August 5th ~ 12th
“The Turn of the Road” by John Atkinson Grimshaw
We can’t be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out of it, you will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean, a sea. Holding on to something that is good for you now, may be the very reason why you don’t have something better. ~ C. JoyBell C.
The last of the season’s Supermoons, the Full Moon Sturgeon Moon rises on the evening of August 11th next week. What makes this Moon so significant astrologically is not just that this is another Supermoon, but is because of its proximity to Saturn and its close square to Uranus and the Nodes of the Moon. At 19º Aquarius 21’, the Full Moon is just 3º from retrograde Saturn at 22º of Aquarius, and within a degree of Uranus and the North Node at 18º of Taurus. And coming just 1 week after the triple conjunction of Mars/Uranus and the North Node at 18º of Taurus, we can see a number of themes coming into play within the aegis of next week’s Full Moon.
One of the most notable themes is the Saturn/Uranus square which dominated the astrological weather of 2021. Now that Saturn is retrograde and retreating back through the sign of Aquarius, and Uranus is slowing for its own station on August 24th, they are now within range of forming a square angle once again. And they are doing so within the bounds of the Lunar Nodes in Taurus and Scorpio forming a dynamic Cross in the fixed signs. Therefore anyone who has planets within range of 16-22º of the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius) will feel the earth move, just a bit. Though I suspect we will all be aware of a sea change shifting in the air.
Squares imply conflict. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Without conflict there would be no growth or change. There would be no incentive to do anything. It is discomfort that motivates us to create changes. The conflict is further enhanced by the archetypal qualities of the planets involved, in particular the ringed giants, Saturn and Uranus.
Saturn wants things to stay as they were, and to maintain the status quo. Saturn is conservative, cautious and resists change. This can be a good thing when we are wanting to conserve something that we consider to be time-honored and of deep value; and have invested so much time, resources and energy building up. If we are that invested in something we will want to protect it from forces that could appear to threaten its very existence. Saturn is a planet of promises, and keeps its oaths. It is a planet of responsibility and honors its obligations. If we identify with Saturn, a Uranus square could feel like anarchy and chaos is descending upon us, threatening to destroy all that we hold so dear.
Uranus by contrast will not be constrained. It needs room and freedom to grow and evolve; and will rebel against anyone or anything that tries to limit or define it. If we are feeling oppressed, limited, or stuck in a rut, and we are identifying with the Uranus energy, we will see the Saturn square as stifling and oppressive. And we will do all we can to release ourselves from the chains that bind us.
We could find that in some areas of our lives we will want to maintain the status quo even in the face of what feels like radical and chaotic change. While in others we could be feeling stuck in a rut, and are ready to take some risks, or push for change. This is also when we ask ourselves: Should I stay or should I go? What is worth saving and holding on to? And what is limiting me and preventing me from growing?
Generally speaking, most people are creatures of habit. We do things a certain way, because that’s the way we have always done them. We create routines around our habits and set up patterns. This can create an element of comfort and stability, but it can also get us stuck in ruts from which we find it difficult to emerge. At these junctures, such as we are having now, we can become aware of the idea that there might be better ways of doing things, and that we don’t always have to keep doing things the way we always have in the past. What might have been relevant 15 years ago could very well no longer be valid for who you are now. What a profound idea! Yet we get stuck in these habits and patterns and ways of being, and do not let go. The Full Moon is trying to make us aware of these patterns.
Now that we are getting these transits, like the Mars/Uranus/North Node conjunction, or this illuminating Super Full Moon on August 11th, shining a light on the patterns of our lives. Ask yourself within the light of the Full Moon this coming week:
What are the patterns or habits that you might want to change in your life?
What obligations are you committed to that are beginning to feel overly oppressive and limiting?
What changes or adjustments can you make that will allow you greater freedom to live your life according to your own terms?
What would it mean for you to live a freer, more authentic life and lifestyle?
Are you living your own best life, or are you living the life that others tell you you are supposed to be living?
And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to bloom. ~ Anais Nin
For next week’s horoscopes, click below: