What January's Cancer Full Moon Means for Your Sign

🌕 Deep Astro Forecast is Here! Mercury AND Venus Retrograde. Jupiter Enters Aries. Tune in and align to the cosmos here. [View this email in your browser]( The Cancer Full Moon waxes bright on Jan. 6, occurring right at the midpoint of Mercury’s retrograde cycle, with messenger Mercury entering the heart of the Sun on Jan. 7. If we take time to slow down and tune into what our intuition is telling us, we can expect quite a few new perspectives on our emotions, our plans, or our ideas. We may have to comb out some emotional tangles in order to differentiate between what feels good or familiar to us, and what will actually serve the good in our lives. But how naked and exposed we might be feeling! Chiron, symbolic of vulnerability, is making a stressful T-square aspect to this Full Moon, suggesting we will have to really sort through old, ill-fitting ideas of what will bring us success, and how to achieve our goals. Of course, the planet that represents our personal will and the energy to achieve it, Mars, is currently slowed to a standstill at 8° Gemini. When Mars slows down like this, he most resembles all-mighty Pluto—Pluto is like a hurricane compared to Mars’ strong wind storm. Whatever Mars is aspecting in our personal natal charts, and whatever house Mars falls in, is going to get quite a jolt this month. Be prepared: many of us will be launched ahead as the arrow of Mars starts its forward movement in earnest, in late January. Expansive Jupiter enters Aries to add his oomph to Mars, offering the possibility of more constructive manifestations of Mars’ energy. Sure, Mars’ action tends to separate and inflame, but it is also indispensable life energy, direction, and represents our life’s mission. Jupiter in Aries speaks of gathering the courage to grow—or perhaps the willingness to take risks in service of expansion and reaching for what seem like distant horizons. The other planet traditionally seen as a primarily beneficial influence, Venus, is also breaking new ground as she enters Aquarius on Jan. 2 and stays there until Jan. 26. Venus in Aquarius tends to stand back and observe what is happening before acting, and will have us considering our ethics and principles when it comes to finding concord on matters of love, money, and pleasure. Lastly, the final Mercury retrograde of the year is wrapping up, as mental Mercury retraces his steps through the sign of Capricorn until returning to direct motion on Jan. 18. This is a fantastic time to review our commitments and obligations, our goals and our limitations. Cresting over eastern horizons in the watery sign of Cancer on Jan. 6, the January Full Moon makes an exact opposition to the Capricorn Sun at 3:07 p.m. US/Pacific. The Moon is said to govern the deeply emotional sign of Cancer, meaning that our instincts to nurture, to attend to hearth and home, to ruminate about the past, and to notice others’ emotional states will be especially pronounced. For many of us, the high energy of the Full Moon will likely switch our intuition into overdrive, overwhelming those whose intuitive capacities are out of balance, whether overactive or under-active. The Cancer Full Moon happens to occur almost at the midpoint of Mercury’s retrograde cycle, with messenger Mercury entering the heart of the Sun on Jan. 7. The forward trajectory of the Sun is climbing through the mountains of ambitious Capricorn, who never misses a chance to remind us that hard work may not always feel good, but it pays off in the long run. Maybe staying in the comfort zone won’t assure our success. Instead, the discomfort of breaking scary new territory can help move us in an optimal direction. The deliverer of the new and exciting, Uranus, makes a harmonious sextile with the Full Moon and a supportive trine aspect to the Sun. As a result, his powers are slowly breaking free of Saturn’s problematic grip. But, Uranus is still grappling with the past in accord with a Full Moon in nostalgic Cancer. We really can move ahead, if we can allow ourselves to imagine it. We can trust our creative flow; but first we must place our history in its rightful position in our present lives to progress. Our ideas might be tied to emotional states that keep us from seeing our options clearly. Could it be that we do have more freedom to exert our own free will than we think, but haven’t yet caught up to this fact? Or, are we still trying to get free from constraints that were true in the past, but are now more stuck in our thoughts and habits than in the external world? Of course, the planet that represents our personal will and the energy to achieve it, Mars, is currently slowed to a standstill at 8° of Gemini, where it will eventually return to direct motion on Jan. 12. He spends an incredible 23 days at Gemini’s 8th degree of the zodiac, when he normally travels between one-half and one degree per day. When Mars slows down like this, its effects more resemble that of all-mighty Pluto—Pluto is like a hurricane compared to Mars’ strong wind storm. Whatever Mars is aspecting in our personal natal charts, and whatever house Mars falls in, is going to get quite a jolt this month. The high energy of the Full Moon is here to help illuminate emotional and mental