To the ancient Greek philosopher Empedocles, there were two fundamental cosmic forces in constant struggle with one another: Love and Strife.
The Oct. 15/16 Aries Full Moon shines the spotlight on their eternal dance.
But at this moment, it’s Strife that’s got the upper hand.
Aries Full Moon
There couldn’t be a better summary of this Mars-dominated Aries Full Moon than the words of 5th Century BCE philosopher Empedocles:
“The force that unites the elements to become all things is Love, also called Aphrodite (Venus to astrologers). Love brings together dissimilar elements into a unity, to become a composite thing. Love is the same force that human beings find at work in themselves whenever they feel joy, love and peace.
“Strife (Mars), on the other hand, is the force responsible for the dissolution of the one back into its many, the four elements of which it was composed.”
In this Aries Full Moon, the blowout winner is Strife.
Astrological judgements unanimously agree. Let’s check out a few:
“[We] will start this new era not so easily accepting the perceived authority we’ve forced ourselves to adjust to. As much as we want to wipe the slate clean, we’re still challenged by existing power structures and their seemingly increasing appetites. Reclaiming your personal authority and not allowing others to claim it for themselves is a precious lesson from this Aries Full Moon.”
“The cosmic alarm clock is going off, but don’t bother reaching for the snooze button. There isn’t one. Not that anyone could sleep through the racket.
“It’s coming off this year’s supercharged Aries Full Moon and its powder keg of emotional explosions, epiphanies, breakthroughs and jailbreaks. They are blasting us out of complacency and stuck places. Pushing fence sitters to jump to the ground and get going already. Detonating hair-trigger impulses venting pressure that’s been building for months, even years.
“It’s all a cathartic antidote to the surreal atmosphere and whiplash-inducing reboots we’ve experienced this year. No more daze, shock, questioning sanity, feeling stalled, licking wounds or dissolving in tears. Raw, primal energy is being unleashed — life force, kundalini, courage, rage — that ignores (or thrives on) danger.”
Kathy Biehl, Empowerment Unlimited
You’re on “your own personal struggle or journey that parallels, to a tiny extent, the desperate plight of … refugees fleeing across dangerous waters. While change is often forced upon you, how you deal with that change is more up to free will than fate.”
Jamie Partridge, Astrology King
Mars, Mars, Mars
The Aries Full Moon is ruled by the warrior planet Mars. Mars is currently moving through Capricorn, where his pugnacious actions are exalted — celebrated even.
And, Mars is gearing up for a head-on collision with Pluto, also in Capricorn. (Capricorn is the sign of “the establishment” among other things; they don’t call it the “plutocracy” for nothing.)
“The Aries Moon’s ruler, Mars, is mere days away from a conjunction with Pluto, ruler of the unavoidable end of the ongoing change imperative. Their meeting promises targeted, step-by-step, practical, mundane, concrete effort toward long-term goals — including that foundational restructuring we’ve been working on.”
Kathy Biehl, Empowerment Unlimited
“Threats, ultimatums, danger, violence or war which is forcing the change, and also around every turn of your journey. It can bring an incredible increase in ambition, sex drive and lust for power. This is a good time to work independently on something you are passionate about. You will have the endurance and strength to succeed at difficult tasks.”
Jamie Partridge, Astrology King
Super-charged Supermoon
This is no ordinary Moon — it’s also occurring near where the Moon’s orbit brings her closest to the Earth. These perigee Full Moons — called Supermoons by astrologer Richard Nolle — are known for their stronger-than-average tides and other etheric effects.
Under a supersized Full Moon, all emotions and reactions may seem even more exaggerated than circumstances would expect. It is: have a tantrum first, and second, and third, and then consider the situation after you’re standing amid the ruins.
Shock and Awe
Are you seeing the pattern emerge? Dare I say: “But wait, there’s more!”
This Full Moon occurs within a degree of the ice giant Uranus, who is most definitely not known for playing by the rules.
“This Full Moon is in Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, the spark that brings everything to life. This is the pioneer, the initiator, the racer, the adrenaline junkie. Sitting very, very close to the Full Moon is Uranus, also in Aries, who is the revolutionary, the radical, the one who doesn’t follow the rules. This is a take-no-prisoners Full Moon.”
Mary Pat Lynch, Rising Moon Astrology
“This Moon veers between the kooky, crazed lunatic and the unconventional rebel. It has a pathological need to shock and outrage, but can be surprisingly shy and uncomfortable with the notoriety this outrageous behavior brings.”
Marissa Macario, Darkstar Astrology
“Uranus is psychic in its own unique way; rapid firing synapses that snatch futuristic impressions from the psychosphere faster than it understands logically. It is not emotionally psychic but electric buzzing vibratingly psychic…
“How will it actually play out at the time of the Full Moon? There’s a lot of variables here, given that the Full Moon is so closely conjunct Uranus, the planet of contrariness, shocks and awe. By its very nature, Uranus is unpredictable, which makes predicting things a challenge! Once you’ve made a claim that something specific will result, Uranus will do the opposite out of spite. You’ll see this manifest most strongly in people, many of whom will be acting like lucky-feeling punks, to paraphrase that movie cliché.”
