Shrouded in a lunar eclipse, the Full Moon in Taurus at 1:24 p.m. US/Pacific ushers us into the season of close contact between this world and the other more mysterious lands of ancestors and spiritual beings of all kinds.
Relational Venus will form a fleeting grand trine with Uranus and Pluto from about October 27 to November 8, offering us a chance in this season to make especially potent ceremonial offerings to the ancestors, especially if we would like to change or deepen our relationships with them. Offer up some beauty: flowers, sweets, your tears, poetry, or praise for the Earth.
The eclipsed Full Moon of October 28 may feel somewhat confrontational, with a feisty energy that may show up as righteous anger, or outsized ambitions. Beware of acting or speaking with too much haste and too little reflection. On the other hand, we might welcome a needed boost in confidence to have challenging conversations, including confrontations with our own problematic behaviors and attitudes.
Among those may be the temptation to dig and pry into others’ private affairs, or subtle manipulations in search of emotional security, as our minds may tend towards mistrust or paranoia while Mercury traverses the sign of Scorpio (October 21 to November 9). It might be better to be vulnerable to the other, to risk learning some new lessons in trust and how to trust, especially if we have suffered serious betrayal. A reflection on the past four years (Saturn) and the future (Uranus) collide to create chasms and unsteady bridges, which could bring forth some wisdom in this regard, as the times have certainly changed since 2019, but what last things might still be clinging to us, relics which must be relinquished? This eclipse will give many of us the chance to trust the continuity embedded in the anima mundi, or the Soul of the World, which is ever in motion and asking us to release in order to give birth together again and again.
Full Moon in Taurus
During this time of year, festivals and remembrances of the dead, such as All Souls’ Day, Ilgės, Día de Muertos, Dziady, and Samhain, correspond to the Sun’s entry into deep, dark Scorpio on October 23 (until November 23), a zodiac sign which reminds us of the power and magnetism of the hidden or unseen. The depths of our interdependence with others, and with the influences of the forgotten past, can come to the fore in this season, as we assess what to hold onto and what must pass away or be transformed.
An eclipse obscures the light of the Sun or the Moon, and its symbolism suggests the dawn of a new awareness as matters previously hidden are brought to consciousness—sometimes all at once, and sometimes over the course of many months. The eclipsed Full Moon of October 28 may feel somewhat confrontational, with a feisty conjunction of mental Mercury and martial Mars opposing the magnifying powers of Jupiter, heightening our quest for knowledge and justice. Under the influence of the emotional supercharge of a Full Moon, we may be swept up in righteous anger, or allow our aspirations to override our sense of proper proportions. We must take care to not jump to conclusions or act with too much haste, or to perhaps bite off way more than we can chew.
Mercury in Scorpio
Mercury Conjunct Mars Opposite Jupiter
Yet we may also be called to the extremes of our longings. As the mind of Mercury traverses Scorpio (October 21 to November 9), so many of us will feel compelled to dig deep in search of the ancestors of our inspirations, motivations, and provocations. This can be productive if we avoid the temptation to invade others’ privacy or manipulate others in search of an elusive emotional security. If we do go snooping, we will be responsible for what we find. Particularly while Mercury is conjoined with the forceful nature of Mars (exact October 29), we are unlikely to be able to contain our brooding and questing, and while exploding out all over others (or being exploded on) is a strong possibility, so is receiving a positive boost of courage to engage with others about the things that matter.
Saturn Square Uranus
This could prove to be quite the balancing act, though, especially if we have been postponing a crucial conversation a bit too long. Should our balance falter, we are likely to enter familiar territory, as the sudden turns and unexpected consequences of Saturn square Uranus (December 2019 to January 2024) makes a final sweep through our lives. This period has brought a collision of the past (Saturn) and the future (Uranus) that was filled with rough edges, deep chasms, and unsteady bridges. The king of karma, Saturn is stationing direct on November 4, amplifying his power in the anima mundi for several weeks before finally departing from his square with lightning fast Uranus.
Issues of trust and betrayal are likely to surface, and new understandings of trust could potentially emerge if we choose to reflect upon all the upheaval of the past four years. As much as this lunation may make it feel as if we are fighting for our lives or our most cherished ideals, it is a time of confronting what no longer holds true. Times have changed, but have we?
Uranus Trine Pluto
As much as the cosmos is fundamentally an evolutionary process, it is all too human to resist change by clinging to stability and seeking certainty. Yet the pre-Socratic Greek philosopher Heraclitus famously stated Panta rhei, “Everything flows,” using the analogy of never stepping into the same river twice. The river is in constant motion. The planets continue to spiral around the Sun, generating novelty and challenging our ideas of stability, which involves more flexibility than we might expect.
