Full Moon in Capricorn 2018: Heart and Soul

Symbols:

For the Sun at 7 Cancer: In a moonlit fairy glade two little elves are dancing. Man's recognition of the elusive play of underlying forces in nature. Cooperation with the invisible. Unusual good luck.

For the Moon at 7 Capricorn: A heavily veiled heirophant leads a ritual of power. Gathering together of the power of a group to one purpose and into an individual will. “Avatar” ship.

For Saturn headed to 5 Capricorn: An American Indian camp; A fierce war dance begins. Mobilization of latent energies for determined self-exertion. Obsession by elemental forces. Violent awakening to reality.

The symbolism here is interesting enough on its own. There are two references to dancing coming from the symbol for the Sun and for Saturn. Of course, the nature of this dancing seems to have two different root causes. One seemingly in the nature of joy and celebration. The other in preparation for war. Yet, there is still dancing. We also see three references to responding to unseen forces. With the Sun's Sabian “cooperation with the invisible.” With the Moon “Heavily veiled.” With Saturn “Obsession by elemental forces.” Then, both Moon and Saturn mention “gathering of forces” and “mobilization” both with an end purpose for the gathering of energies in mind. To “one purpose” for the Moon and “self-exertion” for Saturn.

Over and above the repetitive themes found in the symbolism, each time I look at this chart I hear “Personal accountability.” Which, I feel is precisely the energy that is coming from the Moon and Saturn Rx. At the same time, within the collective there is a big push of “do something” and lots of folks asking “what can I do.” I do see this is as a horrible thing. I would like to layer it over the world, actually...this desire to engage in the common welfare in some way. Yet, I also recognize this “push” as something that likely results from Mars frustrated station point. His energy builds and grows stronger here and it does feel like a push of “gotta do something.” It's just that historically folks are more reactive to this “push” than inquisitive...asking “what can I do” in my opinion is such a HUGE collective step in the right direction. You know? It makes my cold and bitter heart melt a little...lol...actually. Mars stationing points directly to the symbolism that mentions “mobilization” and “gathering together of the power” both having what? A clear purpose. One for war; one for “one purpose.”

So, what can you do? That depends. What do you want to do? What purpose are you guiding yourself under? That's the most important part to uncover. Your own motivations, first and foremost. And, then, specifying a clear end goal.

And, I'm sure you've seen the hype. We have a billion planets in retrograde from what I understand. Yet, no matter how many retrograde planets we have they all essentially mean the same thing especially when they coincide like they do in this particular season. Turn inward. Look inside yourself. Rethink. Remember. Reassess. Learn from the past so that we may learn to do better in our future as individuals. Find what it is that motivates you. Figure out what it is you would like to achieve. Then, turn outward. Look for those who have common motivations and goals and then together you can mobilize and gather forces in an effort to move forward.

I literally just wrote to my friends that the reason I study and share astrology is that everything has a season. To me it's no different that reading the almanac and discovering that your tomatoes will do better if you plant them in the Spring versus the dead cold of Winter. Astrology tells us the “seasons” in your chart, the “seasons” of the planets and the Universe, the “season” in which you born and the “seasons” you will encounter within your life. A bunch of retrograde planets means we are in the midst of a season that asks us to look inward. It really is that simple. But, the anxiety that folks are feeling is also par for the course during this kind of “season.” Not unlike it's par for the course for folks to feel a little more chilly during their season of winter than they do in their location during the season of summer.

So. Thus far we have accountability and a gathering of energies at this Moon. And, we are in a “season” of personal introspection. Problem with that being there have also been (and the Full Moon itself is one) a lot of oppositions which can lead to projection. In this instance, we are seeing a variety of pinning blame on folks for various things. This person or entity is at fault for this. This person or entity is at fault for that. Those people need to do this to fix the thing..or that..or whatever. Okie dokie, then. If we INTERNALIZE as this season suggests, though, it becomes “what am I accountable for? What do I need to do differently to fix this thing or that thing in my own life? What can I do 'out there'?”

Well...what do you do? And, why do you do what you do? What is your job? What is not your job? Where is your “circle of influence” and where is it not?

Answering these questions for yourself is going to lead you toward the things you can do and where to do them. Plus, you will have a more full understanding of why you want to do the thing in the first place which, in turn, will help you link up with others who share your motivations and/or agenda. Essentially what we are being called to do is take a big step back and check in with ourselves. To re-evaluate our goals. To re-focus our intentions. To take a moment and assess our own past actions evaluating them for effectiveness and looking at ways we could have done things differently while assessing those “coulda shoulda's” to see if taking a different approach to the situations in front of us might be a good way to go this time.

