by Robert Wilkinson
This Full Moon falls at the 28th degree of Libra-Aries. It will offer us new views on old ideas and opportunities to face some things directly while showing us what's firing up in early May. Be patient as you find a new identity through seeing the larger life you've become part of. The next two weeks offer us ways to review what we think will fulfill us, and catch glimpses of the larger field within which we can fulfill our desires at whatever level we operate.
Just as the New Moon articles got so large they had to be split in two, this is the next in the Full Moon series which also needs to be split. Part 1 will cover rising signs around the globe, an overview of the Lunation, and the Sabian Symbols. Part 2 will cover the aspects, configurations and patterns, and which signs are most likely to be affected by where this falls in their charts.
This activating and reconstructing Full Moon occurs 17 April at 7:44 pm PDT, 10:44 pm EDT, and 2:44 am 18 April in Greenwich. The Lunation finds 3 Scorpio rising in Santa Monica, 6 Scorpio rising in Vancouver, 4 Sagittarius in Washington DC, 1 Aquarius in Rio, 11 Aquarius in London (Apr 18), 19 Aquarius in Amsterdam, 7 Pisces in Berlin, 7 Aries in Tallinn, 1 Aries in Sofia, 12 Aries in Cairo, and 5 Aries in Johannesburg.
Moving into Asia and Oceana, we find the Ascendants to be 9 Gemini in New Delhi, 30 Taurus in Trivandrum, 24 Gemini in Bangkok, 11 Cancer in Hong Kong, 8 Leo in Tokyo, 19 Gemini in Perth, 12 Cancer in Melbourne, 27 Cancer in Brisbane, 14 Leo in Wellington, and 1 Libra rising on Maui (17 Apr.).
Because the New Moon preceding the Full Moon always represents the seed forms that are brought to surface at and after the Full Moon, please check out New Moon in Aries Pt. 1 - What's Happening in April 2011 as well as New Moon in Aries 2011 Pt. 2 - Activation, Expansion, Quickening, and Adjusting .
Those around the world who will definitely feel effects of this Full Moon are the places where it falls near the angles of the chart. This one has a wider span of oppositions than usual, due to the oppositional axis spanning all of Libra-Aries. Thus this Lunation should show activating energies for Hawaii, Brazil, Eastern Europe down to South Africa, East Asia, and Western and Central Australia.
As we are still under the influence of both the July 2010 Solar Eclipse in Cancer and January 2011 Solar Eclipse in Capricorn, you may also want to review the numerous articles in the archives concerning those long term influences. As several planets are close to or in square to previously activated Eclipse points, there are quite a few planetary positions in this Lunation indicating the release of those Eclipse energies.
Full Moons heighten feelings, and this one has a very close Mercury-Mars opposition Saturn, showing very obvious polarizations, oppositions, and tensions arising from narrowness of view, rigid thinking, and misguided rules or structures. You can bet some frustrations will build (and be very obvious) with major signals around these tensions to come when Mercury goes stationary direct on April 23rd on the exact degree as Mars occupies in this Lunation chart!
Oppositions tend to create some heightened tension and seesawing whether the Moon is full or not! And to add to the general ramping up of energies, the Grand Irrationality is in dynamic form due to Jupiter transiting the Aries zone in septile to Neptune and biseptile to Pluto.
As I noted in the article Jupiter in Aries Showing New Grand Irrationality Directives, right now through the end of the month is showing us all major forks in the road of our future destiny. Choose wisely despite the general weirdness and hard edge to things, since this will begin to pick up speed in the very near future, and throw all of us into new directions. The whole world is at a critical turning point where we must find compassionate ways to link with others to assist the whole to survive through a rough patch.
This is the seventh Full Moon Sun that falls in the same sign as the previous New Moon, continuing to offer us a consistent (and "natural") way of experiencing the New Moon-Full Moon sequence. We had Full Moon Suns in different signs than the previous New Moon from July 2009 through September 2010. We'll have the current sequences of the New Moon Sun being in the same sign as the next Full Moon Sun through May 2012, after which it will again reverse function and the Full Moon Sun will be the same as the following New Moon Sun.
