Karmic Dates and Momentary Mates: The Astrology of the Fifth House (Moonkissd, 2014). In 2018, after living in California for twenty years, she relocated to Honolulu, Hawaii with her husband, dog, and cat. Find out more about Jessica at Moonkissd (www.moonkissd.com).

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The Moon is in its
Full Phase

in the
Sign of Gemini


Today's Lunar Aspects (Greenwich Mean Time)
(subtract: PST -8 hours, PDT -7 hours, EST -5 hours, EDT -4 hours)

  • Moon trine Venus, 5:54pm  Nov 28 2023
  • Moon square Neptune, 9:30pm  Nov 28 2023
  • Moon opposite Mercury, 1:03am  Nov 29 2023

Venus is currently
The Morning Star

in the sign of Libra


Enroll in Dana Gerhardt’s Moon Workshop!
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Astrologers use a variety of house systems, or methods of dividing up the sky into twelve sections. I use the Porphyry house system; another popular house system is Placidus (this is the default on https://astro.com). If the chart I send you looks different from what you are used to seeing, then likely a system other than Porphyry was used. Whole signs, Equal House, Regiomantus, and Campanus are examples of other systems. If you find all of this confusing, do not worry. It is likely not critical to your report.

m  Conjunction:  Like peas in a pod, planets in conjunction tend to come from the same place. They act together, but it’s also hard to tell them apart. This aspect can increase talent, focus, and intensity (“two are better than one”). Or one planet can disappear as the other dominates. Their connection feels so natural, it’s easy to think everyone blends these planetary energies just as you do—but mostly, they don’t!.

p  Sextile:  Planets in sextile are compatible, though without any fireworks. This aspect doesn’t demand your attention. It quietly presents an opportunity. You can join these archetypal forces. Donna Cunningham has called this the “Oh, that!” aspect, because that’s generally what her clients say when she describes their benefits.  To get the most from sextiles you need to actively work them.

q  Square:  Squares are wild and wonderful—but difficult too. The power struggle between these planets was likely defined in your youth, when they were impossibly challenging. People are usually aware of their squares. They force the issues that make you to grow. And that’s their gift. They ensure you learn your lessons. When you rise to the occasion, they bless you with energy, action, and success.

r  Trine:  Michael Munkasey has dubbed this the “goddess aspect” because it’s so lovely. Identifying talents you may have perfected in a previous life, trines can bring you joy. There’s a nice flow of energy between planets in trine. They support and reinforce each another. But without any struggle, you might take them for granted—neither using nor developing their gifts. An unattended trine can sometimes trick you into negative behaviors.

t  Inconjunct/Quincunx:  Your quincunx planets are innately incompatible. Bringing them into harmonious expression requires constant adjustments. This can be stressful, also motivating. You’ve got to keep changing your process, opinions or attitude—which promotes highly creative solutions.

u  Opposition:  They say opposites attract—and planets in opposition are never far from each other, though they’re constantly bickering. You may be triggered into awareness of this aspect by other people who seem to resist or undermine you.  An opposition can make you feel uncertain, insecure, or discontent, until you can accept and see yourself in both energies. Typically people find it easier to identify with one side and project the other onto unsuspecting others in the outer world.

First House: Personality, physical body, beginnings. Includes the Ascendant and rules physical appearance, the image you project to others, your general outlook on life, how you start things; may describe your role in your family system, often guides your first impression of immediate environment.

Second House: Money and personal finances, sense of self-worth and basic values, personal possessions, talents.

Third House: Communication, thoughts, language skills like writing and speaking, early schooling, siblings and neighbors, short trips, coming and going around town.

Fourth House: Your home, psychological foundations and roots, family, parents, domestic life, instinctive behavior, ancestry, your connection with the past, sense of security, domestic life, real estate. conditions at the end of life.

Fifth House: Children, creativity, romance; pleasure, entertainment, self-expression; all forms of “play”, speculation, gambling, and attitude towards taking risks; hobbies, attitude towards romance, lovers as opposed to partners, attitude towards having fun.

Sixth House: Work and job (as opposed to career), daily life, attitude towards service and coworkers, helpfulness, pets, attitude towards routine and organization, how you refine and perfect your skills.

Seventh House: Partnerships, one-to-one relationships, marriage, the first marriage, the “significant other”, business partnerships, competitors, open enemies, lawyers, mediators, counselors, contracts, negotiations, agreements. clients/the public.

