New Moon in Taurus & Fixed Star Algol

“Life begins with love, is maintained with love, and ends with love. Right now, while we are alive, is the time to practice and express love. So please take care of your love. Love is capable of reaching so many people.” ~Tsoknyi Rinpoche

A New Moon at 26Taurus @ 5:12bst Monday, 18th May, is ruled by Love Goddess Venus, Taurus is an earth sign, where a New Moon in the sign of the Bull suggests there’s a greater stability to be found in all we truly cherish: love and nourishment, as well as finances and shelter. Please, Goddess, let it be so, especially in Nepal, as well as the rest of the world.

This New Moon sees the start of SakaDawa, the ’Star Month’ which culminates with a Full Moon June 2nd, when Himalayan Buddhists honour Buddha’s life, death and enlightenment. Gautama Buddha achieved enlightenment in the ‘Earth-touching’ position, seated under the (Taurus ruled) Bodhi Tree. “The great 20th-century Vedantin sage, Ramana Maharshi said the Earth is in a constant state of dhyana (meditative absorption). The Buddha's earth-witness mudra (hand position), as in the shown illustration, is a beautiful example of "embodied cognition." His posture and gesture embody unshakeable self-realization. He does not ask heavenly beings for assistance. Instead, without using any words, the Buddha calls on the Earth, by touching it with his right hand, to bear witness.”* Note now, that this New Moon also coincides with quicksilver Mercury slowing down to go retrograde until June 11th. Time now to remodel outmoded thinking. As this lunation begins, we can begin to review, and renew the way we communicate about subjects we care about. And like the enlightened Buddha, bear witness to the value to life, all the while reorganising and re-training the mind to awaken compassion and loving kindness. 

At the 26^th degree of Taurus, Sun and New Moon conjunct (on the 18^th May) a challenging fixed star called Algol, which represents the ‘Gorgon’s Head’, the snake-hair dreadlocked Medusa, whose name originally meant ‘sovereign female wisdom’ **. Fixed stars tend to pinpoint certain intensity: In this case it is a concentrated primal feminine passion which, if obstructed or repressed, severed or feared, has the potential to dramatically harm and turn to stone – or, surprisingly, to heal, when the powerful feminine force is understood and revered.

Interestingly, Medusa in myth is one of three winged gorgons (skydancers!), sometimes shown with fangs and a boar’s head (Vahari!); while Medusa is the central ‘ruler’, the other two are ‘wanderer’ (Moon) and ‘strength’ (Sun). All of which could, in my opinion, be twilight language for awakening Shakti-power through the human subtle body’s three main channels, stirring Kundalini serpent power.

Also fascinating is how blood from the right side of the Gorgon’s head has the power to restore the dead back to life, while that of the left is venomous. This relation to the brains’ two hemispheres (and three channels) is poignant for modern yogis - especially when one considers when heroic Perseus cuts off the Gorgon’s head (i.e. ends his animal passion), it is only for the immortal magical winged horse Pegasus to emerge with his brother Chrysaor, holder of a golden sword.  Also in my opinion, this myth suggests that when we prevent the espression of a powerful sexual energy it can devour us in fear, frozen in time with frustration unresolved and supressed, only to explode more violently at a later date. Better to address these often taboo subjects, that of man’s desire and female sexuality, and release pent-up (sexual) energy in a healthy, beauty honouring manner and heal the feminine within.     

There is also the not-so-small matter of Mercury retrograde in the healing, trickster brother’s home sign, Gemini. Until June 11^th, Mercury wends his way back over old ground (13-4Gemini).  A finger of fate between the retro Mercury and Cosmic Guru, Jupiter, points directly to transformational Pluto, suggesting a dramatic change of mind directly appertains to the healing power of information, and the truth found therein.  

**http://www.skyscript.co.uk/algol.html

With love & thanks to the FPMT for beautiful Shakyamuni Buddha in Earth-touching mudra & to *http://www.ecobuddhism.org/wisdom for inspiriation _/\_ & Ramana Maharishi quote.