Astro Full Moon in Libra
16 April 2022@ 19:55
All Hail & welcome to Astro: Full Pink Moon in Libra.I hope you have been navigating your way through the past couple of weeks with cosmic guidance, healing & understanding. We have a journeying to find emotional balance ahead. With all the Astro forces which are aimed at us right now, we may find we have to balance the fiery Sun of Aries which will shine its light opposite the Libran scales of justice. Will diplomacy battle with authenticity? How do we find equilibrium between fire & air? Are there other forces in play which could aid in healing or create conflict? Which areas of our lives are to be affected? A lot of questions, I know, so lets crack on with getting some answers…
Naming of the moons
The naming of the moons monthly cycle into full phase has been an international phenomenon since time immemorial. You may recognise that from some of the names the main agricultural, ecological, seasonal events are recorded as a symbolic marker for that particular time of the year. This April full moon is the first full moon in the spring & is commonly known as the pink moon. This does not mean that when the moon rises it is pink. Ancient American Indians named it such due to the pink moss & wild pink Phlox flower growing & flowering at this time of year. The native American names for the April full moon are Egg Moon, Seed Moon, frog Moon, Pink Moon & Awakening Moon. The Montana tribes named this moon the Frog Moon. Canadian Inuit name for this moon is Snow Melt Moon.
The Chinese name for this months moon is the Peony Moon. Ahh the Peony, what a very special flower! Peonies adorn many ancient Chinese paintings and vases. It is the unofficial flower of China, the other being the Cherry blossom. The Peony has been cultivated in China for thousands of years. It is so important and popular in China, that a Peony festival is held between mid April - Mid May every year. At this time the Peony begins to come into bloom. The festival in Louyang produces some of the world’s best Peonies. Luoyang was the capital of nine dynasties, beginning around 770BCE, and is known as ‘The City of Peonies’. the Peony is known as the ‘King of Flowers’ and is a symbol of Royalty, high status and virtue. It is also called the ‘flower of wealth and honour’. Peonies were revered due to their medicinal values. The root and bark were used to cool the blood and help with infections.
The Indian Panchang is in the month of Vaisakha on 17 April, in which the celebrations of Buddha Purnima & Vaisakha Purnima are observed.
The Druidic path meandered into the month of WIllow on 15th April and will remain so until 12th May. In Druidic tradition, this month known as Saille, names the full moon, the full Witches moon or the moon of balance. It brings forth aspects of romantic love, healing, protection , fertility and women’s mysteries. So this is a good time to carry out spells or rituals for the aforementioned. The Willow is associated with healing and growth. This is a tree which loves water and rainfall and as such has been associated with protection from natural disasters such as flooding. Planting or having an existing Willow is said to ward against such disaster. Furthermore, Willow trees are associated with Witches & the goddess and many goddesses have been named as deities for the Willow; Persephone, Hecate, Cerridwen, Artemis,Selene, Luna, Diana and Brigit; are some of the Goddesses associated with this tree. Celtic Medieval names for this moon are Budding Moon, New Shoots Moon & Seed Moon & the Coligny calendar calls this Giamonios, When shoots grow.
To round up this section, here is a list of websites for April & May’s special dates of observation or spiritual significance:
Astrology
We have a beautiful full moon in Libra, with a Sun in Aries, the 1st sign of the zodiac. We may well have been basking in the joy of new beginnings & ideas with the start of a new cycle, the Spring Equinox & the resurgence of the Mother Earth. The feeling of newness & the shine of Spring time is set to continue as are we, with a delve into the equilibrium & sensuality of a Libran moon.
Full Moon is a time of the culminating energies from that which we began at New Moon. If you journal, you can look back at what was happening around 2 weeks ago & what intentions you set for the month ahead, but also look as far back as the last Libran New Moon we had in mid October, as a point of long term reference. Full Moon represents abundance, fruition & release of what is no longer serving our path & life. We may find ourselves naturally purging this month as Spring Equinox has now passed & a new astrological year has begun. With the Sun opposite the moon there are areas of possible angst surrounding that which we want v that which is needed, work v home. These internal oppositions can cause tension or inner conflict. In addition, Full Moon is a time of closure to that which is not resonating with our lives & journeying. A time to trust your instincts in deciding the next step.
The Libra Moon is a moon for adjustment & creativity within our relationships. In addition to balance & justice on offer there are also intense healing, protection & harmonious energies. Libra is governed by Venus & rules over love & finances. So these areas of our lives will be highlighted through the next 2 weeks. Love is a strong vibration within this moon phase, with lunar qualities peaking, our emotions & instincts heightening means we are able to found a way through relationship challenges & read the dynamics in a more productive manner. Libra energy is asking us to find the balance we need to recognise the difference between the old & new, what to keep & what to release. Full moon is a time in which many of our new moon intentions for a month ahead will come to fruition. Those longer term intentions which we have put in place may begin to show new shoots & small lessons which we will learn from during the growth process of the year. Full phase is also a time of an emotional peak, so we may feel more sensitive around this time, as well as more intuitive.
Sun in Aries opposite the Libran Moon. Aries is a fire sign & also the 1st assertive sign of the zodiac. Taking action during this phase depends on where you are concentrating your energies. Aries is playing a big part in housing significant influences of this moon. For example, Chiron, the wounded healer is in Aries. Chiron is here to suggest we stop attending wounds & rather use the energies to rise into our inner warrior. The Aries - Libra polarities highlight possible areas of conflict or pain. As Aries is all about the self, Libra is more about others. Where Aries is self assertive, Libra chooses compromise. Aries wants us to be courageous, a leader, independent & autonomous, Libra wishes for us to find balance in our relationships through compromise, using grace, favouring companionship. So it looks like a battle of wills to begin with whilst we meet our own needs, we will need also to find time for the others in our lives who are most important to us. Both are important & losing sight of one causes imbalance to occur. Libra highlights relationships we have with ourselves, others & our finances so expect these areas to come into focus over the next 2 weeks on the lead up to New Moon in Taurus.
