Full Moon in Cancer — January 11, 2009, 03:27 UT

The Moon is at home in Cancer. The Moon is the ruler of Cancer, and planets in their own sign are strong. This Moon is a big one, too. The Moon’s orbit around Earth is an ellipse, with one side 50,000 km closer to Earth than the other. The point of closest approach is called perigee, and that is where the Moon will be this weekend.

We may be prone to retreat and dwell in our emotions and feelings. Listen to your innermost feelings and the messages which will surface.

Mercury is stationing retrograde in Aquarius at the same time as the Full Moon. When a planet is retrograde, the energy is turned inward. Mercury may be operating in a different way from the normal, and his messages may be more clearly perceived.

In Roman mythology, Mercury was the messenger from the gods to humans. He also brought dreams to the mortals. With his winged sandals he was able to travel between the worlds, resembling in this the Norse god Odin. The Norse mythology also mentions the messenger Hermod, the son of Odin. Hermes was the Greek counterpart of Mercury. He was the god of roads and borders. Stone pillars called herms were used to mark borders and placed outside houses for good luck.

Jupiter has just recently entered Aquarius, the sign of brotherhood. Besides Jupiter and Mercury, Chiron, Neptune and the North Node are now there. The archetype of Mercury/Hermes, together with his brother Apollo, is said to represent brotherly love.

In the Full Moon chart, asteroid Hermes conjunct the Sun emphasizes all Mercurial themes. Among other things, Mercury/Hermes was the patron of liars. Some other chart aspects are bringing the themes of honesty and truth into focus, too.

The Moon is in conjunction with Varuna, a classical trans-Neptunian object and a potential dwarf planet on a long, near-circular orbit around the Sun. Varuna is named after the Hindu deity Varuna, who in art was depicted as a lunar deity. Due to his association with the waters and the ocean, he can be identified with Roman Neptune, and in astrology thus with the 12th house matters like the dream world and the unconscious. Varuna deals with matters of truth, lies and keeping agreements.

Venus in Pisces is in exact conjunction with a trans-Neptunian binary Borasisi. Borasisi generally relates to the theme of lies and living by the untruths that make one happy. Specifically in conjunction with Venus (desire for comfort) in Pisces (dreams and denial), pay attention to this kind of tendency.

The symbols of Mercury are the caduceus staff and a lyre. The lyre at first was made by Mercury/Hermes from a tortoise shell. He gave it to Apollo, who is said to have taught Orpheus on it, and after he himself had invented the cithara, he gave the lyre to Orpheus.

In Sagittarius, right at the Galactic Core, is asteroid Orpheus. At the bright core of our galaxy there is a supermassive black hole and a lot of dark matter. This is another metaphor for the 12th house and the unconscious. We may perceive the effect as something which is coming from outside us but which really is within us, in other words the Jungian concept of shadow. The shadow arises from the depths of the unconscious. It is dark material bursting into light. It is instinctive and irrational, but not evil, unless we try to push the dark issues away. The shadow may also be a great source of inspiration.

In mythology, Orpheus was a magical musician and poet. His lyre and sweet voice could charm even wild animals and make rocks and trees dance. When OrpheusÂą wife Eurydice died, Orpheus descended to the underworld. His songs were so beautiful that Hades agreed to allow Eurydice to return to the world with Orpheus. There was just one condition: he must not look back on their way back to the surface. Nonetheless, Orpheus looked back and lost Eurydice again.

In astrology, Orpheus is often associated with sorrow, sense of loss and grief, but also with sad or sweet music and lyrics. This aspect asks you to listen to the melody reaching from your core.

The Sun-Moon opposition is squared by two important minor planets, 1992 QB1 and Eris. Their last conjunction in the series of three was already about a year ago, but they both move so slowly that the conjunction is still within about one degree.

1992 QB1 was the first trans-Neptunian object discovered after the Pluto-Chiron binary system. The discovery was the first proof of the existence of the Kuiper Belt. Eris was the first object classified as a
dwarf planet. Eric has described QB1 as the cosmic bridge aspect, opening the way to those who need assistance or who are not fully initiated. Eris is representing the shadow feminine.

