December Full Moon in Cancer Astrology - Home for the holidays
Read your horoscope affirmations for this moon here Listen to the Embodied Astrology meditation for this moon here
Hello beautiful.
This moon shines in her fullness in the early hours of Christmas morning. It’s the first full moon on Christmas day since 1977! As you know the full moon is an opposition (from the Earth’s point of view) between the Sun and the Moon. The Sun entered Capricorn a few days ago on the winter solstice marking the official beginning of winter. The Moon is in the opposite sign of Cancer. The Cancer/Capricorn axis represents the archetype of the parental figures and energy of the mother (Cancer) and the father (Capricorn.)
These two signs also mark the beginning of seasons; Cancer is the beginning of Summer, Capricorn the beginning of winter, and energetically they bring us into the the fullness of expanding (outward) energy or condensing (inward energy.) Since they form an axis of polarity both signs contain each other’s energy.
Cancer: Ruled by the moon. Governs the water and fluids of the body and their rhythms. Rules the stomach, breast tissue, pleura of the lungs, and co-rules (with Scorpio) the female sex organs and energetic womb space in all bodies. Cancer as a sign symbolizes nurturing and the instinct to care for others. Cancer wants to know that everyone has what they need, when they need it, how they need it. One element of caring/nurturing is also protecting and Cancer has a hard shell like its totem animal the crab. When hurt Cancer is moody, reactive, guarded, and tends to retreat inwards. This instinct to bond and also to connect gives Cancer rulership over the hormone oxytocin which creates feelings of intense love and connection as well as feelings of fear and hatred towards what is perceived as ‘other’. Read this fascinating article on oxytocin and racism.
Capricorn: Ruled by Saturn. Governs the skin, bones, hair, teeth, knees, and the processes and functions of solidity, rigidity, and structure in the body. Capricorn as a sign symbolizes the process of aging, maturing, and becoming “real” in the world. The desire is to manifest, materialize and achieve. Capricorn is the instinct towards future ambition and therefore places a great deal of concern upon the past and so also rules old objects, ancestors, and the process of aging. This sign reminds us that the reality in which we participate is governed by the law of time. Being the sign of the winter solstice it understands that being conservative, disciplined, and calculating is a strength when there’s a significant stretch to go until spring. While Cancer rules the fluids of the body, Capricorn is the process that dries them up over time and so is also the part of ourselves that needs to be reminded that life isn’t always so serious and we don’t always have to be rigid or controlling.
On this moon, called also the Cold Moon, we are held in the axis of family: our roots, traditions, allegiances, memories, and habits. This time of year for many of us as adults is when we feel the most childish… No one can bring it out like family can! This is also a season which can feel acutely lonely and/or full of delicious solitude if we find ourselves flying solo. Either way, this season brings out some kinda feelings for most of us and I’m willing to bet that if you are from this culture or have lived here for some time that there are plenty of associations those feelings carry with them. Please friends, move gently through your communities right now. For many of us there is great joy, abundance, and generosity, and for just as many there is loneliness, scarcity, and shame.
The full moon makes helpful aspects to Neptune in Pisces which grants a gauzy, dreamy, sweet, and maybe even mystical hue over the day. Neptune in Pisces helps us remember that regardless of the tensions, differences or disturbances we really are all made from the same stuff and worthy of the same love, which is everything. A good exercise that will channel Neptune’s (God of Cinema) gifts is if you find yourself being activated in any way imagine yourself as the hero(ine) in a movie and tell the story of your journey. Let your imagination lead you to answer the puzzles presented to you by this season in your life. Think of the moment that’s arising as your oracle and any reaction you have as an insight that reveals what you are capable of being AND what you are capable of changing.
For more clues about this full moon think back to the Capricorn full moon (when the Sun was in Cancer) this year on July 1st. What themes from that time are present now? What is getting revealed? What has progressed? Considering that Capricorn is intent upon manifesting this is also astrologically a great time to make intentions for the upcoming cycle of time. What do you know that you have now? What nourishes, nurtures, excites and inspires you? What do you know you need to consume more of in order to build and be in the world in ways you dream of?
Emphasizing your forward thinking is the addition of Uranus stationing direct after being retrograde since the end of July. Uranus is the planet that brings insight, new ideas, and sudden, progressive, revolutionary shifts that render what has happened in the past meaningless. Uranus retrograde can feel like ideas brewing, or a shift that is wanting to be made but the internal process has to happen before change can occur externally. The days that planets station in direction can sometimes be bumpy and with Uranus you might have the feeling of suddenly seeing something that’s been there all along. Uranus ultimately wants to know WHY things are as they are and there’s a good chance that something has been cooking as a question since July and that now you might have a very interesting answer or new piece of information.
With any Uranus transit you want to be careful to not throw the baby out with the bathwater so please be mindful in the next few weeks to give yourself the gift of patience. My dear friend and colleague Sarah Trelease gave me a priceless piece of wisdom this past summer (probably very near to Uranus’ station retrograde) she said, “Patience is the most generous gift you can give yourself. Even if something feels true right now, it will probably change. When you say something or do something you put it out into the world and then you can’t take it back. When you are patient you give yourself the gift of truly knowing if what you are feeling now is worth making real in the future.” Sarah is not only one of the smartest people I know, but she is also a Capricorn, and this piece of wisdom is nothing if not Saturnian in nature. So please let’s all take that advice now. This season may we open our hearts a bit more to our family in the largest sense of the world. May we remember patience, kindness, tolerance and generosity. May we act in ways now that will bear gifts and opportunities in the future. May we nurture each other and remember one another’s goodness so that when we need to be reminded of our own we will have allies.
Many blessings on this moon, on this year, and on our family. Much love Renée
Read your horoscope affirmations for this full moon here