What the Lunar Eclipse and Full Moon in Taurus Mean for You

This article originally appeared on Yoga Journal

We end a two-year cycle with the partial lunar eclipse and full Moon in Taurus taking place on October 28, 2023. Eclipses signify significant periods of change and transformation. These shifts do not take place all at once. They may start or continue on the date of a specific eclipse, but their work continues throughout the time when eclipses are occurring in the same signs. This lunar eclipse brings a strong energy of closure to the last two years.

What a Lunar Eclipse Means

While a solar eclipse opens the portal for new beginnings and change, a lunar eclipse help us complete a journey or shift our course in some way. Lunar eclipses, like full Moons, are revealing. They convey the truth in an often dramatic way. They are also much more emotionally charged compared to a solar eclipse, as they affect the emotional body to a greater degree.

A lunar eclipse is an opportunity to create significant change in your life. This change may come about abruptly. You may find yourself feeling surprised or caught off guard by what is revealed. Not all of the information is negative. Some of it may be positive and bring you inspiration along with encouragement to shift your life.

Old energies may rise to the surface of your conscious mind to find understanding and closure. Even if you thought some of these had released from your field, you may find yourself facing them again as they make their final exit from your consciousness.

Sometimes this forward motion can feel disruptive to your nervous system, and you may even resist it initially. There is no moving backward on the lunar eclipse. You cannot fight this knowledge. You can only take it in and ask yourself what you can create with this. If you attempt to cling to energies that no longer serve your evolution, you will be met with frustration and misalignment. If the lunar eclipse reveals something in your life that needs to be released, it's best to find the least dramatic way to move on.

It’s important to understand that a lunar eclipse occurs to move you forward. It is a push from the cosmos to take you out of stagnant energies and old patterns. Hold space for yourself and give yourself time to process the information revealed on the eclipse. Do not rush into any decisions, but rather let the energy settle and then make whatever moves are needed to propel you forward.

The lunar eclipse and the month that follows it are an opportunity to detach from energies, emotions, and even people who do not serve your evolution. Eclipses are the time to break through the barriers, in whatever form they take, that prevent you from reaching your potential.

What the Lunar Eclipse and Full Moon in Taurus Mean for You

On this eclipse, we are working with the energies of Taurus and Scorpio, where the Moon and the Sun are positioned. This eclipse carries tremendous power and is the perfect complement to the recent solar eclipse in Libra, given that both Taurus and Libra are ruled by Venus. These two eclipses work together to help us find balance, stillness, and beauty beyond the chaos in our lives.

Lunar eclipses can be energetically and emotionally intense. Fortunately, a lunar eclipse in Taurus feels more peaceful to the nervous system than some other eclipse energies.

Taurus is the sign of stillness. It reminds us to connect with the Earth to feel held, supported, and abundant. It helps us feel our inner reliance in the face of any storm. It helps restore our inner peace when the world has thrown us a curveball. Taurus is the energy to look to when life feels overwhelming, overstimulating, or just too much. It helps you connect to the subtle energies of nature, like the Sun on your face, the breeze on your cheek, and the ground under your feet to feel your center. It is a quiet respite.

Scorpio and Taurus are both concerned with the present moment. They want to help us center our energy. Scorpio does this by encouraging us to face all of our shadows, demons, and life cycles. As we wade through our trauma, fears, and pain, we can find our way to the bottom. Here we find a thread that binds everything together. In feeling this interconnectedness, we find our truth and we find stillness. Scorpio wants us to experience every up and down life has to offer and, at the end of this rollercoaster ride, find peace.

Taurus, on the other hand, wants us to find peace through connecting with tangible resources that we can touch. Instead of digging through our shadows, Taurus encourages us to look outside of ourselves and see our reflection in nature. It reminds us that we go through the same cycles of the seasons and carry the same energy as the ocean. Taurus asks us to seek comfort not through understanding our own energy but through understanding our place within the energy of the Universe. It's not that Taurus wants us to ignore our emotions, but rather to go beyond them. We are one with everything, and from this oneness, we can find stillness.

Lower vibrations cause our energy to stagnate and even move in circles as we repeat patterns in our lives unconsciously. By recognizing these lower vibrations, we can change them through conscious awareness. We can break patterns that keep us trapped and shift our vibration to support our higher visions and help us feel the way we want to feel each day.

The lower frequencies of Scorpio show up when we find ourselves in a constant loop of transformation. In this frequency, we never feel good enough and are always looking for ways to shift ourselves. We become attached, even addicted, to creating events that pressure us to evolve. We may even attract the same type of person over and over again because they cause the same cycle of drama in our lives.

Although we may be trying to heal from these cycles, we miss the opportunity to break out of them through positive transformation. Instead, we keep riding the roller coaster. In the lower side of Scorpio, we can become obsessed with the darkness in life and focus too heavily on what we, and others, need to change instead of appreciating the positive.

