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Aquarius Full Moon
August 3/4, 2001Sun at 11.55 Leo;
Moon at 11.55 Aquarius6:56 GMT (8/4) 21:56 MDT (8/3) 1:56 EDT (8/4) 22:56 PDT (8/3) 0:56 CDT (8/4) 15:56 GST (8/4) FULL MOON REFLECTIONS: Time Out for a Vision Quest
by Pythia PeayThis August Full Moon arrives as Pluto and Saturn reach exact opposition, the first of three aspects occurring over a nine month period. Oppositions still dominate the astrological starscape, as the Sun conjunct Mercury in Leo opposes the Moon conjunct Neptune in Aquarius. Still, grace flows along the lines of tension, as Venus nears a conjunction with Jupiter on Sunday*, and the Full Moon trines Saturn while the Sun trines Pluto.
Thus while the overall weather conditions may seem stormy, the Sun in bright Leo and the Moon in cool Aquarius offer us images of wisdom. Imagine, for instance, that you are a ship sailing along the ocean when suddenly the skies grow dark and threatening. What would a seasoned seawoman do? Sun in the fixed sign of Leo says to keep the faith, and ride out the storm with firm conviction that all will be well. Leo captain pilots by the inner light of her heart, secure in her belief that she will soon arrive in safe harbor. Cool Moon in the fixed sign of Aquarius adds her own sound wisdom, advising sailors to rise above the storm on the breath of spirit. Envision the calm and tranquil sea that lies just beyond the pitch and heave of the rising and falling waves, says Captain Aquarius, and imagine yourself already there.
This metaphor reveals that the symbolic axis of Leo and Aquarius is about the interconnection between faith and vision. The Full Moon in Aquarius, for instance, illuminates the positive power of our spiritual ideals. She shows the healing that can come from keeping faith with our souls' highest hopes. For without vision, everyday life would be dark with the suffering caused by the limitations of narrow-mindedness. Without vision, we could not "see our way through" life's mazes. The faith of the spiritual teacher is kindled by her vision of God; the work of the artist is inspired by her creative imagination; the efforts of the humanitarian are fueled by her belief in a better life for all. Indeed without the higher perspective vision provides, faith is blind and falters on her path. Likewise, without the heartfelt warmth from the fires of faith, vision is impersonal and disconnected from the human experience.
So this Full Moon, if life feels constricted by challenging circumstances, weighed down with responsibility, or blocked by a stalemate, perhaps it is time to step back and undertake a vision quest. First, realign yourself with your soul's intention: for what purpose were you born? What higher calling beckons you? What ideal lays down the tracks of your life path? Your answers may arrive in symbolic images, the language of the soul. Or, the answer may come in a sudden, arrow-like experience of direct knowing. Then, strengthen your faith in the vision you have received. Affirm your belief in the destiny to which you feel called by Spirit. Make a faith-fire in your inner altar, and warm the heart of the skeptical, doubting believer within you. Join faith and vision, real and ideal, human and soul, in the alchemical vessel of your life. Then, bow to the Full Moon in the sky, giving thanks for her luminous guidance.
Pluto at 12.38 Sagittarius and Saturn at 12.38 Gemini reach the first of three opppositions August 5th, 2001. The second occurs November 2, 2001 at 13.48 Sagittarius and Gemini; the third May 26, 2002 at 16.38 Sagittarius and Gemini. This opposition colors the collective atmosphere, and influences individuals with the middle degrees of Virgo, Pisces, Sagittarius and Gemini in their natal charts.
Look for the Leo New Moon, August 18-19, 2001.
© 2001 Pythia Peay
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