We’re kicking off the month of May with an astrological event that’s all about new beginnings: a new moon. As you may know, the new moon is a time during the month when we can’t see the moon from earth. Our latest new moon occurs on Saturday, May 4. The new moon is in Taurus, a sign that’s all about groundedness, pleasure, and indulgence.
"As always, the new moon is a time when we can sit with the shadows, with ourselves and with our stillness," explains Gabriela Herstik, author of Inner Witch: A Modern Guide to the Ancient Craft. "We have a sacred opportunity during the new moon to plant the seeds we want to harvest as the light of the moon grows or waxes up until the full moon."
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This new moon is special because it occurs so close to May 1, the holiday of Beltane or May Day, she explains. This is "the midpoint between spring and summer, a time of fertility, abundance and warmth. Taurus is a Venus-ruled Earth sign, the hedonist of the zodiac that’s all about the physical. This new moon, merging with the energy of Beltane especially, really gives us the chance to make pleasure and embodiment our priority."
That means that now is the time to indulge. "This new moon is asking us to commit to pleasure, whether it’s through spending time outside, eating delicious food, watching Netflix, having kinky sex, taking a bath, dancing; there are so many ways to feel good and this new moon wants to remind you of that," Herstik says. "Commit to rituals of beauty and self-love that you can practice the next two weeks as we move towards the Scorpio full moon. Take this cycle to remind yourself of how deserving you are of feeling powerful and sensual and grounded and do whatever feels good for you.”
T.C. Stewart, founder of The Witch Of Lupine Hollow, adds that this indulgence is what Taurus is all about. “Taurus is an earth sign that's ruled by Venus, so it's all about getting grounded, getting comfortable and enjoying the sensual pleasures of life. Anything that really engages your senses and your physical body, like massage, aromatherapy and indulgent food," she says. "Because the new moon is the moon phase dedicated to setting intentions and fresh starts, this new moon in Taurus is going to be ideal for setting aside some time for pleasure and indulgence. Just be aware of the tendency for overindulgence at this time as well, which is an unaligned aspect of Taurus!”
Sebastian Lavender, a practicing witch of 12 years, suggests taking the opportunity to consider your self-care routine. "The new moon in Taurus brings a time of contemplation for us regarding our self-care routines, since Taurus is a sign of comfort and stability," they say. "What healthy habits could you add to your daily life? Reassessing what can be tweaked about your daily routine to make it more supportive and nourishing is a great thing to consider during this new moon. You may wish to perform a grounding exercise on this night in order to channel the restorative and stabilizing energies of this moon phase. Meditate on what pleasure means to you and how you might attract more of it in order to create more balance in your body and spirit."