This month’s Full Moon is the last lunation before eclipse season. It occurs at 16 Aries and is ruled by Mars in Gemini. Jupiter shares the same sign as the Moon at 1 Aries, and Venus is conjunct the Sun at 13/16 Libra, respectively.
The Moon is peregrine in Aries, with no essential dignity of its own. The Sun is in its fall in Libra. This usually gives the Aries Full Moon a sort of wandering, untethered quality – however, the presence of the benefics in the same sign as the Sun and Moon gives this lunation a nice positive boost. In particular, with Venus being in her domicile, she can give support to the Sun as she moves forward to conjoin him, extending her hand in fidelity.
Meanwhile, Jupiter is retrograde in very early Aries, about to cross back into his domain of Pisces. Jupiter rules the first term of Aries, so he has some dignity and as the greater benefic, he always brings some boons. So, Jupiter co-present with the Moon gives a bit of direction and optimistic enhancement to the Moon which would otherwise be a bit lost in the fiery battlefield of Aries.
Furthermore, the two malefics have their harsher qualities tamed by being in harmonious aspect to the lights: Mars in Gemini and Saturn in Aquarius form a Grand Air Trine with the Moon-Venus conjunction in Libra, and are sextile Moon and Jupiter in Aries. Saturn rules Aquarius and Mars has dignity by face in the second decan of Gemini. Overall, I get the sense that everyone will play nicely around this Full Moon – or at least they shouldn’t be outwardly antagonistic.
The only one who’s not directly involved is Mercury, as he’s averse the Sun-Moon in his domicile of Virgo. However, Mercury has an indirect, sideways influence over this lunation (very Mercurial!) as he rules the sign where Mars resides, and Mars is the ruler of this overall lunation. With Mercury square Mars, ther may be a slight edge of tension of conflict to communications at this time. The classic Mars-Mercury signification is arguments and verbal contests, so there may be some combative words flying around.
The overall feeling of this lunation is quite positive and productive. The presence of the benefics with the luminaries is a lovely boost to each, and the malefics being configured by trine/sextile to the lights, as well as not being debilitated, means that things are much more likely to go in a productive way. (Or at least not an overly negative one.)
This is a time period of strengthened cerebral acuity and sharpness. It should be a good time to move forward on some projects that require mental concentration – any kind of intellectual work, studying or other tasks that require focused attention.
This also might be a good time to move forward on some relationship issues, thanks to Venus’ close presence to the Sun in her domicile of Libra – which is all about harmony, elegance and camaraderie. The Moon holds up a mirror to the Sun and sees reflected this Sun-Venus conjunction, so while the Sun does not have much strength to shine at this time, Venus proves a worthy companion who can provide warmth and grace.
As this Full Moon also falls over the Thanksgiving weekend in Canada, making this an excellent time to pause and feel gratitude for all the abundance in your life, and to share good food with friends and family.
This may also be a time for justice and judgments. Jupiter is the classic signifier of justice, truth and judges of all kinds, and he’s in the fiery sign of Aries that provides a backdrop of urgency and a desire to take bold action. Meanwhile, Venus in Libra also brings an element of fairness: Libra’s sign is the scales, by which things and people are weighed and measured.
There’s a background of earthiness at play here too: Uranus in Taurus, Mercury in Virgo and Pluto in Capricorn form a Grand Earth Trine (by sign not degree; it’s a bit wide by degree). With the two Grand Trines active at the same time, again there’s a lot of possibility for productively moving forward and getting some real work done.
The complicating factor is the Mercury-Mars square, as I mentioned previously, which may bring some fiery or impulsive communications (arguments around the Thanksgiving dinner table, maybe), as well as the Saturn-Uranus square which is exact by degree (although not down to the exact minute). The Saturn-Uranus square is an ongoing milieu to all of 2022’s astro-weather, however, so we’re all used to this constant push-pull of imposed restrictions and rebellion against authority.
I don’t see the Saturn-Uranus square factoring into this lunation too much. It will be the eclipses at the end of October that will set off this aspect in a big way.
For now, we have a small window of a couple weeks where justice, truth and harmony may step to the forefront. There may be some harsh words, but let’s hope those will be tempered into lively debates and productive discussions that move us all forward, together.
This mood is likely to pass quickly, with the lunation in a cardinal sign. As well, the next lunation is a solar eclipse that is likely to set some big things in motion, and/or reprise some elements from the spring. Let us all enjoy this brief reprieve while we can.