FULL MOON IN CANCER – Plus a sneak peek at 2018 according to astrology & numerology (January 1, 2018)

by Anne Reith, Ph.D.
Astrology

Astrology-New-Moon-Full-MoonAs I do at the beginning of each year, I will cover (1) the current Moon Update, (2) an overview of any major events that are coming up astrologically in 2018, and (3) the year 2018 from a numerological perspective.

I hope that 2018 is a year filled with peace, love, and laughter for all of us!  Happy New Year!!

Full Moon in Cancer

In the Pacific Time Zone, the Moon will be full at 6:24 p.m. on Monday, January 1.  With this Full Moon, the Sun in Capricorn will be in opposition (180°) to the Moon in Cancer.  To further clarify how this Full Moon will impact you on a personal level, locate 12° of Capricorn and 12° of Cancer in your birth/natal chart.  The issues associated with those two houses are going to be most impacted by this Full Moon’s presence.

As usual, the challenge with each Full Moon is to determine if we need to make any adjustments between the qualities of the two signs involved so we have a healthy balance.  This time, the two signs involved are Cancer and Capricorn, which both carry a serious energy.  Cancer is focused on family, home, and emotions.  The emphasis with Capricorn, on the other hand, is on career, accomplishments, and responsibilities.  Other ways to look at Cancer compared to Capricorn include private versus public, home versus work, and emotional security versus social accomplishments.

Balance is key here.  If we lean too far into the realm of Cancer, we could be stuck in our past and/or too fearful to leave our home base.  If we over-emphasize the Capricorn energy, we could become domineering, controlling, and insensitive to the emotional needs of others and/or ourselves.  There needs to be a healthy give and take between these two ends of a teeter totter.  If we manage some form of equilibrium, we can tap into the innate intuition of Cancer to guide our next steps out into Saturn’s “real” world.  But after spending time “out there,” we need to remember to occasionally pull into our Cancerian shell in order to process what has been happening and take care of ourselves.  This self-care will give us the energy we need to go back out into the world again and be successful.  It’s finding a healthy working relationship between these two opposites that will lead to emotional well-being and external accomplishments.

We are being given some wonderful support during this Full Moon in the form of a water grand trine (i.e., equilateral triangle) involving the Moon in Cancer, Neptune in Pisces, and Mars and Jupiter in Scorpio.  All four of these planets are in water signs, which tells us that emotions and our intuition will be involved.  The free-flowing trines indicate that we should be able to easily tap into both of them, and all the powerful energy of Scorpio is telling us that we could experience deep healing, personal evolutions, and forward movement toward our dreams.  Therefore, trusting our intuitive sense of what is right for us will likely be key.

Having Mars conjunct (0°) Jupiter within this grand trine is a wonderful way to start off the new year.  Luckily, its influence will last for the first 2 weeks of January, so we will have time to enjoy it.  This combined energy of two powerful planets will help us feel courageous, strong, enthusiastic, and ready to take chances (especially if those risks might lead to expansion in some arena).  And the water grand trine is providing us with a healthy emotional balance.  The only possible pitfall would be if we overdo it and/or take such big risks that we find ourselves running back into our Cancer-based homes and locking the doors against the perceived danger “out there.”  So once again, balance is key.  Yes, we may be inclined to take risks, but they need to be reasonable risks.

But overdoing it or being unrealistic is not likely because the Moon in the grand trine is in an opposition (180°) not only to the Sun but also to Saturn, Venus, and Pluto, all of which are located in the super-realistic sign of Capricorn.  It is likely that changes we want to make will be reasonable, responsible, pragmatic, and grounded in reality.  However, with a predominance of Capricorn energy swirling around us during this Full Moon, it will be important to remember to share this time period with watery, emotional Cancer and not become overly controlling or rigid.  The counterbalancing effect of Cancer is also present to help us remember that “family” is available and we don’t need to go it alone, which is a typical shadow expression of Capricorn.   “Family,” in whatever way we define it, is often available to support us, but we do have to allow that help into our lives.

Adding fuel to the desire to change is Uranus moving out of retrograde and going direct on Tuesday, January 2.  While in retrograde during the past five months, Uranus has been having us look inward at what needs to change in our worlds.  There may have been internal shifts to prepare for this change or there could have been actual planning involved.  We are being given the green light to make those changes public.  With Uranus, this may involve some information coming to us from “out of the blue” that helps us make sense of something that we have been struggling to figure out.

