The first of Autumn’s Full Moons rises in the sky with an unmistakably mystical quality, one that seems to light us up from within, if only we choose to let it. Peeking in and out of the wispy cover of hazy clouds, her enchanting glow illuminates the world with a preternatural energy that speaks to our hearts and souls, inviting us to what we know in our bones, wordless wisdom that has a rhythm all its own. What is this marvel of a moon welcoming you to, and what is being called forth from the Cosmos, interplaying with your own unique inner landscape?

The Aries Full Moon takes place at 24.5°, forming a tight conjunction with Chiron and Eris, and a square to both Mars in Cancer and Pluto in the last degree of Capricorn. Interestingly enough, both of these planets serve as rulers for Scorpio, the season we’ll move toward in under a week’s time.

Aries asks that we develop courage by doing things that scare the life out of us, yet as we plod ahead, facing what we must in order to know what we’re capable of, we draw toward ourselves the thing we didn’t have when we first began this seemingly impossible task, and now do. Libra seeks an unbreakable inner equanimity in itself, and in so doing, it asks that we soften ourselves to listen to another, able to “put ourselves in someone else’s shoes” in order to understand life from their perspective, especially when it’s not our own. It naturally sees the grace and beauty in the other and in life, easily able to sense a soulfulness in what is right in front of them. When brought together, these signs seek the courage to see both themselves and the being in front of them with a true recognition of the essence that connects us all.

Aries looks for experiences that require adrenaline, and Libra those that move serotonin through our systems. Yet what happens when we enter the intense scenarios that a warrior might with a composure that keeps our nervous systems calm? Is it possible to participate in a situation that would usually trigger the fight or flight response without actually getting moved to this place within? Practices like yoga, qi gong, meditation, somatic work, and truly many others, help facilitate just this: an experience that powerfully pushes us to our edges, yet one that also calls us into a tranquil nervous system state that we can maintain throughout what is happening. This doesn’t mean that we never again move into a dysregulated nervous sytem, but it facilitates a deeper capacity to navigate the highs and lows we inevitably undergo in life and its powerful interactions from a more clear space.

Chiron, the wounded healer, conjunct this Full Moon, wants us to reclaim our capacity to stand and face what is uncomfortable, turning toward what we’ve been avoiding in apparent guise of staying safe. Eris, whose energy invites us to heal the dark face of the feminine and evokes the sister wound that must also be reclaimed within our experience, asks us to see all the ways we’ve disenfranchised ourselves so that we have the courage to transform this pattern within. This work certainly has repercussions ourselves as well, allowing us to see, alchemize, and integrate all facets of who we are. This task absolutely requires courage, and Aries energy is the perfect frequency for its exploration. Yet Libra’s is too, with its ability to see, to sense, to understand, and to honor what is present, so that the transformation can be a full one and the process brought to completion.

Mars is the ruler for Aries, and because it forms a square from the sign of the Mother and the Healer, it also creates a bit of friction for the Full Moon axis. But friction allows for transformation if we can bring just a bit of awareness to it. Cancer is here to learn to tend to its own needs, something it can learn from Aries, yet it also carries a naturally nurturing and giving energy, one that tenderly cares for all it comes into contact with. With Mars here, we are asked to fiercely claim what we need on our healing journeys, boldly nourishing ourselves and our soul families in the ways that we know best — or perhaps we don’t know and are needing to cultivate. We’re invited to bring a passionate engagement to our healing journeys, holding nothing back from where they might lead us.

Pluto, all the talk in the astrological world these days, makes his way to the end of Capricorn, only scheduled to be there until November 19th, when he makes his way into the Sign of the Waterbearer for 19 years, and he won’t be back in Cap until 2254! Yet his position on this Full Moon reminds us that only when we choose to show up for the deep, inner work, do we actually become elders. Otherwise, we grow old without the gifts to show, devoid of insights to share. Climbing a mountain takes time, and while the dark side of Pluto may have us believing that the effort isn’t worth it, his liberating face reminds us that not only is it deserving of our time, energy, and attention, but that if we choose this commitment, we will be energized in a way we didn’t think possible. While Aries might want to have finished it all yesterday, Pluto in Capricorn can serve to remind this scenario that anything worthwhile takes time, and pacing ourselves on the journey does have its benefits. When this is integrated into Aries’ courageous perspective, anything is possible!

Each of these energies form what is called a Grand Cross in astrology, and while this is traditionally known as a challenging situation, if we’re willing to be present for what is possible with all that’s available, the sky is truly the limit. Can we dance with this Full Moon with ferocity and intensity when needed and with softness and grace when we’re able? Can we do so with care and nurturance when it’s available, and with wisdom and integrity when it’s there? If we can say ‘yes’ to any of these questions, opening ourselves to the magic of the Cosmos and that which we hold deep within, this Full Moon provides the opportunity for an initiation that reminds us of who we are and what we’re capable of, if only we so choose it.