The Full Moon in Aries on September 25 is conjunct Chiron and square Saturn.
The Moon and Chiron are braced together in the first two degrees of Aries, at the beginning of the zodiac.
The Full Moon in Aries conjunct Chiron is vulnerable. It’s like a kid in the 1st day of school. Remember when you did something for the 1st time? Remember the feelings of vulnerability and anticipation? “I am really able to do this?” “What if others think I’m a loser?”.
Aries is the 1st sign of the zodiac and normally he doesn’t care about what others think of him or her. However, right now the Moon in Aries is conjunct Chiron. Chiron feels like an outcast because he IS different. He is an amazing, gifted teacher but he doesn’t know that yet.
Also, the Full Moon in Aries is opposite the Sun and Mercury in Libra, and Libra does care about what others think.
The cherry on the cake, if we could say this, is an almost exact square from Saturn.
Saturn is in Capricorn, where he fully embodies his traits: the tough teacher who obeys the rules and is here to show you that you should, too.
How can you be yourself (Moon in Aries), be mindful of others (Sun in Libra) and also fulfill the expectations of the society (Saturn in Capricorn)?
The answer? Be vulnerable. When you embrace your vulnerability, your awareness increases. So what if you haven’t done it before? When you stay present you pay attention. You become more aware of subtle clues from your environment.
The Full Moon in Aries is not about the usual Aries energy: hey this is me, take me as I am. It’s not about entitlement. It’s about being mindful, being aware, it’s about approaching life with a beginner’s mind.
There is a more subtle message to this Full Moon. That is to stay strong in the face of adversity and follow your north star, no matter what.
Whatever you do, keep going. Do you feel resistance? Break through it.
No matter how the world tries to bring you down, keep going. Don’t go against it, learn from the others, adjust, but keep going.
You can make it.
Yes, you should listen to other people’s feedback. During the Libra season, we naturally pay more attention to the other. But in the end, it’s all about you.
Will you keep going even when it gets tough?
The ruler of the Full Moon, Mars, is in Aquarius, makes positive aspects to Sun and Mercury, now in Libra. The secret is to stay level-headed and not to take things personally. I warn you, it won’t be easy. When Chiron is conjunct the Full Moon, things are anything but easy.
But Chiron, the wounded healer, is also the wisest teacher. Your deepest wound is your greatest gift. Sometimes we do have to go through some pain and suffering so we can arise stronger, wiser and better.
When good things happen to us, we think it’s luck…but we forget about all the hard work that got us there.
You may know that most people who inherit or gain a large sum of money waste it. That’s because they haven’t earned it themselves. The only things that matter in the end are the ones we earn with our sweat and blood.
Life is challenging from time to time and will push out of our comfort zone. That’s how we learn to appreciate it.
On August 26th, 2018 we have a Full Moon at 3° Pisces.
The Full Moon in Pisces is probably the best Full Moon of the year. Why?
The Full Moon only makes positive aspects – sextiles and trines – with other planets. In fact, the Full Moon forms a special pattern called Kite. Kites are positive, dynamic configurations which bring opportunities.
The Full Moon is conjunct the fortunate fixed star Fomalhaut. Fomalhaut, also called the Watcher of the South, is one of the 4 royal stars (the others are Regulus, Aldebaran, and Antares) and is associated with riches and honors.
Both rules of the Full Moon (Jupiter and Neptune) form a trine. Neptune is the modern ruler of Pisces and Jupiter is the traditional ruler of Pisces. When both rules of a sign make a favorable aspect, they ‘agree’. This is a double YES!
Jupiter, the planet of faith, is now in Scorpio, the planet of trust. Neptune, the planet of dreams, is now in Pisces, the sign of endless possibilities. The message? Keep the faith and dream big! You will see this theme repeating over and over during this Full Moon.
All You Need Is Trust And A Little Bit Of Pixie Dust
After a difficult eclipse season, the Full Moon in Pisces comes with a happy ending. You know those movies where the hero is continuously tested to the point of breakdown, and still, somehow he or she makes in in the end? The good finally prevails. This is how the Full Moon in Pisces will feel like.
And the good news doesn’t end here. Immediately after the Full Moon, Mars goes direct. Life truly comes back to normal! … or at least for a while. (heads up: Venus goes retrograde in October).
What I really like about this Full Moon is that is on the apex of a kite aspect pattern.
Imagine a kite floating in the sky, pointing to the Moon. The kite is maneuvred from the earth, yet it reaches toward the sky. When you can’t find what you are looking for here on earth, look up.
The kite will bring you an opportunity you were not even aware of.
The Full Moon And The Virgo Season
We are now in the middle of the Virgo season. Virgo is a time to get organized and be realistic. If your harvest is not what you expected, you can still make adjustments.
Most people give up just before they’re about to make it. Virgos instead (Capricorns too) stick to the plan. When everyone else moves to the next best thing with the hope this time they will make a better choice, Virgos actually finish what they have started.
Persistence always wins. Before giving up, think about how you can improve what you’re already doing. How can you become more productive? Productivity doesn’t sound very sexy, but the results it brings are very sexy indeed. Stick to what have you been doing in the first 6 months of the year, at least for one more month. You will thank yourself.
How does the Full Moon in Pisces fit into the picture? A Full Moon is a time of culmination, a time to reap what you’ve sown. A Full Moon always takes place in the opposite sign of the Sun. To get results, you need to take the opposite perspective.
Virgo vs. Pisces
We are now in the Virgo season, but the breakthrough will come if you look in the opposite sign of Pisces.
Both Virgo and Pisces are mutable signs. Virgo ends our individual journey around the zodiac (Aries to Virgo). Pisces ends our collective journey around the zodiac (Libra to Pisces).
Virgo and Pisces are associated with endings, but they bring much more than just that. Virgo and Pisces bring choices and possibilities. And depending on what you choose, you have a final outcome. An outcome, not an ending.
But the way Virgo and Pisces approach this is very different.
If Virgo is down to earth, Pisces floats in the sky.
If Virgo is very practical – and choosy – about what opportunities to pursue, Pisces is imaginative and embraces pretty much everything. There’s nothing unworthy to Pisces – Pisces can find a little bit of themselves in everyone, and everything.
