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| Movement on the Horizon Catherine Al-Meten Alderbrook 2012 |
Shine on Harvest Moon, September 29, 2012 Full Moon in Aries! Also called the Hunter’s Moon. At 8:29 P.M. PDT, the Full Moon peaks this month. (For those who may have read this earlier, of course this article refers to the September not the July Full Moon. Tells you where my brain was traveling. Thanks Michelle Guthrie for catching the error of my ways!).The Full Harvest Moon will shine from dawn until dusk for several nights before and after the 29th. You see that the Full Moon will appear to be larger and rounder than usual. Normally, a full moon rises about 50 minutes later each day, but due to the position of the Earth and the Moon’s orbital path, the Moon will rise 30 minutes earlier each night for several days prior to and following its peak on Saturday/Sunday nights.
According to EarthSky, “the orange color of a moon near the horizon is a true physical effect. It stems from the fact that – when you look toward the horizon – you are looking through a greater thickness of Earth’s atmosphere than when you gaze up and overhead. The atmosphere scatters blue light – that’s why the sky looks blue. The greater thickness of atmosphere in the direction of a horizon scatters blue light most effectively, but it lets red light pass through to your eyes. So a moon near the horizon takes on a yellow or orange or reddish hue.,,,The bigger-than-usual size of a moon seen near the horizon is something else entirely. It’s a trick that your eyes are playing – an illusion – called the Moon Illusion. You can lengthy explanations of the Moon Illusion by googling those words yourself.”
Inspired by the work of Welsh seer, John Thomas with astrological symbols in the late 1800s, Mark Jones and Elsie Wheeler designed the Sabian Symbols. Used to describe each of the 360 degrees of the astrological cycles, the Sabian Symbols were inspired by Elsie Wheelers spiritual visions. Over a period of three decades, Mark Jones developed the Sabian Symbols to be “a fascinating, powerful and useful set of images for astrologers and non-astrologers alike."
The Sabian Symbol for Full Moon in 7 degree of Aries describes “A woman’s hat with streamers blown by the east wind”. The East Wind is the archetype of the Divine bringing in change, sweeping across the plains, or in the case of where I am, down the river valley to the sea. The Full Moon also comes during and highlights the shadow period for Saturn’s final days in Libra. This is a time when we still have the opportunity to make straight the paths of love, come to greater wholeness within, and clarifying and defining how it is we choose to enter into relationships, partnerships, and marriages.
Whatever we choose now, will be with us for the foreseeable future, so it is imperative that we choose wisely, acting out of truth and intention based on our true desires. With the Full Moon in Aries and Uranus in 6 degrees of Aries as well, the Sabian Symbol for 6 degrees, “a man succeeds in expressing himself simultaneously in two realms,” both symbols indicate an exchange of messages, communication, inspiration, and sweeping changes, sure to stimulate the transformational nature of this time.
In the last days of Saturn’s foray through Libra, we are reminded of the inner and outer conflicts that come about when we are in need of both awareness of the ambiguities and polarities that remain in place in and around us, and practices that help us cope and intentionally focus ourselves on change that is required for harmony. Any aspect of our life that still requires awareness, adjustments, or coming to peace with what choices we have made, now shakes us up.
This Harvest Moon, in the sign of Aries, is at 7 degrees at its peak. The Moon activates the Uranus (also in early degrees of Aries) and Pluto (Capricorn). The Libra Sun in opposition to the Moon in Aries, indicates a time of fulfillment, culmination, and completion. Much has been made about the nature of this very potent and energetic Full Moon with its striking aspects to Uranus, Pluto, and Saturn. Because of some of the dire warnings that I’ve read lately about this Full Moon, I feel compelled encourage readers to remember that astrological energy, aspects, trends, and movement simply provide the backdrop for how we choose to respond to life. We are in no way destined by the stars, planets, or other heavenly bodies to do, be, or experience anything.
