A New Beginning: May 2021's New Moon in Taurus

On Tuesday, May 11th, at approximately 3 PM EST, we will have a New Moon at 21'17 degrees of the sweet and sensual but equally stubborn and headstrong sign of Taurus. Here's what to expect.

What is a New Moon?

A New Moon represents the beginning of the lunar cycle when the moon is conjunct the sun and invisible to the human eye. New Moons are a good time for fresh starts and new beginnings. It is a good time to start a new project or make a radical change. It's also a good time to find clarity on what you want, and release what no longer serves you. The effects of a New Moon generally last for about two weeks, up until the next Full Moon.

With the New Moon in Taurus, we can expect new beginnings related to our sense of security and stability, beauty, our belongings, self-worth, sensuality and our connection to the environment or the physical world around us.

It may be helpful to think back to what was going on in your life during the Full Moon in Scorpio on April 26th (unfortunately, I was too busy to write an article on this) or the Full Moon in Taurus six months ago, for certain themes may be repeating themselves.

Whatever intentions you set now should come into fruition by the time of the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius on May 26th.

Those with any personal planets or angles between 16 to 26 degrees of the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) will most especially be affected by this New Moon.

May 2021's New Moon in Taurus

The April 26th Full Moon in Scorpio was as intense as you might imagine a full moon in the sign of a venomous animal would be. While Venus, at 15'17 degrees of its home sign Taurus and conjunct Mercury by a degree, might have brought about conversations between lovers, or about love, these conversations were likely to be shocking if not outright unsettling. With the Moon opposite (and the Sun conjunct) Uranus at 10'28 degrees, and making a t-square to Saturn at 12'57 degrees Aquarius, for many, this was a time of disruption and unpleasant surprises. What type of surprise you encountered depends upon where these charts fall in your chart (for example, with Saturn in my 9th house, important travel plans were delayed, and with the Full Moon in my 6th house, my pet got sick) but for some people, Venus's involvement may have brought about separations of some sort. On the bright side, it may have helped people with letting go or walking away from things in their life that are holding them back, helping to foster a greater sense of self-reliance and/or self-worth.

May 11th's New Moon at 21 degrees Taurus will bring about a new beginning, a step forward after last month's mess. Taurus, a fixed earth sign ruled by Venus, planet of beauty, is a symbol of self-preservation, self-worth and self-love. As the earth sign, associated with Venus, it's sensuality and sense of physical beauty are especially strong. The bull is a symbol of agriculture, and likewise, the Romans associated the goddess, Venus, with gardens and vineyards as well. This makes Taurus a sign of abundance, much like the Queen of Pentacles. It represents the attainment of the resources that give us life, pleasure and happiness. Of course, this abundance cannot be attained without hard work and responsibility, as the New Moon's placement in the third and Saturn-ruled decan of Taurus reminds us. However, this New Moon may just inspire us to work harder or at least to be more responsible.

The New Moon's closest aspect is a sextile to Neptune at 22'39 degrees Pisces. On one level, this could represent wishes or dreams made physical. On another level, it increases sensitivity to our environments, emphasizing a greater need for peace and stability. While some of us may feel tempted to withdraw into our own worlds (and since Neptune is a planet associated with the imagination, good work or creativity could very well come out of this!), others may decide to apply these feelings to the community, showing our compassion and empathy for others in tangible ways (such as donating to a cause or a friend whose in need). The Moon is separating from Saturn, which reflects the overcoming of sadness and suffering, but applying to Jupiter at 29 degrees Aquarius. Jupiter is about to change signs, entering Pisces on May 13th, shortly after the square perfects, reflecting a similar sentiment.

The New Moon will coincidence with an applying sextile between Mars and Uranus at 11 degrees of Cancer and Taurus, respectively, and also a conjunction between Mercury and the North Node at 11 degrees Gemini. While Uranus gives Mars the freedom to act in spontaneous ways and the confidence to do things they normally won't, the North Node gives Mercury, already at home in Gemini, helps strengthen the power of the mind, inspiring new ideas and productive conversations.

Conclusion

The Taurus New Moon brings a fresh start after a chaotic Full Moon in Scorpio, a new beginning involving large doses of abundance and self-love. The Sun and Moon in Taurus make a sextile to Neptune which inspires us to make our dreams a tangible reality and increases sensitivity to our environments, both social and physical. It is also worth mentioning that this is the last New Moon of the eclipse season that brought us the Lunar Eclipse in Gemini in November and the Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius December, so similar themes may occur. However, since these eclipses were very chaotic, it may bring about a new beginning, a dramatic shift away from the chaos of these times.