Surrender To A Miracle
In astrology, Pisces is the sign of miracles. In the endless sea of possibilities, miracles are possible, as long as you believe in them.
Pisces is all about surrender. Surrender has somewhat a negative connotation. It’s like you can only surrender to what is negative, undesirable, and beyond your control.
But what you find when you surrender to the grace of God, Universe, or however you want to call it, is nothing like that. Beyond fear, there is only love.
What about surrendering to a miracle? Do you believe a miracle could even happen to you? You can’t know for sure, but you can embrace the possibility. Let yourself float, just like a kite in the sky.
“Who’s to say where the wind will take you/ Who’s to say what it is will break you/ I don’t know which way the wind will blow”
The message of the Full Moon?
Find the balance between persistence and surrender. Stick to your path. Give it one last push. Surrender to the endless possibilities that lay beyond what you can even imagine. And believe that a miracle, somewhere, is waiting for you.
Everyone will benefit from this Full Moon. If you are a Pisces, or if you have Pisces rising, you will benefit even more so. If you have planets around 3° in feminine signs (Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, Pisces), the Universe will offer you a one of a kind opportunity. Make sure you don’t miss it!
The Full Moon in Capricorn takes place on June 27 (if you live in the US, Canada or Latin America) or on June 28 (if you live in Europe, Australia or in the eastern part of the world).
The Full Moon is at 6° Capricorn and is in a tight conjunction to Saturn, now at 5° Capricorn.
This Full Moon brings as much Capricorn energy as you can get. Full Moons are times of culmination, a time when the energy of a particular sign is at its peak. Not only that, but the Full Moon (which is Capricorn energy on steroids) is also conjunct Saturn, which is the ruler of Capricorn. This Full Moon is very Capricornian!
Capricorn is the sign of achievement, success, status, hierarchy, ambition and determination. It is a very patriarchal energy. Capricorns are all about working towards a goal, and most importantly, being recognized for what they’ve achieved.
Photo by Michael Chow/The Republic
It’s interesting to notice that while New Moon in Capricorn always happens late-December / January, at the time of the year when we set our goals, the Full Moon in Capricorn always happens mid-year.
And mid-year is the time to check your progress, to see where you stand, to have a look at what you have done so far. To have a reality check.
Where Do You Stand?
The Full Moon in Capricorn will expose you to the reality of where you stand. The Full Moon is conjunct its ruler, Saturn so you will have to be very honest with yourself. You don’t like what you see? That’s ok. The good thing is that you still have time to change, you still have time to adjust.
The Full Moon happens just after Mars, the planet of action, went retrograde on June 26 – this is a double indication that it is now the best time to adjust your strategy. You don’t have to change everything. Mars brings focus. There is something particular you need to focus on – you probably know what that thing is.
If you are not sure, make a list off all the things you work on right now. And then circle only one – the most important. And then put all your focus and energy into it. As difficult as it may be to choose, there is always a number one priority.
Success doesn’t come when you try to do a little bit of everything, it comes when you do more of that one thing that works.
What most successful people have in common is not luck (Jupiter). Is the fact that they never give up (Capricorn). They still show up, every day, no matter how slow their progress is.
You may wonder why I keep on talking about successful people. Capricorn is the sign of success, and a Full Moon is a time of accomplishment. Saturn is the planet of hard work, but also the planet of rewards.
And no matter how unimpressed you are with worldly achievements, there is a part of you (because we all have Capricorn somewhere in our chart) who wants to be respected, appreciated and rewarded. If you haven’t done that in the past, it is time to pay attention and honor that part of you.
Commitment Time
The Full Moon in Capricorn is NOT a time to comfort yourself – not that comforting yourself is a bad thing – but there are other types of astrological influences for that.
The Full Moon in Capricorn is a time to be honest on your progress, and make a commitment that you will try harder, work smarter, and play by the rules, so that you can achieve your number one goal in the 2nd half of the year.
If you haven’t done much in the first half of 2018 – no worries. There are 3 eclipses coming (the first one is on July 12th in Cancer, the 2nd is on July 27th in Aquarius, and the 3rd one is on August 11th in Leo)… so most events in 2018 will take place in the 3rd quarter of the year.
The Full Moon in Capricorn – just before the eclipses – is the best time to make that commitment.
The Full Moon in Sagittarius takes place on May 29th 2018 at 8° Sagittarius
The Full Moon in Sagittarius is one of the most auspicious Full Moons of the year. If Uranus’ move into Taurus has left you shattered, the Full Moon in Sagittarius will restore your faith.
Jupiter, the ruler of the Full Moon, forms a beautiful water trine with Neptune in Pisces and Venus in Cancer. Water signs are the feelers of the zodiac – they find meaning in emotions, in psychic insights, in intuition.
Having both benefics – Jupiter and Venus – in a trine is just WONDERFUL. And Neptune will add a touch of magic to an already artistic and idealistic mood.
The Full Moon itself is not engaged in any strong aspect. Not that you need MORE change in your life now, right?
You know the scenario: something turns your life upside down. But after the storm is over, you can see the beautiful rainbow.
If the lunar cycle started in a dramatic fashion (the New Moon on May 15th literally coincided with Uranus’s epic ingress into Taurus), the Full Moon in Sagittarius will come to reveal the bigger picture. There is always a bigger picture.
“Everything happens for a reason” – you’ve probably heard this saying so many times that it has lost its meaning. For religious people, it is just another way of saying “It’s God’s will”. Science inclined people refer to it to describe the relationship between cause and effect. For spiritual people, the ‘reason’ has to do with learning important lessons about life.
The Full Moon in Sagittarius is exactly about finding that reason, about finding that meaning. Sagittarius is the truth seeker of the zodiac.
We have a natural tendency to reject randomness and chaos, and seek meaning and purpose. From the beginning of times, people searched for a meaning, for something to believe in.
From Aztec rituals, sacrifices and ceremonies, to divination tools, to religion, people tried to deal with uncertainties, to manage risk, and get an answer to their concerns.
The need to believe in something greater than oneself is deeply rooted inside each one of us. It is in our DNA.
Sagittarius is traditionally associated with teachers, gurus, traveling, higher studies, religion, philosophy – generally speaking, with everything we do to expand our horizons and find answers to the big questions of life.
