Power Exchange

 Power Exchange: The Full Moon in Taurus

One of our greatest resources is time. How we spend it, who we spend it with, and what we invest it in says a great deal about our values.

The Full Moon in Taurus brings these questions into focus. Taurus is a fixed earth sign associated with money, financial security, land, agriculture, banking, beauty, pleasure, and the abundance of the natural world. The Moon is exalted here, encouraging us to slow down, get grounded, and take a practical approach to life.

Across the zodiac, the Sun is in Scorpio, illuminating the axis of pleasure, power, and resources. Scorpio rules shared finances, taxes, debt, inheritances, intimacy, secrets, and the hidden workings of power.

Full Moons bring visibility. What is coming to your attention about what you own, what you share, and who controls the resources?

The Balance of Power

This is no ordinary Full Moon. The Scorpio Sun and Taurus Moon square Pluto, now direct in Aquarius. This fixed T-square suggests tension, resistance, and struggles for control. Pluto in Aquarius brings our attention to governments, institutions, technology, and the collective.

Venus, the ruler of Taurus, has retrograded into her home sign of Libra. She wants fairness, diplomacy, and balance, but old conflicts and unresolved grievances may complicate the process.

Meanwhile, Mercury has just stationed retrograde in Scorpio, and we’re building toward its square with Mars in Leo. This combination can bring heated confrontations, revelations, and disputes over money, authority, and power.

Mercury retrograde is associated with delays, conflicts, reversals, and the collapse of things contemplated. And we’re already seeing some fascinating examples in world politics.

Elections, Reversals, and Dangerous Liaisons

Important elections around the world are highlighting shifting alliances and the balance of power.

Serbia's election delivered a dramatic political upset, with voters ousting a pro-Putin authoritarian leader and signaling a potential shift away from Russia's influence. In British Columbia, Canada, the Conservatives have gained ground after their earlier electoral defeat. These developments invite us to consider how quickly political relationships and public priorities can change.

But the election I’m watching most closely is Brazil.

President Lula has won a historic fourth term, defeating Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Flávio has refused to concede and is challenging the result over a controversial two-hour extension of voting. 

Brazil’s election is particularly consequential because of the Amazon rainforest, one of the world’s most important ecosystems. The Amazon plays a critical role in regulating climate and storing carbon. The competing priorities of environmental protection, economic development, agriculture, and resource extraction make this a powerful expression of the Taurus-Scorpio axis.

And look at the Mercury retrograde symbolism!

Mercury stationed retrograde on Saturday, October 24, just one day before the election. It was barely moving when Brazilians went to the polls. Voting hours were extended because of reported transportation problems, vote counting was temporarily suspended, and now the result faces a legal challenge.

I’m keeping my eye on the Brazil Supreme Court's ruling. The election is scheduled to be certified on December 18th. Hopefully, Mercury retrograde has already expressed itself through the delays, controversy, and reversal of the first-round result, rather than another reversal ahead.

Remember Bush v. Gore?

One of the most memorable elections involving Mercury stationing occurred in November 2000, during the disputed U.S. presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore.

Astrologer Michael Lutin famously described the symbolism as the winner becoming the loser and the loser becoming the winner.

Al Gore won the popular vote, but George W. Bush ultimately became president following the Florida recount controversy and the Supreme Court’s intervention.

The United States holds its midterm elections on November 3, just one day before Mercury’s cazimi in Scorpio on November 4.

The cazimi is the moment Mercury meets the Sun, symbolizing a death and rebirth within its retrograde cycle. At 12° Scorpio, Mercury is invisible, suggesting that important information may still be hidden. With the Moon in detail-oriented Virgo and the Sabian symbol “An inventor performs a laboratory experiment,” questions may arise around election technology, vote counting, secret communications, and behind-the-scenes power struggles. Will election night tell the whole story, or will revelations, investigations, and reversals emerge as Mercury continues its retrograde journey? 

Could a carefully concealed plan, operating entirely beneath the surface and completely unknown to the public, suddenly come to light and deliver a surprise that changes everything we thought we knew? I'm watching California closely as this Full Moon is across the state's ascendant and squares Pluto. It's traditionally a Democratic stronghold, and the polls favor Xavier Becerra for governor, but could Democratic voter complacency open the door to an unexpected Steve Hilton victory?

What Does This Mean for You?

With Venus and Mercury both retrograde, this Full Moon offers an opportunity for deep reflection.

What do you truly value? Are your financial arrangements supporting your security? Are you giving too much of your time, energy, or resources to people or situations that leave you depleted?

Pluto’s square may bring uncomfortable realizations about power, control, and your relationship with groups, organizations, or the collective.

If you know your birth chart, look at the houses containing Taurus and Scorpio. These areas of life may be where important truths are coming to light.

Taurus reminds us that we don’t have to solve everything immediately. Take a walk in nature, enjoy a beautiful meal, rest your body, and reconnect with what makes life meaningful.

The question is not simply what you possess, but what possesses you.

Make the Most of Your Time in 2027

Speaking of valuable resources, my 2027 Moon Mastery™ Lunar Planning Guide is now available!

The guide helps you work with the Moon’s cycles to plan more intentionally, recognize important turning points, and make better use of your time. The 2027 edition also includes Moon Phase Families, the approximately 27-month cycles that help us recognize how stories develop from beginning to culmination and completion.

You can purchase the guide on its own or save with my Living with the Moon in 2027 Bundle, which also includes:

Astrology is so much more than memorizing planetary meanings. It’s about learning to recognize the cycles, understand the timing, and use that knowledge to navigate your life with greater awareness.

The Full Moon reminds us that our resources are precious. Spend your time, money, and energy on what truly matters.