As I've explained in previous Full Moon articles,
... the Full Moon being in a subsequent sign than the previous New Moon indicates that what is released as realizations in the Full Moon period actually "prepare the ground" for the coming New Moon seed. Strange reversal of function, since you would think the New Moon provides the seed for the next Full Moon. But this set of Lunations works the opposite way....Another way to look at this is the Sun sign of the Full Moon is the same as and precedes the Sun sign of the next New Moon, reversing the usual way Lunations work. So the fulfillment of the Full Moon sets up the next "seed" to be revealed at the next New Moon....
So now the New Moon-Full Moon cycle is "back to normal," in the sense that now we have the illuminated form shown to us at the New Moon which is fulfilled by the light of the same sign at the subsequent Full Moon. The New Moons will all fall in the first half of their signs and the Full Moons will all fall in the last half of their signs from now through May 2012. Seeds shown in the first half, fulfillment in the second half makes some kind of sense.
This Full Moon falls at 28 Aries-Libra. It is said that the last third (decan) of any sign deals with the individual, mental, and spiritual levels of life, and being the third decan of those signs, invokes a sub-influence of Sagittarius and Gemini.
Since the Moon always focuses the light of the Sun in specific forms, the degree symbols for both are important. The Sun degree is the illumination or enlightenment of the Lunation, whereas the Moon shows us the potential forms that enlightenment will take.
The Solar degree symbol for the 28th degree of Aries is "A large disappointed audience." Rudhyar says this is a degree of "A new light is shed upon cherished ideas" and a "fearless, constructive and public facing of the facts of existence." We are told this involves "adjustment" and "the necessity for mature preparation and self-criticism."
He goes on to say this is a degree of learning how to handle a situation where someone may have promised more than they could deliver, and how to be objective in considering the use of power. This is a stage where he says what is required is "an objective inclusiveness of the whole environment; thus a sense of responsibility for what one's actions will produce."
He gives the keyword "Responsibility," and points out that this is where we begin to understand how to evaluate potential results from the use of our focused power. He says this degree falls in the Span of Examination, Act of Differentiation, and Scene of Potency on the Individual-Mental level.
Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, says this is a degree of "the transiency of the rewards in a life taken too literally and narrowly," and "the disillusionment that comes when an individual learns that (they) cannot depend on the applause of (others), or make the collective mood a guide for which values they should pursue. Here we must "rest secure" in our creative potential and not be swayed by externals. He offers the keyword DISJUNCTION, and states that when operating positively, the degree is "complete spiritual independence."
So this is a degree of individual-mental activity in a dynamic focus of potency helping us see what we can realistically expect from circumstances where the expectations may be too high. Here we see the power of busting an illusion, and offered opportunities to be fearless and constructive in adjusting what needs to be adjusted, and how to become spiritually independent from situations that demand more than they should.
The Lunar degree symbol for the 28th degree of Libra is "A man in the midst of brightening influences." I wrote extensively about this degree last November, since it's the same degree where Venus went stationary direct after its stint in Scorpio triggering the Grand Irrationality in early October through its conjunction with Mars at its stationary retrograde point.
You can find out the whole story on 28 Libra by going to Astrology in November-December 2010 - Venus and Jupiter Go Direct Moving Us Forward into 2011! This implies that the Venusian platform of sensing how life is all around is that began last Autumn will be the specific focus for the coming two weeks.
Please read that article, since I go into the meaning of the symbol for 28 Libra. Here are a few of the main points to consider about this degree. It's about "spiritual sustainment given to him who opens himself to his full destiny," "unsolicited help," and "slow realization of betterment." We also find this degree is one of realizing our community is sustaining us, and that we are as surrounded by life and our spiritual community as a fish by water. Here Rudhyar states that through this degree we can find a sense of "belonging to a greater whole" which can lead us to an "inner assurance."
This is a degree that is part of the finalizing of Libra energies. Rudhyar says the sign Libra begins the Act of Group integration, and the last half of Libra is specifically the "Span of Revelation," and the Scene of Reconstruction.
Dr. Marc Jones says this symbol is one where life's "enduring rewards" come by accepting the "underlying friendliness of the world." We are told this offers us encouragement through our "courage in pressing forward on (our) pilgrimage from darkness to light," which confirms our potential. He says the keyword is RESPONSIVENESS, and when positive, this degree is "a complete spiritual fellowship with human kind."
