So, the last day or so I’ve been finding myself playing the “what if” card. You know, tossing ideas into mid air and seeing what takes flight and what crashes and burns.

The thing is, I’m not really in the mood to do anything about them, it’s just sort of fun to do when you know you should be doing something else.

It’s like I found myself spending a few hours yesterday faffing around with a fascinating relationship chart and its possibilities (thanks Patty…) rather than finishing a pitch I knew needed to be finished. I love the what ifs that you can play with all of that wonderful potential.

I’m glad that I did- do the chart instead of the pitch. Aside from the fact that I love a good dose of synastry (it’s the potential, you see…)- the on line publication I was preparing the pitch for, published a very similar story this morning. Phuket, it’s not just for bogans. Boy, am I glad I didn’t waste hours on that one!

Anyways, last night, after I finished what iffing and not pitching, I played the what if game with dinner.

I’d bought the ingredients to make up a shepherds pie, but it felt kind of, I don’t know, boring.

What if I ooomphed my usual chicken biryani up with lamb mince curry? What if I topped it off with some rice that I’d flavoured with fennel and mustard seeds and curry leaves. What if that went all crunchy in the oven?

So I did, and it was yummy.

It was also very Aquarian.

The whole day was very Aquarian.

It was also a very Taurean day.

It was one of those days where there was a lot of mulling and not a lot of activity- except for when it came to experimenting with tastes. there was also a lot of eating- way too much eating. eating as a substitute for doing…but we won’t go too far down that line.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the problem with Mars in Taurus…and Mercury and the Sun.

While the potential is there to head down, bum up, steadily work towards a goal, there is just as strong a potential to, well, do nothing…at least not until you’re sure that all the risks and excuses and road blocks and what ifs have been removed.

As I write, the Moon is trine Jupiter, and I’m playing the what if game again.

You know how they say be careful what you wish for, well what if you’re not? Careful, that is…

The Moon today is in Capricorn.

Regular readers will know that the Capricorn Moon is one of those periods each month where (for me) the blah blah blahs come very easily. It feels grey.

It should be a great time for getting work done, for getting down to business, for being practical, for dealing with money concerns, for exchanging business cards, for budgeting…but what I really want to be doing doesn’t fall into any of these categories.

It’s in the fighting against the spirit of the Moon that I have issues. I make it harder for myself by pushing through with creative targets when I’d have a much more effective day if I scheduled activities more in keeping with the mood.

I have issues with the Capricorn Moon mainly because I don’t have a good relationship with Saturn. I’ve spoken about this before as well.

This is why when I post about loving, say, the Sagittarius Moon, others may completely disagree with me. This is absolutely valid.

While the emotional weather forecast will affect us all in some way, it will impact us personally depending on:

• The placement of your natal Moon
• The aspects made by your natal Moon to other planets

This information will influence how you identify with the daily Moon and its ruler.

As an example, those of you out there fortunate enough to have Saturn well integrated into your charts (or at least better integrated than I do…which wouldn’t be hard…) may relish the productivity and progress that comes from a Capricorn Moon. It’s a very personal thing.

It’s a bit like I relished the Sun and heat on our recent trip to Thailand, where my husband preferred to stay close to the air conditioning.

Anyways, with the Sun, Mars and Venus in Taurus, today is an especially earthy day.

Supportive links to Mars, the Sun and then the monthly conjunction with Pluto will add oomph and focus to your efforts today. This is all one foot in front of the other, sustained effort, long term focus stuff, which means the potential for frustration when quick results aren’t attained will be high.

Slow down, keep your eye firmly on the goal and maintain your routine. As someone much wiser than me would have said, motivation will provide the spark to get you started, but habit and routine will finish the job.

Want to know more about emotional weather forecasting and how it applies to you?

Check out these posts:

Cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms

Mostly fine with scattered showers

Over dinner the other night, an astro pal and I got talking about the void of course, or VOC, Moon. As you do.

And we got talking about our different theories. As you do.

Void of course is one of those terms that sounds a lot more technical than it really is. Essentially it means that the Moon won’t make any more aspects (conjunction, sextiles, trine, square or opposition) to any other planet (including the outers but excluding the asteroids) before it leaves a sign.

Sounds reasonable?

Essentially this means that the Moon is free sailing through the rest of that sign without any other planet influencing or modifying her behaviour.

