The Archer's Full Moon & a Portal of Possibility
The Sagittarius Full Moon takes place at 20° 30' on Wednesday, June 11th at 12:45am PDT & 3:45am EDT.
The Full Moon dances jocularly across the night sky, leaving those who watch unable to decide if she’s coming or going. Her play across the mountainous terrain casts a glow on the textured landscape below, shining upon parts of its intricate nature that perhaps bring insight and illumination to lookers on, that is, if they stay open to receive her spirited magic.
The Full Moon in Sagittarius is a wonder to behold and certainly a wonder to experience. Forming a grand trine with Chiron in Aries and Mars in Leo, this portal invites us to connect with the spirit of who we are — that clear facet of ourselves which called us to the soul journeys we’ve chosen to walk in this time — and to claim our places here as the celestial beings we are, roaring ourselves to life if we must.
Sagittarius the archer, archetypically known as the gypsy, student, and philosopher, is the last fire sign of the zodiac. Here to quest for meaning in all the ways that stoke its inner fire, float its proverbial boat, and keep it feeling inspired and uplifted, this sign is recognized as the most resilient of the zodiac. It must aim its arrow toward that which unquestioningly enlivens it, diving head-long into a modality or methodology, a subject or topic, a philosophical, religious, or scholarly pursuit, in order to continually expand its understanding of life, as well as its understanding of why it is here at all. And when it has absorbed all that it possibly can, the Archer must aim its arrow anew, pursuing a novel quest that is of course always part of the larger one, for its target isn’t meant to be still, but one that moves as it does, inviting it to more depth and expansion, over and again.
Sagittarius comes in with a deep knowing that it’s on a mission, one that may lead it to far-reaching parts of the world (and likely itself), whether they be geographically visited or explored through the mind. Its deep drive for meaning has it expeditioning in ways that welcome all that is exotic, unfamiliar, and extraordinary to fulfill its ever-important aim of seeing life from a different perspective. Boredom is not tolerated well with this energy, for it is meant to see and taste, experience and know, absorb and integrate all that it’s fascinated by, then to do it all over again until its time is expired, and a quest of an entirely different kind begins!
Gemini, the Archer’s opposite and the current season, brings curiosity and wonder when Sagittarius becomes dogmatic or rigid in its thinking, inviting it to expand its horizons in ways that it has forgotten to. While Sag is always meant to explore with fullness and gusto, its shadow might lead it into a direction that blinds it to all other possibilities, keeping it stuck in the thing that once created buoyancy and inspiration yet has become something of a bad habit or viewpoint over time. The Sun in Gemini encourages an openness that renews the Sagittarian quest over and again, as the twins’ inquisitive disposition reminds the Archer of what it’s really after — a continued soul journey that broadens perspectives and enriches paradigms all day long.
Artemis in Greece, Diana in Rome, is oft-associated with the sign of Sagittarius. As the daughter of Zeus, aka Jupiter, king of gods and Sagittarius’s own ruler, she reminds us that no quest is too daunting, no journey too great if it’s something that we feel deeply called to undertake. Jupiter always wants us to expand our horizons and what we think we’re capable of, and he encourages the inherent faith we must have in ourselves if we are to leap into any adventure. His ebullient nature seeks to evoke that same quality from within us, for he KNOWS he is the king of gods and stands fully in this aspect of himself. This is, indeed, what he asks of us as well: that we “stop underestimating ourselves,” in the words of my teacher Steve, and live into our most optimal potentials. Looking to where his placement is in the birth chart shows us the arena, as well as the why and how of this. Yet this energy is enhanced during a Sag full moon, and we’re meant to take aim as assuredly as possible, assuming an attitude of self-trust, self-assurance, and at least a bit of joviality as we do.
Chiron in Aries reminds us that on this quest for meaning, we are meant to courageously face our wounds, turning them into usable energy that has us expressing the healed aspect of who we are in the world. Boldly stepping into our gifts, as well as the act of changing what once held us back into something that moves us forward, is a large part of what we are here to do. In committing ourselves to this process, we access our optimal potential, living it fuly in the world as who we are. With Saturn in Neptune having just moved into the sign of the Warrior, albeit at the beginning, this energy of outward intensity, an ability to be daring in our actions, and motivated in the commencement of all we are called to do is enhanced, and we are further invited to bring to life what we know we must.
Mars in Leo echoes these sentiments while adding a flair all its own, one that encourages us to fiercely embody our sense of unique self-expression, bringing our joyful creativity to life in only the ways that we can. We must take risks to make this happen, claiming territory in ourselves and lives that has us authentically sharing ourselves with the world, inevitably becoming more confident as we do, but also adding to the collective in ways that only we can.
And while Jupiter himself has just moved into the sign of Cancer for a year and change, we shall table this topic until the Cancer New Moon in two weeks, for it will form a tight conjunction with the King of Gods himself.
May this Full Moon continue to inspire, delight, expand, and revivify you. May you know your optimal potential, and may you let it guide you along your true soul path. And may you trust that you are meant to do exactly what you are called to, cultivating all you are meant to along the way!
