The Full Moon is a time of culmination, illumination, and release. This is the time to harvest the fruits of your labours, often those efforts set in motion at the time of the New Moon. It is also a ‘spell’ to release and purge, where you prepare to leave behind what is unnecessary, shrugging off any excess cargo. Astrologically, every Full Moon has the Sun and Moon in opposition and the manifest effect in the night sky is unmistakable – the Moon is bathed in the light of the Sun. This can feel uncomfortable due to agitation caused by having our submerged lunar drives under direct solar scrutiny. How we feel about ourselves and behave is different to how we want to be seen, project, and what we identify with consciously. Our lunar nature is instinctive, conditioned and receptive but also simply reactive!

The Full Moon on the 16th of October at 23 degrees Aries, is a melting pot, turbulent and dramatic. We may have to navigate chance events, encounters and emotional upsets that feel as though a blade has grazed our jugular. This is much more likely if it makes a contact with your personal chart via conjunction or opposition. The Moon is conjunct Uranus in Aries, and the Sun opposes it from 23 degrees in Libra. Both the Sun and Moon are highly personal planets and along with the Ascendant are the bedrock of our being- both emotionally and in terms of how we express and identify overtly. Uranus is the planet of change, sudden eruptions and has the potential shake up our view of the world. This can challenge our assumptions and ingrained beliefs as well as old habits. Like a charged cattle prong these effects can rattle and startle, and necessitate a review of the areas this scorching spotlight searches out. Very often such dramatic circumstances have us question notions of predictability and security. When the ground moves beneath our feet, our foundations feel insubstantial. When lightning strikes we are liable to question our judgement as well as wonder if we can depend on anything much at all.

Uranus only changes signs every 7-9 years and has been in Aries from 2011 and will remain until 2018. Its notable that when Uranus moved into Aries, its ingress corresponded to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster of 12 March 2011. There an earthquake caused a tsunami which in turn knocked out the cooling generators for the nuclear reactors. The subsequent overheating lead to nuclear meltdowns and radioactive materials were spilled triggering chemical explosions. This happened at 0 degrees Aries, often considered the strongest degree in mundane charts,. This is so as Aries is the first sign of spring and at 0 degrees, the whole sign lights up. I mention this just to illustrate the manner in which Uranus can express in Aries. In our own affairs, events tend to be far milder, yet these ‘little earthquakes’ can be traumatic and destabilising in a ‘like’ fashion.

Of course events of this magnitude are not within the scope of this Full Moon diagnostic – but sudden changes in our personal lives can make us feel as though we are having a nuclear meltdown! We can find ourselves unnerved and lit up with fight and flight hormones or paralyzed by shock , depending on the gravity of the situation and in accord with our own natures. Lightning strikes can catch us of guard, yet the current of electricity brought by Uranus can also bring us to life! If we weather the storm we can find ourselves in new vistas of opportunity that were simply not available before.

How we behave in the throes of these upsets can greatly mitigate the damage and lead you back to the blessings and hope that were the flavour of the New Moon on the 1st of October in Libra. Come what may, endeavour to maintain your equilibrium and handle those explosions with all the composure and dignity you can muster! The more flexible and adaptable you are, the better you can utilise the energy to make whatever adjustments are necessary for your plans to succeed. And some of you may be pleasantly surprized (with Uranus it can really go either way)- yet any significant changes can be a lot to absorb. Go easy on yourself and wrap those cherished notions in a box to open in more clement weather.

Main Aspects

The main aspects of the Full Moon at 23 degrees Aries are the Moon conjunct Uranus, Sun opposes Uranus, and as with all Full Moons, the central aspect is the Moon opposing the Sun. A favourable alignment is the Sun’s conjunction to the benefic fixed star Spica. Use this aspect for as your guiding star in the face of events and people that unsettle.

Moon conjunct Uranus

The Moon in Aries is more reactive and quick to rouse and respond in Aries. This is the sign of “me first”, winning at all costs and defensiveness or posturing can be charged with Uranus lighting the match next to ‘innocent’ gunpowder! The Moon relates to our routine habits and emotional nature, domestic life and home and land. And it is in these domains the lightning strike of Uranus is likely to rattle our bones. With Uranus our personal ‘nuclear reactors’ can find the cooling systems turned off and overheating! The main theme here is sudden events, encounters and conflicts. If you are a man this could also show up as a sudden infatuation where you are liable to charge in and make a conquest without thought of consequence. As the Moon relates to mood, these can fluctuate a bit wildly at this time and we can find our body clocks out of rhythm and our routines consequently in disarray.

Sun opposes Uranus

In this chart the Sun aspect has the capacity to shed light on issues and help us decide how to face challenges and responding appropriately or responsibly. This won’t be easy as in hard aspect to Uranus we often feel impelled to take an independent course of action that is foolhardy or risky. This type of behaviour is often brought about by challenges from solar figures- bosses and superiors making us want to shirk responsibilities. With the opposition these are likely to come in the form of external events and actions- that is to say encounter and events that happen ‘to us’ and what we ‘do’ as a result. We may have to juggle responsibilities or step up professionally. The strain in terms of health can be on the heart, that vital organ sensitised to shocks and identity conflicts. Whatever the astrological weather, take precautions to protect your health.

The Sun opposes the Moon

The Sun in opposition to the Moon can be utilised to shed a light on chance events and provide a level of objectivity. It allows us to stay true to our purpose, know our self, and have rational thought preside over risky rash business. In this Full Moon this is highlighted by the Sun being conjunct Spica, a very benefic and bright fixed star.

Spica is in the star in the wheatsheaf held by the Fertility/Harvest Goddess in the constellation of the Virgin/ Virgo. With the Sun, Spica brings aid through friends and family, and lasting wealth, happiness and preferment. ([Robson*, p.211.] This is the constructive work and hope nourished from the New Moon of 1 October. The Full Moon is the harvest of these optimistic projects and efforts. The bounty is still ours if we stay on course and adapt to changes of course, direction, and personal challenges are faced. Come what may, let reason prevail and head for solid ground as soon as you are able to absorb the aftershock reverberations!

What Uranus flushes out of our lives is usually not worth keeping even though we may have thought we depended on it. For some Uranus will spell calamity, a falling out with a friend or group, and others may be pleasantly surprized with a romance or conquest. Whether you’re feeling mad, bad or sad, remember that the full outcome can take longer to root. With Mars in Capricorn moving to conjuct Pluto in the background there are likely to be power plays, and tunnel vision regarding getting what you want, or others steam-rolling you to do the same. If loss is implicated, consider that you may be better off without that person or cherished possession. And if you are about to win or make a bold move see if it can’t be engineered into a win/win situation. Often we behave rashly because of the flip side of anger which is resentment. A festering wound, where we feel our voice isn’t heard or our needs not met. Remember, even those near and dear to you can’t read your mind, so pre-empt the Full Moon by addressing areas of either repressed tension with friends, spouse and family so you don’t have to reach saturation point. . This way you’ll blunt the sharpness of the blade at crisis time.

The counter-strike for the brave, is initiating dramatic daring strikes in your own sphere attacking those zones of your life where you need flushing and weeding out! If your ideas and plans are challenged, be adaptable, flexible and fleet of foot if you need to scram for cover. Individuality burns bright in this electric fire- if you’ve lost your own voice or become detached from your vision and sense of purpose, this can plug you in at the source. Obstacles can test the merit of ideas, ventures, and people, and help you discern what you want to align or involve yourself with going forward. Ideas and personal ambition/ purpose can be stirred in a vitalising manner. Uranus has the electric potential to make us feel truly alive especially if we have been in a lethargic rut.