The Full Moon at 23’59 Cancer is exact on Monday January 13th, 2025 at 5:27pm EST- marking the midway point of the Lunar Cycle we are in that began with the New Moon in Capricorn on December 30th, 2024. That New Moon had an energy of fate and the only significant aspect to other planets that New Moon made was a trigger of the Mars/Pluto square that happened for the second of three times on January 3rd. Inherent in this Moon Cycle is profound energy to harness for transformation and evolution- yet we can also see the shadow sides of Mars and Pluto which manifest as war/conflict, environmental disasters (Mars rules Fires), power struggles/ego dynamics, and things happening on a collective level that impacts humanity (Pluto in Aquarius).
In my 2025 Yearly Forecast Event we looked at the major Astrology unfolding in 2025. I talked about how the portal of January 13th-20th (extending to 23rd/24th) was intense and potentially volatile. The Fires that just exploded all over Los Angeles were honestly something I would expect to see during this period of time. What was the astrological trigger for these fires? Well at 7:28pm EST (4:28pm PST) on Tuesday January 7th- Mercury at 29 Sagittarius (Fire Sign) quincunxed Retrograde Mars who just entered 29 Cancer (the sign of home and family, safety and security). When I run the chart for the moment the fires are said to have started (10:30am PST, Tuesday January 7th in Pacific Palisades, CA)- we see Mercury at 29’03 Sagittarius on the Midheaven at 26’49 Sagittarius, Neptune on the ASC and Mars at 29’30 Cancer in the 5th house. Mercury quincunx Mars is a trigger of the Mars astrology incoming that I spoke about in the Yearly Forecast- as Mars Retrograde is conjunct this Full Moon and heading to square Eris on January 20th (Inauguration Day for those in the USA).
Mars square Eris is a volatile aspect. The God of War goes head to head with the Goddess of Discord and Chaos. Mars Retrograde is not a comfortable position for the Warrior who wants to move forward, take action and deal with things head on. Instead he is forced to slow down, go back over things and deal with the past. Mars stationed Retrograde in Leo, but he just moved into Cancer early Monday morning January 6th. This is the Sign of his Fall- he is not well placed here as the Warrior wants to be direct but the Cancer Crab moves side to side. The Warrior wants to suck it up and power through- Cancer is a deeply emotional sign that expresses its vulnerabilities, sensitivities and tears. They are like oil and water mixing!
Eris is the Goddess of Discord and Chaos- but she is also the Goddess of Earnest Endeavor. When things are hard and impossible- call on Eris to help you have staying power and see things through. She is not all bad- but she is not an easy pill to swallow either. Eris is a fierce medicine that comes in when things have gotten so toxic, so stagnant, so karmic- that only Discord and Chaos can break things down so that we can have a chance at moving towards a break through. (I have a 2+ hour Masterclass on Eris here- https://divineharmony.com/eris-the-guiding-archetype-of-the-21st-century/)
Mars square Eris can be a battle of ego wills- interpersonally and on the world stage. It can also be our small self holding onto things from the past, whereas something Higher demands we LET GO so we can move on. It’s a combination that can amplify emotions tenfold, make people trigger happy, start fires (literal, but also emotional) and exacerbate conflict. Mars in Cancer is a reminder that we want to DEAL WITH OUR EMOTIONS. I titled this Full Moon Lunar Insight “A Baptism by Water and Fire” because Mars is in Watery Cancer and Eris is in Firey Aries. If we use our anger to override our emotions of grief, sadness and pain we will miss the opportunity for cathartic release and healing. If we use our emotions like grief and sadness to avoid our anger and rage- we will be unable to take action and find it difficult to pull ourselves out of the emotions that pull us down. Right relationship between the two can be the antidote- with Water helping us grieve and honor losses, while Fire helps us activate, have agency and deal with things head on.
This Full Moon is not just square Eris- but also square Hygeia the Goddess of Healing and Wholeness (Eris/Hygeia was exact on January 9th) and Chiron the Wounded Healer (first of 3 Chiron/Eris conjunctions occurs May 27th). These two healing deities tied up with Eris reminds us all that healing will happen when we tap into our rage and anger- not suppress it, not explode in it- but truly meet it, feel it and process it so that it is not causing dis-ease, depression or inflammation (in the body, in the mind, on the planet). Aries is the sign of Mars and part of what needs to heal is the destructive hero archetype. Shadow Mars/Aries is a warmonger, violent and reactive. If you have seen the movie “Wonder Woman” you know that at the end it is Ares the God who incites humans to violently battle each other.
