Presenting Valerie Sylvester’s Fabulous Full On Full Moon Guide, showing who it will affect most, what areas of your life you need to be aware of, which incense you should be burning, to related Tarot cards and her signature Three Card Tarot Reading.
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The Full Moon in Pisces
1˚ 26’ Pisces
(1st Decan of Pisces: Pisces Decan)
August 24, 2010—1:05 p.m. EDT
August 24, 2010– 5:05 pm. GMT
The Essence of the Full Moon
As the New Moon is the most powerful time to set or program your intentions, the Full Moon is the most powerful time for the culmination or to release those same intentions out into the universe. It’s a time when everything seems intense and larger than life. Things come to a head; impasses can suddenly vanish. It’s a time for completion, and time to let go of things you no longer need; this includes any bad habit or addiction you would like to eliminate from your life. There’s often sharp and sudden clarity, as though a huge spotlight flickers on right over your head so that you now can see things more clearly. It’s the “aha!” moment, when you’re watching a movie and suddenly figure out how all the characters intersect, and how it all leads up to the big “reveal” (there’s that spotlight again) at the end. Things finally make sense and you begin to connect the dots to discover the underlying pattern behind the story.
Creative people may find this a time when all of the ideas that have been whirling in their heads erupt into form; artists of all kinds can release their works into the world and find a positive reception. Dance, music and film are particularly favored under this Full Moon due to the influence of Pisces and its ruler Neptune.
Those mysterious strangers you meet during a Full Moon can end up being major players in the story of your life, so just say “yes” to social engagements and be alert to whoever wanders into your life at this time. They may just have an important message for you!
Psychic energy is said to peak at the Full Moon, so pay attention to your intuition. It’s also an excellent time for divination, past life regression, dream work, and just about any other spiritual work. Sometimes all that’s needed is to sit in silence and reflect—let the images pour in and through you! It can also be a very emotional time, one of release and purging of what’s no longer needed. It can bring on a bout of nostalgia, of thinking about the past—but care must be taken not to get too caught up in recurring memories or regrets about the past. More rest or sleep than usual may be needed, as you’ll be processing a lot of information (consciously and subconsciously) during this time; you may have intense dreams.
Full Moon: A Brief Definition
A full moon occurs when the earth lies between the Sun and the Moon and in such a way that the side of the Moon facing the earth is illuminated by the Sun. It looks to us on Earth like a bright round disc in the sky. During a Full Moon, the Sun and Moon are separated by 180 degrees (out of a whole of 360 degrees), with the Moon in opposition to the Sun. Astrologers refer to this aspect (not much surprise here, really), as an opposition.
Who Will be Affected by this Full Moon?
Pisces people born on February 19-20 will be the most likely to feel the energy of this Full Moon, as it’s directly on their sun. In addition, people with planets or chart angles at around 1-2 degrees of Virgo, Pisces, Gemini or Sagittarius are affected, although I suspect some Pisces types may just decide to sleep through it all!
It Takes Two to Tango
If we take a look at the current Full Moon, we see that the Moon is in Pisces at just over 1 degree, so the Sun, which forms the other half of the opposition, is located at just over 1 degree of Virgo. In any opposition, which is considered a “hard” or “stress” aspect in astrology, the 2 planets are locked into a rather tense tango. There are two talented partners involved: one partner sometimes drags the other to the left; the second then drags just as hard to the right. What’s needed is synthesis—rather than flinging each other gracelessly about, with each trying to assert their will, the two dancers need to learn to work together to create a brand-new dance using the best “moves” from each side.
In order to understand the energies surrounding a Full Moon, it’s necessary to look at both the Sun and Moon placements to get the total picture.
For Virgo, (6th house is its domain, Mercury is the ruler):
Matters related to health and the functioning of the body, details, discernment, our day to day work (not the career, but what we do in the course of a “typical day”, servants/those who provide some kind of a service, being of service in any way, small animals and pets, scheduling and schedules, and the health industry or health workers.
For Pisces (12th house is its domain, Neptune and Jupiter are the rulers):
Spirituality, faith, the unconscious, sacrifice and self-sacrifice, any place that is secluded or hidden including prisons, hospitals, sanctuaries of all kinds, what’s brought over from past lives, the urge to merge, the collective or collective hopes and fears, meditation, “secrets and lies” (It’s the name of a good Woody Allen film, too!), prayer, boundaries, creativity, film/music, being confined in any way, giving up things, yearning for something better, escaping or “leaving the scene” or the conscious world.
