Aries Full Moon: Who’s the Fairest of All?

In the Greek myth of Eris, this warrior goddess was not invited to a wedding on Mt. Olympus, due to her reputation as a troublemaker. But she turned up anyway – bearing a golden apple inscribed, “To the Fairest One.” Hera, Athena and Aphrodite began quarreling about which one of them deserved it. It fell to Paris, Prince of Troy, to select the fairest. He awarded the apple to Aphrodite, who’d tempted him with the beautiful (and married) Helen as his reward. And in the end, his beloved city was destroyed in the war that ensued.

The dwarf planet Eris embodies the fierce feminine – she signifies bravery and fury, and is known for exposing falseness and protecting the weak and vulnerable. Eris is quite relevant to our times, because she was discovered in 2005. When a new planet comes onto the scene, people start waking up to its energies. Women (as well as men) have certainly been inspired like never before to rise up into our feminine strength and fight for justice.

We’re about to experience a profound activation of Eris at the Aries Full Moon (Oct. 20, 7:56 a.m. PDT). Themes of chaos and discord (paving the way for new birth) are bound to be in the news, due to Eris’s square to underworld god Pluto (which has been happening since 2020 and will be closely activated at this lunation). As the Moon joins Eris in Aries, it will oppose the Sun and Mars in Libra. This pits the feminine warrior (Eris) against the masculine warrior (Mars), with both of them square do-or-die Pluto. An intense Full Moon, full of volatility and momentum for change! The old must be sacrificed to make way for the new.

The Full Moon’s sextile to Jupiter in Aquarius reminds us that we have options, and that deliverance and solidarity come from aligning with a group or a cause. With Jupiter and Mercury both turning direct two days before the Full Moon, the fires of renewed action and energy are being lit – helping us break through blockades, within and without. However, this energy can also stoke the flames of anger or even war (especially since Mars makes its exact square to Pluto the next day).

I can’t help but think of Kamala Harris, who was born at an Aries Full Moon. In fact, her birthday is October 20, so the upcoming lunation falls exactly on her natal Sun-Moon opposition at 27 Libra/Aries! She’s been striving to balance her quick, demanding instincts (Aries Moon) with the needs of others (Libra Sun) all her life. Setting aside the question of how well she’s doing as Vice President, we can see this will be an extremely activating time (and personal new year) for her. Even more than usual, she’ll be challenged to foster peace and justice (Libra) by using a skillful, take-charge approach (Aries). Can she display strong leadership while also bringing out the best in others? And rectify injustices without sacrificing her principles or giving in to the powers that be? We shall see.

At this feisty Aries Full Moon, let’s not succumb to bickering, vanity or greed like those goddesses on Olympus did. Instead, we can rise to a higher level. Let’s make sure our fighting spirits serve the good of all – while also staying true to ourselves. No more apologies for who you are. No more artifice or acting as if everything is fine when it isn’t. No more reluctance to reach out to others for support, or to be there for them. As Eris stirs things up, she’s trying to remind us that we are all the fairest one – so let’s make her proud!