And this pull to keep on seeking, to keep on exploring, comes from a deep need to find that ONE thing, that magic formula, that perfect theory that can explain everything.
Sagittarius deeply believes that behind personal experiences and relative truths there is one single truth. A theory of everything.
As a fire sign, this pursuit is deeply spiritual. As a mutable sign, Sagittarius relentlessly seeks for the truth everywhere.
There is a part of you which will never be satisfied with easy answers. That part of you will push you to keep on searching, to keep on looking for ultimate answers and definite truths.
That part of you will never settle. Trying to keep it quiet will not work. We are inherently programmed to experience the world, to grow and expand.
The Full Moon in Sagittarius is an opportunity to honor that part of you, to embrace the seeker of truth inside of you. To express gratitude for the wanderer who always wants to go to new places and who will always stretch you out of your comfort zone.
You may or may not find that ultimate truth, but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t spend every single day of your life trying to get closer to it. Life is a journey – keep walking. Be comfortable with that part of you that feels uncomfortable and restless.
There will eventually come a time when you will realize you don’t have to keep on looking for the truth outside yourself. You will know when you have found it.
We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. T. S.Eliot.
The teacher comes when the student is ready. When the student is truly ready, the teacher disappears.
To see which area of your life is most affected by this Full Moon look up where Sagittarius falls in your chart. That specific house will show you where you can find your truth. You will especially connect with the energy of the Full Moon in Sagittarius if you have planets or angles around 8° in Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.
We have a Full Moon in Libra on March 31st. This is the 2nd Full Moon in March and takes place at 11° Libra.
The Full Moon is the most intense phase of the lunar cycle and brings two opposite elements (Libra and Aries) into our awareness.
Aries-Libra axis stands for the self, action, assertion, autonomy (Aries) and ‘the other’, compromise, cooperation, fairness (Libra).
Associated with the 1st/7th houses, Aries-Libra is a cardinal axis describing the struggle to find a balance between personal freedom, the courage to express oneself, and the support and fairness we need from others.
Because the Full Moon is in Libra, the Libra side of the axis will come into focus. The Full Moon will challenge Aries’ autonomy and will strive to come with a better, thought through, solution.
Full Moon in Libra – it’s Tough, but it’s Worth it
The Full Moon in Libra makes mainly challenging aspects, forming a T-square in Cardinal signs.
The Full Moon is opposite Mercury retrograde in Aries and squares Mars and Saturn in Capricorn.
With so much tension and cardinal energy, this is not an easy Full Moon so prepare to be shaken.
The good thing is that the ruler of the Full Moon, Venus just entered her domicile Taurus and is applying a trine to Mars, the ruler of Aries.
There is hope after all. If you manage to integrate the energy of the T-square, the rewards will come eventually.
A Cardinal T-square is a test of our perseverance and a reminder that when most people fail, the secret of success is to keep on trying.
Mercury Retrograde, Mars and Saturn
The most important aspect of the Full Moon is an opposition to Mercury retrograde, who is challenging Sun’s bold expression of the self. Mercury retrograde will ask the Sun to rethink the notions of courage, self-expression, and autonomy.
Mercury retrograde is about integrating the latest lessons and finding a better way of doing things.
There must be a better way to stand up for yourself, take action, and tell the world who you are, and Mercury retrograde is now inviting you to explore it!
Mars and Saturn in Capricorn stand for perseverance, for forceful action and inner power. When everything around crumbles, Mars and Saturn in Capricorn stay there, to fight until the end.
Both Mars and Saturn feel good in Capricorn. Mars is exalted in Capricorn – and is more determined and focused than ever. And Saturn is in domicile in Capricorn – this is where he can take his time to reach the top and turn dreams into tangible realities. Yes, Mars and Saturn are not easy energies to work with, but right now, you can make them work in your favor.
The Full Moon is a time to reset, re-do, and try harder. If things don’t go as planned, maybe is time to re-adjust and try a different approach. But it is not, by all means a time to give up!
The Full Moon in Libra is about understanding that when things don’t work as planned, it’s time to change the plan. It is a reminder that despite any failure, you haven’t lost the war. Keep the long-term vision in mind, make the necessary changes, and most important – don’t give up!
What is going on in your life at the moment, where do you feel frustrated and tempted to give up? At this Full Moon, make a commitment to give it one more try. Can you think of a different approach to try out?
Full Moon in Libra – the Wisdom to ‘Know the Difference’
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can change, and the wisdom to know the difference”
I love this quote because it captures the essence of human existence. Do we have free will? Or is everything predetermined?
Yes, there are times when we need to accept fate and understand that there are higher forces at work, that the Universe has a higher plan in mind which transcends our individual choices.
This is when we should accept what happens and let destiny take its course.
But there are also times when you can choose. When you can overcome the struggles you are faced with. You do have free will. The free will comes with a condition though. You need to push through your existing limitations and have the courage to step out of your comfort zone.
Free will does not mean you are granted something. It means you can make use of your inner power and determination to change the status quo.
And now comes the big question: “and have the wisdom to know the difference”. How can we know the difference?
Wisdom is very Libran. Libra has a great ability to weigh facts, pros, and cons and come with the best possible solution.
Libras make the best judges, military leaders, and strategists because they simply ‘know’ the difference, more exactly they have the ability to understand the opposing forces at play. When other signs go with their head (air and earth signs), with their heart (water signs) or with their intuition (fire signs), a Libra stays level-headed, understands that the truth is somewhere in the middle, and makes the best possible decision.
Fate or Free Will?
Now coming back to the big question: how to know the difference between fate and free will?
As a rule of thumb, whenever we have transits to outer planets (Uranus, Neptune, Pluto), fate is stronger than free will. This is when we need to let go and surrender to a higher power.
This is also usually the case when we have transits in mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces). Mutable signs bring endings and changes from one state of being to another.
On the other hand, whenever we have transits to personal planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars) and to a lesser extent, to Jupiter and Saturn, life IS under our control. We can take the lead, we can make changes.
Also, when we have transits in Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) we have more free will. That’s because the cardinal sings are very initiating. Things are just starting to unfold and we still have time to make adjustments.
Because the Full Moon makes aspects to Mercury, Mars, and Saturn and is in Cardinal signs, the Full Moon in Libra is such a time when you CAN change your circumstances.
