Earthing the fires of the season
Today is the astrological Beltane, when the sun is at halfway between the beginning of Aries at Spring Equinox and the beginning of Cancer at Summer Solstice. Beltane, or May Day, is usually celebrated on May 1st, and this year was followed a couple of days later by a new moon in Taurus. Beltane is a festival of fertility and sensuality, as well as the purifying bonfires through which cattle would traditionally be driven. It's a time to sneak off into the woods with your beloved and practise a little sympathetic magic, awakening the land as well as your own senses.
There are five planets still in Aries, including the slow moving outer planet Uranus, and social planet Jupiter which will be there for a year or so. The sun and new moon in Taurus bring some much-needed calm to the skies, grounding us and helping us to bring all those exciting Aries plans into manifestation.
In contrast to the fiery activity of Aries, Taurus energy is all about being settled. Taurus is concerned with physical needs and security, with having something concrete to hold on to to keep us safe and sane. A fixed sign, Taurus likes to hold on to her possessions, to build a solid foundation against life's ups and downs. Taureans are lovers of the material realm, enjoying the security brought by a comfortable financial situation. But this is a sign ruled by Venus, and so also symbolises desire, pleasure, the embodiment of spirit in flesh, the gifts of our senses. Taureans tend to enjoy the good things in life - good food, beautiful music, luxurious surroundings. This is also a creative sign, that of the crafter who makes something beautiful out of wood or colourful fabric, the cook who creates not just a meal but a home and a welcoming atmosphere to enjoy it in.
So a Taurus new moon is a time to seek joy, to find our bliss and follow it, to allow the spirit of Beltane to possess us. With the motivation and initiative of Aries, and the earthy resources of Taurus, we can bring something truly beautiful into manifestation.
There are five planets still in Aries, including the slow moving outer planet Uranus, and social planet Jupiter which will be there for a year or so. The sun and new moon in Taurus bring some much-needed calm to the skies, grounding us and helping us to bring all those exciting Aries plans into manifestation.
In contrast to the fiery activity of Aries, Taurus energy is all about being settled. Taurus is concerned with physical needs and security, with having something concrete to hold on to to keep us safe and sane. A fixed sign, Taurus likes to hold on to her possessions, to build a solid foundation against life's ups and downs. Taureans are lovers of the material realm, enjoying the security brought by a comfortable financial situation. But this is a sign ruled by Venus, and so also symbolises desire, pleasure, the embodiment of spirit in flesh, the gifts of our senses. Taureans tend to enjoy the good things in life - good food, beautiful music, luxurious surroundings. This is also a creative sign, that of the crafter who makes something beautiful out of wood or colourful fabric, the cook who creates not just a meal but a home and a welcoming atmosphere to enjoy it in.
So a Taurus new moon is a time to seek joy, to find our bliss and follow it, to allow the spirit of Beltane to possess us. With the motivation and initiative of Aries, and the earthy resources of Taurus, we can bring something truly beautiful into manifestation.