The May Full Moon – The Flower Moon in Scorpio

The phases of the moon are among the most fascinating astronomical behaviors we can observe with the naked eye and deeply rich sources of thought and interpretation in Astrology. Among the 9 phases – New, Waxing Crescent, 1^st Quarter Half, Waxing Gibbous, Full, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter Half, Waning Crescent, and Balsamic – the New and Full Moons capture most of the attention. This article will look at the current Full Moon and talk about the kind of “harvest” you should bring in emotionally during this full moon.

Full Moon – Reap What You Have Sown!

The Full Moon for May will occur on the 5th^th at 14 degrees and 58 minutes in the sign of Scorpio; in my Eastern Standard Time zone it will happen at 1:34 pm.

It takes 29.5 days from one Full Moon to the next, spending approximately 2 and ½ days in a sign. The day before and the day after comprise what would be the peak time of the Full Moon energy. The Full Moon is the time of “the harvest”, when what began with the New Moon reaches full potential before waning, fading, and preparing for a new cycle.

Each month has a certain type of Full Moon; May’s Moon is the Flower Moon. Other names for this moon are the Budding Moon, Egg Laying Moon, Milk Moon, Grass Moon, Hare Moon and Planting Moon.

There are also several special types of Full Moons: The Blood Moon, which happens during a total lunar eclipse; a Supermoon, which happens when the Moon is full and closest to the Earth; and the Blue Moon (“once in a blue moon”), which is a second Full Moon in a calendar month (occurring once every 2 and ½ years) or the second Full Moon in the same astrological sign.

Full Moon in Libra – Feeling the Need to Relate and Find Balance

This Full Moon will take place in the 2^nd decan (middle 10 degrees) of Scorpio, making it a Scorpio/Pisces Full Moon. The planetary influences involve Pluto as the ruler for Scorpio and Neptune as the ruler for Pisces. Thus, this Full Moon will be about intense emotional transformation (Pluto) regarding our beliefs, purpose, and spirituality (Neptune).

Since the Moon is in Scorpio, its energy is transformative, intense, and up-heaving. This Full Moon is going to require us to reflect on what we most need to do to make changes in our relationships. The intensity of this Full Moon around what we need at a transformational level to regenerate ourselves cannot be emphasized enough. Thanks to the decan placement, this Full Moon will be about how we need to do our shadow work (Scorpio), in order to “reestablish” our Selves  (Sun in Taurus) through our need to face our fears and deep truths (Scorpio).

With this Full Moon at 14d58m, the Sabian Symbol is 15 Scorpio, “Children playing around five mounds of sand.” Jones says, “This is a symbol of absolute self-integrity at a simple extreme of social consciousness, or of the human spirit in its nascent competence for meeting all possible eventualities. There is here a dramatization of the psychological faculties as a means for contact with other people, and of the illimitable capacity for experience in any situation where man may find himself. The individual is able to deal with whatever may arise in the circumstances of his being, and to commit himself to whatever proves to be worth while.” The key word is: NAIVETE.

The Numbers of This Full Moon

This Full Moon will occur on 05/05/2023, which totals 17, which reduces to 8. Eight is the number for leadership and status, so this Full Moon encourages us to embrace the soul path work needed to achieve at a high level and set ever-challenging goals for ourselves. Since the Full Moon happens on the 5^th, we must address our issues around exploration, change, and creative action.

The Full Moon in Your Chart

The Full Moon will occur in a specific location of your chart and in special relationship with various points in your chart if you have points near the same degree in the same sign, at the opposing degree (180 degrees away from a point in your chart), three signs before or after the Full Moon degree and sign (90 degrees away), or four signs before or after the Full Moon degree and sign (120 degrees away).

Respectively these would be a conjunction (the Full Moon merging with a point in your chart), an opposition (the Full Moon seeking balance with a point in your chart), a square (the Full Moon challenging a point in your chart), and a trine (the Full Moon supporting a point in your chart). It is possible that the degree and sign of the Full Moon may not form any of these relationships and its effect, for this time, would be minimal or difficult to observe.

If you happen to be born during a Full Moon, then you will feel every Full Moon in some significant or acute way because it is consistent with your birth Moon phase. It is well worth your effort to find out the Moon phase at the time of your birth. If you learn your birth Moon phase, you will likely discover that same phase each month has a strong impact on your emotional state.

With this Full Moon, I get the impact of its energy in my 1^st House of Identity (Moon placement on 05/05/2023) and my 7^th House of Partnerships (Sun placement between 4/20 and 05/19), so this Full Moon will energize me to look at my identity in all my relationships (Scorpio ruling my 1^st House) and how it affects my stability within my relationships (Taurus ruling my 7^th House).

As this Full Moon approaches, think about what you want to “harvest” regarding what you most need, at an emotional level, to make necessary and deep changes (Scorpio Moon) as you try to establish or re-establish yourself (Taurus).