Astrology offers a framework and some guideposts for navigating through certain areas and stages of our lives and development. You know what needs tending in your garden. It’s just more difficult to ignore it now. Expecting disaster to strike is a misuse of the opportunities inherent in using the energy of this power lunar and these planetary transits to work a little magic in our lives. We discover we can slay our own dragons and claim the power of our own being to meet challenges, face fears, and act boldly for o ur highest good and well being.
What is probably most off-putting about this particular Full Moon energy is its fiery and unpredictable nature. Whatever we have hesitated to address and whatever areas require change, alterations, or breaking of old habits, now could potentially jolt us out of complacency or avoidance. Whatever subconscious messages have been too-long unheeded, whatever wounds have been too-long untended, whatever needs healing in ourselves or our relationships, need to be faced now. If you or someone you love is still lashing out at “fate,” you, or others as a response to the inequity or pain of life, will now have the opportunity and indeed, the direct experience of coming up against the inner challenges, struggles, growing edges of growth, or pain. Whatever remains suppressed, hidden, or allowed to fester, will manifest now.
The Uranus square to Pluto is hitting the planets that connect us to our sexual energy: Venus and Mars, and if you recall those times in childhood and early adolescence when unexpressed sexual energy came out in some pretty unusual ways (girls chasing boys into bathrooms, and vice versa, pulling someone’s hair or acting out in inappropriate ways). We’re reminded that repressed energy of any kind, tends to make its appearance in shocking and sometimes unhealthy and aggressive ways. Keep this in mind when experiencing and observing the behavior of some of those around you. Notice where the source of your own discomfort may be coming from, and use your spiritual and religious practices to direct your energy more intentionally into some form of creative or helpful activity or action. This is called sublimation: put that energy to work on something constructive, or channel the energy into a different direction if it’s aimed at you, deflecting it into more useful, less abrasive channels.
The Sabian symbol for this Full Moon is “A woman’s hat with streamers blown by the east wind”. The east wind is the archetypal messenger of Divinely mandated change, sweeping into our lives and catching us up in the momentum needed to bring about movement and direction. There is a need to adapt to outside forces and shifts of attitudes may be needed. So let spirit guide you and allow these profound Uranus square Pluto changes allow you to discover your ability to bend, become more flexible, and receptive to living more mindfully. Stand with an awareness of of the shifting patterns, movement, and changes, grounded yet able to ride out the storms. Any attitude, belief, pattern of behavior, or focus that is based in rigid judgement or intolerance, will not stand now. Having awakened to your deepest desires, be receptive to how your dreams, prayers, and intentions now manifest. Once you know have set your intentions, based on a true and honest understanding of what you desire, be then ready to receive answers, opportunities, gifts, and direction as they appear, not as you think they should appear or be. This whole last few months has been full of movement, energy, and awakenings that have prepared us for the deeper development and changes ahead. This is the time to rest in motion; being ever mindful and present to how your life is reflecting and revealing the path before you.
This Full Moon is in direct alignment with the Sun at 7 degrees of Aries, and with the Uranus in 6 degrees. Uranus the archetype of change and sudden insights and transformation, the Sun and the Moon, are all in cardinal signs, and are all aspecting Pluto, the Great Transformer, signaling, without a doubt, initiations and new beginnings. The message indicates that change will now be the result of whatever is ready to explode through the surface, from the subconscious or unconscious (unknown, unaddressed, and suppressed energy). Depending upon where the Pluto/Uranus square is happening, the Moon and Sun are transiting, and Saturn is completing its journey, are the areas of your life that will now be most activated. This should be clear to you already; it’s not a surprise where it is happening. What might be a surprise, is how new opportunities will open, how old issues will be resolved, and how surprising it may be to see the fruits of the hard work we have been involved in. The best advice I can give anyone, is spend the next week or two living in mindful presence, surrendering your will to being receptive to Divine order unfolding in every area of your life. Be aware of the voices speaking now and the movements taking place.
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