So this is a degree where we become aware of being surrounded by hopeful influences that will assist us in coming out of isolation or a sense of being cut off from whatever sustains us spiritually. Here courage will yield big rewards, and lead us to our Spiritual Brothers and Sisters once we come out of a gloomy separation. And of course, as I said, this will put the focus squarely on whatever Venusian lessons we've been learning and living since November 2010.From these symbols it seems we can see the light of an understanding of what hasn't worked or isn't working regarding others' expectations, where we can take responsibility for our spiritual freedom to move into more rewarding activities and relationships. These can express as an awareness of who our "tribe" is and is not, where we become responsive and demonstrate courage enabling us to achieve our ultimate aims and get the associated rewards.
We can find illumination in being aware of how things are sorting out at the "end of the beginning" of a new potency, and in seeing what is realistic and unrealistic of others' expectations and why we should not get dependent on others' momentary moods, applause or approval. This can take shape through how we reconstruct our sense of the life around us, and know the world to be a friendly place if we just remember to brighten up and open up to new experiences and interactions.
How we focus the next two weeks will show us perceptions and relationships that can brighten our lives when we let go of trying to achieve expectations that are unrealistic or which do not take into account the human factor. This can move us away from superficial rewards into learning how to be more secure in our own "creative potential," finding new balanced ways to express our individuality.
We're learning to focus our potency to aim toward a more effective and enjoyable way of life with others, and so expect to do some reconstruction work. It is said the last decan of Libra is one of "dues paying," so whether it's old dues come due, or new dues being generated, or the reclaiming of a promise we made to ourselves but never redeemed, you can bet this is a time when many things will be repaired, and deeper feeling connections will be experienced.
On a final note for today, long time readers on this site know this first Full Moon of Spring marks the first of the "3 High Moons" occurring each year that offer the world a new infusion of Light, Dharma, and Love. The Full Moon of Aries/Libra brings the renewal of the life force for the year. The Full Moon of Taurus/Scorpio, known as the Wesak Festival, brings a new outpouring of the "Cosmic Buddha Nature" that brings all a renewal of the qualities that Sage brought to humanity to lessen suffering for all sentient Beings.
The Full Moon of Gemini/Sagittarius is known as the Christ Fest, where the World Teacher of the Age takes the wisdom of the Buddha Nature and infuses it with the Loving magnetism so that all may become more lovingly wise and wisely loving according to the lesson of the year. That Christ Fest Loving Wisdom pulse has been active since late May of 2010, and will be replaced by a new pulse in the Gemini/Sagittarius Full Moon to come.
For now, enjoy Spring, and the rush of life that's already appearing all over the Northern Hemisphere. If you're in the Southern Hemisphere, check out to see what types of new Aries energies and activities are showing themselves in your life, take whichever fork in the road is appropriate to you, and by May you'll know the wisdom in going your own way and doing your own thing in the company of others who care for you.
In Part 2 we'll cover the aspects, configurations, and which degree spans will be impacted by this Full Moon. See you soon!
© Copyright 2011 Robert Wilkinson
Thank you so much for your thoughtful analysis of what seems to be an exquisitely tender time...growth is painful, first setting roots then struggling towards the light. Finally, we can look around and sing joyful praise and marvel at what glory has resulted when 'others' are revealed, doing the same work in harmony, each supporting all else in Indra's net. we are now free to move about the cosmos. peace.
Posted by: Genro | April 18, 2011 at 08:49 AM
Interesting that the full moon exactly conjuncted my natal moon. Dr. Jones'explanation encapsulates the life learning throughout my 5 decades in this earth school. I enjoy your articles immensely. Namaskar
Posted by: Carmen Viola | April 18, 2011 at 12:21 PM
Thanks for this, Robert. It is quite interesting to note the complementary nature of the Sabian symbols for the two opposing degrees occupied by the luminaries at this full moon. (As I believe Rudhyar pointed out, with respect to all opposing degree symbols.) With natal Neptune-Juno at 28 Libra in a tight t-square with Chiron and Jupiter-Uranus, I have found your text to be very inspiring and timely in a personal way.
Posted by: Elizabeth | April 18, 2011 at 12:57 PM
Robert, I usually adore your blogs and check them daily to read up on the fascinating signs in the skies to look out for in our lives. However, thanks to *everything* in Aries, feels like life is on full speed these days, and I have not had any time to read you in about a month. I don't think I'll ever get a chance to catch up on the past full month of blogs, but I guess that goes to show that now we're in a new phase of 'doing' and time for reflection will come after the fire dies down...
Posted by: Josie | April 19, 2011 at 08:23 PM