| Wesak Portal
2 Full Moons in Scorpio
Deepening Cauldron of Transformation April 20 - May 19, 2008 |
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The Wesak Portal:
a 30-day Scorpio-Taurus
Cauldron of Deepening
Hi Everyone, I hope you are doing well. Spring is definitely here in Southwestern Pennsylvania USA. We are at that early stage of the season when the beautiful pink, yellow and white flowers are blooming on the trees and the grasses are the brightest green they will be all year. This stage of spring is very fleeting; the budding flowers won't last long, which only adds to their exquisite and seemingly sudden appearance. The Lifeforce energy - which the zodiac signs of Taurus and Scorpio ask us to master - is rising beautifully right now. When the sun shines the first warmth we have felt in months, and the warm breezes caress our skin, we feel the gentle stirrings of the earth's pure lifeforce energy (taurus) after a long, cold winter where the flowing lifeforce was seemingly frozen deep within (scorpio).
 This newsletter is going to cover an entire month of Lunar events, because the next three lunations "go together" into one big cauldron (or portal) of deepening. We had a lot of "downtime" from mid-November through early April, as we processed a great Turning of the Ages (represented by the Galactic Center alignments in December, and Pluto's shift into Capricorn in January). We then had to hurry and up and WAIT with our New Beginnings through the Eclipse Vortex of February and our status 'in the Belly of the Whale' in March! Then, between the Spring Equinox (in late March) and the New Moon in Aries (in early April), we "sprang forth" like a slingshot with an engine attached.
Now we are being asked to go through a deepening process. As things move forward for us, we are reminded not to "gloss over" but to go deeper as we step out. This Portal runs the entire Gamut of the deeply transformative sign of Scorpio - literally from 0 degrees to 30 degrees of that sign - with a New Moon of earthy Taurus groundedness inbetween. Enjoy the Spring, enjoy the 2 Scorpio Full Moons, and I hope you enjoy my attempts to condense some info about these cosmic events into this newsletter. You may want to print out this newsletter to have handy over the next 30 days.
Sending You Lunar Blessings of Peace and Beauty,
Carol
Carol Ann Ciocco
724.396.6694 |
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Full Moon in Scorpio #1: April 20, 2008
 The First Scorpio Full Moon of this 30-day portal occurs this weekend - on April 20, 2008 at 6:25am edt (at zero degrees Scorpio, 43 minutes). Every year, when the Sun is in Taurus and the Moon becomes Full in the opposite sign of Scorpio, Buddhists across the world celebrate the feast of WESAK. This is the feast of the birth of the Buddha, kind of like the Christian Christmas celebration. It is said that the Buddha was born, reached enlightenment, and died when the Sun was in Taurus. Click here for a full description of the ceremony of Wesak. This is a beautiful meditative journey on the etheric level where the Buddha and the Christ meet in the Sacred Wesak Valley.
Right now, over a half-million people around the world are coming together in a web-class featuring Eckhardt Tolle, whom some consider to be a "modern-day Buddha." He had quite a spectacular enlightenment experience while sitting on a park bench (the modern-day equivalent of the Bodhi Tree, I guess:) This web-class, brought to us by Oprah, is teaching concepts new to many people, such as Living in the Now and how to release The Pain Body (which keeps us from Living in the Now). Studying these materials is a perfect Wesak celebration, during this rare 30-day Wesak portal ( 2 Full Moons in Scorpio won't occur again until 2027). Go to www.oprah.com to find out more about this project, called "A New Earth." The web-classes are archived for playback, so you can watch them at any time. A reminder: many prophets of our time tell us that mass-enlightenment is possible at this moment on earth.
