Full Moon in Aries

Aries Full Moon

This is a moment to fight for what it is that you desire most. It is a moment of honest self-reflection, and it is a moment to embrace your warrior spirit.

Aries is the warrior- brave, courageous, and fearless. The Full Moon in Aries highlights our passions and our desire for freedom. The seed we planted at the Aries New Moon on April 5 culminates this afternoon.

When the luminaries are in opposition, the entire face of the moon is illuminated by the light of the sun. The Sun in Libra brings our awareness into our relationships. Libra is a sign that seeks balance and values fairness. Highly cognizant of the needs of others, Libra observes its environment and attempts to maintain an energy of harmony and peace. Ruled by Venus, Libra is gracious and magnetic.

The opposition of Aries and Libra brings our attention to our individual identity, and to our relationships. When we embody both Aries and Libra, we are confident and independent, and maintain healthy, reciprocal relationships with others. Not all conflict is abusive or ill-spirited. Conflict is necessary for our personal growth.

We must communicate our needs to others, without placing an unrealistic expectation on others to make us feel intrinsically worthy. We must also be willing to take the perspective of those we are in partnership with, and compromise when necessary. When our identity is tied solely to our relationships, we lose ourselves.

If you have become disconnected from your selfhood, this is a time to reclaim your internal power.

Reconnect with your own passions and desires.

Take the risk and go after what you want.

Total Lunar Eclipse

Total Lunar Eclipse: Full Moon in Capricorn

Tomorrow brings the Cancer season lunar cycle to a close- the Sun in Cancer opposing and eclipsing the Moon in Capricorn. However, the effects of eclipses can be felt for months. Full moons are polarizing, and lunar eclipses bring potent energy and clarity: we are able to see what was once in the shadow. Eclipses occur on the nodal axis- the intersection points between the Earth’s orbit around the sun, and the moon’s orbit around Earth. Node is Latin for ‘knot’- and it is at these knots where two energetic pathways cross one another.

These mathematical points cannot be seen, but in some forms of astrology the nodes of the moon are considered to be shadow planets. The north node of the moon in Cancer is a symbol of the energy we are moving towards: inclusivity, compassion, and belonging. The south node of the moon in Capricorn is a symbol of the energy we are releasing: the need to control, our attachment to status, and the idea that things have to be difficult in order to be important.

The twelve zodiacal signs can be best understood as 6 polarities. We gain understanding through duality: night and dark, you and me, yin and yang. The axis of Cancer and Capricorn is an energy of belonging: Cancer representing our home and familial belonging, and Capricorn representing our worldly and outward belonging. The Sun in Cancer brings our awareness to our attachments, our sensitivity and our reactivity. The Moon in Capricorn brings our emotional awareness into our need for discipline, tough love, and the ways in which we try to restrict or control our feelings.

Choosing to remain in what is familiar stunts personal growth. Where we are moving will always be rooted in where we came from, but our past does not have to dictate our identity. Taking responsibility for our lives requires us to let go of impulse to blame others, to blame the past, and to blame our circumstances. Letting go is a choice- to rewrite the stories that limit our greatest potential and to fully participate and stay present in the unfolding of our lives.

Have the courage to change the narrative of your life- the one that makes you feel restrained, limited and unworthy.

Remember that we are all much more alike than we are different, and it is in this remembering that we open up to the possibility of greater connection and inclusion.

May this full moon bring you clarity, empowerment, and the remembrance that you belong..

xx

Mercury Retrograde is Back!

What is Mercury retrograde?

Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, taking about 88 days to complete its orbit. About 3 times a year, Mercury turns retrograde, or appears to move backwards from our vantage point on Earth. Mercury is not actually moving backwards, but it is the apparent movement we observe against the backdrop of fixed stars that creates this visual illusion.

Mercury rules things that move quickly- technology, travel, and communication. Mercury is also a symbol of the mind. As this fast-moving planet slows down and appears to move backwards, it is a time to reprocess and review the emotional content and landscape of the last few weeks. Repeating, reassessing, reevaluating, redoing…are all things that may surface during any Mercury retrograde.

From July 7 to 31, Mercury will appear to move from 4º28’ Leo to 23º57’ Cancer. During this part of Mercury’s orbit, it will be at its closest to Earth until the next retrograde cycle in October. When a planet moves closer to Earth, and therefore farther away from the sun, its energy can become louder and more intense.

Mercury in the signs:

Mercury will be retracing its steps in the signs of Leo and Cancer. Mercury in Leo is charismatic, charming and performative. In Leo, Mercury expresses itself creatively, passionately and courageously. Mercury in Cancer is reserved, intuitive, and cautious. In Cancer, Mercury is sensitive, emotionally intelligent, and expresses itself subjectively.

Mercury’s journey in the sky:

Mercury will appear to stop at 4º28’ Leo this Sunday, July 7. It will move backwards through the first degrees of Leo until it reaches Cancer on July 19. From July 19 through 31, Mercury will back up all the way to 23º57’ Cancer, where it will then begin to move forward again. It isn’t until August 14 that Mercury returns to 4º28’ Leo- where it is stationing to go retrograde in 2 days.

What does this mean?

Anytime a planet turns retrograde, its energy moves inward. As a symbol of the mind, when Mercury turns retrograde, so do our mental processes. This is not a time to fear, but instead a time to practice patience, awareness and intention. To remember that not taking action is a form of action. To remember that our reality is based on our limited and biased perception. And to remember that we can only control our attitude and response to others. 

We are in between eclipses, and as the energy builds to the total lunar eclipse taking place on July 16, give yourself permission to slow down, and practice radical self-love!

xx