May’s Scorpio Lunar Eclipse is in many ways, about coming full circle. Like the image of the uroboros, the cosmic serpent eating its tail. this eclipse not only closes out the six month cycle begun in late October 2022, but it is also, in many ways, bringing events with ties to the pair of eclipses that took place back in April 2005, to their natural conclusion.
A new phase of life, set in motion by the April 2023 solar eclipse, is beginning, which means you may have some psychological/emotional spring cleaning to do in order to make space for it. Although you could experience feelings of loss or grief as a result of what’s ending/leaving, there is an upside: the answers you may have been seeking for some time may finally arrive. Lunar eclipses are not always the easiest, however, and do often take around three months to fully conclude – something worth bearing in mind. This is likely to be a bit of an emotional marathon and not a sprint, so pacing yourself is going to be important.
Given the emphasis on new beginnings at the Aries Solar Eclipse, it is interesting that this eclipse will take place in Hexagram 1, which is all about creative inspiration, the fresh energy of spring, and the rising of the dragon-snake energy of kundalini up and down the chakras, and its links to the circular movement of the uroboros mentioned above, which is all about cyclical, rather than linear time, loops or repeating patterns and so on.
There’s a strong alchemical theme to this particular eclipse season – the image of the snake/dragon/uroboros, along with the volcano and the emphasis on emotional mastery and the profiency of the adept at the Aries Solar Eclipse, all point to this. As a result, you may find yourself benefitting from the wisdom offerred by those immersed in its processes and symbolism, either from a magical or archetypal psychology point of view. Below I have summarised some pithy extracts from Tom Cheetham’s book, Green Man, Earth Angel, which I thought were very relevant. Even if you don’t identify with what’s being said in the text consciously, the sub-conscious mind will often nevertheless understand and respond to the images on a primordial level. See what you think.
BENEFIC BOOST & jupiter changes signs
On the face of it, this eclipse could feel a bit lighter and more effervescent than previous eclipses in this brooding and emotional sign. That’s because the benefics, Venus & Jupiter, will be sextiling each other in the late degrees of Aries and Gemini, which should add a celebratory air to the weekend’s proceedings, including the coronation of King Charles on May the 6th. I have created a video for the occasion on his link to the 7 North saros family of eclipses, which you can check out on YouTube or the Astro-Insights blog if you’re into that sort of thing.
Jupiter is also on the brink of changing signs – and will ingress into earthy and abundant Taurus on 16 May 2023, just after Mercury turns direct. This should spell good news and a boost in luck, particulary for earth and water signs. I have written a separate post about it, which you can check out if you are interested.
It is, however, worth remembering that Scorpio is currently ruled by Pluto is in Aquarius, which as we know, is highlighting all sorts of issues with sci-tech, including AI; and causing major transformation in group-related dynamics, from friendship and altruistic movements, to social media. So, don’t be surprised if certain of these themes now reach a climax, or possibly even boil over, much like the image of the volcano we talked about at the Aries solar eclipse.
As we know, the full moon is often a time when the seeds of the new moon start to ripen or reveal themselves, just as the lunar orb reaches it’s point of greatest illumination. In this case, however, it is going to turn blood red, which could be an indication of repressed anger and passion – two emotions that both Aries and Scorpio are known for, It’s easy to forget that Scorpio was once also ruled by fiery Mars. I find the geomancy card, Rubeus, helps me to be mindful of this fact.
unexpected curveballs
Also in the mix is Uranus, which will be conjunct the Sun and opposite the Moon, adding a somewhat unpredictable element to proceedings. It’s possible that a male authority figure/s may either act up now or becoming unusually stubborn about certain routines or procedures, throwing a spanner in the works.
Luckily, Mars will form a harmonious water grand trine with Neptune and the Moon, suggesting that it’s best to go with the flow whereever possible. Make like water if people are difficult, and simply allow yourself to ease around problems rather than get all stressed. Choosing the zen route, and adding water cleanses or music therapy to your repertoire should help to keep you calm during what could otherwise be a period of high drama.
cheatsheet
If you’re looking for clues as to what you may be trying to let go of or re-balance in your life, then check out the cheatsheet summary table below.
saros series
As we begin our two-year eclipse journey through the signs of Aries and Libra, we may find ourselves having to shift gear emotionally, and potentially let go of some of the psychological baggage we may have been carrying around during the Taurus-Scorpio period, which began in 2021 and is slowly phasing out over the course of 2023.
Although this is a lunar eclipse, and so, not strictly part of any of Brady’s saros groups. I have used the Van Den Berg system to identify the missing lunar events and add them back in.
The 12 North saros series carries a constructive and sensible Saturn-Moon sextile as part of its signature. This points to the need to tie up loose ends and let go of anything that you feel no longer brings you joy, especially in the work arena, because the Aries eclipse energy could well bring about unexpected promotions or career opportunities, possibly with a little help from Jupiter’s ingress into Taurus. Such developments will increase your responsibilities, but may also prove to be character-building, which is very in keeping with more positive expressions of Saturn.
So taking inventory, or doing a bit of a Marie Kwondo when it comes to your goals, career plans, stress-coping strategies or work-life balance, may not be such a bad idea. Given it’s links to catharsis and transformation, Scorpio is certainly a zodiac sign that has no qualms about clearing out the clutter. So if you are feeling stuck, then you may need to do some spring cleaning to get the chi/energies moving again and invite in new options – just as feng shui practitioners recommend.
sabian symbol
Strangely, given how serious Scorpio tends to be, the Sabian symbol for this particular eclipse is all about a return to the innocence and fun of childhood. The ultimate goal seems to be to reconnect us with our sense of joy and purpose through lighthearted playfulness, the idea being that we tend to become more emotionally rigid, mentally uptight and overly concerned with the approval of others as we grow older, which can take us further and further away from our core essence, and thus, with our soul’s desires and life purpose.
