With the Moon building toward full phase on Wednesday, it’s possible that you’re feeling something regarding physical pleasures and the emotions that go with them building to a head. This may take the form of a question: if you’re craving a specific type of physical or sexual contact, what is standing in your way of reaching out to initiate it?

Luna photographed in 2011 by Anthony Ayiomamitis.

True, you may still be getting a feel for Mercury in direct motion after an especially challenging season of inner planet retrogrades. It’s like debris is being removed so the stream can flow freely and things can gradually settle into their normal pace again.

Against that backdrop, the Full Moon is like a window: suddenly we can all see the other people around us again.

Yet the Taurus/Scorpio axis is about the body, and the sensations and pleasures of the body. That means being conscious of what you’re experiencing physically as well as emotionally; noticing your body’s responses to stimuli, and not ignoring them; noticing how others are responding to you — which is another way of saying empathy.

The Scorpio Full Moon, which is the Moon in Scorpio opposing the Sun in Taurus, is exact at 5:42 pm EDT May 10 (21:42 UTC). In the Full Moon chart, the Sun is making a trine to Pluto and Juno in Capricorn.

You can look at this as a both a question about a partnership issue and the assistance you need to answer it. Can you be forthright about your needs and desires without camping out in a place of want or lack? That is, are you willing to bring an offering to the table, and to listen to the expectations of others with an open mind (and heart)? You might be surprised how effective a generous gesture such as that could be.

Another interesting feature of the Full Moon chart is the square between Mars in Gemini and Neptune in Pisces. This is particularly true because Mars rules Scorpio, where the Full Moon is.

Photo by Eva Rinaldi / Flickr.

Mars square Neptune is a neon sign flashing “temptation.” This is not necessarily a bad thing; Western culture is famous for a tendency to repress honest desires in deference to artificial ‘morality’.

That said, if you’re going to indulge your fantasies or take the plunge with something potentially risky, it’s still possible to be conscious of boundaries and agreements. Indeed, I would say that is an essential component; as is avoiding intoxicating substances (or at least carefully moderating them).

Again, remember how closely the physical and the emotional intertwine and affect each other. You don’t need to be afraid of experiencing that nexus. It is wise, however, to approach it with respect, gentleness and a lack of judgment.

Allow space in your relationships for ‘safe’ sharing. Which is not the same as hedging your bets and skirting the issue.

Rather, ‘safe’ in this case refers to devoting some time and space to offer amnesty to honesty. This can feel like a brave step. It’s easy during a Full Moon to get reactive or defensive rather than contemplative. But that will rarely get you where you want to go if you want to go deeper into intimacy or creativity.

Willingness to see and hear the unexpected will, however, take you someplace new. It would seem that one key to receiving the acceptance you seek is to offer it in turn. Set the example by holding that space, and then showing up in it as fully as you can.