ASTRO FULL COLD WOLF MOON
13/01/25 @22:27 GMT
All Hail & Welcome to the first Astro article of 2025; Astro Full Wolf Moon in Cancer. Astro articles are part of my journeyings through the zodiac wheel & Celtic wheel of the year in addition to the Ogham tree cycle. The aim is to present you with an interpretation of the intricate nature of our cyclical cosmos. I begin by discussing the international phenomenon of naming the moons for this month. I also provide links to sites with dates of celebrations & observances in a non-bias approach to all pathways. I will also discuss the astrological implications of this month’s full moon phase & how this may affect us. Finally, I will list the coming months astronomical events for you to enjoy, weather permitting.
For now, Welcome, make yourself at home, park ya broom, find a seat, grab a cuppa or whatever tipple is your fancy & get settled in for an astrological adventure into the cosmic energies on offer to us at this time. Full Moon is synonymous with the completion of the manifestation cycle in terms of abundance & reward for intention setting at New Moon or at a specific point in the zodiac where we may have incanted or intended a beneficial outcome. January's Full Moon is much about clearing out the old to make space for a more energetic field within our daily lives & practice.
Its all in the cosmos my lovelies. The intricate weaving of the cosmic energies which have an effect on our planet & all flora & fauna, including us as part of the circle of life. So without further ado….
Naming the moons
Our January full moon is known by many names throughout the world. Depending on where you are or what your spiritual persuasion is, the names of the moon tend to represent an agricultural event relevant to your geographical area. The Native American tribes people named this moon ‘Old Moon’, ‘Wolf Moon’, ‘Ice Moon’, ‘Moon after Yule’ or ‘Winter Moon’. Montana tribes called it the ‘Hard Time Moon’. The Canadians named the January full moon ‘Dwarf Seal Moon’. It is easy to see connections to weather & changes of seasonal hunting in these particular names, but that is not always the case with moon names. In China this month’s full moon is named ‘Holiday Moon’. This is indicative of the holiday season preceding the Chinese New Year celebrations, which usually take place sometime between January & the end of February & depends on the lunar calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar. In India we are in the month of Paush which celebrates Paush Purnima & Shakambhari Purnima. This is a celebration of the Goddess Shakambhari who is a incarnation of the Goddess Durga. It is said that the Goddess appeared to her people after a 100-year drought. Legend has it that Shakambhari presented from her body; fruits, vegetables, green leaves, herbs & flowers; which she has become closely associated with, to suffice the hunger of her people. Rituals & Pujas are observed on this day in her honour.
The British Celtic Medieval names for January’s Full moon are ‘Wolf Moon’, ‘Stay Home Moon’ or ‘Moon after Yule’. The Celtic tree calendar dictates that we will be in the month of the Birch tree, Beith, from the 24th December to 20th January. This is considered a moon with feminine aspects, known as ‘Moon of Inception’, ‘Moon of New Beginning’. It carries with it aspects of child protection, purification & creativity. The Coligny calendar names this month as Riuros, ‘Cold Time’….makes sense doesn’t it?
A List of non-bias celebrations & observances can be found here:-
Astrology
The Moon traverses the zodiac constellations at a rate of approximately 2 1/4 days per sign. The January Full Moon will be nicely placed in its home sign of Cancer. As Cancer is governed by the Moon we can expect to feel the intuitive watery energies of this sign expand into our beings at a great amplification rate.
Cancer is represented by the crab, which carries its home on its back, so we can expect home, relationships, family, important female role models & motherly relationships to play a huge part of what is to come over this phase, as well as feeling protective of immediate family. We are being encouraged by the cosmos to recognise & release old patterns & ways of thinking, to clear the way of those things that have bound us & held us back from achieving the life we have been visualising. We are essentially being asked to re-weave our story the way we want to see it & live it to fulfilment. To enable this flow, we are being brought to a place from which we can recognise our own strength, courage, loyalty & desire to protect our loved ones, all of which are qualities of the sign of the crab. We are also being encouraged to recognise where we place our energies & what is draining those energies. To that end we will be able to change how & where we place our attention so that what we are allowing ourselves to be energised rather than drained. Moreover, at this time we are also encouraged to stand for what we believe in & protect what we really love.
Ask:
What is really important to me?
What do I care passionately about?
What fuels my incentive?
What energises me?
What is draining my energy?
In addition, we will be experiencing the creation of foundations from within which will give us the necessary cornerstone for what we will be putting our energies into this year. Think carefully about this.
Ask:
What do I want to blossom in myself & my surroundings?
What roots will I put down to grow into a bountiful harvest this year?
Which seeds will serve this purpose?
Remember we are what we think, this is how intentions work. The more energy we put into something, the more we will reap from that space. You reap what you sow! With this in mind, what sort of harvest do you wish for this year?
The Moon represents our inner child, inner personality, the past, intuition, feelings & internal dialogue as well as that which we need. In Cancer we are given an opportunity to put our home affairs in order. This is the sign of the home & domesticity, love, unconditional love, home & roots.
In opposition we have the Sun in Earthy Capricorn. The Sun represents our ego, personality, the now, what people see of us. Capricorn is more about our external selves, our achievements, rewards, conditional love, our sense of duty, responsibilities to the outside world.
