The Full Moon in Scorpio 2020: Stability Amidst Rapid Change

With the full moon in Scorpio happening on May 7th, 2020 at 6:45 am ET at 17 degrees, we can expect our psychic prowess to feel awake and alive.

This full moon, also known as the Flower Moon, happens a little less than a week after Beltane. Since it also occurs just a few days before Mother’s Day too, this moon commands a recognition of the force of the feminine. After all, Beltane marks the midpoint between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. It offers a time to connect with our sexual drive and the embodiment of our sensual nature. We see this symbolized by the flowering of trees happening in nature all around those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere.

Yet, given that this full moon and Beltane occurs amidst the COVID-19 crisis, I get the sense that spring fever, which typically inspires playfulness mixed the spirit of recklessness, might accommodate a continued disciplined spiritual devotion instead.  

The best way to handle all of this? Stay connected to the truth emerging from within.

The Full Moon In Scorpio: Stabilizing Spring Fever

The full moon in Scorpio opposes the sun in Taurus. Scorpio represents fixed water, while Taurus represents fixed earth. Scorpio and Taurus are fixed signs because they happen midseason—after cardinal signs and before mutable signs. Aquarius, also a fixed sign, currently hosts Saturn, the planet of discipline and structure too. ( Leo, is the other fixed sign, and we’ll hear more from him later this year.)

The key function of fixed signs? To stabilize things.

Given the amount of transformation the COVID-19 crisis unleashed and the subsequent crucible we all find ourselves due to social distance protocols, I couldn’t think of anything better than the seasonal forces and the zodiacal influence offering stabilization.

This is especially important as the sun and Mercury recently conjoined Uranus, the great awakener. Mercury represents our mind and communication and the sun, our identity. With both of these critical planets meeting up with Uranus during the last week of April, it’s important to take a beat and digest the changes afoot.

Especially since, perhaps even more dramatically, on May 5th the nodes of fate changed signs, too.

The Shifting of the Tides of With the Nodes of Fate

The nodes of fate, or the north and south node of the moon, represent where the path of the moon intersects with the apparent path of the sun or the ecliptic. The north node represents what we’re moving toward ( just traveled in Cancer). The south node represents our lesson and the karmas being (recently toured Capricorn). It’s been this way since November 6, 2018.

Since then, we’ve been schooled in what it means to come home to houses and families (hello north node in Cancer and COVID shelter-in-place orders). Simultaneously we’ve seen the karmas reaped in government and big business (south node in Capricorn). And now they enter in Gemini and Sagittarius (the north node moving in the Gemini and the south node moving in Sagittarius) until January 18, 2022.

We have new adventures ahead. The Gemini/Sagittarius axis represents the quest for knowledge and the ability to network. It’s less about home (Cancer) and work (Capricorn) and more about information (Gemini) and freedom (Sagitarrius). We can expect lots of changes with how we communicate, and who we communicate with. Even more so, grand changes in trace loom, and consequently how local communities come together to weather the changes afoot as well!

Speaking of Gemini, Venus, who rules love and beauty, currently travels in Gemini, and on May 13th, 2020, she’ll go retrograde in the sign of the twins, until June 25th.

Tuning in to the Power of Venus’ Retrograde

Since Venus doesn’t go retrograde yearly, it’s important to pay extra attention when she does make her apparent journey backward every year and half. (Planets don’t actually go backward, it’s an optical illusion.)

Venus rules how we relate to love: what we love and how we show up on behalf of our values. In the most superficial sense, Venus relates to our appearance. So, when she’s retrograde she’ll beckon the deeper question as to whether we like the way we look, both physically and on the inside. 

I don’t know about you, but I haven’t had my hair cut since December. As I’ve been home for weeks, many of my routines have changed. Sure, I have great health habits and have transitioned my workouts to be quarantine friendly. But, sheltering in place has definitely taken a bit of a toll on my aesthetic, though. And I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. I itch for a bit of retail therapy, a fresh spring look, and even more so, a party to get dressed up for! While I’ve learned so much over the last couple of months, I’m also a bit bored. 

