All the world’s a stage,
― William Shakespeare – As You Like It
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
The Sabian Symbol for the next Full Moon is A CONSERVATIVE, OLD-FASHIONED LADY, CONFRONTED BY A “HIPPIE” GIRL, which portrays beautifully, the imagery of Pluto moving from Capricorn into the sign of Aquarius. Although both these signs are traditionally ruled by Saturn, Capricorn, being a cold, dry, earth sign, is generally far more reserved and conservative than the humorally hot, wet, air sign of Aquarius.
This Full Moon highlights the dynamic and evolving nature of social values, showing how the ideals of human relationships are continuously shifting as we move from one generation to the next. It suggests that each succeeding generation is confronted with a set of values that may be opposite or contrasting to what the previous generation considered worthwhile and decent, a change in values which may result in confrontation and bitterness, but which can also serve as a reminder of the impermanence of societal norms and the fluidity of what society deems valuable.
This first Full Moon of 2024, the WOLF Moon, importantly, illuminates Pluto’s ingress into the sign of Aquarius, sounding the death knell not only for Pluto’s recent 16 year transit through Capricorn, but also the transition of the 200 year Great Mutation from Earth into Air signs.
As Pluto enters Aquarius, we hover on the brink of immense global shifts, finding ourselves amidst times of unprecedented and often chaotic change, an era of information overload where time-honoured methods of gaining reliable information are sliding into disrepute.
Many of us are confused; everywhere we look we find radically different opinions or answers and often, extremist views which embody the polarisation in society. As censorship proliferates to promote political narratives, as a race, we must develop our own personal methods of guidance like never before.
The zeitgeist of the dawning of a new age has been emerging through the collective since the Uranus Pluto conjunction in the mid 1960s and is synonymous with that era. Freedom, independence, humanitarian concerns and rebellion against the establishment have been symbols of the so-called Promised Land that is The Age of Aquarius for as long as I have been on the planet.
The last time we experienced Pluto travelling through Aquarius, we had the French Revolution and the American War of Independence. Previous to that, in England, King Henry took the power of the Catholic Church for himself, and instituted the Church of England. All these events were associated with the transfer of wealth, the removal of top down power structures and the growing importance of the voice of the common people.
Throughout the early 20th Century, writers such as Aldous Huxley, Yevgeny Zamyatin, and George Orwell, among others, published novels set in a dystopian future, a future spanning the period in which we now live. They wrote against a background where Europe and much of Asia were being decimated by war, where monarchies were collapsing beneath the weight of revolution and rebellion and Pluto traversed the luminal signs of Cancer and Leo, signs representing the sanctity of the family, the importance of motherland or fatherland and the power of the monarchy.
Much of this writing expressed a future where the importance of the individual stood for little, and the collective was all, eerily prophesying current themes which have been emerging as Pluto traverses the opposite side of the zodiac, the saturnine signs of Capricorn and Aquarius.
The first decan of Leo is associated with Saturn, in the Chaldean system, a tense combination which speaks of rebelling against powerful hegemonic structures. It is interesting to note that in the national chart of Israel, the Moon falls in the 5th degree of Leo, and is very much triggered by this current Full Moon, and the approach of transiting Pluto to the opposition of that Moon. On some level, the conflict that has arisen there recently seems to be a macabre distillation of the long era of western imperialism and the consequent devastation that this has wrought upon many nations of the earth; perhaps this will be the last horrific act in a theatre of war that in this part of the world has been the focus for power struggles and land grabs for well over a thousand years.
The global spotlight shines upon the main players who inhabit the stage, and it can give undue importance to those who occupy this position; but they are not the only ones who exist. Even the existence of a spotlight, condemns those in the audience and the players backstage, to the darkness, granting them invisibility; what is happening in the wings we might wonder. Behind the stage, the players sabotage and plot, some vying for the leading role, whilst others are happy to be the powers behind the thrones, the coaches, the trainers and writers who express their vision and power through the puppets in the spotlight, leaving vast areas under the covers of darkness, useful for other, more discreet or nefarious purposes. Whilst the eyes of the audience are fixed on the subject in the spotlight, very few are aware of what is happening behind the scenes under cover of the shadows.