Of course, it not only pays to remember what a season of retrogrades means. It is also good to remember what the “season” of a Full Moon means. It's time of culmination and release. The seeds we planted at the previous New Moon begin to bear fruit. From there our metaphorical plant blooms and then begins to release nutrients back into the soil to prepare it for the next planting. So, notice what culminates here in an effort to glean understanding from the seeds you may plant deliberately...yes...but also the ones you may plant unconsciously. Seeds are seeds and they have a tendency to bloom even if we drop them accidentally in a random area. So, it's always a good thing to take a step back to see what it is that is growing around you because chances are you in had a hand in their planting and growth in some way.

I'm not telling you to eviscerate yourself if the circumstances in your life are unsavory (ahem...lookin at you Virgo). All I'm saying is that looking at the ways in which you have accountability in your personal current circumstances ALSO shows you where your power is so that in the future you can exert it consciously and effectively. I'm also not telling you that you in some way deserve illnesses and abuses or what have you. Bad things happen to good people and vice versa. Plus, sometimes folks are just jerk offs. You know? But, you DO have accountability in regard to how you view those malefic happenings and how you decide to live your life following such a thing. Which means..you also have power there. It's the flailings of helplessness that are the most dangerous when in fact we are not helpless or powerless in most situations. It's the challenge of finding where we have power and then choosing how to direct it that is the biggest deal.

Retrogrades can also denote a season of running into your past. Particularly with Mars near the South Node. You will likely run into people FROM your past. To haunt you? No. To remind you and teach you. To give you a chance to compare your own maturity levels from that past time to now. So you can see the whole of the previous dynamic with more wise and learned eyes. So that you can look back and learn how to move forward more effectively. Admittedly, though, it can really feel like a haunting especially if the past interaction is something you'd rather just forget. But if it WAS an influential and memorable time period in your life chances are there is something for you to learn from it. Not saying the other person doesn't have something to learn too. Just that their education really isn't much of your business. This is certainly a season of being mindful of what is your business and what is not.

So, under the retrograde season and the season of a Full Moon we are given a chance to introspect in light of these hauntings and learn. Then, we can release/forgive the past at this Full Moon. Break negative attachment. Release bad habits. See where we yin'd when we should have yang'd and MOST IMPORTANTLY LEARN from our previous experiences and in turn learn more about ourselves. As we reflect/internalize, we glean a more clear understanding of who we are, what motivates us and how we can more effectively engage in our own futures. We can also release our grasp upon things that are NOT our responsibility as we will likely be shown these too. This allows us to focus in more fully on what our true responsibilities are thus helping us to make our actions moving forward even more effective because we have a more clear understanding of what the goal and the job is in the first place.

The King of Cups is our guide for the next two weeks. We leave the garden of the 9 of Pentacles that we landed in during the New Moon and move to the seas that mix together leadership and compassion. Reality with dreams. Earth and Water. Sea and shore. Emotion and boundary.

All Kings are the supreme leaders of their realm. The King of Cups lords over all that is water. Creativity. Compassion. The realm of the unseen, dreams, the spiritual and the imagination. The literal sea, lesser bodies of water and her inhabitants. Emotions. Shape shifting (water changes physical form..gas, liquid, solid). Indirect and patient action (as water wears away Earth/stone patiently over time).

Often, I see him as a Spiritual Leader. Or, the business dude who negotiates over glasses of wine. Or, at his lowest, someone who may manipulate the spiritual, imaginary and emotional in an effort to achieve his “secret” agenda. It happens. Just because someone is given a crown doesn't always mean they are a good person or that they have an agenda with the “best for all” in mind. We aren't aiming for the lesser energies, though. What we are aiming for is to embody the higher expressions of this King which includes gentleness, compassion and creativity in leadership efforts. In that, we are called to model this type of leadership as we move out and about in the world.

The King of Cups is an indirect leader. You've heard, “You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink?” Well, this King gets the horse to the water and gets him to drink and the horse doesn't even fully realize that he has been led. He thinks it was his idea the whole time. This is how indirect leadership works. You don't drag the horse. You don't pull on his reigns. You don't talk to him about the facts of good hydration. You go over to the water. Get yourself a drink. And show how refreshing that is. And, then, the horse follows. Not a single word need be spoken here, you know?

