Full Moon on the 11th falls in the sign of Aries, setting the tone for impatience and a high activity level throughout the waning phase. With the Full Moon aspecting a Mercury-Neptune trine this should be an exceptional Full Moon for divination or spirit communication of any kind.

For the remainder of October, astrological energies will intensify. With several planets in Scorpio, and several aspects to Pluto (the ruler of Scorpio) the feeling of Samhain will be building after Full Moon – especially after the Sun enters Scorpio on the 23rd. When the Sun reaches 15◦ Scorpio marks the midpoint between the Autumn and Winter equinoxes, that is the exact moment of Samhain. Therefore, this Sabbat is charged with the energy of Scorpio.

New Moon on the 26th will fall in Scorpio giving an intensity to the coming waxing phase. It’s a time for depth and self-honesty in all endeavors. Venus will square Mars on New Moon so be careful this isn’t the beginning of trouble in relationships (romantic or otherwise).

The major October astrology aspect occurs on the 28th when Jupiter trines Pluto. This is a harmonious aspect between two powerful planets. It’s an excellent time for building personal power, or harnessing extra power for any kind of spell. (It’s also an excellent aspect for business, so if you happen to be an entrepreneur the end of October may be the time to launch new projects or phases of existing ones.) On the same day the Sun will aspect both Jupiter and Pluto, further adding to the power of the aspect. As Jupiter and Pluto both move slowly, their aspects tend to be long-lasting, so this will add an extra power boost to Samhain rituals as well.

Full Moon is a time known for high energy, and high tension – especially with an eclipse. This one is no exception, in fact an opposition to Mercury only serves to increase it. Mercury is the planet of communication and mental function (as we are reminded of every retrograde). However, he is also the planet of dates and details; random bits of information; loose ends left hanging… In other words, Mercury represents all those little things we don’t want to think about when we are aiming high.

As the Full Moon tends to illuminate all that falls within her scope, we find the issues of Mercury to be in the spotlight. All the little things that stand in the way of something big can preoccupy a great deal of one’s attention. They can also be more important than we give them credit for. This phase may be, in may ways, a time of making small changes which have big consequences, or facing small details which are symbolic of bigger issues. Beware, however, if you are looking for reasons not to face the real problem, this Moon can provide you with plenty of them.

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.

Full Moon is the time of enlightenment, challenges, emotions and – most of all – power. The Moon Goddess and the Sun God are face to face, illuminating, reflecting, attracting and repelling. The light, growing and building for two weeks – has reached it’s dramatic climax. We see the shower of lovely silver light, cast upon the dark earth. We feel the power of this direct Sun-Moon contact.

Lunar lore abounds; a great portion of it centered around the Full Moon. This single event provides more evidence and documentation of astrological influences and the power of the Moon than anything else. It is also fodder for a lot of paranoia and unnecessary drama. Not every Full Moon is wild and crazy. Not every Full Moon brings about dramatic events. Some are rather peaceful, gentle, and mild. Not this one. This month, she lives up to her reputation.

An Aquarian Moon is potent, and this one falls in amazingly close aspect to Uranus, the ruling planet of Aquarius. He is the planet of dramatic changes, freedom-seeking, alchemy, and totally unexpected events. Beyond this, we also have Jupiter squaring Pluto, and Saturn opposing Uranus the day before and after (respectively) Full Moon. As you may know, these are major aspects, part of a configuration (Grand Cross and T – Square) that is shaping the long-term instability and upheaval this year.

In short, the skies are busy this Full Moon. And busy in a rather chaotic, dramatic fashion.

The winds of change are blowing

It’s difficult to pin-point the theme of this Moon, with so much going on and Uranus being notoriously unpredictable. However, if I had to sum it up in a word that word is change. Besides the highlights mentioned above, there are many changes imminent or quite recent I won’t even attempt to list. Full Moon – literally, emotionally, and spiritually – brings illumination, reflection and revelation. What this Moon reveals are the changes coming or happening now. Even more importantly are the changes needed.

There is unrest and uncertainty in the air, it’s an ongoing phenomena. We all see and feel it personally, spiritually, romantically, globally, politically, socially, environmentally… The list goes on and on.

It’s human nature to resist change, yet seek it. Under current aspects, it may feel like resist or seek are far to mild of terms. You feel changes looming, threatening, and somewhere in your mind is the thought "just don’t rock the boat". On the other hand, is the sense of stagnation, the overwhelming feeling that something’s got to give, a craving for change so strong you don’t want to just rock the boat – you want to turn it over and freely swim, or trade it in for a plane and get out of the water!

Depending on your chart, and your life, you may find yourself facing issues of change on several fronts. Some things just have to go, while others represent frightening instability. You may (and most likely will) even feel both sides of the board on the same issue.

Wherever the focus of upheaval in your life, that is where this Full Moon shines the brightest. The light cast by the Full Moon is that of the Sun reflected. This reminds us to use Full Moon for reflection in our own lives. If changes you’ve worked long and hard for are beginning to come to fruition, you may be getting cold feet. When you’ve fought change until you are weary, yet still it looms, you may be tempted to just give up in defeat – or fight to the death (figuratively). The challenge here is to stop, think, and reflect before you give up, charge forward, or back down.

This Moon speaks to the soul, though the mind may try to answer. Reflecting upon your life, self, challenges and opportunities does not mean practically analyzing – at least not right now. The reflection that is needed here is within – deep within. Let your soul speak, and let your mind listen. This is a crossroads, at time of opening and closing doors.

On the surface lies tough decisions, challenges and frustrating circumstances. On the surface it takes some common sense and determination to best cope with what you are confronted with on a given day. What about beneath the surface and beyond the day?

In the long-term, we are in a time of shaping destiny. We see that globally in political, environmental, and social struggle. Progress vs.. tradition. Each, in their own way, seem promising and frightening. There is a feeling we must choose one or the other, go back or continue on. Yet too much has changed to go back as it was before, and too much has changed to continue on where it was meant to go. This same feeling resonates within each of us and our individual lives.

In the short-term, this Full Moon is a powerful time, a potential turning point in the bigger things. When we can not go forward or back, we must blaze a new trail. That can be exciting, frightening, and intimidating. Whether your chosen method is ritual work, karmic work, spiritual work, and/or practical planning and hard work – the common theme is work, and a lot of it. Even in a spiritual/esoteric sense, when the word "work" has pleasant connotations not associated with labor – it still requires a patience, commitment and input of effort.

The temptation is to retreat, or continue pushing the direction you’ve been trying to go even if you are not getting anywhere. The opportunity is to heal old wounds, remove energy blocks, break addictions, release negative emotions… end whatever is holding you back. The challenge is summonsing the creativity, bravery, strength, enthusiasm, and power to make it happen. The reward is opening a path reflective of your true self, spirit and soul rather than one reflective of old wounds, outgrown ideals, and external influences.