The Cosmic Story: Aries/Libra Full Moon 2020
The Harvest Moon
This week’s Aries Full Moon is called the Harvest Moon, since it is the Full Moon closest to the Autumn Equinox. For several days around the time of the full Harvest Moon, the Moon rises about 30 minutes later each night rather than its usual hour later. At the Equinoxes, the Moon rises from the equator due East and sets due West. This extra light early in the evening is traditionally what gave farmers extra days for harvesting beyond sunset.
The Moon, however, is almost at its farthest point (apogee) from Earth, so it won’t be as big and bright as it sometimes is. Our soul’s light might seem far away right now during this collective transformation we’re going through, but it’s essential that we harvest what we’ve nurtured and grown this year. What have you been up to since last March? What new you, what new story, is being birthed in you now?
I’m in the midst of re-establishing my presence on the Internet to coincide with the big Saturn/Jupiter conjunction of December 21, 2020 occurring on my Aquarian Jupiter in the 9th house. Years ago, my acting teaching told me I needed to ‘hone’ my energy. I’ve been working on it ever since, learning to weave together all the scattered strands of my interests and talents. Now I’m finally bringing it online this Winter Solstice. That isn’t the only thing I’ve harvested this year, but it is one of them. What about you?
Saturn goes direct on September 28th - 29th, helping us establish some outer structures to take the place of what no longer serves us, both personally and collectively. The old structures are tumbling. Look at all the challenges and changes we’re facing in the world. Some of us have pieces of the puzzle of the new story. It’s time to bring them forward.
The Sabian symbol for Saturn going direct at 26* Capricorn is: Radiant sprite dances on the mists of a waterfall. Water is a magical substance in its own right, aside from being necessary for life here on Earth. Our water shows up as we cry, as we cleanse ourselves, as we go with the flow. Having sat under a waterfall this past August, I have to say there’s nothing like it to energize us. With Saturn, an energy of form and structure, stationing here, I guess the one structure is the radiant sprite – so become the radiant being we’re all meant to be. And dance on the mists.
Mars retrograde exactly squares Saturn as it changes direction, re-shaping this Aries’ Mars and his companions Eris and Black Moon Lilith into a force to be reckoned with. This is the divine Masculine we’ve all been waiting for, the sacred-heart warrior, the Masculine force of life based in the divine Feminine (more below on this). The old masculine is dying, and this new Masculine energy arises from that dying and healing.
Soon after the Full Moon, on October 2nd, Venus moves into Virgo, where She gathers herself, separating the straw from the gold, as we gather the harvest. This is when we embrace who we are and celebrate it.
And on October 4th, Pluto also turns direct. Mars retrograde, reshaped by Saturn, squares Pluto on October 9th, breaking through any last resistance to change we might have. Now we have the energy of transformation behind us, sustaining us as we step into our new story. Yes, the outer circumstances in the world are dire, but we can make it better by bringing in new energy, new ideas, new beliefs.
The Sabian symbol for Pluto turning direct at 23* Capricorn is: A soldier receiving two gold medals for bravery. Not one but two medals say that this energy will reward us if we make an important cultural contribution or act in the best interests of the world now.
Finally, Mercury goes into its last retrograde of the year on October 13th in Scorpio, the sign of transformation. We have to dive deeply into the underground springs of our collective discontent. What do we see in this moment? How do we see ourselves and others? The truth shall set us free. We will have to have a transformed mind and heart as we approach the US election, because Mercury turns direct on Election Day in the US, November 3rd. Use this time to imagine a peaceful energy for that day, especially since Mercury is back in Libra, the sign of diplomacy, justice and peace, as it stations direct. (A News update: With Mercury on the degree it will retrograde back to on November 3rd, there is a news report about Trump’s tax-dodging, which perhaps will be the turning point in this upcoming election.)
The Sabian symbol for Mercury retrograde at 12* Scorpio is: Latecomer to an embassy ball surveys the scene before making an entrance. This is an image of the Renaissance court in action, where a new social order is being created. Don’t be afraid to step into the ball.
Okay, enough about the planets. Let’s look at this Harvest Full Moon.
Aries-Libra Full Moon
When the Sun arrives at the Autumn Equinox in the northern hemisphere (and that’s where astrology developed), it is time for harvest and preparing for the darkening winter months ahead. It is also a time when we band together to celebrate life and to help each other survive the winter.