Letting go of expectations and indulging in creative forms of play or adopting a more freespirited attitude could help.
Lynda Hill also mentions the pentagram/pentacle in her Sabian oracle for this particular degree, which may be significant, given the five mounds of sand – so look out for messages or signs involving hands, the number five or these symbols (eg sand, pentacles in the tarot etc) – they may help you stay on course and help you return to yourself when things get intense or you feel a bit lost.
LUNAR FACE
Continuing the themes around self-actualisation and self-mastery that began at the Aries solar eclipse, the Sabian symbol asks us to reconnect with our sense of passion and purpose – what drives us, what gets us up in the morning. If we feel as though we have become overly serious, or are carrying around far too many psychological burdens, then James Burgess suggests we try and get in touch with our inner child, which instinctively knows what makes us happy and doesn’t feel the need to drag the past around.
As James Burgess puts it:
There is a question of reassessing, and perhaps reorganising, what is worthy of our committed involvement. And here we can gain insight by remembering the child within, who knows intuitively how, and with what, to become completely absorbed and thus make it meaningful.
To live a life without much profound purpose, punctuated by a frequency of inept responses to what occurs, is soul-destroying and symptomatic of someone who has lost their sense of joie de vivre.
360 Degrees of Wisdom
By doing so, we are able to simplify our lives, get back to what’s important to us and reboot. There’s a lot in this lunation about learning to refill the well by tapping into the infinite reservoir of life force energy and creative inpiration within us, rather than be distracted by the noise of externals, especially the weight of comparison – an ever present spectre in the social media age.
ECLIPSE CHART
Mercury is due to end its retrograde spell within a week of this eclipse, which should make procedures of all kinds flow more smoothly again, especially technology, mmachines, procedures or gadgets related to food (eg meal delivery or retaurant booking apps), banking, farming and fashion or beauty.
The Moon will oppose Mercury, which could temporarily increase frustration levels – use the energy of its grand trine to Mars and Neptune to help you glide around obstacles and keep things moving fluidly, despite any unexpected setbacks, disruptions or hitches thrown your way by the opposition from Uranus in Taurus (a difficult beaurocrat or jobsworth at work?).
Music and water-based forms of therapy or exercise could really help to relieve stress now. It’s also possible that cantankerous sorts may be hangry, so be sure to feed them and see if this improves their mood or outlook.
On the plus side, Mercury will reach cazimi with the Sun (1 July) once it returns to direct motion and catches up, by which time, your temperamental boss or father figure may snap out of whatever difficult mood they’ve been in, or alternatively left in a huff, leaving the post or playing field wide open for you to swoop in and save the day (or snap up that promotion Saros series 12 was talking about).
Any setbacks or spanners in the works involving projects or agreements begun on or around 2 May should be resolved by then. By the tiem we reach early July, it’s likely that you may realise that any pauses or changes of schedule in early May have ended up being unexpectedly helpful/fortuitous on some level. So wherever possible, try and remain open-minded and flexible.
And let’s also not forget the lucky and upbeat nature of the Venus-Jupiter sextile, which should definitely increase tolerance and mood bouyancy levels, especially in social situations. I suspect the coronation weekend here in the UK will prove to a festive one, as a result.
HUMAN DESIGN
Known as The Dragon, Hexagram 1 is symbolised by what Stephen Karcher calls ‘the shape-shifter energy of the cerulean dragon, a Chinese constellation, who represents primal masculine force, and yang energy at its purest.’
This is the spark of yang born at the centre of yin – the seed of creative inspiration epitomised in Hexagram 3’s green shoots (emphasised by both the Aries solar eclipse and Jupiter’s ingress into Taurus) that we need to cultivate and nurture with us over the next three to six months, before we are ready to share it with the world.
Given that the Sun and several other planets will be in Taurus for the next few weeks (and months, in Jupiter’s case), it is worth taking steps to remain centred and grounded as much as possible during this time – using techniques to do so may help to tether you if your emotions become a little stormy, c/o of all that passionate Scorpio/Aries energy that may come bubbling to the surface at the full moon.
Line 2 advises us to try and sync with the cycles and timings of nature and our emotions or bodies, and not feel rushed to express whatever we are working with too prematurely. Chetyn Parkyn call it Being in Accord. It is about aligning with universal truths and cosmic rhythms, and waiting for an invitation or the right time to act before sharing.
Because this may involve expressing your own unique vision of the world, this line also contains a certain vulnerability – being accepted for who one is, for one’s natural talents or unconventional views always carries with it the risk of rejection. Here, being somewhat innocent or childlike, as per the sabian symbol, can help – it may give you the courage to driven by your passions and not by the desire to be liked or accepted. It may also make you seem less threatening to others if you come from an open, natural and unaffected place – something children are really good at. However, unless your throat is permanently switched ‘on’ in your Human Design chart, you may need to wait to be recognised or invited to speak or contribute ie. via a planetary transit through one of the gates in this region that opens up a channel in the throat region (see the diagram below for info that identifies the zodiac sign regions where each stargate is located). This can bring about frustration in the short term. Exercising patience can help – something Jupiter’s ingress into Taurus should assist you with.
Gene Key 1, which is another way of talking about the Hexagram, describes this as the movement from entropy to freshness and then to beauty. It is therefore all about opening up to new stimulus, expanding creatively within, and pushing beyond the mundane into the realm of the magical/extraordinary. All things that children are so brilliant at. So when in doubt, spend time around children, or ask your inner child what it would naturally do, and then allow yourself to co-create with this ‘green shoot’ aspect of yourself – preferably in a safe space without exposing it to the dangers of negativity or unnecessary criticism.
