A Leo Full Moon of Bold Inspiration

The first Full Moon of 2021 takes place in Leo, for the west coast on the morning of Thursday, January 28th, afternoon for points east. This significant lunation brings a boldness and invitation into creative expression, since it occurs in the proud sign of the Lion at 9 degrees, opposite to the Sun in brilliant Aquarius. Blossoming into her exact fullness at 11:36 am PST, this Full Moon represents a good time for expressions of gratitude, for keeping an eye on the blessings – big and small – in your life, and for finding renewed creativity for your experience. This Moon, reflecting the light of the Aquarius Sun in close conjunction with Jupiter, may have us contemplating the big picture, and our individual place within the larger context of our community, our planet, and the surrounding cosmos.

There is a strong emphasis on the fixed modality in this Full Moon chart, as Leo and Aquarius are fixed signs, and we have other prominent placements in Aquarius as well as in Taurus – another fixed sign, in square. Fixed energy is slow paced, more deliberate, and can also offer more restful attitudes (go ahead and take that afternoon nap!) With fixed energy it can be tricky to get something started, but once a rhythm is found the going can be incredibly strong and enduring. There can also be a tendency to over-stay, get stuck, or become stagnant. The 2020 year was chock full of Cardinal energy – which starts things up and wants to move quickly – and now in 2021 we may find that things have slowed down a bit. This is a subtle environmental shift, but it is one that is important to consider as the backdrop against which more explicit events play out. We are also in the beginning of a new social cycle this year, as indicated by the Jupiter and Saturn conjunction in December, a Great Conjunction in which we are shifting from a 200-year cycle of the conjunction taking place in Earth signs, to a 200-year Air cycle. The element Air tends to pertain more to the mind, to associations of non-tangible things, and has a tendency to disperse energy, whereas earth tends to consolidate, solidify and make concrete. We are thus finding ourselves in a much different environment, now, energetically, then we were just a few short months ago.

The planetary placements and aspects of this Full Moon are rich and potent. We have Jupiter in a nearly exact conjunction to the Sun, and because it is within 17 seconds of a degree it is Cazimi, or “in the heart of the Sun.” This is a beautifully powerful and uplifting placement, offering us wings to fly upon, more space to fill our lungs with a fresh breath, and a mountain top upon which we can see farther into the expanses of the great beyond, and where we wish to go. Amidst the incredible challenges of the past many months, turning our face towards this bright spot amidst stormy skies may offer some much needed solace and relief.

We must hasten to note that this Full Moon, like most everything, is not all roses and sunshine. We also have Saturn in Aquarius now closing in on his square with Uranus in Taurus. This is a long-term event, and perhaps the most prominent and unruly placement in the entirety of 2021. One way of looking at this is as follows: Uranus strives for freedom and liberation at any cost, while Saturn wants to slow down, maintain security, and weigh options carefully and cautiously. It is also interesting that in the time of the ancients Saturn reigned as the outermost known planet until Uranus was discovered, and in current terminology represents limits to activity. Uranus on the other hand, as the first of the modern outer planets, represents a departure from what has gone before. There is a tension that lives between these two planets in the very nature of what they represent. With this forming square aspect, we are asked to look at where and why we limit ourselves, and honor the Saturnian part that lives within each of us that is ultimately wanting to keep us safe and secure. We are also however being asked to examine where we might be due for a Uranian overhaul, to wake up to our possibilities in a new way, to attempt to uncover where we might need to blast away from previous limitations or recognize having fallen asleep at the wheel. The specific nature of this aspect has multiple potential outcomes in both the mundane astrology of current events and for you, personally. One thing you can look for is whether you have placements in your birth chart in the early to mid degrees of the fixed signs – namely, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius – understanding that, if you do, this so-called World Transit will have a distinct and perhaps dramatic influence in your life in the coming months.

Also important in this Full Moon is the slowing of Mercury as it nears its retrograde station of 26 degrees Aquarius on January 30th. As always, the recommendation is to take things easy, knowing that they probably won’t go as planned, allowing a spaciousness and patience for things to take shape independent of your own expectations or agenda. Employing more thoughtfulness in communications both written and spoken is a good idea. As this retrograde takes place in Aquarius, you might also find that it’s a good time to reconsider your approach in some fashion, taking a pause to find innovative ways of doing things that have perhaps gotten stuck in some sort of habitual rut.

Last but not least in this Full Moon, we find Venus in a same-degree conjunction with Pluto in Capricorn. This is another quite impactful planetary connection, involving relationships of all kinds, and art or aesthetics. Venus in Capricorn becomes less expressive and snuggly, by the nature of the sign, and rather more concerned with boundaries, responsibility, and maintaining safety in relationships. With the transformative powers of Pluto at her side, there is a potential transformative rebirth experience in the air; we may find ourselves prompted to look beyond our current relationship dynamic for where we might indeed have room to grow. This might also involve maintaining healthy boundaries for ourselves. Beloved author Brené Brown writes that “daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.”

These continue to be impactful and eventful times. May this Full Moon shine a Light of Love into the places where we need it most, like a sweet honey balm healing and mending the tired and worn cracks of our world. May we be renewed into a sense of infinite creative potential, and humble gratitude as we continue forth into the wild unknown of our individual and shared evolutionary unfolding.