Category Archives: Full Moon

Full Moon in Leo 5 February 2023 An Emotional Spotlight

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‘A Ray of Sunlight’ By John White Alexander 1898 {{PD}}

Ah! With the Full Moon in Leo we get a symbolic meeting of the Sun (through rulership) and Moon that suggests the kind of atmosphere where emotions come into their full glory. Maybe it’s no coincidence that this always falls relatively close to Valentine’s Day–or maybe it’s just that this combination offers a glimpse into what we’re putting in an emotional spotlight.

The event comes at 10:27 AM PST at 16 Leo 40. The only major aspect is the Moon-Earth forming a separating square to Uranus in Taurus. That suggests the Lunar culmination brings to light some conflict, difficulty, or stress (maybe related to material matters, intractability of a partner, or issues of security–Taurus) that offers a shock, a surprise, a revelation, or an innovative response–and this brings us to a conclusion, close out, or new understanding of what our feelings really are, and what they’re all about.

Sabian for this Full Moon is, ‘A Volunteer Church Choir Singing Religious Hymns’. Religion suggests an organized approach to faith, while we are told the participants are volunteers, joining voices to let their vision of how the Universe is organized be known and praised–and that requires belief in the unseen or unverifiable, as well as belief that one is perceiving what’s beyond the senses correctly. We always look at the Sun as well for a Full Moon: ‘A Watchdog Stands Guard, Protecting His Master And His Possessions’. Combined with the Full Moon Sabian, this suggests defending what we believe in and see as ours.

If this in combination is the energy of the Full Moon, we’re likely to react automatically and defensively when that Uranian challenge comes along and stirs our emotions; it possibly also stirs our fears of chaos or others moving along into the future without us. We are shocked by something, or shocked by our sudden understanding of something, and our immediate idea is to defend how we see things–but we’ll find our harmony by, rather than barking at what upsets us, singing the praises of what we genuinely accept and believe. Rather than struggle or become a victim of our own reactions, we should focus on the core matters of our faith, whatever those may be.

The fact that the Moon has recently quincunxed/ Earth was recently quincunxed by Venus, current ruler of Uranus, says that we’ve received ‘warnings’ (the quincunxes) in the recent past, gotten glimpses of the relationship issues (and these can be with others, the material world, and/ or with the spiritual) that will come forward–it’s just that at this point they bring the unexpected and seem to come as a shock or to deliver a dose of understanding about something that didn’t seem so clear before–with the challenge to us a call to see ourselves in a new light, especially emotionally.

There’s a minor contact of the Moon-Earth by septile to Ceres, which hints at it all in the end being about Power: who holds it, who exercises it, who oversteps their bounds, who’s responsible for what (and especially for whom). Ceres is also our connection to Nature, and to our own personal sense of authority, the kind that perpetually asks us, Am I truly in charge of myself? It asks us to inspect our choices for the influences, even coercion, of others, and it asks us to be genuinely responsible for everything we do. It also asks us to recognize the existence of powers beyond our control, such as Nature and the passage of Time; there are some things we must accept as out of our control, and so not our responsibility. The septile implies a spiritual tone to all this; we then must look at the Lunar event aware that whatever comes forward is a lesson (though I dislike that word, as we’re learning all the time) in our larger involvement in things. That promises that what occurs mirrors our spiritual state, with others or a situation standing in for the Universe itself. It’s about relationship in its biggest sense, and who we are as an individual (Leo), making our way into the future/ forward with the group (Aquarius).

The Cancer Full Moon 6 January 2023: Ideas vs. Wisdom

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‘Two Odalisques Contemplating The Bosphorus’ By Ernest Hébert 1843 {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects at 3:07 PM PST of the 6th at 16 Cancer 21, putting it conjoined Pallas and opposed the Sun and Mercury just before they join in Inferior Conjunction (the conjunction that occurs when Mercury is retrograde). Practical thoughts are being re-visited, illuminated, and how we feel about our environment, our surroundings, our accomplishments (or lack of them) is also being considered–and the outcome may be unpredictable, uncertain, institute radical shifts, or shock and surprise us (FM sextile Uranus), though we can be sure what we weigh and ruminate on at this point will be vetted against our highest values and commitments (FM trine Vesta). Perfection of the Inferior Conjunction will bring the illumination of something fresh, the planting of a seed, the inception of something, an idea or conception of the world (Capricorn) that may or may not prove viable–but the Full Moon helps with this, shining reflective light on the feasibility of it, and most importantly, on the wisdom of what we’re contemplating, along with, in this instance, the ability to see ahead, to visualize the outcome of our idea, and particularly the emotional impact this idea may have on us, if it comes to full term.

The Full Moon also forms a minor aspect with Jupiter, the squine (105 degrees), often defined as having characteristics of both the square and the trine–but that’s not very helpful in telling us what it means, is it? I think of it more as a pushme-pullyou aspect, one that takes the energies of the involved bodies and stirs them up in such a way that there are positives and negatives swirling around–and we as individuals pluck those factors we most respond to from the chaotic mix.

