AA FM Aries Hunter’s Moon
20/10/2021 @ 15:56
All Hail & Welcome to Ancient Footprints for my bi-monthly Astro article based around the new & full phases of our beautiful celestial satellite, the moon. What’s In store? I am pretty sure we’ve all had some serious challenges this year, this I know by looking at the astrological sematic signs in our cosmos. Now, we have entered the season of the witch. This season is going present a huge bubbling cauldron ready to boil over. There is much which we have placed into the cauldron over the past year alone & much which will finally come of it. Get ready for a few surprises as the tension rises. The planets are aligning to bring about a crescendo of all that has been building, but also offering us a steadying point as we approach the ‘all that will be’ part of the year. We have some planetary contenders amongst this moon phase & cycle ,which I will explain the what & how these will affect our already October Full moon in Aries, in the astrology section. As ever I will also discuss the naming of the moons, present you with a list of websites for Non- bias spiritual & religious celebrations & observances, astrology & astronomical events list for the coming month. For now, buckle your seatbelts, hold on to your staff, wand and broom because the atmosphere is about to erupt. Will you be able to keep your head around those who would see you lose your emotional balance? Or will you take the lead with wisdom & clarity?
Naming the Moons
Firstly, the moon is known by different names the world over. You might ask why we name the full moon phase & the answer is simple. The full moon is a symbol of fruition & to those who lived by agricultural means, the moon was named after flora or fauna indicating what was in season & what season they were in. However, an event, harvest or animal which was in plenty may not have been so in another part of the world. Therefore, the moon is named according to ecological events as well as geographical area. It may seem silly but to our ancestors this was a time to celebrate the fecundity of the world around them, it may have included spiritual inference.
The Native American names for this moon are Travellers Moon & Blackberry Moon. The Montana tribes named this moon Gophur looks back moon. In Canada, the Inuit peoples called this moon Ice Moon. In China it is the time of the Kindly Moon.
In India we are in the month of Ashvin where the celebrations of Sharad Purnima & Koigiri Purnima are celebrated. This is also the annual celebration of the birth of Goddess Lakshmi - the goddess of wealth.
The British Celtic Medieval names for the October full moon are Hunter’s Moon, Blood Moon & Seed Fall Moon. The Druidic/ Ogham month still has us in the Month of Ivy, Gort until the 27th October where will will enter the month of the Reed. October, is also the month in which Samhain/ Halloween is celebrated. We should look on this moon as the moon of banishment, releasing all bad habits & banishing old ways of thinking. This moon carries the potential healing, protection, ancestral connection, scrying & farseeing.
List of websites with a non-bias list of spiritual & religious observances:
Astrology
Libra season holds the balance & harmony expected from the sign of the scales of justice. However, this year has been fraught with planetary retrogrades which have added a bit more juiciness to the equation. Libra is about our relationships with pretty much everything & everyone. A constant companion throughout the past months has been Mercury, who has gone through all motions during its stay in Libra. Our loves, passions & finances have been under the influence of the Mercurial microscope. Libra is a cardinal sign, which means its a starter of ideas & plans, but with Mercury direct, stationed & retrograde, then back again, its hardly felt like the time to begin anything. It may have been difficult to hold a conversation with a loved one or easier; or more difficult to make decisions, or easier. We may have experienced a sudden flow of ideas only to be met with indignation. Ahh the endless ebb & flow of the Mercurial tide in Libra keeps us guessing, then playing & back again. Remember, whatever decisions we have made is an opportunity for growth. Furthermore, Where we’ve been busy attempting to mediate communications in close relationships & getting to grips with electrical disruptions, the cosmos has been stirring the cauldron of our emotions & intuition in preparation for Aries Full Moon. The things that we had previously put into our cauldron regarding how we feel about others, what we find acceptable moving forward & setting boundaries, will surface again, this time with a more fiery force of Mars coupled with Full moon amplification. Moreover, right now is all about Libra & with a very active Mars in Libra, we have more heat & passion rising in our bodies, emotions & intuition. Mars is the player this Full Moon, this I will discuss in the planetary influences section.
Key qualities of Libra Sun are tact, charm, diplomacy, equilibrium, leadership, fairness & listening. The darker aspects of Libra are indecision, superficiality & self indulgence.
Full Moon in Aries is about action. It offers us an ‘anything is possible’ kind of attitude & a lot about ‘Me’. Full moon in general is about releasing that which is no longer serving a purpose in our lives. It is also the culmination of what we began at New Moon, however, this moon is asking us to look further back to March/ April to see what was occurring for us then, which may be coming to fruition or an end in the present moment.
Ask, What plans / intentions were put in place?
How did that work out ?
