October Astrology Forecast: Aries Full Moon
This report is designed to be an overview of the collective themes for the week of the full moon. Think of this as a group horoscope for each month. The purpose of this column is to provide insight as to what the full moon may be highlighting, or bringing into your awareness. The better you know your birth chart, the deeper you will be able to take in the information.
If you are astro-curious, you can pull up your natal chart on a plethora of websites for free. Some of my favorite free services include: astro.com, astro-seek.com and cafeastrology.com.
What the full moon means
The next practical step to take is to share a little more about what a full moon is, what it symbolizes and a little more about what we may experience here on earth during this time each month. Full moons are a time of opposition, culmination, illumination and fulfillment. Each month the moon opposes the sun and transits through the sign that is opposite of where the sun is during that astrological/astronomical month. For that reason, the moon will always be in the sign opposite where the sun is transiting during the full moon. So, the full moon will highlight this axis.
The full moon phase is a time when both, conscious and subconscious are illuminated, or aware of each other. As a result of this tense aspect, you may feel: more emotional, more self-aware, more spiritual or psychic, restless, unable to sleep, or like all that you have been working towards has finally paid off. You may also experience vivid dreams, sudden insight or have a gut feeling about something. Anecdotally, I find my child and pets are also a little more rambunctious during this time, and I can’t tell you (here & now anyway) how much has changed for us since I embraced leaning into, “It’s a full moon.” What I can say here and now is this: It’s made a huge difference in my expectations for our bedtime routine a couple of nights each month, which has ultimately led to a better experience for all involved.
I’d quickly like to note that I often hear astrologers suggest that the full moon is the time when the seeds you planted during the new moon bloom, but I feel this is only part of the story. Each full moon is actually also a part of a larger, roughly 27-month cycle. The new moon seed planting phase of the lunar cycle has actually taken place during a new moon a little more than a year before. Not the two weeks prior, which is commonly implied. This is why I am a big fan of journaling, using a calendar and referring to your photo roll as you begin to incorporate astrology into your day-to-day. All are nice for recall purposes. The best choice is the one that works for you.
Aries and Libra
During this full moon, the sun is in Libra and the moon is transiting through Aries, thus we have an Aries full moon. The Aries/Libra axis is the “relationship axis”. Aries is “me” and Libra is “we”. Aries is the realm of action, autonomy, and self-assertion. It’s an initiatory fire sign that embodies the driven and motivated beginner’s mind. I often liken Aries to a matchstick that lights the way for the rest of the astrological year, as it is the first sign.
Aries is symbolized by the ram and if you know an Aries, you have likely witnessed their incredible, quick-moving strength. Aries is said to be headstrong, though I’d like to reframe that. More often than not we only hear about Aries’ ability to literally or figuratively ram its head into things. While that is true, I invite you to take a minute to sit with the bravery that requires. (I don’t know about you, but I generally don’t show up to events in my life ready to just DIVE in. I like preparation and planning, I like to know what comes next if I can. But, I lack the fire element in my natal chart.) Aries is brave and willing to bust in, bust out or bust through. Aries isn’t scared to try or do the new thing. It’s hungry for action and thrives on independence to create little sparks of energy wherever it goes.
The other side of this coin, or axis, is Libra. Libra is the diplomat, the scale, the equalizer. Libra’s duty is to adjust in order to bring balance. Libra is symbolized as the “scale” and is the only non-living symbol in the zodiac.
As I mentioned above, when the sun transits Libra each year, the Libra house of our natal charts is highlighted and we can look there to find more nuanced details about what’s on display for us during this time. Collectively or broadly speaking this will be a time when we are focused on diplomacy, relationships, compromises, negotiations, friendships and gathering, building each other up, switching up our home decor and being grateful for all we have overcome so far this year.
