Taurus New Moon: The Electric Earth

It was a beautiful autumn morning in 1996 at Mike Reynolds’ headquarters outside Taos, New Mexico.  I dipped my hands into the rich, brown mud and set a dollop atop a low wall. Smoothing it out with a trowel, I then nestled two soda bottles a few inches apart and layered them with more mud. Lost in the pleasant, repetitive work, I could dimly hear friendly banter from the other workshop participants. When next I thrust my hands into the mud, something extraordinary occurred – a bolt of electricity flashed through me, as if connecting earth and heaven within. I’ll never forget the ecstatic feeling of well-being and connection that lingered throughout the rest of that day.

The experience came to mind as I realized that the upcoming Taurus New Moon (Saturday May 4, 3:45 p.m. PDT) would be the first one in eighty years with electric Uranus also in Taurus. Therefore, this New Moon, though it certainly favors such earthy activities as building things and making money, is not your usual Taurus lunation. The Uranus factor emphasizes the need to do things in a new way. And, a sextile to imaginative Neptune helps us conjure a vision, while a trine to Saturn suggests building something sturdy that will last.

However, the New Moon also coincides with an over-the-top opposition between Mars in Gemini and Jupiter in Sagittarius, and a testy square from impatient Venus in Aries to Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn. The former lends itself to big thinking, trip-taking and possibly going off the deep end (since Neptune is within orb of a square to Mars and Jupiter). And, the latter pits Aries impulsiveness and passion against Capricorn tradition (Saturn) and oppression (Pluto). This makes for a real mixed bag of energies.

The New Moon happens just three days after Beltane, the annual pagan fertility festival. Getting your hands in the earth is one good way to celebrate. You could work in your garden, start backyard composting or learn more about soil regeneration – which turns out to be one of the best ways to combat climate change. Or, you might join your local Sierra Club chapter and find all the best local hiking spots. And if you’re feeling truly adventurous, you could take an excursion to Taos, NM to check out Mike Reynolds’ Earthships, totally self-contained eco-structures built from used tires, bottles, cans and earth. You can even stay overnight in one of the architect’s amazing creations! Reynolds is a true Uranian maverick, always pushing the envelope. At one point he’d lost his license after his trial-and-error methods left some homeowners disillusioned.  But Reynolds finally agreed to follow codes, got re-instated and worked out the bugs (watch the 2007 documentary, Garbage Warrior, to learn more about his work.)

Remember that this is just the first Taurus New Moon over the next seven years to happen during Uranus’ passage through the sign of the Earth. As the electric planet buzzes through Taurus, the Earth Mama is sure to call us back to her breast in ways both enlivening and unsettling. As I discovered that day in Taos, our bodies are conductors of energy that can help heal the split between heaven and earth – within and without. Love your Earth Mama with all your heart – and she will do the same for you!