Just by looking at these basic keywords (and these just scratch the surface, to be sure!), we can see that during this Full Moon, we may be coping with conflicts between our day –to- day-lives and our dreams, trying to determine what we need to keep and where to let go, of issues of serving or helping as opposed to being a martyr or being taken advantage of, plus those eternal “boundary issues”: When are we actually helping, and when are we hindering another’s growth by getting too involved? . Other issues running in tandem here include obsessing over daily problems or not having our feet planted firmly enough to even cope with the daily grind, working so hard that we affect our health and need to recuperate, dealing with hidden weaknesses, addictive behavior and/or the subconscious motivations that affect our daily functioning. All this can pop up during at this time.
I think the key issues will revolve around release/dissolving/purifying our routines, awareness of old patterns we’re trapped in, and revisiting past situations in order to finally resolve them. As a society we seem to have reached a crisis point where we can’t keep doing what we’ve been doing if we want the human race to survive into the future, but we haven’t dislodged ourselves yet from the old mindset or release the old fears and stale ideas that we’ll have to jettison in order to make the transition.
Astrological Aspects
Astrologically, the issues noted above are shown by the Pisces Full Moon conjuncting Chiron and Neptune (which are both currently retrograde in Aquarius). Neptune is the ruler of Pisces so again, it’s a double dose of the Piscean energy; since it’s in Aquarius it may express itself in a rather odd fashion, as is often the case with anything Aquarian. Chiron with Neptune and the Moon puts the focus on “digging up the icky stuff” that you’ve tried to avoid in the past. Chiron, as the “wounded healer” archetype, will show you where it hurts and how to heal it; close to the Moon and Neptune, it will stir your compassionate impulses and make you reflect on the ways “everybody hurts” a la the REM song, and motivate you to join groups or charities to help people who are in difficult situations. And don’t forget animals or pets: This connection of planetary influences can make you a regular Dr. Doolittle when it comes to talking to the animals!
It’s also an excellent time to have a past-life regression. You might be weirded out by what you find, but I’ll bet the healing from it will be intense. With the moon emphasis, memories from past lives may come flooding in. This Full Moon is also quincunx Saturn, which is exalted in Libra, so we’re being called upon to make adjustments in order to keep ourselves from falling back into ruts. If you’re old enough, think back to the time around 1980-1983 when Saturn was last in Libra. You might find that the “karma chameleons” show up with unfinished business from that era (I like Boy George, and we’ve already seen the return of the Madonna look, but please, please, no more padded shoulders!). This time we can finally say goodbye to old relationship patterns and old ways of thinking in order to move on.
Two days after the Full Moon, the Sun in Virgo will trine Pluto in Capricorn, which is a powerful and positive aspect linking the essence of who we are (the Sun) with the god of transformation (Pluto), and with the Sun and Pluto both in earth signs, it’s likely that you’ll be able to incorporate some of the things you’ve learned to make practical and long-reaching alterations which will have more freedom to manifest after Mercury returns to direct motion September 12 (but it might not really get going until after the retrograde shadow ends around September 27).
Beginnings and Endings
One reason that the “beginnings and endings” theme is so powerful during this Full Moon is that not only is it in Pisces (which is not THAT unusual), but as it’s just slid into Pisces (barely over one degree), it’s also in the first decan of Pisces, which is like we’re getting a double-scoop serving of the Pisces/Neptune energy. The first decan is considered to be the Pisces decan of the sign. This really is “initiatory” energy, the energy of beginnings and rawness/newness of beginnings. All Full Moons are about culmination and dispersal, with a feel of “endings” and Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac, where everything “collects”, so the contrast between beginnings and endings of things is heightened with this Full Moon. Add to this Mercury retrograde in very early Virgo, the opposite sign from Pisces, and it would seem to indicate that what’s being born now will take on all the complexity and flavor of the things that have run their course during this period, or will arise from the leftovers or collapse of those “finished” things. Years ago the 12th house, the Pisces house, was referred to as the “dustbin of the zodiac”. While that’s not exactly a nice thing to say (Pisces and Virgo seem to get stuck with the most unflattering descriptions of their signs, don’t they?), there is a sense in which the flotsam and jetsam floating around makes up the “cosmic stew of creation”, sort of a primeval ooze –and we all know that’s where life originated.
So even if this period is confusing and things don’t seem to be going where they’re supposed to, there’s something brewing in the collective unconscious that might have escaped our notice but will emerge as an important theme as the year progresses. With the intense energy of the Cardinal T-Square/Cross affecting people worldwide, things have been stressful for many and perhaps many of these small beginnings haven’t caused a stir because they’re being overwhelmed by bigger “noisemakers”. Mercury retrograde in Virgo, indicates perhaps there will be a hitch or delay in the start-up plans, or detours along the way, but these detours could just be just the “happy accident” that turns out to be astonishingly important later on.