There is a lost association of Mars/Ares/Aries that needs to be reclaimed. In his original pre-patriarchal energy he was the protector of crops and boundaries, of women and children. He was a defender of purity and innocence- NOT A WAR MONGER. And I believe that Hygeia and Chiron with Eris is a call to heal the wounding and trauma around this archetypal energy so we can claim/reclaim the Divine Masculine’s original blueprint of protection and strength used solely to protect (think defensive not offensive- defending not offending).
This Full Moon is not just conjunct Mars and square Eris- but it is also widely opposite Pluto, sextile Uranus and trine Neptune. All the Outer Transpersonal Planets are linking up with this Full Moon- showing us that Higher Wisdom (Uranus), Higher Love (Neptune) and Higher Power (Pluto) are there to tap into. The one thing to be aware of is that when there is a lot of Transpersonality there is a tendency to want to go up and out- not be here in the body, dealing with our emotions, being present in our humanness. The Pluto aspect in particular amplifies and can exacerbate emotions, emotional subjectivity, power struggles and power dynamics (personal and global). Be aware and navigate the Pluto minefield with care (exact Sun/Pluto conjunction is the morning of January 21st- right after the Inauguration here in the USA).
This “being human journey” is not all Love and Light- and perhaps it’s not about getting to a place where it is only Love and Light (which a lot of spiritual ideas of ascension and going into the 5th dimension seem to imply) but it’s about how present, embodied and full of Light can you be no matter what is happening around you. Think of Jesus on the cross where he said ‘forgive them lord, for they know not what they do’. His heart stayed open through hell- that is how he claimed his ascension. He did not go up and out- he brought the Light all the way down and in!
The Moon, Mercury and Mars are all out of bounds- beyond the bounds of the Sun- which can amplify and exacerbate their energies. The Moon/Mars conjunction is also aspecting by declination- forming a Super Aspect that can really make EMOTIONS GO WILD. Dealing with what is arising is key- do not stuff, do not deny, do not turn to addictions to numb out. Be present with your grief and rage, your joy and pain, your hopes and fears- be present with it all. The only truly healing way out is THROUGH.
In addition (this is an added section to the Lunar Insight several hours after posting) Space Weather has shared that all of Northern America will see the Moon occult Mars within a few hours of the Full Moon. For Washington D.C. this appears to be exact between 9:25pm and 10:20pm on Monday January 13th (but go out well before to see the approach and stay out longer to see the separation). Space Weather says this is the ONE astronomical event in 2025 to not miss!
From an ancient astrology perspective planets occulting stars were omens. There are different ways to look at this- both Light and Shadow. The Moon is the public and the people- also emotions, children, the feminine principle. Mars is the masculine and the God of war and violence- but also (when in his positive expression) a protector and defender. The Moon is high (because the Sun is low from the Northern Hemisphere), out of bounds (because we are reaching max out of bounds in the 19 year Lunar Standstill cycle in March) and the Moon is in super aspect with Mars while occulting Mars. JUST WOW.
So we can see emotions running VERY HIGH and perhaps the people/collective consciousness waking up, taking a stand. The feminine principle of relationality and compassion can overcome the Mars impulse of war and dominance. But this can also exacerbate emotions to the point where reactivity and impulsivity are high- particularly if we are overcome by emotions we have no control over (it is recommended to do your shadow work!!!). Shadow Moon/Mars can be quite explosive and eruptive- in the psyche and in the matrix of the earth. Luckily this Full Moon is sextile Uranus and trine Neptune- so if we can disengage from EGO and let the Higher Mind and Heart Heart lead- the potential for emotional catharsis and renewal is high! (Thanks to Nancy for sending me the Space Weather post!)
I leave you with the Sabian Symbols and Star Spark Degrees that stood out for me regarding this Full Moon- for both the Full Moon Degree, the current Mars Retrograde degree and also the Mars Retrograde degree that gets activated 4 hours after the Full Moon and lasts until the morning of January 16th. This last one almost made me fall off my chair in light of the fires in LA that just happened. I actually realized that perhaps when a Planet/body is moving direct you round up to the nearest whole degree for the Degree Symbols as is the customary way of doing things- but when a Planet/body is Retrograde you round down to follow the movement of the apparent backwards planet. If this is the case then the degree for Mars is 27 Cancer instead of rounding up to 28 from the position of Mars in the Full Moon chart. This degree is so ON POINT, you could not choose something more accurate if you decided to make it up.
