This Aries Full Moon is illuminated by an Equinox Sun at the beginning of Libra.
In Libra, we look for balance. At a time of equal day and equal night, we ask, what do we notice when light and dark are the same? What can we sense when we’re poised at this midpoint?
The Moon in early Aries is (literally) divided. Here, the Moon feels compelled to draw lines in the sand, holding an ax that cleaves anything and everything in two. It’s important for cuts to be made in the right place, but this Moon may not always have the clarity to do this well.
The Sun-Moon opposition forms the newest axis of the Kite pattern we’ve been watching as personal planets move through Libra to aspect the outer planets.
The Moon is conjunct Neptune and Saturn, less than a minute from a retrograde Neptune, and applying to Saturn from 8º away.
The Sun mirrors the Moon, forming the same relationships in opposition. The luminaries trine and sextile Pluto and Uranus, the two outer arms of the Kite. Pluto and Uranus sextile Neptune.
In the middle of such complexity, we need discernment. The etymology of this word goes back to the Latin cenere, to separate, and then back to a Proto Indo-European root *krei- which means, to sift.
Yet such careful sorting out is challenging when the Moon stands ready to drop an ax.
It’s not a struggle to apply this to the world as it is today. So many decisions need to be made, now, yesterday, years ago. Yet we also feel we’re in the dark, without enough information about what’s really going on and what the consequences of any choice might be.
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Neptune conjunct the Moon and opposing the Sun makes clarity almost impossible. We can’t be sure we can trust it.
Mars is also connected in. In the final degree of Cancer, he trines Neptune and opposes Pluto, aspects that will perfect as soon as he enters Leo. Mars also separates from a trine to the Sun, sextile to the Moon, and square to Mercury.
Mars rules this Full Moon, adding emotionality to the mix that doesn’t help us make clear decisions. Mars and the Moon are in fact in mutual reception, each in the other’s signs of rulership. This makes the Moon more martial and Mars more emotional.
Mars squares Chiron and Eris. Chiron represents patterns and wounds from early life that call out to be healed. Eris, a chaos goddess, represents the needs of the world to heal from our own actions as humans. The square from Mars brings complicated feelings into this mix without pointing to clear solutions.
Mercury at the end of Libra opposes Chiron and Eris while squaring Mars. This creates a T-square with Mars at the angled corner. Since this Mercury is clear-sighted and well-intentioned, we look here for guidance in sorting things out.
… a single candle can both defy and define the darkness.
― Anne Frank
Mercury is the triplicity ruler of the third decan of Libra where they’re hanging out right now. They’re also conjunct the stars Spica and Arcturus.
Spica, a bright binary star at the tip of the sheaf of wheat held by Virgo, is one of the most fortunate of stars. Said to be of the nature of Venus and Mercury, this star bestows creative and artistic talent, especially in Mercurial areas of understanding and communication.
Arcturus is a red-gold star on the knee of Boötes the Herdsman, and is also fortunate. Said to be of the nature of Mars and Jupiter, this is a protective energy that also has the skill to lead from behind as a herdsman might do.
Venus separates from a square to Pluto as she continues slowly along the path toward her retrograde. Her current speed is a fraction of her average as she prepares to station at 08º29’ of Scorpio on October 3.
This Scorpio Venus rules the Libra Sun. And now our attention is drawn back to Mars, the ancient ruler of Scorpio. We can also bring in Pluto, Scorpio’s modern ruler.
So, for a Full Moon in bright, fiery Aries, there’s a lot of dark in this chart. This makes sense given that, in the northern hemisphere, we’re moving into the darker part of the year. It also reflects what we see happening in the world around us.
To light a candle is to cast a shadow
― Ursula K. Le Guin
How can we engage with Aries “let’s do something right now to fix this” energy to create positive change?
The first step is to compare this Full Moon chart with your birth chart.
Of course you want to know if the Full Moon itself in early Aries and Libra aspects something important for you.
Then check the full Kite pattern. Where are transiting Pluto, Uranus, and Neptune interacting with your birth chart? Where does transiting Saturn turn up?
What about that Mars at the very end of Cancer? Where’s he hanging out? And Venus, slowly making her way through Scorpio: Where in your chart is she right now?
Where there are significant interactions with our planets and points, especially chart angles, the Ascendant, Descendant, Midheaven, and IC (which is the bottom angle opposite the Midheaven), that’s where we’re likely to feel this Full Moon energy.
What, in your chart, is being illuminated?
Then look for that very well-placed Mercury in late Libra. If Mercury is interacting with your birth chart, it will be easier for you to access their insight, compassionate listening skills, and excellent communication. But even if there’s no direct contact with the chart, we can still reach out for those capacities.
This Full Moon could be a time when important conversations happen. Some of these conversations might feel confrontive or emotional or both. We’ll want to hang in there and listen as best we can, responding calmly and in supportive ways.
Another way to work with this Mercury is to journal any way that works for you, to create images intuitively, without a fixed plan. This Mercury can also open portals for dreamwork or other intuitive ways of gaining insight.
This Full Moon marks an important transition in our calendar year, and the astrological year. It’s worth sticking with its intensity so we can gather in its insights.
The darkest nights produce the brightest stars.
– John Green
Title adapted from an image from the NASA Hubble Space Telescope via Unsplash
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