Moonspired: May. Yay!

May moonlit blessings reign at dawn in the garden of Earthly delights. May Day on May 1 is the halfway point between spring and summer. In the Celtic tradition, it’s Beltane, and the Romans called it Floralia, celebrated with picnics, flower crowns, and dancing around Maypoles. Historically, May 1 is also International Workers’ Day commemorating the struggles and gains made by the labor movement toward equitable job conditions. Meanwhile, in Hawaii, May Day is referred to as Lei Day, and it’s focused on flowers as well, of course, by wearing garlands of scented blossoms honoring the Aloha spirit. May begins on a hopeful note.

Tonight’s full moon is known as Buddha’s birthday party or Vesak by much of Asia, and flowers decorate temples to honor his enlightenment. This full moon phase falls on Cinco de Mayo this year, the Mexican holiday that celebrates their victory over France. Note that it’s advisable to take caution with over-indulgence under the influence of the full moon, And locally, Mendocino County recently made the proclamation to align May 5 with the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People. Shining light on this issue is so important—unfortunately, too many tragedies, some all too recently here. A community within our community is in need of support. Regardless of wins and losses, the full-flower moon, as Native Americans call the May moon, is bursting into bloom!

There is tension in the air with so many moving parts and the transitory nature of Spring in the midst of the sweetness of May. The truth is, at any given time, there are multiple planetary alignments in addition to the sun and moon, like the coming Jupiter transit as well as Pluto and Mercury retrograde in full effect now. And it’s still eclipse season, too, which began at the last new moon, punctuated tonight with a penumbral lunar eclipse. Eclipses, solar and lunar, can only happen at new and full moons, respectively. Lunar eclipses occur when the Earth’s shadow falls on the moon. A penumbral eclipse is not as clearly visible to the naked eye as a partial or total lunar eclipse. But there is still a rare sky show, as the edges of these celestial bodies overlap and a shadow is cast on the moon. Along with it, possibly a shadow cast on, or an emerging from the shadow of, our own personal situation or the collective culture war. This is a significant end-of-an-era energy, but remember, with endings come new beginnings.

 

We may open our eyes to revelations unseen until this moment. We may be forced to reexamine what’s working or not working. Eclipses are edgy. Shifts happen. Shit happens. And this eclipse, on the Taurus – Scorpio axis, is no exception. Full moons shine a bright light, and light emphasizes shadows. Each full moon has a different quality, depending on the time of year, the zodiac to which it correlates, and an interplay of many variables. This full moon is tricky in a trickster sort of way! Scorpio is a fierce shocking energy flow in the water element. Think of it like an ice bath, while Taurus tends to want a more steady, earthy luxury, like searching for seas shells at low tide on a warm beach. Neither sign is all that easy-going, but balancing the two is necessary, especially as eclipses tend to intensify everything. We have the power, with everyday choices, to create a better world by creating a sustainable future. This is a good time to observe our reserves, go forth gently, with compassion, knowing soothing self-care is far from selfish. A Scorpio moon in Taurus says we must fill our cups so full that we can’t help but share the abundance. With the force of this moon, we can deepen our roots and our resolve, helping us find and be open to receiving love, which is the nourishment we need to grow.

The cannabis seeds and other garden goodies we planted at the new moon solar eclipse two weeks ago are vigorously sprouting. We continue to plant more flowers, veggies, and herbs now and over the next month. Hyacinth, iris, tulips, and other bulbs are in full bloom, and the peach and apple trees are flowering in our garden. The oaks, maples, and willows on the property have just sprung back to life as well. We are on the edge of the forest here in northern Mendocino, CA, with many evergreen, madrone & redwood trees surrounding us, and it’s aflutter with the activity of the critters. As we clear the ground of what some call weeds while others call them herbal allies or plant medicines, we notice many of them, like dandelion, nettles, miner’s lettuce, mullein, and more, feed the earth and feed us. We make green sauces and salads and elixirs to indulge in what we forage and feel the deepening connection to the land that feeds us. This year more morel mushrooms came up than ever on the farm. The earth itself is in a fertile time of transformation; look around at what nature is doing now! We are each a seed of life. We can ground ourselves in that strength by tapping into the magic of the moon cycle and allowing it to help us move onward, no matter what. Like the plants, we are growing toward the light.

Stop and smell the May Flowers!!! Buy or pick a bouquet. Fill a vase or plant them and fill a garden. Find balance in every moment, moment by moment, knowing it’s a process, not a goal. Feel what is good for you and go with it. Hint: you know what is good for you by how good it feels. Your body is already in rhythm with the cycles of the moon, and your awareness synchs it with your heart and mind in real time. Let go of thoughts and worries, even if just for now, in order to seek out ecstasy. Go ahead, treat yourself; you are worth it. Do you to the fullest! Who are you? Ask yourself for clear messages. You are your truth! Tune into the beautiful full moon. Be the flower—Bloom in the moonlight. Live a life of celebration. It really is up to each of us to make love! Life is what it is. We can fill it with blessings. May it be so.

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