This is the time when you have the wisdom to know (Libra) that life is under your control and have the courage (Aries) to step outside your comfort zone and make the necessary changes.
Yes, life can be challenging at times. Yes, life can feel like a never-ending series of difficulties. But if you want to succeed, if you want to fulfill your potential, if you want to live a life of integrity, try harder. Persevere. When you lose all hope, remember it is never too late to give it one more try. The Full Moon in Libra is one of those times.
The first Full Moon of March (yes, we have two Full Moons this month!) happens Thursday, March 1st at 11° Virgo.
Although Virgo is not necessarily the most romantic sign of the zodiac, this particular Full Moon is all about love. That’s because the Moon is opposite Neptune, the planet of higher love and ideals, and because the ruler of the Full Moon, Mercury, is conjunct Venus, the goddess of love and beauty.
Venus and Mercury form a beautiful trine to Jupiter. When Venus and Jupiter, the most auspicious planets come together to form a positive aspect, the world finally becomes a better place to live in.
Right now we also have a stellium of planets in Pisces, the most sensitive and psychic sign of the zodiac.
All these configurations promise a rare Full Moon, infused with the frequencies of love, connection and compassion. Even if you are not in a romantic relationship, even if now, love in any form is missing from your life, you will become more sensitive to these vibrations. You can literally feel that love is all around, if you allow yourself to swim in its wavy waters:
“I feel it in my fingers/
I feel it in my toes/
The love that’s all around me/
And so the feeling grows/
It’s written on the wind/
It’s everywhere I go”
Fortunately, the Full Moon won’t be only about dreaming about love and hiding away from a ‘less ideal’ reality. The Moon will also make a practical trine to Saturn, making sure we keep reality in check.
And let’s not forget that the Full Moon is in Virgo, and we all know that Virgo is responsible, practical and likes to get the work done before play.
Virgo’s love is dependable. For a Virgo, love is not only about butterflies in the stomach. Virgo takes care for the object of its love.
“You know I love you, I always will/
My mind’s made up by the way that I feel/
There’s no beginning, there’ll be no end/
‘Cause on my love you can depend”
Virgo / Pisces is one of the two mutable axis (the other one is Gemini / Sagittarius). Mutable signs are the most flexible and perceptive signs of the zodiac. No other sign can adjust to new circumstances better than mutable signs do!
While Gemini and Sagittarius represent the Yang Mutable axis (this means they prefer to initiate change), Virgo ans Pisces represent the Yin mutable axis, which means they prefer to respond and adapt to change.
Virgo will adapt by finding practical ways to get around circumstances, and Pisces will adapt to them, by tuning into their emotions. Even if Virgo and Pisces moan and complain, no matter how tough life gets, they are better equipped than other signs to not only survive, but also to thrive in adversity.
Thankfully, there is nothing negative for anyone to adjust to this time. Ironically, sometimes what we need to adjust to, is the Good. And adjusting to the Good can be just as difficult as adjusting to the Bad.
If good things start happening to you and you find yourself asking “Is this too good to be true?” just be aware that this might be your natural resistance to change. Especially if you have a lot of fixed energy in your chart, you might find it difficult to relax and believe that some things are indeed good for you.
Pisces is ruled by Neptune and Jupiter – Neptune is about our highest ideals and dreams, and Jupiter is about keeping the faith. Sometimes all you need to do is BELIEVE – believe that life is good, believe that you can have a little bit of magic in your life, believe that miracles are possible.
Triggered by the Moon, the stellium in Pisces becomes the central stage of manifestation of this powerful lunation. Right now there are 5 planets in Pisces. We have the Sun, our individual consciousness. Next to the Sun sits Neptune, our longing to merge with something larger than ourselves.
Next comes Mercury, which represents our mind, how we – rationally – make sense of what is going on around us. Closely by sits Venus, which represents how we relate to others.
Last but not least, we have Chiron which represents our DNA – our gifts, as well as our wounds. These wounds and gifts have been passed down to us from generation to generation to be transcended, so that we – and what we leave behind – can become an even greater masterpiece, and achieve our highest potential possible.
On the other side of the Pisces stellium, the Moon in Virgo will act like a bridge, bringing together the rarefied realm of higher consciousness (Pisces) with the abiding possibilities of nature (Virgo).
And just like the Virgo Moon makes the impossible possible, turns the immaterial into material, creates concrete results out of mere ethereal ideas, right now, you can bring a little bit of Heaven on Earth. Or even better, you can look for and recognize that a little bit of Heaven is already in everyone and everything around you.
“Love breaks down borders; it would even bridge the border between
heaven and earth that God may see our face in consecration.
So what gap now is so wide that love cannot bridge?
For it is not one which heaven has erected,
But it arises from a lack of understanding of the power of love, and
it is one’s understanding of love that needs to be perfected”
Edward Hays
The sabian symbol of the Full Moon in Virgo is “A bride with her veil snatched away” symbolizing full disclosure of what has been kept secret, as well as full appreciation of beauty and purity.
After the wedding ceremony, the groom lifts the veil to symbolically consummate the marriage. Nature resists only to be subdued by the power that transcends her, and while being transcended, nature becomes mystery and spirit in action.
Ultimately, the Full Moon in Virgo will ask us to pierce through the veil, and see the beauty that has always been there for us, waiting to be unveiled, waiting to be appreciated, waiting to be consumed.
The Full Moon in Gemini takes place on December 3rd, the same day that Mercury goes retrograde. This Full Moon is also a Supermoon, which means its energy is going to be amplified.
The Moon is most powerful when at Full Moon, when her light outshines the light of the Sun and our emotions are stronger than our Solar consciousness. Just look at the Full Moon. The Full Moon is honest, the Full Moon reveals herself entirely. When full, the Moon wants to expose everything, to show things as they really are.
The Full Moon on the 3rd of December is in Gemini, and will be all about illuminating the truth.
But if you want to find it, get ready to get your mind blown.
The Full Moon is in an exact square to Neptune, forming a mutable T-square – we have the Moon (in Gemini), Sun (in Sagittarius), and Neptune (in Pisces). Facts (air, Gemini) come into conflict with our faith (fire, Sagittarius) and our emotions (water, Pisces).
