May's New Moon in Taurus has opened wide the gates of dreaming and imagination. This new moon, which is exact on May 18 at 12:13 AM EDT, is calling forward the capacity to hold our deepest visions in our hearts and to cultivate the patience required to see them through to fruition.

Taurus is a sign known for its deep peace, stability, practicality, and patience. In simplest terms, this new moon is about getting back to basics and honoring our needs for tranquility and self-love. This applies to the truest essence of what we value and hold dear and in honoring our bodies' needs.

But the real magic of this new moon - and the underlying sense of frustration it brings - lies in the current alignments of Venus, the Goddess of Love and ruling planet of Taurus.

Venus finds herself in a position that breeds dichotomy in the gestation of our heart's longings now. On one hand, she forms a harmonious trine to dreamy Neptune in Pisces, enhancing our desire to drift away in dreams and get lost exploring the yearnings of our soul. Intuition is likely to flow more easily as this aspect opens our spiritual senses to possibilities just beyond our reach. The beauty of this connection is that it can show us what is possible if we are willing to see our desires through to fruition, and opens our perceptions to the love and beauty within and around us in profound ways.

On the other hand, Venus is semi-square to both the Sun and Moon in Taurus, making her sweet trine to Neptune bittersweet at best. Bernadette Brady outlines the essence of this aspect in her book The Eagle And The Lark:

"The semi-square seems to have one purpose in life, and that is to teach patience and persistence...This aspect is like waiting for silt to settle in a pond. If you take action and try to pat it down, it gets worse; walk away, give it time, show patience and the pond will clear. Blocks, holdups, frustration, delays, and lack of achievement are all symptoms of this aspect. Controlled patience seems to be the only answer..."

As is shown by the semi-square, this new moon brings not only clears the way for intense dreaming and the possibility of getting lost in fantasy, but brings a marked feeling of stagnation in the fulfillment of desires. Venus plays a key role in highlighting the importance of simultaneously honoring our highest visions and in embracing patience so we can allow those dreams to manifest. 

The cosmos isn't encouraging of that which simply leads to short-term gratification now. A Taurean approach to achieving that which we desire is ideal, and that approach will require patience and commitment from us: a commitment to patiently tend to dreams whose fruition can bring long-term peace, joy, and stability.

Venus is also out of bounds in Cancer throughout the month of May, amplifying the traits of her transit through this sign such as nurturance, home-making, the expression gentle love and affection, and protection/overprotection. Her extreme declination could result in unusual boundary-crashing or unusual social behavior of any kind. There is also a collective tendency toward expressing our personal values very differently, and of possible re-evaluation of those values and our perceptions in general with Mercury about to station retrograde on Monday night (5/18 - 6/11/2015). 

Manifesting At The New Moon In Taurus

To make the most of the new moon energies, make time to explore your heart's desires in private, or with the company of close friends in the style of a sacred ceremony if you wish. This can be as simple as spending time in nature or in creating a small altar that brings forward the energies of what you wish to create. Candles, crystals and gemstones, beautiful cloths, or any objects that assist you in focusing on your desires are a beautiful addition. New and full moons are especially fitting times for clearing energies within the mind, body, and spirit, since these clearings create a space for new beginnings to emerge in our lives. A sea salt or baking soda bath with essential oils or herbs can do wonders for washing away stagnant energies and give our bodies a respite from the stress of daily life.

Contemplating the following questions can assist you in connecting with your true wants and needs, and in committing to action that brings you closer to that which you desire:

• Am I feeling called to take time out of a busy schedule and just be? Is my body, mind, or spirit calling for more peace, gentleness, or nurturance? How can I gift myself with what I need to experience more peace and harmony now?
• How closely do I listen to signals from my body? Am I consciously connected to what my body is calling for in each moment? Would I benefit from a massage, spending mindful time in nature, or honor my sensual self by indulging in a healthful and decadent food treat? 
• Are there powerful dreams and yearnings that are calling to me now? Am I willing to follow these desires in meditation, journaling, or in any artistic pursuit to allow Divine Wisdom and guidance to emerge from within?
• Am I experiencing a sense of stagnation or frustration in the realization of my dreams? Am I willing to walk with my unfulfilled desires in the realization that time brings forward answers, peace, and the fulfillment of all desires that are truly aligned with my Highest Good? 
• Am I willing to *~let go~* and trust the process of Divine Timing to bring my desires to fruition in the perfect way and at the perfect time?

