The Full Moon occurs at 02:24 (UT) on January 2, 2018 at 11°Cn37′.
The water element is in full flow as the Moon grows to the height of her power in the sign she rules. What’s immediately notable about this chart is the lack of the element of air. Only Juno and the South Node are connected to the intellectual function with both in Aquarius. To all intents and purposes, this is a period where emotions are running the show. Attention turns to home and family and the need to belong. What we feel is instinctive, beyond reason and description. Our private life is more prominent than our public life and issues at home may take precedence over issues at work.
Still, looking at the chart, the matriarchal Moon might have her work cut out for her given the strong prevalence of planets in patriarchal Capricorn, including ruler Saturn. With Venus conjunct the Sun and opposite the Moon, it might feel like there is more value placed on men, the system, conservatism, the job and ambition. The ‘softer’ issues of family bonding and emotional support that the Moon in Cancer speaks of can seem overwhelmed and pressured by the world ‘out there’.
To complicate matters more, Venus is conjunct Black Moon Lilith and there’s no man who’s going to put this lady down! Black Moon Lilith is fierce, wild, raw, passionate and absolutely a law unto herself. She may be minding some of the rules in conservative Capricorn, but you can be sure that she’s figuring out how to use them to her advantage. Some woman may feel furious that they still are expected to split themselves in two – being one person at work and another at home to satisfy embedded cultural expectations and values. For all of us, the tension surrounds how to reconcile the powerful feelings of the Cancer Moon in the face of unsentimental Capricorn. In mythology, Lilith was the devourer of babies – a far cry from the motherly Cancer Moon.
Full Moon in Cancer January 2018 – Chart
Cancer is soft and nurturing yet can also be fiercely protective. You only have to think of the crab’s claws to get an idea of the lengths that this sign will go to protect what’s dear. The Moon is widely opposed to powerful Pluto, threatening security conscious Luna with unspoken fears and the shadowy unknown. We may need to watch for where we unconsciously believe that the world out there isn’t safe. Trust issues bubble up like a shadow looming over a child…
The Moon is however in a strong Grand Trine with motivated Mars, benefic Jupiter and gentle Neptune. If we can direct our feelings into joyful pursuits, acts of kindness, charity, creative or spiritual work, then we can see that the world isn’t all a bad place. Whilst we cannot pretend that the underbelly of life doesn’t exist, the Grand Trine aspect puts us in touch with all that it wholesome and nourishing. Every good fairy tale, has a wizard or witch who helps us battle the monsters.
You may find yourself more nostalgic during this lunation. The Moon rules our history, instincts and childhood. The Moon is also conjunct asteroids Memoria (memory) and Flora (flower/plant). You may be touched by the fragility of life, swept away by sweet recollections from the past, lost in bygone days and the scent of Lilies. We can’t however, live in the past. The tug of Pluto reminds us that what is gone is gone – let go, release. Cancer can be inclined to cling because letting go is scary.
Uranus is at the degree of his station direct which occurs a few hours after the Full Moon. It indicates that there may be some startling revelations around this period too. Surprising twists or unexpected occurrences might prompt new perspectives. If we are open to change, this newly awakened state could help us to manage any emotional overwhelm more effectively.
The Moon in on the Sabian symbol ‘A Chinese Woman Nursing A Baby Whose Aura Reveals Him To Be The Reincarnation Of A Great Teacher’. This symbol advocates that what is important during this Full Moon is care of the soul. It’s about nurturing the inner divine child. Tenderness allows our true nature to be revealed. At New Years, many of us succumb to the traditional pressure to set new goals. We’re told they must be ‘smart’ – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely – all good Capricorn words! Yet this Sabian symbol and the Cancer Moon suggest that this year, maybe we need to feel our way through and allow life to unfold. We don’t need to defer to an authority out there. There is a deeper and wiser knowing self maturing from within.
Our history plays a prominent part in how we respond to any situation but whilst old knowledge is still relevant today, this is an opportunity to look at life with fresh eyes. We do not have to be at the mercy of the past, doomed to repeat the same patterns over and over. Let the past be a teacher, not a dictator.
Painting- ‘Motherly Love’ by Frederick Morgan