Two positive aspects on Saturday, January 6, will help us continue our forward momentum into 2018.  Mercury will trine (120°) Uranus, bringing new insights and unexpected gains.  We will be very intuitive, and creative solutions may suddenly come to us.  Additionally, the conjunct (0°) between Mars and Jupiter in Scorpio (described above) will be exact today, which will increase our energy and enthusiasm to go after whatever we are passionate about.  However, later in the day, a square (90°) between Mercury and Chiron might bring up self-doubts, but only if we allow the voice of our inner critics to get too loud.  If we start noticing that we are overthinking something, it’s probably best to “take a chill pill.”  Or better yet, focus on an activity that would benefit from the Mars-Jupiter conjunct in Scorpio (e.g., energy, enthusiasm, passion, transformation).

Then on Monday, January 8, we will experience another series of aspects that will provide wonderful support to the beginning of this new year.  The Sun will sextile (60°) Jupiter, Venus will sextile (60°) Jupiter, and Mars will sextile (60°) Pluto.  Put these all together and we will increase our awareness of what brings us meaning in our lives.  We may also find support from unexpected places, and/or we will find ourselves suddenly energized to take the next indicated step on our spiritual journey.  The next day (Tuesday, January 9), Venus will sextile (60°) Mars and the Sun will sextile (60°) Mars, opening the door to positive relationships and possibly even romance.  However, it is important to remember that many of these aforementioned aspects are sextiles.  Sextiles are a gift but can be easily ignored, so we need to consciously recognize their potential power and take advantage of them when they occur.

But, before we make any long-term commitments, it would be wise for us to wait until Wednesday, January 10, when Mercury enters responsible, earthy Capricorn.  It will remain in this sign until February 19.  Mercury enjoys being in Capricorn.  Our thinking will become more methodical, logical, and pragmatic.  It also supports us in organizing projects.  But when Mercury is in Capricorn, we are definitely interested in the bottom line and what is “real.”  We may even use this time to dive into a new subject and study it intensely.  As mentioned above when we were discussing Capricorn’s energy, the only true warning is that we need to be careful not to become so rigid that we become insensitive to the feelings of ourselves or others.

Overall, this a very powerful Cancer Full Moon with a plethora of supportive aspects to help us start off the new year in a positive way, if we choose to take advantage of them.  Forward momentum is definitely indicated!  It is very likely that we will need to be courageous and take some risks in order to accomplish our goals.  We do need to remember, though, that we can’t take too great a risk because that could trigger the crab to scurry back into its shell (i.e., home base).  Or if scared and unable to retreat, the Cancer energy has also been known to lash out with those claws.  Therefore, slow, measured steps out of our comfort zones would be better than a huge leap.  This is all supported by the powerful water grand trine, which is reminding us to feel our emotions and not question intuitive insights.  Luckily, there are four planets in opposition to the moon, and all are in Capricorn, which will ground us and help us be patient.

Major Astrological Events of 2018

We will be talking about all of these astrological events in much more detail as the year unfolds, so this is just a sneak peek at what is coming up.  It’s a very powerful year astrologically!

  • Mars and Venus will both be going retrograde during 2018, which is an opportunity for us to reevaluate where we want to put our energy (Mars) and our hearts (Venus).
  • Just last month, Saturn began its 3-year visit to Capricorn. During 2018, the full impact of Saturn in Cap will start coming to “fruition,” the meaning of which we discussed in the last Moon Update.
  • Uranus has been in Aries since 2011, and it will enter Taurus beginning in May 2018. Uranus moves slowly, so it will remain in Taurus until 2026.  This could bring about unexpected changes to financial structures in our personal lives and in society.
  • Also in May 2018, Chiron will move out of Pisces and into Aries, where it will remain until about 2027. Chiron has been in Pisces since about 2010, so this will be another a big shift.  It will likely mean taking courageous steps toward healing our inner wounds.
  • Finally, we will have five (not the usual four) eclipses during 2018, the first of which occurs on January 31. Eclipses always offer us opportunities to “reboot” our level of consciousness, like when we “reboot” our computer after adding new software.