All of this combined means this Venus retrograde cycle will bring the topic of appearance, confidence, and self-love even more to the forefront!

Venus Retrograde: Choosing The High Road

Venus is about to go retrograde, and it’s too easy to take the bait here. The temptation exists to fall down the rabbit hole of being impatient and maybe even mean to yourself. This can be especially true if you aren’t happy with your appearance, or if you just lose patience altogether with the slow, antisocial pace of 2020.

The high road here invites us to stay with the process. Now is the time for us to trust the medicine. The deeper we go into our understanding, the more we realize our most authentic personal values. It asks us to love our outgrown roots, and find peace with our bodies. It invites us to clean out our closets and find our essentials—the things we can wear all the time that make us feel good. This is the season of fresh life. Fill your space with greenery if you can. Planting flowers and food in our gardens connects us with the beauty of the natural world. 

And, I get it! It’s Beltane, the Flower Full moon… it’s May for crying out loud. This is the time of raucous spring fever, throwing caution to the wind, and dining alfresco. Plus, Venus and the north node are in Gemini—the sign of socializing! This is normally a time when the zeitgeist would turn from being at home to going on vacation. And sadly, right now, we are not able to enjoy that sort of pleasure. We need to stick with the process and trust the medicine that’s being prescribed to us now.

To support us with that, in addition to Venus stationing retrograde, Jupiter and Saturn both station retrograde next week, too. Meaning we officially enter into what astrologers are calling High Retrograde Season. (Thanks Astro Twins for that phrase. Love it!)

High Retrograde Season: The Pluto, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mercury Slow-Down

While retrogrades are typically begrudged by many, I am very positive about this particular retrograde season. The COVID pandemic halted life as we know it at a time when no planets were retrograde. While there were many other astrological factors at play at the time the COVID crisis took off here in the States from early March onward (like that stellium in Capricorn), all of the planets were full throttle moving ahead, too. Now that Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter go retrograde along with Pluto too, and next month Mercury as well, we can expect there to be a slowing down of everything… And while nobody knows what will happen next with the COVID, perhaps maybe the virality of the pandemic will slow down. But even more importantly, we can integrate the lessons we need to embody now.

Full Moon In Scorpio: Leverage The Stubbornness Of The Fixed Signs

So back to the fact this full moon happens in fixed signs?! Now’s the time to leverage the stubbornness of the fixed signs and stay devoted to what’s unfolding. The opposite of spring fever is discipline. And for better or worse, that’s what we are being asked to cultivate.

But it doesn’t mean that we need to forgo pleasure. Especially for you, mama’s who have quarantined with children. You’ve held down full-time jobs (or other responsibilities) while homeschooling, made sure your homes were safe and clean for your family. Many of you have sacrificed for your children and others. You need pleasure now more than ever! And for you non-mamas who have endured the uncertainties of the times without children, maybe even alone, you need pleasure, too!  

Given this full moon’s trine to Neptune in Pisces, and opposition to the sun in pleasure-driven Taurus, take time to nourish and nurture yourself. So here’s my suggestion this full moon:

1. Take a luscious bath. Add a cup of Epsom salt, and few drops of your favorite essential oil, and let your body soak.
2. Take time for sexual pleasure. No matter how you define your sexual pleasure, explore it, and allow yourself time to just be.
3. Get outside, under the moonlight. If you can, let yourself sync up with the mysteries of the sky. Take in the lunar light. Feel the power of the moon. And step into your goddess energy.
4. Remember there is no “right” way to feel right now. Therapists across the US are echoing this sentiment. Whether you’re feeling motivated or completely burned out, both are valid.
5. Consider these questions. What’s becoming clear to you? What are you learning about yourself? What direction are you feel nudged intuitively to take? 

Over the next week, I’m going to be posting a three-part in-depth blog series explaining the astrology of the moment. We’ll explore where we’ve been and where we are going. So, please stay tuned!

And in the meantime, leave me a comment below and let me know what’s coming up for you this full moon in Scorpio!