In this symphony where the mind, the spirit and the feelings – all want to get their voice heard, it is worth noticing what keeps them together – that is, the mutable energy. Gemini, Sagittarius and Pisces are all mutable signs. The only constant is change.
Jazz is the only type of music characterized by spontaneity and improvisation. Jazz payers go on stage often without knowing what they are going to play. They have one thing in common: the willingness to listen and to adapt to what other members are playing, the ability to improvise, and as a result, they create something that is greater than the sum of its parts. Jazz music in very Neptunian and Gemini-like in nature.
To tune into the Full Moon in Gemini you have to be a bit like a jazz player.
To say Neptune will make this Full Moon interesting is an understatement. Neptune is the abstract understanding of life. Where the mind fails to understand abstract concepts such as time, space, infinity, Neptune has the answers. But Neptune’s answers are not clear definitions, cook book recipes.
“Lady, if I told you, your mind would explode.” — Louis Armstrong, when a woman asked him what he thought about when he played
Neptune got the bad rap of planet of confusion and lies. But how many of Neptune’s lies are really lies? And how many are truths in disguise, truths we don’t want to accept because we don’t understand, and out of comfort, we label them as lies? Neptune is about going beyond the here and how, and beyond form and spirit.
The Neptune square to the Full Moon can make you doubt your own sanity, but if you push through, you can go through to the other side. You can finally understand things you were never able to understand before.
Let’s not forget that the Full Moon is in Gemini, the sign of the mind.
Gemini is all about observable facts. Gemini’s superpower is its ability to pay attention to what is going on and discover the world though immediate experience.
Remember when you were a child and you were curious about everything? Children learn how to speak, how to learn, how to relate to the world through trial and error. So does Gemini, and even when we grow up, our innate curiosity to explore and make sense of the world is what keeps us sane.
Sagittarius, on the other hand, believes without seeking evidence. Sagittarius is the sign of faith. If Gemini is Google, Sagittarius is Wikipedia. If Gemini is one detail at a time, Sagittarius is the big picture.
Sagittarius is the cook book recipe. It’s the news on television. Is the books you read, the ‘truths’ you don’t question.
The full Moon on the Gemini / Sagittarius axis is a quest for the truth. Do you explore the world in your terms (Gemini) and risk to have a one-side vision, or do you follow the tested path, with the risk that the path you walk is someone’s else (Sagittarius)? The Full Moon, which is an opposition, will strike to find a balance. As a result, you can have an epiphany.
You can have a sudden and striking realization, something you completely overlooked can finally come to place to give you an unblurred vision. Mercury, the ruler of the Full Moon, stands still in the sky in that very moment, preparing to turn retrograde.
When Mercury changes course its energy is the most powerful. Mercury turns retrograde in the last degree of Sagittarius.
Sagittarius stands for the big picture, for the truth…or more exactly, what you believe to be the truth.
Retrogrades are about going back in time, to review and process events and dynamics that have not been fully processed. What knowledge have you taken for granted?
Mercury will walk the sky path from 30° Sagittarius back to 13° Sagittarius twice – firstly in retrograde from December 3rd until December 22nd to ‘fix the problems’. The 2nd time Mercury (now direct) will walk the path will be from December 22nd until January 10th.
Mercury goes retrograde exactly at the time of the Full Moon, just when he was about to complete his journey in Sagittarius.
Mercury in Sagittarius is about the big picture – Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius will ask you to de-construct the big picture and look at each individual piece of the puzzle. How do you arrive to conclusions? How does your mind really work?
Most of the time, our decisions are emotional, reptilian, and the mind just comes with a narrative to justify what our reptilian brain has already chosen.
Mercury will press the rewind button in the last degree of Sagittarius. “Wait a minute…just when I thought I got this right, just when I thought I am done with the Sagittarian lessons, there is still something that I don’t quite get”.
Right at the end of Sagittarius, Mercury is also conjunct Saturn, which is about to leave Sagittarius in the coming days. Before Saturn leaves Sagittarius for good, he passes the torch to Mercury and says: “Go back. See if you did not miss anything. But this time, take it slowly, be diligent and cautious just like I am. Don’t let anything escape your sight”.
Mercury is in detriment in Sagittarius. The path he is asked to explore is awkward and unfamiliar. Not only that, but he has to walk it backwards. Not an easy task, but he has no choice. He needs to clear the path and sort things out.
This is not the path of knowledge as we know it. Mercury’s backwards journey in Sagittarius will expose a basic truth: you cannot ‘download’ knowledge, you cannot copy paste it, you cannot take it from someone else. You have to walk the path yourself.
Just imagine what would have happened if Adam and Eve hadn’t been tempted to eat off the tree of knowledge, hadn’t been seduced into taking a shortcut.
Today, in the era of instant gratification of knowledge, the message of the Full Moon in Gemini with Mercury retrograde conjunct Saturn couldn’t be more actual: Take your time, do the research – you only get to knowledge through real experience, by walking the path yourself. There is no such thing as universal truth, you have to find your own.
The path of true knowledge combines Gemini’s quest for discovery with a beginner’s mind, with Sagittarius’ faith that we already have all the answers we need, and that the Universe has our back.
The coming weeks are a time to (re)discover the truth, beyond any stereotypical ideas and outdated beliefs, a truth that shines so bright that cannot be dimmed.
There are two different types of people. People who are influenced by the Moon, and people who don’t know they are influenced by the Moon.
Indeed, the closest celestial body, our beloved Moon, affects all of us. Artists, lovers, astrologers and scientists all agree with that.
You cannot help but notice it. The Moon will stare at you in the night sky and will catch your glimpse even if you don’t particularly look for her.
The Moon has fascinated people since the beginning of times. There is something magic about the way she shines, about the way she changes shape every day, about the clockwise precision of her cycles.
As seen from Earth, the discs of the Sun and the Moon are identical in size. This is because, although the Moon is 400 time smaller than the Sun, is also 400 times closer to the Earth. Isn’t this amazing? Even the most skeptical mind cannot think that this is simply a coincidence.
The Moon changes shape every night, revealing a little bit more or a little bit less of herself, depending whether she is waxing or waning. The light we see is not coming from the Moon. The Moon only projects the Sun’s light, so depending on the relative position of the Sun, Moon and Earth we get to see the Moon from different angles.