The King of Cups may lead disputing parties to a resolution in the same way. Say he is negotiating a conflict between two different business managers or something. These two folks don't get along at all. Let's assume that. But, the King hosts a big party and invites them both. He seats them across the table from one another. He talks to each of them in the same way while offering them both good food and good wine. He creates a soft and subdued atmosphere and plunks these two bosses right down on the same playing field...even Steven. Both there eating. Both are subordinates to the King. Both, likely, donning their best behavior due the latter. The King knows this and uses his “weight” to then direct them both. He creates and cultivates the atmosphere that supports what it is he trying to do...which, in this instance could mean quelling a quarrel between two major department heads because that is what is best for the whole Kingdom to run smoothly. The department heads relax in the atmosphere and this “assists” them in dropping their guard a little. The King may then even subtly point out positives traits of each person to show he favors neither one above the other but rather sees them both as valuable in different ways. By the end of the night the quarreling managers are...perhaps not accidentally a little more fuzzy from the wine and dinner...are on a level playing field and both have been shown favor so the need for competition has lessened a bit...and who knows? Maybe they are now laughing in the corner like they were best friends all along. When the weekend is over, maybe they will return well over their feud and be ready to align in an effort to work toward the Kingdom's goals.

The King smiles. He planned it that way all along. And, even if in retrospect his warring managers may realize that...it doesn't really matter if they ever do since the King's goal was achieved without them knowing anyway. The King also realizes that doing something like this may backfire or not yield his desired result. But, as water patiently erodes stone, he is willing to keep chipping away at it in these subtle yet guiding ways.

So, we are not only looking at guiding and leading with compassion here. We are also looking at considering the softer parts of the folks we deal with and making accommodations for that in our efforts. We are also looking at the power of persuasion, the use of atmosphere and using creativity (and a perhaps a glass of wine) to solve real world problems. This King knows the right way to mix business with pleasure.

Another thing water does is seek out small crevices in an effort to “introduce” itself. Say the King of Cups meets someone that he would like to get to know more fully. The someone he meets is standoffish with big bold WALLS around them seemingly with no interest in connecting with others but more likely walling themselves up in protection against the world. That happens too. This King is going to lurk around this person. Listening to what they say. Watching what they do. Circling...not unlike a shark (just with different intent)...looking for that crevice. Finally, walled up person mentions something personal that they have in common with the King. This could be as simple as mentioning a movie or television show they like. Or even mentioning that they have children or elderly parents. That commonality or

“Shared” space is the crevice he is looking for and can use to make connection with the person. The King isn't going to immediately strike on that spot but slowly make his way toward it. Perhaps saying “I heard you talking about X show yesterday. I watch it all the time. I really like it too.” The crevice has been breached. That's enough to get him “in the door” to make a connection and further his influence in his gentle indirect way.

In terms of “Spritiual leadership” we aren't looking at a dude on the street corner shouting religious warnings and declaring the world's end. Though, I do understand that there are rumblings of that happening. We are also not talking about forcing people to believe in the way you do or shaming them if they do not. Spiritual leadership is as simple as walking your talk. Modeling your values and beliefs. Realizing that we are all developing on different levels with various lessons to learn and disallowing the ego from pushing some sort of manipulative agenda using religion, beliefs, values as pawns to make that happen. It's quite simply embodying what you feel is important. Showing folks what that looks like and, at times, reaching back with a helping hand to assist others up to their next level. Definitely not shoving them back or shaming them for not knowing what you already know but reaching back to gently help them up and welcome them toward further development because that's what truly compassionate Spiritual leaders do. They meet you on your level and assist you in finding your way through your own development realizing that it is yours to develop and not theirs to build. They know they are not there to push anyone up or down. Only to model and support which can be done...again...without the assistance of words or preaching.

When we mix the themes together the Full Moon says, realize your power and accountability in your life. Learn from the past but don't feel obligated to repeat it. Release what you cannot do and focus in on the things you would like to try to do, why you would like to try them and then work with what you can do. Then, out in the world you go to create the atmosphere that best supports your goals and live in it while BEING the exact thing and embodying the same values that you feel are so important. Be patient with others and reach for the compassionate and indirect route rather than trying to push folks where you want to them to go. Go there and invite them to come along while telling them of the great things that await you both you when you get there...good food...good wine...there might be a band...you just never know.

In essence, the Universe isn't asking much of us here. We aren't being called to shed blood...ours or that of the other. We aren't being asked to put in a lot of physical exertion. Sweat isn't per-requisite except due the fact it is summer in the Northern hemisphere. All that's being asked is that we excavate our own heart and soul. Adorn our armor with it. And march forward in a gentle way fostering the type of atmosphere that encourages others to do the same while replacing our infliction of world politics with the politics of love and a willingness to achieve understanding.