Eighth House: Transformations and crisis, your ability to meet and rebound from crisis and change, sexuality; sex, death and rebirth, rituals and personal growth, your partner’s resources, addictions, psychology, other people’s money, taxes, divorce/alimony, inheritance.

Ninth House: Attitude toward expanding horizons, religious beliefs and personal philosophy, higher education, long-distance travel, morals, foreign languages and cultures, personal truths, publishing, commerce, advertising, your sense of adventure.

Tenth House: Career and profession, your contribution to society, social status, public reputation, material success, how you carve out a public identity for yourself; attitude toward authority figures, parents, caregivers, bosses, governments, attitude towards responsibility, desire for achievement.

Eleventh House: Friends, groups, organizations; hopes, wishes, aspirations, personal goals; your philanthropic attitude, concern for the collective, humanity; like tenth, can bring recognition and honors for fulfilling hopes and dreams.

Twelfth House: What’s hidden beneath the surface, karmic dustbin, limiting childhood/past-life messages, self-undoing, hidden enemies, hidden weaknesses, dreams, secret affairs, lost items, hospitals and prisons, hidden strengths, spiritual studies and soul growth.

A  Sun: Our vitality and magnetism; self-identity, ego.
Roles: The Self, the Hero, the Performer, the King.

B  Moon: Intuition, emotion, nurture.
Roles: The Mother, the High Priestess, the Child.

C  Mercury: Mind; physical dexterity and mental agility.
Roles: The Thinker, the Communicator, the Student, the Trickster, the Merchant, the Thief.

D  Venus: Our capacity for pleasure, receptivity, creativity, and social connection. Also indicates our relationships, self esteem, and financial abundance.
Roles: The Lover, the Seductress, the Artist.

E  Mars: Desire, initiative, anger.
Roles: The Protector, the Athlete, the Warrior.

F  Jupiter: Luck, opportunity, expansion, higher learning, religion.
Roles: The Scholar, the Gypsy, the Traveler, the Monk, the Professor.

G  Saturn: Hard work, commitment, focus, inadequacy, leadership, suffering, loss.
Roles: The Task Master, the Grim Reaper, the Wise Old Man, the Builder, the Cynic, the Boss.

H  Uranus: Change, breakthroughs, upsets, discoveries.
Roles: The Revolutionary, the Humanitarian, the Visionary, the Snob.

I  Neptune: Imagination, spirituality, idealism, addictions, deception, compassion.
Roles: The Artist, the Romantic, the Guru, the Addict, the Martyr, the Victim.

J  Pluto: Transformation, power, psychological dynamics, helplessness.
Roles: The Terrorist, the Detective, the Psychotherapist, the Dictator, shady people.

a  Aries: Pioneering, competitive, selfish, impatient, courageous, reckless, independent, dynamic, domineering, “Me first!”

b  Taurus: Patient, stable, lazy, dependable, practical, sensual, stubborn, artistic, possessive, greedy, gentle, loyal.

c  Gemini: Intelligent, curious, adaptable, quick-witted, restless, clever, scatterbrained, lacking follow-through.

d  Cancer: Nourishing, intuitive, protective, moody, sensitive, maternal, domestic, childish, cautious, creative.

e  Leo: Proud, dignified, vain, expressive, romantic, generous, childish, overbearing, self-assured, creative.

f  Virgo: Perfection-seeking, practical, methodical, petty, critical, studious, discriminating, cautious, never satisfied.

g  Libra: Charming, sociable, peace-loving, refined, diplomatic, artistic, indecisive, apathetic, easily deterred.

h  Scorpio: Passionate, secretive, penetrating, resourceful, suspicious, manipulative, jealous, sarcastic, intolerant, determined, aware.

i  Sagittarius: Freedom-loving, philosophical, optimistic, enthusiastic, careless, impatient, talkative, a know-it-all, broadminded, athletic, honest.

j  Capricorn: Serious, responsible, practical, hardworking, stubborn, brooding, inhibited, status-conscious, domineering, unforgiving.

k  Aquarius: Progressive, individualistic, unpredictable, cold, intellectual, artistic, eccentric, shy, impersonal, scientific.

l  Pisces: Compassionate, intuitive, ungrounded, romantic, impractical, self-sacrificing, seductive, musical, artistic.