Tending Your Garden: October's Full Moon in Taurus

Cultivate more joy by arranging your life so that more joy will be likely. George Witkin
November's Taurus full Moon falls on November 2 in the United States and November 3 in Australia. How wonderful with Taurus ruling gardens and gardening, that the Sabian Symbol for this full Moon is Taurus 11: A Woman Sprinkling Long Rows of Flowers.   
This Symbol often speaks of the need to take time to nurture the physical self. Along with smaller, less able things that need care, your body needs water, sustenance and nourishment too. Drinking plenty of water and nourishing yourself with good food is part of this. Hence there may be the need to pay attention to what your body is telling you. Sometimes the mind needs to take a rest, and the body needs to be allowed to come to bloom and bask a little in the sunlight. Now is the time to enjoy the fruits of one's work. Also, looking after younger and smaller things so they may grow to maturity and fullness brings its own type of reward. This might require patience and a determination to work at something. Keeping an eye on things that you are responsible for will ensure that they don't dry out and fade away ahead of, or before, their time. Weeding out undesirable factors is often a necessary part of this process. Taking time out to actually water plants or the garden may bring some wonderful realizations to your life. As fairies and nature spirits are said to live in gardens, meditating whilst "Sprinkling" the garden, or pot plants, may bring nourishing insights to questions that arise at this full Moon. 
Questions now may include; how do I treat my self, my body? do I nourish myself? do I pay attention to my own needs, do I listen to the messages of the seasons? This degree Symbol can speak about The Tree of Life and knowledge and being attuned with ancient sources. Seeds are planted and we harvest what we plant, nourish and tend to. What are you tending to? What are you spending your time on? Are you growing anything of any use to you? Do you only go after beauty or do you also nurture those things that are nourishing and useful? OR do you only nurture and nourish things that are useful but forget to pay attention to beauty?
The Karmic Condition (the degree before) this full Moon is Taurus 10: A Red Cross Nurse with Warm Sympathy. This speaks of unconditional and compassionate understanding and caring for yourself as well as others. Nursing yourself may be a necessary element of this full Moon, as well as selfless giving, care and attention given to others who are in need. Do we only turn to caring for ourselves and others when things have gone to the point of illness, disturbance or distress? Or, are we there for ourselves and others rather too vigilantly, not letting others discover for themselves their own pathways to healing, caring and their unfolding. There can be a need to pass over into the "dark side" in order to bring light to a situation that needs it.
This is further emphasized by the degree of the Sun at this full Moon. It's Scorpio 11: A Drowning Man is Being Rescued. This speaks of resuscitation, regaining one's breath, finding life renewed, asthma, bronchitis, breathing difficulties, finding help in moments of crisis, needing a hand, being rescued, salvation on any level, ventilators, oxygen, dependence, last minute reprieves, born-again experiences, etc.
The Karmic Condition of the Sun is Scorpio 10: A Fellowship Supper Reunites Old Comrades. This is about renewing bonds with those you've shared struggles, past life connections, feeling like you'e known someone for lifetimes, reaching out to others, having a million and one things to talk about, reunions and memories, talking about the past, sharing meals, drinking wine, the Last Supper, partaking in the gifts of special relationships, fated meetings. 
Mercury is on Scorpio 9:The Dentist at Work, indicating that good nourishment, care and repair are all necessary and productive parts of our daily lives (or perhaps should be). We need to remember to maintain our health by fixing, repairing and taking care. Perhaps you, or someone close to you, always feels like they have to be responsible for doing or attending to everything. Further, Mercury over the few days after the full Moon will move over the Fellowship Supper Reunites Old Comrades and A Drowning Man is Being Rescued. Mercury's transit over these degrees accentuates them and brings them to the fore. It seems that we are being asked to join with others, to seek out those people who feel special, close, real in our lives, like they're family (whether they are or not). 
Venus is on an interesting degree. It's Libra 24: A Third Wing on the Left Side of a Butterfly. This can show imbalances, handicaps, overreactions, being overly sensitive, imperfections, fluttering from one thing to the next, feeling like one can't rest, obsessions with strange things. Venus is asking that we find balance, to seek that hemisphere of the brain that suits us best but not to wholly rely on it. We need to find that center place, that peace and calm, that place we can land and feel a sense of equilibrium.
It feels to me that equilibrium is available to us. However, we may need to learn (again) how to get along with people that we live with or not. Uranus is on Pisces 24: An Inhabited Island. This speaks of adaptability and cohabitation, people jammed in together, seeking others of like mind, always having to consider others. As Uranus is quincunx Venus, this can be like the itch that is hard to scratch - we need to be creative, patient and giving. Not everyone is going to get along, not everyone wants to join in at the table with others, not everyone is invited. Some will no doubt feel alienated with Uranus on this degree. 
Meanwhile, Neptune is bringing some solutions. It's on Aquarius 24: A Man Turning His Back on His Passions Teaches From His Experience. This speaks of having to turn your back on some things that have been taking up too much of your time - particularly unhealthy thoughts or obsessions that seemingly get in the way of your happiness or peace of mind. What can you let go of? What thoughts crowd your mind and stop you from being able to just be and enjoy?
Venus is squaring the Moon's nodes which have an interesting message with Capricorn 24: A Woman Entering a Convent (the north node) and Cancer 24:Two Woman and a Man (or Two Men and a Woman) Cast Away on an Island (the south node). This is quite the combo. The Woman Entering the Convent has to spend some time away from the pressures of society. She (or he, of course!) needs to concentrate on the inner self and find the time for quiet contemplation. This can be because there's too much expectation, too much pressure, too many people to consider in that south node (which is a karmic point). Too many people crowding in, too many things to be concerned about. (As with Uranus, we have here an image of being on an island.)
Which brings us back to the fact that we need to take care of ourselves with the full Moon on Taurus 11: A Woman Sprinkling Flowers. Tend to yourself, tend to your needs, take some time out, drink water and keep yourself hydrated, nurture and nourish yourself. I tend to call this part of the zodiac the Cinderella complex... we need to put ourselves first or we'll end up sitting by the fireplace alone (or feeling alone) wondering where our lives are going (or have gone).
Enjoy your food, your drink, your life, your body, your friends and everything that all entails!