That means Jupiter’s influence will be highly individual, dependent on our own relationship to ‘the facts’, to the social order, to the idea of expansion, to education or religious belief/ indoctrination. Look for these personal effects in the House Jupiter rules in the natal chart, in matters of the House where it’s currently transiting for you, and/ or in expression of your own Jupiter placement, likely as a challenge that requires you to choose a path or an attitude that either embraces a Jupiterian factor or rejects it, opening the way for a ‘new’ version to be adopted.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘The Unfoldment Of Multilevel Potentialities Issuing From An Original Germ’. So, as expected, we will see the possibilities in a particular matter, one we will either choose to nurture or quash entirely, and these will bring an emotional effect, particularly emotional conclusions (the Full Moon), the “Germ” of course being found at the Inferior Conjunction. We also look at the Sabian for the Light-Giver, the Sun, and find this: ‘A Repressed Woman Finds A Psychological Release In Nudism’. This may be about freeing the mind (or relieving it) by adopting unvarnished honesty with ourselves, hiding nothing, ‘letting it all hang out’. I know honesty’s a theme with me, but it’s true: if we accept reality as our baseline, the need for subterfuge, deception, artifice all fall away–and leave that much more energy to make our own choices and institute what we want–and we have the advantage of actually seeing what is, which makes our decisions that much more effective, since they proceed from a realistic take on circumstances.

Also of note: Juno and Pluto are sextile=power struggles, but gentle ones, or maybe passive-aggressive ones, where it’ll be hard to say, “Stop!” without appearing to be churlish. Just know you are right–that is aggressive, no matter how many pretty bows are tied on it. Venus and Ceres are trine in Air, giving those with an anima orientation (that is, those who are receptive, who know that Being is as dynamic and effective as Doing) who also accept their own right to Self-determination, are able to reason out what’s worth it, what will payoff. Relationships do well at this time when everyone is clear on where their responsibilities and autonomy end and another’s begins.

Important, too, is that the Black Moon Lilith point pencils out to the 29th degree of Cancer=hidden, denied, or enraging matters are the most potent movers of the emotions. Be on the lookout for their sneakily invasive influence.

And have a lovely weekend!

Full Moon 7 December 2022: Say It!

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‘Conversation in the Jardin du Luxembourg’ By Vittorio Matteo Corcos 1892 {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects at 8:08:08! PM PST at 16 Gemini 01, just 6 minutes from contact with retrograde Mars. Both Earth and Lunar energies are imbued with a Martian thrust that takes on a Geminian form; feelings may form ‘hot’ and just as quickly come out our mouths, go into print, or drive abrupt action, and we may find ourselves involved in a kind of challenge, one that tempts us to make our thoughts realities almost as soon as we have them. Mars’ retro status only encourages the ‘act now, think later’ atmosphere, and could mean we’re propelled forward before we even know we’ve had a thought (and this is especially a potential if this Full Moon is falling in your natal 12th House).

Is this a good thing, this spontaneity? Some people might equate it with following instincts–but then again, acting instinctively can be a life-saver in a crisis, but unnecessarily defensive or destructive in less dire circumstances, as our animal instincts tend to interpret everything as a wee-bit threatening. Currently Mercury, ruler of the Full Moon, is early in Capricorn, sesquiquadrate Uranus–uh-oh. Both are in Earth, their relationship suggesting a precipitous urgency to ‘make it real’, mostly out of a sense that things either must be controlled or shaped along practical lines–so for all the right reasons we may act–but we must remain aware that our thoughts and ideas may have more than a little Self-interest, ego, or aggression behind them, and may arise as much from fear (the sesquiquadrate) as anything else. This doesn’t inherently make those feelings or that sense of urgency wrong or bad, but does imply that if we’re not crystalline clear and as honest as possible with ourselves, we could create unintended consequences because so many subtle influences may be at work below the conscious level.

Aspects formed by the Full Moon include a semi-sextile to Uranus, a square to Juno, and a very wide trine to Saturn. Each echoes a part of the theme: spontaneity or loss of control, for good or ill (Uranus), a test of Self-control and our sense of empowerment (and this could involve discovery of ways in which we are or aren’t empowered, perhaps contrasting with what we previously thought), and it’s all firmly rooted in the present reality picture and current structure of things, specifically that which has been built on the past (Saturn). We can’t forget that much of Juno’s activity can arise from frustration, especially frustration over her own thwarted authority or from a feeling of disrespect, and a square is just that; there’s the possibility that vengeance (a Juno specialty) may come forward in a maelstrom of emotions–so again, the need for control and clarity, which we may find by staying grounded and aware of what is (Saturn).

Avoiding trouble requires we’re clear about what we want, and why we want it or want to do it. A Full Moon in Gemini urges us to come to conclusions, to ‘say it’, and in the moment those thoughts are likely to read as eminently logical and reasonable–but in the presence of Mars, and through the feeling filter of the Moon, this becomes tricky. Being clear about what we’re thinking means we’ll need to be clear on what we’re feeling, as well, and both must fit not just within the reality picture, but into what we hope to build in the future (Uranus), in order to be productive, positive, and what we actually intend.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘The Head Of A Robust Youth Changes Into That Of A Mature Thinker’. This emphasizes the message of the planets (that we’ll need to respond maturely), and maybe points to a place of vulnerability, offering us a clue as to where we might be most liable to jump to conclusions: those areas in which our thinking, communications, messaging, or emotional development might still have significant room for growth. This is probably related to one or more of the subjects of the House of the natal chart where the Full Moon falls for you, and this is without a doubt something, some area or weakness, of which you’re already quite aware. The image also suggests the Full Moon events offer opportunity for emotional growth, for moving forward in an area we may have long felt inadequate to address, or where we’ve felt behind our peers, developmentally. This can be a person or life area to which, beyond all logic and our normal behaviors, we respond in emotional, uncontrolled, off-the-charts ways; it can be a trigger, something that sets us off, and is probably something we’d dearly like to tame.

