Full moon July 2015

The full moon on 2nd July fell into the arms of Pluto in Capricorn, with the sun and Mars (energy, anger, conflict) standing opposite in Cancer. Patience, courage, visionary seeing and decisiveness are needed for us to hold steady through this emotionally charged, ruthless, and confrontational (Mars opposite Pluto) energy. We have come through three intense years of global shake-up symbolised by the epoch makers and breakers, Uranus (reform, innovation, people-power) and Pluto (repression, elitist, money-power), and as we are approaching the end of the period of their direct impact the pressure seems to be ramped up pushing events towards even more drastic transformation.

Fear, manipulation and misinformation are being circulated at unprecedented levels and we need to call on all our inner discipline to keep dissolving worry and anxiety into realisation of energy of the new, which knows that not-knowing is the only route to arrive at something truly worthy of our potential. Pluto can give a sense of dread and doom, but it also offers simply the raw energy for transformation. Not to succumb to fear-mongering means maintaining our capacity to dissolve fear back into energy and heart presence. From here whatever we do carries our essential nature and wisdom forward:

'In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness'.- Ghandi

Neptune is a strong influence at this point reinforcing either hopelessness and deception or stillness and presence. Our connection with heart presence is our greatest support through chaos. The more we can rest in stillness, the less we are caught by desperation and panic which may dominate the airwaves. By tuning into the feeling rather than the content of it we catch the fear before it catches us. This is our work. In this way we can keep dissolving fear-pain back into sadness-compassion beyond words, thus creating peace, energy, wisdom:

'It’s only when we experience our connection to infinity that we’re able to dream powerfully. In fact, it’s our sense of separation from infinity that traps us in a nightmare in the first place. If this sounds like circular thinking, you’re right. Which came first, the nightmare or the sense of separation from infinity? The answer is that they occur simultaneously' - Alberto Villoldo 'Courageous Dreaming'

The answer is always the same, too simple to miss and too simple for the everyday mind to grasp… The deeply entrenched dysfunctional power structures are being cracked open as the Uranian energy is exploding the old status quo while Pluto is clinging to its familiar trappings of power at all costs. In some ways this is like the dying process which is also a birthing and Greece as ever is leading the way. Venus and Jupiter shining hand in hand in the sign of Leo in the twilight sky after sunset bring a hopeful note into this wild symphony as they chime with the improvisatory daring of Uranus in Aries, reminding us to trust our visionary inspiration as midwives of a new world:

'Patience is not sitting and waiting, it is foreseeing. It is looking at the thorn and seeing the rose, Looking at the night and seeing the day' – Rumi

Saturn is the ruler of this moon and is also in tough aspect with Pluto increasing the possibility for agitated or extreme conditions and repressive counter-reactions but also the potential for a new clarity to emerge. Saturn challenges us to take the responsible role of ‘eldership’ in any situation, to call on the wisdom of a lifetime of experience and find the strength to support others in bearing what may feel unbearable. Saturn has retrograded back into Scorpio for a final summer-time spring-cleaning of remaining patterns of disempowerment or emotional attachment that could waste any of the pre-requisite energy for the process we are in.

'What matters is being able to stay on course, regardless… ‘Aporia’ (pathlessness) is the result of pausing when one shouldn’t, of hesitating in mid-stream, of looking around for a reflection of one’s lostness instead of for guidance, of doubting half-heartedly instead of having the courage to doubt one’s doubt, of wondering whether it really could be possible to go the whole way when the only chance of finding out is by going the whole way' – Peter Kingsley ’Reality’

This powerful full moon picks up the energy of the first full moon of the year on 5th January 2015 as well as the 4th April lunar eclipse and brings back echoes of the period April – June 2014 when Mars was in a similar antagonistic interaction with Pluto and Uranus, but now we also have the moon’s node or destiny line (activating important points in the Greek national chart) creating a ‘grand cross’ pattern in the sky. This moon brings out the conflict between respect for human vulnerability and quality of life, the need for nourishment, care of family and home (Cancer) as against a ruthlessly materialistic, power-based (Pluto in Capricorn) world view.

As the sun and Mars move forward over the next days and weeks watch out for trigger points when they come into exact aspects with Pluto and Uranus. Volatile moments are the 6th and at new moon on 16th when the sun and then Mars oppose Pluto (power, brute force), also on the 13th and 25th July as the sun and then Mars may incite Uranus towards drastic action.

On 26th July Uranus pauses and starts moving backwards (as seen from earth) over the next six months. Venus turns retrograde the previous day. Whatever has been brewing is likely to get stalled in some way. The intensity turns back on itself as the reactive and drastic freedom urge of Uranus takes time to consider how to re-engage with power-mongering Pluto. September looks a significant moment on the way. Then from January 2016 through to April these two planets start to move forward again step by step in awkwardly synchronised frictional stand-off or negotiation. By April Uranus starts to speed ahead towards fresh initiatives leaving Pluto behind through summer 2016. From here on these planets move out of range of each other’s influence and a fresh journey could unfold starting from wherever we arrive in the next few weeks.

Here is a comment from the I Ching, hexagram 29 ‘The Abysmal’: 'If you are sincere, you have success in your heart, And whatever you do succeeds.

Through repetition of danger we grow accustomed to it. Water sets the example for the right conduct under such circumstances. It flows on and on, and merely fills up all the places through which it flows; it does not shrink from any dangerous spot nor from any plunge, and nothing can make it lose its own essential nature. It remains true to itself under all conditions. Thus likewise, if one is sincere when confronted with difficulties, the heart can penetrate the meaning of the situation. And once we have gained inner mastery of a problem, it will come about naturally that the action we take will succeed. In danger all that counts is really carrying out all that has to be done--thoroughness--and going forward…' With prayers for the best way forward for Greece.