“More men would be treated like kings if they would only treat their wives like queens instead of servants.” ~ Randall Wright
On February 9th we have a Full Moon in Leo, falling at exactly 20 degrees of Leo and the culmination of a six month period that originated on August 1st last year, with a New Moon in Leo.
This six-month cycle decan has been associated with the strife and struggle that is encountered as we meet our inner battles embodied in the outside world. These challenges can often give us a clearer picture of our own inner life if we are prepared to look, a picture that is so often reflected in the dynamics that we meet through others. Are we able to be more authentic? dare we risk the loss of approval that we may be so reliant upon? do we have what it takes to step out of the spotlight, to remove our masks, and face what has been happening in the shadows? The power within this cycle has been the challenge of change, of connecting more deeply with our own inner path and being less reliant on the perceptions of others to feel secure and “real”.
We may have struggled with achieving a balance between following the dictates and dogma of others and with growing enough to be able to listen to and have faith in the voices of our own hearts, and to do so without feeling the need to convert those around us to our own way of thinking. The battle between the heart and the ego…. between the soul path, and the dictates of culture, family and social situation, can often mould us far more than we realise, and at this particular Full Moon, we are likely to have finally come 
to a clear realisation that we have changed and that our “perceived role” may also now need to change, to become more in line with where we are heading. A new audience is required, to suit the new “act” for in line with the change in self, if others cannot change their perceptions of us, then maybe they need to give up their front row seats to others who are more adaptable to our need for progress.
This last six-month cycle has examined how far we are prepared to leave behind the “masks” to which we have become attached, how far we can disentangle ourselves from relationships that have more to do with karmic debt than personal choice, and how far we can step away from what no longer serves our unmasked self, as we seek a more authentic way, free from the need for other peoples attention, and liberated enough to roam between the light and the darkness, rather than being imprisoned within the fear of obscurity.
I have used Tarot cards from the Alchemical Tarot to illustrate the energy present in this decan’s Full Moon. Fortune (Jupiter) and Strength (Leo) stand guardian over the 6 of Staffs, reminding us that applause and recognition does not necessarily make us stronger, for our reliance on the recognition of others can keep us “small”. The understanding that peak experiences need to pass away, to make room for what is to come is vital here, for without change there is no growth, and without growth and movement, there is only stagnation. Strength comes through allowing change, and through understanding that the victory ultimately comes through a deeper understanding of the self. This Full Moon is a powerful reminder of timing, to know when enough is enough, and to set yourself free from what binds you into old patterns, and which consequently “keeps you small”.
The Astrologers Diary
The Full Moon every month offers an opportunity to release old cycles, and as an Astrologer, I find it to be a useful exercise for myself and in working with others, to use the energy of each particular Full Moon, according to the Sabian Symbol that it falls on, together with the position in which it falls in the Natal Chart. Such considerations can be invaluable in steering through ups and downs, and in becoming “easy” with the ebb and flow of what life brings. This particular Full Moon highlights the following cycle:
PHASE 140 (LEO 20°): ZUNI INDIANS PERFORM A RITUAL TO THE SUN.
KEYNOTE: A return to the glorification of natural energies.
In this symbol we see, by implication, Man returning to nature and glorifying the sun after the long crisis of “civilized” living in artificial cities. For many years now, the American Pueblo Indian has been for the weary city dweller and the dried-up intellectual a symbol of this “return to nature.” After having ruthlessly destroyed him, we come to him as an exemplar of peaceful and harmonious group living. This image brings the idea of a reversal of our socialized activity and opens for us the way to the deepest release of our long-denied root energies. Natural man links himself consciously to the source of all life on earth.
With this Full Moon falling across my 2nd 8th houses, it’s been all about self-worth, and how I can tend to give myself away to other, rather than to build up my own resources. This particular Full Moon, culminating at sunset on Sunday, also illuminates the Venus Chiron conjunction that is also happening, suggesting that relationships of all kinds may well be going through some sort of painful examination over the next week or so. Issues regarding independence, freedom, self-rule and individuality are likely to be hot topics.
This kind of “house-keeping” engendered by the Moon’s cycle can be invaluable in keeping “on track” with life, rising to the inner rhythms, and flowing with the lunar tides. 
Knowing in which houses the Full Moon falls, and whether it is in close aspect with any planets in your chart can be an invaluable tool, along with the wider cycle of the Progressed Moon, for discovering the secret rhythms of your daily life.
A free natal chart wheel can be set up at www.astro.com
My name is Joanna Grant, I am an Astrologer, Tarot Reader and Writer, who lives for now 
in the South West of Ireland. Throughout my life, I have watched as the planets have woven their stories around me, for it is a truth that my love affair with the stars has been and will be life-long. I can often be found at home, deep in arcane research, or practising some new form of divination, usually whilst trying not to burn the dinner! My long knowledge of Astrology leads and informs my practice in offering guidance across the thresholds of life experiences as defined by the outer planet transits. Through combining Astrology with Tarot and Shamanic techniques, I work with you, the client, to open the way to self-empowerment and healing, helping you to lead a more authentic and magical life. You can read more about me here.
Joanna-Kate Grant 