Full Moons are always times of oppositional energies, since by definition the Moon is at total 180˚ opposition to the Sun from the Earth’s POV. The zodiac is made up of 6 pairs of opposing energetic signatures. Each can be thought of as the shadow of the other, or the complement. The tension between the opposites is the very essence of our human life on Planet Earth. Tension can create strife, or it can make things interesting.

This Full Moon is particularly tension-filled, as there are four Virgo planetary bodies opposing the Moon and Neptune in Pisces, and both are at 90˚ angles to Jupiter in Sagittarius, forming what’s called a T-square.

On the Virgo side, Mercury and Venus are slam-dunk conjoined at 29˚. Virgo is the sign which speaks to analysis, details, careful thinking, discernment, and being of service. Thus our minds (Mercury) and our social behaviors (Venus) are much more narrowed down to details and are in a kind of fastidious moment, perhaps feeling a bit hard to please, or fussy, critical, even cranky. Mars is very near to the Sun now, and so our aggressive energy (Mars in Virgo) may also turn up the inner or outer critic, which may upset others around us.

Pulling against all this Virgoan energy is the Moon (our subconscious, our emotions) in Pisces, a very sensitive placement for our emotional center. As if this weren’t enough, the Moon is conjoined with the ruler of Pisces, the planet Neptune. Super dreamy, super out of this world, and super wanting to be OUT of this world. Emotions run deep and water may spill from our eyes, as the Full Moon pulls on our bodies at this time. Old wounds are uncovered, yet we must resist the urge to judge or be critical of ourselves or others. Allowing the emotions to run through as they will, without trying to “fix” them gives them an outlet, which we may have denied ourselves previously. If we can use discernment, rather than judgement, we may be able to place these deep emotions in a context that will allow us to have compassion for ourselves, and for those who have wounded us in the past.

And then there’s the happy-go-lucky planet Jupiter in its own sign of Sagittarius, pulling at right angles on both sides of this opposition. Jupiter has been squaring off with Neptune ever since the beginning of this year, pitting its optimism and “have faith” energy against Neptune’s depths which show us the deeper levels of reality at work. Their third and last exact square (90˚) will be right around the Equinox this year, a pivotal time. Equinoxes are openings, and closings, openings in the Earth’s magnetic field as well as realizations in our own individual awareness of Time and the inevitable cycles of life and evolution. 

Speaking of Time, Saturn (Chronos) will be reversing its direction 5 days after this Full Moon, ending its retrograde which began on April 29th. As it moves forward, more energy is now directed towards bringing forward those who have been working steadily for solutions, for structures which can support continued life on Earth. Saturn has been close to the South Node, the astrological placement for past karmic threads. Saturn’s forward motion opens up those threads which need to be exposed and revealed in order to be healed. Look for exposure to be a theme on the world political stage. 

The most exact aspect in the chart, other than the Full Moon itself, is the opposition between Mars and Neptune which becomes exact less than an hour later. These two are like oil and water, Mars being our individual ego in action in the world, and Neptune being the deep unconscious contents. When these two oppose, we may not know what we’re doing as it happens. We may act unconsciously, compromising our integrity. Be very careful during this time to use the Virgo energy of self-analysis to guide, rather than censure, to look before leaping, and to be especially careful with what you eat and drink, as Neptune also rules poisons and the blood.

With all these changes happening, we may feel fatigue or depression coming to the surface, we may feel as though doorways are closing on ways of being that have kept us feeling secure in our old world. This is a time to be more quiet, to meditate more, to focus on present moment experiences and to release old outworn ways of being in relationships that no longer serve us. And to be as compassionate as possible toward self and others, to practice forgiveness toward those whom we are tied to through memories of trauma. The next day after the Full Moon, Mercury and Venus will enter more relationship-oriented Libra, so take advantage of friendships and conversations that may be helpful in navigating these shifting waters.