Cancer Full Moon: Compassionate Rabble-Rousing

Just as the Cancer Full Moon is about to catalyze the crazy-making Uranus-Pluto square (Jan. 4, 8:53 pm PST) comes the news that Pope Francis is about to deliver a bombshell to the world’s bishops in the form of a 50-page letter calling on them to take concerted action on climate change. This marks the first time that a leader of the Catholic Church has so brazenly taken up this critical issue – and it’s bound to ignite the furor of those who persist in denying the fact that we’re overheating and toxifying our planet to death.

And yet he’s doing it anyway, because this Pope loves the Earth and all its inhabitants, and isn’t afraid to speak out on their behalf. Yes, he opposes same-sex marriage and women becoming priests. But how can you not love a Pope who chooses to live in the Vatican guesthouse instead of the papal residency? Francis, who took his name from the humble saint who loved animals and lived in poverty, is a nature-oriented Sagittarius with his Moon in progressive Aquarius and his Ascendant in humble Cancer. He is also a born trouble-maker, with incendiary Uranus at the top of his chart. And, he was appointed on a day (March 13, 2013) that featured a let’s-break-with-tradition-and-get-it-done Mars-Uranus conjunction in Aries—which set the tone for his brave and refreshingly unorthodox papacy.

Are you ready to break with tradition and fight for what you believe in? This Full Moon, falling so close to the New Year, may be the kick in the pants you need. Uranus and Pluto will be duking it out with the Moon in sensitive Cancer and the Sun in conservative Capricorn all weekend. Rather taking a hit (or giving one), consider how these hell-raising energies might be channeled in a positive way. Take your cue from Cancer rising rabble-rouser Pope Francis, and remember to come from love in whatever you say and do.