Moon Musings - First Quarter - Full Moon

Moon entered Taurus on Friday, February 15^th.  For the Taurus folks among us this is like a personal New Moon for when the Moon moves into the sign your Sun is in it will revive you and pump you up.  It is not so with the other Fixed signs, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. Moon opposes Scorpio and forms a 90 degree square aspect to Leo and Aquarius. Taurus Moon makes things tough for the other Fixed signs.  While making it tough for the Fixed crowd, Taurus Moon smoothes the way for the Earth signs of Virgo and Capricorn. In the Zodiac, Earth to Earth is an aspect of 120 degrees called a trine. This is an aspect of ease where the energy flows.

In the sky now the Sun is moving through the later degrees of Aquarius. On Sunday, February 17^th the Moon will move into a 90 degree square aspect with the Sun. This is the First Quarter Moon phase of the monthly dance between the Sun and Moon. Squares activate and agitate. The First Quarter Moon phase awakens the promise seeded in the New Moon phase. Action is required, go somewhere, do something, have that conversation.  Moon in Taurus brings out the stubborn and the cautious within us. This Moon is grounded and deeply invested in the status quo. Sun in Aquarius looks to the future and loves the novel and new. Despite this future oriented view, Aquarius is a fixed, air sign which equates to fixed ideas, ideas that are entrenched. It takes a great deal of reason, logic and argument to get an Aquarian to change that fixed, air mind. We may find ourselves between a rock and a hard place at this First Quarter phase forcing us to act.

As we shift from the Fixed signs of Taurus/Aquarius to the Mutable signs of Moon in Gemini and Sun in Pisces movement, change and adaptability loom on the horizon Gemini Moon encourages communication and curiosity. On Wednesday, February 20^th, Moon enters Cancer, at home here and forming an aspect of ease to Pisces Sun; heretofore barriers and obstacles to progress melt away. The Full Moon of February 25^th reflects this shift with Moon in Earthy Virgo opposing Pisces Sun.  Change is possible but for some difficulties remain, in particular Sagittarius and Gemini receive troublesome vibes from this Full Moon.  Capricorn, Taurus, Cancer and Scorpio receive some helpful energy.

In the lead up to the Full Moon, on Monday, February 18^th as the Sun moves into Pisces, Saturn in Scorpio stations, turning retrograde. Retrograde motion is the appearance of the planet moving backwards. When a planet stations and changes direction the energies of that planet are strong.  Saturn is about restriction, contraction and keeping your nose to the grind stone.  Scorpio speaks to sex, death, and transformation.  The more practical application of this sign encompasses debt and taxes.  While some may have a hot little love affair that transforms most will be dealing with the IRS and the credit card companies.

As we move into the Full Moon phase and wind down to the Last Quarter of this cycle that which was hidden shall be revealed. With Mercury going retrograde on February 23^rd we may have to wait until the next First Quarter phase in March when Mercury moves again in direct motion after the 17^th of March.

With the Sun traveling through Pisces the energies encourage quiet reflection and spiritual endeavors.  The down side of Pisces is escape from reality. Don’t hit the bottle or ignore the practical things that need to be dealt with.  Do get in touch with your core self, find your center and move from there.