Astrologer Dane Rudhyar says that Libra is the doorway to our social self. After traversing the first 6 signs of the zodiac where we discover who we are, we enter the world and try to find our place in it. The problem most Libras make is to think they have to give up a sense of themselves when they enter into relationships. But when they do, they unbalance the scales. The secret of a good Libra relationship is the ability to listen to the other and still keep your own standpoint. Then you can mediate the right solution for both parties.
Depending on how truthful and authentic our sense of Self is, we’ll find those people and groups where we’ll experience the realm of relationships. Along with Scorpio and Sagittarius, in Libra we learn how to fit into our world. Hopefully with the Libra traits of grace and beauty, wit and discernment, courtesy and kindness.
While Libra feels most comfortable when engaged with others, Aries is always ready to strike out on his own. At the Aries Full Moon, we are reminded that we can be in relationship and yet maintain our authentic sense of self. We are also reminded that a little Libran courtesy and kindness can be used to express that authentic self.
Venus in Leo is in a flowing, supportive aspect to Mars retrograde/Eris/Black Moon Lilith in Aries, so the two rulers of Libra and Aries are in harmony. Feminine consciousness/right brain is the foundation of masculine consciousness/left brain. Their mutual fires feed each other, embracing the sudden, spontaneous Aries’ fires into Leo’s community bonfire. Their dance shows us how to work with the ‘other’ – dance with them, embrace their energy and bring it into balance within your own.
This balance depends on whether we can stay centered in ourselves while open to others. This is always the most pressing need in any relationship, isn’t it? How to create your own ‘space’ within the larger space of the relationship without becoming disconnected.
Aries/Libra want us to learn that balance. Someone (I think astrologer Stormie Grace) recently said that this balance is all about equanimity. Looking in my trusty etymology dictionary, equanimity means: "fairness, impartiality," from French équanimité, from Latin aequanimitatem (nominative aequanimitas) "evenness of mind, calmness; good-will, kindness," from aequanimis "mild, kind," literally "even-minded," from aequus "even, level" (see equal (adj.)) + animus "mind, spirit" (see animus). Meaning "evenness of temper". This is what we mean when we say Libra energizes peace, love, harmony and union. It all comes from this impartial mind, a mind open to the ‘other’.
This Aries Full Moon brings the possibility of healing to us. The Aries Moon is conjunct Chiron retrograde, embracing both the wound of not knowing ourselves and its healing. It can bring us a revelation of our authentic Self. These months of isolation hopefully gave rise to some self-reflection and self-recognition. People are more awake to their lives and more aware of what’s going on in the world. We are collectively facing our fear of death – our personal death, the death of the old economy, the death of male white privilege, the death of patriarchy. The fear this gives rise to is what’s flaming the hatred and despair so many people feel. This fear is patriarchy’s last breath.
But why choose fear? What are you really afraid of? Perhaps it’s not as real as you think, especially if you let go of your old beliefs and learn to think in different ways (South Node in Sagittarius/North Node in Gemini). We’ve been programmed to believe we are separate individuals, and that it is up to us to ‘pull ourselves up by the bootstraps’. The old Protestant work ethic. It’s wrong. It fit in well with our mechanistic, consumer mentality of the past 200 years, but it has proven to be all wrong for Mother Earth, human beings and the rest of nature. Everyone and everything is sick from the toxicity that sprang from that belief. That’s what we need to heal. We need, instead, some self-love and self-acceptance. (A big group hug!)
We’re not machines (our stress and anxiety prove that), and we don’t have to live with our ‘fear’ switch constantly ON. While the pandemic is real and grave, we can take our own health in hand and do things to help our immune system. We can creatively change our daily lives. This is the initiation and blessing the pandemic has given us if we haven’t fallen into fear.
The truth is our world has to change, it was destined to change and this is how it happened. (Symbolized by the 3 Capricorn planets and cycles: Saturn, Pluto and Jupiter.) We are leaving the old industrial age behind, which shaped our educational system to make us better workers for them. But with the recent technological advances, we are heading into a whole different kind of work and world. As we leave the old ‘I have to get a job to survive’ mentality behind, we need a new educational system that teaches us about being creative human beings and how we can contribute those talents to society. This is a good hope for tomorrow, don’t you think? Isn’t it better than what we are leaving behind?
This Full Moon opens us to our native courage to face life in an authentic way, to the knowledge that our lives have never been perfect nor easy and yet we’re still here. We have to face our fears, because the old patriarchal system operates on fear, especially the fear of death. Because it is afraid of ‘death’ – that it will have to give up its power.
