Full Blue Moon in Libra 2019: Balance in perpetual motion

Last night, I stood in my yard watching the nearly Full Moon rise. While I was watching, I was also holding a grackle cupped in my hands. Funny little, fella. We've watched him hop around the yard for days. I've seen him take little bursts of flight during that time. But, for the most part, we've observed him on the ground. My husband and I both speculated that he might be injured. He was still pretty mobile on the ground, though. We had observed him eating and he even jumped up on the bird baths we had just built. But, last night, he was sitting on our sidewalk and didn't even bother to budge as I drew more near him. I was very concerned at that point especially when I was stooped right next to him and still he didn't bother to attempt to hop away.

I wasn't really sure what to do for him, to be honest. I visually inspected his little iridescent body and didn't see any obvious signs of injury. When I reached down to pick him up, he hopped into my palms on his own. I touched each wing, his head, softly stroked under his belly...nothing. Not a flinch or squawk. Nothing. Like I'd picked him up a million times or something.

It was odd because I rescued a chickadee this year. Tiny little critters compared to the grackle. It had gotten wedged in a wire cage that circled a bird feeder. I was scared to death I'd make one small wrong move and accidentally break his whole body. Even though small and compromised, that little chickadee didn't cease trying to attack me as I worked to cut him free.. Most likely due fear which was justifiable. Thankfully his little beak was too small to even pinch the skin on my hands because he seemed quite determined to chew my fingers off. This grackle took me picking him up right in stride. Not once did he peck at me or try to wriggle away. I figured, alright. Either this bird is really hurt or he is really brave.

I stood with him in my hands just a minute as I looked at the Moon. Then, I walked him over to large bush in the yard hoping he would hop into the dense foliage underneath for shelter from potential predators that could emerge at nightfall. I opened my hands from around him once near the ground...and he hopped right off my palms and into that bush all on his own. It was a weird thing. Cool as all get out! Don't get me wrong! And, I pray the little guy is just fine and that was just...something weird. But, I don't ever remember being able to pick up a bird like that. Not even a domesticated one. They aren't generally touchy feely creatures. You know? 

My friend Dixie did a write up about grackle symbolism quite a few years ago. I can remember talking to her about it and reading it when she published it. So, I figured an incident like this warranted reviewing what it is she had to say. What really stood out to me about her grackle symbolism article was her mention of how emotions have a tendency to color thinking. It reminded me of the Air Moon ability to detach from the emotional to a degree in an effort to look at situations from a more logical perspective without so much coloring of the emotional system muddying things up especially following a particularly confusing emotional time.

I was a bit shocked at how relevant grackle's symbolism actually was in regard to the very Moon I was looking at while holding him. We are, in the collective, freshly exiting a confusing time in general that became exacerbated largely due to Mercury's retrograde in Pisces. Things got swamped up for a couple of weeks. Mercury has only cleared that retrograde shadow within the confines of this week. So, there is still some confusion but it is beginning to clear. Problem being, Jupiter is now retrograde and funneling off Mercury's passage, a lot of folks have forgotten what they had intended to do in the immediate future, became distracted, perhaps fell ill and got off track, have lost their “true north” or have just flat out changed their minds as to which direction they wish to go next with their lives. Perhaps some options disappeared while new potentials enticed us. Perhaps unavoidable changes occurred . Perhaps we are still kind of waterlogged in the midst of it all. Either way, leading up to this Full Moon, emotions are raw. And, they will intensify and meet with certain challenge all the way up to the culmination of this Moon and beyond as the Sun squeezes more tightly in conjunction to Uranus, Venus leaves Pisces for Aries and Pluto turns retrograde in the coming days.

From what I see, Thursday the 18^th holds definite potential crisis points before the 2^nd Full Moon in Libra this year culminates early Friday morning. Max pressure in my opinion will occur as the Moon squares first Saturn, then lights up the nodal axis and finally squares Pluto. This occurs between about 4:30 PM and 9:30 PM on Thursday night. The Moon then goes on to sextile Jupiter Rx at 11:07 PM EDT. When she finally meets official standoff with the Sun the next morning, she is immediately rendered Void. But, not for long.

The Full Moon happens on the very last degree of Libra. She passes into Scorpio before 9 AM which heralds an intensification of the emotional system that leads to a potentially anxious making opposition with Uranus just after noon. There is a short break in that hour of a Void Moon sandwiched between some potentially tenuous aspects. Some of the pressure we have gleaned thus far will be released with the Full Moon. But, the larger release of pressure comes with what looks like could shape up to be one of those “straws that broke the camel's back” scenarios with the Moon/Uranus opposition. I mean, we can't really just say that it's only the Moon feeling the impact of the lightning God. Even though out of sign, the Sun is definitely within orb of his yearly conjunction to this body which heralds a kick off a new cycle between the two. Main thing being, again, to remember that Uranus in Taurus is not Uranus in Aries. When tension was birthed from Uranus in Aries it rose and dissipated quickly. It often left a mess in its wake as it all was released in explosive manner...but, it was more like ripping a band aid off when one needed alleviation from the pressure. But, Uranus in Taurus? It doesn't really work that way.

