The Capricorn Full Moon brings a reminder of winter’s trials and privations. The Moon is traditionally considered “in detriment” in this sign. The traditional idea of rulership (as laid out in ancient texts such as Claudius Ptolemy’s Tetrabiblos, for example) can help make sense of situations where we feel either “at home” or out of our depth. The theory goes that, when a planet is in the sign that it rules, it is at home and knows its territory well. When the planet represents us, it indicates that we easily thrive in such surroundings.

On turf where we are strangers and unfamiliar with the terrain, we may take wrong turns and make mistakes. We have more difficulty fitting in, and we may need to learn a lot, quickly, including the local language and customs. Our basic survival needs may go unmet for a while, making do with what’s at hand, rather than what we are used to. This is especially highlighted with the Full Moon in its sign of detriment. In Capricorn, the sign opposite to the one it rules, the Moon — commonly connected with basic needs and comforts — sits uneasily in alien territory. As Capricorn is governed by Saturn, we may be under pressure to work with rules and limitations, and deal with matters of basic duty, practical survival, and even scarcity.

Since the Full Moon has a habit of magnifying feelings and situations, any polarization of duty and practicality versus our personal issues and feeling states becomes heightened. With Saturn in its traditional home sign of Aquarius, though, we may find solace in knowing that whatever stress we’re dealing with is somehow for the best. Perhaps what we must go through will benefit a larger group of people, or improve conditions down the line. However, Saturn’s retrograde motion points to an extension or delay in a situation. We need to dig deep for our powers of resilience — whether internally or by reaching out to others. Sometimes, answers come more easily within a group context. However, if we need to operate in isolation, remember that there can be support without physical contact.

In fact, the air element of Aquarius reminds us that connection is possible at a distance — for instance, through the Internet, radio waves, psychic healing, or even angelic contact. The potential for spiritual extension to aid us is shown through the Moon’s sextile to Jupiter, planet of faith, comfortably situated in one of its domicile signs, Pisces, where it generously provides the best of itself. Jupiter in Pisces is happy making spiritual connections based on symbolic meaning, or working with coincidences and positive feelings.

Jupiter presents the willingness to believe that calling out to a divine entity during a sleepless night might bring relief, no matter what the source. The underpinning principles are the same: To enter into the realm of faith, reach towards a positive (healing, protective) force, and remember that we sometimes do need to actively ask for help. Giving words — spoken aloud or written — to our requirements and wishes lets someone beyond us know our intentions. Those with the capabilities to assist can then extend their positive powers to our cause.

Jupiter is also retrograde, so, if our call for assistance is not met immediately, we should not be surprised, but still ought to practice finding a way to keep the faith! This may be testing, but the wonderful thing about Jupiter is how it represents the cornucopia of multiple choice. We are not necessarily limited to just one area. If the usual call for help is not delivering enough, maybe we stretch our faith to other potentials still in alignment with our basic beliefs.

For example, in homeopathic medicine, whereas tissue salt remedies might be a typical first line of treatment, we could also explore flower remedies — so long as, in tune with Saturn in Aquarius, we pay careful heed to dosage limits and applicable timing. Saturn is equally comfortable with technical astrological calculations, so we may also find sound wisdom in exploring medical astrology, such as decumbiture charts (for when someone falls ill), many examples of which are found in Nicholas Culpeper’s Astrological Judgment of Diseases (1655).

This article is from the Mountain Astrologer, written by Diana Collis.