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Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Full Moon In Cancer and The Chariot

In the early morning hours of January 12th, the moon will reach it's fullest in the sign of Cancer.  Astrologically, Cancer is a sign of heightened emotion, motherhood, nurturing, and intuition.  Cancer loves deeply and fully, but has also learned to protect itself with a shell or a shield like a crab  because of unfortunate past pains.  This Full Moon might bring some of those past emotional pains to the surface again - this is not a curse but an opportunity for healing!

Two weeks ago we set our intentions with the New Moon in Capricorn occurring right before New Year's Day.  We probably felt very optimistic and had big dreams for this new year in terms of our personal goals.  This is great, don't lose sight of those!  There may have been some frustration through those first days of 2017, as we were in the middle of a Mercury Retrograde cycle which may have caused some delays.  The good news is, Mercury is now Direct again and we can really start doing the work that our goals require.

However, at the Full Moon we encounter the polar opposite in energy from what we felt at the New Moon.  Capricorn is external and does it's work outwardly and physically, seeking recognition from peers and society.  Cancer energy is all internal, and much more private.  Here, our Capricorn New Moon goals meet the one thing that really can hold us back - US.  Our feelings, fears, and pain.  Not that Cancer is all negative energy.... it's just that water holds memory and vibrates with whatever experiences it has held.  So the goals we set in that optimistic Capricorn New Moon come face to face with these parts of ourselves that can either lift us up, or hold us back - usually a blend of both.

The Tarot Card that is associated with the Astrological sign of Cancer is The Chariot.  In the traditional Rider Waite imagery of this card we see a chariot driver, in armor (much like that crab in it's shell) with water flowing behind him.  The intuitive and compassionate energy of water is the driving force, and has certainly shaped this charioteer's perspective.  Pulling the chariot are two sphynx.  One is black, and one is white.  There is a very Ying and Yang element here between these two forces that could be seen as opposing.  Yet here they are working together... just as I mentioned above that these experiences and emotions we have are both strengths and weaknesses.  The Chariot Driver has embraced both the light and dark parts of his psyche and uses them both equally in plotting his course.  Cancer is ruled by the moon, which also has these extremes of dark and light (New and Full phases) which equally have different things to teach us.  The Chariot Driver has crescent moons engraved in the shoulders of his armor.

Another thing that stands out about this card - the Chariot isn't actually going anywhere.  This may seem counterproductive to some types who wish to always be moving forward (and it is certainly an opposite energy of Capricorn's drive to be continually moving to the top)  Here is the true message of this card and this Full Moon:  Pause.  Feel.  Plan.  Integrate.

Yes, I know we're chomping at the bit and ready to just move forward already!  But there may be an important lesson right now, some tidbit of information about ourselves that we must face, embrace, integrate or discard before we truly start our journey.  It's that moment when we double check that we have everything packed before a trip.  We suddenly remember something else that will be useful... but the bags are already packed full.  So now we pause, take a deep breath, and begin to look through the bags again.  Can something else be taken out so that we can fit this other thing? Is there a way to pack more efficiently so we have room for all of it?  Is there something else we might have overlooked?

The Chariot doesn't ask us to give up on our dream (Cancer is quite tenacious and doesn't easily let go of a dream or ideal) but simply to make sure we are recognizing all the energies within us and available to us and using them equally and efficiently.  That past emotional pain that comes bubbling up?  It holds a lesson within in it.  That part of ourselves that we find annoying or useless?  It holds a hidden strength.  Integrate.
And if you find that there is a pain or a trait that isn't useful anymore?  You can work on letting it go... the Charioteer has no room for excess baggage.

You can meditate on the lessons of Cancer and the Chariot over the next few days.  Journal, cry, process.  Listen to music that engages you on an emotional and spiritual level.  This is part of unpacking and re-packing that luggage so you'll be ready for the next part of your journey.

Full Moon Blessings to you and Blessed Be!  I would be happy to help you through this process with a Tarot card reading.  This Full Moon Reading would be perfect for examining the energies available to you right now.  Or this Body, Mind, and Spirit reading could help you unpack and repack those suitcases for the next leg of your journey.  You could also contact me about a Reiki Healing session which could also help you integrate these energies and different aspects of yourself or heal emotional pains while balancing the chakras.  


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