Note: the Full Moon is not an isolated astrological event. It exists amidst the movements of the other planets, interacting with them and the individual birth chart of each person. Forecasts like these will always have limited applicability because of how general they are. For more specific information, I encourage you to book a reading with me. Also, this forecast is for the Northern Hemisphere.

On July 16th at 2:38 p.m. PST, the Full Moon in Capricorn for 2019 will rise. Full Moons occur when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun, which is why they appear fully illuminated. In Astrology, the Sun corresponds with our core self, our deep sense of purpose and being. It’s the nourishing fire of our individuality that beats our heart. The Moon represents our emotions, impulses, instincts, and subconscious. It’s how we feel, both in content and form. The Sun is our fundamental Yang, the Moon our Yin.

When the Sun and Moon are on opposite sides of the Earth, they form a relationship called an opposition. An opposition signifies tension, with two sides pulling in different directions, and many of us feel this sense of restlessness during full Moons. In this experience of conflict or strain, which can manifest internally or externally, there are opportunities for self-discovery, illumination, and revelation, which are hallmark qualities of Full Moons. Full Moons are also powerful times for bringing things to completion and fruition, and releasing things that no longer serve our well-being.

This Full Moon is also a partial lunar eclipse, which provides a space for an emotional reset while the Moon goes (mostly) dark, as well as an entry into our shadow. Lunar eclipses tend to surface relationship issues, sometimes featuring a crisis, which may take center stage during this Full Moon. They’re generally connected with change, turbulence, turning points, and high emotion, so in the spirit of free will Astrology versus fate, now’s a good time to think about what you want to change and release emotionally because the question isn’t whether or not we’re riding this wave, but how. That’s where our power is, astrologically. The weather is whatever it is, but we can decide what to do with it (or at least try to), which holds psychologically, relationally, and magically. After affects of lunar eclipses can last about six months.

The imminent Capricorn Full Moon is part of the opposition between Capricorn and Cancer, where the Sun is until it enters Leo the 22^nd. Though oppositions provide tension, there’s also a complementary nature to the signs involved. They complete a polarity. One of the main ways I think of Capricorn and Cancer is as the archetypal Father and Mother, or even Father Time and Mother Nature. This is appropriate for a variety of reasons, including that Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, the planet of time, reality, limitations, restrictions, discipline, and authority. Cancer is ruled by the Moon, and is emotional, intuitive, empathic, sensitive, nurturing, imaginative, dreamy, psychic, and moody accordingly. Cancer season, which occurs when the Sun is in Cancer, is often one of heightened emotion and insecurity, fertility, and celebration of life and love, which are all Cancerian traits. Cancerian energy is that of the womb, embodying the essence of motherhood and healing, and we have amplified access during Cancer season to energy for nurturing ourselves and others, empathy, and domesticity.

Idk why they used a lobster for this?

In the journey through the zodiac, which all planetary energies pass through in order (the zodiac is the underlying melodic structure of the galaxy), Cancer marks the shift from head (Gemini) to heart, from thinking to feeling and intuition. The emotional sensory organs are ripe and open, and no sign can feel an overflowing love of existence like Cancer, in alignment with its launch point at the height of summer. This is what prompts the shielding we see in Cancer Suns as they defend against a world that is currently often unkind. The Capricorn Full Moon provides a weighty, anchoring counterpoint moment in an otherwise sunny season, literally and figuratively.

In addition to the relationship of father and mother, Capricorn and Cancer also complete polarities related to how we engage with reality. Capricorn corresponds with our public life, while Cancer corresponds with our home and private life. Capricorn is also grounded, focused almost entirely on the earthly level and known for ambition and goal achievement. The most pragmatic of the signs, Capricorn doesn’t want to hear about it if it can’t touch it or do something with it. It’s the most down to earth, earth sign in the sense of acting in the world (Taurus is the most down to earth in terms of literally being down in the earth). It’s the greatest “doer” of the zodiac, the CEO. Part of the reason Capricorns are often so career-oriented is because work feels real and substantial to them.

Cancer, on the other hand, is known for having a rich fantasy life, building castles in the clouds, which would sound like a waste of time to Capricorn. Capricorn wants to use its inner resources to create on the earth, providing security and a comfortable quality to life for itself and those it loves (another polarity between Cancer and Capricorn is security, which both seek, albeit in different ways). Capricorn has little time for emotion, unless that emotion is driving its goals (or involving sarcasm), which is part of why it makes sense that Capricorn is the detriment of the moon. When a sign is a planet’s detriment, it’s the opposite sign of the sign the planet rules (i.e. the Moon rules Cancer). When a planet is in its detriment, it’s well outside of its natural habitat and optimum functionality, and it may struggle to express itself clearly or healthfully. People with prominent planets in detriment in their natal charts often must undertake inner work to address some of these challenges. For Lunar Capricorns, they may struggle to understand their emotions or how to best work with emotion, as the ambitious, pragmatic Capricorn part of them is likely annoyed at even having things like insecurity or stress. If the “stiff upper lip” had a zodiac sign, it would be Capricorn, and a Capricorn is likely responsible for the popular phrase, “It’s just business.” Capricorn wants to “keep calm and carry on,” but the Moon, by nature, has other ideas.

