Breakthroughs, Lightning Strikes and Liberation: April's Taurus New Moon

 

 

Lightning is the shorthand of a storm, and tells of chaos. Eric Mackay

The difficulties we experience always illuminate the lessons we need most. Anon

The best lightning rod for your protection is your own spine. Ralph Waldo Emerson

I’d rather be a lightning rod than a seismograph. Ken Kesey

First thoughts have tremendous energy. The internal censor usually squelches them, so we live in the realm of second and third thoughts, thoughts on thoughts, twice and three times removed from the direct connection of the first fresh flash. Natalie Goldberg

Knowledge does not come to us in details, but in flashes of light from heaven. Henry David Thoreau

Nothing in life is more exciting and rewarding than the sudden flash of insight that leaves you a changed person - not only changed, but for the better. Arthur Gordon

The Taurus new Moon occurs on April 21 and it has a very strong electrical charge to it. The Sabian Symbol is Taurus 2: An Electrical Storm Illuminates The Heavens And Forests. From my book 360 Degrees Of Wisdom:

‘An Electrical Storm’ can really wake us up. Sometimes it comes out of the blue, when we’re not expecting it. As it approaches there is a strong build up of energy and things can become stuck and static. There is a feeling of something pending, the tension and promise of a breaking point occurring at any minute. As it ‘Illuminates the Heavens and the Forests’, it sheds flashes of light on the environment or the immediate situation. It often happens that the cleansing promise of rain is held back momentarily while the power of the situation seems to take over everything.

A situation will most likely change from what it first appeared to be. You may actually have little influence over what is being unleashed. In the meantime, there’s a need to keep a coo lead while observing every thing around. Eventually the energy will dissipate and you will regain control: physically, mentally or emotionally. Lightning is a powerful ‘Electrical’ energy, and brilliant flashes of intuition can come when it is unleashed. This Symbol says that the ‘Electrical Storm Illuminates the Heavens and the Forests’; with a sense of added awareness, it brings insight and ‘Illumination’ to a high point of focus. Things that have not been obvious before are likely to become much clearer to you, sometimes crystal clear. Paths out of confusion can suddenly be revealed. Pay attention, as this can be in short grabs. Things will seem better if you feel safe in your environment and with the people around you. Keep your eyes wide open. Don’t worry about losing control, as the ‘Electrical Storm’ will pass relatively quickly, possibly leaving you in a better place and a fresh state of mind.

Keywords: Reverence for the forces of nature. Loud cracks, flashes, and bangs that clear the air. Flashes of insight. Tension and its release. Electrical conductors. The sense that all hell is going to break loose. Short circuits of mind or emotions. Electricity failures. Crackling emotions. Flashes in quick succession. Bursts of energy. Light changing. Psychic clearing. Hot flushes. Surges.

The Caution: Being frozen in fear just when one needs to spurt o action. Losing control. Being distracted by surroundings. Not being completely aware of all the potential dangers. Worry that overtakes and engulfs. Chaos in the brain. Nervous reactions.Things changing quickly. Brilliance that is quickly or easily lost. Power blackouts.

Of course, the 'Electrical Storm' can be a wonderfully cleansing and refreshing thing and it can lead to all kinds of breakthroughs.

The Karmic Condition (the degree before) of this new Moon is Taurus 1: A Clear Mountain Stream Flows Steadily Downstream.

Keywords: Remaining fluid. Flowing energy. Pure sources, nourishment and refreshment. Sure sense of direction. “Untainted” blood lines. Purifying one’s thoughts, ideas and beliefs. Things set in train from upstream. Water. Dams. Water as a resource. Purification. Cleaning and cleansing. Pipelines. The spiritual dimensions of water. Baptism. Elemental knowledge. Traffic. Flowing crowds of people.

The Caution: Aimlessness. Aloofness. Feelings of physical, spiritual ,racial or intellectual purity that can lead to smugness, bigotry or a false sense of superiority. Ice cold feelings and responses. Not taking notice or being concerned about another’s feelings. Cold ambition. Mud and sediment. Pollutants. Algae. Stagnant moments.

The Quest Degree (the degree following) of the new Moon is Taurus 3: Natural Steps Up To A Lawn Blooming With Clover. This is a wonderful degree of the promise of security, safety, beauty, riches and a sense of 'arriving' to where one wants to be.

Keywords: Hopefulness. Inspirational possibilities. Gradually enlarging one’s vision. Harmony. Seasonal changes. Running around on grass. Bare feet. The beauty of greenery and flowers. Stability on the path. Steps that invite one on to bigger and better things. Abundance, nourishment. Making small efforts that can lead to large returns. Places to spread out and relax.

The Caution: Looking for the easy way out. Not making the effort to find what is just a few steps away. Being lazy when one should be going for the objective. Temporary success. Expecting everything to be laid out before you.

The electrical charge that is likely to be felt at this new Moon is made stronger by Mercury and Uranus pairing up in the early degrees of Aries. Uranus rules electricity (lightning) and Mercury conducts electricity.

Mercury is on Aries 5: A White Triangle Is Seen, It Has Golden Wings. Talking of inspiration, this is an inspirational degree. One only has to ground the energy and all kinds of things can take place. This Symbol shows a connection between the terrestrial and the celestial. The image of the triangle and the wings has been used many times in symbology as a spiritual image of ascension, amongst other things.

Keywords: Inspiration and zeal. Feeling elevated and inspired through spiritual or creative agencies. Flying to a greater perspective. Taking off. Purity of thought and expression. Angelic forms. Creative imagination. Self-transcendence. Finding new dimensions of experience. Illusions of sight. Visions.

