The Full Moon in Capricorn comes exact on Wednesday, July 1 at 10:20 pm EST
Click here to learn about the Moon. Click here to learn about Capricorn.
All that we aspired to during the Cancer cycle now comes to culmination. This particular full moon was called the Full Buck Moon by the Algonquins of North America as it coincides with new antler growth on young male deer. It is also sometimes called the Thunder Moon in recognition of summertime storms. The moon will rise at sunset, peak at midnight and set at sunrise.
The Sun and Moon are now in total opposition between cardinal water Cancer and cardinal earth Capricorn: divine feminine vs. masculine energies. You may recall that we had a Full Moon in Cancer in the first week of 2015. We have now reached the other end, a reversal of the Cancer-Capricorn axis. Any themes/conflicts that predominated then will now resurface.
Moon vs. Saturn
The Cancer-Capricorn polarity works to achieve balance between what we feel and what is expected of us. Let’s meditate for a moment on the ruling planets of each sign, the Moon and Saturn respectively. The Moon looks out for the heart; they are really one and the same – deeply internal and categorically personal. Saturn is the iron-fisted patriarch of the zodiac, always on the straight and narrow, continually holding himself to society’s highest standards. On one end of the spectrum, we have loony Cancer in her fullest expression: delightfully irrational, following her heart all over the cosmos without hesitation, lost in her inner ocean. On the other lies Capricorn, so bound up in his own ideas of what should be that he never feels real freedom. Cancer abides in dreams, in feeling, in the raw landscape of the heart’s unruly desires. The Full Moon in Capricorn yearns to sweep it all together and make something out of it, to build something solid that feeds the soul’s thirst for structure and order.
The Moon rules Cancer, so we are currently swimming through the annual “lunar cycle.” As such, the full moon falling in this cycle is usually a trying time - why? Yes, the Moon is at her utmost peak, exercising goddess righteousness o’er all the Earth. Yet paradoxically, this is what precisely what makes her most uncomfortable. She prefers to operate behind the scenes, quietly moving from one phase to the next and working her magic on the internal body. The Moon does not plan or prepare, so when she is shoved into the spotlight, she doesn’t quite know what to do.
Inward journey
Opposite signs on the zodiac wheel have inherent differences, but they also have a lot in common. Cancer and Capricorn both seek security. The crab and sea goat feel a soul longing to put down roots and get settled early in life, whether physically or emotionally. Too much Cancer energy makes life feel like an out-of-control emotional rollercoaster where we cling fiercely to cloying comforts with sharp pincers. Too much Capricorn makes life feel rigid, with the mind seated firmly in the external world. The crab reminds the sea goat that it’s unhealthy for body and spirit to lean so heavily on what is, or perhaps more accurately, what appears to be. This leaves us unwilling or unable to relax and allow room for uncertainty and the joy found therein. And yet the sea goat reminds the crab that there is much to be gained from even the most rudimentary form of self-discipline.
To say that the Cancer-Capricorn polarity is between the heart and the head is an oversimplification. A more accurate delineation: Cancers see the heart as an organic and integral source of information, as do Capricorns, but the goat struggles to collate what he feels versus what he thinks he should feel. The Cancer cycle is an inward journey. Imagine yourself on this watery quest, now halfway to your core. As the full moon rises, a vibration gathers from all directions to meet in the middle of the ocean. Here we are clairvoyant, full of psychic wisdom, fearlessly tuning in to the flow of energy all around us. The Full Moon in Capricorn is a reminder that structure and discipline are worthy tools for reorganizing life and providing a bit of direction, but we must also recognize our true essence as mystical, surreal, complex - surrender to the tides with total abandon lest we silence the voices within!
Peace, love and goddess power
As stated, the Full Moon in Capricorn is hardly a walk in the park, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything inherently gloomy about this phase. In the same way that speaking our truth or living from the heart can incite fear and anxiety, the Full Moon in Capricorn is simply a test of character. What are you working on and how well are you doing? Where in life do you need more self-control? Use this earth energy to get some good work done, but keep in mind that earth is, by nature, heavy and resistant to change. Visualize new sprouts growing from a fire-ravaged forest floor. We can connect to the earth and still be light!
Watch for the tendency to be critical of the Self and others. Capricorns set the bar high then struggle to understand why everyone else can’t keep up. The sea goat would do well to learn a little empathy and compassion from the crab.
I suggest a ritual involving earth, such as planting seeds. You are loved. Namaste.
If you are curious about how this transit affects you personally, please contact me for more insight. To ascertain your personal Moon sign, click here.
Mantra: self-discipline