When the Aquarius Sun opposes the Full Leo Moon shortly before 5 pm EST tomorrow, think of it as a sandwich. That’s the operative image to guide you through the next few days to your best advantage. The concept of a sandwich will continue beyond Earth lined up between the luminaries (Sun and Moon) to include two other events on either side of the Full Moon.
In terms of three-dimensional space, Mercury will be joining in. Further extending from space into the temporal dimension of events, Saturn will finally station retrograde in Libra just hours before the Full Moon and Venus will enter Aries just hours after, effectively sandwiching the Full Moon itself between two other significant occurrences.
The motif symbolized by a sandwich can either be a convenient nourishment or an uncomfortable situation, depending on where you see yourself in the picture. Making that theme work for you is the objective of this Full Moon. You can do that starting now and through tomorrow, by evaluating your position between the people, things and events of your life. Then, you can consider how to adjust your position so that the order and placement of people, things and events can actually support you. Visualizing yourself as part of what is going on in the sky is a good way to get some perspective.
The aspects of astrology are taken from the perspective of our own planet. That does not mean astrologers think Earth is the center of anything. It means this is where you are. When you look up from where you are and see one object on the eastern horizon and another object on the western horizon, it’s an opposition, effectively a sandwich in space. That’s how it will be with the Full Moon tomorrow. Just as Sun appears to be going down in the West, Moon will become visible in the East and we will be in between. That translates to astrology as those same two objects in opposing signs.
The Full Moon will be in Leo, a sign ruled by the Sun. Consistent with its solar rulership, Leo has to do with the conscious self shining out into the world. Whenever you seek to distinguish yourself or perform for others in any way, that’s the Leo part of your chart in expression. The Moon in Leo is a symbolic opportunity to turn that around and reflect on what you have discovered through self expression. The light of that reflection will come from the Sun.
Sun will oppose the Full Moon from Aquarius, a sign traditionally ruled by Saturn up until a few centuries ago, when it was ceded to Uranus. Aquarius has to do with your participation in the collective. Whenever you take part in either bringing down (Uranus) or erecting barriers (Saturn) to entry or acceptance, that’s the Aquarius part of your chart expressing. Sun in Aquarius is thus a symbolic opportunity to step back from unconscious affiliation and collaborate consciously. That’s where Mercury comes in.
Mercury represents how we think. Tomorrow, Mercury will be on the other side of the Sun, rather precisely lined up with Earth and the two luminaries. From our perspective, that means Mercury will be both conjunct with the Sun and simultaneously part of the sandwich tableau. That sort thing does not happen every Full Moon and the fact that it is happening tomorrow is a good sign on several counts.
First of all, Mercury’s conjunction with the Sun symbolizes a merger of thought and consciousness. Bringing awareness to your decision making can only serve the objective of adjusting your position so that people, places and events work for you. Furthermore, the addition of Mercury to the series of Sun and Moon lined up with our planet effectively takes Earth out of the middle of a spatial sandwich. The implication is that taking some time to simply think things over during the next few days will do the same for you, allowing mental space to process personal reflection to one side, separate from the exploration of more conscious collaborations with others. The practice of making separate spaces will in turn inform your ability to work through events sandwiched in time, which this Full Moon will also be.
One thing every Full Moon represents is a culmination of what started with the immediately previous New Moon. Two weeks ago, when the luminaries conjoined for a New Moon in Aquarius, Saturn was practically standing still in the last degree of Libra. Tomorrow, just before the Sun and Moon oppose, Saturn’s standstill will conclude from very nearly the same place and its retrograde period will begin. That will be a literal turning point and it will feel like it, releasing a tension long held and initiating an even longer period to review where you have been and what you have done in relationship to large structures and institutions so far this year. That will feel very different from what happens right after the Full Moon has exacted.
Once the Moon is as full as it’s going to get, it begins to deflate, almost like a balloon. The deflation will resonate with the tension released by Saturn’s retrograde station but it will also initiate a preparation for something new. Eight hours after the Full Moon has reached its peak, Venus will jump start the process by bursting into Aries. That will have a very different feel from Saturn’s pivot, and abrupt departures from previous preferences with be the order of the day come Wednesday. That is precisely where your practice in positioning will pay off.
If you have managed to work with the idea of positioning yourself, you will have avoided being squeezed. If you have found a position in the midst of the people, things and events of your life that works for you, you will have been nourished. If you can come away from tomorrow’s Full Moon having been nourished you will have both the energy to keep up with the initiative that Venus in Aries will represent and the stamina to sustain Saturn’s long review in Libra. So get a start now, look up and look around.
Offered In Service
I couldn’t sit through and read this yesterday. I tried and tried and kept just… not reading it. Today, seems I can.
A sammich feels like a hug. 🙂
I am intrigued by “The deflation will resonate with the tension released by Saturn’s retrograde station but it will also initiate a preparation for something new. Eight hours after the Full Moon has reached its peak, Venus will jump start the process by bursting into Aries. That will have a very different feel from Saturn’s pivot, and abrupt departures from previous preferences with be the order of the day come Wednesday.” It feels exciting, in a good way.
Grateful
Well, it’s a little riddle you have served up today Len. While the Sun rules and is most comfortable in Leo ~ sign of individuality and the freedom to create, it is farthest away from that sign when in Aquarius, and therefore relinquishes much of what makes him so shiny. However, when among the many Sun’s of Aquarius ~ all who have relinquished part of their light, those combined Sun’s create a brilliance that lights the Universe.
For the Moon who has no light of her own to shine since she’s meant to reflect only the Sun, she is doubly blessed by being full in sunshiney Leo because of the composite light produced by the many Suns. Therefore, the Suns of Aquarius can bask in the lovely Moonlight of their combined effort. Now that doesn’t mean you can have your sandwich and eat it too.
Having learned with others who read what you writers at PW offer up; that any planet so close to the Sun is essentially swallowed up for the moment, becoming part of the brilliance of the Sun itself, there is an added flavor. Part of that beautiful Leo Moon will be reflecting a taste of saucy Mercury or the ‘essence of Mercury’; a little extra brilliance in your sandwich.
It’s almost as good as the pickle in the middle, unless that’s you and we in the middle here on Earth. Yeah, that WOULD be uncomfortable. Best to just observe and think about the whole picture like you say, Len, as there are even more sandwiches down the line. Still, this metaphor has me salivating!
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