Full Moon in Cancer: Deep Roots

Roots   Glendalough, Ireland

Full Moon in Cancer
January 15, 2014 11:52 pm EST
January 16, 2014 4:52 am GMT

... Before diving in to explore tomorrow night's rich Full Moon, let me acknowledge I misspoke in my last post in saying this would be a Capricorn Full Moon. It's not, it's in the cozy sign of hearth and home, Cancer. And yet, I wasn't wrong to focus on Cap energy for these last weeks––it's intense, right? It is for me, anyway.

In my time zone, tomorrow's Full Moon arrives at pumpkin time, when the fairytale sparkle disappears and we turn back into who we really are, soot and all. Which is just what this Full Moon is about, in a way––not the magical, ethereal, pie-in-the-sky, but the mundane, everyday reality.

Boooooring, you say? But think about it. It's only when the prince comes to find Cinderella where she really lives that the happy ending happens. This Full Moon is about that part. It's about seeing where we actually are in all its quirkiness and rough edges, and seeing the happy there.

The Full Moon is part of a Grand Cardinal Cross, which means stuff wants to happen. The Sun and Moon opposite (as always at the Full Moon). The Sun is widely conjunct Venus, with Pluto just outside range (but still a presence to be felt). The Moon is conjunct asteroid Lilith and widely conjunct Jupiter. The other sides of the Grand Cross are held by Mars, Vesta and Ceres in Libra, and Eris in Aries.

It's an interesting mix. Capricorn and Cancer are the signs of traditional, the way it's always been done. Venus in Capricorn amps up the traditional vibe, and Jupiter in Cancer makes it all bigger.

We could see this Full Moon as a call to return to traditional values, that (mythical) golden age: "In those days spirits were brave, the stakes were high, men were REAL men, women were REAL women, and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were REAL small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri."

... except I couldn't resist putting that Doug Adams quote in, and that tells you there's something more going on with this Full Moon.

Because what are these "traditions" anyway? Aren't they constructions? Yes, it's true, culture itself is a construction but today we're far more influenced by advertising than human (and humane) concerns.

The presence of Pluto, Lilith and Eris challenge us to ask the deeper questions about what's real, and what's important.

The Moon is strong in her home sign of Cancer, brim full of traditional womanhood. And yet, Lilith stands with her, as close as close, challenging us to look beyond apple pie and gingham aprons to the real strength and power of women.

Venus and Mars move toward a perfect square, offering enough switches to confuse even the staunchest traditionalist: Venus in Capricorn, hard-nosed and pragmatic, in a sign thought of as masculine but actually feminine (it's in Earth). Mars in Libra, charming and diplomatic, in a sign leaning toward the feminine but actually masculine (it's in Air).

With all the asteroid asteroid goddesses in the mix, there are so many female role models, all we can do is throw up our hands and say, who are we, really? (And I mean all of we, not only the women we.)

That "who are we, really?" is the illumination of the Full Moon. As always, check your birth chart to see where the Full Moon's light will fall. But consider these questions and maybe take them into your dreaming with you tomorrow night:

Who am I when I'm at home? Who am I when I really need to get something done––when the rubber meets the road? Who am I deep down, when the glamour and the fancy goes away, when the party's over and it's just me with the toothbrush looking in the mirror?

That person, that you deep down, is the one who can bring you (and me and each of us) to the happy ending. Maybe by going out and getting it (Capricorn) or maybe by realizing we already have it at home (Cancer).

Or maybe (probably) a little of both. Wishing you moonlight on your face tomorrow night.