The Cancer-Capricorn polarity reveals a need to find balance between the oppositions in our lives. Needs versus wants, home versus work, unconditional love versus conditional love, watery intuitive Cancer Versus Earthy practical Capricorn. This is a fine balance of domestic life, need for home base, roots, home, family & attachment versus public life, career, achievements, goals, duty, responsibility & public events. We must find the balance between the two in order to avoid imbalance & disharmony in our relationships, home, work & family environments, career & achievements. As we feel the opposing energies of Cancer versus Capricorn, we will be faced with working with both water & earth energies. Water can enrich the earth in which we plant our seeds, so again think carefully about which seeds we will sow for this coming year of growth. The space where water & Earth meet is also known to be liminal & this moon is still connected to the last year in terms of closure, so be mindful & gentle on yourself. Self care, honouring ourselves within a Cancer Moon can help us to realign with ourselves & our true nature, guiding us toward greater realisation & compassion.
Full Moon is a time of fruition & a culmination of that which we sowed at new moon or New Year. It is also a time of release. We may experience or have already been experiencing a heaviness, which has been asphyxiating or making us feel impotent, challenged or tense, which may have a lot to do with Mars retrograde. This heaviness needs to be released. Please do not feel pressure to do this now however, be aware of the mind playing out scenarios repeatedly or frustration & stagnation in areas of life which have become highlighted at this time. These illuminations are a direct urge to go deeper into these areas of possible neglect. This push will help us to recognise the emotional need behind it. Sit with it & feel into it until the place of being OK with it has settled. This is a reminder to slow down & readjust the way in which we are seeing things, to go within & unveil inner authenticity, reflect, realign, reconnect to our shadow selves. When we honour ourselves in this manner, we are guided to exceptional compassion & deeper self-love, we are conversing with our heart. Open it gently, a little more at a time to release that which binds, even if this is for the benefit of self-preservation. Let this feeling grow & expand.
Ask:
What in my life is not moving forward & does it still excite my heart?
Where have I placed boundaries which need to be released to enable forward motion?
What excites my heart & soul?
How can I expand in these areas more effectively?
This is a good time for us to recognise & allow ourselves the grace we need to clear away old patterns & habits, anything that holds us back that is highlighted.
In addition, we are being encouraged to finish up projects, house clearing, finalizing gatherings, clearing up disputes. This is an emotional time in which we may be feeling more sensitive, more prone to reacting. It is important to feel the support we need at this time & being part of a support network will also be of help to ourselves & others concerned.
Reflection
It has been a tough couple of years for all of us in so many different ways. We have loved & lost, lived & learned. Everything we have experienced carries with it lessons which help us to grow into the people we are or are evolving into. Whether we have experienced the peculiarities in a good or bad way, there is always something we take from our lessons in life & we should be able to understand this with gratitude. We’ve experienced a lot of change & in affect our daily & personal lives have really taken the toll. In reflection, let us ask ourselves;
what has been my teacher?
What have I learned?
What gifts have I received from my experiences which I am grateful for?
What has helped my growth & evolution?
Planetary influences
Mars retrograde conjunct Full Moon in Cancer - This is where the sluggishness may be coming from, a little inaction & a slowing down of wanting to push toward any goal. If you feel this, this is a better time for completion, rather than beginning anew & that is ok. Some people will forge forward quickly & others will take time. Not all flowers bloom at once, keep that in mind. Mars in Cancer is conjunct the Full Moon & so makes for a much more emotional clear out. Be mindful of mood, aggression, frustrations becoming more aggravating. Find a healthy outlet to release rather than react. Try to get to the heart of the problem, in this phase it may be something in your past that is playing out for attention.
Full Moon Sextile (helpful) Uranus of progress, change & the unexpected – This aspect makes for ease in completion to finalizing plans or involving ourselves in a group or support network. We may feel more like we want to be ourselves around our people, so surround yourself with those who accept your authentic self, quirks & all. In addition, we may find that this is a good time for acceptance of change. Again, be mindful of mood, because of the Mars retrograde energy. We don’t want to spark off arguments.
Astronomy
January
13 - Full Moon.
Moon located opposite side of Earth to Sun, its face fully illuminated. Phase occurs at 22:28 UTC.
16 - Mars at Opposition.
Mars at its closest approach to Earth, its face fully illuminated by the Sun, brighter than any other time of the year, visible all night long. Best time to view & photograph Mars on a medium-sized telescope allowing you to see some of the dark details on the planet's orange surface.
29 - New Moon.
Moon located same side of Earth as the Sun, will not be visible in the night sky. Phase occurs at 12:37 UTC. Best time of month to observe faint objects, galaxies & star clusters as no moonlight interferes.
February
12 Full Moon
As we come to the end of this article, we also begin anew another cosmic adventure spanning the next year. Please bare in mind that the zodiac wheel does not end / begin until we reach Aries, In March. So if you are feeling out of sorts, remember that the next couple of months are the overlap of the old year into the new, so don’t feel as though you’re not surging forward as others do around the start of the calendar year. I reiterate, not all flowers bloom together, some need more time to germinate before they reach for the sun.
Bright blessings to you all & my gratitude to you for joining me once again as the wheel turns.
In love, light & all betwixt
Sheela
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Credits
Adhar, S. 2021, https://ancientfootprints.wixsite.com/ancientfootprints
images
NASA
Theoldfarmersalmanac
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