For a Full Moon we also look at the Sun, as generator of the Lunar light we’re trying to interpret. It’s ‘An Easter Sunrise Service Draws A Large Crowd’. So, a chance for renewal, even redemption–and in any case, our response will be something witnessed by many. Remember, Jupiter will still be poised in that last, tense degree of Pisces, stressing our hopes, our sense of optimism, what we can be sure we know, our beliefs, and our social roles/ position in the social arena–and some or all of these stresses can exercise their own kind of influence on our thinking, and so on our interpretations of the emotional landscape.

So, we should ‘say it’, or formulate the thought and do it, but in the saying and doing be sure our expression is creating the reality picture, and the future, we truly want.

Total Lunar Eclipse 8 November 2022 No Mercy

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It won’t be this dramatic. ‘The Execution of Lady Jane Grey’ By Paul Delaroche 1834 {{PD}}

The total Lunar eclipse begins just after 3:02 AM PST as Moon aligns with Earth and Sun at precisely 16 degrees of Taurus. The dynamic is very much one of oppositional energies, as Moon-Earth conjoins Uranus and the Sun is poised for Superior Conjunction with Mercury (as you know, that’s when Mercury and the Sun meet with Merc in direct apparent motion), this latter bringing to fruition something planted around the Inferior Conjunction of 23rd-24th of September, though there are three additions to the picture that add their own twists to the sense of denouement that may arise: a trine of the eclipse to Ceres in Virgo, a novile to just-retrograded Mars in Gemini, and a square to Saturn in Aquarius.

Being Total we should expect no mercy with this eclipse. Falling in Taurus, we’ll experience the wipe-out of circumstances related to some aspect of our own comfort, security, resources, assets, or even talents, or to matters of the House in the natal chart where Taurus falls, and this will bring certain emotions and conclusions about our own feelings to consciousness. The Sun in Scorpio is the light-giver, but in this situation it’s temporarily and completely blocked, implying that our view must change: the Scorpionic light currently cast on things (a light that looks to illuminate the need for change, to ferret out the Truth, to destroy what’s unnecessary or detrimental, to x-ray what surrounds us and reveal what’s hidden) is suddenly removed, with the suddenness of the alteration only emphasized by the eclipse’s conjunction to Uranus. What we see when that critical light of dissection and Truth-delving is gone will not be what we expect. It may in fact be something so new, so unanticipated, that we are shocked, by what happens, or by our own reaction to it, or by the message/ information contained in events (Sun conj Mercury).

Did I say no mercy? That’s not quite right; we find extenuating influences in those other aspects the eclipse makes. The change wrought by the eclipse may easily come about through Mother Nature (trine to Ceres in Virgo) in her critical response to current conditions–and those may be global, like climate change, or personal, like diet or responses to Nature via allergens or disease–so that we may quite abruptly be facing a situation that is the perfect storm of what’s natural combined with our own choices. This could also imply we’ll be faced with the results of our own exercise of personal authority, or our nurture (or failure to nurture) those for whom we’re responsible. Nature will try to re-direct us, and in most cases this won’t be traumatic; it’s up to us to take the hint.

There’s also that novile to retro Mars.You may have wondered why I haven’t made any specific comment on Mars going retro–and I don’t know why, either. Maybe it’s that it’s happening in Gemini, giving me the impression that so much that is aggressive, threatened, imposed, or potentially violent will actually turn out to be ‘all talk, no action’. Maybe it’s the way Chiron and Eris are the only bodies in Aries at the moment, suggesting we could all use a little relief, possibly offered via retro ruler status, from our wounds and from those major sources of aggravation I like to call sh*t-stirrers. But, in terms of the eclipse, Mars’ novile implies a little bit of genius implicit in eclipse events, the kind that may see our hesitation, reluctance, or changed choice or action as a good thing, keeping us from stepping in it.

If you’re concerned this is all too nebulous, don’t be: the eclipse square to Saturn in Aquarius promises real-life effects, solidly grounded, but that must be viewed through the lens of Higher Mind. Is, say, the loss of an asset at this time really about the circumstances surrounding that loss, or is it more about what that loss says, about what we find reward or profit in, about how we spend our energy, about the role of possessions (or possibly the impermanence of these)? If it is about the circumstances of the loss, then it may be that we need to look at our own vulnerabilities, or to the ways our ideas do (or don’t) transfer to reality. For some it may be a bit of the opposite, a question of whether we are playing an intellectual game with reality that keeps us from connecting the dots; in this case, we may be so mired in our own reasoning or tortuous mental justifications that we don’t register how these are seriously at odds with the real-world picture. The ancient ruler of Aquarius traveling through the sign and squared by an eclipse definitely says the brakes will be put on somewhere, that we’re going to come slamming up against something of the real world–the good news is, we can use the mind to de-code what happens.

