Full Moon at 29 Cancer

That every month the Full Moon happens in a sign opposite that the Sun is transiting…is an interesting thought. With the astronomical matter here being the Sun ‘revealing the full face of the Moon’ that would seem to be about ‘revealing’ all sorts of lunar matters.

Or maybe exposing them. And if they’re being exposed, that suggests they were hidden. Was that willful? Accidental? Out of denial?

Then again, considering how what we see of the Moon increased day by day during every month’s ‘waxing’ period between New and Full Moon, maybe the Full Moon is simply the full realization of something. Or something coming into ‘full being.’

This last is a bit closer to the astrological lore, but there doesn’t seem to be any reason not to at least consider some of the other implications.

Maybe it depends on the sign? Maybe so. That point seems particularly apt this month, what with the Sun being in Capricorn and the Moon in Cancer, coming to this Full Moon formation on January 19 at 9:22 in the evening.

(Yes, I mean as calculated for UT/+0)

Capricorn is all about ‘leadership.’ In a nation, that’s the government. In the government, that’s the head of state. In a corporation, that’s the CEO or president, in a society that’s the government and commerce, as the machinery, the ‘inner workings’ of a society’s economic system.

Against this we have Cancer. If Capricorn is the government, the oppositional sign (Cancer) is the people. The population. The citizenry. Against commerce – the gears and cogs of any economy -  Cancer would be the culture, the national lifestyle and community or family – the basic human units which together make up a society.

Both these signs are cardinal by mode – they do what they need to do and learn from results. But as they’re in different hemispheres, their motivational drive is somewhat different. Situated on the pro-active, assertive side of the horoscope wheel, Capricorn is about ‘making a world.’ Cancer, being on the receptive/reactive side of the natural zodiac wheel represents how people respond not just to current conditions, but to all the traditions and human knowledge which has come down through the generations, years or merely recent experience.

So that makes this….what, a feisty Full Moon? A face off between governments and populations? Maybe. A feisty-festive time? Maybe. Maybe also a ‘full steam ahead’ sort of time.

In fact, with this Full Moon happening at the last degree of either sign (29 Cancer, 29 Capricorn) feelings will not merely run high as they usually do around the time of a Full Moon (the Full Moon being the symbolic ‘high tide’ of monthly emotional issues or triggers)…but with an intensity not generally associated with other Full Moons.

Complicating the picture here is that the Moon rules Cancer. Astrologically, this gives us the picture of something totally ‘on it’s own,’ whether that makes it totally independent, the proverbial ‘loose cannon,’ or an idea, feeling or position which is either ‘isolated’ or ‘unconnected’ to anything else…in the society, in life, in reality – whatever.

But because the Moon rules Cancer, we are given yet another sign of ‘strength’ in a sense astrologers call “weighting.” Think of it as a “rating” scale for a placement or astrological situation.

1. This is a Full Moon. So score one for high emotions. 

2. This Full Moon is in a critical degree. So added another point for intensity in the emotion department.

3. This critical degree Full Moon is in Cancer, and Cancer is ruled by the Moon. So this is emotions ruling the emotionality of the moment, all in a sign which is about one's native mindset. Or about citizenship, customs, lifestyle or a national population. Cancer is emblematic of the family, a culture, our traditions,  habits, homes, real estate and receptivity.

And our ability to respond to situations.

And our sub-conscious - and all which lurks within.

 A Full Moon

photo credit: Andrew Choy

Meanwhile...to have such a Full Moon we have to have the Sun in direct opposition to said Moon. So that puts the Sun at 29 Capricorn, a degree which, while it displays Capricorn’s legendary ‘collected’ (some say ‘cool’ or even ‘distant’) even poised, perhaps serene...or even melancholy or withdrawn, separatist or 'the cut apart'... this is still a Sun in a critical degree. And in Capricorn, critical degree is fervency of determination, which can spell drive, can spell need, can spell conviction or can simply spell fervency - the wanting what you want because you want it to be true (for you or everyone, depending).

As a degree which emphasizes ‘nature’ and thus certain sorts of ‘inevitability,’ this seems not a dogged, determined moment, but one which is perhaps more about the drive, the need, the conviction that you can cope or need to cope.

With the Sun conjunct Mars/Hel at 3 Aquarius there is a struggle in the works. Some are martyred, some are gritting their teeth and holding on, some are motivated by wanting to honor those who have paid some price they feel needs recognition.

Capricorn being ruled by Saturn, we then look to Saturn, seeing it poised at 17 Libra, a degree which is usually about a highly appealing sort of emotionalism which is built on deep seated rationale and seemingly irrefutable logic.

Usually, you say?

Uh, yes. Though we might think this would be a moment of earnest exhortation winning a difficult  day, that Saturn is opposite Eris (Aries) sort of blows that beautiful daydream right out of the water.

 Effect of a Butterfly

by Anastasiya Markovich

This isn’t a picture of disaster, though it is possible (as is always true at such indicated moments of high emotion) that there will be something which arouses an eruption of feelings. And let’s remember, this is the second month in a row where we have had a Full Moon at 29 degrees…much like the three months in a row (November, December, January) which had New Moons in signs at 13 degrees of succeeding signs.

That series ended in the January Solar Eclipse. This series – which is again going to be a three month series (hint, hint – through February ) is playing off the Lunar Eclipse of December 21st. (Note for exactness sake: for those in the mid-Pacific time zones it was still the 20th when the Lunar Eclipse occurred.)

Lunar Eclipses are emotional, the moment is emotional, and with the Moon in many senses ‘unconnected’ to all else, this could be a riotous moment.

Then again, it could be a moment in your life which in being a truly focused, feeling moment helps you see has happened, what’s going on, what now needs to be done. Just don’t plan on this being a day of pixie dust and flowers. Today (of all days!) Jupiter conjuncts Scheat – at 29 Pisces.

It’s another dollop of intensity, this time in a sign all about feeling our own feelings and the need to sort reality from fantasies, longing and yearning. That this happens as asteroid Atlantis goes retrograde at 2 Libra as we talked about in the Asteroid Factors blog a couple of days ago (on the 16th)....that suggests that this is a moment of 'letting go.'

As that happens, Jupiter/Scheat becomes the finding of knowledge amidst or against a ‘background’ of dissatisfaction (Scheat) which for some will be seeing how to fix what is wrong.

Then again, for some this will be finding out exactly how much IS wrong. Or expounding on how wrong someone or something truly is...whether for real or because we just are so convinced, and thus want everyone to believe as we do.

So this combination can be a classic moment when ill feelings erupt, especially if you're the type who simply loathes giving up whatever it is you have your heart or mind set on in the moment.

Then again, it can be much ado about nothing. Or learning better. Or knowing you're right and having everyone reject you and/or your ideas. Remember, this is a Full Moon - it's a very emotional moment.

But then, it is also just a moment!

For those who are willing not to 'define' themselves through insistence, by defiance or simply in response to someone else's opinion or taste, this can also be a moment when a true comprehension of how things work can dawn and crystallize. And as it does, you're likely to also perceive - with clarity of deep compassion - why you are who you are why others are who they are.

And through that you may well come to better understand your own humanity. And some very real, very valuable possibilities.

And yes, this can be all and simply about you. After all, the world is made up of several billion ‘you’s, each of which has a sense of life as something as vital and important as you do – right now, today, in this moment.