[one_third][/one_third][two_third_last]Understanding This Year’s Cancer Full Moon

What timing for a Cancer full moon! Or, not really. It is what the cosmos are asking us to feed. The feminine sign of The Crab, the mother and the protector, is rising in popularity, and not just because it’s the full moon of the matriarchy (the reckoning time of year for what we as women are manifesting into gestation), but also because of the political ‘fuck you’ that we got this fall as our first viable woman candidate for the US Presidency lost to the most arrogant, slippery, stereotypical, and patriarch-type of male that we could have possibly elected. It seems to have been a last-straw and a wake-up call that we actually haven’t been gaining the ground that we thought we had in our feminist movements.

Together we unite as we’ve received the message loud and clear. Here we come world, right on the shoulders of a very powerful lunar cycle. It’s rare that as a collective we get an astoundingly unified nod from the cosmos to what we should all be a manifesting–so join the CosmoMuse community and accept the responsibility as a woman or man to gestate and birth the rise of the matriarchy as we release and realize the patriarchy system that’s been on top for far too long is exhausted and clearly needs their mothers as they rest and get nurtured for a long while. Because, really, if Trump is the best they can deliver, they clearly need some love and time to regenerate to get them healthy and back on their feet. [/two_third_last]

[full_width]This full moon comes very close to the Women’s March on D.C. (and others around the country. We’ll be at Chelsea Handler’s one in Park City during The Sundance Film Festival), and we love that it falls during the influence of this lunar cycle and think this is a great activity to corral your female circle and gather in solidarity—whether at a march or as a gathering somewhere special.[/full_width]

[full_width]The Aspects (players) of this Full Moon: A Grand Cross

There are some difficult aspects connected to this full moon with a grand cross, or crossroads effect. This is already evident in the fighting spirit that is arising for women. We need to focus on one issue at a time with this aspect: In the opposition to the Sun and Pluto, issues of power and vitality need us to step back for perspective. These are powerful things and some structure and putting ourselves in front of the public with authority and a plan will win us our Cancerian/women’s needs. Jupiter squaring off from diplomatic Libra will require some creative action around an offer of equality for this expansive planet to allow our freedom to grow. Uranus in Aries is excited to break the chains of old constructs and power balances but will want to rush in, head first, acting on bold ideas and possibly getting a bit overly aggressive or even violent. Ask your inner warrior to allow nurturing and a bit of protection in so this doesn’t get out of hand and burn down all the work that’s been laid, due to feelings of rage. The full moon will allow this progressive and assertive spirit to do its thing but wants subtlety. She will ultimately protect herself from any destructive outbreaks so watch tempers and overly negative anarchist actions.[/full_width]

[two_third]The Goddesses’ Asteroids

As we take on the challenge of allowing ourselves and the matriarchy to fight for and rise in command, let our goddess asteroids enter your psyche: connect with them and identify with them. These powerful ladies are admittedly new to us at CosmoMuse, but they’ve been tossing pebbles at our window for a little while now, saying, “hey, we’re her for you. Pay attention to us and let us help you.” We’ve taken notice and the little we’ve absorbed has brought empowerment to our feminine qualities to new heights. So we’re grabbing handfuls of our own pebbles to toss your way and let you know, the goddesses are coming, pay attention. Not without a fight, however, but we think the pendulum is starting to swing the other way in the matriarchy/patriarch holding of power. As the goddesses rise, so does the matriarch, cyclical living, a shift in power structures, and organic feminine intelligence—thank the heavens!

You might notice that all of our typical planets or ruling bodies discussed in astrology are fashioned after male gods–with the exceptions of Venus and the moon. We’ve been missing a lot without paying homage to the goddesses in our charts. Here’s our favorite four (there are lots more) and some basics of the mythology they are connected to. Find the one that you connect with and channel her as you step into your feminine power: [/two_third][one_third_last][/one_third_last]

[full_width]Ceres The mother of earth and sister to Zeus (or Jupiter). This goddess brings abundance around food, cooking, and nurturing as she holds the cornucopia. There is a giving a receiving energy and flow that she creates. Because her most loved thing, her daughter Persephone, was taken by her brother Pluto, and given to Hades, she is connected to abundance followed by loss. But compromise reigns as a deal is worked out to each get Persephone for six months of the year. When out of balance (or when the Patriarchy is allowed to interfere), feelings of loss, fear of abundance, eating disorders, and over-attachment rise. When her power is owned, nurturing brings abundance and flow. I for one think our world is due her healthy powers. Beyonce, Queen Bee, has a strong Ceres in her chart.

