The Sun continues its journey through Taurus, proclaiming the flowering and unfolding of spring. Now the celestial energy of this season will come to a head as the Moon goes full in the sign of Scorpio, opposite the Sun.
Amidst the beauty of springtime and the growth that occurs around us, this Scorpio full moon brings many unconscious shadows to the fore. The strategic, embattled sign of Scorpio contrasts with the profoundly opening, gracious sign of Taurus and stirs of old fears, traumas, and war wounds.
Because the Full Moon starts the waning season, her placement indicates circumstances and behaviors in our lives that we often need to release. As she wanes and separates from the opposition to the Sun, so too should we wane and separate from the things in our lives that do not serve us. This is equally true for the Scorpio Full Moon, and we can witness the unconscious parts of us that are still preparing for war, and waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Scorpio is ruled by Mars, the God of bravery, boundaries, and war. Mars is the protector of the seven planets, the overseer of pain and loss, and the warden of the embattled, vigilant psyche.
The energy of Scorpio is deep and brooding. It has strong perceptive and intuitive qualities and is very emotionally intelligent. Scorpio grants great sight, the capacity to see beneath the surface, and face darkness and shadows head-on. It is very familiar with discomfort - physical and emotional - and can even seek out these kinds of experiences in a very brave, martial way. At its worst, Scorpio can demonstrate tendencies towards manipulation, control, and a preoccupation with power and the emotional control of others.
The Moon is in her fall in Scorpio. The queen of heavens and mother of us all is not at home in this sign of the warrior. This focus on loss, pain, and anxiety doesn’t cohere well with the Moon’s energy that prioritizes safety, nourishment, and emotional acceptance.
Natally, people born with a Scorpio Moon go through a profound experience of loss and trauma growing up. They are perceptive and insightful into the thoughts and motives of others, but this is often developed as a protective mechanism - the vigilance and hyperalertness come from being raised in an unsafe environment.
When the Moon goes full in Scorpio, our deepest fears and anxieties come to the surface, illuminated by the contrast of the Sun in the gentle, fertile sign of Taurus. We take up our swords needlessly. Old triggers and wounds fester. Traumatized people find anxieties and neuroses coming to the surface that otherwise would remain repressed.
You may find difficult, uncomfortable emotions arising out of nowhere, sometimes with no real rhyme or reason to their surfacing. Things can be absolutely fine and dandy, and yet you don’t feel well. You are safe, but don’t feel safe. Or old patterns and emotional wounds that you thought you had cleared suddenly overtake you again.
As these difficult experiences are stirred up, we must remember the higher calling during this season, as the Sun, lord of spirit and light, moves through the fertile sign of Taurus: we can remember our call to foster beauty and life.
The stability of the Sun in Taurus creates an environment in which we can safely process these emotions and past experiences. Girded by the sturdiness of Taurus season, we can process old wounds and emotional refuse that would otherwise never reveal themselves.
I'm reminded of an extremely pertinent line from the Orphic hymn to Ares:
To lovely Venus, and to Bacchus yield, To Ceres give the weapons of the field;
Let go of your sword. Turn your weapons back to the field of cultivation and prosperiy.
What battles in the past are you still fighting?
What attacks are you bracing for that are never going to come?
This full Moon, turn your swords into plowshares. Allow yourself to heal these old wounds on a deeper level as they resurface. Catharsis and purification from the specters of the past await you on the other side.
And from this catharsis you find new epiphanies coming from your own underworld. You can harrow hell and release the shades of your psyche that still linger there.
Mars forms a square to the moon. Be wary of conflict. You may find yourself overly suspicious of other people, and overly inclined to go to battle when no such battle is necessary.
Saturn forms a trine during this lunation. Stern teachers and hard lessons may arise during this period, but it will be easier to turn them around in your favor.
Red Jasper and Amazonite are both good stones for anxiety and fear. You can wear or hold these stones during times when you feel particularly overwhelmed. Lepidolite helps you to deal with traumas in a calming way. It’s nourishing and soothing for the psyche.
This is a good season for doing journeying and inner shadow work. Use formal meditation and the tools you have acquired to face whatever comes up head-on. This is an excellent time to find deep, cathartic healing from your spiritual practices.
Allow the universe to hold you. Know that you are safe in the intensity of this period and that nothing which arises will ruin you. If you surrender to the confrontation of the deepest aspects of your self, you will leave this period with a profound level of integration and inner gnosis.