On May 5, 2023, the Scorpio Full Moon will illuminate the heavens—reaching her maximum fullness at 10:34 a.m. US/Pacific—and brings with her a partial lunar eclipse for most of Europe and Asia, and all of Africa, India, and Australia.
Lunar eclipses can signify a morass of unresolved emotional snarls. They can also indicate a turbulent culmination point in relationships and projects. This is the next to last eclipse on the Taurus/Scorpio axis, an eclipse series which began in November 2021, which may highlight issues of power versus vulnerability, (mis)trust versus intimacy, and other concerns. A reorganization of power that makes way for the flourishing of life seems to be indicated by this eclipsed Scorpio Full Moon.
The nature of our love and our service to life, how we weave harmony into our portion of the Dream of the Earth, is currently in conversation with Venus and Neptune.
We may have a genuine experience of disappointment in our love affairs, friendships or money matters, or we could just get caught up in an illusion about love, friends or money, whether that image is desirable or repulsive. The main point with Neptune problems is that the perception is deceptive or unreal, not whether it is pleasant or unpleasant.
It’s important to sustain a gaze into our hearts long enough to not only see through the illusion, but to also make contact with reality.
Poorly defined boundaries may collide as the heroic trajectory of the Sun conjoins the lone hero of Uranus (exact May 9) not long after this eclipse. Sun-Uranus reminds us of the sovereign self, the experience of being one of the infinite number of centers around which cosmic meaning constellates. How we radiate from our center—very much the symbolism of the Sun—impacts the way our circumference extends out to touch and be touched by others.
Particularly for those who wrestle with codependent tendencies, the gears may be grinding, but this offers a great chance to make a change for the better.
Jupiter’s entry into the fertile sign of Taurus on May 16 (until May 2024) will signal the transition to a calm following the storm of the eclipse energy, and will aid any quest for greater congruence with Soul and grounding into a new relationship within the center of our being.
Jupiter in Taurus also signifies The Good Earth, and is incredibly supportive for initiating or deepening relationships with plants, animals and minerals, and all of their healing properties.
Finally, while the flows of power through our lives undergo revisioning and reorganizing, Mercury’s retrograde points to patiently tuning into the heart’s wisdom, and recognizing that the cosmos is composed of infinite centers, not only our own.
We would be wise to release ideas of total control and allow ourselves to surrender to whatever truths are emerging into greater awareness, even if that truth is simply how messy it all is.
Extending patience and kindness to ourselves and others throughout this time might be the first crucial step towards changing relational patterns and habits which no longer serve our lives. Adding to the intensity is the Scorpionic vibe of this Full Moon, which doesn’t need an eclipse to call forth our depths, plus the chaotic nature of Uranus conjoining the Sun’s spotlight on the Scorpio Moon.
Uranus loves to surprise us with the unexpected, and is also a central influence on the current Mercury retrograde period.
Revelations that lead to feelings of betrayal or mistrust, or which call us to the limits of vulnerability, will be a part of most of May. While not everyone will experience emotional shockwaves, we may notice people around us popping off, and it’s helpful to give some space and some compassion while everyone sorts through the agitation.
Give yourself or others time to cool off before trying to re-engage after an emotional vent. Remaining curious rather than rushing to conclusions will likely be extremely difficult until the last week of May.
If the 15th century mystic Nicholas of Cusa is correct that the infinite nature of the cosmos means that its center is everywhere, and its circumference is nowhere, then finding greater congruence with our own Souls could be a wonderful gift of this eclipse season. This gift can then ripple out to touch everything we love and feel called to serve and protect.
The nature of our love and our service to life, and how we weave harmony into our portion of the Dream of the Earth, is currently in conversation with Venus and Neptune. Shortly before the Scorpio lunar eclipse, the queen of reciprocity, Venus, makes a hard square aspect with the source of divine unity, Neptune (exact May 3). On the one hand, this may indicate a genuine experience of disappointment in one’s love affairs, friendships or money matters, as the eclipse forces us to face some harsh reality we have been unable to see. On the other hand, it could represent getting caught up in an illusion about love, friends or money, whether that image is desirable or repulsive.
The main point with Neptune problems is that the perception is deceptive or unreal, not whether it is pleasant or unpleasant. It’s important to sustain a gaze into our hearts long enough to not only see through the illusion, but to see through any subsequent disillusionment and make contact with reality. Venus-Neptune has a slippery way of replacing one illusion with another, sometimes even seeking comfort from a sense of victimhood or mistaking the bitter taste of disillusionment for reality.
