If I am not for me, who will be for me? And when I am for myself alone, what am I? And if not now, then when?
Rabbi Hillel
The highly-charged full moon in Aries (September 29, 2023 at 5:58 AM ET, at 6º00’) pulls focus to our relationships, inviting us to consider how we are showing up in our unions and where our relationship dynamics might be out of balance.
It asks us to let go of what and who no longer serves us.
The Aries/Libra Axis: Relationship Dynamics
Full moons occur when the moon and the sun are exactly 180-degrees apart, sitting opposite each other in the sky. With the sun and moon in opposing signs, our focus is pulled to a particular axis of the zodiacal wheel.
At this full moon, the Sun in Libra and the Moon is in Aries. The Aries/Libra axis is commonly known as the “relationship axis.”
Aries is the sign of individualism and a “me first” approach, a sign where drive and ambition lead the way and where we forge a path without caring about who or what is in the way.
Libra is where the zodiac pivots to looking beyond ourselves: it is the sign of relationships, balance, and harmony, where the focus is on “we.”
It should come as no surprise that Aries is ruled by warrior planet Mars, while Libra is ruled by Venus, the planet of love and relationships.
This full moon illuminates the classic Mars vs Venus showdown. It highlights the tension of “me” versus “we” that was so clearly articulated by Rabbi Hillel centuries ago.
An Activating Moon
If I had to sum up this full moon in one keyword, that word would be “activating.”
With the ruler of this moon, Mars, in the sign of its detriment and approaching the South Node, this Moon has an eclipse-type energy to it. And the ruler of the Sun, Venus, is in its own energizing and activating aspect.
To fully understand the energy we must look to the rulers of both the Moon and the Sun to see how they are positioned in the sky.
Here’s what’s going on:
An Impulse to Fight, But For What?
The Sun in Libra pulls our focus to creating harmonious relationships. Libra seeks justice and equality.
Mars, which rules Aries, is the ruler of this full moon.
Mars is currently in Libra — the sign of its detriment, where it is far from its home.
Mars is the warrior planet: filled with passion, drive, an ambition, it wields a sword to cut away what’s in its path or to cut itself free from whatever is impeding it. Mars wants to fight.
But in Libra, a sign of harmony and social graces, Mars can’t do it’s Mars-things in a typical Mars way. It must take a more gentle path.
When we don’t say what we mean, or when we feel forced to constrain ourselves for the sake of social graces and harmony, frustration and anger can bubble up.
Before gearing up to battle, it’s worth asking:
What is worth fighting for? What is worth protecting? Is this battle mine to fight?
Anger can be a potent creative catalyst if we know how to work with it consciously; it we don’t, it can be destructive.
Mars tempered by its placement in Libra gives us the opportunity to use our anger consciously and in a way that empowers us to take aligned, pro-active action, instead of falling victim to our habitual tendencies.
In addition, Mars is applying to a conjunction with the South Node, and an opposition to Chiron, the wounded healer. The Nodes are points on the Moon’s ecliptic where eclipses happen, and the South Node is a point of release.
When we get triggered into reaction, it’s often because something is activating an old wound. The Mars-Chiron opposition brings our old wounds into focus; it illuminates them so we can see them and heal them.
Radical Changes in Relationships
Meanwhile, Venus, Libra’s ruler, is making a square to Uranus, the planet of upheaval and change. This is the third and final square between Venus and Uranus in this cycle, bringing us to the ending of a story that began on July 2 and continued on August 9.
Venus square Uranus can reflect an urge to break free from relationships that aren’t aligned with our values, purpose, and path, and that aren’t supporting our authentic expression.
What’s coming up now isn’t new; it’s been lingering and simmering for a while. This full moon is the culmination point: a place to finally cut the cords of what’s no longer working and make the radical changes that we need for our growth.
Find the “Me” to Support the “We”
Ultimately, we are called to find the right balance between serving ourselves and being in relationship.
Libra season reminds us that relationships are essential to life. We cannot exist alone. But if we give everything to the other person in our relationships, we will eventually foster resentment and anger.
The full moon in Aries reminds us that creating harmonious relationships requires us to first make sure we know what we need and want, and to fill our cup so we have something to give to the other. It prompts us to cut lose those relationships that don’t align with who we are and what we value.
This may feel difficult, but ultimately it will create space for more harmonious unions.
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