The Moon at 3 degrees of Aries will reach its full phase with the Sun at 3 degrees of Libra on September 26 at 9:49 a.m. Pacific time. The Harvest Moon is what the September Full Moon is called. We’re just past the autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere. Fall is here.
At any Full Moon, the opposition between two signs—and also their balanced polarity—is on display.
Libra is the desire to make peace by mediating conflict and giving priority to the needs of others. Aries by contrast seeks to gets its own way. The point of the Aries/Libra axis is to find a middle path between narrow self-interest and inter-dependence between Self and Other.
Archetypally, one might think that the Moon is not too comfortable when traveling through the sign of Aries, as it does for a few days each month. The Moon’s symbolism is soft and nurturing while Aries is like a battering ram. The invitation is to synthesize these two types of energies, perhaps by invoking a quality of courageous loving.
When the Moon is in Aries, it’s a good time to fiercely confront one’s own emotional needs, to take out a sword and set sharp boundaries, not in anger, but because there’s something or someone in need of protection.
At the September lunation, the Aries Full Moon will be traveling, close by degree, with Saturn and Neptune, co-present in Aries. The Saturn/Neptune conjunction has been a long-running transit, part of last year, and this year.
Saturn is a force that teaches us about structures, growing into maturity, and traditional ways of being. Neptune’s symbolism is about illusions, delusions, the dissolving of boundaries. These two slow moving planets, traveling together, are a collective symbol of “cracks in the wall.” The Moon in Aries in the middle of the Saturn/Neptune pairing adds volatile emotional fuel to the fire. There may be a sense that everything is on fire and everything’s falling apart.
Aries is ruled by planet Mars, so in the Full Moon chart, we look to Mars’ current condition and aspects with other bodies. Mars is now at the final, “anaretic” degree of its current passage through Cancer. When a planet is in this last degree before it moves on to the next sign, there’s a sense of urgency for it to express itself with the qualities of that sign. Also in astrology, there’s the idea of mutual reception that strengthens planetary forces. For example, the Moon will be in Mars’ home fire sign of Aries, while Mars will be in the Moon’s home sign of Cancer. This is warrior (Aries) energy for the (Cancerian) protection of self and others.
At this September 26 Full Moon, Mars is also the focal planet of a tense t-square, with Mercury and Chiron making approximately 90-degree aspects to Mars. With a t-square, the focal planet—-in this case, Mars—is symbolically under pressure from the other two bodies. Chiron represents outsider status, suffering and possibilities for healing. Mercury (communication) is in the diplomatic sign of Libra. At this Full Moon time, there may be heated and painful things said—or that need to be said—in order for there to be resolution.
None of this is easy, though. A day after the Full Moon, Mars will leave Cancer and enter Leo where it will be “applying” to an opposition with Pluto. Mars is aggressive force. Pluto is power. A Mars/Pluto opposition (exact by October 3) brings explosive potential into our already fraught collective atmosphere.
There’s no simple remedy other than to seek balance wherever possible; to be willing to fight when that’s called for—but when it’s not, to step back from the fray.
Blessings for the Aries Full Moon!
~ Sara
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