To find where the Taurus New Moon is impacting you most directly, locate the house in your birth chart that contains 26 degrees of Taurus. This house, and the house directly opposite from it, will be the areas of life in which the seeds for new beginnings can be planted at this time. 

**Want to find out how this new moon and the current planetary cycles are impacting you personally? I offer a variety of 1-1 astrology consultations to help you unlock your greatest potential and move more fully in the direction of your dreams! Email [email protected] to schedule, or for more information.**

© Jen Howell,  Bright Star Astrology & Healing Arts, 2015. Unauthorized use or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to this site and writer with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

There is an abundance of water energy this week with the many planets currently occupying the depths of Scorpio and the slowdown of Neptune as it prepares to station direct in Pisces this weekend. Though Neptune will continue to be in Pisces through 2026, its current change of motion is significant. When planets station - or appear to stand still in the sky from our earth-based perspective - we also feel a standstill in the areas of life those planets represent within ourselves. These periods bring those planetary issues to the forefront of our mind and emotions until the planet moves forward again, and can often coincide with a feeling of being "stuck". As Neptune moves forward, we will be able to move forward on our dreams, artistic endeavors, or all things mediumistic with greater clarity and ease. Neptune stations direct this Sunday, November 16. 

With the watery giant Neptune heading towards a standstill and an abundance of personal planets in Scorpio, our emotions are likely to be on high, and there will be no shortage of potentially intense and cathartic emotional experiences (especially for sensitive types). Tears of love, compassion, or sadness will flow for many of us, poured forth as deep sensitivity to beauty and suffering becomes more pervasive in the collective atmosphere. For some, feelings of being adrift or lost in life will be prevalent, as will feelings of helplessness/hopelessness, self-pity, or identification with victim/martyr archetypes. Of course, not everyone will experience feelings quite this dramatic, since much depends on where our personal planets lie within the horoscope. Those with natal planets in Pisces from 0-11 degrees (or those with personal planets/points at 29 degrees Aquarius), or any personal planets/points in the mutable signs of Sagittarius, Virgo, or Gemini, will be especially tuned in to these energies now. And if you're like me, with Neptune playing any key role in your birth chart (yours truly has Neptune conjunct a Sagittarian sun at 0.0 degrees!), you'll be feeling the effects prior to this station direct dramatically, too. 

Some tips for navigating your way through the tumultuous Neptunian waves of emotion:

• Allow yourself to *feel* the feelings surfacing within you; acceptance clears the way for release of emotions without judgement.
• Set aside some quiet time to be present with your feelings; cry, meditate, listen to music, schedule a healing energy session, or anything else that soothes the soul.
• Grounding to reconnect with the physical body is important after any emotional release, and the more intense and deeply cleansing the release, the more grounding you may need! Massage your feet, schedule a massage, take a walk in nature, do yoga/other physical exercise.
• Dancing or drumming are wonderful ways to make use of strong Neptunian/Piscean creative energies in ways that can be emotionally cathartic and keep you in touch with your body at the same time.
• Know that any intense feelings will begin to pass as Neptune moves direct on November 16.

Are you feeling the strong water energies now? If so, how are you moving through these changing energies? I've had a good long cry and will ground and continue my personal healing with Energy Medicine, a LaHo-Chi session/meditation, and a gentle workout later today.

This month's full moon - our final supermoon of 2014 -  is peaking in the sign of Pisces, exact at 8:39 PM EDT this evening. If you're familiar with astrological archetypes, you'll know that Pisces is the deeply emotional water sign that seeks to dissolve the perceived boundaries of the physical plane to merge on the collective unconscious level. It's no surprise, then, that many of us are feeling incredibly emotional as the moon, which symbolizes emotions and the unconscious, peaks in this highly sensitive sign of artists, dreamers, and visionaries of all kinds. 

