Full Moon in Aquarius, August 2020
Six months ago I wrote how the New Moon in Aquarius was urging us to step into a new world, a new way of being. We knew that the way we had been living wasn’t working and had to be innovative and make changes, restructure and redefine our lives.
Well that certainly has happened, but in a much bigger way than most of us could ever have imagined.
You would have to have been living in a remote cave to not know that we are experiencing a global pandemic and cultural revolution and seeing the effect it is having on every element of our lives. Humanity is being rewired, big time. So what code do we need for this new programming?
It’s up to Aquarius, the revolutionary and humanitarian to show us.
Aquarius is an air sign known for spreading ideas through the collective. It seeks out the new, the innovative, the cutting edge. It’s your friend who always seems to know the next hottest band, restaurant or trend before it hits the mainstream.
And Aquarius also knows that it belongs to a group and fights for justice, equality and the good for everyone. Look at activists Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg who are part of the generation born with a strong Aquarian influence in their chart.
The Sun is currently in Leo, a sign that when it is in its power is big-hearted, generous and noble. Yet the shadow side of Leo is arrogant, tyrannical and only thinks about its own needs.
Leo needs the objectivity of Aquarius to learn that it isn’t the centre of the Universe, but part of a wider community. Aquarius needs to learn from Leo that humanity is a collection of living, breathing individuals, not just an abstract concept to be discussed and debated.
And so it is with these two signs that we dance between shining as an individual and doing our bit for the benefit of the collective.
We all need to find our part in this new world that we are creating. This Full Moon is about releasing the parts of ourselves that tell us that it can’t be done. It’s about letting go of the belief that because it hasn’t happened before that it isn’t possible. It’s dissolving purely operating from ego.
This Full Moon sees Uranus in Taurus create a T-square with the Sun and the Moon. The influence of Uranus (the ruler of Aquarius) in Taurus over the past 18 months has been keenly felt. Taurus doesn’t like change, yet Uranus thrives on it. On a global scale, this aspect will see sudden economic changes forcing more balance in the distribution of wealth.
On a personal level this aspect will exacerbate our desire for change, yet bring up our fears, doubts, frustrations and inner gremlins which tell us it isn’t possible.
The best way to deal with this is to look to the sign of Scorpio—that expert in power and transformation. Surrender, allow what is going to go to make space for the new to come in. You may feel powerless right now. You may feel like all hope is lost. Scorpio knows that true power comes when you rise from the ashes and begin again, learning from the past as you forge a new path. And this power can be shared with others.
Venus is also cosying up to the North Node in Gemini, reminding us of the values that we are taking into the future.
In recent times Venus has had us examine what is important to us in relation to values, money, self and relationships, allowing us to be curious and explore new ideas and possibilities. She’ll soon be heading into Cancer so we can create an emotional connection to our ideas, nurturing them so they can develop more fully.
Not to be outdone, Mars the warrior (now in his pre-retrograde shadow) is squaring disciplinarian Saturn, prompting frustrations, a sense of feeling stuck and rage against authority. (Consider Mars as the wilful teenager and Saturn the stern parent. The teenager wants to do what it wants so sneaks out of the house. The parent disciplines, the teenager disobeys, with the cycle continuing to see just how far each can push the boundary.)
Saturn is telling Mars to pull back a little, assess the situation first and then put its energy into making the right move. It’s a reminder to make sure you have the resources to make it all the way instead of burning out quickly. Some battles take time. And make sure that what you’re fighting for is worth it in the long-run.
Mars will have an even bigger influence in two weeks when it will be conjunct Eris, the great disrupter, and trine the Leo New Moon. More on that closer to the time, but I will reiterate that it is important to choose your battles wisely so you are clear on what you want to fight for.
Ultimately, Full Moons are for releasing what no longer serves us. With this Full Moon being in Aquarius, we look to the ideas that are no longer relevant. Be open, be curious, be innovative. Viva la revolucion!
The exact time of the Full Moon is:
AEST: Tuesday 4 August @ 1.58am
United Kingdom: Monday 3 August @ 4.58pm
US Eastern: Monday 3 August @ 11.58am
US Pacific: Monday 3 August @ 8.58am
Find your timezone here.
A ritual for the Full Moon in Aquarius
I have curated a playlist on Spotify to take you through the Aquarian themes of change, innovation, inclusivity and working as one. To get the greatest benefit out of it, I recommend that you dance to this. When we dance we move energy through our bodies and can shift things that we didn’t even know we needed to shift. In some cases, we may not even be aware of what we released but just feel generally ‘lighter’ afterwards.
Dancing under the energy of the Full Moon is extra-powerful as this is a natural time for us to release old patterns, beliefs, ideas, emotions that we no longer need. It helps create space within us to invite in something new.
How to do this ritual
Set-up: Find a space in your home where you won’t be disturbed for at least an hour. Make sure you have enough space to dance without bumping into furniture. Have a water bottle on hand so you can stay hydrated. Also have your journal or some paper to record any thoughts that may come up during the ritual.
Head to the Settings in Spotify and make sure you have turned off Autoplay so that once the playlist ends you are able to sit in silence. (If you are using the mobile app you will find Autoplay under Settings - Playback.) Also make sure that you have turned off any other shuffle or repeat settings—you want to listen to the playlist in the order that it has been curated.
Set up any speakers or headphones so that you have the best sound possible. (I like to listen through headphones so I can really block out other sounds and feel into the music.)
Create a mood: Light a candle or some incense, dim the lights.
Read the blog post about the themes of this Full Moon, then perhaps sit in contemplation or journal out some of the things that you personally wish to release and transform.
When you are ready, start the playlist. Move your body in a way that feels intuitive in each moment. No-one is watching so you can really let go of your inhibitions. When moving, I like to close my eyes or have a soft gaze so I stay more in my body. Just make sure you stay aware of where you are in the room so you don’t bang into any furniture and hurt yourself.
The playlist is designed to take you on a journey through the Aquarian themes of change, innovation, inclusivity and working as one. If thoughts, feelings or emotions come up for you keep moving them through your body. You might find that certain areas of your body, like your shoulders or hips, feel stiff at first and want to be moved in a certain way. This is your body releasing things that have become stuck.
The final track is a sound healing. Sit or lie down and allow the music to wash over you as your nervous system settles.
Once the music ends, you may find you want to lie in silence for awhile or journal about your experience. Just do whatever comes to you intuitively.
Drink plenty of water after the ritual. Having a shower afterwards or a soak in the bath with some epsom/himalayan sea salts can be really nice as well to help symbolically ‘wash away’ anything that you were releasing. Eating magnesium-rich foods (bananas, almonds, dark chocolate) can also help replenish your system.
You might feel like you have an ‘energetic hangover’ the next day or have emotions come up. Be gentle with yourself, rest when you can, drink lots of water.
***
I have been working with this style of ritual on the Full Moon for awhile now and have found it to be a great way to release and let go. I hope you find it as beneficial as I do.
With love
Tanya
xxx
Would you love an overview of your important themes for the next 12 months, with guidance on how to make the most of them? Book in for a personal Year Ahead astrology reading.