On May 18th, 2023 magnificent Jupiter escorts the exalted New Moon through Taurus. Think of this lunation as something like a ritzy couple dazzling at the recent Met Gala.

The Moon is its best self in the steady bull. Indeed, the fixed-earth nature of Taurus has a grounding influence on our most changeable and moody planet. Here, the Moon can relax and own the moment, like Jeremy Pope in Balmain and Cartier (spreading out his glorious cathedral train, depicting Karl Lagerfeld, whom the Met Gala honoured this year). 

A major reason for the Moon’s comfort in Taurus has to do with the fact that Venus rules this sign. Venus and the Moon are deeply compatible planets, similar to sisters sharing secrets, confidences, and understandings. The Moon doesn’t need to work as hard to be seen in Taurus. It can radiate its light more easily. For us, this means more emotional clarity, softness, and love toward those in our lives. 

As a point of comparison, this “exalted” Taurus Moon is much different than the one we get in the sign opposite it, namely goth Scorpio. The Moon here is in its “fall” (resembling, say, a confused Pete Davidson at the Met Gala). Because the Moon deals with our emotions, Moon-in-Scorpio can be a time of conflicted and dark feelings (vengeance and jealousy, perhaps). Warlike Mars rules the Big Sting – hence warlike emotions during lunar transits there. 

Thankfully for us, we will not only be getting this positive New Moon in Taurus, but it will be strengthened by the bountiful presence of Jupiter. On the 15th, Planet luck joins the bull, where it will be staying for a year. Jupiter, we all know, makes everything bigger and, when well-placed, as it is with this Taurus Moon, better. So around this transit, we should feel extra indulgent and emotionally generous toward partners and friends, especially with Venus also forming a helpful sextile (auspicious 60 degree aspect) to both planets.

And just to make matters a bit more favourable, communications-expert Mercury will be going direct after a wobbly retrograde in mid-May, just in time for this New Moon. Mercury retrogrades can leave us tongue-tied, but with planet messenger moving unencumbered, you’ll be more capable of putting what's deep in your heart into words. Express yourself around this lunation because Mercury is clear and free now. As such, our love language (bolstered by Venus+Moon+Mercury) will be less garbled than it might have been during the retrograde. 

And what of the astrological significance of New Moons in general? As opposed to Full Moons, which herald celebrations and culminations, New Moons should be thought of in terms of intentionality. They aren't for reaching goals through action, but setting them through intelligently aligned thought. What do we mean by “intelligently aligned”? Just as we don’t want to show up to the Met Gala looking like we’re about to head to Yoga class, we don’t want to set, say, Capricorn intentions (business) in a Pisces gown (mystical visions). 

Taurus relates to material goods, food, money, value, things of this earth (rather than those of spirit). Accordingly, we should be setting intentions around Taurus-themes, which are ultimately about money, wealth, financial gain, security, luxury (in other words, Valentino or Gucci-grade intentions, not bargain basement ones).

The most important bit of advice, then, for this lunation: it’s about knowing your value and not compromising on what you’re worth. This can be read in terms of your emotional worth in a relationship, or what your goods and services or worth for your brand. Stop selling yourself short with these Taurus New Moon intentions. Remember, too, that Jupiter is in the picture. So, our intentions should be about expanding self-worth by knowing you’re worth it. When it comes to you who you are, don’t budge or budget (Taurus is a stubborn sign. Be that way too).

What we just said above is the profound lesson of this lunation. But we should also have some fun, because the stars are favourably aligned for a bit of indulgence. Our less serious advice, then: splurge a bit. This is not a penny-pinching transit. Your second intention: take your help-mate or a friend out for something a bit lavish. Of course, you don’t need to arrive to your dinner date looking like Michelle Yeoh in Karl Lagerfeld at the Met Gala, though that would be nice.