Fortunately, as the tense clash between Saturn and Uranus subsides, the epic power of Pluto is starting to make a harmonious trine aspect to Uranus (August 2023 to May 2030). Uranus trine Pluto will not peak until 2026, but we may still enjoy its support in easing us into new realities, and finding greater comfort with the depth of change that is rippling through the Earth process and the human process. As the timekeeper Saturn shifts his influence to other regions of the anima mundi, we might contemplate the integrity of the past that invisibly structures our present realities and future potentials. Perhaps more than Saturn, the symbol of the Moon now moving through the eclipse portal, speaks of the persistence of memory, the continuity within evolution’s rebirthing process. The author C.S. Lewis reminds us: “Humanity does not pass through phases as a train passes through stations; being alive, it has the privilege of always moving yet never leaving anything behind. Whatever we have been, in some sort we are still.”
Lunar Eclipse in Taurus by Moon Sign
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, and this eclipsed Full Moon suggests confrontations with truth or hidden agendas, as well as a river of high-spirited aspirations that may well overflow our banks. Let’s see how the Taurus Full Moon impacts your own Moon placement!
Aries Moon
The spotlight is on your finances and income under this lunation, Aries Moon. Your needs may feel overwhelming under an eclipsed Taurus Full Moon, but listening closely to those needs can help guide your efforts to improve or fortify your position; pay close attention to how your inner life is supporting or undermining your goals.
Taurus Moon
This is your Full Moon of 2023, Taurus Moon! The topic of selfishness may emerge under this eclipse, and whether you are needing to assert greater freedom in your affairs or ask that others help you more to succeed in your creative projects, don’t shy away from any conflict. Avoidance or delay will only add to the difficulty.
Gemini Moon
While much activity may center on your duties and obligations, and all the service you offer to others, the Taurus Full Moon’s lunar eclipse would like to remind you of the Great Work, Gemini Moon. That your life is a Great Work, and all your efforts now are properly understood as flowing towards that larger masterwork in progress.
Cancer Moon
Sometimes the pleasures in life have to take a backseat while you work towards your hopes and dreams for the future, Cancer Moon. While the Taurus Full Moon’s eclipse might feel like a damper on your ability to adventure or roam freely, it’s really asking for a change of mind on how your present circumstance is building the very bright future ahead of you.
Leo Moon
What Leo Moon doesn’t like to be in the limelight—even if secretly? Your wish may come true under the Taurus Full Moon’s lunar eclipse, and stir up quite a bit of ambivalence about that kind of exposure. If you feel yourself getting defensive or reactive, don’t waste time analyzing external parties. Look for the parts inside of you who are directly encouraging you to boost your own self-esteem.
Virgo Moon
Pity the target of your criticism under the Taurus Full Moon eclipse, Virgo Moon! You might try tempering your scorn with some humility. Though you may generally not suffer fools gladly, take care not to miss the forest for the trees, since it’s the big picture that holds the key to understanding why those “fools” may not be so stupid after all.
Libra Moon
This might be an especially touchy lunation for you, Libra Moon, as some of your most vulnerable areas are poked and prodded. The cosmos is not trying to be cruel with this eclipsed Taurus Full Moon, it’s more trying to help you see how much you have grown, how much more liberated you are than you may currently believe. Pro tip: take that risk and grow—it will hurt more to resist the risk you are pushed to take!
Scorpio Moon
The next month is likely to be pretty intense, and the Taurus Full Moon’s eclipse might provide just the recipe for clearing out some relational funkiness. If you aren’t direct about it, other parties are likely to bring it up, and all for the better, Scorpio Moon. Let any confrontations provide the opportunity to bring your unspoken desires into the light of your conscious awareness.
Sagittarius Moon
If you have felt overextended lately—trying to be too many things to too many people—take care not to blame others for this circumstance, Sag Moon. The eclipsed Taurus Full Moon can help you notice the patterns you’re caught in with saying “yes” too much, and help you find that very healthy “no”—but only if you take responsibility for your circumstances.
Capricorn Moon
This lunar eclipse may represent a big ambition check, Capricorn Moon. It’s fitting that there is always a mountain to climb underfoot, but you may find the obstacles which are slowing you down are actually there to help you plot a better pathway up that mountain. Befriend the obstacles!
Aquarius Moon
The eclipse of the Taurus Full Moon provides a glimpse into your sense of belonging within your family, Aquarius Moon. Whether you feel like a stranger in a strange home with them, or as if you belong to a unique, eccentric group, the benefits and the blessings of your belonging are likely to rise to the surface.
Pisces Moon
Some crucial information is coming to you under the lunar eclipse in Taurus, and it is essential that you not question or even shoot the messenger. However difficult or even weird the download may be, Pisces Moon, this lunation offers you a valuable perspective if you can let go of how this info has come to you.
