Photo by Zoe; creative commons license
The November Full Moon, aka the Beaver Moon or the Frosty Moon, occurs in Taurus on November 13, 2008 at 12:17 AM Central time here in the Florida Panhandle.
Taurus is a sign of solidity, sensuality, earthiness, pleasure, enjoyment. Sounds great, huh? Except that, astrologically, this moon has some difficult angles, plus the Sun is in Scorpio with all its intensity and truth-seeking. There’s a tension between the two–can you relax and enjoy things or will your secrets be uncovered?–that can be felt in most situations and relationships right now. I have friends who are ecstatic, hopeful, and cautious about the results of the Presidential election and I have family who are devastated and fraught with worry about our country’s future–and that’s just one of the ways that this Full Moon seems to pull us apart. Edginess over the economy, politics, personal relationships, finances-it’s all there. Several friends of mine noted that Halloween was full of angry emotions this year rather than the usual Halloween fun, and they encountered tension everywhere they went. So remember that this November 2008’s Full Moon is going to be a time of intensity and extremes, of heightened worry mixed with heightened fantasy about the way things could be, of some explosiveness that, in the next month, will dissolve into a better understanding of the physical reality.
For those of you who routinely read my suggestions for meditations, you know how this works. I share this unraveling of images I have just before a New Moon, Full Moon, and/or Eclipse and you’re welcome to use what makes sense to you. For most of 2008, I’ve been following this “story” of a river of emotions connected with Moon phases–everything from bridges over rivers to the structure that holds the river in its banks, to surfing the river, to becoming the river, to rising above the river in a parasail…all taking me “around the riverbend” to a beautiful new vista that is lush and green. Here are the links to previous meditations:
Riverbanks/Structures — http://thespiritualeclectic.wordpress.com/2008/07/13/serious-moonlight-ideas-for-your-july-full-moon-meditations-and-rituals/
Surfing/Sailing — http://thespiritualeclectic.wordpress.com/2008/07/28/1-august-2008-solar-eclipse-rituals-and-meditations-for-the-new-moon-in-leo/
Becoming the River — http://thespiritualeclectic.wordpress.com/2008/09/13/harvest-moon-in-pisces-september-2008s-full-moon-meditation/
For those of you who know what happened in my personal life after last month’s rather precognitive meditation, the one where I felt we were being bashed against rocks, you may wonder why I would continue these meditations. I don’t really have a choice…they come to me on their own, and usually give me an idea about the next weeks’ influences. Besides, I have recovered and I’m well now-the worst part by far was having to navigate some of those boulders alone.
Which brings us to this Full Moon’s meditation:
In this meditation, I am no longer drowning in the emotional flow of the river or being pelted with boulders that are obstacles to my happiness. I’ve pulled myself to the riverbank, and I am bruised, bleeding, and shivering. I am tired but I am at last able to catch my breath rather than fight the current. There are still boulders in the river and the current of the emotion in the river is still as strong as it ever was, but I’m at a place where I can relax for a moment. I don’t, of course, relax fully. Instead, I turn my attention to rebuilding. I do not have the strength to lift huge boulders to line the riverbanks and change the course of the river, but what I can do is very small and very focused.
In this meditation, the vista beyond the riverbend is still lush and beautiful, even if I am not moving right now. I am not stuck either–just resting. I see my hands full of river sand–wet, smooth, shiny with the tiniest particles of all those jagged rocks the current pushed me against, rocks I shoved off of, rocks that left me bleeding for days. These are not the huge boulders still in my current of emotion but the ones that have been pulverized against my own body and heart, ground to dust to mix with river sand.
I scoop these muddy handfuls of rock and sand and water and then layer them onto the side of the river. I build, so slowly and with small movements, a more solid path for this river, gently raising a new riverbank, making small changes where I can. I am not powerless. I can continue to build my future, with small steps and appropriate rest.
The mud feels good in my hands. Resting on the dirt and grass, my feet still in the water, feels good in my soul. Taking these little actions feels good in my heart. No matter how much intensity is in the air around me, I persevere, I plan, I make things happen…
And so can you.
Tags: Astrology, Beaver Moon, Frosty Moon, full moon, Meditation, November 2008, ritual
I Just wanted to say thank you for your meditations. I stumbled on your website about 6 weeks ago. They follow my life so strongly at the moment and give me so much strength. Also your article about signs I’ve been screaming for a sign recently and then you give me one. Thank you.