Each night, a different amount of light is given off by the Moon according to its changing relationship with the Sun. Within an approximate 28-day cycle, the Moon passes through 8 phases, each phase lasting about 45° or 3.5 days.
Because the Moon does not have a light of her own, in astrology the Moon represents our unconscious mind. And because the Moon is the Earth’s satellite, it ‘belongs’ to the Earth. The Moon also rules our body, the flow of blood and our physiological processes.
The Moon describes our moods, but also the natural processes of life. Moon cycles are identical, unlike the cycles of Mercury, Venus or other planets. Also, the Moon is never retrograde – that’s why the Moon is very predictable. With the Moon you know where you stand.
In astrology, events tend to happen when the Moon activates particular parts of our chart. And events tend NOT happen when the Moon is void of course.
The Moon also rules our energy and engagement level. When the Moon is invisible in the sky, our energy plummets, but as the Moon increases in size, our energy levels soar. Every month we have our energy peak at the time of the Full Moon.
And although we are all affected by the Moon, we are affected in different ways, depending upon which Moon phase we are born under.
Were you born during the day or during the night? If you were born at night, then the Moon will influence you more strongly – and will define your personality even more than your Sun sign.
Also, if you have Cancer or Taurus Moon, Cancer ascendant, or if you have a stellium of planets in Cancer, or if your Moon is positioned close to one of your angles (Ascendant, IC, Descendant, MC), then the Moon will affect you more strongly.
Last and not least, if you were born during the First Quarter, Gibbous, Full Moon or the Disseminating phase, the Moon is strong in your chart, which means you can express its qualities more freely.
To check out which Moon phase you were born under, get your natal chart and check the position of the Moon relative to the Sun. If you don’t know how to generate your natal chart, have a look this article.
Born at a NEW MOON – the Moon is conjunct the Sun. The Moon was invisible at the time of your birth.
For you, life is an adventure with unlimited possibilities. You are spontaneous and live in the moment, following your intuition rather than rational reasoning. You tend to dislike rules and conventions. You usually feel more energetic during the day and Full Moons can unbalance you.
Because you were born when the Moon was invisible, your mission in this lifetime is to discover your identity, who you really are.
Born when the Moon is CRESCENT – the Moon is after the Sun. The phase starts when the Moon becomes visible in the sky and ends with the first quarter.
You are a very emotional person and you need security in your life. Your mission is to learn to become independent and detach from the past. As you develop the courage to be yourself, more and more opportunities will come your way. Be brave and you will be rewarded.
Born at a FIRST QUARTERMoon – the Moon is between 90° and 135° ahead of the Sun.
You are very spontaneous and adaptable – you just ‘know’ what to do, especially in crisis situations.
You have great managerial skills and you can do well in any activities which require quick and sharp decision making. But what really drives you is your family and building solid foundations for yourself and for the close ones.
You are what is called a “change agent” – just be careful not to kill some ideas too soon just for the sake of change, however.
Born when the Moon is GIBBOUS – the Moon is between 135° and 180° ahead of the Sun.
You are life’s eternal student, always questioning the status quo. You seek perfection in everything you do and you are ready to do whatever it takes to achieve your true potential to create value in the world. You are an overachiever.
Try not to become too anxious and perfectionist, and learn to lean back from time to time.
Born at a FULL MOON – the Moon is between 180° and 225° behind the Sun.
You are an artist and an idealist. You wear your heart on your sleeve and you can be quite charming and popular. Your greatest strengths are your clarity and objectivity – you see things for what they are, rather than operating on blind faith.
Relationships are very important to you and you tend to project yourself onto others. You may be torn between two different ‘parts’ of you which want different things. Your mission is to integrate these apparently disparate pieces of yourself.
Born when the Moon is DISSEMINATING – the Moon is between 225° and 270° behind the Sun.
You are a visionary with an ability to keep your eye on the big picture. You are a natural communicator, a teacher and a philosopher.
Although you feel a sense of urgency to fulfil your life’s purpose and to spread your message to the world, try not to become too overbearing. Your mission is not to make sure that people follow your teachings, but simply pass to on a torch of knowledge to others.
Born at a LAST QUARTER Moon – the Moon is between 270° – 315° behind the Sun.
You are a very driven individual with unique ideas on how to make the world a better place. You are motivated by tearing down the old structures and can thrive in conflict. Ahead of your time, it can be difficult for you to relate to life in the present moment.
You can have numerous changes in your life – particularly the 2nd part of your life. Just like a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, you can completely change your identity and find an inner happiness that comes from deep within.
Born at BALSAMIC Moon – the Moon is between 315° until it becomes invisible.
You are a missionary, a healer with psychic abilities. Highly introspective, you seek for solitude because this is where you charge your batteries. You can have deep resentment toward people who harmed you – but in this lifetime you need to learn to forget and forgive.
When you manage to let go of the past and put yourself into the world, you can become the leader you were born to be.
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The Moon phase under which you were born can gave you great insight into who you really are and what really drives you in life.
The Moon affects us every day. No matter under which Moon phase you were born, you will follow the Moon’s cycle as it unfolds every day of the lunar month.
How does the Moon affect you according to the Moon phase
The New Moon – the energy is similar to a conjunction.
This is a time of low energy. The last few days before the New Moon are good for completing projects or getting rid of things you no longer want in your life, like bad habits. It is also a good time for diets or fasting as your body’s activity is at its lowest point in this Moon cycle.
Try not to overindulge in food during this time because your sleep can be disturbed. If you feel low emotionally, try to surround yourself with positive people, or do a low-intensity activity which can uplift your mood.
The New Moon is the best time to meditate and regroup.
The First Quarter and the Last Quarter of the Moon – the energy is similar to a square.
This is the time when one half of the lunar disc is illuminated and the other half is dark. There is a 50-50 quality about this Lunar phase, which creates tension, but also motivation to get things done.
Right now you can feel an itch inside of you, but you don’t really know what to do about it. The Quarters of the Moon are similar to the PMS syndrome. You can feel stressed out and find it difficult to unwind. Try to exercise and drink water during this phase of the Moon cycle.
The Full Moon – the energy is similar to an opposition.
This is the peak of the lunar cycle, with half of the Moon is fully illuminated and visible, as seen from the Earth.