Fortunately, Venus makes her entry into the lunar sign of Cancer on May 7 (until June 5), where her harmonizing powers move with greater ease and she is less under the influence of Mercury’s retrograde. We might still have to contend with the Cancerian sentimentality that can cloud our minds, but Venus’s supportive trine aspect to the planet of boundaries, Saturn (exact May 13) suggests that clarity can come with patient attendance to the heart and its wisdom. Boundaries connect us, they don’t merely separate us. Working with that reality can lead to a great deal of emotional and heart healing in the month of May.
With such a focus on issues of power and vulnerability under the eclipsed Scorpio Full Moon, we might gain a renewed appreciation of the power and complexity that boundaries generate. The heroic trajectory of the Sun conjoins with the lone hero of Uranus (exact May 9) not long after this eclipse, and as much as Uranus may amplify the turbulent or chaotic feeling that eclipses tend to naturally produce, this aspect also has its benefits. Sun-Uranus reminds us of the sovereign self—the experience of being one of the infinite number of centers around which cosmic meaning constellates. How we radiate from our center—very much the symbolism of the Sun—impacts the way our circumference extends out to touch and be touched by others, with boundaries interacting to produce the spectacular diversity of life’s expression. Particularly for those who wrestle with codependent tendencies, this month is offering a chance to not only see which boundaries (or lack thereof) are no longer serving life, but to make a change for the better.
Uranus’s influence is suggesting a boundary reset, an identity reset, and the arising of courage to begin to reorganize the power flowing through our lives and relationships. It doesn’t need to be a confrontational process, and if we want to rage and thrash about with half-baked understandings, that is probably an unhelpful response to conflict for the next couple of weeks. However, if we’ve been avoiding discussion of something, a healthy choice might be to really let it all hang out and be vulnerable in this way. Air out the wounding. Share what hurts. Our wounds or repressed desires and needs may be asking for exposure in order to heal and to allow new boundaries and bonds to take shape.
Jupiter’s wisdom in knowing how to create larger wholes from disparate pieces is on our side in any such process, as he enters the fertile sign of Taurus on May 16 for the first time since 2011, where he will remain until May 2024. This will signal the transition to a calm following the storm of this eclipse energy, and aid any quest for greater congruence with Soul and grounding into a new relationship with the center of our being. Jupiter in Taurus also signifies The Good Earth, a bountiful harvest and all of nature’s riches. Whether we are recovering from a rough eclipse season, or simply seeking sensual pleasure and connection, Jupiter’s time in Taurus will reward our attempts to connect to the greater-than-human world, and build Earth Community. All who wish to initiate or deepen relationships with plants, animals and minerals, and discover together how we might collaborate, will find this 12-month cosmic influence incredibly supportive. Particularly with noble Jupiter’s square with the symbol of the natural world, Pluto (exact May 17), Jupiter’s time in Taurus could motivate many of us to reshape the way we and our communities view the natural world and to forge better ties.
Over the short term, however, our vision may be obscured until the mind of Mercury rises out of the beams of the Sun and reappears in the sky as a morning star on May 29. Add to this that the importance of events which arise out of eclipses are sometimes concealed—matching the symbolism of obscured light—and much of what is initiated during this eclipse season is not immediately obvious. Eclipsed events can unfold over the course of six to 12 months.
While we are revisioning and reorganizing how power flows through our lives and our relations, Mercury’s retrograde presents another aspect that points to patiently tuning into the heart’s wisdom, and recognizing that the cosmos is composed of infinite centers, not only our own. Releasing ideas of total control, allowing ourselves to surrender to whatever truths are emerging into greater awareness—even if that truth is simply how messy it all is. Those who have been resisting necessary change or evolution in their lives may be particularly hard hit under these eclipses, with multiple pressures piling on. But the truth is, our circumference can take a new shape when we allow ourselves to sink more deeply into the beauty of the truth at the center of our being. Undoing the contortions of false belongings may be uncomfortable, but it’s ours to discover the joy and the beauty of being truly who we say we are.
The Moon represents who we are before we even think about who we are. She represents our instinctual self, and she describes our deepest vulnerabilities as well as our most profound capacity to connect with others. Full Moons amplify energy and emotions. This eclipsed moon suggests a reorganization of how power flows through our lives. Let’s see how the Scorpio Full Moon impacts your own Moon placement!
