Eclipse midpoint; state the problem in a solvable way

We are in the season of Beltane, whether you count this holiday as May 1, May 5 (the day the Sun passes over the midpoint between equinox and solstice), or the entire first week-plus of May. This year, we have a full pasture of planets in Taurus for Beltane, which celebrates the fecundity of the Earth and of ourselves. Plus, we have a pair of eclipses straddling the holiday — which means that today we’re at the quarter Moon phase: a tipping point in the lunar cycle.

Simplified chart section showing the Moon and Juno (purple asterisk) in Aquarius, square the Sun in Taurus. Also in Taurus: Mercury, Mars, Pallas Athene, the South Node and Venus. View glyph key here.

The last quarter Moon occurs one week after a Full Moon: a square between the Sun (currently in mid-Taurus) and the waning Moon (currently in mid-Aquarius). This last quarter Moon is exact at 7:14 am EDT today.

Notably, the Aquarius Moon is conjunct the asteroid Juno, offering a reflection of our more crystallized ideas about marriage, partnership and jealousy. These may be some of the same ideas that the current eclipses — last week’s Scorpio lunar eclipse, and next week’s Taurus solar eclipse — are asking us to release (or at least examine and revalue).

Have you noticed some beliefs or feelings in that realm beginning to loosen up over the past week? Are you feeling yourself at a tipping point? Can you sense that momentum toward something new could really build if you say ‘yes’ to whatever previously seemed out of the question, but is beginning to feel strangely right?

Squares ask us to take action. In the case of a quarter Moon, that might mean embracing a new emotional posture that fits better than an old one.

All of this is happening with a backdrop of many planets in Taurus, emphasizing what we value — about ourselves, about our environment. Whatever we consider to be ‘ours’ in any tangible way is emphasized right now. Current inhabitants of Taurus include (in order of degree in the sign): Mercury, Mars, the Sun, asteroid Pallas Athene, the lunar South Node (a calculated point) and Venus.

It’s the lunar nodes that indicate roughly where eclipses occur (the North Node is exactly opposite, in Scorpio). Often the South Node is interpreted as being old, comfortable and karmic (in a past-life sense); things we need to release. But Philip Sedgwick, in his newsletter this past weekend, reminded his readers that this sense of karma also represents skills and experiences that are so easy for us, so much a part of us, that we can forget to appreciate having them at our disposal.

Sedgwick makes the point that with both the South Node and all these transiting planets in Taurus, there’s considerable emphasis on “internal resources” we’d do well to pay attention to:

Inner resources, skills, creative abilities, attributes, talents and such, never go away. Regardless of money in the bank or investments lingering in the limboland of speculation, these assets are always in the bank of one’s consciousness. Sometimes these assets get overlooked. Here, the south node’s effort reminds all to remember, recollect, collect, combine, amalgamate and create. This combination surely will please the lordship of Saturn.

Speaking of Saturn: it is in Scorpio, opposite those personal planets in Taurus getting all earthy and sensual. As each one has entered Taurus, it has opposed Saturn — an aspect that emphasizes authority, structure, limits and responsibility as necessary to getting things done. No matter how much beauty, sensuality or ease Taurus brings to the equation, it’s that sign’s ability to dig in and push through whatever needs to be done that works best in response to Saturn on the other side of the wheel.

Not that Saturn puts a damper on Beltane celebrations. It’s more like, if you can contact that part of yourself that values doing a job thoroughly and well — thereby self-motivating, rather than trying to please an authority figure — you’ll feel even freer to enjoy intimate festivities and sinking your toes into the earth.

That includes any ‘adult’ communication — both the ‘responsible’ and the ‘XXX’ kinds — as Mercury opposes Saturn on Sunday, May 5 (exact 7:12 am EDT).

Mercury-Saturn indicates a day to pay careful attention to communication dynamics. Do what you can to shift transactions rooted in authority imbalances into ones that are adult to adult.

The challenge is that so many of our verbal transactions are pre-scripted reactions, and most of the time we don’t notice. In this equation, the one playing the role of the adult may have something to hide [Saturn retrograde in Scorpio] and it may not be possible to ‘get them to open up’. It may be up to you to figure out what’s going on, or what information is influencing things from the background.

In terms of your inner thought process, notice what happens if you reach a ‘wall’ in your own mind. What do you do? Consider taking a different approach — something more creative, circumspect or imaginative. Step back and get a wider perspective. You may not be stating the problem in such as way that it can be solved. How can you rephrase and reframe things to give yourself options?

3 thoughts on “Eclipse midpoint; state the problem in a solvable way”

  1. Thanks Amanda for the article and for clarifying the conjunction of the Moon and Juno but also close to Aphrodite, Diana, Eris, a gathering of asteroids symbolizing feminine power… Good Weekend

  2. Before Mercury opposeses Saturn he will conjunct the discovery degree of Chiron. Tomorrow, Friday, in fact. He will have all the resources of Chiron’s Discovery Degree chart to draw upon when he comes face to face with Saturn. Smart little fellow that Mercury is, he will be made fully aware of imbalances as this discovery chart has all the major planets within the span between 6+ Cancer (Jupiter) and 14+ Sagittarius (Neptune). All the other signs (and houses) are empty except for Chiron himself (3 Taurus 8) and Eris (13+ Aries).

    This might account in part for Chiron’s reputation as being maverick. It certainly provides focus enough to meet any challenge Saturn might demand. Still, with Eris as Chiron’s only companion and she being trine Neptune, transiting Mercury should find a few tips on how to keep the balance of power level when he meets up with Saturn. Just imagine Chiron’s perspective when he was discovered. . . on the other side of the “wall” from all the known major planets as well as Ceres, Pallas-Athene, Juno and Vesta. He was also square Mars and opposite Athene, so this chart will provide Mercury much in the way of strategy and bold action in his encounter with Saturn. Not that he needs it you understand.

    I’m pretty sure Mercury – even in earthy Taurus – could find harmony and balance with Saturn opposite him, but add to his own resources, those implied with Chiron’s discovery chart, the little trickster might even have the upper hand (Chiron) with Saturn this time.
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