The Caution: Not noticing your own down-to-earth needs or the needs of those around you. Losing the plot. Escapism. Forgetting about the requirements and desires of the body.

Uranus is just a degree and a half away on Aries 7: A Man Successfully Expressing Himself In Two Realms At Once.

Keywords: Integrating the spiritual with the material. Balancing things. Doing juggling acts. Moving through people’s lives and social stratas. Translations of words and thoughts from one area of life to another. Having separate family situations. Living a dual life. Being adaptable. Moonlighting. Alternate realities. Shifting focus when necessary.

The Caution: Fooling yourself that you can be all things to different people, but eventually failing in one or both. Exhaustion through trying to achieve too much. Deception, if allegiances are not clear. Infidelity and fickleness. Scattering of interests with little being achieved. Bigamy. Two-faced. Lies and masquerades.

Venus, the ruler of this Taurean new Moon, seems to be suggesting that it is a good idea to share your thoughts, ideas, plans or emotional situations with a true and trusted friend. Venus is on Gemini 15: Two Dutch Children Talking And Studying Their Lessons Together.

Keywords: Sharing of innocence and carefree thoughts and ideals. Exchanging views with like-minded individuals. Simplicity. Sense of companionship. Communication. Best friends. Having the right teacher. Learning and studying. Conversations that illuminate issues. Speaking many languages. Gossiping.

The Caution: Failing to communicate in depth. Unsophisticated viewpoints. Excluding others as “unworthy”. Societal or racial prejudice. “Hearing voices” that don’t make sense. Not hearing the opinions of others that may further the understanding about how the world works. Speaking a foreign language so as to exclude others.

Mars is finally beginning to pick up speed after being retrograde since January 25. The Symbol is Virgo 4: Black And White Children Playing Happily Together.

Keywords: Universal brotherhood. Overcoming prejudices and boundaries that separate people. Knocking down social barriers to relate freely. Being able to let go, relax and have fun with people from anywhere. Adopted siblings. Foster homes. Affirmative action. Trust and joy.

The Caution: Morality that is swayed by public opinion. Not adjusting psychologically to situations that require creative responses. Racial and social prejudice. Seeing things in black and white terms. Clear demarcations that separate people or situations. Apartheid. Illusions based on the separative perceptions of society.

Mars is opposite Neptune, bringing up issues of sacrifice, dreams, visions, confusions, etc. There could be a need to take a look at your boundaries and what you will and won't put up with. Drugs, alcohol or just not seeing the true picture clearly could muddy the waters somewhat.

Neptune is on Pisces 3: A Petrified Forest, An Eternal Record Of A Life Lived Long Ago. Many are likely to be looking at the records of the past or assessing their lives in terms of where they are now compared to where they've been.

Keywords: Remnants from the past. Stillness. Agelessness. Plastic surgery. Being able to withstand life’s storms. Resilience. Crystals, diamonds, gemstones. Beauty that remains ageless. Wood and lacquered wood. Coal, oil and petrochemicals. Diets. Dependability. Family histories. Keeping records. Amber. Fossils. Geology. Archeology. Ancient remnants. Mental and emotional filing cabinets. Lingering evidence. Petrified wood. Photographs and photography. Stones. Stone monuments.

The Caution: Rigidity, immobility, inflexibility. Being frozen. Not letting go of difficulties. Hanging on for grim death. Feeling stuck or frozen. Destroying things that are old. Severing links to the past. Keeping tabs. Memories that destroy the present.

Dealing with the past and letting go of it seems to be the message of Jupiter on Taurus 18: A Women Airing An Old Bag Through A Sunny Window To Give It Air And Sunshine. This speaks of getting out the old, the moldy, the unused, the unworthy, the soiled and out of date things out of your closets, cupboards, minds and hearts.

Keywords: Psychoanalysis. Past life regressions or memories. Doing domestic chores with a feeling of purpose. Work shopping ideas. Bringing light and freshness to old feelings. Renewal. Throwing things out that are old or have outlived their usefulness. Cleaning out rooms. Renovations. Letting the sunshine in.

The Caution: Expecting others to take responsibility for cleaning up and airing out. Hanging on to old, outworn things and memories. Airing one’s ‘dirty laundry’ in public. Rehashing old situations. Going over the same ground over and over. Bringing up issues when it’s inappropriate. Depressed attitudes.

It seems that it's through getting those old things up and out will pave the way for bigger and better things, especially as Jupiter quickly moves onto Taurus 19: A New Continent Rises From The Ocean. What new ground, new place, fresh new field of activity, etc, are you ready for?

Pluto is on Capricorn 10: An Albatross Feeding From The Hand Of A Sailor. This degree shows the rewards, and the necessity, of letting go of worries, superstitions or gulfs between you and others or between you and what you really want.

Keywords: Feeding one’s higher nature with good nourishment. Banishing worries, so that one can fly ever higher. Overcoming superstitions or beliefs. Travelers who put themselves at risk in foreign lands or cultures. Talking to anybody anywhere. Sharing one’s bounty. Sailors, boats. Birds. Empathy and sympathy for others. Restoring trust and hope.

The Caution: Manipulating events or people with false nourishment. Having alternative motives for wanting to draw others close. Being extremely afraid of strangers or strange situations. The loss of independence.

There are a lot of messages in this new Moon, but the overriding message appears to
be to expect the unexpected. It sounds like it's time for a lot of purging and letting go and embracing the new. Remember the degree following this new Moon - Taurus 3: Natural Steps Up To A Lawn Blooming In Clover - it's a truly beautiful degree! What steps can you take now?