The Theme of this Full Moon is CHANGING WINDS. "Changing winds are up. There can be diversionary foul winds present while at the same time transcendent subtle currents leading to our greater fulfillment. Discernment, inner clarity and centeredness are required to know the difference and which winds and currents to set our sails to. The winds occurring now are of a magnetic nature that can draw people together or pull others apart." - Nick Anthony Fiorenza, www.lunarplanner.com
There are many symbols associated with this moon which echo this theme. The sidereal or Vedic Moon Mansion (described in Kenneth Johnson's 'Mansions of the Moon') associated with this moon is Arcturus and Swati, the ancient god of Wind. The ancients named this Mansion ARCTURUS because it seemed to them that the moon had been blown off course toward Arcturus. They associated this Mansion with roving or traveling. Sabian symbols for the Sun (a clear mountain stream flows steadily downstream) and Moon (a sight-seeing bus filled with Taurus) also bring home the same theme: things are on the move.
 In addition, this Full Moon is conjunct the star known as Miaplacidus or Beta Carina, which is on the keel (cutting edge) of the ship (constellation) known as Argo - steaming full force ahead on its journey, cutting through the waters of the unknown. The shift from Pluto in Sagittarius to Pluto in Capricorn has left alot of us - and perhaps the entire western culture? - reeling and keeling. With rising gas prices, the credit and housing crunch and other "hard-hitting Capricorn realities" which we have been introduced to since January 25, many are feeling "squeezed." We are entering new waters. This lunation reminds us: the only way to progress is to forge ahead.
The day before the Full Moon, on April 19th at dusk, the Goddess star SPICA (representing abundance and illumination of the divine feminine) can be seen near the Full Moon. This also happens to be the anniversary of 'the shot heard round the world' which began the American Revolution. Then on April 20th, the exact date of the Full Moon, the Jewish community will celebrate the feast of PASSOVER - symbolic of the movement (traveling) from bondage to freedom and the need to pack light for the journey. Here we see the "passing-over" of scorpionic 'death and destruction' to our most precious creations (first-born sons) when we dedicate ourselves to the blood of the lamb (the waters of peace and gentleness). Then at dawn on April 23rd, as the Full Moon window closes, the Moon will be near the star ANTARES - the heart of the Scorpion. Here we are reminded that whatever is real, whatever comes from the heart, will be "spared" from the cultural "tearing down" process of Pluto in Capricorn. " What's important to know is that (as Pluto in Capricorn re-models our economy and government) anything of real value will be fine. This is a process of taking out the deadwood, and like a big windstorm that shakes out dead tree branches, this is showing us what's healthy in our economy and what's not.- Madeline Gerwick www.polarisbusinessguides.com
 And finally the angels associated with the Moon at 0-1degrees of Scorpio are THE ANGELS OF FIRE: "In the thirty degrees of Scorpio, people express flowing Divine Love through emotions. Scorpio receives Divine Love through the Rays of Pluto. This is the path of magnetism and the deepest essence of Soul. Flowing feelings of fiery spiritual intent to love and flowing feelings for the highest good of all concerned are the very fabric of life itself. These fiery flowing divine love feelings are catalysts for attracting all miracles. Feelings contain compressed information. Flowing feelings of love contain the essence of transmutation and Divine Life. Feelings of divine fiery intention to love, combined with flowing feelings of divine love, are the initiations of Scorpio. Remember, flowing will is fire." Cynthia Rose Young Schlosser Here we see that what is really doing the "traveling" in this Double Scorpio Wesak Cauldron is our FEELINGS from inward to outward.