Know that the universe is offering for us to release any old energies which have been rising for attention, those which we know no longer serve us on the path that we travel at present. The universe has our backs with acknowledging new terrain which we need to clear before we embark on a new journeying & is encouraging us to be honest with ourselves. We may find that an elder will guide us. We may need acknowledgement to delve into where we need to schedule more time for something which will be of real benefit to us, where we need to clear & restructure. Both Aries & Libra are cardinal signs which give us the impetus to drive ourselves to stand in a place of authenticity, to our truest nature. Anything which feels in need of attention or stifled may come into focus to be healed & released.
Ask yourself:
Where is there tension in my life?
How can I find balance in this area?
What needs to be released in order for me to move on?
How do I restructure this part of my life to enable forward motion, whilst being my truest self?
Planetary influences
All planets are direct which will help feel that there are no energies binding us or preventing us from movement. As the Full Moon energies settle we begin to see clearly that which helps us to move forward.
Stellium in Pisces: Jupiter of expansion, Neptune of Inspiration, Venus of love & Mars of desire all in watery intuitive Pisces. That’s a big juicy line up!
Our theme of the year presents itself again in Pisces. As I have mentioned in previous articles, the outer planets of the solar system are slow movers in the cycle of the cosmos, affecting huge swathes of people. We call them generational planets because that is how they work on us humans, by bringing about changes involving global interactions & influencing new ways of being. This year expansive Jupiter & inspirational Neptune are in Pisces, both are at home in the sign of the fishes. This should be interesting! Everything Jupiter comes into contact with is blessed, known as the lucky charm of the zodiac. This huge planet offers us increased self confidence & self belief. It is the planet of freedom, adventure, joy & opening our eyes to the bigger picture. Jupiter can present the dilemma of confidence, luck & morality versus lack of all. As it stands, Jupiter is the expander of energies, so everything will feel like its being stretched & made bigger. Neptune is the planet of inspiration, dreams, enlightenment, connection, sacrifice & mysticism. It presents visionary, poetic, artistic, meditation & enlightenment versus idealization, intoxication, spirit & paranormal. In conjunction, they symbolise a shared awakening & expanded psychic energies. This is a time for meditating on our next spiritual encounter, or whichever instinctual urges we are experiencing. We will feel the wave of calling us to our next destination. We can fight it & lose out & continually hurt ourselves or we can freely move toward it with eagerness. The choice is always ours & ours alone. Be mindful of burnout, but also of recharging your protective energy shield.
In addition, Mars & Venus in Pisces will be adding a sensuous & steamy uplift to this Stellium. Venus also covers finances as well as love, so these areas may well become hugely obvious to us. Mars also delves into anger as well as desire. No need to go to war over anything, if these two are involved. Try to stick to making love not war!!! Lets see how that pans out shall we?
Finally, Dwarf Planet Eris, the goddess of discord & strife is in play! She is exactly what is written on the packet! Be aware & embrace your darker feminine, no matter your persuasion. Stepping into yourself fully is never better than this! That part of yourself that you hide away from society, the real you, is being encouraged to wholeheartedly express itself. Step into your warrior self & be seen! Wherever there is strife, Eris is encouraging you to step up & be heard. Allow this Libra Moon to guide the way. This is heart energy which balances the light & dark within & externally. Go for it!!!
Astronomy
April 22-23 - Lyrids Meteor shower
Average shower with roughly 20 meteors per hour., produced by dust particles from comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, discovered in 1861. Peaking on the night of 22 & morning of 23 April. This shower can produce meteors with bright dust trails lasting for up to a few seconds. Waning gibbous moon may block some of the meteors, but may still be a good show in the sky. Best viewed after midnight , radiating from the constellation of Lyra, appearing anywhere in the sky.
29 - Mercury at greatest elongation
Planet Mercury at greatest eastern elongation. Best time to view at its highest point above the horizon , low in the western evening sky
30 New Moon
30 Partial solar eclipse
Moon covers part of the Sun. Safety first only use a solar filter on telescope or lok at Suns reflection only. Visible through most of south East Pacific Ocean & Southern South America.
May 6-7 - Eta Aquarids meteor shower
Producing up to 60 meteors per hour, mostly seen in Southern hemisphere.; Northern hemisphere up to 30 meteors per hour. Produced by dust particles from Comet Halley, observed since ancient times. A waxing crescent moon will allow for a good show. Best viewed after midnight from constellation of Aquarius, but will appear all over the night sky.
May 16 - Full Moon & Total Lunar Eclipse
Moon will pass completely through the Earths Umbra/ dark shadow, turning the Moon a reddish hue. Visible throughout all of North America, Greenland, the Atlantic Ocean, parts of Western Europe & Western Africa.
Thank you for joining me on another adventure through the cosmic energies on offer to us right now. I enjoy this process very much & I hope you take some goodness & relevance from it also. My wish for you all is that you find your sacred authenticity & stand firm in your truth. Blessed are we who have our eyes open. Merry Met are we, Merry meet again.
In Gratitude, Love, Light & all betwixt.
Sheela
)0(
Credits
https://ancientfootprints.wixsite.com/ancientfootprints/post/astro-new-moon-in-dreamy-flowing-pisces
Images
S. Adhar, 2022, Willow, Discovering Ancient Footprints
Lovetoknow/stellium
NASA