obstacles to our own forward movement, to help us shake those things out of our psyche. Mars at a standstill suggests an arrow being pulled back to maximum tension in a bow, poised for release. But where is it aimed? What needs to be knocked down, burned away, or tossed on the compost heap to generate new life? The nature of the Sun-Mercury conjunction (exact Jan. 7) emphasizes introspection and soul-searching as the best means of picking our way through options, choices, dilemmas or confusions. It’s okay to be confused for a while, it’s okay to take time to sort through conflicting feelings and thoughts. The mind of Mercury will have us in better shape later in January, and it is better to use this time to really dig through our thoughts and feelings. But if you are under pressure to act now, try to avoid unnecessarily burning bridges so that you can backtrack or have latitude to move in a different direction later. For all those with important mutable placements—Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces—honesty is the best policy. Be honest with yourself about how your life energy is sapped by others or by activities, and how you must manage this. Be honest with others about your true needs and desires, and advocate for them. Finally, be honest about the amount of time it will take to achieve your ambitions, and all the obligations you must fulfill along the way. One reason Mars’ forward momentum is so important to us all is that the expansive power of Jupiter entered the Mars-ruled sign of Aries on Dec. 20 and will hang out there until May 16. Jupiter represents the cosmic intelligence of knowing how to grow and expand in a sustainable way. For example, the way that a ram’s horns will grow in a sequence to maintain perfect balance on its head even as the horns triple in size. Jupiter adds his oomph to Mars from this position, and offers the possibility of more constructive manifestations of Mars’ energy. Sure, Mars’ action tends to separate and inflame, but it is also indispensable life energy, direction and represents our mission in life. Jupiter brings blessings and benefits to whatever it touches. In Aries, it can also symbolize rapid growth or growth spurts. Jupiter’s time in Aries will presage for many of us an innovation leap that we’ll definitely make when Jupiter comes close to Uranus in mid-July this year. Jupiter in Aries speaks of gathering the courage to grow—or perhaps the willingness to take risks in service of expansion and reaching for distant horizons. The other planet traditionally seen as a primarily beneficial influence, Venus, is also breaking new ground as she enters Aquarius on Jan. 2 and stays there until Jan. 26. She has just passed through the deep intensities of Pluto (exact Dec. 31), resulting in stirrings of the heart that may include obsessive thoughts, suspicions, fear of betrayal, or other feelings of vulnerability. While it may take time to sort through some resulting interpersonal challenges, Venus in Aquarius may help cool things off a bit. Here, Venus tends to stand back and observe what is happening before acting, and will have us considering our ethics and principles when it comes to finding concord on matters of love, money, and pleasure. She also emphasizes the friendship aspects of love and partnerships, and will make us more willing to experiment or try something new or unusual with our friends or lovers. Venus makes a supportive sextile to Jupiter (exact Jan. 4) before going on to a harmonious trine with her dance partner, Mars (Jan. 9), suggesting that we will have ample opportunity to work out any kinks that arose around New Year’s Day. It can still be a little confusing though, with mental Mercury making their final retrograde of the year. Mercury appeared to stand still in the sky on Dec. 29 and will retrace their steps through the sign of Capricorn until Jan. 18, spending an unusually long two months in an earthy strategic sign bent on achievement. It is a fantastic time to review our commitments and obligations, our goals and our limitations. Where do we want to go in the year ahead? As we sit with this question, many of us will realize the depth and the layers of truth in the African proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” For most of us, this won’t be a simple binary choice. As Mercury hovers in Capricorn, the earthy, strategic and achievement-oriented sign, it’s worth wrestling with the complexity and contradictions related to our independence and interdependence. Editing, proofreading and revising are favorable Mercury retrograde activities, while any new drafts may need to be tidied up once Mercury has returned to direct motion. This includes any fresh plans or strategies, and we should take special care to not move too quickly to sign on to new agreements. We’ll need to carefully read the fine print and read between the lines! Surprising, and perhaps painful, discoveries or realizations could turn up under the influence of shocking Uranus (exact Jan. 8) and vulnerable Chiron (exact Jan. 9), indicating we can no longer ignore or deny the truth of what this Mercury retrograde is bringing up for us. The Moon represents who we are before we even think about who we are. She represents our instinctual self, and she