Also of note: The Full Moon of April 20th occurs on the first day of a new tricena (13-day cycle within the Mayan Calendar) and carries the JAGUAR energy (1 Jaguar - IX). Jaguar is deeply connected to earth and is a magical shaman energy. In addition, two important events, the Pennsylvania Presidential Primary and Earth Day, occur on April 22nd, within the window of this Full Moon. Perhaps we are voting for a leader not only for us, but for the earth as well? |
THE CORE
New Moon in Taurus: May 5, 2008
 Sandwiched inbetween the two Wesak Full Moons we have the core of our 30-day Scorpio-Taurus Transformation Cauldron: the New Moon in Taurus on May 5, 2008 at 8:18am edt (at 15 degrees Taurus 12 minutes). Here is the heart of the experience of deepening our path. Picture a deep cauldron or vessel. The first Full Moon is the opening on the left rim, the second Full Moon is the rim on the right side. And deep within lies the heart, the core, the contents which when cooked together alchemically help to create transformation. This New Moon occurs at the combustible "Cross Quarter" degree (15 Taurus) which marks the midpoint between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice - a feast known as Beltane in the earth religions. The Cross-Quarter degree brings fiery energies for alchemical cooking. What is seeded now will break forth at the Solstice on JUNE 21st.
The theme of this New Moon is MOVING ON AND NOT LOOKING BACK. The sidereal Moon Mansion (Ken Johnson, 'Mansions of the Moon') associated with this degree is known as Bharani or The River of Souls. This Mansion is associated with mysticism and shamanism, with those who lead souls across the River to 'the other side' or 'the underworld' of life. A symbol for this Mansion is the female 'yoni' or pure creative lifeforce (very much in alignment with the Scorpio-Taurus axis of this portal). The downfall here is that we must not confuse the glitter and glamour of astral magic for the ultimate reality of the flowing, juicy creative fire of the lifeforce (the Godhead) or else we will get stuck in illusion. One solution suggested for dealing with these powerful energies is the grounding Yogic practices which create discipline, ascetism and the learning of self-control and self-mastery.
 In addition, this New Moon is exactly conjunct the Black Hole EURYDICE at 16 degrees Taurus. "Eurydice was the wife of Orpheus. While fleeing from Aristaeus, she was bitten by a serpent and died. Distraught, Orpheus played such sad songs and sang so mournfully that all the nymphs and gods wept and gave him advice. Orpheus went down to the lower world and by his music softened the heart of Hades and Persephone (the only person to ever do so), who allowed Eurydice to return with him to earth. But the condition was attached that he should walk in front of her and not look back until he had reached the upper world. In his anxiety he broke his promise, and Eurydice vanished again from his sight." This story is very similar to the story of Lot's wife, who looked back on Sodom and Gommorah and was turned to a pillar of salt. The message for us as we enter the heart of this cauldron is that when working with the powerful creative lifeforce energy (the Angels of Fire and the 'yoni' energy described above), it's important to stay focused on what we are creating in the Now and not to look back for too long at the past. Focusing on the past will bring destruction since creation comes from focus of thought and feeling. We also see here that the Scorpionic Underworld must be navigated verrrry carefully. Perhaps that is why we are given TWO Scorpio Full Moons to help us learn a bit more about the Pluto/Scorpio energies in this new Pluto-in-Capricorn era.
As if to confirm this theme, on May 1st Venus (also known as Persephone) will "disappear" into the Undeworld (i.e. the planet Venus will get so close to the sun she will be invisible to us here on earth. She will not re-emerge until JULY 15th. What we are cooking in this cauldron will surface then more fully. Watch to reap the harvest of this time between June 21st (Summer Solstice) and July 15th.
On May 2-3 Saturn Stations Direct near Regulus (the heart of Leo the Lion). Regulus is a Royal Star associated with the Archangel Raphael and the Hall of Records (or Akashic Records). The combination of SATURN (Right Management and Good Solid Structure) and REGULUS (Right Leadership from the Heart) has been much-featured this year. The pair was spectaculary displayed right next to the Total Lunar Eclipse of February 20th and many of us witnessed it as we gazed at the Eclipse. In this New Moon chart we have the South Node (our collective past) near Regulus and a powerfully motionless Saturn. Saturn is 'standing still' there right now. He seems to be pausing to nod to Regulus within this cauldron before he "turns around" (apparent motion from our vantage point on earth) and begins moving forward again. He has been meeting with Regulus since January and from this point on will begin to pull away from Regulus (culminating on JULY 15th - already highlighted by Venus' journey as described in the previous paragraph) and will not return to "rendevous" with this star for another 30 years.
