The New Moon in Taurus Promises to Shake Things Up—In a Good Way

Photo credit: Temi Oyelola
Photo credit: Temi Oyelola

From Oprah Magazine

For every month's new moon, our resident astrologer Chani Nicholas will break down how the start of the lunar cycle will affect us.


The new moon in Taurus arrives Saturday, May 4th with an invitation to take a chance, break an unhelpful habit, or try something new. This is in part because it’s a new moon, but also because it is happening in the same sign as Uranus-the planet of breakthroughs, innovation, and change.

Change is rarely comfortable. Unfortunately, we too often read discomfort as evidence that we’ve done something wrong. Generally, we humans want to look good, sound, good, and be right-and growth requires that we risk looking like a fool, even if for a moment. Real, long-lasting change requires that we give up what keeps us coddled and what we’ve become overly dependent on, which makes us vulnerable. But being resilient enough to withstand exposure to the elements of doubt, criticism, and rejection is a skill we must learn if we are ever to become adults who are courageous enough to take on all the ups and downs that life inevitably serves up.

The new moon in Taurus asks us what we’re willing to risk in order to grow. It’s not asking us to do away with our needs or our essentials, but to get honest about what those are and what those are not. Only we can answer that for ourselves, but we must answer if we are ever going to move past our comfort zones.

Taurus is also the sign that invented comfort. Ready to settle in, hunker down, and chill (Netflix optional), this solid earth sign has a hard time with change. The new moon requires us all to investigate the most stuck, stubborn, and stale places within us. Doing so helps us to engage with the other qualities of Taurus like fertility, abundance, and steady, sustainable growth. That soil must be overturned in order to plant the seed, so this new moon asks us to break ground so that our intentions might have a home to take root in.

Here's how the new moon in Taurus will affect your...


Career

In May, each one of us must push the envelope in our respective positions.

You can use the new moon in Taurus to work through any fears, hesitancies, or self-consciousness you may have about putting your talents, skills, and resources to work for you. Investigate what you were taught about working in regard to your identity. What were the main messages you received about what people like you were “allowed” to do in your chosen industry? How are you learning to trust your instincts in regard to taking professional risks? What conventions in your field are far from liberating and need to be innovated?

To whatever degree is possible, each one of us must push the envelope in our respective positions if we are ever to create and cultivate practices and spaces that are just, healing, and inspiring.

Relationships

When issues come up, take difficult conversations with your partner outdoors this month.

Like any earth sign, Taurus loves to build. It wants to work at something that has the ability to be long-lasting. It wants comfort, cuddles, and all kinds of sensual pleasures. This particular new moon also wants to shake things up and encourage partners to try new ways of experiencing nature.

Take your loves, crushes, or partners out for dinner at a new spot, shopping at the farmer’s market, or for a walk in a park you’ve not been to yet. Make gardening dates, adopt plant babies together, or do something that reminds you of the simple things you can share with one another that are always available in nature. And when issues come up, take difficult conversations to the beach, on a hike, or into a setting where you might both feel supported by the beauty of the outdoors. Sometimes just breathing in some negative ions gets us thinking along more positive lines.

Style

This month's sign favors quality over quantity.

Taurus is a sign known for its love of beautiful, well-crafted things to adorn oneself with. This new moon is the perfect time to reacquaint yourself with local artisans, jewelers, and craftspeople of all trades. Taurus loves quality, and with this particular new moon’s innovative signature, we are asked to think about how we might support designers, artists, and artisans that are creating gorgeous fashions on their own.

Doing so means that you’ll most likely be the only one at the party that has on the latest-but it also means you can help steer more people towards independent creators.


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