describes our deepest vulnerabilities as well as our most profound capacity to connect with others. Full Moons amplify energy and emotions. This Moon suggests we will be combing out some emotional tangles to differentiate between what feels good and familiar and what will best serve us. Let’s see how the Cancer Full Moon impacts your own Moon placement! Aries Moon [Herbs for cleansing]( Issues of family and home are spotlighted by the Cancer Full Moon for you, Aries Moon. It may be that some very bad habits come back to bite you, and to say, “Hey, you’re not done with this yet!” This isn’t just some kind of punishment—paying attention to and unraveling both internal impulses and external forces can help clear the way to receive the blessings of Jupiter moving through your sign this year. Taurus Moon [Herbs for heart opening]( It might be time to cut loose and tell folks what you really think, Taurus Moon. The Cancer Full Moon feels want to urge you to open up and be honest about anything you’ve been holding back. Things will likely get messier the longer you postpone these inevitable conversations. Gemini Moon [Tips for manifesting]( It’s all about the money under this Cancer Full Moon. As mundane a topic as that seems to be, Gemini Moon, it is helpful to look at the ways you have identified with how you make money (and how much), and whether you connect abundance to your own self-esteem. Is your worth really determined by the money you make? Cancer Moon [Herbs for intuition]( We are kicking off the new year under your Full Moon for 2023, Cancer Moon! Your depth of care, emotional attunement and intuition can bear the fruits of both wisdom and worldly success if you choose to place yourself at the center of your caring. Any old habits of merging with others’ needs to the detriment of your own can be more easily shed in the coming year—if you take that initiative. Leo Moon [Herbs for motivation]( This Cancer Full Moon may have you ruminating on the habits of highly successful people as you ponder your own definition of success, Leo Moon. Sometimes it is the small rituals of each day that undermine your own goals. Conversely, small habits and routines can move you forward in a powerful way. Virgo Moon [Herbs for protection]( The people we associate with, whether friends or colleagues, have a tremendous influence on our own being, our attitudes, and our habits. The Cancer Full Moon may have you assessing whether or not some friends or colleagues are good for you—both as you are now and what you aspire to be, Virgo Moon. Libra Moon [Bulk herbs for people + planet]( The Cancer Full Moon is focused on your external roles in the world—not just your job or career path, but the specific quality of being that you contribute to the Earth Community. This lunation promises to give Libra Moons a preview (if not a full introduction) to some new layers of relationships and responsibility that will challenge you to grow in the first half of 2023. Scorpio Moon [Herbs for elevated consciousness]( Scorpio Moon, how you make sense of the world and your place in it is a piece of the Cancer Full Moon. Clarifying Saturn is almost finished with his reworking of your subconscious mind, and now you will be asked to forge a new alignment between your conscious desires and your unconscious needs. Old habits of thinking and feeling may die hard, but the world can be more expansive and generous for you, if you tune into the big picture. Sagittarius Moon [Herbs for joy]( Your exposure to risk—financial, emotional, creative, etc.—is highlighted by the Cancer Full Moon. Redefining what it means to have fun and be adventurous will help you find a better balance between risk and security, Sagittarius Moon. In the process of seeking joy, you might add some longevity and sustainability to your endeavors. Capricorn Moon [Herbs to stay calm]( This Cancer Full Moon could crack into some of those hard shell defenses of yours, Capricorn Moon, exposing the difference between working hard to show someone you care about them and being empathetic with those you care about—without being able to actually do much else for them. This may be a nightmare to the Capricornian, but for the one who needs your empathy and warm presence, it could be just the support they need. Aquarius Moon [Herbs for mental health]( Identifying what’s weighing on your mental and spiritual well-being could be a feature of this Cancer Full Moon. Whether it’s habits of mind, people who make it difficult to fully process emotions, or questioning the stories you tell yourself, Aquarius Moon, now is a good time to notice who or what you could take some distance from. Pisces Moon [Herbs for pleasure]( The Cancer Full Moon wants you to examine the pleasures you enjoy most in life, Pisces Moon. Are these costly to your well-being or to your bank account? Are they truly pleasurable or merely relics of a previous version of you? Conversely, if you have been neglecting your needs for pleasure and enjoyment, please take time to reignite this area of life. These things will help you make the most of taskmaster Saturn’s movement through your sign this year. Interested in a personalized astrological reading, intuitive reading, or healing ritual? 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