Tarot Correlations for the Full Moon in Pisces
The Moon card, in Tarot, relates to Pisces and the ruler of Pisces, Neptune, is associated with the Hanged Man. Jupiter is also considered a co-ruler of Pisces so we can add the Wheel of Fortune to the mix as well. And of course, the High Priestess is ruled by the Moon itself.
Just a quick glimpse at these cards says quite a bit about the nature of this Full Moon energy.
This combination speaks of mysteries beyond words or form, of dealing with the cosmic mind and the collective unconscious, and of moving into a meditative state in which we are totally absorbed. We see signs and symbols of what is to come and obtain glimpses of the future. We learn the lesson of voluntary sacrifice, of giving up something for something greater by learning to see from a different perspective and trusting the universe to take us to where we need to be. The wheel turns and we give up attachment to results, learning to travel, illuminated by moonlight, towards our destiny. The High Priestess card also denotes the unfathomable, fluctuating nature of the Moon and its phases, as the gate to the unconscious and the mysteries found therein.
Sabian Symbols for this Full Moon
Let’s take a look at the Sabian Symbol for this Full Moon:
The Sabian Symbol for 2 degrees Pisces, the location of the Full Moon, is:
“Almost as if possessed with man’s intelligence, a tiny squirrel remains watchful on a limb hidden from the hunters.” (Marc Edmund Jones version)
I passed a newsstand the other day and noted that the cover story of Time Magazine trumpeted “new” discoveries about animal intelligence. Scientists, apparently, are just figuring out that animals possess more sophisticated communication skills than they thought. (Those of us who live with critters could have saved them the effort, as we already knew this– but they didn’t ask us, of course!) The squirrel is a smart and industrious creature who plans for the future, has a 6th sense for where the nuts are buried, know when to zig and when to zag, does the “crazy dance” for the thrill of it, who also senses when the vibes are bad–the nose and whiskers start to quiver and then and it’s time to skedaddle up a tree limb. This is actually quite an interesting combination of the Pisces/Virgo archetypes. One of the happiest creatures I have ever seen on this earth was the squirrel I watched one Saturday in front of the town library. This squirrel had found a large peanut butter jar with—miracle of miracles– some peanut butter remaining. I swear he/she was grinning from ear to pointy ear! I suppose the main points to take note of here are: plan for the future, trust your instincts –when you feel it’s time to hide or run, take heed—and every so often you just need to go crazy and run around like a lunatic. And doctors are now telling us that nuts are pretty good for our health!
The Sabian Symbol for 2 degrees Virgo, the location of the Sun, is:
“A large white cross dominating the landscape stands alone on top of a high hill”
The cross, being the symbol of belief, suffering, martyrdom and redemption, relates to the Neptune/Pisces archetype of voluntary sacrifice and the Hanged Man card in the tarot. Issues of faith and religion either uniting or dividing come to the fore (the cross stands “alone” on top of the hill). As the squirrel’s instincts reflect the wisdom of nature, the symbol of the cross reflects wisdom gained through sacrifice and suffering. There also seems to be a warning for those who would use religion to dominate others, or to dominate nature itself, using religion as a justification or as a reason to “hunt” or punish others (using the “hunter” image from above). This combination seems to indicate that we need to be on the alert for growing religious fanaticism or destructive acts performed in the name of God that lead to destruction and terrorist acts. I suspect this may become an issue during the time of this Full Moon as emotions run high and people feel that they are on a “mission from God”.
Associations and Rituals for this Full Moon:
Haul out the frankincense and myrrh, fill your cups, cauldrons and goblets to the brim, grab the essential oils, dig out the aquamarine and amethyst crystals, take the cover off the scrying mirror or crystal ball, spread those tarot cards, plump the meditation pillows, bedeck the room with flowers and put on your most ethereal music–this Full Moon in Pisces is the time to alter your state and access the powers of the unconscious!
We’re very open to receiving messages from other worlds at the time of the Full Moon and this is “amped up” exponentially by its being in Pisces. At this time we’re very sensitive to the currents that animate the universe and can pick up messages if we know how to listen for them. All forms of psychic ability are heightened: divination, clairvoyance, communication with spirit and those who have passed on, information about past lives can be accessed. We’re more in tune with the spirit world in general now. The key is to slow down and alter our routines to get in the groove with this full moon. We need to find another way of looking at things. Remember the association with the Hanged Man: it’s all about reversing your position, being still and seeing things from a different perspective.