If you find yourself aligning with the lower vibrations of Scorpio, pause amid all the transforming to appreciate where you have been and who you have been. Reflect on every version of yourself throughout your life. Then ground into the present moment and be still. Give yourself permission to be who you are right now without feeling the need to work on anything.

The lower frequencies of Taurus cause us to look outside ourselves to tangible resources, but not those of nature. Instead of feeling connected with all of nature, we constantly need to gather more possessions, time, and money. We feel anxious about what we lack in our lives and never feel we have enough to feel centered. We may become preoccupied with the number in our bank account or the packages arriving at our door. We may even become addicted to comforting food and luxury items we can't quite afford. This vibration of Taurus makes us forget about our connection with nature. It makes us feel unsupported. In an effort to find support, we see physical comfort.

The lower vibration of Taurus also makes us feel insecure. It causes us to forget about inner resilience and fools us into thinking we need to rely on forces outside ourselves. If the high side of Taurus teaches us that we are the strength of nature, the low side causes us to forget about that and makes us question our very place in the Universe. The lower vibration also causes us to worry excessively about money and abundance. They cause us to forget that we are infinitely abundant and instead encourage us to focus on lack. Instead of holding that simple truth, this low side compels us to overcomplicate things. It makes us question how we are creating abundance and if we are even worthy of it in the first place.

If you find yourself aligning with the lower, or shadow, side of Taurus, observe the behaviors that it causes. Do you find yourself checking your bank account too often? Do you feel insecure about your place in the world? Do you not feel worthy of the abundance that is your birthright? And are you complicating your life by looking too far outside yourself for answers?

A lunar eclipse grants us the opportunity to observe where and how we are embodying lower frequencies of the signs involved. Become aware of how these lower frequencies show up in your life and accept that they are part of you. They deserve compassion and acknowledgment.

Then give yourself more time to sit with your feelings about these energies and your observations. Feel the stillness within you. Feel your connection with nature and your part in the vast Universe. Breath deep and know that the Earth is supporting you, and trust your life course. Trust your ability to rely on yourself. You can survive any storm, and you don't even have to know it’s coming. Let go of the need to project the future to control it. Instead, feel your stillness, resilience, and ability to feel creative solutions when needed. Your instinct is strong. Resist the urge to overcomplicate or overanalyze it because it makes you feel more in control of the world around you. Instead, look for the simple connections that remind you of your strength.

As you work with the lower vibrations of both Taurus and Scorpio, notice where repeating patterns are showing up in your life. Make different choices that break the ongoing cycles you feel trapped by. Become aware of how your choices, even the energetic ones, create the cycles of your life. Ask yourself if you choose certain patterns and even people because they keep you in a familiar cycle of drama, without which you would feel lost.

Also, look at your cycles with finances and abundance and ask if they are keeping you in an infinite loop of insecurity. Breaking patterns can cause you to feel insecure. This eclipse is here to help you break through old foundations that cause drama. As you crack your old self open, you may feel vulnerable for a time until you establish a new foundation and way of being. As you go through this transformation, feel your inner strength, choose the path of the unknown, and find freedom from perpetual cycles.

Over this lunar eclipse, feel the potential of both signs. They remind you of your strength and inherent worthiness. They teach you what resources you are attached to and encourage you to break ongoing cycles that limit your growth.

They also teach you to appreciate where you are right now and the work you have done on yourself to get here. Take a moment to pause on the eclipse and feel her beauty. Feel, and see, your own beauty as you enjoy the simple moments that make life wonderful.

This eclipse is the bridge from the Taurus/Scorpio cycle to the Aries/ Libra cycle. In many ways, this eclipse is energetically tied to the past, even though the future is already at our door. As you work with the energy of this eclipse, know you are also working with the energy of our next cycle, which includes Aries and Libra.

When looking at the lower vibrations of the South Node in Libra you will see areas of your life where you've swallowed your truth to be polite. It will be crystal clear when you are people-pleasing or doing things for the sake of making someone else happy, even when it causes your own discomfort. This eclipse is an opportunity to let go of indecisiveness and passive aggressiveness. It's time to stand in your truth instead of sidestepping it because you fear confrontation. This period is a time of decision, even if it means
some people won't like you. Start now to embrace the notion that not everyone will like you, and that's okay. Align with Taurus's energy to feel your inner reliance on yourself. You are the only person you'll ever need. Yes, you want other people in your life, but not at a sacrifice to your soul or happiness.

The North Node in Aries teaches us to stand up for ourselves and our truths. It helps us take decisive action that protects our peace, our soul's purpose, and why we are here this lifetime. This energy helps us release the lower vibrations of Libra while not being overly selfish or demanding. The key is to reach from the higher vibrations of Aries, which help us prioritize ourselves without disregarding others' feelings. The North Node in Aries helps us understand that when we each align with our soul's purpose and put it first, the entire collective benefits. Reach for the highest vibration of this energy, and you won't be perceived as selfish but instead motivated to pursue the path you are here to walk.

