Full Moon in Aries: What the Cardinals Carry Into the Harvest

It is quite rare that I have back-to-back astrology posts; however, there is a lot in the air right now. Yesterday’s Harvest Full Moon (in Aries) served up another dose of intensity and those most impacted were, yup, you guessed it—cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn). Unlike a few of my other posts about full moons, this energy was not completely debilitating. There is still a fair amount of intensity however, that is met with sharper focus and desire to get things done.

For my AHS fans, I’ve personally been feeling like Lady Gaga during her introduction in the Hotel season. I will let you decide if that is a good or bad thing. Great song, btw.

This Full Moon has a few key themes I want to explore, most specifically the polarity created by the Aries-Libra axis—self versus others. As a Libra, I always find myself focused on the collective experience—in relationships, partnerships, friend circles, family dynamics, etc. Recently, I have been trying to pay more attention to what my experience has been. Wondering how people experience you is important, especially if you care about how you show up for the people you care about; but, ignoring your feelings does more harm than good, I am noticing.

To be fully transparent, ignoring my individual feelings is what inspired my writing. All the things I could not say because they would make me appear disagreeable, unlikeable, debauched, and all the other negative adjectives my mind thought up suddenly had a place to go. However, in my real life, I became so afraid of my darkness that I performed versions of myself that I thought others wanted. Why? To keep them? To placate them? Because I wanted them to have the best experience possible and I took great satisfaction in being the person able to provide it?

For a long while, the answer to all of those questions was simply, yes. It made sense to me. Until it didn’t. People left anyway. The same people I bent over backwards to placate still disrespected me in ways that I would have to recover from for years. While I was hellbent on making sure they were having an amazing time with me, the energy was oftentimes not reciprocal. Which led me to a nauseating question, “Why the hell am I doing all of this to begin with?”

That question woke something up in me—something dark, something uncontrolled and angry. The initial discomfort of those feelings created the duality I mentioned earlier on—if I didn’t give a fuck anymore, I wouldn’t get hurt. If I only cared about me, I would be okay. For a while, the selfishness felt great, I relished in it. I did what I wanted with little regard for what others needed or expected of me. The hedonistic approach soothed my need to gain favor with others, sure. But, I still felt empty. I had things on my terms, but the walls I put up to keep everyone’s opinions and influence out made me feel so isolated. I realized I hadn’t done anything brave or original, I just became what hurt me. As a person, I was no better or worse, I was the same—performing based on the gaze of others.

Yes, I have a point beyond using this as a channel for free therapy. Sitting with two specific questions—and realizing how emotionally spent I had been—helped me come to a solution that should have been obvious. I realized it was not a question of self versus others; it was self and others.

•  How do I show up in a way that keeps my closest humans comfortable while not betraying my own needs?

• How do I stop contorting myself into unnatural shapes to fit into someone else’s life and start taking up as much space as I want in my own, knowing that the people meant to stay will simply fit into mine?

Those two questions were the catalyst to me starting to sort through everything that felt icky. I gave you that information about how I process things as I feel like they fit into the generalizations associated with my sun sign. Looking at my opposite (Aries), helped me drill even deeper on those questions; I granted myself permission to address my shadow. For years, I would always claim to dislike my sister sign—too loud, too blunt, too forceful, self-centered. Generalizations. I am sure that to an Aries, there are many things to dislike about Libras—indecisive, people pleasers, too diplomatic, fair weathered. Two opposites, wanting the same outcome, approaching it from contradictory angles.

I started undressing the negative stereotypes about both signs hoping I would find the thing a Libra loves the most—middle ground. I did. Libra’s desire for everyone to have an enjoyable time, to feel included is not a negative—it represents a perspective that is just and fair, very important when managing competing interests (business partnerships, social organizations, community events, etc.). That was easy enough to understand. What took some soul searching was understanding Aries; but it was important as I have a Libra Rising, which means I have an Aries Descendant. This energy that made me so uncomfortable lived within my natal chart. Even worse, considering it was my Descendant, it meant I was attracted to it. The candor, the bluntness, the boldness.

Then it hit me. If I was attracted to it, I could embody it. Not in the performative way that I tried in the past. No, I could decide to move forward boldly, with passion and innovation as it relates to sponsoring my own life. Making decisions proactively instead being forced between two choices. Expressing my feelings in the moment instead of silently keeping score until I reached a breaking point.

I am letting you into this very vulnerable experience to encourage you to complete a similar exercise. The thing that you think appalls you, ask yourself why. I mentioned the cardinal signs will be impacted more heavily this full moon. Think about where you are currently experiencing friction and if you want a second opinion, think about your astrological opposite. For Aries, I just gave you the cheat code, you probably will have to reverse engineer the questions that worked for me as a Libra. Maybe instead of so much self-reliance, think of how to leverage your partnerships to help you achieve your goals. You don’t always have to go it alone. The people who care are more than capable of helping you, you just have to grant them permission. You get to be vulnerable even if it means that it does not come out as confident as you would like. Not everyone is afraid of your fire, let them prove you wrong.

Cancers and Capricorns, as fellow cardinals, you are not absolved this Full Moon. Pay attention to what you have been protecting at home and what a particular structure (work, marriage, living situation) is really costing you—joy, sense of stability, who you are becoming versus who you were when you built it.

Before I leave, remember you are not being attacked. The universe is forcing you to address those things you have been putting on hold. Payment is due immediately, my dear. A lesson I’ve learned a few times is that trying to avoid something once you have been made aware only increases the debt. Pay it today.

Tips:

• Get hyper specific about the life you want

• Demand what you are owed

• Ask questions, show your heart

• Take the first step

  
  

Full Moon in Aries wants you bold, so take up space. Start planning your Halloween costumes and I will see y’all next week!