I am no exception to feeling the effects of this heightened sensitivity. On the day to day level, I have natal Sun conjunct Neptune  - the planet that rules Pisces - at zero degrees in the sign of Sagittarius. The location of Neptune in the birth chart can indicate many things, with the presence of deep intuition, compassion/self-sacrifice, and artistic gifts being among them. My Sun-Neptune conjunction has blessed me with the gifts of spiritual insights, keen intuition, compassion, natural healing capabilities, and musical and other gifts of artistry, but it does not come without its struggles. Like all empaths, I am highly susceptible to the energies of people and environments, am easily distracted, and must filter the things I see and hear in the news as not to absorb the negativity so often shared in the media. I have slowly learned how to filter for my own good, to become less "porous" and radiate my inner light more fully with age. I am also learning how to navigate the fine line between helping those in need and sacrificing myself to "save" others in an imbalanced way, but the journey has not been an easy one. Though I am a Sagittarius sun and do possess many of that sign's core traits, I have gifts and challenges like that of a Pisces sun, and this full moon is impacting me deeply.

I took a long walk beneath the white light of the moon last night. I'm almost embarrassed to admit that, as an astrologer, it's been months - maybe even years - since I last basked in Luna's light. Those in healing and esoteric circles know that the light of the full moon cleanses and recharges gemstones and crystals, and has the same effect on living things, too. The responsibilities of life can sweep us away and take our mindfulness with it. But tonight I felt a deep sense of desire, and even excitement, at the possibility of communing with the moon. I strolled beneath a sparkling sky serenaded by September crickets, allowing my tangled and complex feelings to rise to the surface without judgement in knowing that feeling deeply - especially with the astro-atmosphere as it is now - is ok. It wasn't long before I could tangibly feel the moonbeams soothe my heart full of feelings, bringing the emotions stirred up by the supermoon gently into balance again.

This moon cycle began with a New Moon in Virgo opposing Neptune on August 25. Virgoan themes of day-to-day responsibility, attention to details, and purifying mind, body, and spirit were up for reviewing then, with the opposition of Neptune suggesting the need for deeper integration of spiritual mindfulness into daily life. Now, at the peak of this moon cycle, the essence of those themes is still at play, but is reconfiguring our point of focus. The Piscean Super Full Moon now opposes the Sun in Virgo, putting the emphasis on allowing ourselves to feel deep compassion and experience a sense of oneness with all of creation. Like those with strong Pisces influence in the horoscope, the potential struggle of this full moon will be giving in to "victim consciousness," tapping too deeply to the collective energies of suffering in our world to the point of emotional overwhelm and debilitation, and escapism through substance abuse or addictions of any kind.

An additionally strong influence is that of Chiron, the asteroid of deep wounds and holistic healing, as it meets the moon in an exact conjunction. Chiron represents the area of life in which we hold the deepest hurts and greatest sorrows, and where we have the greatest potential for healing and transformation. This month's meeting of the moon and Chiron can provide us with an opportunity to face our own hurts and transgressions with self-love and compassion to experience a greater sense of wholeness. As I was reminded of while openly receiving the healing gifts of the moon tonight, it is often through the acceptance of our feelings - no matter how intense and overwhelming they may be - and allowing them to move through us free of judgement that we can experience genuine healing. 

This supermoon is presenting us with a profound opportunity to access unconditional love that can bring more light to our corner of the world when shared openly with those around us in the spirit of compassionate service. In doing so, we are facilitating the merger of Heaven and Earth through the integration of our soul's wisdom and joy into a contradictory and sometimes painful physical experience. 

If you're feeling especially emotional, set aside some time for yourself today. This is an exceptionally good time for prayer or meditation in a soothing environment, having an energetic healing session, or doing anything that puts you in the essence of healing via spiritual means. Take a bath in sea salts or baking soda to clear your auric field, or take steps to cleanse and purify your immediate environment. Enjoy the beauty of nature; share a warm embrace with a loved one. And if you have the chance, let the light of the full moon wash over you tonight - an abundance of gentle love and healing awaits. 