Saturn in Virgo is in an exact sextile aspect to the Moon and trine to the Sun. Uranus makes these same aspects to the Luminaries from Pisces. These easy aspects will help us put our intuitive ideas into effect in some practical ways.

References:

Biggest Full Moon of the Year: Take 2

Isabel M. Hickey, Astrology, A Cosmic Science, 1992, CRCS Publications

Wikipedia

Marja-Liisa Niemi-Mattila, Jumalainen Mies, 2008, WSOY

Eric Francis, Water Worlds

Theoi Greek Mythology

Eric Francis, Aries New Moon and the Radha-Eris Conjunction

Martha Lang-Wescott, Mechanics of the Future: Asteroids, 1996,
Treehouse Mountain

5 Responses to “Full Moon in Cancer — January 11, 2009, 03:27 UT”

  1. Kim Gould Says:

    Hi Kirsti, fantastic run down on the full moon. Very interesting stuff about the lying. I’m looking at it as a shadow thing, maybe not even realising we are disconnected from our own deeper truth. I’m seeing people being ernest but confused because the old ways of relating and communicating aren’t working for them anymore. Eclipse coming up soon as well, it’s so busy here on planet earth right now. Hope you are well, happy and abundant, beyond your wildest expectations! xxKim

  2. admin Says:

    Thanks, Kim!

    Yesterday it was Jimmy Page’s birthday, the greatest rock guitarist of all times, in my opinion. He is a Capricorn with Moon in Cancer! 🙂 Aptly to the theme, here is a couple of YouTube links:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esk8GrAkcE0&feature=related

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv6oATJ4AC4&feature=related

    Yes, there is an eclipse coming later this month, and another in February, and I just learned last night that a comet is approaching, too! Comet Lulin, currently in the constellation Libra, will be at its closest approach in February.
    http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/35992534.html

    This comet is said to have three tails
    http://yeiht.y234.cn/wordpress/?p=1239
    and it should be somewhere conjunct Saturn in February.

    In China and Taiwan, the comet has been hailed as the “Comet of Cooperation.”
    http://www.chinapost.com.tw/editorial/2007/08/02/116720/A-comet.htm

    Best,
    Kirsti

  3. Jesyka Clemens Says:

    Responding to what I just read I’ve been going through a lot lately and feeling a lot of…well…almost instinctively new emotions, instincts, whatever you want to call it. I am a young cancer and I believe everything happens for a reason and at times these “intuitive” feelings, as long as i choose to listen, are well most strong at certain times, and I just was told today about the spectacle of tonights fullmoon ellipse, and before I even knew about that I have just had this very strong pull toward the moon. yesterday, as I was taking a walk I just stopped in the middle of the afternoon(still light) and just was overwhelemed with a sense of beatuy and calmness from starring at it, I took a picture of it on my cell, yea yea I might sound crazy, but I’m finally in life taking the time to see the world around me and growing as a person for who I am and not what everyong thinks I’m suppose to be. So thanks if you are taking the time to read this.

  4. Jesyka Clemens Says:

    I forgot to add in that blog that I totally agree with u Kirsti,RoCk oN fOrEvEr JIMMIE PAGE!!!
    Also I am from Albany(Latham)NY and because of the snowstorm on its way, I am unable to see the beautiful moon tonight:( Wouldnt ya know, Ahhh well, really thats how things seem to go for me…when I plan things, something always seems to go wrong…but when I live for the moment I’d have to say things tend to go much better, its weird!

    Thanks again,
    Jesyka

  5. admin Says:

    Dear Jesyka,

    You don’t sound crazy at all. The Moon effects us all, and I am sure that as a Cancerian you are especially sensitive to her messages. I wish all the best to you in this important phase of your life. Thank you for your response! (and sorry about the snowstorm…)

    Happy Full Moon!

    Kirsti

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