This is a high point in terms of energy, but the energy of the Full Moon is very different from the First or Last Quarter of the Moon. While the Quarter Moons bring tension and anxiety times, the Full Moon brings energy which is ready to burst. Because the energy can flow freely now, it brings a feeling of saturation, of having too much energy.
The Full Moon energy urges to be expressed. This is a great time for creativity, love, and any type of genuine self-expression. The Full Moon is also a time of manifestation, so things are likely to happen and come to light around the Full Moon. You calendar can fill up more quickly than usual, as everyone seems to want to get out of the house.
Full Moons can be difficult for people who suffer from high blood pressure or sleep disorders.
The Waxing Moon: Crescent and Gibbous – the energy is similar to applying sextiles and trines.
Right now everything in nature is in a stage of expansion and growth – this is a good time to put your energy into whatever you want to grow.
For example, if you want your hair to grow faster, now is the time to schedule your hairdresser appointment. In gardening, this is the best time to plant seeds that grow above the earth (leaves, fruits, or flowers).
The Waning Moon: Disseminating and Balsamic – the energy is similar to separating sextiles and trines.
This is a good time to complete things, or improve and organize existing activities. If you have a business for example, try to get new clients during the waxing Moon, and to organize and improve the productivity of the existing business during the waning Moon.
Cutting hair should be done at this time if you want it to grow slower. In gardening, this is the best time to plant vegetables that grow under the earth (e.g. carrots, potatoes, horseradish).
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I hope this gives you a better idea of how the Moon cycle and the different Moon phases affect you.
As a general rule of thumb, you are at your best on the day when the Moon and the Sun are in the same lunar phase under which you were born. In opposition to this, on the day when the phase is opposite to your lunar phase of birth, you are at your weakest.
Do you want to get more in sync with the Moon phases? Try to observe the Moon in the next months. If you do it systematically, I can promise you will become more aware about how the different phases of the Moon affect you:
Go outside at night and observe the Moon. How do you feel standing in the Moon light? How is it different from how you feel when under the beams of the Sun?
Follow the Moon’s cycle from new crescent, until it disappears from the sky, and back to new crescent again. How do you feel during the different phases of the Moon?
The Moon changes signs every 2.5 days. How do you feel when the Moon passes through each of the 12 signs of the zodiac?
We have a Full Moon in Pisces on 6th of September. The Full Moon in Pisces has a mystique about it that resembles the enchanting glamour of the big-screen.
The Full Moon in Pisces is a reflection of our temptation to live in a fantasy world, of our temptation to choose the big-screen movie ‘fake’ reality, in order to distract ourselves from the real one.
It might be tempting to choose fantasy to reality to protect ourselves, to hide from anything that is harsh, ugly and mean. But the harsh, the ugly, and the mean are part of life. The Full Moon is by definition a time of revelation, it is a time when the truth cannot be hidden any longer.
The Full Moon in Pisces can blur your perceptions and can be dangerous after such an intense Solar Eclipse like the one we had 2 weeks ago. Be extra careful about any message that comes to you at the Full Moon – and tune into your intuition because this is where you will find the right answers right now.
The Full Moon takes place at 13° Pisces and makes three aspects: a close conjunction to Neptune at 12° Pisces, a square to Saturn in Sagittarius and a sextile to Pluto in Capricorn.
The Full Moon in Pisces has a very strong Neptunian flavor, especially because Neptune is the ruler of this Full Moon. When the ruler of the Full Moon is conjunct the Moon, we have a very strong manifestation of the planet and of the sign of the Full Moon.
Because the Full Moon is very Neptunian / Piscean, things can appear other than they are right now. Neptune is the planet of fantasies, dreaming, imagination, mysteries, longings, yearnings, illusions and delusions, abstract thought, confusions – Neptune is in charge of creating smoke and mirrors to your reality.
Neptune is also connected with synchronicities, connection with to a higher power, soulmates, so the Full Moon can also bring you mystic revelations and experiences, surrender to the divine and deep soul connections.
On a negative side the Full Moon in Pisces can bring a desire to completely escape reality. But with any illusions we make up to distort our perception of reality, we avoid the confrontation with what we need to face, sooner or later.
Apart from the conjunction to Neptune, the Full Moon makes two other aspects and gives you two choices: a stressful aspect (a T-square) to Saturn, giving you the option to channel the energy to destroy old structures, and a positive aspect (a sextile) to Pluto, offering you the opportunity to use your personal power to consolidate your position.
What will the Full Moon square Saturn bring?
The square to Saturn can make your greatest fears come to the surface right now – the Full Moon will expose them and show you all the lies you’ve been telling yourself.
If you’ve been telling yourself that everything is fine, that there is no reason to worry, that things are not that bad in your life, now is a time to accept those harsh facts about your reality.
Not everything is magic in life. If you’ve chosen to put the rose colored glasses on and see only what you like to see, this can be a highly disappointing time for you, because Saturn will force you to face the reality.
Maybe your life is not that great, maybe your job doesn’t bring the best out of you, maybe your relationship is not really satisfying, maybe you don’t tap into your full potential.
What about the sextile to Pluto?
Beyond illusion, beyond destruction, there is fate. Pluto is the planet of fate. If we accept that things come and go, that everything is a cycle, that we can lose everything in the blink of an eye – in that moment of surrender, something magical happens. The Phoenix rises from the dark night of the soul, from its own ashes, to be reborn, stronger and purified.
With Pluto, you have the option to tap into your personal power – your true, authentic power. A power that has nothing to do with status, with illusions, with a projected fantasy – a power that comes from confronting the darkest corners of yourself, a power that comes from resilience, compassion and personal mastery.
The sabian symbol of the Full Moon in Pisces is “A lady wrapped in fox fur” signifying the artificial attempts we use to hide our feelings of inadequacy, and also the danger of getting confused about who we are and “losing track” of our feelings. The Fox is a symbol of cunning intelligence and describes our ability to camouflage ourselves and our real interests in order to get what we want.
In Native American tradition the September Full Moon was called the Corn Moon, in reference to the harvest. The harvesting of the crop was also a metaphor for harvesting one’s spirit, making it a good time to shed the old and bring in the new.
The Full Moon will especially affect you if you have Pisces ascendant or if you have planets or angles around 13° in Mutable signs – Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces.
