Wendy Cicchetti

The Full Moon is a time of fruition and culmination. We receive clear feedback about what is and isn’t working, and see shifts we can make to get better results. At the Full Moon in Libra, relationships of all kinds come into focus. Can we be ourselves in relationship, or do we hide behind masks? Did we set boundaries to make certain our needs are met? Can we allow others to be themselves, without judgments or expectations? Are we giving more than we’re receiving, or vice versa?

This Full Moon occurs in the wave of momentum following the first equinox of the year (March 20), a powerful turning point as the Sun starts a new astrological cycle. The Sun, exalted in fiery Aries, pushes us forward, along with several other planets in cardinal (initiating) signs. But other cosmic forces caution us to slow down so we can be more deliberate in what we’re creating. Mercury is retrograde (March 22 to April 15), a time to rethink our desires and direction and realign with our authentic essence. Retrograde Mercuryconjunct the Sun at the Full Moon invites us to get a new perspective on our relationships by looking deeply within ourselves.

Reinforcing the call to slow down, Mars, ruler of Aries, is conjunct Saturn in Capricorn, and both planets square the Full Moon. Mars is the youthful masculine, our drive and desire, while Saturn is the wise elder, who takes a longer view and ensures we’re on path and in our integrity. Mars–Saturn has been described as “driving with the brakes on,” and we’re advised to stop the car altogether and take time to reflect on our motivations and long-term goals. The conjunction (exact April 2) starts a new two-year cycle of bringing our desires into reality, and it’s time to clarify and commit to going after what we really want. This is an especially powerful seed-planting time, when we can harness Capricorn focus, strength, and persistence to achieve our goals.

The square from Mars–Saturn to the Full Moon suggests we may be tested in our relationships as we forge a new direction. We’re navigating the delicate balance of staying true to ourselves while taking others’ desires and priorities into account. This is a call for greater maturity in our relationships and deeper centering in our inner authority. When we know ourselves as the author of our own life, we have no need to try to control others or be controlled by them. If we find ourselves caught up in the polarizing tension of the Full Moon, we can step into the older, wiser part of ourselves that can see the both/and instead of getting stuck in the either/or. We can reach for compassionate detachment — the impartiality of the Libra Scales — to see situations from a more neutral perspective.

Venus, ruler of Libra, is in Taurus, the other sign of her home. While Libra (air) is the masculine or outward expression of Venus, the sign of relating to others, Taurus (earth) is the feminine or inward expression of self-love and self-worth. Venus in Taurus reminds us that whatever is manifesting in our relationships is a reflection of this primary relationship with self.

Venus trines the Mars–Saturn conjunction, supporting us to align our masculine drives with our feminine values and needs. While the masculine asks if it’s possible, the feminine asks if it’s valuable. We’re experiencing the destructive effects of a culture that discounts the feminine, as well as a constant stream of new products and technologies that don’t add value to our lives or to the planet. This Full Moon brings an opportunity for rebalancing that dynamic by listening deeply to our bodies and our hearts for what’s truly needed in our lives and in the world. Venus in Taurus also recommends bringing ease and pleasure to our Mars–Saturn efforts, to slow down and enjoy the process rather than be overly focused on the end goal — to remember that the journey is the destination.