The Full Moon takes place at 11.45 am BST, 17 degrees 20′ Scorpio.
This Full Moon is known as the Wesak Full Moon to Buddhists who believe that Buddha was born, attained enlightenment and left earthly incarnation at the time of the Full Moon of Sun in Taurus, Moon in Scorpio. Buddha’s birthday is celebrated around the world at the Wesak Festival, considered to be the most powerful Full Moon of the year, connecting humanity with spiritual energies.
“Three things cannot be long hidden, the Sun, the Moon, and the truth.” ~ Buddha
This Full Moon is trine Neptune – emphasizing the spiritual – along with enhancing sensitivity, compassion and healing. A Full Moon that holds promise to prove beneficial – the first for sometime.
Chart
Scorpio embraces the mysteries of life, death and rebirth, welcomes delving deeply into the dark no matter how painful – to find the truth, the light that leads to healing and renewal. The Moon in Scorpio is intensely emotional, buried or concealed feelings could surface, be difficult to suppress.
The Covid-19 pandemic has confronted us, bought us face to face with death – a certainty of life that we (perhaps) usually prefer to gloss over – lockdowns, alongside all the other associated fallout, that has bought adversity and stress to many areas of life. Normalcy and any sense of security seemingly vanished in a flash.
The Moon is opposite Mercury in Taurus. Instincts and intuition are in conflict – but desire balance – with logic and rational thoughts. This influence connects to the anxiety unleashed by Covid-19, fear of illness and death, recognition of how fragile the spark of life is, along with the uncertainty surrounding the future – with so many conflicting reports and opinions, what is the true picture? how do we create solid foundations from here? We may feel nervous, restless but simultaneously wish to discover, discern insights that leads to a calmer outlook, a sense of security. We are coming to terms with what has ended, as well as trying to discover the best way forward.
Equilibrium is being sought between spiritual realities and material practicality. Understanding that both the tangible and intangible are equally significant and highly influential to our experience and perception of life. Mercury is also a psycohopomp, a guide of souls from this world to the afterlife, can freely travel between realms. Trusting our intuition could lead us inwards to ponder and contemplate, scrutinise life and ourselves, casting light upon the guidance and support bestowed from our inner wisdom and the unseen realms. So much has ended and changed in the world, now, we are creating the future.
This Full Moon will illuminate truths, priorities and dislodge fears. Reveal what needs to be transformed to move positively into the future.
Mercury is sextile Neptune – both ends of this opposition, this conundrum, the Moon (Intuition) and Mercury (Mind) are influenced by Neptune. Whilst Neptune has a vast array of imaginable manifestations – there is no doubt that the potential for sensitivity to spiritual energies, compassion for others and a wish to heal both recent and past wounds is heightened.
On May 4th the Superior Conjunction of the Sun and Mercury takes place – Mercury Cazimi!! – when Mercury catches up with, then passes the Sun. A significant moment in the Mercury cycle when mind (Mercury) is illuminated by life (Sun) and self-expression (Sun) is inspired by wisdom (Mercury). After the Superior Conjunction Mercury travels ahead of the Sun (until Mercury once again slows, turns retrograde and meets the Sun at the Inferior Conjunction) – so thoughts and messages will be influenced by ideas and plans for the future.
There is more on Mercury Cazimi here – Mercury Cazimi
Venus rules Taurus where the Superior Conjunction occurs, and is in Gemini the sign Mercury rules so they are in what is called mutual reception. A powerful influence that allows Venus and Mercury to beneficially enhance each other. On May 4th Venus is square Neptune, an aspect that will repeat on May 20th and July 27th due to Venus retrograde.
Venus turns retrograde on May 13th, along with Saturn just before on May 11th, and Jupiter on May 14th – a whole lotta of potent retrograde energy, 2020 has already bought some big shifts, with more on the way.
Venus square Neptune can illuminate what C. E. O Carter describes as a “a divine discontent.” Venus is all about what we personally love and desire, Neptune elevates our emotions and senses to look past material reality to what lies beyond it. This square will highlight how the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing scenarios has influenced and bought challenges to our dreams for the future, our relationships and values.
What has been blocked, obstructed but equally where we may have been disillusioned or superficial. Difficulties may become more pronounced, will need to be resolved. But, Venus and Neptune will also enhance and encourage us to look beyond our own selves, our own desires – embrace compassion, idealism and a desire to explore the spiritual, imagine a shinier future.
Overall this is a favourable and beneficial Full Moon for discerning wisdom and discovering what needs to be released from the past – transformed – to move positively into the future.
It may be emotional, involve some soul-searching, but ultimately be valuable and uplifting. Whilst on an inner level a great deal will potentially be absorbed and adjusted, the outside reality with so many retrograde planets may take longer to change, we may have to wait until the planets start to resume direct motion.
TAROT ~ 6 OF CUPS
The Full Moon takes place in Scorpio decan 2 ruled by the Sun (Jupiter by triplicity). The corresponding tarot card is the 6 of Cups.
Scorpio Decan II ~ “a man riding a camel, holding a scorpion in his hand. This is a face of knowledge, modesty, settlement, and of speaking evil of one another.” ~ Picatrix
The Sun is (of course!!) The Sun and Scorpio Death in the tarot. The Sun here shines light, illuminates the dark depths of Scorpio – death and loss – to reveal that Scorpio can also feel intense joy and happiness, be revitalised, rise from the ashes – transformed. The 6 of Cups is about finding illumination, self-expression and creativity through connections to the past, our childhood – our memories and interpretations of prior experiences and scenarios. How throughout life we continually create ourselves, change and evolve – how whatever we are weaving now contains the past, captures the future, and will in time also become a memory.
The 6 of Cups is about nostalgia, feeling emotional about the past, sentimental about attachments to people or places. It’s a card about emotional connections and ties, with family, friends and home. It suggests a trip down memory lane, recalling the past. How sometimes we can idealise the past, as well as understanding how the past shapes your character and future.
Book T refers to this card as “Pleasure”
The Rider Waite Smith card depicts two children, the boy is passing the girl one of the six flower filled cups – which signify abundance and happiness. Raising themes, along with the past and how it is always entwined in the present, of children and childhood, innocence and kindness – freely sharing with others – giving or receiving gifts.
“This card also deals with the innocence and joy needed to integrate love of the world and love of the Divine. This usually involves major growth work and soul-searching, and results in a definite change of attitude.” ~ Spiritual Tarot, Echols, Mueller and Thomson, page 185
Full Moon Meaning
The Sun is exactly opposite the Moon – Luna is at her brightest, her energy and force are at maximum power.
A Full Moon shows whatever seeds were planted at the New Moon maturing and becoming ripe, being illuminated so that we can clearly see and understand our course of action and its result. The harvest could be abundant, bountiful or be deficient not quite what we hoped for. With the Moon at her peak our emotions and instincts can be increased, the veil between the seen and the unseen is also at its thinnest.
From here the Moon begins to diminish, so it is not an ideal time to start anything new. It is more a time to reflect – and depending on the results of our harvest, either keep and reinforce the beneficial or release and let go of anything that is not working or has become dysfunctional.
Image by Moodywalk on Unsplash
6 of Cups from the Aquatic Tarot by Andreas Schroter