image credit: levdbas on deviantart

Patience is kind of a hallmark of the sign of Taurus. The cows don't get excited about much. Uranus is working over the entirety of the sign and when that occurs every bit of the signs “virtues” are tested. I like to think this is so we can learn from the challenges presented and thus hone our skills. But, I can't prove that. It could just as well be that there is some jackass up there in the sky running things that gets his jollies off watching the humans go a little nuts sometimes. Regardless of the why or how, just as Uranus tested our abilities to engage and initiate responsibly as well as tested our abilities to own our actions and control our anger even in high adrenaline times from Aries...in Taurus, he will test our patience. Our resolve. Our personal values. Our sense of stability and self-worth. Our gratitude. The slowness of releasing pressure as it accumulates is an adjustment that we will be more used to as time moves forward but coming off the heels of 7 years of quick, fast, explosive and in a hurry Uranus in Aries? It seems even more slow. As if we are called to endure and withstand for extremely tiring amounts of time. Relief is delayed. As is gratification. And, sometimes, our ability to regain stability. So instead of the Full Moon popping and pressure from her building girth being automatically released...it's more like a tiny hole has been put in a greatly inflated balloon. So, instead of suddenly popping the balloon with immediate release of building pressure, the air slowly escapes out and pressure gradually decreases. Not only did the build up to this Full Moon take 3 days of Moon in Libra to come about but even when it does blossom we won't likely feel the immediate drop in pressure. It will drop some. But, when Moon activates in Scorpio after? Whose ruler is also stationed retrograde? Whose journey is started by getting poked by Uranus? There will still be pressure as well as intensity and anxiety to be had after.

However. Tonight, after the “crisis” time period I mentioned we can use the power of the Libra Moon in the most developed decan of the sign, to rise above, detach or sideline the emotions momentarily. There is clear, forward moving and sharp logical air out there to access by way of Mercury in Aries and Mars in Gemini. But, there are definite heart tugs to contend with as indicated by Venus in Pisces finding this Moon by inconjunct. Definitely don't discount your heart. But, do use the last few breaths of the culminating Libra Moon to catch your breath and regain some perspective before we go diving into the swamps of Scorpio.

As a matter of fact, I greatly encourage you to take advantage, if you can, of each and every break the Universe gives us. There seems to be a certain rhythm going on. One that once you are in stride with it provides breaks in all the right places. Two years of Saturn in my 12^th convinced me sometimes it's better to just surrender to the Universe's tempo learning to employ that to your benefit rather than demanding the entirety of the Universe wrap around your day calendar or appointment book. Interestingly enough when I do surrender to that? My appointments and day calendar end up syncing right up with whatever is going on in the sky all by themselves. To the point that I don't really have to brain screw aspects and transits so much...things just kind of magically (?), divinely (?)...definitely weirdly fall right in line with the movements in the sky. I've witnessed the phenomenon occur for years and still have difficulty just completely surrendering to it. I'm hella Cardinal and hella control freak. You know? I still panic over to do lists and human scheduling and all that. Get all caught up in it...until I remember, it's ok to let things naturally unfold. “Letting things naturally unfold”...not generally a easy thing to do for Cardinals. No...not even for Cancer. Those crabs might be passive but they direct matters in their own ways. Cancer leads. Cancer shapes and influences. All Cardinal signs have that kind of initiative. Each just expresses it differently. Whether they go about in an obvious manner or operate like quiet puppet masters...they want to have a hand in directing how things go.

That thought flows right into where it is we find this Moon. On that last degree of Libra, after we've been well schooled in earlier degrees in acts of balance, justice, fairness as well as how our energy interacts when in relationship to other energies...it is believed that we reach a point of wisdom and mastery in the 3^rd decan that shows us, perhaps outside of what words can fully encapsulate, just how all factions of life are interconnected. We realize the concept of balance has less to do with what occurs around us and more about how we hold ourselves while navigating it all. Instead of balancing external things we learn to become a hub...a well balanced center...that is in the midst of a lot of moving elements but even though constantly still in motion it seems as if we actually become still. We have learned the importance of emotional influence in negotiations and mediations through the earlier degrees of Libra. In that, high emotions are actually something that must be over-come to degree to bring the temperature of the negotiations to a point of balance so conflict can be quelled. I mean, you really can't reason between two highly emotional folks. And, the best judges, as an example, give absolutely no credence to whatever kind of emotional show you put on in front of them in the courtroom. They are looking at facts, evidence and things that can be proven in regard to whether a crime was committed or not and whether the defendant is guilty. If the defendant is found guilty, he can cry rivers for days and that's not going to influence Libra's judgment. If guilty, he gets whatever legal punishment fits the crime it has been proven he committed. Period. <insert sound of gavel hitting the podium here> Right before the judge motions the bailiff to move on to whatever is next on the docket because once the judgment is rendered, she's done. Take your crocodile tears with you. You know? Again, grackle's message echoes all through that.