The Sabian Symbol for the Full Moon talks about ‘A woman and two men castaways on a small island of the south seas’ and how it is a degree of inter-dependence where in a crisis situations we learn to rely on each other and work together. The Sabian Symbol for the degree of Mars a few hours after the Full Moon is titled “A violent storm in a canyon filled with expensive homes” which is LITERALLY WHAT JUST HAPPENED in the Pacific Palisades, Topanga and Malibu (all canyon filled areas of Southern California known to have expensive homes). Um- WOW. This degree talks about a confrontation with a social upheaval demanding the reconsideration of static values. Ultimately it can lead to catharsis- if we can rise to the challenge of meeting a crisis situation produced by “uncontrollable karmic forces”.
The Star Sparks degrees for the Full Moon and the position of Mars in the Full Moon chart are also included below. The Full Moon degree talks about “A single crumbling Corinthian column” which literally speaks to the past that we need to let go of and allow to crumble. The Mars Retrograde degree speaks to “A karmic turning point. Having earned the right to recognize what is bondage and where lies freedom.”
You can read the full text to all of these degree symbols below.
As mentioned at the start of this article- this Full Moon kicks off a very volatile period of time as we move to the second of 3 Mars/Eris squares that is exact 7 minutes before noon EST on January 20th, Inauguration Day here in the USA. The Full Moon on January 13th is conjunct Mars and square Eris, then the Sun will square Mars and oppose Mars January 14th-15th, and Mercury will trigger Mars/Eris on the 23rd-24th. During this period of time it is key to be working with emotions, doing our shadow work, being more careful when driving/traveling, being more mindful in communication and more. It’s trigger happy territory- but if we choose to work with our triggers and rise to the challenge of meeting crises in our lives- profound transformation and catharsis awaits for us on the other side. On a more collective level- the fact that this astrology is a week before the Inauguration makes me concerned about things happening in the USA.
All I can say is KEEP YOUR EYES WIDE OPEN and be discerning. It is not lost on me that the lead into these fires was a Mercury/Neptune square and then a Mercury/Mars quincunx. Neptune also just squared the Galactic Center for the final time on December 21st- which is seeded into the Winter Solstice Chart and shows up (separating but still tight and there) in the New Year’s Day Chart. Neptune square the GC is HUGE- what is behind the veil of human consciousness? Who might be manipulating things like the Wizard of Oz did (if you have not seen Wicked- go see it it’s a GREAT MOVIE!!!).
Positively, the Neptune energy is great for people coming together in compassionate ways to help each other. Hearts open in tragedies! But it’s also a reminder that not all is as it seems- with reports of some of these L.A. fires being started by arson and reports of incorrectly managed water storage so that firemen do not have enough water to use to fight the fires (also in part because people were using water to fight fires themselves- 4 times the amount of usage on the water system)- there is a lot going on behind the scenes that we may not be privy to. The best thing to do with Neptune is to be in witness mode- not being run by fear or fantasy- but to be willing to take off the rose colored glasses and see the TRUTH- within and without <3
Blessings…
~Harmony
LINKS-
Watch my 2025 Yearly Forecast Livestream- https://divineharmony.com/astrology-blog/free-new-years-day-livestream-event-the-astrology-of-2025/
Get my Eris Masterclass- https://divineharmony.com/eris-the-guiding-archetype-of-the-21st-century/
Take Astrology & Your Shadow to support shadow work and emotional intimacy- https://divineharmony.com/astrology-your-shadow/
Learn about other Courses & Masterclasses-
https://divineharmony.com/my-astrology-classes/
https://divineharmony.mykajabi.com/store
(please note a few Courses/Classes are only posted on the Kajabi Store link at this time)
SABIAN SYMBOLS
by Dane Rudhyar
FULL MOON DEGREE-
24 CANCER
PHASE 114 (CANCER 24°): A WOMAN AND TWO MEN CASTAWAYS ON A SMALL ISLAND OF THE SOUTH SEAS.
KEYNOTE: The focalization of complex inner potentialities in harmonic and concrete relationships.
We are dealing here with a special phase of the process of integration. The woman and the two men represent the three-fold aspect of the human personality, particularly at this stage when one of these aspects — the emotional life (the woman) — is facing the possibility, if not the inevitability, of relating itself to both the spiritual and the mental. This confrontation occurs on a small island of the South Seas, and “south” always refers symbolically to the strong and passionate impulses of human nature. Somehow the three-fold consciousness has to develop a harmonious and well-integrated modus vivendi (a specific way of life). If successful, this will release powerful energies and will lead to the next symbolic scene.