So, a little thought experiment with the Sabians: I’d been taught that a placement at, as our eclipse is, 16 degrees, no minutes, of a sign meant it actually was part of the preceding degree picture; it hadn’t yet proceeded into the 16th degree because there are no minutes. That’s the way I’ve always read them, but today I questioned that interpretation, so I’ve decided to take a look at both possibilities. I’m not beyond learning a better (more correct?) way, so here goes:

The eclipse Sabian is, ‘An Old Teacher Fails To Interest His Pupils In Traditional Knowledge’–or is it, ‘A Symbolical Battle Between “Swords” And “Torches”’? The old teacher could be Aquarian Saturn in hard aspect to the event indicators, suggesting we won’t learn from what’s come before–that argues for the way I was taught to read them, as this is the preceding symbol. The ‘battle’ is of course between a Water placement (the Scorpio Sun) and an Earth placement (Moon-Earth)–not exactly symbolic of swords or torches, but we could see it as torches being the fire of feeling (Scorpio Water) and swords being something physically effecting (Taurus Earth), though a bit contradictory to the retro Mars aspect–but let’s look at the possibilities for the Sun–maybe that will sort it out. The Sun is, ‘A Girl’s Face Breaking Into A Smile’, and ‘A Woman, Fecundated By Her Own Spirit, Is “Great With Child”’. Hmmm. No help there, in my view. This may be my signal to step back from the Sabians for a while–just not feeling them–I’ll return to them when I do.

But I can offer you this unusual dream Word Image: at an open air market there are steps down which water begins to flow. Someone has placed several small children, no bigger than the palm of your hand, along the steps, and the water is knocking them over, sometimes face down, and the person responsible for them is nowhere in sight. I go and lift each one out of the water, make sure they are breathing, and as I work anticipate that whoever is in charge of them will be rushing up any second, angry that I am handling these delicate creatures. What ‘other person’s baby’ are you in a position to in some way ‘rescue’? If you step in somewhere to help, who will be angry, and why? Or maybe that’s the point: we need to show mercy, in the face of dangerous times, no matter the personal cost. Just a little something to think about–have a great weekend (don’t forget to take that hour back), and an enlightening eclipse!

Full Moon 9 October 2022: Who Are You, What Do You Feel?

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‘One Who Understands’ By Paul Klee 1934 {{PD}}

The Full Moon in Aries forms just after first Earth and then the Moon pass over Chiron–and that Chiron is involved in a T-square opposed Venus and square Pallas, begging the question: if that relationship or money thing was so smart, so practical, or such a good use of your skills, assets, or talents, why did it hurt? Or even more confounding, if it didn’t hurt. A Full Moon offers us answers, or at least endings, and in Aries those endings address the ‘I Am’, identity, and our choices and actions. We are likely to have laid at our feet revelation about how we’re processing emotionally some significant recent event–we’d be wise to examine it for the larger message, the one that makes a statement about who we are at our core, right now. Be prepared, as this will likely challenge who we think we are, or will bring into question our actual motivations for doing as we have.

Much of the action in the chart has already occurred by the time the Full Moon arrives, though we do have a few near-future contacts to look at that will reveal what comes next: a semi-sextile to Uranus, a sextile to Saturn, and a square to the Black Moon Lilith point. A sesquiquadrate to Hygeia at 00 Sagittarius and a loose novile to Juno round out the picture. What we have before us are minor shocks, surprises, or revelations that either present barriers or bring something previously only contemplated into our reality–and this brings conflict or discomfort, as we either must deal with what we’ve ignored or denied, or must face something that enrages us. The good news is if we accept our own role in things, and are willing to do something about what we see, we will be allowed grace and true good fortune in tackling it. One important point: if what you’ve been brushing aside is a health matter, it enters a new phase at this point–for good or ill, so this may be the signal to take a new approach in this area.

Here’s the temptation: to keep our eyes trained on that Venus, which opposition is already more than three degrees past once the Full Moon occurs. Looking behind us at that person, romance, partner, asset, reward, or financial circumstance will only distract us in the now; we’re meant to get the message about this, right now, but not to try and re-live, re-litigate, or re-vive.

Then we look to Pluto, stationed direct just a day before, and we may want to blame that dark energy bringing complete and utter change for what happens–but that would be inaccurate, as Pluto is simply standing still (stationary) and offering to point out just exactly where it really does hurt, or where you must make a clean sweep in order to move on. Check the natal chart for any points or bodies Pluto at 26 Capricorn may currently be aspecting: that’s where the real action is–the Full Moon is only about showing you who you’ve become, when you weren’t looking.

The Full Moon Sabian is, ‘Two Dignified Spinsters Sitting In Silence’. What’s your immediate reaction to that image? Do you think it’s sad and depressing, as if these women have missed out on life? Or do you see it as a bit of a triumph, one that has allowed these women to operate outside patriarchal society? Do you see them as independent or oppressed, quiet in peace or quiet in despair? It’s your Rorschach for current Lunar energies, and speaks of some emotional pattern you may need to question, or at least consider from another angle (and that’s so no matter your interpretation).

We also look at the bright engine of the Full Moon, the Sun: ‘A Retired Sea Captain Watches Ships Entering And Leaving The Harbor’. Here we each enjoy a certain distance (retired) from an area of expertise–and what are each of us experts in? In knowing ourselves, of course! We understand the progress we’ve made, and can see the consequences of our choices, with both Pluto and the Full Moon giving us a kind of progress report, a check-up on what we may need to handle next.

The Lunar event itself may be fiery or dull, but in some way shines a spotlight on something about ourselves we need to acknowledge and be aware of, in order to make the best choices we can.

Have a great Full Moon experience! ‘Tis the season for meteor showers–6-10th October the Draconids are visible in the Northern Hemisphere, the 20-21st the Orionids are visible in both hemispheres, and the Leonids fly by 17-18 November, visible in both hemispheres. Dates are for best sightings in the Seattle area, but apply generally by hemisphere as well.

