Full Moon – Aug 24 9:04am PST

Experiencing the Dreamer’s Moon

Full Moon in Pisces has a bit of a surreal, dreamy quality. This Moon falls amidst some of the most difficult astrological aspects we’ve seen in some time – not to mention that Mercury recently turned retrograde. Still the Pisces Moon feels somehow peaceful and hopeful. If you are fortunate enough to have clear skies on this night, take a moment for Moon-gazing. Chances are, you will feel the magick.

Full Moon is a time of illumination and revelation. Under this Moon those revelations are internal, and powerful. Don’t expect sudden new awareness, like flipping a switch. That isn’t how Pisces Moon works. Like the Sea, gradually eroding, drawing, seeping and gently flowing – this Moon can open inner realms without your conscious mind even being aware of it.

There is a bit of a wait-and-see feeling to this Moon. As overall difficult conditions (including Mercury) continue, the mundane physical world continues in a state of confusion and perpetual irritation/mishaps. It just seems a bit surreal and disconnected. You may find yourself thinking, feeling or reacting a bit differently than usual with no idea why. Dreams, daydreams, fleeting thoughts, and wistful moments may be your best clue. Unfortunately, clues may be all you have for a while.

Throughout the waning phase, and until the retrograde has passed, the after effects of this Moon will continue unfolding. The most important thing to do on this Full Moon doesn’t actually involve doing anything. It is about feeling, experiencing, and – most of all – opening yourself up.

Your deepest emotions, wounds, desires, fears and hopes often don’t fit well with current situations, plans or social structure. These things get pushed farther back, and deeper down until you lose touch with little pieces of yourself. Vital, powerful little pieces. Now, they are ready to surface. Not in sudden dramatic fashion, but slowly bubble to the surface. This Full Moon, making powerful aspects to Pluto, provides the crack in that inner wall, allowing it to begin seeping out.

The Power of Pluto

The ongoing T-square configuration of Jupiter, Uranus, Pluto and Saturn is particularly strong this month. All aspects involved are less than 4 degrees apart on Full Moon. However, this Moon brings an opportunity to find a bit of peace, and balance in middle of chaos. The Full Moon is sextiling Pluto, with the Sun trining Pluto. Easy, harmonious aspects to a key planet in the disharmony we’ve all been feeling – that is the gift this Moon has given us. They are called easy aspects, but it’s not a guarantee they are easy to work with.

Pluto is a planet of depth, darkness, and power. Here, darkness does not necessarily mean evil or bad. Those areas may be Pluto’s territory, but so is the dark of the Moon and the dark of the year. He is ruler of the underworld, and of death/rebirth as well as occult matters. These are topics most people find uncomfortable, though Pagans typically don’t shy away from them – giving us an edge in navigating Plutonian realms.

The least-discussed planet in the T-square, Pluto is arguably the most important. This is the source of power, and the grounding force. Much of Pluto’s influence is buried so deep within – or alternately happening on such massive scale – it doesn’t even feel like anything is happening.

Uranus is breaking down walls; Saturn is presenting long-overdue karma; Jupiter is opening doors and redefining beliefs. These kinds of things define and describe the events going on, so they get the attention. So, what is Pluto doing so important , without even being noticed? He’s providing the power. He is drawing from and speaking to the depths of your soul. Pluto is the force assuring the energy of these forces isn’t wasted on the subtle or shallow. Nothing less than raw, soul-level reality will satisfy Pluto.

The Sun-Moon aspects to Pluto lend extra power to spell working, but use this power at your own risk. Magickal practice, like anything else, is susceptible to miscommunication and undesirable results under a Mercury retrograde. There is, however, a very retrograde friendly use for the power. The most important thing to remember during a retrograde is that our attention is naturally turned inward.

Navigating this Moon

This Moon is a good time to focus on any areas you feel stuck – internally. Writers block, emotional blocks, repressed memories, faded inner fire, energy blocks… Effects can vary greatly, but we all occasionally suffer from self-inflicted blockages and repression. Usually, we don’t even know what they are. We simply know "this won’t go right"; "I can’t go there", or "I just don’t have it in me.."

Think about whatever feels blocked, let yourself contemplate and imagine. You don’t need answers, or certainties. Not this minute, not today. You just need to be willing to go there and you will find, over the next month or so, that elusive clarity forming all on it’s own. You won’t even realize what has came to light, until you look back at the uncertainty you felt under this Moon.