Written by Jessica Lanyadoo 

Witch Tips

On the 27th the Moon will be full at 6° Capricorn at 9:53pm, and the Sun in Cancer will be opposite Saturn in Capricorn. Full Moons are always a momentous time when feels come to the surface and demand to be dealt with. It’s when we’re meant to release what isn’t working, a process that can be painful but is also cathartic and totally necessary. We’re currently in Cancer Season, making it the time for family, and for reunion with the heart. Full Moons are oppositions – they happen when the Sun is exactly opposite the Moon; the Cancer/Capricorn polarity is an opportunity for the healing of our broken family of humans, or the hurtful dynamics in your own family. It’s time to consider the needs of the whole and to honor all children and all families, in small or big ways. 

This Full Moon is likely to be hard, and it might bring up emotions that make you want to shut down. When you’re in pain it’s tempting to want things to be black and white, but the truth has layers. Saturn is the planet that governs depressive thoughts and feels and it gives us a heavy load to carry. You may need to take a break to nurture your heart or gain perspective, but Cap/Saturn has a tendency to go rigid and procrastinate or degenerate into guilt and blame. Stay connected to your heart, to empathy, and compassion. We're all going through this astrology together. If you’re going to fight, fight for what you love. It’s a time when you can better understand the hierarchies impacting you and decide to move in the direction of change. Capricorn and Saturn bring consequences and reality checks, and they confront you with limitations (real or imagined).

 

Mars has gone Retrograde in Aquarius for the first time since 1971, and it will stay that way from June 26th through August 27th. Mars is the planet that governs fighting, fornicating, and the concept of masculinity. Rage, flaring tempers, self-defense, competition, and ambition are all in Mars’ wheelhouse. Mars is the warrior, while Aquarius is the sign of 'We The People.' The last time that Mars went Rx in this sign, we in the USA had Nixon as president, and hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets to protest the Vietnam War. The country was divided on a number of issues, and people were engaged in acts of liberation and war.

 

On a personal level, the potential of this transit is to radically reassess what you’re doing, and to make necessary changes. Retrogrades are always the time to review, reflect, and reconsider; and Mars is a fiery planet that governs where you’re going and how you’re going to get yourself there. Aquarius is concerned with forward motion as well, but in a very different way. This is the sign of invention, of the future, and its energies are individualistic. This sign can be humanistic in its drives, and it's not concerned with walls or nationalism. Aquarius wants you to direct your anger towards efforts that impact the collective, and for compromise to be a means towards greater freedom.

 

This is a time when you may have to fight for what you think is right, but heed this warning: Mars retrograde can lower your vitality, and bring frustrations and obstacles to your efforts. The key here is to not burn yourself out, especially while Mars moves through quick-witted Aquarius. Mars will Retrograde (aka move backwards) into Capricorn where it’ll stay from August 14 through September 11th. This will mark a transition into addressing what is and isn’t working with the structures in your life and in society itself. The upshot here is that we’re all on call to consider how our participation impacts the whole of society. Action without integrity or consideration for others will be poorly starred. If you’re going to fight, fight for what you believe in, not just to have your voice heard over the chorus, or to have your ego validated.

 

Love, as simple or cheesy as it sounds, is the answer. It’s an action and a force for change. Let it fuel you to confront the realities of your life, relationships, and our world. Things may be hard right now, but the astrology gives us the tools to work on them, to bring justice and compassion to the fore. To do this you must seek the wisdom of your heart, and the teachings of history, whether you’re looking at your own patterns, or human history itself. This may be a serious period of action and consequence, but it’s also one for building emotional maturity and strengthening your internal resources, and then sharing them with the world. Take a deep breath and do the work, lovers.

 

 

ARIES

March 21-April 19

Sure, if you push hard enough you may get your way, but you won’t win any popularity contests, Aries. Instead of forcing your will on others, take a beat and consider their needs. If you can access compassion for another’s perspective, even if you don’t agree with them, you can start working toward successful communication. Collaboration may be annoying, but it’s the surest route to your success.

 

TAURUS

April 20-May 20

It’s time to check your ego, Taurus. Whether you think you’re the worst or the best, when you can’t stop seeing yourself at the center of things, you’ve lost your way. Take a pause and check in with what you’re doing, but more importantly, what’s motivating you. If your driving forces aren’t clear, you won’t be happy with whatever happens – even if you get what you’re gunning for. Tighten the reigns on your desires this week, my love.