The thing is, the Moon, like most mothers, doesn’t particularly like having nothing to do. When she’s busy checking in on people, she feels more useful- even when the aspects are challenging.

This is why sometimes during a VOC you might feel a little aimless, useless even. Things might seem quieter- like those weird moments just before a storm where things feel sort of…expectant. It’s also why during a VOC you might be able to make the most of the energy of that particular sign.

A lot of the time, the nature of the Moon needs to be taken into account.

When the Moon is VOC in Pisces, you probably will be unproductive and aimless- that’s the nature of the Pisces Moon. When the Moon is VOC in Taurus you may be able to really appreciate the moment. When the Moon is VOC in Aries you may actively look for arguments or fires to put out- simply to fill the gaps.

The Moon is at her worst in Capricorn and Scorpio, so a VOC Moon in these signs is more likely to bring out the shadow behaviour of these signs than the best. At the last Scorpio VOC I spent some very valuable (not) hours creating some very convoluted paranoid fantasies…but we won’t go there.

Get the idea?

Essentially VOC Moons are better for:

• Finishing things than starting them
• Planning and organising
• Editing than creating
• Reviewing decisions rather than committing to them
• De-cluttering than accumulating
• Keeping appointments rather than making them

Hang on… this is sounding very much like the advice we give when a planet is retrograde…

Which leads me to my next point- when your Moon is VOC natally. Does this mean that you are infused with the aimlessness of a wandering Moon, or does your Moon have the uninterrupted purity of the sign it’s in?

In most cases (but not all), your Moon will make aspects to other planets- when it comes to the Moon we look at wider orbs- but there may be no more applying aspects being made.

How do you know this? Simple- look for planet that falls at a later degree than your Moon. If there is one and it does fall in the same sign, or in a sign that trines, sextiles, squares or opposes your Moon, it isn’t VOC.

As I said before, the Moon likes to have things to take care of- and when she’s void of course, she can just get on with getting on.

My Moon falls at 27 Pisces and is void.

Prior to getting to 27 Pisces, on her way through she passed Mars(trine), Mercury (conjunction), the Ascendant (conjunction), Pluto (opposition), the Sun (conjunction), Uranus (opposition), Jupiter (trine) and Neptune (trine). But there’s nothing between her and the end of Pisces…she is able to be at her most Piscean. In my humble opinion, VOC suits a Pisces Moon- in the same way that being retrograde seems to suit Pisces Mercury.

I tend not to feel any different when the Moon is void- in the same way that I rarely feel the retrograde cycle of Mercury. I’d be interested to know if others feel the same about their void of course Moon.

The traditionals saw the VOC Moon as being almost destitute- without purpose and support. I don’t necessarily agree.

The Moon is also a translator of light, bringing the energies of every planet she touches on her way through. By the time she is void, she has the essence of all of those contacts.

As I said, that’s just my opinion.

I do, however, think that I have the benefit of being a late degree VOC Moon in a sign that suits that energy. As I mentioned before, when the Moon is in a sign where the pure nature of that sign doesn’t suit a “wandering” Moon, your experience could be very different to mine… and that’s ok.

Horary is a different matter. That shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Horary astrology is where we cast a chart for a particular moment in time for the purpose of answering a single question.

When the Moon signifies the question being asked, the answer is not normally one that you want to hear. It’s a “nothing will come of this” answer, or a “sit tight for now” answer.

The thing is, the Moon is void of course every few days- sometimes for a couple of minutes, sometimes for a couple of hours, sometimes for longer. There is always going to be a time where your inclination is to faff around rather than get on with it. That’s ok.

During those times, take a few moments and think about what the nature of that Moon is and go with it…just don’t start anything new…yet.

Full Moon 5 Scorpio 46’, Friday April 26, 2013 5.57am (Sydney time)

The Full Moon is like a high beam. The Full Moon in Scorpio has a nasty habit of exposing secrets and fears. But this isn’t just any normal Full Moon, this is a Lunar eclipse, so extra mega emotionally charged.