Do dreams/ intentions set at the beginning of the zodiac cycle in April ,match where we are now?
Is there anything that doesn’t resonate & needs to be released before we move on in the direction we wish to travel in?
Hindsight is a great tool for ‘seeing’ that which needs removing or adjusting so that movement forward is more fluid & uncomplicated.
This Full moon is offering us an overwhelming amount of energy. If we are not careful to navigate mindfully, we run the risk of our cauldron boiling over. However, these powerful forces also offer us healing & wisdom through intuition, so finding the balance between forces is essential for personal flow. Full moon in Aries also ignites the energies of Mars, Pluto & Eris (goddess of strife), creating a T-Square which I will discuss further in the planetary influences section
Libra Sun opposite Aries Moon, allows us to experience the polarities of both signs.
The Libra- Aries polarities are on the relationship axis. So we are faced with the Aries 'Me' versus Libran 'others' attitudes. This in turn creates opposition in Aries self assertion, leadership, personal courage, raw authenticity & independence versus Libra’s compromise, awareness of the importance of relationship & its mindful care, negotiation, diplomacy, balance, equality, grace & fairness. These qualities will be fully highlighted during Full moon phase & we are being asked to find the balance between independence & dependence. Ignoring these polarities will create a boomerang effect which will force us to look into these arising issues within. This Full Moon illuminates the differences between 'me' & 'you', 'autonomy' & 'sharing.'
We may have some big decisions to make this month which look better if we put them off for a more amenable occasion, however, facing these odds now means facing fears & forging through with the skills we have been given to date. We may have been clearing the way, all of this year, only to find ourselves stuck in this moment. By using the skills we have been honing, we are better equipped to navigate ferocious waves of fear which have swept through us over many years. If we come from a place of fear, we will not be able to fully conquer a situation that needs adjusting, in order for us to move on fluidly. We are being encouraged to take positive action in order to place our boundaries.
Ask, Is fear holding me back?
If so, where is this fear emanating from?
Am I acting from a place of ego & control?
Am I tapping into the darker side of my emotions in defence, causing chaotic outbursts?
Don’t feel deterred by this process, rather keep it in mind, if the need arises, to ask these questions of yourself. Recognising this energy within & acknowledging it helps us to heal, stand in our true authentic personal power & state our needs.
Planetary influences
The biggest influence on the Aries Full Hunter’s Moon is Mars! So what is Mars up to this month that puts it into our personal sphere?
Mars in Libra has us indecisive but also confidently talking our talk. We would rather win a debate with mindful tactics than force, being that we can see issues from most angles (Libra). We don’t want to be the trouble shooter, rather we want to be the charmer & passive influencer. Mars is the fearless warrior archetype & provides a good space to overcome some of our more prevalent fears. In this position, Mars offers us confidence to face fears & speak true of ourselves.
Full Moon in Aries opposite Mars brings us an overpowering urge to fulfil desires. Yes yes yes this can be of the sexual kind & amazing sex is on the menu as is sacred sex. However, the more malefic side of Mars in Libra opposite Aries, means that Mars takes on all of the Aries aspects , resulting in what could be impulsiveness, moodiness & anger. These can be hurdles to personal goals. This aspect also means that annoyances could get out of hand, causing arguments & conflict which could hurt ourselves & others around us. Our fight or flight mechanism may kick in if we are confronted. In an attempt to avoid any hostile reaction, try to channel personal energies into exercise or activities which will help to alleviate stressful feelings. Remember, recognise & acknowledge, then create a space to safely release . In addition, this may be a good time to fight for good causes.
Mars, Pluto & Eris in T-Square. A T-square is a hard aspect relating to the 3 planets concerned. It promotes action, achievement & goals. It carries a ‘do before you think’ attitude & so mistakes can be made. This month we have a T-square to the Moon which includes Dwarf Planet Eris, Mars & Pluto.
Mars Square Pluto (A square is a Hard Aspect, causing tension but necessary for action, too much may cause imbalance). This hard aspect highlights a desire to be in control, having power over others or a situation. This could arise as a competitive urge to win. However, devious tactics indicate ruthlessness, uncaring attitude & in part jealousy raising its ugly head. This will create tension & a power struggle may ensue creating confrontation.
Avoid victim mentality by doing your best at approaching success with a mindful attitude. Attempt to level out aggressive assertiveness with mindfulness, so to avoid creating friction or dissent with anyone concerned. This is not the right time for fronting a person in authority.
Full Moon Square Pluto can indicate destructive behaviour & uncontrollable urges as we experience the rising of our past wounds. Emotional conflict can arise creating friction, jealousy & cruelty.