As a Full Moon is normally associated with ridding yourself of bad habits or addictions, it’s doubly emphasized at this time with the Full Moon in Pisces. Pisces and its ruler Neptune can point to a tendency towards addictive or avoidance behaviors. This is also where we can trap ourselves, (or get “hung up”, remember the Hanged Man card?) through fantasies and escape mechanisms to avoid dealing with day-to-day responsibilities and routines.
This Full Moon is probably one of the best times possible to step back and take a look at whatever habits you’ve picked up that are not contributing to the health of your body (the Sun in Virgo relates to day-to-day health and wellness and the condition of your body itself) and spirit (as shown by the moon in Pisces) as a whole or are keeping you from making progress. If you want to stop eating, drinking, smoking, deal with drug problems or other obsessions or negative behavior patterns that affect your life, what you can do is stop the activity during this Full Moon and state your intent that it be gone. You can write the intent on a piece of paper and burn it if you want, to symbolize thoroughly destroying the habit. Also throw away the cigarette, the booze, that extra-large box of Godiva chocolates—whatever it is that needs to vamoose from your life.
It’s also a good time to take a look at relationships where you feel victimized, or where you’re taking on too much of the psychic baggage. The Virgo-Pisces polarity can indicate the saint, the martyr, or the victim. There’s a tendency for Virgos to work much harder than anyone else, and take on too much of the burden, and that applies to relationships as well. They can also wind up being the “quicker picker-uppers” of life, trailing after and cleaning up other people’s messes. Pisces people are sensitive and empathetic and have sympathy for others, but they can take on other people’s woes to the extent of forgetting where they end and the other begins, or tolerating drunks, drug addicts and abusers who don’t treat them well—and then making excuses for their behavior on top of it!
In the home environment, it’s a great time for cleaning the basement, tossing out things you’ve outgrown, clearing the clutter and creating more “space” in your life for the new to enter. Using the Pisces/Virgo polarity, if over the years you’ve collected so much that you’re overwhelmed and just want to go lie down (or have a drink or three), wade into that ocean of crap and break the task down to more manageable levels. Limit yourself to working on one small area at a time. Use the Virgo discernment to choose what’s of value–and keep only those things that are worth holding on to.
Since Pisces rules the feet and lymphatic glands and Virgo the lower intestinal areas, if you are having problems in these areas, it’s time to think about how to address any conditions that have taken hold. (Drinking more water is always advised, but especially now—fill those chalices!)
For everyone, but especially if you’re a mutable sign—Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius or Pisces—it might be best to wait until after September 12, at least, to go in for surgery, choose a new doctor, or go to the hospital if it can be avoided, to lessen mix-ups—all that Pisces energy colliding with the Mercury retrograde in Virgo might mean that your health care practitioners may be very sweet and quite sympathetic, however, someone may have the best intentions and still make errors that can cause annoying problems, inaccurate test results or delays.
Three Card Tarot Reading
My three-card reading for the Full Moon in Pisces shows:
The Ace of Cups emphasizes the flowing, watery energy of the Full Moon in Pisces and tells us it’s time to begin the healing process. I associate Cups with the summer season, and this Ace shows that strong inner promptings have put us on notice that it’s time to follow our hearts and our intuitions and to reach for that Holy Grail. The Star card is also a card of healing, sometimes through imbalance or disease, but shows us the inner truth and gives us hope for the future. What has begun in the summer may make more sense in the time of Aquarius (end of January through mid-February). As a forward-thinking sign, Aquarius can also be a harbinger of the future, of exciting new things approaching. Combined with the Ace of Cups, it’s also telling us to pay attention to our internal dialogue, to flashes of intuition that often strike randomly. Finally, the Tower shows us that what has been built up needs to come down, sometimes we lose the things we’re most afraid to lose but often it’s necessary in order for progress to occur. This combination of cards can also be saying to us “take heart and remain hopeful, progress is being made even though right now it may seem that all is chaos and destruction.”
Valerie
Featured deck – the Infinite Visions Tarot. Available exclusively from its creator, Gloria Jean at her website. Read Valerie’s excellent review of this beautiful deck.
Valerie Sylvester – has written 15 posts on Tarot Elements.
Valerie Sylvester is a Professional Tarot Reader, keen astrologer, creative writer and lover of all things metaphysical. She's also a warm, charming and delightful woman. If you would like to book a private or public venue Tarot reading with Valerie, she can be contacted via Tarot Elements.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Dear Valerie,
Could you possibly explain WHY I can’t find any Astro-Tarot Books written by you? I’d REALLY like to know. You pulled everything together so well in this posting. If time permits, I’d LOVE to see you write something for the New and Full Moons EVERY month!!
Smiles Fro Your Kindred Spirit,
Anna