the full moon in leo is exact on saturday january 23rd 2016 at 5:46pm PST- marking the midway point of the current lunar cycle we are in that began with the new moon in capricorn (to see the write up on that lunation click here- https://www.divineharmony.org/cosmic-insight-divine-harmony/divine-harmony-astrology-blog/new-moon-in-capricorn-start-as-you-mean-to-finish/
this full moon is very focused in it’s energy as the only aspects the full moon makes are an opposition to the sun in aquarius (the moon is always precisely opposite the sun at the full moon) and a square to mars in scorpio- forming a T-square between the conscious (sun), Unconscious (moon) and the planet of will, drive, anger and action. the mercury retrograde cycle we are in began with a stationary retrograde mercury square to mars (exact on january 5th)- so we have been in mars square territory all month. mars can help us direct our energy, take action where action is needed and initiate changes in our lives- yet his shadow side expresses through war, aggression, violence, reactivity and impulsivity – so all month we have had this twofold manifestation of mars at our disposal.
of course that is not all that is going on this month- as the most potent configuration playing out right now is the T-square between uranus in aries, pluto in capricorn and black moon lilith in libra. this T-square is SUPER INTENSE but also potentially super transformative and evolutionary. with retrograde mercury triggering the whole thing not once but three times (in mid to late december, this week (!!!) and end of january/beginning of february)- we all have many opportunities being presented to us to work with these energies in the best way possible.
i wrote on a recent post on Facebook the following about the uranus/pluto/BML T square:
this T square has had a twofold manifestation in the world (as i have observed it). there have been many stories in the media about women being assaulted, harmed and enduring violent acts. i won’t list them out here- you can google them- but one example is the germany situation where 120 women got assaulted in one night. this is very pluto square BML- as pluto’s shadow seeks to dominate and control sexually, emotionally and otherwise- and BML can be the target for pluto’s unprocessed anger and rage.
yet the positive side of this T-square is using the revolutionary energy of uranus and the transformational energy of pluto- and focusing them both on the empowerment of the feminine. right around when pluto squared BML i saw a news item trending where a rapper’s wife announced her separation with her husband by posting on instagram the following: “what is a queen without her king? well- historically- more powerful”. that was totally pluto square black moon lilith talking! rather than choosing to think she was less than after being divorced from her famous husband- she reminded herself and others that historically women in leadership have been more powerful when reigning alone.
with retrograde mercury involved in all of this- deep and intense communications are in the works. it’s also a great time for deep penetrating insight into our past- childhood, past lives, depths of the psyche, etc… of course power/control dynamics can arise with this formation as well- as can violence and overt or covert manipulation. we all have to be willing to look beyond the surface to get to the Truth of matters- within and without- right now. further because BML is in libra- relationships are undergoing major shifts right now. the focus of these shifts is on bringing Light to the Truth as it is- not the truth as we wish it was, it used to be, or it could be in some time in the future.
this all ties into the full moon in leo as the T-square is a major feature in the chart- even if it does not aspect the full moon. combining this T-square with the full moon T-square with the sun and mars- and we have a feisty, fiery lunation bringing Light to all that is not being looked in in pretty significant ways.
the sabian symbol for 4 leo has a few variations- “a formally dressed elderly man stands near trophies he brought back from a hunting expedition”, “an elderly man in evening clothes, of poised and military bearing, stands alone before a lovely mounted moose head” and “a mean formally dressed and a dear with its horns folded”. clearly all of them have one thread running through them- that of a man (patriarchy, ego consciousness) having dominated and killed some kind of animal (representing nature, the feminine, the animal instincts- a deer is the ancient symbol for the Great Mother). personally i get repulsed thinking of someone killing an animal and decapitating it to keep it’s head as a trophy. to me this is egoic arrogance and complete disconnection from the sacredness of all beings- great and small- at it’s height.
lynda hill, an astrologer that specializes in the sabian symbols, notes that the shadow side of this degree is “dominating nature with power, warfare and the ravages of it, seeing things as objects to conquer, and testosterone overload.” well this is apt for western society in general. we dominate nature, abuse it, we focus on profit over integrity and morality, and we truly are imbalance in the way we express and honor the Divine Masculine in balance with the Divine Feminine.
this sabian symbol is a perfect expression of moon square mars- the feminine and instinctual nature under siege from the warlike, aggressive, shadow expression of mars (one of the masculine principles). perhaps this full moon will bring to Light these shadow sides of humanity- with a focus on seeing what we are doing and then doing something to change the trajectory we are on.
of course to really do this we have to be willing to see what we don’t want to see about ourselves, others and the world around us. unfortunately doing this is necessarily anxiety producing- because most of us have built our lives on certain principles, ideals and truths that we think are really true and good and right- but some of them most definitely NOT. to question these things we have to be willing to pull up the foundation upon which we have built certain aspects of our lives- which is not a “fun” experience (and which is the main reason why many people avoid going to therapy- as they are afraid to discover what they have been repressing and they are afraid of turning their lives upside down). yet the only way forward is to first deal with the past. and the astrology right now is all about digging up the past (personally and collectively) so we can deal with it, take responsibility for it and change the trajectory we are on.
i will leave you with ellias lonsdale’s star sparks for 4 leo- an apt one that reminds us all that to truly grow into something magnificent we have to deal with shit (aka cow manure) of our past and make use of it rather than let it fester and toxify us and slow our evolutionary trajectory down.
blessings..
~divine harmony
P.S. if you want to learn IN DEPTH ASTROLOGY my next foundation series stars on monday january 25th! for more info click here- https://www.divineharmony.org/astrologyclasses
ELLIAS STAR SPARKS
Leo 4 A gardener collecting cow manure
We can find new life by shadow work. We can tap a bright path forward which bases itself upon digesting and assimilating and metabolizing every previous cycle, especially in it’s harshest lessons and heaviest self-confront.
We are able to go as far in an expansive direction as our previous contractions paved the way for. And somehow we know this. For we find it is the fertile mistakes, the major errors and excuses which pull us most deeply through into a new life here in the earth.
However, the constant embodiment of this frequency is a sobering and a tempering that is character forming, but profoundly unwelcome to the ego-mind. And the resistance we build up to this outworking as being inevitable and inescapable, is thick, is persistent, and is backed up by the world around in every way.
Therefore, we must enlist help, support, empowerment in a direction that is threatening and overwhelming to most that we meet. We are compelled to draw forth every ounce of true reflection we can possibly find anywhere. For everything depends upon taking up a path into the shadows which no ego-mind wants and nobody in this vicinity knows the uses of deeply enough.
We are thrown here into the earth, to seek our sustenance and reflection in the hidden cracks. We are pulled to mysteries, to awakenings, to clues and cues and wild surmises. For everything we meet is a symbol, a pointer, a portal. And it all depends upon whether this one can be walked through to the other side.
A deep earth path which reclaims what civilization has paved over. An ardent quest into infinities that hold the keys to earth evolution. A burning desire to meet the self through it’s shattered earth reflection. And the wildest of needs to go against what is convenient and comfortable, to smell what others deny.