Awareness is key, recognise & acknowledge these emotions. Emotions are a pathway to healing & offer an opportunity to grow through transformation. This is a good time to be rid of outdated mindsets including racism, bigotry, fear & destructive relationships / tendencies.
Eris conjunct Full Moon - There may be explosive tendencies this week as Dwarf planet Eris ( Goddess of discord & strife) enters Aries! The God of War & the Goddess of discord & strife make an explosive coupling, especially when opposite brother Mars, another god of War. There may be short fuses & explosive tendencies. It could be very difficult to stay cool & calm.
The key to this T-Square is to exercise, Find an active pursuit to alleviate any ill feelings. Meditate to calm the mind. Practice an artistic activity, keeping you calm & content. Do that something which alleviates tension within & creates a feel good mental attitude.
There are intense & challenging energies with this Full Moon. Some may be overwhelming. The key is to find a balance between all that is & all that could be. By creating a more mindful attitude in approaching arising negative forces, we can overcome many of our fear based attitudes & react in a more calm & acceptable manner which also helps to kick start the healing process. In encouraging ourselves to meditate & exercise, we ultimately release ill will, that which we feel in ourselves & that which we may encounter, then becomes easier to deal with.
Astronomy
Eyes to the skies as we look forward to 3 meteor showers over the next month !
October 21, 22 - Orionids Meteor Shower.
Orionids is an average shower producing up to 20 meteors p/h, produced by dust grains left behind by comet Halley, known & observed since ancient times. Orionids runs annually 2/10 - 7/11, peaking 21/11- 22 /11. Full moon glare will block out all but the brightest meteors. If you are patient, you could catch a few. Best viewing from a dark location after midnight. Meteors radiate from constellation Orion, appearing anywhere in the sky.
October 25 - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation.
Planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 18.4 degrees from the Sun. Best time to view Mercury at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Look low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
October 29 - Venus at Greatest Eastern Elongation.
Planet Venus reaches greatest eastern elongation of 47 degrees from the Sun. Best time to view Venus since at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Look in the western sky after sunset.
November 4 - New Moon.
Moon located same side of Earth as the Sun, will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 21:15 UTC. Best time of the month to observe faint objects , galaxies & star clusters as no moonlight will interfere.
November 4, 5 - Taurids Meteor Shower.
Taurids, a long-running minor meteor shower producing only about 5-10 meteors p/h. Unusually, it consists of two separate streams; first produced by dust grains left behind by Asteroid 2004 TG10; second stream is produced by debris left behind by Comet 2P Encke. Shower runs annually 7/9 - 10/12, peaking/11 4. New moon will leave dark skies this year for an excellent show. Best viewing just after midnight from a dark location. Meteors radiate from the constellation Taurus, appearing anywhere in the sky.
November 5 - Uranus at Opposition.
Blue-green planet at its closest approach to Earth, its face fully illuminated by the Sun, will be brighter than any other time of the year & visible all night long. Best time to view Uranus. Due to its distance, it will only appear as a tiny blue-green dot in all but the most powerful telescopes.
November 17, 18 - Leonids Meteor Shower.
Leonids is an average shower, producing up to 15 meteors p/h. A unique shower that has a cyclonic peak around 33 years where hundreds of meteors per hour can be seen. Last of these occurred in 2001. Leonids is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tempel-Tuttle, discovered in 1865. Shower runs annually from 6-30 November, peaks this 17-18/11. a nearly full moon blocks all but the brightest meteors. If patient, you should catch a few. Best viewing from dark location after midnight. Meteors radiate from constellation Leo, appearing anywhere in the sky.
November 19 - Full Moon.
Moon located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun, its face fully illuminated. Phase occurs at 08:59 UTC.
November 19 - Partial Lunar Eclipse.
Partial lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's partial shadow, or penumbra, only a portion of it passes through the darkest shadow, or umbra. During this type of eclipse only part of the Moon will darken as it moves through the Earth's shadow. Eclipse will be visible throughout most of eastern Russia, Japan, the Pacific Ocean, North America, Mexico, Central America, and parts of western South America.
We have come to the end of this months Astro: Full Hunter’s Moon in Aries. My gratitude to you all for joining me on this cosmic journeying through the energies of Full Moon. Please join me again for Astro: New Moon in Scorpio around 4 November 2021.
I hope you find your peace in an otherwise discordant time.
For now, Merry met, Merry meet again.
In gratitude, love, light & all betwixt
Sheela
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Credits:
Adhar, S. 2020. https://ancientfootprints.wixsite.com/ancientfootprints/post/astro-full-micro-blue-hunter-s-samhain-moon-in-taurus
Images
Dreamstime.com
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NASA