Tarot University ArkLetters: NewMoon Notes October 23, 2014

Tarot ArkLetter - http://www.tarotarkletters.com
By Christine Payne-Towler
ArkLetter 115, October 23, 2014

New Moon Notes

Ahhh, Scorpio. The realm of plain speech and naked emotions. As we leave Libra, we leave behind the diplomacy, the velvet glove, the mollifying manners and all of the other appurtenances of codependent civilization. Now we enter the alchemical furnace, where the superficial niceties are burned away, leaving the bones of the issues floating in a soup of disintegrating wishes, expectations, promises and fantasies. This is not an enjoyable realm for most people, although Temperance (the Trump icon for Scorpio) is the process of "making the Medicine" for what ails the spirit. Clearly one of the services that Scorpio does for us is strip away the gingerbread surfaces of society and expose the scaffolding that supported the illusion. In the spirit of the moment, with the eclipse X-raying us all, may the truth come out.

First we look at the NewMoon Eclipse plus Venus in the first degree of Scorpio. Translated into traditional Continental Tarot terms, that means Priestess, Fool, Empress in the realm of Temperance. Temperence is the stage of making the alchemical medicine, which means tincturing the "wrath" that we are all suffering from with the forces of love and light. Jacob Boehme considered the Moon, Mercury and Venus to be the "medicines" (compliments, balancers) for Saturn, Jupiter and Mars respectively. We will follow this pattern in our thinking.

Naturally the union of Sun and Moon are an automatic symbol of union and at-one-ment. The additio of Venus with the NewMoon Eclipse in Scorpio (Mars' sign) offers us the mojo needed to 'de-fang the yang' (Mars) before he enters into his upcoming encounter with Pluto. Further, this whole 0+ bundle in Scorpio is sextile to Mars in the last degrees of Sagittarius, so this offers a key to the alchemy of this Eclipse. We are each to search out a way that the Venus impulse can mollify fiery Mars, so he can proceed into his encounter with Pluto in Capricorn (which starts November 9) without bearing a chip on his shoulder.

Next we regard Saturn at the end of Scorpio, finishing up his 2+ year run through this sign (complete on November 14). His term in Scorpio included a very disruptive retrograde that toppled many fond illusions. So what have we learned from two years of the Judgement/Resurrection icon transiting the zone of Temperance? I would say the Angel of the Trumpet has been calling all of us to awaken from the deathlike trance that has overtaken the world, while people in our trillions spend vital force, time, and attention on poisonous distractions. The Angel of Life stands in Judgement, separating the quick from the dead. Be attuned to the trumpet instead of the squawk box! Those who are unconscious will remain caught in the trance of history, but for those who are called to a higher destiny, rise and be counted!

Jupiter is squaring Saturn from the 19th degree of Leo. Relations between these two planets are always vigorous, no matter what type of aspect they share. This is a closing square, which means that Jupiter is catching up with Saturn, steadily decreasing the distance between them while moving towards conjunction. I translate this to mean that Jupiter is working to satisfy critical Saturn, who is the elder influence among the visible planets. My advice would be to expend one's Leo Jupiter enthusiasm and expansiveness on projects that are going to meet Saturn's high and exacting standards. Then when Jupiter goes retrograde in December, and Saturn leaves Scorpio for Sagittarius, they will have the very best chances for seeing eye-to-eye despite the period in late winter of 2015 where they are simultaneously retrograde in their respective fire signs.

As we scan around the rest of the Zodiac to see what other Planets are, like Jupiter, in the teens of their signs, we find Mercury/N. Node, Puto and Uranus/S. Node. This reactivates the lingering T-square we felt in Libra, Capricorn and Aries earlier this year, and which will repeat in earnest the first half of next year. It is wise to remember that those binding and constraining conditions (which started in 2013, actually) continue to obtain, though perhaps recently operating as background conditions. Jupiter is supporting the Aries end of this t-square, therefore offering a boost to our originality and creativity. We will not resolve the inherent tension in this figure through conformity or repetition of past formulas.

Jupiter is also having a Wet Way discussion with Pluto, since they are stationed in the signs that inaugurate (Leo) and then complete (Capricorn) the alchemical path out of the body and back into Spirit. The unspoken question running between them is "what would it take to untangle myself from current circumstances if that were necessary? I think this is an excellent question to keep in the back of our minds all the time, because it would help restrain us from getting into situations that are likely to become overwhelming and all-consuming.

All in all, I agree with the many other astrologers who can be found all over the internet talking about the power and significance of this New Moon Eclipse and it's attendent chart. Since this is happening in the first degree of Scorpio, let's take it as a chance to crawl like the butterfly out of the crysalis of past projections and false identities that have hemmed us in. Let's make the highly individualistic 'medicine' that can render all of our fossilized opposites into a harmonius composite that retains the best qualities of all it's constituent parts.

With all blessings,

cpt

CURRENT STAGE OF THE MOON for the Americas:

   •   The Present NewMoon Eclipse at 0+ Scorpio on Thursday, October 23rd starting at 5:45 PM (EDT) / 2:45 PM (PDT). Eclipse is complete and Moon is New at 5:56 PM (EDT) / 2:56 PM (PDT). From this moment, the Moon begins to wax, or increase.

 FUTURE STAGES:
    •   2nd Quarter, Waxing Half Moon is at 7+ Aquarius on Thursday, October 30th, at 10:48 PM (EDT) / 7:48 PM (PDT).

    •   FullMoon is at 14+ Taurus on Thursday November 6th, at 5:23 PM (EDT) / 2:23 PM (PDT).   From this moment, the Moon begins to wane, or decrease.

    •   4th Quarter, Waning Half Moon is at 22+ Leo on Friday November 14th at 10:16 AM (EDT) / 7:16 AM (PDT).

      •   The next NewMoon at 0º+ Sagittarius on Saturday, November 22 is at 7:32 AM (EDT) / 4:32 AM (PDT).  From this moment, the Moon begins to wax, or increase.

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blessings,

Christine