Full Moon in Capricorn  21° 21′- Power in Excess
13th July – 18:37pm UTC

“The day the power of love overrules the love of power, the world will know peace.”

Mahatma Gandhi

Every month the Full Moon reflects the full strength of the Sun back to us and as the Sun sets, the Moon rises in the opposite zodiac sign. Reigning through the night at these times, the Full Moon holds the throne of the night skies so that nothing shall remain hidden and all becomes revealed. Illuminating the duality of both signs and shedding light on hidden secrets and covert agendas, the dual energy of the two signs becomes polarised, drawing out extremes; a situation where energies run high and events culminate.

This month the Full Moon falls at the 22nd degree in the 3rd Decan of Capricorn, associated with the Sun and connected with the struggle to attain great position in the manifest world. This is where the spirit wrestles with earthly matter and strives to shape it to its will which, according to The Picatrix, is described by “…a man holding a book for himself to open and close; before him, he has the tail of a fish. This is the face for riches, the accumulation of money, and for gathering and growing businesses inclined towards a positive end.” This image of a fish tailed businessman speaks eloquently of leaders who might manipulate as they see fit, opening and closing the rule book at will, also able to cleverly evade capture.

The underbelly of this dynamic is revealed by the Full Moon reflecting the Sun’s position in the 3rd Decan of Cancer, illuminating that which up until now, may have remained hidden. Of this decan, the Picatrix tells of “…a turtle with a serpent in his hand and golden chains before him. This is the face of running, riding and acquiring profits in war, disputes and conflict.” The Moon, here in her own face or decan, is powerful indeed, able to shine a bright light on the complex imagery of serpents, golden chains and profiteering from war, because as we can see from a simple scan of the news, there is plenty of that going on right at this moment.

With Capricornian energy, it has to be said that solid achievement is not possible without the attendant obligations, for positions of power cannot be accepted without the heavy burden of responsibility attached. Every lofty position comes with its own expectations and duties, the loss of personal freedom often being the hidden price that one pays for any position of authority. The temptation that comes with great influence is often that of hubris, not only for those who sit prominently at the top but also for the invisible figures who move silently in the shadows holding the reins of control.

Capricorn and Cancer have a strong association with the archetypes of the Father and the Mother and this full moon will be activating these images powerfully within the collective. General issues to do with parenting may be forcefully emerging (as we have seen recently in the recent legislation changes in the U.S.) and these, together with our own experiences within our families of origin are likely to lead us toward reflecting on Capricorn’s concern with duty, responsibility, and the application of rules. We may find ourselves finally rebelling once and for all against strictures inherited from our birth families and forgoing etiquette and protocol we may finally take the plunge and become a more authentic version of who we really are. For some, this full moon will mark a time where it becomes possible to let go of a ‘childhood dream’ of how it all ‘needs to be’ and finally embrace a more ‘adult’ version of reality, one where they can stand in their own strength and to tell their own story, without the fear of ‘breaking rank’ with the family myth.

This image works equally well on the collective level, and we can currently see this trend growing ever stronger, especially in the last number of weeks as more and more of the disenfranchised stand up for what they believe is ‘right’ against governments and leaders who continue to disregard the real needs of the people. Right now we have huge demonstrations taking place in various parts of the world as those impatient with government policy (read “parents”) try to speak up for what they believe is right. The US has seen massive protests in regard the recent legislation on abortion and as I write, the UK government is in disarray as key ministers have resigned in the face of what they perceive to be continued inept leadership. In the Netherlands, Poland and elsewhere, farmers have mounted blockades, demonstrating against unpopular policies that target food production whilst all over the world, from Ecuador to Iran, Argentina to Sri-Lanka, people are protesting against rises in the cost of food and fuel, the basics of survival.

Capricorn is a sign associated with learned wisdom, experience, tradition, the slow steady trek to the top, the necessity of discipline, and of limitation, and the symbol of the Capricorn goat beautifully reflects the nimble and seemingly impossible feats of mountain goats as they navigate the steep slopes on which they live. The symbol of the goat can also be associated with the scapegoat which traditionally refers to a person or group who is made to bear the blame for others, or to suffer in their place. Chiefly Biblical, tradition tells that a goat was let loose in the wilderness on Yom Kippur after the high priest symbolically laid the sins of the people on its head. In more recent times, the term scapegoating has been used for the practice of blaming someone else for one’s own problems, a process that can result in feelings of prejudice; scapegoating can serve as an opportunity to explain failure or misdeeds, whilst maintaining one’s positive self-image.

It can be all too easy to pass the blame onto others, to those in authority, the leaders or those in charge… the “parents” for the misdemeanours of the “children”. In this way, we only give our own power away, give it away to those who have more taste for it perhaps, relinquishing our right to make a choice in the way things will be.

So the message for this Full Moon is to ask: Where have we given up our own power, for the sake of an easy life? Where have we tuned out of what is really going on and passed on any sense of responsibility? Where have we chosen the easy life, the route of least resistance? Where have we said YES when really our heart was screaming NO? How has this worked for us, do we feel empowered in our lives, do we feel in charge?

It is time to stand in our own strength, to become great in the face of overwhelming adversity and to recognise the ‘mirage’ of ‘top down’ power. As we cut loose from past situations that have cramped our style or held us back, we may find ourselves fearing the change we have lusted after. How will we manage this new responsibility? Will we act in the right way, or will we fear the new sense of power, will we bring shame upon ourselves and weaken and crumble under the burden? It is only natural that our ancient fears surface under the Capricornian ray, feelings of doubt dogging the longed for permission to break free of restraint. Acting with self interest often arouses fears of being judged, of being disliked, of not being deserving, of letting others down; all these may emerge at this time to keep us in our place, to keep us small as we struggle to stand strong and bear the weight of the decisions that we have made, the decisions to do what is right for us.

Full Moon Blessing

In the glory of my fullness, I speak to you, revealing the truth as I see it at this moment. There are no secrets here, for if you are brave enough to look, all will be declared. Now it is time to turn away from all that is no longer fulfilling for you. I empower you to live your authentic self, to be unashamed of your fullness, to embrace your own power, to proclaim your true self, without fear. In Capricorn-I Achieve-all that I aspire to, slowly and with care and attention. I move cautiously, testing each step, making sure that my footing is secure. I am an upholder of tradition, stable and reliable, change is not a joy for me, but I honour its necessity, and take my time. I appreciate the process and maturity of life, and I come to laugh at how small I am in the greater scheme. ©JKG