At this Full Moon, which is framed on either side by pressure and confusion (yes, we have confusion coming by way of Mars in aspect to Neptune following this along with a few other things) take advantage of an Air Moon's ability to detach from the more colored by emotions thoughts. Either something is good for you or it isn't. Either its time to really dig in and work on a relationship, or it's over time to let it go. 

And, many will feel some things are waaaay past their “Time to go” stage, here. See, Mars in Gemini (which rules our Sun in Aries) is in a sector of the zodiac that doesn't operate as we initially think of in terms of Gemini. Gemini is known to be quite curious never staying on any certain topic for very long. But, in this portion of Gemini where we find Mars at this Moon? It's known for repetition. Running over the same lines, same arguments, same topics, same discussions over and over ad nauseum. That's great if you are rehearsing for something. The connotation here is not really rehearsal so much running in the same circle over and over and over and over and finally becoming weary of the loop and realizing...hey...I'm running, running, running but not getting anywhere. Or, I'm talking, talking, talking but this conversation always goes the same way. Or, I'm really trying to do my part in this relationship but it's going no where. Plus, patterns such as that are going to be rather easily perceived since Pallas is also in waxing trine to Mars. It won't be uncommon for folks to become fatigued and quite over-done with thought and action patterns that keep showing us their ineffectiveness or looping entrapping nature. I can think of about a million topics right now in the collective dialogue I'm so freaking done hearing about, debating, rehashing and...you know? Enough. That same “so over it” mentality will descend in regard to matters of our personal lives, too. Yet, if we are swamped up in the emotions and the pressure we are going to miss our chance at the secret exit routes that lead us away from these over worn grooves. There's more than one “out” but the first comes with the culmination of this Moon. The next, with the Scorpio Moon's opposition to Uranus and then another with the Sun's conjunction to Uranus. All those mark points of exit, baggage drop offs and spots where we can change course trajectory. When approached from a state of calm and center (employing that latter degree Libra skill of balance in motion) , these can be used to take more independent steerage of our own lives.

By establishing a sense of inner balance even in the midst of swirling external energies, getting facts straight and separating from the emotional influence upon our thinking in effort to perceive matters more logically...then, we'll know exactly what is ready to be cut at this Full Moon and what changes we may need to make so that we can more fully and effectively reach out into our futures.

Our collective guide for this lunation rendered by Tarot is the Chariot. This is ridiculously relevant energy to work with as the North Node transits the sign of Cancer, in general. Wrapped within the teachings of this card is an almost obscured or indirect lesson about learning to convert any and all emotional influence into energy that can be used to power you forward toward your goal. With that, you have to kind of have an idea what your goal is. If you don't have a clear picture of that, use this Moon to narrow down your options logically by way of process of elimination. Release your attachment to the ends and choices you don't want. Cross them off your list. Once a destination is decided, reframe it as your True North. Then shape all actions around getting there while perceiving emotional energy for what it is. Energy. Emotions don't always have to leave us laying flat. They can be used as the energy they are and even can become incentive to keep moving toward this new destination.

The Charioteer embodies the concept of balance in motion. She is moving while riding upon the wheels of the Chariot across the ground. But, her actual physical movements are not large and are more centered in balance upon the cart. She move her arms slightly to direct her horses but other than that she is, in essence, moving without moving. She never takes her eyes off her intended target. But, she is aware of the entirety of her surroundings by way of her periphery and empathically. She takes cues from her horse pulling crew watching their physical responses to judge her path ahead. Her skin assesses weather conditions. She is taking the whole of influence around her in never having to move her eyes from that end goal. She sheers away anything distractive. She doesn't carry a lot of baggage on the cart with her and if something is found to be causing drag, it's quickly cut loose. In fact, she very much has a one track mind but it's moving forward. Maybe not running in a straight line but definitely not running in circles. She's circumventing obstacles with a flick of her wrist and letting the adrenaline of potential fear, anger or what have you feed her focus not distract it. She moves with great force and momentum yet never breaks a sweat.

Bear all this in mind as this Full Moon dawns. There IS PRESSURE. There are breaks. Take advantage of them. On Friday morning, be ready to metaphorically step into the vehicle that will lead you to a new goal victoriously. Cut away remaining dead weight. Find your focus. Avoid pre-empting or doing something rash to offset the pressure. Use the Scorpio Moon to enhance your ability to focus. As long as we are not brooding or unhealthful obsessing and veering toward wild extremes, the power of Scorpio can really help here! Pull in all your faculties and face the way forward with a clear head and balanced center and true hearted intentions. Use your entire body and intuitive system to feed you information. And, instead of getting swamped in the emotions, take charge of them. Drain them of every precious drop of fuel they contain in an effort to steer yourself out of the continual cycle ruts and into a more deliberate and fulfilling way of life...however you see fit to frame that for yourself. Declare ENOUGH in regard to what warrants it in your life. You might be surprised at how much more freely and quickly you can move forward when you decide to make positive change that helps you jump out of “getting nowhere” ruts and energy draining sinkholes in your life. I've no doubt the stuff that fits those categories are going to grow in intolerability as we move forward. Might as well ditch them and move on now instead of wasting more time and energy running over the same old stuff all over again in the same old way.