Full (Blue) Moon in Aquarius: It's Now or Never (Bonus: lunar ritual for letting go)
The Full Moon this month, a Blue Moon (termed this by farmers back in the day because it's an extra full moon in a season), is a rare event and is actually the 2nd full moon this month (the first was back on July 1st). Not only is the Blue Moon something that doesn't happen often, but the astrological influences at play this time around are making this a seriously MAJOR event in regards to what must stay, what must go and embodying the phrase, "If you truly love something, set it free, and if it returns to you it's meant to be".
This particular Full Moon in the zodiac sign of Aquarius relates in Greek mythology to the water-bearer, to a beautiful young boy named Ganymede who became Zeus's little lover and was at his beck and call, serving Zeus wine and generally doing whatever the hell Zeus wanted in return for Zeus's love and affection. In this myth, apparently one day Ganymede got tired of being Zeus's servant, so he poured out all the wine from the heavens and caused a flood below, hence the association with water. My feeling is that this Full Moon in Aquarius is a big-ass call for that type of attitude that Ganymede finally chose; when you're tired of fighting, when you're tired of the old societal norms, when it's time to try something new, sometimes you have to risk it ALL to jump out of the box, out of the old and into the new. And this is one of those times.
Aquarius in general relates to all things unique, individualistic and out of the ordinary. The planetary ruler of this sign is Uranus, which is all about sudden, unexpected changes and breaking free of the ordinary. There's absolutely NOTHING ordinary about either of these. And wherever Aquarius or Uranus lies in your natal chart is where you will take on these themes of breaking free, of sudden change and of coloring outside of the lines.
Besides this Full Moon being a gigantic call to action, there are other factors happening in the cosmos that are creating friction and a desire to create movement and change. We've got a powerhouse of planets (Venus retrograde, Jupiter, Mercury and the Sun) currently in the sign of Leo, so to not be feeling somewhat affected by this energy is impossible right now. Leo is big, bold and dramatic and it creates an intense feeling of wanting to be seen, to be heard and to express yourself in a way that NOBODY will miss, even when this isn't your typical behavior or way of reacting.
Venus having just gone retrograde (I've got a separate video coming out on this by tomorrow) is revolving around your relationships and how the past has influenced them. It's a time of karmic review and an unraveling of the old to make room for the new. Any retrograde asks us to go back and review what did/didn't work so that we can either make amends with the old crap and finally eliminate it or revive the past into something fresh so that it'll better serve us for where we are NOW.
Venus and Jupiter are both in a difficult aspect to Saturn (which is still in Scorpio finishing up cycles from the end of 2012....it's almost over, as Saturn will be moving into Sagittarius by mid-September...HALLELUJAH!) at the moment, so again, it's leading to a Radical Reappraisal of your life, and in particular of your relationships, and finishing karmic cycles with people that have previously entered your life. You may find old exes popping up out of nowhere or find yourself thinking back to the past and old memories being regurgitated. It's all normal, because if you want to heal it, you have to see it and deal with it and decide whether it's gonna stay or if it's time to say goodbye. We are incarnated with that bugger Free Will, so even when we don't want to make these difficult decisions to give a permanent farewell to what has been meaningful to us at some point in the past, if we don't choose what's best for our evolution and highest good, these people or situations will continue to plague or haunt us until we take out the big guns and Shoot them down once and for all. It sounds dramatic, but whatever! Let's embrace all this intense LEO energy of fire and nobility and pride and use it to our advantage.
Would a King or Queen allow something petty to bring down their entire kingdom? I THINK NOT. So get out your crown, sit your butt down on your imaginary throne, and do your dirty work. Don't let little details or old feelings that are creeping up get the best of you. See these things for what they are and take a position of authority to handle it.
Ask yourself this question when the old emotions or people pop in: "Is this empowering me or disempowering me at this time?" That should be all you need to decide whether you continue to invest your energy in it. With the energy of the planets right now, any attempts at deceiving yourself will quickly come around to smack you in the face with a reality check, so take the high road of integrity, even if in the moment it seems more difficult or painful. Your soul is speaking to you and there's no use in ignoring your Higher Self. It truly does know what's best for you, always.
If you do feel it's time to exorcise some old demons, then use the beauty of ritual to eliminate the excess. At the Full Moon, the energy is powerful and intense. This surge enables you to take action – especially in regards to the New Moon intentions you may have made two weeks prior. This is a perfect time for releasing something that no longer serves you; or letting go of something that you no longer need in your life; or an opportunity to let go of an aspect of yourself that you have outgrown. The ritual helps you by marking this inner transformation in a formal way. A Full Moon ritual might involve purification by one of the elements, such as fire or water. Most often, it's fire, and done by casting something you don't want into the flames. I personally love looking back at my New Moon intentions from a few weeks ago, and tossing those into the fire to release for the Universe to handle bringing it to fruition. I also LOVE writing on a piece of paper what I'm ready to release and burning that off as well.
A Full Moon Cleansing Ritual:
What you need: pen, paper, matches, candle, two small bowls (one bowl should be heat-resistant or fire-proof- I use an old terracotta plant pot), water
If possible do this outside under the Full Moon, connecting directly with Mother Nature and the Moon’s energies.
If you cannot be outside, find a quiet place indoors.
Clear your energy. Imagine standing under a waterfall and allow all negative energies to be washed away.
Create a sacred space. Find a quiet place to sit, declutter and clean, place crystals or other special items around you.
Light the candle, fill one small bowl with water – place both in front of you, along with the other empty bowl.
Take a few deep breaths, get centered (I like to hold one of my black, grounding crystals in one hand and a clear quartz in the other - one hand grounds, the other receives, to get centered before I write) and then begin to write on the piece of paper what you wish to release from your life, what limiting beliefs you want to be free from, what no longer serves you or what you want to let go of.
When you have finished your list, sign and date the page.
Breathe deep into your heart and declare “I now let this go. And it is so.” Then place one corner of the piece of paper over the candle allowing the flame to light your page (throw the page into the empty bowl as it burns) watching the flames consume what you are releasing, the smoke taking your intention to the Universe. Please note: if your piece of paper struggles to light or burn, please consider if you are really ready to let this go! Only when you are willing to let go will the page burn – the faster the flames, the more willing you are to let it go.
Then place your hands in the bowl of water. Signifying cleansing of the old and opening to the new.
Remove your hands from the water and take a deep breath. Sit in silence for a moment. You may want to keep your candle burning for a while as you sit,allowing inspiration to spark.
This is only a suggestion of a ritual. Use your intuition to guide you. You may just want to sit with a lit candle and not burn your page. You may want to have a shower or jump into the ocean as part of a cleansing ritual. You may want to meditate on what to let go of rather than write it down.
Go with what feels right to you. As long as your intention is clear, the Universe and your Guides will listen and come in to assist.
Sending love for this Full Moon in Aquarius. It's Now or Never. Take that leap of faith. Trust that your team of Guides have your back. And trust that your intuition is guiding you to a path of greater joy and fulfillment, even if you have to wade through the muck for a bit longer.
Ali xo
