Cancer Full Moon
Friday, 1/6/2023, 6:08 PM EST
The Full Moon is our monthly climatic celestial event - the Sun shines a light upon our inner landscapes and we see the terrain that provided the nourishment to our current form and experience of reality.
With the Sun in Capricorn, our energetic light wants consolidation, structure, and proper use of resources for attaining (or maintaining) long-term success; as this light shines upon the Cancer Moon, we’re confronted with the quality of our emotional bonds.
We may want structure, form, and achievement, but everything we build requires a sound foundation and a pliable substance - you cannot build a brick house without a deep, level foundation that can withstand seasonal changes. You cannot stack bricks one on top of the other and expect them to remain that way - you need mortar to bond the bricks and to stabilize the structure.
Capricorn and Cancer are two out of four of the Cardinal signs - the signs that initiate seasons, that get things moving - though, they are the passive Cardinal signs, so they are indirect and their methods for getting others to move towards their goals are not as “in your face” as the other Cardinal signs: Aries & Libra. Cancer, the crab, moves around others, shielding its softness, as it attempts to elicit an emotional response from others, and Capricorn, the sea-goat, climbs steadily above others as its tail hugs the Earth below, as it attempts to be in control of environmental resources.
The Cancer-Capricorn Axis is associated with our origins, our parents, and our (familial) legacy - these are the bricks and mortar we were born into; we didn’t have a choice in the matter, regardless, their influence is indirect, sentimental and heavy upon our psyches. A baby doesn’t know how to nourish itself, so it accepts the nourishment given by the parent. A baby doesn’t know how to build a shelter, so it grows within the shelter provided by the parent.
The Cancer-Capricorn Axis can be thought of as the building that provides a foundation for life to grow…but not all buildings are created the same or equal. Parents are flawed - many are thrown into parenthood without guidance, awareness or preparation. They are often doing the best they can with the nourishment and structure they were given from their own parents. But they fall short - all of them. Some children are fortunate to have parents that fulfill most of their emotional and disciplinary needs, others are less fortunate and are born to parents who cannot or will not meet their needs. I think most of us are born somewhere in-between. Though, each unique childhood experience influences our adulthood and most humans copy the blueprint of their parents.
It isn’t necessarily bad or wrong to want what your parents had or to build your life in their image - but it can be limiting and unfulfilling…especially if our parents fell extremely short in meeting our needs, in that case, we should probably burn the blueprint and start completely from scratch. In other cases, where the parents were able to meet some needs but not others, the blueprint may just need some minor adjustments here and there.
Regardless of the case, it is important for us to know what our emotional needs are so we can build a home that meets them. (Which is often easier said than done.)
This Cancer Full Moon is opposite the Sun and Mercury Rx in Capricorn - there is a spotlight on our most vulnerable and tender histories, and we may be reaching out to old friends or mentors who were once pillars in our lives to remind ourselves of how much has changed, but also, how much has stayed the same. This Full Moon wants us to share stories of past storms, to write in our journals, or to sit quietly and contemplate on your next phase. This Full Moon is square Chiron in Aries - so it may be bringing up feelings of not being truly seen or accepted by your family of origin or by those who have provided structure in your life. You may want to lash out in anger or show contempt towards those who are comfortable in themselves and open about their shortcomings. If you find yourself angry, take the time to sit with yourself - identify what it is that you want - who it is you want to become - and focus on the habits and patterns you can change that will help you become more comfortable in your existence. Chiron in Aries is the pain of existing - of having a body - of moving in ways that don’t feel right or truly like yourself.
The remedy of this Full Moon is at 16º22’ Libra - a point on the zodiac wheel associated with the 3 of Swords of the Tarot: emotional release, compassionate reflection, recovery from heartbreak. We can move through these painful emotional tides - we don’t need to remain engulfed by the pain of the past - the storm clouds do eventually move away…but it all takes time. Building a home that will stand the test of time can never be built overnight. Saturn’s lessons unfold over 7 year increments. Maybe you don’t know how to meet your emotional and structural needs right now, and that's ok, we all start somewhere…you just need to give yourself a good 7 years to discover them - following the Moon’s rhythm through your natal chart will provide you with invaluable information that can help you tune into your inner world and align it with your external.
Cancer Full Moon 2023