With the Sun in the opposite sign Taurus, control and trust issues also come to the surface. Taurus is about retention and Scorpio elimination. Are you holding onto something that you no longer need? Maybe there is some truth lurking just beyond plain sight- something you know is there but simply don’t want to face. Under the Scorpio Full Moon it is time to find it, deal with it, get rid of it, move on. If only it were that easy…

Scorpio is that shadowy place where we pack away all of our deepest fears and our deepest desires. It is everything we repress, keep a lid on, hide away, yearn for. Scorpio is pleasure and it is pain, with a very fine line between the two. It is where we torture ourselves waiting for phone calls that we know won’t come, it’s where we feel the exquisite pain of the forbidden. Scorpio is where we go below the surface to find meaning, solutions, complete healing and transformation.

Scorpio is also about power and facing those fears in order to get to your talents and achieve those desires. And there is nothing that has more power over you than fear.  Fear provides you with the completely mistaken idea that you are in control. So, you stay safe, you say no, you build boundaries around yourself- to stop people getting in and to stop yourself from getting out. And all the while you fool yourself that in doing so you have control. Until you don’t.

I think it was Eric Francis (of Planet Waves) who wrote that most people who are scared are actually horny but don’t know what to do about it. I would also add that they are hungry. Ravenously hungry. Hungry for desire, hungry for passion, hungry for power, hungry for control, hungry for revenge. The type of hunger that keeps you awake at night, gnawing at your insides.

This is an appetite that you do one of two things with.

You are scared, so bury the feelings down deep. You dig a big hole in the middle of your soul, throw in the stuff that scares the crap out of you, the things that you desire so much that you can’t bear it, or risk it. You cover the hole with about 6 tons of soil and secure it with a big, heavy wrought iron lid…and a key…with a lock that has a password or a combination…on time delay. Then you sit back sit back and try not to think about what you have missed out on. Let the discontent fester as you feed it from the fridge or the wine cellar- feeding all the gaps that are left when you locked your desires away. Create a few excuses- a few logical reasons why you haven’t fulfilled your potential, grabbed those opportunities, told that one person how you really feel about them.

The thing is, the hunger hasn’t gone away. You still want what (or who) you want, but now you lie awake replaying missed opportunities, the things that you should have said, the things you should have done- if only you weren’t so scared.

The other thing about burying this stuff like a great toxic waste dump, is that sooner or later it will get dug back up, or uncovered- and Scorpio Full Moon is a prime time for that to happen. The problem is, when it does finally come to the surface, it’s all decayed and manky, and even more scary and unpleasant than when it first went underground. Sometimes it’s best just to rip that particular bandaid off.

Alternatively, you can strip Fear of the power you have given her and use it to fuel your courage to do the things that fear has stopped you from doing in the past. Reclaim that power for yourself. Eliminate those beliefs, behaviours and people that are doing you no good. Let them go- sure you may miss them, but not for long. Look deep into yourself and see the truth- you can handle it.  Then get out there and do it- all of it. Seriously, how hard can it be?

Scorpio demands truth and honesty and will usually dig deeply to get at it. Only through emotional detoxing and the symbolic opening of the closet door can you fully confront your unexpressed desires and the fears that you locked away with them and embrace whatever is to come.

It may be that you know what you want, but are too attached to habits, routines, people, excuses, the couch to do anything about it. The presence of Mars (the traditional ruler of this Full Moon) conjunct the Sun and Saturn (the planet that insists that we face reality) beside the Moon, this may very well be a time where you can take the actions you need. This may be the time where, if you really want to, you can put your money where your mouth is.

Given that Saturn is retrograde, it’s highly likely that these issues have come up for you before. The presence of all of this happening in fixed signs means that letting go of old patterns may be more difficult than usual. On the flip side, if you do so, the potential is for major transformation.

For the astro peeps- look at where 5 Scorpio falls in your chart for more clues. On a personal note, this Full Moon falls in my 8^th house, conjunct my Mars. Any eclipse aspecting Mars can be a time of real change, survival type change. It can be an invigorating  eclipse and a good time for battling physical, mental or sexual issues. As with all things astro, it can also be the opposite- especially if you hold rigidly onto old patterns.

Best go- I have some very scary unexpressed desires to find. I think I last saw them hidden in that dark corner behind my boundaries which were pushed somewhere behind those casks of wine…

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Related posts In the Darkness of Your Dreams

One of the most searched for phrases on this site is “Taurus man unfaithful”… WTF?

