Re-connect with Your Body

Hello again~ How was your astrological new year? I can't quite believe it's already time to say hi to the Taurus New Moon!

New Moon in Taurus

Most activities recommended for Taurus moons have to do with the physical, e.g. get a massage, get out into nature, nourish your body and so on. That's partly because in the astrological cycle, after a spark comes into being (represented by Aries), the next step is to take physical form (represented by Taurus).

The thing is to note is, all these activities are extra pleasant at any Earth Moon (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn), but what distinguishes Venus-ruled Taurus from Virgo and Capricorn is that Taurus is about savouring physical sensations.

So this New Moon, make an effort to really be in your body. Maybe, imagine that you're a baby, experiencing much of your body and physical environment for the first time:

• Be aware of the breeze on your skin, the heat of the sun. In my case, the humidity LOL. Or walk barefoot on grass or sand, literally get grounded. 
• Focus on your toes, your fingers, a specific point on your body. Feel how your body fits into your clothes, your shoes, your environment. Pay attention to the minute and varying sensations  in your body as you move around.
• Enjoy the different textures of what you eat and drink. Carrots crunching between your teeth. Fizzy bubbles sliding down your throat. Chocolate melting on your tongue.  
• Touch something with your fingertips AND your palm. Slide your palm along, feel the texture between your fingertips. 

Personally, I found these quite effective as ways to practice being present in the bodily senses—a challenge since life seems to be dominated by the digital domain. I'm always up in my head! Anyway, try them out and let me know what you discovered/learnt :)

In the bigger picture, now is also the perfect time to consider what little tweaks you can make to improve the quality of what your body needs in terms of sleep, nutrition, and movement.

Timings
London       8:30 PM, May 6
New York     3:30 PM, May 6
Singapore    3:30 AM, May 7
Tokyo        4:30 AM, May 7
(set your intentions at/after the new moon)

Note: avoid doing Extreme Taurus, i.e. hedonistic couch potato, binge-watching reality TV while munching on a steady supply of snacks, or dig-in-my-heels-must-have-my-way sulks. As per Epicurus, who seemed to have a fairly Taurean view of life: 

No pleasure is in itself evil, but the things which produce certain pleasures entail annoyances many times greater than the pleasures themselves.

Cosmic Themes

For the next 3-4 days...
If you're working on or involved in something where your end goal is stability, now's a good time to work out what elements you need to put in place. Strictly speaking, it should be a short list of deal-breakers, the non-negotiable stuff of whatever your 'something' is, as air, water and food is to the body. Be free and hold a big vision for the future, but skip the rose-coloured lenses when you're looking at what is right in front of you now.

SERIOUSLY Keep Calm & Zen Out (20-24 May)
As mentioned below, the overall vibe for these two months is already pretty tense, but during this particular period, everyone's going to be on edge, pushing their own agenda, acting impulsively. It's energy that's prone to explosions and tends to trigger drama. Try to be aware of these energies in yourself too. If you happen to have friendly planets in early Aries and Leo, you'll have some ways to release that tension. For the rest of us, it might be helpful to believe that people generally act out of ignorance/busy-ness, not out of menace. Decide ahead that you'll be on a chill pill.   

Keep Your Cool (mid-April ~ end June)
Remember the three letters Z, E, N, above all else. Mercury retrograde can increase the incidences of miscommunication, delays, breakdowns—you might feel it more if you're Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius. Combine that with Mars (think 'warrior mode') retrograde, and foot-in-the-mouth disease seems rather inevitable. Whatever it is, do not pick a fight. Change the filter with which you view the situation. Choose your sanity over drama. Exact dates for Mercury retrograde are April 28 till May 22. 

Revisit & Renew (Late March ~ mid-August)
You have a chance during this period to revisit situations and projects that began around Christmas 2014 and early 2015. Re-examine objectives and purpose. Seek clarity, especially on obstacles and pitfalls. Figure out what structures or arrangements (not necessarily complicated, you just need a plan) you can set up to reduce risk. There is an opportunity for growth and healing, but it's not going to just drop from the sky. Effort and patience is part of this deal.

Getting to Know You
Since we're about savouring tiny pleasures this month... I really get a kick out of lining up newly-bought eggs in the tray on the side door of the fridge—all these little brown eggs, smiling up at me. It's weird, I know, but it's so fun! Sliding my hand across the fresh, crisp pages of a brand new book is another fave.

What about you? What tiny pleasures do you savour in your daily life? I'm curious to find out :) Till the next new Moon!~ 

Blessings,
Julia

P.S. Just recalled that Amelie is full of little savour-the-physical-sensation moments. Maybe a movie for your Taurus moon weekend :)