Full Grandmother Moon in Aquarius, Sun and Mercury in Leo-

This month's Full Moon is in Aquarius, in opposition to the Sun at 18 degrees of Leo. Oppositions provide a call to unite complementary forces in ourselves and in our world. With the Sun in Leo, we may be doing this in rather dramatic ways, feeling the need to express ourselves more fully and forcefully. Leo is tied up in the personal expression of identity, whereas Aquarius defines identity more in terms of a detached, impersonal understanding of how we are all one-united in opposites. When the Moon, the ruler of our emotional expression, transits Aquarius, and the Sun, the ruler of self expression, transits Leo, we are called upon to see how we can unite the polarities within us particularly in the areas of our lives/chart where these two rule. This Super Full Moon, at its closest/perigree passage to Earth, is pouring Light into our lives, waking us up to whatever areas of our life, world, being need to be more closely defined and expressed. 

Super Full Grandmother Moon in Aquarius, peaks at the same hour as the Earth and Moon reach perigree-the Moon’s closest point to the Earth in her orbit. Referred to recently as a super moon, this phase of the Moon makes her appear to be fuller and rounder than usual.  This illusion is enhanced the closer to the horizon you view the Moon. As the Moon has been waxing to fullness over the last few nights, you have probably noticed how bright and round she appears. If you are close to a tidal plane, you will have also noticed the Moon’s effect on the tides. Low tides are at extremely low points, and high tides are unusually high during this time. It goes without saying that our emotional tides are running high and low as well. 

Reaching her fullness in the middle of the harvest season in the Northern Hemisphere, the August Full Moon has been given names that represent regional differences. The Full Sturgeon Moon in the Great Lakes region, the Green Corn Moon, the Wheat Cut Moon (San Idelfonso and San Juan), Moon When All Things Ripen (Dakotah Sioux), Blueberry Moon (Ojibway)-are some of the names for this season’s full moon.

On Sunday, August 10 at 11:09 A.M., PDT/6:09 P.M., GMT, the Moon at  18 degrees of Aquarius on the fixed star, Sualocin, the Dolphin. Sualocin is a yellow star located in the constellation called the Dolphin.  In the Hindu traditions, Delphinus, Cravishtha, is called the Most Favorable as well as Dhanishtha, the Richest as well as  "Bright or Good Ones”. Known by Arab astronomers as Al-Kaud, the Riding Camel and by early Christians (the Melkite and Nestorians) as the Cross of Jesus. Later in the 13th Century, Arabian scholars named this constellation  Al-Ukud, the Pearls or Precious Stones. Most knew the constellation as Al-Amud Al-Salib, the Pillar of the Cross. Under Greek influence, the Arabian astronomers began to refer to the constellation as Dulfim, the marine animal that was friend to humans and saved drowning sailors. 

In the story of Amphitrite, the goddess of the sea, Delphinus persuades Amphitrite to become the wife of Neptune. Amphitrite’s name means “the third one who encircles everything.” The ancient Greeks believed that the world was encircled by the river god, Oceanus. Amphitrite is considered to be the queen of the sea, and has the quality of being shy. She is also considered to be capable of calming the seas. This Full Moon in Aquarius falls at 18 degrees, and is conjunct Sualocin, the Dolphin. In the 2nd decan of Aquarius, sits the swan and the crane. The Swan, like Amphitrite, is known to be shy, sweet, and naive, while the Crane is known for its elaborate courtship rituals and dance. This Full Moon in Aquarius heightens our emotional sense of needing to find decorum (behavior in good taste and propriety). As the swan and crane both represent poise, dignity, good taste, and decency, so too this Full Moon highlights the importance of needing to use our inner resources to maintain a sense of calm and propriety as some of the aspects related to this full moon require.  While we may feel ourselves to be alluring in a quiet way, we need to maintain a sense of calm amid the storm attitude towards whatever is coming our way.

The Moon in Aquarius is opposite Mercury in Leo. This manifests as an inner struggle between our logical mind and our gut and intuitive feelings. the same battle is highlighted by the polarity of the Sun in Leo in opposition to the Moon as well. With Mercury also involved in close conjunction at 20 degrees, we may feel the need to express ourselves and reach some kind of decision, understanding, compromise, or solution. We have the need to express ourselves, and this can be done through our creativity as well as through the full expression of our senses. We may feel the need to communicate with ‘everyone’ and seek a wider audience for our views, beliefs, or messages. Where our emotional nature (where the Moon is Full) may be longing for a quieter, less dramatic show, the Sun and Mercury may be demanding more of an overt expression than we are comfortable with. Notice the areas of your life where this pull is taking place. Of course Saturn is making its voice heard in this period of time.

Saturn at 16/59 degrees of Scorpio is squaring the Moon at 18 degrees of Aquarius. Prior to the peak of the Full Moon, Saturn and the Moon form an exact square, triggering some tension, setting off some signals, or perhaps, pushing us to take some kind of action. Saturn urges us to move off our seat of comfort, and takes some kind of positive action to break up stagnated and stuck energy in whatever areas of life seem to be stalled or locked up by fear or other negative emotions. While most of the month we put on our strong front to deal with whatever needs to be handled, the Moon’s square to Saturn breaks through the shell or protective shield we have put up to ‘hold things together’. 

