On January 3, at 4:03 am CST, the Moon will reach a precise opposition with the Sun and be fully illumed in the 14th degree of Cancer. Cancer is characterized by caring and nurture; a sense of home or security. A crab in its shell is the symbol of Cancer, suggesting that theme of home, as the crab carries its home with it everywhere it goes and thus tends to travel in a sideways manner. Though Cancer is a Cardinal sign, which indicates a forward-orientation, it is also is prone to nostalgia through its affinity with the home and nurture. It is worth noting as well that nurture doesn't always entail pleasant experiences. Traumatic events and dysfunctional dynamics are undeniably impactful during our formative years, and as such must be included when describing the nurturing we received (or endured) throughout infancy, childhood, and adolescence.
Cancer is also associated with the chest, the bosom, and by some accounts the heart and/or stomach. Home is where the heart is, afterall, and the way to Man's heart is often said to be through his stomach. Indeed, all mammals are inherently drawn to the breast of the Mother, both for sustenance and survival, but also as shelter and reprieve.
As the natural 4th House, these themes are given even more prominence. The 4th House is where we either intentionally retreat, or invariably land, when we are unmoored or destabilized. The cusp of the 4th House (the Imum Coeli, or Bottom of the Sky) suggests where and how we find our footing during or after times of instability or chaos. Whether we lean on our family of origin, comfort foods or other rituals of nostalgia, or even by setting sail for far-away places, the Cancerian indicated by the 4th House shows up as an instinctual impulse.
The planetary ruler of Cancer, the Moon, further instantiates these themes. Though the Moon is considered a Luminary in astrology, it does not in fact produce any light of its own. It is only the light of the Sun which the Moon reflects and offers to us in cyclic fashion. It is often stated that the Moon represents emotions, but it may be better to think of the Moon as representing a response to emotions. The Moon represents our instinctual responses to stimuli, just as the Moon responds to the light of the Sun. The physiological experience of anger or grief is, at some level, the same for all beings capable of such emotion. The neuro-chemical activity is largely definable and distinct. It is how people respond to those experiences which varies. For those with the Moon in Water Signs, an emotional impulse is experienced in a raw and unfiltered manner; they feel the feelings. Conversely, Air Sign Moons tend to respond to an emotional surge with reason, words, and logic; they often seek for explanations through thinking or intellectualizing. To be very clear, none of these modes of responding to emotions are wrong nor bad, they are merely modes of response. The Moon, again, indicates responses and instincts in general.
This particular Full Moon, in addition to reflecting the full brilliance of the Sun in Capricorn, will also carry with it the energies of Venus and Mars, which are in a close conjunction with each other and with the Sun. Venus and Mars are a polarized pair, as are the Moon and the Sun. The conjunction of Venus and Mars can manifest as balance, merging, pressure, or extremity of the Masculine and Feminine functions. The opposition of the Moon and Sun often plays out as balance, distinguising, harmonizing, or tension of Masculine and Feminine functions. The dynamics of these expressions of polarity will surely be a profound feature of this lunation.
If the presence of both a conjunction and an opposition isn't enough to make this Full Moon particularly interesting, then the presence of Jupiter surely is. Jupiter, the cosmic amplifier and exaggerator, is transiting retrograde through Cancer and will be conjunct with the Moon mere hours after the Full Moon. In the ensuing days and weeks, Jupiter will stand in exact opposition with the Venus, Mars, and the Sun. Interestingly, the retrograde cycle Jupiter is working through will come to a halt in the 16th degree of Cancer, very close to the degree of this Full Moon.
Perhaps more than usual, this Full Moon may offer an opportunity to observe exaggerated responses or displays of our instincts. We may get to see clearly what it is which we resort to or lean on in times of duress or instability. Furthermore, we may have the opportunity, more than ever, to wield our instincts and responses intentionally. We may find that, more than ever, we are able to receive whatever is shining upon us (be it good, bad, or utterly absurd) and reflect it outward with a sprinkle of our own flavor and intention. In this way, instinct becomes Dharma, noise becomes music, and chaos becomes meaning.
