Sanguine "Full" Moon in Aries

On the 9th of October, the full moon reached its peak just before midnight at 11:56am SAST.

Sanguine means "bright-red" or "optimistic in a bad situation", and these are going to be the keywords at this particular time. Can we soften into our own deeper intimacy during the storm, ride the storm like a surfer rides a wave, and smile in the face of adversity?

 Another name for this full moon is the "Hunter’s Moon," because this is the time hunters used to stock up their food supply by stalking their prey under the moonlight. Isn't the homophone between "pray" and "prey" intriguing? I guess back in the day, hunter-gatherer societies would have to pray to their respective gods or goddesses to catch their prey.

 There is a relationship between Aries (this full moon) and Libra (the previous new moon) where we dance between ourselves (Aries) and others (Libra). The question may arise: where in our self-expression are we leading ourselves or others to compromise? We may seek to find a balance between the need for independence and being in a relationship with others. The trick here is to step further into the field of interdependence, where we can stand on our own two feet while remaining present and compassionate towards the needs of those around us.

 Aries is headstrong (check those ram horns), autonomous, and brave. The energies of our feelings are moving, and we are asked to express them instead of bottling them up. Keeping all these juicy emotions and feelings inside will surely lead to frustration; the universe wants to hear your heart's call through all the knitty and gritty. The energy of the sun at this time (in Libra) opens up the dichotomy of sharing, while the moon brings us inwards into the realms of self-discovery and authenticity.

 Notably, we have Venus in trine with Saturn, where we may be inclined to rise in love but remain steadfast in the world of practicality and restriction. For example, we may want to go out on an extravagant date into the early hours of the next morning, but where are we at? Can we afford extravagance? Are our physical bodies up for it? Isn’t it Monday tomorrow, and we require our beauty rest? Saturn imparts stone-cold common sense to the energetic frequencies of sensualized Venus, who simply wants to love "no matter the cost."

 The square between Neptune and Mars may lift us off the ground for a bit, allowing us to dream the unimaginable. Illusion, idealism, and dreams are the domain of Neptune. Mars gives us the energy to dream but may send us skyrocketing into the fields of fanciful imaginings with no ground to stand on. It would be wise to ground oneself at this time. Go barefoot walking on the earth, soak your feet in the ocean, or meditate on the sensations of your body. All this will bring you back to earth while Neptune lifts your spirits high.

A ritual to assist in bringing in the love of self:

On a piece of paper, write down your challenges in one column and your greatest gifts in another.

• Go through your list of challenges and, with respect, honor them for what they have brought to your awareness and helped grow inside of you. Then they can be released lovingly (more on that later).

• Go through your gifts and really get a sense of all the strengths you have to offer yourself and others. The trick here is to really step into the attitude of gratitude.

• Now read this (out-loud) to yourself once a day until the next new moon (14 days from now).

• Then, on the new moon, take your list and burn it lovingly, either in a fireplace or with a candle. All fire is sacred and will transmute the energy patterns by taking old stagnant beliefs and burning them up to become fuel for a new expansive way of being.

• Faith and intention are the keys to all alchemy!

 Chiron is also out to play at this time and is known as the "wounded healer" and shows us our deepest, darkest shadow/s. "What you are feeling is healing," and this is the magic of Chiron. All of mythology's most fantastic stories emphasize the significance of the wound. This is where we let the light in. From a broken heart to a breakthrough. Dionysus was the nature god of fruitfulness, ecstasy, and vegetation who was born from a wound in Zeus’s thigh. Tyr, the Norse god of war, had his arm bitten off by Loki’s wolf Fenrir; he sacrificed himself to save the other gods of Asgard. Odin sacrificed his left eye to gain the sight of wisdom.

 Most notably, Chiron (from Greek mythology) was a centaur who was wounded by friendly fire from an arrow from Hercules. However, Chiron was gifted in the arts of healing, music, art, and prophecy by Apollo (the sun god). Chiron was one of the few centaurs who could exercise restraint in the face of lust and violence, which was the norm for centaurs. He was often clothed, whereas other centaurs were depicted in the nude. Chiron eventually gave up his immortality for the freedom of the pain that he was suffering. At his death, Zeus placed Chiron in the constellation of Sagittarius or Alpha Centaurus.

 In Iron John (a book about men), there is an ancient story where a boy wounds his finger, but in that pain he comes to a magical lake that turns his finger gold. It is through our wounds that we can empathize with others who have gone through a similar journey or experience as us; all shadows contain a gift.

If we never fall, we can never truly fly...

 Lastly, this Full Moon in Aries has a very prominent theme of healing that can help us release the tenacious stagnant bonds of bondage to suffering and negativity. Just like Chiron, we can sacrifice our own lives and rebirth ourselves into the cosmos as beings unrestrained by the confines of restriction. Leaving the fear of death is where we find true immortality.