Tomorrow morning brings a Full Moon, usually a time of brightness and illumination. Usually. This Full Moon arrives with a lunar eclipse, so the Moon, though full, is dark. Even where the eclipse isn’t visible, that’s still true: a dark, full Moon.
During a lunar eclipse, the Earth blocks the Sun’s light, casting its shadow on the Moon. Instead of seeing reflected sunlight, we’re looking at our own shadow … erm … Shadow.
The Moon, closest to the Earth of all planetary bodies, is a gateway. As the Mother, she’s the gateway to incarnation, representing the body. She also holds our emotions, which is perfect because we feel––and store––emotions in our bodies. At this Full Moon Eclipse, we’ll feel all the feels. There’s a lot going on.
This Full Moon falls close to the Libra midpoint, at 14 degrees and change. She sits with the North Node, at almost-10 Libra. Meanwhile, the Sun is burning down the house in Aries, partying with Uranus, the South Node, Mercury, and the asteroid Eris.
Libra is cardinal Air, ruled by Venus, who we find in stable, sensuous Taurus, so we could look to this Full Moon for some peace and contentment. Except for the wild shenanigans happening in Aries, fueled by a trine to the Sun from Jupiter in Leo, and a trine to Mercury from Saturn in Sagittarius. Maybe peace doesn’t have a chance, in a world where so many focus on themselves, their needs, their goals, no matter the cost to anyone else or our world.
Then there’s Pluto, lord of Shadow and bringer of consequence, squaring the Full Moon, inconjunct Jupiter. He says, ok, sure, party all you want. I’m adding the bill up, with extra for whatever gets smashed, and don’t even think you’re getting out the door without paying this tab.
Will this dark Full Moon bring despair? I don’t think so. Despite everything we’ve experienced, despite the news, despite the general craziness, this is a Full Moon of opportunity.
Look at the chart and you’ll see a basket. It’s tilted, for sure, but still a container. The handle is formed by the balanced Libra Moon and optimistic Jupiter in Leo. Jupiter is not only trining the fiery Aries Sun, he’s sextiling the Moon, and both aspects are full of positives. The sextile, in fact, has more energy––more opportunity.
The Libra–Aries axis focuses attention on the balance between self and other. Today this often seems completely polarized: We’re right, they’re wrong. We’re saved, they’re going straight to hell. We’re good, they’re evil.
A Full Moon brings these two to the table for dialogue. It’s time to talk. It’s time to realize that we’re in this together, a community even when we don’t want to be, all riding on the same crazy bus veering around wild mountain roads.
Aries is not just about me and what I want. Aries is about action. Because we’re beyond just talk. Yes, we need to understand each other, to care, share and relate. But we need to act. Now.
Libra is not just about holding hands and singing Kumbaya. Libra is about fairness, justice and parity. At this Full Moon eclipse, we have the opportunity to move beyond our limitations and act to create a world that is just. That’s a powerful place to be.
Yes, some of us are still deeply embedded in stories of fear. Some of us firmly believe we must guard ourselves against those encroaching others who want to take what we have so rightly earned. Those feelings are not magically going away.
We can also realize that true safety comes with parity. Libra and Aries looking eye other in the eye can say, out loud and proud, we are equal. Not the same, never the same, but equal in value, equal in rights, equal in protection, equal in access to resources. Saying it doesn’t make it magically so. But seeing it, saying it, feeling it, is a first and powerful step.
This parity can be (hopefully will be) global. Molly Hall sees this Full Moon carrying the energy for a worldwide rally against war, which would be wonderful.
This parity will definitely be felt within our bodies. Our task, then, is to pay attention. Where are we feeling unbalanced? Unequal? Unsupported? Where are we in fear? What are we feeling, and how do those emotions feel in our bodies? Margaret Gray offers additional excellent questions to consider at this time.
Since this is an eclipse, this Full Moon is part of a long, long cycle. This Moon is part of saros 132, a cycle that began in 1492 (interesting, that) and ends in 2754. The cycles are 18 years long, give or take, and considering where we were 18 years ago, and 18 years before that, offers insight into what might be coming up for us now.
This is not the same saros cycle as the New Moon solar eclipse two weeks ago, but they’ve been moving in step for the last several cycles. Whatever you considered at the New Moon is up for review again, this time, hopefully, with a greater sense of completion and, yes, balance.
So we have a moment of illumination that happens within, in the shadows, and asks us to check in with emotions, the body, and issues of balance. Jupiter is here is offer optimism, joy, luck and encouragement. He is all about opportunity. Pluto is also here to offer the reality check, pointing out the consequences of not acting on what we know.
Let’s meld Aries fiery determination to act with Libran creative harmony and passion for equality, and take a quantum leap into a new world. We’ve been transforming for years now. It’s time to emerge from the chrysalis and fly!