Full Moon in Pisces 10 September 2022 Visions

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Courtesy NASA/ JPL-Caltech {{PD}}

Just come back to the world, and what do I find? I slept through a Full Moon! But I saw it forming each night, clear and luminous, and was anxious to find out what it might bring; this is what I see:

At 2:59 AM PDT of the 10th the Moon conjoined Earth in Pisces, opposed the Virgo Sun, with the Moon just hours before this contacting Juno, and both Moon and Earth poised to conjoin Neptune, the Moon in hours, the Earth in about a week. What culminates at this point is a material matter that reflects a spiritual one, which impacts identity and creates the emotional landscape with which we’ll engage over the next two weeks. It’s as if in the hours around the Full Moon we think we know what defines us, what empowers us, what we control or have authority over, and then the Moon and Earth meet and we’re given a vision, or perhaps presented with a physical scenario, that reflects back to us a spiritual Truth, one that has a very personal message for us about how to go forward.

Here’s where I have to stop and say that I might have given this Lunar event a somewhat different interpretation, if not for my own experience last night. It was a warm night, that kind of late summer warm where you’re still feeling the heat of the day in the air and coming off the pavement, and yet there’s a breeze off the water that once in a while gives you a chill, warns you that things are changing. I was in a car and came to a stop light. I felt compelled to turn and look at the driver in the car to the right, where he sat under a very bright streetlight, and got a shock: this man looked exactly like someone close to me who has been dead for years. Not just that, but he looked young, much younger than this person was when he died, and even stranger, he had a small smile and a confused expression, and he was looking right at me.

So my experience of the message was in the form of an (unsettling) vision, one that has personal meaning for me, associations made to this person and his example, and which I must decipher for myself–and you will have had a similar event, or will have undergone some revelation, some realization through a dream, some imagining that reveals something new about yourself to yourself–or maybe it came through criticism (that Virgo Sun), or through a kind of accounting, accountability, or harvest, one that told you exactly what the combination of your creative energies and your material ones have brought into being.

The Full Moon also makes a sextile to Uranus, implying a suddenness to what comes, a shock or surprise, or a chaotic note that allows a vision or message to emerge from a maelstrom of activity or information. The group as a whole may deliver your Full Moon conclusion, possibly bringing to a stop something you still carried hope for–Luna is the purest conduit of hope–or delivering it in material form, perhaps an unanticipated material form.

There are also two configurations: a Grand Water Trine, with Moon-Earth-Juno, Black Moon Lilith in Cancer, and South Node widely conjoined Hygeia in Scorpio. A Grand Trine is an invitation for energies to work together through their emotional commonality; here we see material matters around empowerment about which we have strong feelings ‘getting along with’ those matters we are in denial about, ignoring, or about which we are angry, and with what was and wasn’t healthy about the past that is affecting the present. Again, a very personal picture, one that may suggest dealing with issues that bring strong emotional reactions is inevitable.

The second configuration is a loose Mystic Rectangle involving the Moon-Earth-Juno sextile North Node-Uranus trine the Sun sextile South Node-Hygeia and back around by trine to the Moon. This brings together elements of Earth and Water, the past and the present, the material world and the intangible (feeling, spiritual, Soul) one, and asks us to find ways in which the factors and memories coming forward now can empower us materially while making for a healthy Beingness, an approach to ourselves and our place in the world that is positive, benefiting from what came before, and what we can learn through Higher Mind (Uranus) lens to shape the future.

The event should conclude in about a week with Earth conjoined/ Sun opposed Neptune, delivering the ‘Full Vision’ (or for some, the ‘Complete Delusion’) that will power us forward, and which may give us not just a particular spiritual awareness around the Soul identity, it may also prompt a kind of costuming, in the sense of showing openly the roles we are now playing through appearance and behaviors, making apparent the identities we are embracing and offering to the world.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘In A Gigantic Tent, Villagers Witness A Spectacular Performance’. Maybe what prompts your vision, what’s revealed, is a ‘Big Tent’ experience, one many people undergo at once–but that doesn’t mean it isn’t extremely personal, since our interpretation of and reaction to what happens is what gives it meaning for us. Or it may simply be that our gigantic tent is the human experience itself, with each of us witnessing some pretty spectacular things–and this may be one of them. Or we focus on the word ‘performance’, and note that this may involve interaction, actually witnessing another ‘putting on a show’–and again, the meaning of that will be decipherable only to you through your own experiences, past and emotional.

The Sun Sabian is at ‘An Ouija Board’, reinforcing the idea of information or messages that pass from the unseen to either realization or into the actual surroundings themselves–and so pointing to the importance of the message, no matter the medium that delivers it.

Mercury is also retrograde at this point, turning around in Libra, an Air sign, and so asking us to re-think, re-consider, especially in terms of aesthetic choices, partnerships, romances, and oddly enough, maybe asking us, through Venus’ territory of envy and jealousy, to re-examine why we might be envious or jealous–and perhaps rid ourselves of a tiresome and irritating feeling, should we find out we’d rather keep our own situation, problems and all, rather than take on one that only seems in a surface way to be better than ours.

The first major contact Merc will form in apparent retro motion is an opposition to Jupiter in Aries, which centers on the individual within the social order, and the way partnerships or collaborations make the whole thing tick. A riff, then, on the Lunar theme for this Full Moon, on identity and how that brings us to where we are in life.

I hope you all had a wonderful Full Moon, and of course, all the usual caveats with Merc retro: don’t sign, don’t buy, don’t agree–with the exception that if the deal was fully in place and already explored before the retro, you can go ahead. Just remember that if you do implement something during the retrograde, you do so knowing that there’s something you don’t yet know about the situation–which could mean regret or disadvantage, when you finally find out.