It’s time to stop picking at the scab of our wounds and the trauma of not knowing what tomorrow will bring. That’s what most of the world deals with everyday. Americans, and much of the world, are coming to realize that the old constants of our lives are gone, some possibly forever, others in a changed form. Yes, cafes will stay open and we’ll still get to go to rock concerts and plays. But our minds will have changed. We’ll see and appreciate each experience more deeply because of what we’re going through now. We will have grown up.
That’s the potential for this Harvest Moon of 2020. That a nation and a world of grown up human beings will find ways to deal compassionately and communally with the passing of the old order. It must go. It will go. But it is fighting tooth and nail to hang onto its power. That’s why we have to take a stand for a new story. And let that old, deadly story die because we’ve taken all the air out of it.
Its power ultimately resides in each of us – in giving our alligence to it. This is the time to take back our authority and become the citizens we need to be if we truly want to live in a democratic society. That takes being responsible citizens, not conspicuous consumers. If we withdraw our energy from the system, it will die. So support what is important to you, because what you give your energy to will thrive in a new world.
The Harvest Full Moon occurs on October 1, 2020 at 1:05pm Alaska time, 2:05pm PDT/ 5:05pm EDT/ 10:05pm GMT.
Aries Harvest Full Moon
The Sabian symbol for the Sun at 10* Libra is: A canoe leaving narrow rapids reaches calm water. Have we steered our canoe through the chaotic months behind us without tipping over? Have we reached any kind of calm? Here’s hoping!
The Sabian symbol for the Moon at 10* Aries is: A shining golden ring, engraved with magical symbols. This is the kind of confidence and self-possession that is grounded in our soul’s higher power. And with those magical symbols, it indicates that we can manifest what we need.
The Sabian symbol for Chiron retrograde at 8* Aries is: A dragon with long, flowing whiskers flys into the East wind. This beautiful, powerful symbol speaks about a person’s unique character, what Jung called individuation. The dragon also speaks to our ability, courage and determination to meet our destiny.
The Sabian symbol for Uranus at 10* Taurus is: A Red Cross nurse runs to aid a wounded man. This is a symbol of the compassion and help we can afford others as we stand up for our beliefs. This is what we have to keep in mind as we inhabit this Full Moon. That the harvest is for everyone, not just us!
Besides the Sun and Moon opposing each other, Chiron conjuncts the Moon and opposes the Sun, setting up the healing aspect of the Full Moon harvest. The only other aspects to this Full Moon are quincuoxes from Uranus. So while we want to spend our time feeling the healing, Uranus in Taurus is like an itch we can’t scratch. It winks at us in our peripheral vision, reminding us that there’s an internal revolution that needs to take place if a much needed external revolution is to happen. We have to get out of our comfort zone (so Taurus!) and do something to move our world in the direction it needs to go. Not what we want, but what serves the world.
While the Sun contemplates the Moon and Chiron, with a dash of Uranus thrown in, this harvest energy is contained by the ongoing Mars rx/Eris/Black Moon Lilith in Aries square to Saturn/Pluto/Jupiter/Pallas in Capricorn. Women will step to the foreground with the men who stand with them, as the old patriarchal culture dies. It is happening. It is here. We just need to see it through.
The other thing we need to watch for is the T-Square of the lunar nodes in Gemini/ Sagittarius to Neptune retrograde in Pisces. The process we are going through is to look at our old beliefs (SN in Sagittarius) and open our minds (NN in Gemini) to other possibilities. But we first have to confront the illusions and delusions that keep us stuck in ‘fake news’ about ourselves and about the world. If we can harness the power of the imagination (Neptune in Pisces) in service to birthing this new world, then the ideas will flow. If we fall into self-deception and ungrounded fantasy, our old belief system wins out. To really open our minds, we have to have beginner mind. A mind that is open to the musings of the imagination, which are connected to the voice of Father Spirit and Mother Earth as well as the knowledge of science and logic. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we learned to listen to Wisdom and created what was necessary?
So let this Harvest Moon shine on you and your accomplishments and acknowledge your blessings and be grateful for them. This is what harvest time is all about.
Many blessings,
Cathy
TODAY
I
Do
not
Want to step so quickly
Over a beautiful line on God's
palm
As I move through the earth's
Marketplace
Today.
I
do not want to touch any object in this world
Without my eyes
testifying to the truth
That everything is
My Beloved.
Something
has happened
To my understanding of existence
That now
makes my heart always full of wonder
And kindness.
I
do not
Want to step so quickly
Over this sacred place on
God's body
That is right beneath your
Own foot
As
I
Dance with
Precious life
Today.
~ Hafiz ~
(The Gift - versions of Haifiz by Daniel Ladinsky)