Pallas (Athena – also CosmoMuse’s most felt goddess) Zeus’ (Jupiter’s) daughter, was born out of his forehead, already fully armored. She is female intelligence and a weaver of patterns and cycles with an organic wisdom. She is the strategic commander in chief, usually able to bring peaceful resolutions to quarrels, but not afraid to battle in war in equally strategic ways if things digress (as Medusa learned). Her domain is the city as she brings connection to all through her weaving abilities. Artistic and a survivor, Pallas expects you to own your power. She is connected to the father and can show how you connect with males. When out of balance or over-powered by the gods, she is surrounded by conflict, legal battles, and injustice. Yup, again, another goddess that we think is due to reclaim her power.

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[one_third][/one_third][two_third_last padding=”0% 0 0 0″]Juno (Hera) The wife of Zeus (Jupiter) and Queen goddess. Juno takes Venus up a notch. Where Venus brings about attraction and the decision to indulge in the feeling of partnering, Juno rules the commitment and actual marriage. True love and soul mates are her domain. She has a queenly and diplomatic presence, ruling over the lands, flowers and the female genitalia. Women’s rights fall here so we all need to wake up to her power or surround ourselves with those who seem to be empowered by her. When out of balance or taken advantage of by the gods, she has to deal with infidelities, powerlessness, betrayal, inequality, and possibly spousal abuse. Again, time to take her power back. WAKE UP JUNO!!! Angelina Jolie has a strong Juno in her chart.

Vesta Zeus’ (Jupiter’s) oldest sibling. With a virginal, pure, and perfectionist quality, she is the keeper of the hearth who’s attributed to focus, dedication and domestic tranquility. She is the ruler of gatherings, sisterhood, rituals, keeping the fire stocked, security (or lock and key/investments), and chastity. She has some Virgo traits in her ability to break things down and utilize purified components. When out of balance, she brings insecurity, promiscuity, segregation, secret societies, family troubles, fear of sex, invalidation of self, and denial. Essentially, the pretty little secrets in corporations and powerful institutions that keep popping up, that shatter our feelings safety as a human family, need the Vestas out there to take their power back!

Some Goddess inspiration was pulled from our favorite new go-to podcast, Bridging Realities. Listen to more about Juno here or Ceres here.[/two_third_last]

[full_width]Gathering, Manifesting & This Full Moon’s Craft

Grab your CosmoMuse Guide, revisit the feature about full moon gatherings as well as find more on the Cancer Full Moon in the Capricorn Season section of the guide (where we also give ideas for the theme of this gathering), and start planning your own.

On the 12th, at the full moon, gather your circle of females to stoke each other’s fires, listen to each other, nurture each other, and learn what each of your women gatherers would do if a matriarch power were to take the helm. Help each other tap into the goddess powers arising inside and honor the qualities of each.

In this listening and nurturing process, I believe the gestation of powerful female needs will take place in women everywhere and we will then go into the marches on the 21st with a stronger collective voice and a personal gestating purpose to fight for, nurture, and protect.

As promised, with each full moon, we’ll be giving some ideas of a craft or activity to pair with the regular rituals of this gathering. We think in this is the perfect one to pick a comfortable and welcoming home to cook in, and make a meal all together. Commune, collaborate, chat, and cook together before your rituals. What better way to expand the themes of nurturing and growing roots as female protectors?

CosmoMuse’s Cancer Full Moon Gestation

Behind the scenes, we love that the timing of this lunar event is lining up exactly with when we are researching, synthesizing, and ultimately picking a yearly theme for our 2018 guide. Clearly this newly gestating theme is going to lead to lots of goddesses, nurturing themes, and feminine rising qualities. [/full_width]