We have reached the fourth stage of the twenty-third five-fold sequence. As is most often the case, we are introduced here to a specific technique — or at least to a problem of technique — in living. The three human beings should become integrated; but the form this integration will take seems left open. It has to be a concrete type of integration in terms of the emotional and biological drives of human nature (an island of the South Seas) and the field of integration is “small.” The key to the problem of relationship should be the realization of INTER-DEPENDENCE.
MARS RETROGRADE DEGREE- Mars hits this degree 4 hours after the Full Moon and will be there until the morning of 1/16
PHASE 117 (CANCER 27°): A VIOLENT STORM IN A CANYON FILLED WITH EXPENSIVE HOMES.
KEYNOTE: A confrontation with a social upheaval demanding the reconsideration of static values.
The deeper implications of the scene depicted in the symbol are that the socio-cultural elite can always see its position and security challenged by forces beyond its control, even if it may be successful in protecting itself from destruction. The individual may not be able to depend on the standards and values he has acquired through education and through a relatively sheltered and rich life. He has to rise to the occasion, and perhaps to undergo an inner metamorphosis as a result of the crisis he has been able to accept as a personal challenge.
The contrast between the two first phases of this twenty-fourth sequence is evident: peace in luxury and intellectual development in terms of collective cultural values (reading books), then the challenge to meet a crisis situation produced by uncontrollable karmic forces that could lead to a successful CATHARSIS.
STAR SPARKS
by Ellias Lonsdale
FULL MOON DEGREE
Cancer 24
A single crumbling Corinthian column.
Ancient times prepare for future times and bypass modern ego development. We once were pre-selves, free to roam in the Cosmos at will. We are now becoming post-selves, taking up our incarnation in a spaciousness that draws us to the same places we once knew, but with a very big difference.
Way back when, our strings were pulled by invisible forces. We tapped the mysteries because there was no other way. It was natural and inevitable to place our unconscious selves upon the altar of the greater macrocosm. We were the whole of existence in one, as ever, just as intended.
In the near future reawakening of Cosmic Spirit in this Earth, we become so grateful and relieved that the ancient place we’ve always held to can be our springboard to what comes next, if we can undergo this one initiatory passage of the utmost intensity and urgency.
We must shatter the idols, the images, the last remnants—the form aspect of what once was in order to find legitimately, in a grounded way, what can be and must be now. But we have held so tightly, so tenaciously to these last dregs, that the willingness to let go of them to make way for the new, is elusive and out of reach until we come up against the ravages of belief systems, old karmic groupings, and specialized antique allegiances.
It is vital for us to surrender to the inescapable fact that what we once held so very sacred is simultaneously our obstacle and our further goal. The obstacle is the attachment to the form dimension, which is subtle, deep under, difficult to own. The goal is to reclaim the spark of the ancient timeless ways, once we have stripped ourselves of their glamour.
MARS RETROGRADE DEGREE (from the Full Moon Chart)
Cancer 28
A tremendous cave on the banks of a river.
Working super intensively in order to turn so many things around from inside the self. Being faced with a mountain of old stuff, which has gone on this way forever. Being granted abundant opportunity to shift every single pattern, to find a new way to be.
The concentrative process of waking up inside the patterns of the past, in a total sense. The quickened pulse of seeing and knowing and feeling, of thawing out, of getting our bearings in a new world. Yet, also the arduous ordeal we face in really getting to the innermost center—the source point of what has become rigid and caught. How do we turn all that into directions we can live with for a long time to come?
A karmic turning point. Having earned the right to recognize what is bondage and where lies freedom. The partisan voices of the past make way for a far more universal and all encompassing vision for the future.
An extraordinary situation. What a blessing it is to be able to enter the cleansing, the purging process in one’s own biography, and then to also be on tap for the same kind of clearing action collectively. The only thing it takes is guts—the courage to stay with all this, no matter what.
The shadow is a deep one. Perhaps we see too much too soon. Maybe our motivation to change everything turns us against ourselves until we learn how to wield the truth dispassionately. It is easy here to take on the burden of our prenatal resolves to move forward this time around in major radical ways.
A vital skill must be cultivated. We need to be objective to where we’ve been and its consequences. Only when we have become spacious in our self-beholding can we also give these treasures away in a larger sense. For our influence must be that of a loving approach, a forgiving dynamic that frees up the old and brings in the new with appreciation for every part.