Saturn will hover here, remaining at the New Moon degree and pow-wowing with Regulus, until May 21st - two days after the 2nd Scorpio Full Moon. Saturn (the Prime Minister) and Regulus (the Pharoahs and Kings of Old) will be convening in a 'Restructuring of Leadership Summit' during this time. The Sabian Symbol for the degree of the Saturn Retrograde Station (01 Virgo 41) is "a large white cross dominates the landscape." Leadership on this planet needs much healing (which can pour forth from the Archangel Raphael, associated wtih Regulus). The old ways must be crucified so that the new ways can rise up with great fiery lifeforce flowing into the Now. Something has to be sacrificed. Don't look back!
There is a beautiful Grand Earth Trine in this chart, with Pluto (the Lord of the Underworld), Venus (a.k.a. Persephone, who spends half the year there) and Saturn (the Lord of the Rings of Time). This offers much grounding and support for our learning to work with the creative lifeforce energy in order to set ourselves free. Cinco de Mayo also occurs on this day. This is Mexican holiday, "a party that celebrates freedom and liberty" - just as Passover and the Lexington-Concord anniversary did at the Full Moon 2 weeks ago. This is clearly another theme of this Wesak Scorpio-Taurus Cauldron: Get yourself free.
 The Angelic Degree of this New Moon is no surprise: it is THE ANGELS OF CREATIVE GENIUS! Perfect! And they bring us a deeply hopeful message: "The original blueprints for Heaven on Earth require that paradigms, which are ways of understanding reality, reflect the majesty and splendor of Divine Perfection and Harmony. Pioneers in shifting old paradigms into new ones that more accurately reflect Divine Law are under our guidance and protection. Exciting new paradigms are being awakened across a wide range of disciplines among visionaries who are open to receiving creative new possibilities through high inspiration and inner guidance. Many of these breakthroughs, which have been already perfected but previously suppressed, have been waiting for the right time to blossom forth in rapid succession to the amazement of a world which often is overburdened, longing for transformation. Many of those who are close to giving up hope of ever seeing Heaven manifest on Earth will be overjoyed that they held on to see the new age dawn." Cynthia Rose Young Schlosser |
Full Moon in Scorpio #2: May 19, 2008
 And finally, the second Full Moon in Scorpio occurs on May 19, 2008 at 10:11pm edt (at 29 degrees Scorpio 27 minutes) - closing the portal. This is a second Wesak experience, and occurs at the very last degree of Scorpio, just as the opening Full Moon occurred at the very first degree of Scorpio. The Sabian Symbol for the Sun in this chart is "a peacock parading its spendor on the terrace of an old castle." The Peacock is associated with royalty and with the status of "Watcher" - one who guards the centers of power. The Peacock is also associated with Quan Yin who is the Goddess of Lovingkindness and Compassion. The many "EYES" on the peacock's iridescent feathers eternally watch as the olde guard somehow gives way to the new paradigm.
"The Scorpio Full Moon transmits the shamanic mysteries of empowerment that occur when we successfully embrace our shadow or all the aspects of ourselves that we have denied or disowned in our lives. These shadow elements operate unconsciously in all we think, feel, say, and do until we are ready to take responsibility for them. When we are in denial, our shadow issues direct the course of our lives. This is similar to what Eckhart Tolle refers to when he talks about 'the pain body'." Cayelin Castell
This chart contains T-Square in Fixed signs, with the Sun and Moon opposite one another in Taurus-Scorpio, pouring their energies into the asteroid Chiron conjunct the North Node and Neptune, all in Aquarius. Here we see the outlet of the energies of this 30-day cauldron outpouring into the future (North Node) of spirituality (Neptune) based upon the healing (Chiron) of the pain body (Scorpio). The cauldron tips over and all that we've cooked up spills out into our destiny. Releasing the shadow or unitegrated parts of our psyches (both personal and collective) is how we "get free."