This has made me wonder two things:

• Are there lots of women out there who just happen to read my site who are with Taurus men who are unfaithful? Or
• Is there just a couple of women who are with unfaithful Taurus men who keep asking the Universe and hoping for a different answer…sort of like the way I keep asking the Magic 8 ball as specific question of cast the same horary chart over and over again… or the way auditors ask the same stuff in different ways.

So, are Taurus men unfaithful?  Regular readers know my view on this one. I don’t believe that any one sign is more prone to cheating than the next. Having said that, Taurus does have an appetite…for everything… Taurus is also extremely practical- and that can extend to having a Plan B before making a final commitment.

Which brings me to Mars in Taurus (both sexes) and Taurus men in general…Taurus Rising men too will fall into this category as well.

Mars is in his detriment in Taurus.

Taurus is a Venus ruled sign and is all about pleasure and taking the time to smell the roses. Mars, as we know, is driven to win. Taurus’ motivations are around physical security and her goals are closely aligned to achieving this.

In Taurus, Mars’ energy is steady, controlled and strong. Once he has decided that he wants someone or something he is prepared to work for it and will be there for the long haul. Mars in Taurus has immense staying power and is prepared to go the distance.

When he has made up his mind, there is very little that will change it- adaptability is not Taurus’ strong suit. Likewise, if he has achieved his goals and acquired whatever it was he desired, he is reluctant to relinquish it. This goes for relationships too. Taurus likes his comforts so once the tracky daks are on and the feet are on your sofa and the footy is on your TV you will have trouble moving him. Contented cow… so to speak. This is one Mars placement that knows how to slow down and appreciate the moment.

In this way, Mars in Taurus is usually faithful and loyal- but maybe not for the right reasons. Generally slow to commit (Taurus likes to be sure), once in it, he is in it for the long run- often regardless of whether it continues to be a functional relationship. He likes the comfort and stability that comes from long term relationships. Essentially, he is easily pleased and easily satisfied. Did that come out right?

If his comfort or security is threatened, he can be possessive, jealous and down-right bullish… raging bull-ish. Whilst slow to arouse, the Mars in Taurus temper is powerful indeed. Head down, horns up, red haze behind the eyes, nostrils flaring and charge!

Mars in Taurus can also hold a pretty decent grudge when he needs to and will maintain the rage long after its’ best by date. As such, your calm, patient and tolerant Taurus man can become quite cruel and vindictive in the case of a break-up. It can be a little like a toddler who’s had his favourite toy taken away.

Taurus has what can only be termed a lusty appetite when it comes to, well, to most things. His desire is powerful, yet controlled- he likes to take his time. Mars in Earth signs is sensual and tactile. Sex for Mars in Taurus really is about the satisfaction of a physical appetite. Because he is so attuned to his appetites, the way to this mans heart really is through his stomach…he is also one who can absolutely read your body language!

Taurus is closely aligned to money and financial matters, so Taurus man will often align his ego to how well he can provide. Unlike Aries man who wants to charge in on his white horse and throw you onto his saddle to whisk you away from all your problems (long and meaningful sigh), Taurus man will look after you in a more practical way. An Earth sign, he is prepared to work steadily hard to achieve his goals and accumulate the things that he wants to accumulate. He will also work hard to keep it- Mr Taurus tends to be relatively more risk adverse than many other signs.

He is calm and soothing when you need that most. His very fixity provides a steady platform on which you can land, and his earthy practicality supports even the most dramatic of emotional outpourings. He may frustrate you by his reluctance to move, do more than one thing at a time or try anything new. You may stamp your feet when he refuses to go out partying once he has got comfortable for the night. You may not be able to speed him up, but once he has been roused, he won’t stop in a hurry.

And women with Mars in Taurus? All of the above, for sure. Her appetites are physical, her energy steady and lasting. She is prepared to work hard for what she wants. But what does this strong willed woman want in a partner?  He will have Taurean characteristics. He may have the Sun, Moon, Ascendant, Venus or Mars in Taurus. He may have a heavy 2^nd house chart.

She wants someone who will make her comfortable, someone who will satisfy her physically and look after her materially. She wants someone who will soothe her emotions, make her a cuppa and give her a back rub at the end of a difficult day. He will be someone who will help her achieve her goals and someone who will read her body language. He will be someone who can go the distance.