With the Full Moon being in a tight applying square to Jupiter, expect magnification of all matters, either real or imagined. Issues with shipping, sea lanes, waterways and water supplies will remain to the forefront, and calls for justice will increase. On a collective level, notice where the spotlight is shining, and question what lies on the outskirts of what is illuminated; what else is happening, who else is speaking in a voice that may be difficult to be heard?
On a personal level, look to where the invitation is, what position of power awaits you, what applause is being raised for your ears; how do you feel about moving into the spotlight, what fears lurk in the shadows, what agendas are at play, what, ultimately is at stake.
Themes around power, control and money could emerge, especially where these themes are connected to old patterns of relating, parts where you may have followed the script for many years, but be sick of saying the same old tired lines. This Full Moon is very close to the degree of the Moon at this year’s Aries Ingress, and also Mars position at Pluto’s final ingress into Aquarius this coming autumn. Watch for the recurrence of themes that happen now, as they play out over the next twelve months or so, as stories unfold and develop and power struggles increase.
As we weep for the plight of others and feel helpless in the face of complicated matters we can do nothing about, it can be easy to feel disconnected from our sense of peace and truth; it is no surprise we feel powerless in the face of the changes occurring on a global level.
Humanity is in the midst of an intense period, a process in which we must all participate; many of us are at a loss to know what we, as lone individuals on this planet of billions, can do in the face of such enormous need. We may find ourselves in dark and difficult places, unable to manage our lives or even our sanity; in today’s world the struggle is real, never has it been more important for us to connect to the voice within. As our leaders fail, it is time for us to lead ourselves and as the landscape of our world changes and the familiar landmarks disappear, we are increasingly unsure of which way to turn.
The divisions that have held us in place for centuries are dissolving, the known boundaries are blurring, it seems that now more than ever we must look within, for it is now that we need guidance; in an emerging world of Artificial Intelligence, developing our Intuitive Awareness will be key. Our collective strength lies in the power of our individuality, we can do no more for the troubles of the world than to follow our heart’s wisdom. Each of us serves best when we fulfil our own calling, when we connect to the quiet voice within, maintaining our individuality for the good of the group, for the strength of the whole is only as good as the strength of each individual part.
In an era of weak kings, the common people must lead themselves, never has the need been greater for us to connect to the wisdom we hold in our own hearts.
This month’s tarot images for this pair of decans are drawn from the The Alchemical Tarot by Robert Place.
The decans that highlight this Full Moon, reverberate with change. The Sun, at its weakest in the solar year, reminds us of death, coldness, the end of life and the Moons position in the solar sign of Leo brings a yearning for rebirth and the desire to move forward once more into the light. It is at this time of year, which in the northern hemisphere is astronomical mid-winter, that we welcome the return of the Goddess at the celtic festival of Imbolc.
Both of these cards represent the pain of change, the work involved in moving away from what has become too entrenched or habitual. Things may need to be taken apart, before they can be mended, and we see this action taking place in the card on the left that portrays a blacksmith at work, shaping new blades from old. It speaks of inner reflection and the yearning for resurrection that is natural at this time of year. The five of Wands is portrayed here by a burning hand, suggesting risk, but also a fiery enthusiasm to “blaze a trail”. This image also reminds us that the energy and inspiration that is available to us should we choose to engage with it and channel the infinite sources of the divine into our creative work.
Sources of inspiration for this months piece:
Dane Rudhyar’s Sabian Symbols.
PHASE 126 (LEO 6°): A CONSERVATIVE, OLD-FASHIONED LADY IS CONFRONTED BY A “HIPPIE” GIRL. -The need to transcend our subservience to fashion, in morals as well as in clothes.
Decan images from The Picatrix
The Sun in the First Face of Aquarius:
A man who has his head cut short [off?][35] and who holds in his hand a peacock. And this is a face of misery, poverty, and of a slave who deals with crumbs.
The Moon in the First Face of Leo:
A man dressed in filthy garments; and there ascends with him the figure of a lord of the horse looking toward the north; and his figure is like the figure of a bear and the figure of a dog. And this is a face of strength, liberality, and victory.
If you enjoy tarot and the magical stories they inspire, we still have some copies of the Thoth Journey Tarot available for purchase, click on the link below, and if you are interested in booking a reading, find out more HERE.
Joanna-Kate Grant 