When Masks Come Off: May 2019's Full Moon in Scorpio

May’s Full Moon will fall on Saturday, May 18th at 27’38 degrees Scorpio. Here’s what you can expect.

What is a full moon?

Throughout history, Full Moons have been known to cause unexpected events, and strange behavior. In fact, the word "lunatic" comes from the word "luna," meaning moon.

A full moon occurs when the sun is opposite the moon, representing the peak, or climax of the lunar cycle. Because the two luminaries are in opposition to one another, full moons are known to highlight any opposing forces, or polarities in your life, such as the balance between self, and the other, the balance between the masculine and feminine, and the balance between work, and home.

Full moons are also good times to reflect on where you are in life, and where you are headed. While the period between the new moon, and the full moon is a time for setting (and achieving) goals, the period between the full moon, and the next new moon is a time for letting go. Full moons can also bring about climactic events, and awaken us to powerful truths and realizations. The effects of a full moon usually last about two weeks, until the new moon comes along, and starts a new cycle.

Full moon in Scorpio May 2019

With the full moon in Scorpio opposite the Sun in Taurus, this Full Moon highlights the balance between other people's resources (Scorpio), and your own (Taurus), intimacy (Scorpio), and self-preservation (Taurus). While Taurus is at home in the realm of the five senses, Scorpio is concerned with deeper realities: what's behind the mask? What makes you tick? Steady and strong, Taurus seeks safety, and security. Scorpio seeks intimacy, both sexual and emotional, and intimacy takes risk. It takes vulnerability. We may experience conflict regarding these areas of life at this time, and we may have to make a tough decision. We all crave connection, but is it worth the risk? When we open our hearts to another, we have the potential to get hurt. Are we willing to sacrifice our self-preservation to experience this? Are we willing to be vulnerable?

The Full Moon is also influenced by the aspects it makes.

For starters, the Full Moon's opposition to Mercury at 24 degrees Taurus will bring difficult discussions out into the forefront. Confessions will be made, and secrets will be revealed. There could also be tension between emotion, and logic.

The Full Moon is also sextile Scorpio’s own ruling planet, Pluto at 23 degrees Capricorn. Pluto is trine Mercury, making these difficult discussions relating to emotions easier to be had. Emotions we thought were long buried can come out into the forefront for healing. On the downside, traumatic memories could come back to haunt us, but on the upside, revealing these memories can help foster a deeper bond with another person.

Meanwhile, Venus's conjunct Uranus at 3-4 degrees Taurus will bring surprises to our love lives. We might all be feeling a bit more sexually adventurous than usual. This is a very liberating aspect, giving us the freedom to explore our sexualities in whichever way we choose.

Overall, it will be very difficult to hide our feelings during the time this Full Moon is in effect. We could find ourselves possessed by a strange, unrestrained passion that knows no bounds. Almost as if by magick, we are led to our desires. Our interactions with others will reveal just how we feel about them. For better or worse, there are no more secrets. There is no more hiding. Everything is coming out into the open. Our feelings are exposed for what they are. Either the relationship will evolve into something stronger, or it will end forever, allowing us to move on. It's up to us to take that risk.

Conclusion

I suggest looking at where Taurus and Scorpio are located in your birth chart to see how this particular full moon will affect you personally. What houses are they in? If you have any personal planets or angles within the last 6 or so degrees of the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) you will especially be affected.

I also suggest looking back to any goals or intentions you set during the May 4th New Moon in Taurus for they should be coming into fruition at this time. Certain themes may repeat themselves. It might also be helpful to look back to any goals or intentions you set during theScorpio new moon six months ago. What was going on in your life at that point?

The effects of the Scorpio Full Moon should last up until the next New Moon in Gemini on June 3rd.

This is a very intense Full Moon for everybody, with buried emotions, and secrets coming out into the forefront. There is beauty to be found here though. By wearing our hearts on our sleeves, and sharing our secrets with another, we can form deeper, more intimate bonds with others. Is it really love, is it really friendship, is it really a connection, if you don't even know each other? There is more to all of us than meets the eye.