 

GEMINI

May 21-June 21

Where your mind goes, your energy will follow. This week will test you, but luckily it’s a test you can for sure pass. Decide to let it go, Twin Star. Instead of running over details that you can’t control, align yourself with your own center of strength. You can’t control or fix much in the world, but you can participate to the best of your ability. You only have to do your best, not the best; make peace with the good, the bad, and the complicated of what you are so you can move on, my love.

 

CANCER

June 22-July 22

This week’s full Moon in your relationship house is a chance for you to reaffirm or reconsider the loves of your life (this may be your romantic or platonic loves). You get to decide who you're intimate with, who you trust, and how much. Even when your options feel painful, they’re still your choices to make. Honor the needs of your heart without idealizing your situation, Moonchild. It’s time to face reality and to honor what you know to be true.

 

LEO

July 23-Aug. 22

When you choose to prioritize what gives you life, you’re basically putting yourself in a position to thrive. When you allow yourself to get attached to how things need to go or how they appear to others, you lose track of those good vibes, and you also lose your way. This week, it’s time to focus on what’s working in your life, Leo. Attention and love are not equal any more than getting “likes” equals self-esteem. Realign with your sense of purpose, regardless of how it looks to others this week.

 

VIRGO

Aug. 23-Sept. 22

When something worked at one time, it’s tempting to hold on to it for dear life, even when it’s no longer working in the same way for you. The path to balance or inner peacefulness requires that you’re willing to change yourself or your actions, depending on the needs of the moment. Check ways in which you may be caught up in a rigid cycle with self-care or self-maintenance, and make some necessary adjustments, Virgo. Be here now, even if here and now is a little tricky.

 

LIBRA

Sept. 23-Oct. 22

Reflection isn’t really a passive process; it’s an act that requires bravery and humility. This week it’s time for you to be honest with yourself, Libra. You’ve been running your life in certain ways that are no longer working, and it’s important that you don’t wait until your hand is forced before you make changes. Show up and strive to be decisive; what you choose now isn’t written in stone, but it is important for your future. Do what needs to be done, my love.

 

SCORPIO

Oct. 23-Nov. 21

Pull it together, friend. Stress is contagious, and this week you’re on call to manage your own. Try to remember why you’re engaged in the struggles and goals that you are so that you don’t forget your heartfelt motivation. When you lead with your heart, you're less likely to get distracted by petty concerns and other roadblocks to achieving excellence. This is your story; don’t let any one person or situation define it for you, Scorpio.

 

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22-Dec. 21

Having too much on your plate means that you end up doing everything at less than your capacity. If you take a long-view of your life, you can adopt the perspective that allows you to better pace yourself, Sagittarius. This week you may be feeling totally overwhelmed, and your best move is to treat it as a call to better prioritize what needs to get done and when. This isn’t about doing less; it’s about being more efficient with your energy so you can do better over the long haul.

 

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22-Jan. 19

It’s your time to shine, Cappy. This week the Moon is full in your sign, and the Sun is opposite your ruling planet: basically it’s coming up Capricorn! Whether you’re struggling to put your life together or things are going well for you, it’s wise to pause and take stock of how you got here. Own your achievements and the effort it took to attain them, or conversely, where you may have taken a wrong turn. Strive to replace guilt or pridefulness with humility and self-awareness.

 

 

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20-Feb. 18

The sads are all around, and it’s hard times for sure. Do you best not to turn away from upsets this week, Aquarius. Attempt to understand what you’re really upset about, and from there, explore the best possible solutions available to you at this moment. Hopelessness is debilitating, so deciding to take action, no matter how small, will help empower you to see more options and even be more comfortable in your own skin. You’re absolutely on your way, Aquarius; don’t give up now.

 

 

PISCES

Feb. 19-March 20

As things change and grow around you, so too must you change and grow. This week you can choose to hide in your old ways, but it won’t do you much good. Choose how you wish to be instead of waiting for circumstances to force your hand, Pisces. Trust in yourself, and have confidence in your ability to make things happen. Nothing has to be perfect, and you can take as much time as you need, but know that you have the vision; all you need to work on is the follow through.