Full Moon in Aquarius 11 August 2022 A Lasting Story

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‘Girl Reading a Newspaper’ By Wada Eisaku 和田英作 1897 {{PD}}

The Full Moon is on approach to Saturn–the Moon only hours from contact, the Earth only days–with other contacts a semi-sextile to Juno, a wide sextile to Chiron, a square to North Node-Uranus/ South Node (forming a ‘T’), and an Air Grand Trine with Zeus and Pallas. Perfecting at 19 Aquarius 21 on the 11th at 6:35 PM PDT, the Lunar event reads like heavy intellectual (Aquarius) and individual (Chiron in Aries) turmoil, with a dash of unexpected material events (Uranus-NN in Taurus) to keep us off balance. We’ll be so busy looking out, at the chaos, rebellion, and anarchy that we won’t realize the real upset is within our own minds, or maybe even within our reactive egos (Sun in Leo). No need to worry about limits, at this point; those will show up on their own, as each body, Moon and Earth, conjoins waiting Saturn, offering understanding as to where our feelings stop, and what restrictions our material surroundings might offer.

That sounds terrible, doesn’t it? But never fear–there are ways to work with the energies that won’t be just comforting, but freeing. Start with an Aquarius Full Moon, meant to bring revelation, understanding, realization, especially intellectually; that says you’re going to learn things, and any learning is to your benefit. That’s something to remember when we’re caught in the midst of Aquarian revolution or chaos, or stunned by the shock, surprise, or the unexpected: we’re seeing things, about people, situations, options, that we wouldn’t have otherwise known about–and knowledge really is power.

The semi-sextile to Juno in Pisces tells us that empowerment is found through the creative, through following ‘the Dream’ despite anything else (and either of these options may require a wee bit of rocking the boat), or that ‘clear seeing’, though somewhat uncomfortable (the semi-sextile) is necessary in order to thrive. The sextile to Chiron in Aries says: make the effort, use your skills or actively accept an opportunity to heal, and you will. The square/ T-square tells us that what happens or is revealed around the Lunar event is 1) building something, or telling us something about reality and its limits or requirements (Saturn), and 2) that the Saturnian discipline or reality awareness will allow us to bring experience (the South Node) to bear on unanticipated challenges or revelations about the future (Uranus-NN). The surprise is the very thing we must respond to–and there’s no time to start from scratch, we must draw on the past and what we already know (SN).

The Air Grand Trine involves what we might dismiss as minor indicators, but the value of this is in the way those minor bodies or points have specific, narrow definitions–and so can pinpoint what we need to cope that much more effectively than can the major energies. Here the call is for intellectual or mental balance, particularly in terms of what we want, our ambitions and goals, our desires (Zeus) and what’s smart, wise, practical, or what we are already equipped to handle with existing skills (Pallas). The Full Moon will likely show us our emotional needs and responses to the Air GT requirements–and may make us face the fact that, without a balance among these, we won’t get very far.

The Full Moon Sabian is, ‘A Large White Dove Bearing A Message’. Yep. We can add, through the symbolism of the dove, that the message will, one way or another, bring peace. The Sun, illuminator of the Moon, has an apt Sabian, as well: ‘Zuni Indians Perform A Ritual To The Sun’. I think this is about acknowledging the Self (Sun in Leo) as the generator of whatever we’re dealing with right now. It may appear to come from externals, but as we all know, those are typically just a reflection of our interior, or in some cases manifested/ attracted because we know (or at least, some part of us does) that we need to face whatever it is. The ‘Zuni Indians’, that is indigenous people native to the southwestern area of North America, points us back to our own Sun, our own Soul intent, to what’s native to us as individuals and within the ‘tribes’ (our psychic and spiritual kinship groups, those places and others who nurture our Soul) we belong to, acknowledging that eternal part of us–a reminder that what we create now is just another step in a lasting, resilient story.

Full Moon in Capricorn 13 July 2022: The Test of Desire

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It was the title that made me choose this: A Spirit Serves a Small Breakfast, Angel Brings the Desired, lithograph with watercolor by Paul Klee, 1920 {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects 11:38 AM PDT of the 13th at 21 Capricorn 21–some nice (but insignificant) numerical symmetry, that, with the closest aspect to the Sun/ Moon-Earth axis a square from Zeus in Libra. This Cardinal T-square promises a tough test of the desire nature or the ambition picture–what are we willing to do to get what we want? With whom will we take our actions? How hard will we push? What problems are we willing to face down? And who or what are we willing to sacrifice in the process?

Will we necessarily run over others in the rush to fulfill our wants? No, it doesn’t have to be that way, but it might, if there are any latent issues of Willfulness, envy, jealousy, or greed in relationships–Eris in Aries opposes Zeus in Libra and so forms a loose Grand Cross with the Full Moon, and that suggests that if there are egos or previously unexpressed aggressions in the mix, we may have to make a choice: coddle others, or reach for what we desire. Or it may be more subtle than that: will we be willing to discomfort others? Will we go against the relationship grain, risking not losing the connection but altering it–and perhaps planting the discordant Eris seed in the process.

A Full Moon in Capricorn is one focused on implementing practical or concrete solutions, bringing about solid or permanent endings, or seeing construction of rules or structures completed–and that means the emotional and intuitive (Moon) must find expression through the material, or what affects the material, in some way (Capricorn Earth).