Aries Moon
Sometimes the things that truly matter can only be discussed when the finality of ultimate endings are in the room, Aries Moon, and we can no longer take others or our situation for granted. If there are important conversations brewing beneath a superficial cover, this lunar eclipse in Scorpio may challenge your ability to avoid those vulnerable and uncomfortable conversations. If you do manage to avoid them in the near term, the Venus retrograde later this summer may be a lot more disruptive than if you just started those conversations now.
Taurus Moon
The eclipsed Scorpio Moon may highlight the theme of long-suffering love for you, Taurean Moons. Whether that love is for someone, for a line of work or for a cherished idea, this eclipse season is asking you to deeply reconsider how you imagine those people, activities, or thoughts in your life. It’s like a root-bound plant that needs to be transplanted—amazing lush growth awaits you if you engage in the process of moving to a larger space.
Gemini Moon
Your quick wit may get the best of you under this eclipsed lunation, Gemini Moon. For those of you who know you are stepping into the next phase of your evolution as Saturn travels through Pisces during the next couple of years, that knowledge may actually get in the way of recognizing the important people, places, and events connected to that evolution. Something very deep in your unconscious is stirring, and it’s not at all ominous—but releasing control and getting more curious about the doors which open and close to you over the next few months will prove beneficial.
Cancer Moon
Where does pleasure and enjoyment live in your imagined future, Cancer Moon? This includes all the fun things of life, like light hobbies, more serious creative pursuits, or adventures and the notion of freedom to play. The eclipsed Scorpio Full Moon would like to bring these matters to your attention as a real concern. Being stuck in a heavy, emotionally freighted and even dread-filled orientation to your hopes and dreams for the future will only prevent you from bringing forth the full measure of goodness and beauty in your life.
Leo Moon
An ability to welcome the good with the bad, and vice versa, could be the challenge which emerges from this eclipse season, Leo Moon. The spotlight is on your emotional foundations and the resilience you need to surf the big waves, as the simultaneous experience of great heights and problematic entanglements with the past seems to color much of the rest of the year.
Virgo Moon
Your usual way of thinking about the flaws and the strengths of others is under heavy pressure to shift, Virgo Moon. Supporting others to demonstrate their excellent traits is the quickest way to lessen your anxiety levels, if only because it forces you to recognize how much you can trust others with matters that are important to you.
Libra Moon
A profound reevaluation of your philosophy of service to others is suggested by the eclipsed Scorpio Full Moon. Your burdens could be halved if you can manage to distinguish what feels good to your Soul, from what you think garners your acceptance and belonging, Libra Moon. The Soul’s desire is a stainless guide to sustained contributions to all you love and feel called to serve and protect, while trying to simply win the approval or appreciation of others will inevitably drain your life energy.
Scorpio Moon
This is your Full Moon of 2023, Scorpio Moon, and it’s carrying a compelling message. Part of the story involves disentangling from false sources of the self, which may involve how you derive security, belonging, and validation from your more intimate relationship circles. You are outgrowing many relationships (or ways of relating), but the trick is in claiming that reality.
Sagittarius Moon
As much as you want to hyper focus on the flaws of others, Sag Moon, the surprise that unfolds from this eclipse is likely to erupt from your own unconscious being and doing. It’s perfectly natural to project our fears and worries, or even our best attributes, onto other people when it’s just too much to digest or to claim. Sinking your taproot into compassion—especially for those who dominate your thoughts, whether negative or positive—will summon your best ally for the possibly shocking realizations to eventually emerge from this eclipse season.
Capricorn Moon
The ways that you needlessly make work for yourself is a part of the eclipsed Scorpio Full Moon picture. The sincerity and devotion that you may naturally apply to your efforts could use some refocusing, as there seems to be some clutter that is hampering creativity and your availability for what really matters to you, Capricorn Moon.
Aquarius Moon
Whether it is time for a physical change of home, or a more emotional or spiritual relocation, something in your foundation is deeply at odds with your Soul’s work in the world, Aquarius Moon. This eclipsed lunation is fairly determined to get you to break your fixation on security and familiarity, and it would be wise to interrogate any inherited beliefs or cultural stories that are holding you back from your full contribution to the world.
Pisces Moon
If you’ve been getting lost in the big picture, Pisces Moon, this eclipse is all about focusing on the details. There is something about the way that you habitually approach your emotional and thought processes, which just isn’t going to solve whatever complications arise in the next few weeks to months. Changing up your daily habits and routines, and moving your physical body in different ways could help shake loose a useful new perspective.