With the Sun square Saturn, we feel more deeply that we are being tested and challenged on all sides. We may feel overwhelmed by what seem to be obstacles, problems, or situations that we can no longer handle. We feel stretched to our limits, yet not ready to show the cracks in our armor. We may see this time as a period that we need to hold onto our sense of dignity and to show our strengths not our weaknesses or insecurities to the outer world. While we may hold onto our emotional security blanket just a bit longer, we do so as a way to ride the waves of this emotional roller coaster.  Using the time to be constructive, deflecting the emotional challenges into something we can do or create can be a wise choice for now. For example, if confronted with a challenging situation or relationship issue, we may choose the ‘wait and see’ tactic rather than launch into a challenging debate or confrontation. Allow yourself to rest within, to maintain a sense of inner calm and dignity, and trust that what you need to know, do, or what needs to be revealed, will unfold in good time.  Sometimes it is best to take no action or to rest in place. Decide what is worth expending your energy on, or not.  Conserve your strength, maintain your sense of propriety and inner calm, and let water roll off any ruffled feathers. 

The Sun is conjunct Mercury in Leo, and we might find ourselves acting out, playing the fool, or using our communication skills in more dramatic, bombastic ways than we normally do.  When we express ourselves with such flair and force, we often are not taken seriously, nor are we apt to be heard on the level of understanding we seek. Notice how the Sun and Mercury in Leo is affecting others as well, for if everyone insists on being the center of attention to get their voices heard, well all I can say is, does the word cacophony mean anything to you? The words from 1st Corinthians 13:1 speak to what is happening to many of us at this time: “I may speak in the languages of humans and of angels. But if I don't have love, I am a loud gong or a clashing cymbal.” Sometimes it is best to measure our words and be more discerning about what we feel we need to say and do as well as what is motivating or driving us. 

We may also feel ourselves feeling out of place or misunderstood in the community or in the circles we are associating with.  Particularly, when dealing with oppressive or limiting systems of thought, behavior, or ideals, we may feel the need to break away, break out, or push back against whatever and whoever seems to be creating barriers.  This is a good time to remember the images of water and air, that break through barriers and erode strong elements with gentle, constant force; not with loud blasts or self-defeating or injurious self sacrifice.  Now is the time to become more aware of whatever connections you have and are making, and to begin discerning where you fit in, where you feel at home, and where you do not. In order for us to live in harmony with others, we have to know ourselves, and then be willing to ‘live and let live’. By that I mean, we have to be able to join with others, unlike ourselves, for the greater good of all. With the Moon in Aquarius, we feel our need to befriend those who are working for the betterment of all. While we do need to feel at home, with ourselves and with our families and tribes, we also need to recognize and feel our connection to those who are unlike us. When we isolate ourselves too much, we forget our humanity, and we encourage limited thinking and intolerance.  

We are reminded at this Full Moon of how we are constantly learning to discern how to be in the world as well as how to  be ourselves within all our relationships. Imagine yourself as part of an endless number of interlinking, concentric circles, each representing those whom you influence and those whose influence touches you. While we are limited in what we can do within the time and space we have on Earth, we are nevertheless still touched and influenced by what and whom has come before, exists beyond our reach, or are yet to come. We are energy, and everything we do, think, and create has a lasting impact on the world around us and on what is to come. Act with life intentionally, and use your energy with care and compassion. 

Use this period of time to be the Witness to your life as you observe and note what your energy is attracting to you and preventing you from having. As the Sun in Leo opposes the Moon in Aquarius, seek the complementary forces of both to activate a greater sense of coming into focus about what you are doing and how you are expressing yourself in this life.  What do you need to shed? What are you hungry for? How has the full expression of your being expressed itself through the way you are living, through your relationships, through your sense of inner and outer peace, and through your current needs and desires?  With Saturn squaring both the Sun and the Moon, notice what needs to be healed, repaired, altered, and worked on? How is your self worth being expressed through the ways you are handling personal finances, psychological and emotional growth and upheaval, and your use of all forms of energy? Look at the areas where dilemmas still plague you. What seems to be at a standstill? Where do you seem to be at an impasse? Now is the time to seek greater spiritual support and to weave your spiritual practices into the full expression of your identity. Angelic hosts await your call. Seek knowledge and guidance through intuitive insight, dreams, and contemplation.  Stand apart from the details, struggles, conflicts, challenges, and issues that trap you, and allow yourself to flow like the water, filling up the spaces of your life with an ease and power that resists nothing and embraces all as part of the path, as the presence alive in the journey at each moment. Be grateful and receive the blessings that pour down into you, infusing you with Divine Light. Be like the Dolphin and the Sea-both the traveler and the path itself. With that, you are always where you need to be, serving others, creating meaning and purpose with your life.