The Cancer Sun in this scenario has two companions, each widely opposing the Full Moon, one on either side of Sol: Ceres and Mercury. These are energies of Time and Nature, big picture forces, the kind we don’t control, but do affect, as we make our human-sized decisions within their parameters and flow. What we care about (Cancer) is the arbiter, but what we face is the physical impacts that caring makes on our environment (Capricorn), through our actions and choices (Eris in Aries) which guide the outcome within relationships (Libra).

We must note, too, that with a slightly wider orb we see Chiron in Aries also square the Full Moon (but not be included in the Cross). Ah-ha! We find the motive for any hurt in old wounds, festering hurts, in tender flesh beneath scars we thought were healed–but the sextile of the Full Moon to Juno, and trine to North Node/ sextile to SN says we’re acting out of a need to feel our own empowerment, to experience it in real-world terms, and so to shape the future–but we shouldn’t ignore Uranus in proximity to the NN, bringing an element of the untamed, unpredictable, chaotic, or unusual that may offer results a far cry from what we thought we’d create!

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘By Accepting Defeat Gracefully, A General Reveals Nobility Of Character’. Act with pure motives, accept with grace what comes from our choices, and no matter the material result, the Soul will be fulfilled in some important but intangible way. This suggests that those desires driving things in the first place (Zeus) may be, like the energies of Eris that could stir, nothing more than a catalyst within a larger picture, one that tells us something of our Soul’s place (the Sun) in the scheme of Time (Mercury) and Nature (Ceres).

We always look at the Sun for a FM: ‘A Young Woman Awaiting A Sailboat’. Something, then, is on its way, perhaps already on the horizon–and the woman is young, and what’s the outstanding nature of everyone when young? Hopeful and optimistic–so that’s what we should be, too.

One last thing to address: the Moon-Earth combo are headed (at different rates, the Moon in hours, the Earth in days) to conjoin Pluto. Big, bad Pluto. And it’s sextile the Lunation chart Vertex, suggesting it’s an agent of Fate–so tell us something we don’t know! If you have fear of what Pluto brings, you need to take another tack. Instead of seeing it as destructive, as bringing irreversible damage, you might want to try embracing it as an energy that can get things done for us–because Pluto changes nothing we haven’t already been given an opportunity to deal with, get right with, or change ourselves, and we’re definitely scheduled for an encounter. Pluto is the essence of the Truth of things–and the more closely aligned we are with that, the better. We should also turn some attention to two points at 29 degrees at the time of Lunar perfection: Sedna in Taurus, which happens to be trine the Virgo Ascendant in the Pacific zone (other places this won’t be the case). That placement always implies the point or energy is under stress–so West Coasters, watch the environment for precipitous energies (or just brutally critical ones), maybe in the form of details that cause distress or uncertainty, or in a demand for accountability, and don’t expect our instincts to help us much at this point–they are likely to be on the fritz, overloaded with sensory input (Taurus) and probably blocked by our own blind spot material. Go instead on the reality of what we see, feel, and on the ideals we hold for ourselves–the whole point of the challenges our desires will face at this time is to reveal some very true-to-us response, characteristic of the Soul, elevating our idea of ourselves and our abilities to respond and create under pressure.

Sagittarius Full Moon 14 June 2022: A Map To Dreams

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‘Bluebird’ By Paul Sableman

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This Full Moon perfects at 4:52 AM PDT of the 14th at 23 Sagittarius 25, within sextile to Saturn, square to Neptune, and trine to Eris, suggesting that discipline, restraint, and precedent, especially the intellectual variety (Saturn in Aquarius) can easily lend form to our dreams and ideals (Neptune in Pisces), though we’re bound to see (and should respect) the limits to what can be (the square). It’s a point of discovery, reckoning, or fulfillment in what we envision, imagine, hope for, idealize, or misperceive, one that displays the geography of the ‘dream terrain’ and offers a map of how to get there. The feeling nature, the intuition, and a general sensitivity will, if we allow it, inform our way forward, either by reinforcing beliefs or conveying vital facts (Sagittarius). Our creative energy (Neptune) acts as a fulcrum across which we are invited to find balance between what we’re conscious of, what’s obvious to us, what we already see and understand (Sun in Gemini) in relation to our feelings about our surroundings, what is, how we’d like to venture out, what we see as exotic or foreign, and what we want to learn or know (Moon-Earth in Sagittarius).

The trine to Eris is the only real sticking point. It’s too easy (trine) to fall into contentious circumstances with others, especially if there are already tensions below the surface; even more volatile are situations and relationships related to desire and ambition fulfillment, these springing from the recent sextiles of both Earth and the Moon to Zeus. What we want with a passion (and how we go about getting that) may be the source of conflict at this time. If someone objects to your pursuit of something, ask yourself this: is what I’m doing injurious to them? If the answer is no, their attitude is coming purely from jealousy; if the answer is yes, then you must stop and consider whether causing hurt to someone else is worth what you might get. In case you’re not sure, the answer is: causing harm is never the right course.

The Sabian for the Moon is, ‘A Bluebird Perched On The Gate Of A Cottage’. This is an almost Disney-esque image–so maybe somewhat idealized, somewhat sanitized, perhaps echoing Neptune and what it could present or inspire at this time. A bluebird is symbolic of a dream realized perfectly, a harbinger of spotless ‘luck’–and it perches on a cottage gate, suggesting auspicious entry into a (new) ‘residence’, which could mean any particular aspect of living. Encouraging us, then, to enter into that new thing we’re considering at the Full Moon.

