Capricorn Full Moon: Hold Your Center

A South American tribe had embarked on a long journey. After walking for a few days, they made camp and paused for another couple of days before moving on. When asked why they did this, one of them replied, “We need to stop and rest so that our souls can catch up with our bodies.”

This story, recounted by Wayne Muller in his book Sabbath, reminds me of something Joseph Campbell said in the first episode of The Power of Myth (now on Netflix). He told Bill Moyers that in order to excel at anything (especially a physical activity like running or dancing), you must hold your still center within. Otherwise, you risk losing your balance or being torn apart by tension. Holding your center, Campbell said, helps produce a blissful state called nirvana (also known as “the zone.”) Staying there consistently takes practice, and it also takes plenty of rest – as tribal people know. The soul must sync up with the body.

Recently, I was indulging in my habit of scrolling through Facebook before bed (not recommended, but that’s when I have time to catch up with things). My feed was exploding with news of migrant children being ripped away from their parents and detained in cages. As I reacted to the heart-wrenching  accounts and peoples’ outrage,  I felt myself being pulled off center  with anxiety – and knew I’d never be able to sleep that night. But then I remembered Campbell’s words. And through an instinctive act of will and deep breathing, I re-centered myself and blissfully nodded off. The affairs of the world could wait until morning.

We all need to hold our centers around the upcoming Capricorn Full Moon (Wednesday, June 27, 9:52 pm PDT). As the hard-nosed Capricorn Moon joins retrograde Saturn and both oppose the sensitive Cancer Sun, frustration will be likely (especially in regard to backward authority figures). The Full Moon squares Chiron in Aries (the wounded masculine), which may evoke old pain and anger around the misuse of authoritarian power. Capricorn and Cancer represent the parental axis. How well are you caring for yourself and others? This Full Moon challenges you to behave responsibly. That might mean holding firmer boundaries at home or at work, taking charge of your own reactions rather than blaming others in a mean-spirited way, practicing more intensive self-care, or stepping up to defend those who most need it.

Warrior Mars turns retrograde in freedom-seeking Aquarius tomorrow, the day before the Full Moon. Many of us will be up in arms about world events or our own circumstances. Retrograde Mars (which continues through the end of August) speaks to the battle currently being waged for the heart and soul of the United States. Mars activated the U.S. Pluto, planet of death and rebirth, in May – and does so again in Sept. This five-month period calls us to become spiritual warriors who can hold our center and act from a calm place of power.  Memories might arise for healing, perhaps about times when we failed to stand up for ourselves or others. Conflict resolution may be necessary. Rather than succumbing to frustration or lashing out, it’s crucial to slow down, turn inward and get centered in your body before taking any action.

To learn more about this Mars retrograde, check out this interview with me by my friend Melissa LaFara – in which we look at everything from the last Mars RX in Aquarius to how you can make this cycle work for you.

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST FRUSTRATION RIGHT NOW? 

Find out what Mars is up to in your chart! Send me your top concerns in TWO PARAGRAPHS MAX with your birth date, time and place. I’ll send you a Paypal invoice for $35, and the first ten people to register will be included in an mp3 file I’ll send you on Wed. All ten mini-readings will be on the same recording, in the order in which I received payment. I’ll let you know your place in the queue if you want to fast forward. But you’ll learn a lot by listening to them all! Only first names will be used. Please email me at simone@astroalchemy.com