We have a very intense Lunar Eclipse on Monday, 7th of August at 15° Aquarius. The Lunar Eclipse, which technically is a Full Moon near the South Node, is the cosmic big-bang before the Solar Eclipse in Leo on August 21st.
The Lunar Eclipse makes mainly favorable aspects, but because it is a South Node Eclipse, its role is to point out what we need to release from our lives so we can live in alignment with our purpose.
A Full Moon is that phase in the lunar cycle when the Moon shines at its brightest and fullest. This is a partial Lunar Eclipse so the Moon will only be partially eclipsed by the shadow of the Earth. So we will have the light of the Moon coming together with the shadow of the past (South Node).
Because this is a South Node eclipse, we can expect disclosures, revelations and insights, pointing to what we need to release (South Node) so we can progress on our path.
The Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius is all about freedom from the past. The ruler of the Lunar Eclipse, Uranus, just turned retrograde, and is very strong in the sky right now, asking us to free our minds and look beyond the old perceptions that fogged our vision and sidetracked us into believing we are something else. Time to release the shadow and shine your own light!
The Leo–Aquarius axis highlights the relationship between the individual and the collective, self-interest vs. shared purpose, being a lone wolf vs. belonging to a group. The Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius is here to teach you how to beam your light at full power, while contributing to a higher goal.
To shine your true colors, you have to let go of the need to fit in, follow what others do, believe what society tells you is the right way to think, to live, to be.
The Jupiter –Pluto square is still lingering in the sky, asking us to be very careful of what we believe. Jupiter is about our belief system and Pluto is the personal power which we can use to do good, or to manipulate for personal gain only.
Aquarius is the genius, the rebel, but also the “know it all” demagogue. More than ever, now we need to be very careful of any attempt of others to use their power to persuade us think in a way that is not aligned with our interests.
Social media and any type of broadcasting are Aquarian means of manipulating the masses, so try to stay away from TV, from Social Media, or at least approach everything you hear or read with critical thinking.
“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who has said it, not even if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense”
The Sabian Symbol of the Lunar Eclipse is “A big businessman at his desk”. Be organized, be entrepreneurial, be pragmatic, but don’t be a fool. The sabian symbol captures very well the dynamic of the Leo / Aquarius axis. You have the power (Leo) – but your role is to use your influence wisely and with detachment from personal interests (Aquarius).
We had Lunar Eclipses falling on similar degrees in Aquarius on August 1971, August 1990, August 1998, August 2009 – remember what happened around those dates to get an idea about how this Lunar Eclipse might affect you.
If you are a fixed sign (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) or if you have other personal planets or angles around 15° in fixed signs, you are going to feel this energy very strongly.
But you don’t need to have a hit to a personal planet to feel the energy of this Lunar Eclipse. The lunation will affect every single one of us, asking us to deal with the affairs of the house where it takes place.
For more insights, look in which house in your natal chart you have 15° Aquarius. The house where the Eclipse occurs will point to which area of your life is in focus.
In the 1st house – time to change something about yourself. Could be a behavior, a limiting belief or even your appearance. You might want to lose weight, improve your self-esteem, make yourself more attractive to the opposite sex. The South Node is the releasing point. You HAVE to let go of that part of yourself which no longer serves you. Mars will give you the cosmic push to make it happen this time.
In the 2nd house –learn to be more relaxed about your money, your possessions and your ideas about security. If you are the type of person who needs a lot of safety in your life, that’s maybe because deep inside you have an unrealistic fear about your chances of survival. The message of the Eclipse for you is: we are in this together, no need to worry too much, the Universe will support you if you get in trouble.
In the 3rd house – learn to be less obsessed with facts and rely more on your intuition, on the “invisible” facts and figures, on the unwritten laws of the universe. Leave behind the comfort of “right here, right now” and explore something new – either literally, by traveling to a faraway place, or with you mind. The key message of the Lunar Eclipse is to open you mind to different points of view.
In the 4th house – learn to focus less on how you feel about certain situations, and this time put the head before the heart. This is not a time to do “what you feel like”, but rather a time to make the necessary sacrifices so you can get closer to your goals.
In the 5th house – if friendship, teamwork, relationship with co-workers have been an area of difficulty for you lately, the Lunar Eclipse is a good time to reflect on how you are maybe contributing to these issues. How your desire to do the right thing can be sometimes at odds with what other people believe is the right thing to do. Sometimes you need to make some compromises – being a part of a tribe, of a community, sharing a greater goal with others can be very rewarding.
In the 6th house – the lesson for you is to learn to be less perfectionist. Daily rituals, following up on tasks are generally very useful, but when taken to the extreme, can hinder your ability to adapt to the ever-changing reality, and diminishes your chances to make the best of the opportunities around you. Learn to relax – everything is unfolding as it should.
In the 7th house – learn to depend less on others. The Lunar Eclipse is here to teach you that sometimes you need to go with your gut and stop obsessing about validation from others. Trust yourself more.
In the 8th house – for you, the lesson of the Lunar Eclipse is about self-entitlement. If there are things you believe you are entitled to, for example, your partner’s unconditional love, your manager’s support, money from the state etc., The Lunar Eclipse will ask you to challenge these beliefs and learn to be more self-reliant instead.
In the 9th house – learn to be more honest in your communication. Even the most authentic of humans have some false beliefs that we took on and layered onto our psyche. Learn to identify them. Are they still actual and relevant? The Lunar Eclipse is a good time to seek factual information before making up your mind.
In the 10th house – for you, the message of the Lunar Eclipse is to be less obsessed with your worldly achievements and learn to tune in other people’s needs and wants without judgement. Remember there are people around you who need you. Even the strongest people sometimes need a shoulder to cry on. Give yourself the space to nurture yourself as well as the close ones.
In the 11th house – time to leave behind those friendships, communities or groups of people that no longer fulfill your purpose. You don’t always have to “fit in” for the sake of fitting in. For you, the lesson of the Lunar Eclipse lesson is to only stick with those friends, those groups, those communities which share your ideals and interests.
In the 12th house – if you are the type of person that goes with the flow, that hopes God will guide you in times of uncertainty, the Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius is here to teach you that sometimes you need to “do something” yourself, get back to work and make practical changes in your immediate environment, to make your life better.