The Sabian for the life-giving, all-illuminating Sun is, ‘Children Skating Over A Frozen Village Pond’. Again, an idyllic and idealized image, this one of recreation, specifically carried out by children–so probably corresponding to the child within each of us, to a simple enjoyment at engaging in play–which is the ultimate creativity. Taken together, the two images suggest that aiming for manifestation of the highest version of your creative energy can succeed right now, and the way to make it happen is to approach the effort as if it’s play. If you’re anything like me, you may need the encouragement of that external source, the one that offers permission to indulge in the purely creative–so here it is: use the time surrounding the Full Moon to enjoy yourself, in that way where one musing follows another, where you experiment, where you’re not acting with one eye on the social sphere, measuring how they’re perceiving you, but responding only out of curiosity and enjoyment. We need to note, though, that this scene is set in winter–at the peak of winter, in fact, when it’s safe to skate on a pond. That might suggest that it may be some time before we see this dream manifest–or that we need to change the atmosphere, cooling things down, perhaps being a little more overtly dispassionate in pursuit of our goals, ‘playing it cool’.

Helpful hints: Pallas and Venus will be close at the Full Moon, in Taurus. Indulge your senses, appreciate comforts, see the wisdom behind beauty. And for those with a natal point 22-26 of Leo, that natal body fills in a Fire Grand Trine with Eris and the Moon-Earth, and so may put you squarely in someone’s fiery cross-hairs–proceed with extra care, as feelings may be highly flammable (I know, it’s actually inflammable, but you know how we had to switch the meanings, because people kept confusing them!)

Have a lovely weekend–use it to prepare for that inspiration the Full Moon is almost certain to deliver, and which it will, if you’re not distracted by the realities of what you find out, by the need for form or limits, or by the tensions possibly surfacing with others.

Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio 15 May 2022 Total Emotional Metamorphosis

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‘Butterflies’ By Odilon Redon c1910 {{PD}}

Is it the T-square formed by this Lunar eclipse, the Sun-Sedna, and the arm of Saturn-Vesta that will be most prominent, the T offering a dynamic emotional confrontation (probably over what we should see/ recognize, but don’t) that may be resolved through honoring real-world manifestations of what’s sacred (or that may conclude with the shut-down of some outlet we have been dedicated to)? Or will it be the trine to Mars-Neptune sending at least some of us chasing the Dream (or maybe, the mirage), or will we feel the delicate quincunx to Eris, as she extracts full-blown conflict from what should be minor discomfort? Much of what’s emphasized for the individual will depend on what in the natal chart is stimulated–but all of us are likely to feel the sweep of this Total Lunar eclipse in Scorpio (that happens to sextile ruler Pluto) as it digs deep, brings forward a Truth, unearths secrets, purges shame or guilt, resurrects what we thought lost, or brings a searing and complete end to something that once was a passion: vital, central, something we believed we couldn’t live without.

That’s the essence of it all, really, right there–to go on would just be extraneous. So, other energies in play may include the Jupiter-Ceres Cardinal square at 00 Aries-Cancer, respectively=the individual role within the larger social order or belief system (Jupiter in Aries) has to work it out with the sense of personal authority, and/ or the care-giving role(s) (Ceres), as they are chosen to show who and what we care about (Cancer). At time of perfection Chiron and Venus are still very close together in Aries, and semi-sextile Uranus=hurt in relationship may take on a too-singular view, losing sight of the fact that any interaction automatically involves more than one person, who also has needs and viewpoint of their own–and something in this arena could shock or surprise us–so get out ahead of it by keeping the needs of others in mind. And finally, Hygeia in Scorpio opposes Pallas in Taurus=what’s practical or wise will expose the weakness or rot behind what we’ve been calling healthy–not pretty, but infinitely useful.

I’d like to look at the Sabians involved in the T, as I suspect these will be the major energies felt by most. The Lunar eclipse Sabian is, ‘American Indians Making Camp After Moving Into A New Territory’. The question here is, is the new territory a place entered by choice, or was the move forced, remaining where one is untenable? Considering the general history of the Native American, we might infer that this move, whether willing or not, may be due to the incursion of others.

For the Sun we have, ‘A Spanish Gallant Serenades His Beloved’. The Sun, as light-giver to the Moon, may represent the catalyst: a (potential) invader, indeed, who likely sees himself as a ‘lover, not a fighter’–or maybe in the case of wooing someone, a (forceful) persuader. What does the T tell us? Saturn describes real-world circumstances or conditions: ‘A Butterfly With The Right Wing More Perfectly Formed’. That phrasing implies the left wing is perfect–the right is just more perfect! Is that even possible? There are no degrees of perfection. Add this to the symbol for Vesta: ‘A Tree Felled And Sawed To Ensure A Supply Of Wood For The Winter’. Storing up for the future, investing, in a sense. Does that suggest that exaggerated assessment, judgment, or appraisal is a kind of storing up, putting things in a kind of relationship bank? That can certainly be what someone serenading another is thinking–that the attention and flattery is an investment in the future–but what about moving into new territory?

To my mind at least one of the possibilities is encountering (or being) someone at the eclipse who goes into what for them is new territory: trying praise, flattery, and maybe a little smoke (!) in place of more aggressive methods for getting what they want. If you run into someone who’s, probably outside their usual behavior, trying a ‘catch more flies with honey than vinegar’ approach, you’ll know that they want something. It’s not necessarily nefarious in its current form, but whatever they’re aiming for, know that going along with it might eventually completely run you off what is, right now, your territory, your land. Be aware this condition is possible through the next eclipse set, 6 months down the road.

The event itself falls on the 15th, 9:14 PM PDT, at 25 Scorpio 17.