Wendy Cicchetti

There is a certain grandeur to the October Full Moon in Taurus, the sign in which it is traditionally considered to be “exalted.” Taurus relates to security and good living, with an emphasis on comfort and the feel-good factor. Moon in Taurus mothers typically ensure that there is plenty of food in the kitchen cupboards, and everyone is well clothed and otherwise cared for. If we have the Moon here natally, we may crave this kind of care or wish to offer it to others. This Moon naturally has a lot going for it! Yet it can be quite emotionally loaded, especially at Full Moon, along with being colored by the presence of other planets with which it is closely configured.

First, the Moon conjoins Uranus, accentuating individual needs with a touch of innovation and eccentricity. This can mean that what we expect as “usual” Taurus-type behavior will manifest as anything but usual. Sometimes, where Uranus makes a mark, there is a division to be grappled with. Therefore, decisions may have to be made about protecting personal comforts, whilst also surrendering a form of security. For instance, some with Taurus strongly accentuated in the birth chart may be considering leaving a job, home, or relationship, perhaps to protect their peace of mind or physical health.

The Full Moon always opposes the Sun but, on this occasion, also Venus in Scorpio. The theme of envy is often linked with Scorpio. In this case, we may envy someone else’s physical appearance. Will it motivate us enough to take steps to emulate that appearance? Or will we settle with what feels easier and more comfortable? The answer to this may reside in the position of the lunar nodes, which fall across the Leo–Aquarius axis. The nodes sit in early degrees and thereby make up a strong configuration with the Moon–Uranus and Sun–Venus, known as a grand cross. Visually, the grand cross is similar to the central spokes of a wheel, or the section of a fruit press, which, in an orchard, would get turned around with some force, in order to extract apple juice. It might take some effort, but the extracted nectar will be quite delicious!

Considering the wheel analogy, we may think of a bicycle: It takes effort and poise to manage riding a bike, but this can provide great health benefits, as well as a means of transport. In both cases, we may be willing to put in the effort to get closer to what is most desired. So, the potential is there, with this nodal grand cross (which consists of four internal square aspects), to find the impetus, strength, and momentum to drive forward on any goals that matter to us.

Since Uranus is involved, this does have an extra, personal touch; the goal is perhaps set aside in order to keep someone else happy. Or, given the opposition of the Moon to Venus, the goal may be pursued in reaction to what someone else wants. The inner tension of the oppositions involved around this Full Moon could drive both sets of people forward to achieve greater things, whilst not necessarily being able to offer direct support to one another.

The Taurus Moon also trines Saturn in Capricorn, adding a grounding quality. Despite the wild-card accent of the Uranus conjunction, it might be well to observe a few rules. Another way to put this is: If we are branching out in new directions, we will soon get a sense of where the limits lie. There will be only so much that we can achieve alone and get away with, but if we overstep the mark, we’ll likely know about it fairly promptly. This may be no bad thing, though — Saturn is in his own sign, adding strength and dignity. We can trust that rules or traditions have developed for a good reason, and we would be wise to follow them.

There is room to move out of the established mould with this Moon and attend to individual needs and desires, but it makes sense to pay respect to some of the wisdom of the past as well. Wherever we may not fully succeed with the new, we can still find a solid path by leaning back on tried and tested methods. This push–pull momentum, echoed in the lunar nodes, reminds us that the well-trodden path and existing talents can be just as valuable as the pathway of further growth and exploration.

Written by Diana McMahon Collis for the Mountain Astrologer Magazine