When the Capricorn Full Moon is in the sky, the message can be: “get real about how you feel.” Capricorn doesn’t want a long, meandering emotional process. It’s problem-solving and solution oriented. Consequently, a Capricorn Full Moon can summon a high amount of pragmatism about our emotions and the situations in our life, which may prove useful. Maybe it’s time for us to dial back our processing and halt our rumination with a mighty “So what?” Sometimes what we really need for closure from a difficult situation isn’t more reflection, but a bucket of ice water dumped on our head to snap us out of our rut. This Full Moon can provide that, and a spell for that type of clarity could work wonders here. Because of the eclipse, I recommend casting that before this Full Moon though, with the idea that it be fed by the Capricorn lunar energy (eclipse energy can be unpredictable, to say the least).

This is also a powerful Full Moon for considering our career path and checking in on our goals. Do we feel like our job is feeding us emotionally? Is there an area in which we’re being impractical in our life to the detriment of our greater intentions? The Capricorn Full Moon also asks, “So you feel that. Now what? What do you want to do with your feelings?” Capricorn Full Moons can also acquaint us with our limits, in terms of resources, self-discipline, etc., under the banner of a firm “get real.”

One fascinating aspect of Astrology is that because the Full Moon always occurs in the opposite sign of the Sun, the lunar cycle of Full Moons runs counter to the solar cycle. This means that as the Sun explodes onto the scene like an infant with the self-focused sign of Aries, the Full Moon turns us toward the other in the relational, harmony-seeking sign of Libra, and when the Sun reaches outward-looking Libra, the Aries Full Moon reminds us to prioritize ourselves and assert our needs. In this case, the Capricorn Full Moon is the seed of Winter in the height of Summer, as the Cancer Full Moon is the first inkling of the light to come after Yule. Having just passed the Summer Solstice, light will still rein until the Autumnal Equinox. We continue with a growing, outward-focused solar process while our lunar cycle calls us to attend to the inner, with them trading places in September.

This Full Moon can be a powerful one for taking stock of where we’ve come so far this year in light of the next six months and the goals we set during Capricorn season in January. Have we lived up to our hopes? Are we honoring ourselves and others? Or would we prefer to do more? Under the pragmatic light of this Full Moon, we can do much to set our trajectory for the rest of the year, and course correct.

In addition to the standard relationship between Cancer and Capricorn (and the eclipse), this Full Moon is augmented by the fact that Saturn and Pluto are also in Capricorn (which the Moon must pass while becoming full). The South Node of the Moon, which represents our Karmic past, is wedged between Pluto and Saturn too. To me, Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn represent pragmatic shadow work, among other things, and a lot of issues from the past and present may surface at this time. Saturn and Pluto are the authorities of the soul come up to regulate. The relentless light of Pluto and Saturn shines on the restrictions we feel and any areas where we’re being inauthentic or tolerating inauthenticity (or experiencing unhealthy power dynamics). It presses them uncomfortably against the glass of our awareness. Saturn and Pluto call us to transform these areas, to live in greater alignment with our sense of truth and purpose.

Additionally, six planetary bodies (including Saturn and Pluto) are retrograde now. The others are Jupiter, Neptune, Chiron, and Mercury. When planets are retrograde, which means they appear to be moving backward in the sky, their energy turns inward, often catalyzing a reflective process of learning, review, course correction, and internal growth. It’s not generally a fruitful time for initiating external effort and heavy outer growth (though that’s not to say we can’t do that at all), but it can be quite fruitful inwardly. Though Mercury Retrograde is known for blunders with crossed communication wires and technological disturbances (triple check everything during Mercury Retrograde!), the outer planet retrogrades aren’t usually as disruptive or jarring unless they’re difficult for other reasons (like what’s happening with Saturn and Pluto). They occur each year, for at least a third of the year each. This means that while they’re a change of pace, they’re also part of the rhythm of life, like naturally finding yourself more reflective and solemn in Winter or active and sunny in Summer. We’re used to these retrogrades, but even being used to them, there are ways we can intentionally harness them as we understand how to surf the shifting motion of the energies.

This is a powerful Full Moon, especially with the eclipse, to follow the retrograde currents and take stock of what we’re holding on to that doesn’t serve our well-being and change it or let it go, even if only in intention for now, perhaps even something we’ve been holding for more than this lifetime. What feels like it’s ready to die within you or your life? Where have you not shown up this year and know you could do better? As we pivot toward the waning part of the solar cycle, this Full Moon provides a potent opportunity to connect with our shadow and work to integrate and heal what we find there as best we can, releasing that within us that no longer feeds us, or sometimes even lives, yet is fed by our spirit.

Capricorn Full Moon Tarot Reading and Journaling Exercise

Here’s a Tarot spread to harness the opportunities of this Full Moon. It can also be a writing prompt, or the cards could be used to inspire a greater process of reflection around these questions.

Card One: Where am I being impractical and need to “get real”?
Card Two: What would be a helpful shift to make in that area?

Note: if you want to, you can expand this to pull a card for each suit of the Tarot, as well as a second card matched to each first one, which holds for the other questions too.

Card Three: What limitations aren’t I seeing in my life?
Card Four: What can help me understand and navigate them?
Card Five: What am I holding that is ready to be released?
Card Six: What can help me release it?
Card Seven: How can I better honor myself?