The sun is said to be “at home” in Aries and in its “fall” in Libra. The sun is comfortable in the fire sign Aries because it’s all about “me” instead of “we”. Libra rules over adjusting ourselves to level things, while Aries doesn’t want to compromise itself. Where Libra seeks harmony, Aries seeks authenticity. Plus, astronomically speaking, this is the time of year that the sun begins to go away. Persephone descends into the underworld and light becomes less and less. The sun is not only required for life on earth, but it wants to be seen. It needs to be witnessed. Once the sun enters Libra, it’s seen less and less until the Winter Solstice.
So what does that have to do with us, now?
For some of us, during this lunation, there may be an emphasis on starting something new or taking action towards a goal – even if you don’t exactly know where you’re aiming for. You may find yourself exploring topics and themes around your personal autonomy, or how you show up in your relationships, or what you need from your relationships. Maybe the scale has been imbalanced in some way and you’re able to find a solution under this transit. Maybe you have the solution and will now have the courage to take action.
There has likely been a continued thread or emphasis around a relationship in your life over the last couple of months …
Maybe that is a professional/client relationship, parent/child, intimate partnership, sibling/familial, any relationship. And so, because the sun will be in the sign of relationships and diplomacy, conjunct Venus, the planet of love and beauty, in her home sign Libra, this Aries full moon may be the spark you’ve needed to take action or level the scales in your relationship dynamic. Regardless, if you have the spark to take the next step or to initiate something new – something will come into your consciousness that should help bring clarity to this situation during this time.
Generally speaking, the underdeveloped manifestation of an Aries moon is hot-headed, angry, aggressive, or explosive. While I believe the Venusian sparkle of the lunation is enough to soften this in a lot of situations, that may not be true for all of us. Some of us may feel angry during this time, so if that’s happening to you or someone around you, that’s okay. Let anger move through then swing back around to it after the anger passes.
Maybe you’ve been struggling with personal responsibility and suddenly feel the need to accept accountability for your actions, decisions, or beliefs (or lack thereof).
It’s not always easy to see our own role in our lives. Some of us may experience an awareness of ourselves that we haven’t noticed before. Maybe your own role in your life becomes more clear during this time.
Something worth bearing in mind throughout this week is this: The ruler of this moon (Mars in Gemini) in square Neptune (in Pisces). There can be disillusionment around what inspires us to take action or what angers us. This is also likely a very busy time. Thankfully, Mercury is now direct from its latest retrograde motion and will be transiting late degrees of Virgo, so there is a lot of support around making decisions clearly and discerning truth from fantasy. (Especially with the foresight you’ve now been given!) Should you find yourself angry or confused, pause & check in with yourself before going further.
Read on to find contemplation/journal prompts. This is another way to support your practice during this time. I have also included a few actions you can take to embody the energy of the moment. I’m genuinely curious about how these prompts help others and would love any feedback or stories you would like to share. You can email me at mandee.sheeler@gmail.com with any stories, experiences or revelations related to the offerings.
Contemplation & Journal Prompts
-What are you willing to compromise on in your relationships? What are you not willing to compromise on?
-When was the last time you “stood up for yourself”? What was that like? What pushed you to stand up for yourself? How did you handle it in the moment and after?
-What is your relationship to anger? Do you avoid it at all costs? Do you jump to it too quickly? How do you communicate when you are feeling anger to those around you and how can they support you in those moments?
-If you didn’t have to worry about the “way things sounded” what would you say to your partner? Your boss? Your family or friends?
Work with the Moon
-Candle meditation. Sit in a dim or dark room and watch the flame of a candle.
-If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or like you’re emotionally overheating try some peppermint tea or smell some peppermint oil. Peppermint has a minty freshness to it that you may find soothing during times of frustration.
-Listen to episode 40 of The Cosmic Dispatch. The episode is titled: Libra Season: The Relationship Episode. This episode talks about relationship astrology, also known as synastry.
-Do something that requires you to be brave.
-Create fire. Literally or figuratively. Have a full moon bonfire or get a workout in and maybe go for the new PR.
-Think about where in your life you could serve as a bridge. Either between two people, two groups or belief systems. What coin are you able to see both sides of, that others may struggle to see?