Overall, 2018 will very likely be a period of transition and transformation in which many areas of our lives will experience shifts – personally, societally, and globally.  To a certain extent, this year is just “prep work” for a major astrological event coming up in 2020.  At that time, Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto will all be conjunct (0°).  Some astrologers are referring to this as The Great Conjunction because it hasn’t happened since 1284-1285.  But adding fuel to the fire is the fact that all 3 planets will be in opposition (180°) to revolutionary Uranus.  Some of the predictions include moving toward more emphasis on ideas over materialism.  There may also be huge technological breakthroughs, especially in the field of energy.  Other astrologers think this is a time when those who have been out of power will rebel and demand that their needs be met, which would move humanity toward a more spiritually-based oneness or unity consciousness.  But there is nothing to be frightened of in all of this.  As with all astrological events, knowing about it in advance provides us with power to deal with it effectively.

Numerology in the Year 2018

For those interested in numerology, 2018 is a 2 Universal Year (i.e., 2018 = 2 + 0 + 1 + 8 = 11 = 1 + 1 = 2).  Everyone on the planet is influenced by the energy of the Universal Year number, so it is a subtle, collective experience.  I once heard it described as the “landscape” through which we are all driving.

In numerology, the influence of the Universal Year number is believed to fade during the last three months of the year.  Therefore, by January 1, 2018, many of us may have already started to experience the waning influence of the 1 Universal Year and are beginning to feel the energy of a 2 Universal Year.

1 Universal Years (2017) are analogous to the planting of seeds.  The seeds won’t be fully grown until the next 9 Universal Year (2025).  During 2017, we got to decide what crops we wanted to start growing in that fertile soil.  During 2 Universal Years, we typically close the pace down and spend time developing relationships with like-minded others who will support the growth of our crops.

However, 2018 isn’t just a 2 Universal Year; the calculation also includes the number 11, which is a Master Number in numerology.  Some numerologists don’t think that Universal Years should always be reduced to a single digit, while other numerologists acknowledge the Master Number adds an extra “emphasis” for the Universal Year.  I personally find that both 11 and 2 are important.

Particularly this year, including the Master Number 11 in this interpretation makes sense when looking at the astrological indications for 2018.  The Master Number 11 adds a level of intensity and spiritual purpose.  It is considered the Master Number of the “Master Psychic,” so this will be a year with an undercurrent of spirituality, intuition, creativity, and even healing.  The single digit 1 is about leadership and self-confidence, and the double number 11 indicates that this is even more true.  So it is likely that each of us will be called to take the lead in a certain area of our lives, and we shouldn’t avoid doing this.

We will likely feel pushed to do more, do better, do, do, do . . . and all the astrological events mentioned above support this.  So yes, there will probably be more focus on relationships and collaboration. . . but lots of it.  And yes, there will likely be communication going on . . . but lots of it.  And we will be called to be patient and supportive . . . often!

This could actually be a frustrating year in some ways.  We may feel inclined to push ahead and create, but obstacles and delays may come up that force us to slow down and pay attention to the needs of others and ourselves.  (Remember, our primary relationship is with ourselves!)  It may feel like a “hurry up and wait” year, which can be very infuriating at times.

The solutions include:

  • The 2 Universal Year tells us to come from a place of love, to focus on cooperation and collaboration, to always do our best to respond with grace and diplomacy, and to never neglect our emotions or the emotions of others.
  • It will be helpful to remember that any delays or challenges are meant to make us stronger and point out where there are flaws in our foundation. Avoid falling into a victim mentality.
  • We need to remind ourselves that Master Numbers ask us to master the energy of the single digit and help/teach others the qualities inherent in that energy. With the Master Number 11, that means leadership, spirituality, and intuitive knowledge.

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THIS BLOG POST WAS WRITTEN BY

  • Anne Reith, Ph.D. (AnneReith.com)
  • For information about Dr. Reith’s downloadable ebooks and meditations, feel free to visit her online Store

SOME INFORMATION TAKEN FROM

  • The Mountain Astrologer (magazine)
  • Various online sources (e.g., www.cafeastrology.com)

REMINDER

  • New Moons and Full Moons often influence us for the 3 days before and 3 days after the actual event.

FULL MOON

Full Moon at 12° of Cancer

  • Monday, January 1, 2018, 6:24 p.m. PST
  • Monday, January 1, 2018, 9:24 p.m. EST
  • Tuesday, January 2, 2018, 2:24 a.m. GMT

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