"A house is made of bricks and beams. A home is made of hopes and dreams." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
If you would like support in exploring how this Full Moon or other transits might affect you, please schedule a reading HERE
Tag: fullmoon
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Full Moon in Cancer (Jan 3, 2026)
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Full Moon in Gemini (Dec 4, 2025)
On December 4, at 5:14 CST, the Moon will come into precise opposition with the Sun and be fully illumined in the 14th degree of Gemini. Gemini is associated with information, movement, communication, and all manner of duality and polarity. The symbolism of twins is apt, but another useful representation of Gemini energy is the pair of dramatic masks, suggesting both tragedy and comedy. Gemini signifies the richness of our perceptual experiences, and the thrill of expressing and communicating these with others.
In a purely physiological sense, Gemini is present in the bilateral branching of the shoulders, arms, hands, and the five-fold branching of the fingers (it would be fair to extend this to the legs as well). Furthermore, the systems of communication which coordinate and make use of these is also an expression of Gemini. The nerves, and the signals they carry, are quintessential Gemini. The dualistic nature of these features as both input and output functions make the connection with the messenger between realms in Greek mythology (Hermes, aka Mercury) exeedingly fitting.
There is a profound need for stimulation where Gemini and Mercury are concerned. Despite having the basic needs of shelter and food met, infants which are not provided with sufficient sensation can literally die. Insufficient input is problematic, and it is quite clear that insufficient output is problematic as well. Somewhere it has been said that the opposite of depression is not happiness, but expression. The rise in popularity of both talk-therapy and therapeutic use of arts and craft, as well as other creative endeavor, is surely an indicator that ample release is no less vital to overall well-being.
Interestingly, at the time of this Full Moon in Gemini, Mercury has recently stationed out of its retrograde motion (a notably Mercurial feature of planeatry motion in general) in the latter decan of Scorpio. What's more, the Full Moon energy of opposition between the Sun and Moon may be enhanced by Mercury forming an opposition with Uranus (a planet which some consider to be a "higher octave" of Mercury) in the coming days. Uranus itself is in a retrograde cycle, navigating the late degrees of Taurus after having briefly poked its proverbial-head into Gemini.
There is something particularly noteworthy about Mercury carrying some of the Scorpio quality into Sagittarius season. The theme of power, both covert and overt, feels especially significant given the nature of the signs, planets, and the phenomena they indicate, involved in this astrological climate.
Mercury is a reminder that we are ALWAYS on-boarding information. Perception rarely, if ever, stops during the span of a lifetime. In the so-called Information Age, it is more important than ever to consider what kind of information you are consuming, both proactively and in a passive manner. Social Media "feeds" unfurling an endless supply of stimulus, selected specifically to keep you enraptured and engorged, is the norm. Are you paying attention to what you are consuming, and are you aware of the information that payment is causing you to miss?
Mercury is a reminder that we are ALWAYS broadcasting information. To exist is to be impactful. In a culture which is increasingly centered on the role of "consumer", it is very easy to neglect the coexisting and inherent role of "contributor". Are you paying attention to what you are contributing in a given moment with any sincerity? Are you flexing your agency and free-will in how you impact your surroundings? Does being angry at the latest breaking news during your nephews birthday party make sense?
There is room for being Human. This is not meant to finger-wag or demonize difficult emotions. It is merely a reminder that we have tremendous power and agency in deciding what kind of information we will consume and what kind of information we will create and contribute. The input and the output are constants. There is no "turning it off". There is only the potential for being present with these processes, and using discernment and agency to the degree we are able."You are what you eat" -Unknown
"You excrete what you eat" -AnonymousIf you would like support in exploring how this Full Moon or other transits might affect you, please schedule a reading HERE
Yin-Yang-Yoga 