The Cosmic Story: Taurus Full Moon, November 10, 2011
By Cathy Lynn Pagano (about the author)

The Cosmic Story:Taurus Full Moon:

November 10, 2011

Life Flashing Before Our Eyes

This month's Taurus Full Moon stands across from the Scorpio Sun, making us aware of life flashing before our eyes during this season of death. The Taurus Moon energizes the beauty and possibilities of life that we want to conserve and protect during the coming months of darkness and cold, so they can blossom again next May. At this full moon, we stand at that moment before death when we see what we have chosen to believe is important in life. Look deeply at what you value and decide if it's still important to you. If it is, conserve it; if it's not, let it go -- let it die.

Since this full Moon lands right on my Taurus Venus, I will take this opportunity and tell you what I'm seeing as I face my yearly Scorpio shedding of skins. I see the beauty of the Earth and wonder of the Cosmos first and foremost. A brisk wind blowing through the mountains, glinting sunlight on the Seine, the dance of ritual fire, the changing landscape, the starry night sky. I also see how climate change affects my world and my people in burnt-out forests, dry riverbeds, giant dust storms and early snowstorms. I see my children, my family and my friends and they fill me with love and hope. I hear exotic rhythms, I see radiant colors, I smell fragrant cheeses and baking breads, I hug myself in scratchy warm wool, I taste delicious Italian gelato! I remember new and unexpected experiences. I see old wounds healed and integrated. And the most wonderful thing I feel is hope - hope of changing the world as I see my sisters and brothers gathering around the world to stand up for freedom and a new peaceful vision of Life here on Earth.


While many of you might see something different from what I'm seeing, this is a very Taurean inventory of the beauty life holds in store for us. Stewardship of the Land, loyalty and love of family/friends, sensuality, and a sustainable future are hallmarks of a Taurean's strength and endurance. While the Sun moves through Scorpio, the Earth slowly sinks into sleep in the Northern hemisphere and dreams of the future. (yes I know my southern friends are waking up to Springtime! Joy for both of us, since I love Winter.) Our Mother Earth takes a time out to rest. Are you resting enough? With the seasonal shift in light that comes on cross-quarter holidays such as Samhain/Halloween and the end of DST in the United States, people are exhausted and need to remember to rest. That's definitely a Taurean trait!

Our Collective Taurus Full Moon Experience


Scorpio by Cathy Pagano/Kepler


This 2nd full moon after the Autumn Equinox urges us to form collectives, working with others to create change within and without. Once the Sun moves into the second half of the zodiac, from Libra to Pisces, we gather together in collectives to sustain life through the cold and the dark. Like ancient tribes, we gather together to sustain each other during the hard winter months. In Libra, the idea of cooperation and partnership is generated. In Scorpio, we are forced to look at the emotional issues that arise as a result of those partnerships and tribes.

So it makes sense that we look outside to the collective this month and see how this full moon plays out in the culture. The Occupy movement is a wonderful example of how this energy is manifesting just before the arrival of the first of the 7 Pluto/Uranus squares next year. The Occupy movement is only six weeks old and it is growing like a miraculous hero/hera (Uranus in Aries), bringing in supporters across the world. The ideal (Neptune in Aquarius on America's natal Moon) is to stand in our truth (Libra) before power (Pluto in Capricorn) and demand justice (Saturn in Libra). Any astrologer could have told you that the hippies would be back playing drums during the demonstrations -- after all, the 60s are back.

Now with Scorpio energy in play, we are seeing both the strength and the weakness that each group must face. When the darker energies arise, how do we handle them? On the plus side, Occupy Oakland shut down the port for a day. We are building coalitions that will work together toward common goals. There has been plenty of debate about the "demands' of the Occupy movement, but it's easy to read. People want change -- not the false promises of politicians but real, observable change in an economic and political system that no longer works. We're educated and conscious enough to get it right this time but we have to stay peaceful, we have to stay united and we have to be courageous. Innovation and imagination blossom in these situations and issues become interesting problems to be solved rather than hurdles to overcome.

That's why we have to face the reality of Scorpio's death and transformation, both within and without. Only the strength of Taurus and Scorpio combined can see us through the darkness of Death into the light of new Life.

The Scorpionic dark side of the quest for real freedom is beginning to manifest -- the violence that is the "other way' - to "fight' for freedom as all oppressed peoples have done against tyranny. That's why I like the fact that people are "occupying' things instead of "fighting' things. We are putting our bodies on the line by standing up for our beliefs, not fighting for them, which is the old way. We cannot stop war with other wars. We stop wars by facing Death and not fighting. Already the Occupy groups are de-crying the use of violence in Oakland and standing in their truth. "We will do this peacefully. We will not go away. We will win, for we are the 99% of people in the world. We've been taught about freedom, and now we really want it."

Violence begets violence. The Scorpio energies bubble with that kind of raw, volcanic violence. We can choose that way, but we will only recreate a violent world or an angry life. Or we can learn to walk calmly over that lava flow of destructive fire -- firewalking at its best! If we want a new world, we have to birth it with labor -- which might include the pain of channeling the fire instead of letting it consume you -- with love, with determination, with hope and with vision. A new Aeon, the Child of the Woman in Revelations, is being birthed now within so many people. These are the testing times, when we let go of the last bit of ego-darkness -- a fake darkness fraught with unfounded fears and unexplained terror -- and allow the healing darkness of Feminine Spirit to fill us. To rest in the Mother is a gift, not a punishment.

Scorpio initiates emotional release and transformation within the psyche if we are ready for it. This means releasing old, ugly hurtful emotions and fears that live in our unconscious and which get activated when we're with other people. I know many people are ready for it. Just as the Occupy movement is establishing new ways of living and making decisions communally, each one of us is doing the same within our own groups. We are growing together, and any emotional distrust, fear of betrayal and loss of love will be felt by others. Instead of hiding our feelings, we can listen to and understand them. Then choose what to do about them. Ignoring or repressing our darker side isn't the answer. The answer is to understand what those feelings are and to find ways to ease their pain without giving in to them. We need to get down to the truth of our Being and not be afraid to BE who we are meant to be.

1 | 2