If you feel like time is already moving fast, hold onto your butt because things are shifting into an even higher gear. This speed is both actual, as the earth spins faster and our solar system moves into a zone of time compression, and relative, as the earthly systems and frameworks we rely on are less and less able to keep up with the shifting desires and thought patterns of Humanity.
The first two cards out are from the Egyptian tarot, and both arrive upside down. First is the Twilight (18/9), known as the Moon in other decks, and feels very eclipse-like. Leo is such a masculine, solar sign that in reverse, the tiny symbols of Aquarius (Leo’s opposite) and Venus bring an extra layer of meaning: this is feminine power (intuitive, life-giving wisdom) wielded in a masculine way (leaping into the material world to provoke change). Second card is the Thunder-Struck Tower (16/7)—interesting since the sun will be at 16° of Aquarius during the full moon. Again, reversal brings a new meaning: the lightning comes from below/within rather than from above/without. Together, these indicate a shaking of inner foundations—perhaps in the Earth herself?—that create waves of change that may hit us in unexpected ways.
So what exactly is going on? I pull some cards from the Astro deck to use as signposts. They are, briefly:
- Virgo: Digest (6): A call to preparation and grounding through already-completed hard work and seeds planted
- Libra: Balance (7): A recognition that balance through being present in the moment is of utmost importance in times of extreme polarity
- Twelfth House: Introspection (50/5): A coming deep dive into the subconscious/unconscious that involves all the energy centres of your being (all areas of your life & identity)
- Fifth House: Passion (43/7): A charge to externalize into creative action your internal passion and joy, as a way to manifest change worked in deep places
At this point, I pull cards from five other decks (Mystic Shaman, Spirit Animal, Gateway of Light, Thoth tarot and White Light) that come to provide more context to the four areas already delineated by the Astro cards.
Virgoan grounding: Knight of Disks (“the fiery part of earth”, 21° Leo to 21° Virgo) relates very much to food and food security, which is clearly under threat even in historically prosperous areas of the world. Relying on savings or resources that you’ve stocked up may be necessary during this time of accelerated change, because frankly, we’re not going to be able to keep up like we have in the past. Even if you’ve done the work to prepare for a time of famine, you may still be shaken at your emotional foundations, especially if you’ve never had to struggle for resources or safety before in your life. The card Inner Earth speaks both to our foundations in the world as well as that of the Earth herself, which again whispers rumours of terrestrial instability.
Libran balance: Here we get a cluster of animals showing us how to act when faced with the volatile energy of this new moon. Antelope Spirit (2) says “Life is speeding up!” as Grasshopper Spirit (30/3) advises: “Take a leap of faith.” This is not the time to get caught in worry or fear: this is a time for action, and if you have not made your Virgoan preparations, focus on opening yourself to the intensity of the moment as your decisive act. Hummingbird Spirit (34/7) calls to “Be here now!”, even in the midst of confusion and mess. From the Thoth deck, The Magus (1), also known as the Juggler, appears suspended in a slurry of the physical and metaphysical, dancing with the mundane, profane and sacred all at once—because that’s how it is in the unconscious.
Twelfth House (Piscean) introspection: Whether you see it as diving into the unconscious or bringing up deep, dark elements to light on the surface, what’s being done is called Soul Retrieval (49/13/4). This is the capture and reintegration, through love, of forsaken, forgotten or abandoned aspects of self, both as individuals and as collective Humanity. It might seem like a difficult, murky process, but remember that our full moon is in Leo, a symbol not only of great illumination, but of the fire and determination available to overcome any obstacle. Think about what you would be if you didn’t have to struggle to survive. Think about what Humanity would be if the constant demands from our evil overlords were totally silenced, if there was no fear of destitution or suffering or shame. What sort of magic could we work?
Fifth House (Leonine) passion: Solar Light Upgrade, inner fire and willpower, are the heroes of this time of challenging, fast-based change. We might be eating the same boring, cheap meals for a while, but a new source of sustenance is emerging: the will to transform the world. Anger can provide power for wresting the world back into the control of the people, and our evil overlords are on very unstable ground indeed. Aurora of Gamma (27/9) represents a shift in the quality of our thoughts that can break through stagnant, calcified structures like a bright bolt of lightning. And Yeshe Tsogyal 333 (33/6), the great tigress of White Tara, is a symbol of Leo very much like the lion: a bold, ferocious presence of unstoppable will, the birth of a categorical paradigm shift that cannot be denied or repelled.
How you deal with this full moon is up to you. But I would say that if you have the courage to seek wholeness for your missing or damaged soul parts, either from this life or others, there are a great many Friends available to help you. Be prudent, be centred, and know that the strictures binding your economic life in the material world do not hold sway in your quest for healing.