What is a Full Moon?

If you think of the Sun and the Moon as the minute and the second-hand on the zodiac chart, like hands on a clock, then the Full Moon is the moment when the tips of the second and minute hands (the Moon and Sun) are at their most opposite points in the sky.  This happens about every 29 days, roughly once per month.

Full Harvest Moon September 22, 2009

The Autumnal Equinox takes place each year when the Sun moves into the sign of Libra, between September 22nd and 23rd each year. Every year, the full moon that occurs closest to the Autumnal Equinox is called the Harvest Moon.  This year the Harvest Moon is fully formed (a complete Full Moon) within only a handful of hours from when the Autumnal Equinox takes place, which is unusual.  The last time the Harvest Moon occurred anywhere near to this close to the equinox was in 1991 and won’t happen again for almost twenty more years.  What does this mean?  This means that autumn is heralded-in this year full of the spirit of the Harvest Moon in Aries.  A full moon in this sign expresses the passionate, courageous energy of Aries, and since it lines up with the revolutionary forces of Uranus/Jupiter in their long-standing T-Square with Saturn and Pluto, you can expect some volatile expressions of resistance by people who feel stifled by authority throughout the world.  You can also expect that authority figures will be exerting their dominance more strongly than ever in an effort to safeguard strongholds of power.  For more about this T-Square, read on. 

Full Moon and the T-Square

So we’ve already covered that this is a significant moon phase, heralding in what will likely be an eventful autumn.  But what makes this astrological even more powerful is that it aligns with FOUR of the outer planets who have been involved in a disagreeable “T-Square Formation” for well over a year now.  In this formation, Jupiter and Uranus are in an opposition aspect with Saturn, and all three planets form a 90 degree angle (Square Aspect) to a third planet, Pluto.  This formation has set the stage for world-wide conflict and change since 2008 when Saturn and Uranus kicked off a long series of oppositions with each other as they wound their way around the zodiac, eventually creating a T-Square as they both “squared up” to Pluto.

How best to understand these energies?  Uranus is the planet of change, revolution, and questioning establishment.  Saturn represents the establishment itself, government, and long-standing strongholds of power, such as the military and established wealth.  Uranus wants us to prioritize freedom above all other goals and Saturn wants us to maintain stability.  When two planets face off, especially with such contrary natures, the lesson for all of us is learning how to integrate the highest good each planet has to offer.  How can we be both free and have also the stability and foundational support that we need?

In addition to the ways in which we experience these energies personally, we also experience them globally.  Jupiter is conjunct (or together in the sky) with Uranus.  Jupiter, like Uranus, is concerned with freedom and justice.  Jupiter also brings enthusiasm and expansion.  We have already begun to see, and will continue to see an expansion in the numbers of people questioning authority on a large-scale.  We will see this for years to come as the karma initiated by the alignment of these planets over the past 2 years is strong and long-lasting.  Pluto, in its square to Uranus/Jupiter on the one side of the zodiac and Saturn on the other, adds major power and intensity to the formation.  Pluto is a planet about power and hidden resources.  In effect, hidden or unseen forces are at work (both good and evil) to make their own “power grab” in the world while the forces of establishment and anti-establishment fight each other for dominance out in the open.  We see these fights taking place everyday, in the “Tea Party” movement, in the backlash against BP’s environmental crimes in the Gulf Coast, in the succession of multi-billionaires giving away large sums of money and in the rise of unemployed workers organizing to protect their public services.  As I said, these forces can make good change in the world, of they can serve to make destructive change.  But change is happening, regardless.

So the Full Moon joins this T-Square in a conjunction to Jupiter/Uranus, igniting a revolutionary and combustible spirit that is already becoming very strong in the world right now.  We can expect to see this Full Moon offsetting waves of the conflicting energies of the T-Square, and so struggles between the established order (government, police, big banks, long-standing establishments) will be facing off with people wanting to create progress and change in the world. 

If you want to see how this will affect you, look at which area of your chart the Moon and Sun are in at the time of this Harvest Moon, or e-mail me for your:

 

Harvest Moon Astrology and Tarot Reading,

Available Sept.-Dec. 2010

-        This reading explores the significance of the Harvest Moon and other planetary factors affecting you personally throughout the autumn season of 2010. 

-        Reading also includes a 3-Card Tarot Reading bringing insight on how best to express your energy over the next three months.

 

If you’d like to order your reading, at the cost of $25.00, e-mail me at gabbyturnertarot@gmail.com with your Name, Date of Birth, Location of Birth, and Time of Birth.  I will bill you by e-mail, and you will be able to make your payment via Credit, Debit, or PayPal.