Balsamic Moon in Taurus: Change

Before dawn tomorrow, we enter the Balsamic phase with the Moon in late Taurus. This is the dark phase The Moon, now a crescent in the sky, will disappear, returning a day or so after the New Moon.

The Moon is exalted in Taurus. We might think, ahhhhhh, time for some cozy comfort. Instead, we’re in a complex and challenging place.

First, the Moon is tightly conjunct Uranus. Change comes whether we like it or not.

Uranus and the Moon together in Taurus remind us that change is the only constant. Change is the engine of life. Plants, animals, and ecosystems all change in natural cycles and in response to extraordinary events. Adaptation. Evolution. This is how it works.

Uranus and the Moon are tightly conjunct Caput Algol, a fierce star with a harrowing reputation. This is the head of Medusa, the harbinger of disaster.

Yet we are not doomed, nor are we expected to succumb to despair.

Medusa’s head first protected the hero Perseus and then became Athena’s shield. Here is a powerful, protective magic.

This third decan of Taurus, where we find the Moon, Uranus, and Algol, is ruled by Saturn, who just stationed retrograde. Saturn says we all face the natural consequences of our choices and actions.

Yet, the combination of Uranus, the Moon, and Algol offers a more dynamic take on life.

Choices have consequences. Yet with right action, we can work through challenges. With petitions to the right forces and a bit of luck, we can be protected from utter ruin.

Taurus is sometimes associated with the steady, measured, acceptance of Stoicism: the belief that we cannot control our fate, only our responses to it. This Balsamic Moon presents a more nuanced picture.

We will all face difficulty. Many will experience tragedy. Yet life brings change. We need not simply accept our fate and accommodate to it.

We can anticipate and work toward the future, secure in the knowledge that all things can and will change. When powerful protection is offered, we can come through dark times damaged but not destroyed.

We are in the midst of powerful conversations. The Moon sextiles Mercury and Neptune, who trine each other. Once the Moon leaves Taurus and enters Gemini, a trine to Pluto forms. Mercury will soon enter Leo to oppose Pluto.

Venus trines Saturn. The Sun squares the Nodes of the Moon at the North Bending, pointing us to actions we need to take.

During the next few days, we prepare for the New Moon by taking stock. We let go what is complete, no longer fits, or does not support our growth.

It might look dark ahead, but we do not lose heart. We trust in the deep pulse of life that brings change and renewal.

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