The angels associated with the degree of this Full Moon are THE ANGELS OF WATER ANIMALS. This shows us that Water - a symbol for emotion and being able to go deeply within our feeling nature - is important here. (You will recall that Fire was important in the first Full Moon, which opened this portal). These angels speak: "We are protectors of every creature living in the water. Every animal living in water, no matter whether sea serpent, crocodile, whale, or dolphin, with the methods that we are entrusted by Divine Providence to show you, will communicate freely with you in love, trust, and innocence.' In this last degree of Scorpio, the nature of cause and effect is clearly understood and mastered; the EYES see through love divine and awaken mastery of the web of life with divine transmutation into perfection. Scorpio is the sign of flowing feelings of love divine, and is therefore the water element. In the perfection of Scorpio, closeness and kinship with animals that children are naturally born with are experienced with all creatures, especially creatures of the water element. See with the EYES of love divine. Flow with feelings of unconditional and all-encompassing love shining in your heart, for self and others. As you do this, creatures of the waters are magnetically drawn to the warmth of your beingness." Cynthia Rose Young Schlosser
The same two stars that were highlighted at the first Full Moon one month ago, are highlighted again at this Full Moon. On May 16-17, the Moon passes 3-degrees below SPICA. Then the Full Moon on May 19 rises a few degrees below ANTARES, occulting it in some parts of the globe. In addition - and adding a dollup of expansion to this set-up - on May 23-24, the Moon accompanies Jupiter in his journey across the sky. Jupiter is the planet associated with abundance, good luck and auspicious outcomes. It also can mean we have "too much of a good thing," however.
 I think the combination of Spica - with her sheath of wheat (also representing abundance and "spiritual food") or her lantern (representing enlightmentment and illumination of the spiritual seeker) - and Jupiter shows us that there truly IS an abundance of all good resources on this planet, as well as an abundance of Light and Illumination to guide us from Spirit. Mass Enlightenment IS possible! To create this, however, we are going to have to face the false-idols of abundance that we have used to create "too much of a good thing" during the 20th century. Some examples: the money that is being printed without being backed by a metal standard, the derivatives being sold over and over again by banks with no real substance behind them, the stuff each home in the western world is crammed with - stuff we don't need and often don't use, the toys used to distract us from the Now... I could go on, but you get the picture. It's all flash and no substance. This is the glitter and glamour of our past we were warned not to focus on in the previous high-points of this portal. If we keep thinking about the so-called "abundance" that we are leaving behind as the economy is restructured by Pluto in Capricorn, we won't ever be able to create THE REAL THING, real abundance. I.e. true, substantial abundance, based on sustainable structures of solvency that will carry us forward into a whole new world.
How do we ferret out the creation of REAL sustainable and solvent abundance? By coming from out hearts desire ( Antares) and keeping our feet on the ground when building the structures of our lives ( Pluto in Capricorn). "As the changes encompass us and we them, we may find ourselves floundering. Two simple questions will bring us back to center because the answer will always be "yes" to both. The questions are: 'In this Now am I safe?' and 'In this Now do I have everything that I need?'When we ask ourselves these questions and we answer truthfully, we will find that "yes" is the only possible answer. It is time to give up the illusion of control, the state of fear that has gripped us. Illusions and fear never did and still do not serve us. Fear is imagined reality. It is not truth. The truth lies within us and we are fine." Meg Blackburn Losey. The Now of enlightenment, the Now of the Truth of our Hearts, the Center that exists within - here is where all the answers exist in perfection.
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Changing Winds are Up...
'The wind is the breath of heaven and earth.
Into every corner it unfolds and reaches;
Without choosing between high or low,
Exalted or humble, it touches everywhere.'
Song Yu (290-223 BCE)
brought to you with Love by Carol Ann Ciocco
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