If you had a hectic start to your week, you're not alone! The moon's passage through Gemini from late afternoon on Sunday, August 17 through the early morning hours of Wednesday, August 20 caused disconnect and frustration with all things Mercurial for many people - myself included! The beginning part of this week - especially Tuesday - felt like a mini-Mercury retrograde. If you're familiar with astrological cycles, you'll know that when Mercury is retrograde, the things that Mercury rules - communication, speaking and learning, travel, and the transport of anything from one point to another - are significantly impacted, and usually in ways that bring frustration, "wild goose chases," and so on. 

But Mercury is indeed direct, and in a very organized and fastidious earth sign - Virgo - with its next retrograde cycle beginning on October 4. If that's the case, why all the confusion and frustration this week? There are two significant reasons for this, one being equally as influential as the other. 

The first of the two is that Mercury, the planet that rules Gemini, has been in opposing Neptune in its home sign of Pisces. Neptune represents compassion without borders, dissolving the perceived differences between people and all living things. Because of its ability to activate within us a heightened sense of intuition and mediumship abilities of every kind (including the creative "channeling" done by artists, actors/actresses, spiritualists, and dreamers) by blurring the lines of physical reality to connect us with higher realms of consciousness, it can also bring a certain "fog," a lack of clarity and "spaciness". When Neptune and Mercury connect - especially if it's a hard aspect such as the currently waning opposition - achieving clarity of communication can be challenging. One's capacity for memory recall can be fuzzy, and it's easy to space out on facts and details. It's a wonderful time for connecting to the collective unconscious by way of meditation, spiritual practices, artistic activities, and engaging in eloquent self-expression, but not so supportive of honing in on details! Some of the common difficult tendencies I've observed during Mercury-Neptune transits are an increase in people's inattentiveness while driving (and having to reign in my own wandering mind while driving!), internet connectivity/communication issues in general, a tendency to get caught up in dreamy/unrealistic thinking and "laze" the day away, and a laissez-faire tendency toward organization and promptness.

The second reason for this chaos was the moon's Void of Course status in Gemini on Tuesday. When the moon goes void, all activities and plans made or undertaken during that time are considered to be "null and void," usually quite unpredictable in outcome. A void moon in and of itself can create a certain kinds of confusion or mental fog depending on the sign the moon is in, and when paired with the current Mercury-Neptune opposition, it can really create mayhem, frustration, and unexpected changes on the mental/intellectual and communicative level. 

Here are some of the ways these energies manifested in my life this week, particularly on Tuesday while the moon was void:

• Unexpected schedule changes and confusion at home led to a second day of chaos in following through on scheduled activities (Monday's schedule was thrown off by a trip to visit a relative who was having emergency surgery out of town - Gemini reconnections and Neptunian themes of self-sacrifice and compassion)
• Unusual wireless internet connectivity issues necessitated my being on a service call for a good portion of the evening before I could make good on work plans
• Dinner was postponed due to my housemate and I having forgotten to prepare any food for the week (Neptune-Mercury)
• An abrupt change in weather threw off outdoor plans
• A friend's flight was delayed due to weather, a very common occurrence during Mercury retrograde cycles 

In addition, I found myself connecting with people via email/phone/text messaging almost frenetically throughout the passage of the moon through Gemini, as if the Universe was guiding me to play "catch up" just as usual...only this time I experienced much difficulty in connecting with people at the scheduled times and was playing perpetual phone tag! I also made calls to learn more about international calling plans in lieu of making a close connection with someone on Twitter (how very Geminian is that?!) and made calls to gather more information on items for my business space. Though none of these events were necessarily life-changing in and of themselves, they further clarify for me the impact that astrological configurations have on our daily lives (and also serve as a reminder that no, we're not going crazy - it's just the planets at play!). 

The rest of this week has felt quite different, since Mercury-Neptune opposition continues to wane and the moon has moved from very mentally active Gemini into the home and heart-centered sign of Cancer. Though a powerful Mars-Saturn conjunction continues to intensify in Scorpio, we'll be able to enjoy a much-anticipated quieter inner/outer atmosphere and a gradual increase in mental clarity over the next couple of days. Breathe in the peace, and be blessed!