Wendy Cicchetti
This Full Moon pits the serious and principled qualities of Aquarius against the Sun in playful, creative Leo. The spirited Sun has strong backup from nearby Venus in Leo, which emphasizes an almost childlike ganging-up of planets, reflecting two or more people who make up a tough force to contend with. This Leo stellium highlights celebration and, like the Kool & the Gang song says, there’s the sense of “a party goin’ on right here”!
The more sensible and adult Aquarius Moon seems at risk of being outnumbered, out on its own, making a serious point. Yet the Moon, Sun, and Venus are all in a t-square to asteroid Vesta in Taurus, suggesting that no single cosmic body among them has a huge advantage when it comes to harmony with others; there are tensions in each direction. The one arguable exception may be the Sun’s own disposition in Leo — its home sign and a fire sign at that — which indicates that it has some outreach to Jupiter in Sagittarius. Still, that trine is too wide from the usual 6° orb to mean that Jupiter’s blessings, fortune, and good luck can be taken for granted.
Mars and another asteroid, Juno, are caught up in the Leo stellium (3 planets next to each other). This may reflect developments on a larger scale, such as in politics. However, it can also apply in a more personal arena, where it will become clear that someone is determined to pull away, or that their energy is doing so and pulling someone else along with it. This could feel awkward for some of us, but it might work out for the best, overall — particularly if there seems to be no way at this time for everyone to see eye to eye. Finding peace, then, may be a matter of accepting the differences between us and agreeing to disagree. This makes more sense than to keep on resisting a change or trying to influence someone else’s views.
The two planets that co-rule Aquarius, Saturn and Uranus, each have a “loner” quality, apparently for quite different reasons: Saturn all too often behaves like the stern elder, whereas Uranus has a general air of just not fitting in with the mainstream. Paradoxically, if Saturn toes the line of tradition and wishes to repeat and reinforce recognized rituals and patterns of behavior, Uranus refuses to conform or just does not fit any mold. Still, there might be some common ground in both planets’ being considered equally unpopular forces to be reckoned with!
For all the challenges involved in being the strict adult (Saturn) or the social “oddball” (Uranus), there are times when the separateness or isolation shared by these two planets can have its benefits and offer a particular kind of strength. Given the square between Uranus and Mercury, this may relate to the space to think more clearly — and differently from others.
It could well be that an opportunity for isolation will arise, which allows for a new clarity around certain issues. As part of this dynamic, there may be a painful reality to face. And yet a new, Uranian-style plan of action could then emerge, allowing a sense of personal freedom that has not previously been present.
Written by Diana McMahon Collis for the Mountain Astrologer Magazine