“There will be something surprising or abrupt about this culmination. There always is, when Uranus is featured. The Aries/Libra axis suggests freedom versus co-dependence, blunt versus polite, rebel versus socially acceptable. The situation that peaks will be on the Uranus side of things, so expect independent, impolite or rebellious. …
“Whenever Libra is in the mix, there is a question of balance. Such an extreme Full Moon suggests imbalance — a radical swing in the opposite direction of what you assumed. If you’re issuing ultimatums, hoping someone will get with your program, you may get the opposite. This energy is impulsive (very, very impulsive) and instinctive.”
Nadia Gilchrist, Ruby Slipper Astrology
Voicing the Disowned
On the same day as the Aries Full Moon, we also see chatty Mercury in conflict-averse Libra, squaring off with under-worldly Pluto in Capricorn.
Says Nadia Gilchrist of Ruby Slipper Astrology:
“This Moon’s bright exposure will reveal something underneath the Libra surface: a darker fact or deeper motivation. There could be a turning-point conversation that leaves no room for compromise.”
Remember this: underneath the actions you see, there’s something deeper at work. The desire to destroy must proceed the desire the “re-create.”
Hail, Discordia
This Aries Full Moon also falls on the exact degree of the recently discovered minor planet Eris.
Astrologer Henry Seltzer, who’s recently written a book on the astrology of Eris, says she’s about:
“The no-holds-barred fight for continued existence that is fundamental in all natural process, and for making a stand for what one believes, even if violence is involved.”
Mary Pat Lynch, Rising Moon Astrology, dives in to how the Eris archetype fits into the Aries Full Moon:
“Sitting between the Moon and Uranus, very close to both, is Eris. Who is Eris? Excellent question. Eris, known as Discordia to the Romans, is one of the dwarf planets. She is, in fact, slightly larger than Pluto, so it’s tough to justify leaving her out. And yet she has been left out; she was only discovered in 2005. She will not be left out any more.
“Eris is one face of the fierce feminine. She is not the pretty one. She is not the one who gets invited to the cool parties. In fact, she was left off an important invite list and got her revenge by tossing the golden apple among the competing goddesses, which pretty much led to the Trojan War. Because, in case you’ve forgotten, Aphrodite promised Paris the most beautiful woman in the world. As a prize. Even though she was married to someone else.
“Are you getting an idea why this particular goddess might be front and center at this Full Moon? Yep. “You can’t grab this” is a slogan Eris would love.
“Venus in Scorpio forms an inconjunct to the Moon-Eris-Uranus trio. This awkward angle pokes at the three fiery revolutionaries and says, “Look what’s underneath.” The patterns in our culture that treat women as objects did not magically appear overnight. They’ve been around a long time and it will take time to find a new way. At this Full Moon, though, we reach a place where some things can’t be unseen, can’t be unheard. We can no longer look away.
Now I’m tempted to quip: “Life imitates astrology more often than astrology imitates life.” Oscar Wilde is probably chuckling somewhere at the human condition.
Other Considerations
So, it’s unanimous: we’re in for it. One. Wild. Ride.
But it’s the Astrology Hub way to help you find the silver lining, no matter the circumstances.
One bright spot: The Libra Sun is closely conjunct Spica, one of the brightest and most auspicious stars in the night sky.
“Astrologically, Spica is a ‘Good Star’… As the star of the grain harvest, it is the provider of our material needs, and indeed it does always show up well in that respect. There is, however, a word of warning to go with it: We only reap harvest if we have first sown the seed and cared for the fields, and what we reap must last us, and all who labored in our fields, until the next harvest is ready. He does not do so well from Spica who reaps what he has not sown, uses it profligately, or denies to others their share i his good fortune.”
Jamie Partridge, Astrology King
The Sabian Symbol for the degree of the Full Moon also evokes the image of abundant harvest:
“Blown inward by the wind, the curtains of an open window take the shape of a cornucopia.”
Wrote Astrologer Dane Rudhyar in his commentary on the Sabian symbols, this image advises one cultivate an “openness to the inflow of spiritual energies.” In other words, only the open mind can receive the abundance of spirit.
A cautionary tale for the forces of intolerance and hate.
And finally, the Lunar Zodiac Sign, also known as the Lunar Mansion, for this Aries Full Moon is “Al Butain,” which is adept at diffusing and resolving conflicts, when it needs to be. I called it the Olive Branch for short.
To resolve conflicts, the best approach is honesty, accountability and tact.
Summing it up
If there’s every been a moment when it feels like Discordia has tossed her apple into the world, it’s now. Just breathe, and remember: Strife is the necessary dance partner for Love. One cannot exist without the other.
Lunaria Datebook
Last Moon Phase: New Moon in Libra
Next Moon Phase: New Moon in Scorpio
Full Moon October 2016 Dates and Times
San Francisco: Saturday, Oct. 15, 9:23 p.m. PDT
New York: Sunday, Oct. 16, 12:23 a.m EDT
São Paulo: Sunday, Oct. 16, 2:23 a.m. BRST
London: Sunday, Oct. 16, 5:23 a.m. GDT
Istanbul: Sunday, Oct. 16, 7:23 a.m. EEST
Mumbai: Sunday, Oct. 16, 9:53 a.m. IST
Tokyo: Sunday, Oct. 16, 1:23 p.m. JST
Sydney: Sunday, Oct. 16, 3:23 p.m. AEST