Waning Moon in Taurus

Today opened with a flow of energy (trine) from the Moon in calm Taurus to Mars in careful Virgo (exact at 3:28am EDT), so if you woke with the determination to clean closets or weed the garden, that would be why!

Until she reaches the late degrees tonight, the Moon revels in sensual Taurean energy. Yes, Taurus is an Earth sign, practical and steady in getting things done, but this Earth sign is ruled by lovely Venus, and knows that stopping to smell the roses is also a vital part of life.

We're now in the final days of this lunar cycle, the balsamic phase. In this part of the cycle, we are aware of endings. We understand deeply that dissolution and loss are natural times in the cycle of life, especially in the physical plane. We have learned whatever we have learned, adding (we hope!) to our store of wisdom, and release what must be released to prepare for the new cycle to come.

This balsamic time adds poignancy to our loving appreciation of the world around us today. Taurus creates form, nurturing and supporting growth in the world. The Taurus Moon sees the beauty of the petals as they fall, sad to lose the flower but knowing the fruit will come.

At 10:15pm EDT, the Moon flows bright energy with Mercury in Cancer, together giving voice to the past, and time, and the beauties of the world. A challenge to Venus in dramatic Leo at 11:06pm creates energy to creatively express these feelings. A challenge to Neptune in Aquarius at 12:53am touches the same chord: the tension between loving the forms of the world, and knowing change will come.

The Taurus Moon's final aspect is a flow of energy in trine to Saturn in Virgo, a reminder that our work in the world (Saturn) is meant to serve others (Virgo). Placing our nurturing of forms that grow and then are lost in the context of service brings a wider understanding, and may help us let go.

The Moon enters her time-between-times with the trine to Saturn, emerging from her cocoon into Gemini's butterfly energy at 3:51am EDT Thursday. Tomorrow is indeed another day!

Flowers of Bugloss (Echium cf. plantagineum) image is the Photo of the Day at WikiMedia Commons today, taken by Joaquim Alves Gaspar of Lisboa, Portugal.

Moon in Taurus

Today's Moon in patient, calm Taurus is moving away from her trine with transformative Pluto and digging deep into the Earth. This is a respite, valuable but brief, from the pressures to change that surround us now. This is a time for nourishing our roots, for understanding what supports and grounds us.

The Taurus Moon is in sympathy with the tradition-loving Cancer Sun; they will flow energy in sextile just after midnight (12:37am EDT tomorrow). If the cosmos has been pushing for shifts that are uncomfortable for you, today is your refuge. Understanding the natural, slow cycles of growth is a Taurean strength. In this sign, we know some things just can't be hurried.

And yet, we live in times that insist on, demand, and compel us toward drastic change.

Uranus the change agent stationed (stood still) yesterday, preparing to slip back for a while into Pisces. Planets are especially powerful as they station, which added to yesterday's Aries fire. In the days to come, Uranus will turn his searchlight once more on our Piscean realms of visions, dreams and spirituality, shaking things up and asking where we need to let go and allow the new.

Taurus sometimes responds to demands by digging in his heels and refusing. A more adaptive response might be to use today's reflective time to examine our root systems. Where are we root-bound, needing a bigger pot? Where have our roots been undermined, no longer supporting healthy growth? Where does the balance of moisture, air and nutrients need to be adjusted?

The Taurus Moon does know that change will come ... the Moon understands this inevitability better than any other body in the sky. We need and want strong, flexible, healthy roots that nourish us and the world around us. Today's energy can help us grow them.

The fig tree above is a photo from the Orinoco River basin by Fev. The roots crops were photographed in a Dutch market by 4028mdk09. Both from WikiMedia Commons.

Moon in Aries Moving into Taurus

Today's transition from fiery Aries into peaceful Taurus feels for me like that time after a thunderstorm when the world feels washed clean. The intense energy of the storm has passed, leaving the air charged, renewed and full of possibility. Streams run clear and strong, the ground is dark and wet. Everything green soaks up the energy, every cell plump and firm.

Knowing the storm will pass, we can enjoy its intensity. Right now, the Aries Moon flows bright energy with both Venus in playful, dramatic Leo (trine) and Neptune in electric Aquarius (sextile). Venus and Neptune oppose each other, a lively dialogue about the balance between individual creative expression and the needs of the collective. The Aries Moon wants action on both fronts, calling us to move toward the deepest desires of our hearts.

Equally powerful is a grand trine of goddesses in the sky now, as the Moon trines the asteroid Ceres, the grain mother, in generous Sagittarius. Embracing each other in fire, the element of transformation, Mother Demeter, fierce maiden Artemis (Moon in Aries), and queenly Isis (Venus in Leo) grab our hands and pull us into their cosmic dance, opening our hearts to new possibilities.


The Moon enters her time-between-times, the void of course, at 5:25pm EDT as the sextile to Neptune comes exact. Here she rests until 8:30pm EDT, when she greets us warmly in steady, patient Taurus.

Our time of transformation is not over, though. Her first aspects will be a sextile with Chiron the healer, followed by a trine to Pluto the initiator. Whatever the storm brought forward can now be healed and given a new form.

The wet leaf is macro photograph by Sujit kumar.

The image of Fort de Bourlémont is today's Picture of the Day on WikiMedia Commons and was taken by Bresson Thomas from Belfort, France.