As you work with this energy in conjunction with Taurus, feel connected to your purpose with all your senses. Feel the foundation of who you are and what helps you ground your energy when others throw you off balance. Release habits, behaviors, or partnership drama that distracts you from your truth or center. This eclipse is all about finding stillness in the intense transformations of life. Align with the stillness this eclipse provides to remain clear, focused, and aligned with your life's path.

Other Astrological Influences on the Lunar Eclipse and Full Moon in Taurus

Mars and Jupiter also play a role in the lunar eclipse. Mars in Scorpio directly opposes Jupiter retrograde in Taurus on the day of the eclipse. Oppositions bring tension. They illuminate and highlight the spectrum of energies possessed by the luminaries involved.

Mars is the planet of passion. It can elicit frustration and motivation. Mars often propels us to our next level through perseverance and determination. Jupiter is the planet of expansion. Jupiter retrograde teaches us that our expansion is internal. It helps us realize our potential and encourages us to stop playing small. To evolve, we must break through outdated patterns and release attachments that prevent us from taking up the space we deserve.

As Mars and Jupiter go head to head this eclipse, you may initially feel frustrated about your life. Areas where you are stagnant and want more growth may become glaringly obvious. Use this tension to motivate you to break through old patterns that cause you to sell yourself short. Notice where you are shrinking back, and ask yourself why. What are you afraid of?

Mercury also plays a role in this eclipse. It sits next to Mars in Scorpio and also opposes Jupiter. Mercury influences our communication. Allow Mercury to bring you information swiftly this eclipse. This is an excellent time to journal and listen to your intuition. It's also a time to communicate with nature by noticing the signs that arrive at your doorstep. Remember, this eclipse is about simple truths. If you see a sign pointing you in a specific direction, follow it. If you need a sign, ask for it. If you receive it, don't question it.

Your Invitation

Eclipses bring intense energies in the cosmos and in your energetic field. You will feel the effects of this lunar eclipse a few days before the actual event, and they will continue for a few days afterward. You can choose to struggle with the energy of the lunar eclipse or you can harness it to shift your life.

Give yourself extra time to connect with your body and mind during this period. Meditate each morning, practice yoga, and connect with the outdoors leading up to the eclipse. Remember to focus on the simple things in life and allow any chaotic energies to settle by setting an intention to remain grounded in your body. As the eclipse energy culminates in the full Moon in Taurus, feel it hold you and become a container for the immense emotions stirred by Scorpio and eclipse season.

This lunar eclipse is also a healing time. It’s an opportunity to shift away from pain and upheaval. It's a chance to focus on the simplicity of life and use it to heal. Taurus teaches you to uncomplicate your life. Instead of allowing drama and complex emotions to rule your consciousness, Taurus compels you to take life one step at a time. It is a gentle reminder to find the simple answers to life's most complex topics.

A lunar eclipse will eventually bring needed changes. Remember that this eclipse completes the energies put in motion two years ago with the first lunar eclipse in Taurus in this set of eclipse cycles that occurred on November 19th, 2021. Let the eclipse be a soft landing place for your emotional process in the previous two years. You may have experienced great upheaval in your life, or you may be feeling changes starting to stir. The eclipse is a time to center yourself and feel your inner stillness and strength.

Taurus encourages you to follow your instinct and not question it instead of overthinking or overanalyzing it. If you are unhappy in a relationship, it's time to leave. If you want to take a trip, it's time to book it. If you feel overwhelmed, it's time to slow down. No discussion about any of it--just straightforward answers devoid of drama. Feel this simplicity take over this eclipse and let it bring you some peace among any chaos in your life.

There are, of course, some life decisions that require more thought and attention. Taurus encourages us to take the simplest approach even with those. If you have a looming decision on your mind this eclipse, connect with nature. Go somewhere to clear your head and your heart. Get outside, stare at the ocean, or go for a hike. If you live in an urban area, get away from the stimuli of artificial lights and sounds. Sit under the stars as the light of the full Moon in Taurus brings you stillness. In this stillness, find the answers you seek. Then trust that the simplest solution is the correct one.

Not all transformation needs to be full of complicated emotions. This eclipse is your chance to transform and shift old patterns into new ones that allow you to heal. It's your chance to simply let go. Not because some significant event has occurred, someone is forcing you, or you feel you have no choice. It's an opportunity to release energies that no longer serve you without struggle or effort. Let go the way a petal drops from a flower--because it's time. Feel the simplicity of this eclipse and let it shift your life away from chaos and into harmony as you come home to yourself.

Learn more about the lunar eclipse and full Moon in Taurus, including additional astrological insights and journaling prompts, in the Taurus Lunar Eclipse Workbook, from which the above is excerpted. You can also learn more about your personal natal chart.

About Our Contributor

Jill Wintersteen is the founder of Spirit Daughter, a lifestyle brand devoted to helping you live your best life through understanding the energy of the Universe. She also writes workbooks on each full Moon as well as other astrological events. Follow her on Instagram @spiritdaughter.

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