When our eyes become accustomed to a certain level of shadow, light can almost feel abrasive. When we have been in the dim or under a shade and suddenly the sun comes out, it can be a painful shock. We squint, we flinch and turn our heads away. Light can be alarming. It can feel scary at first, especially when we are so used to the dark.

 

Most often clarity is so simple that we laugh when we gain it, when the light clicks on above our heads. And sometimes, when we have been in the dark for so long that it has become familiar, we don’t trust clarity when it arrives. Deep in the depths of winter, we have the chance to gain a profound clarity. We get the opportunity to light up the room we find ourselves in and the path ahead. The Sun entered Aquarius season last weekend and a crack was made to offer some illumination. That, and Pluto stepped into this progressive sign for the next sixteen or so years after having exhumed power struggles and unsustainable systems found in the sign of Capricorn. For many of us there is no question about what is no longer working. Even if we do not agree at a superficial level, when you get down to the functional and foundational needs of our communities great and small, we find far more in common with each other than those “pulling strings” would have us believe. 

 

 

Growth cannot happen without accountability. We don’t experience transformation without discomfort, something has to bump up against a limit and create a friction that inspires a new kind of engagement. The sprout does not remain in the seed, cells split and regenerate.

So how do we keep ourselves accountable during this transformative moment? How do we, as sensitive beings, hold the weight of emotional times without letting it crush our hope or disempower our joy?

 

 

We might flinch from the light at first, but we turn our head toward it. We slowly open our eyes. We examine what is around us, and we recognize where and how every big and little thing touches our life. We learn from that which we do not understand with awe for the mystery and love for the process; both our own process and the process of others. We listen. We share why something holds meaning for us, and we honor that something can hold meaning to someone else. We recognize true limitations* and reject the false that would silence our unique expression. For it is in commitment to integrity that we learn the keys to unity, to harmony.

 

Finding your lane does not mean closing your ears or your eyes to what is happening on either side of you. It means recognizing how you and your gifts are an inextricable part of it all, and it is ALL a part of you.

 

 

Six months ago during the New Moon in Leo, I shared an idea about the regal nature of this sign. For the new moon, we shook out our manes and carried ourselves forward toward our goals with our heads held high. Leo energy carries a sense of responsibility, a desire to provide whether that is for their party or as the party itself. For many Leos, it is an unquestionable principle to which they bond their identity. Now at the Full Moon in Leo, how has this faith in yourself served you? Did you falter on your self-confidence, or were you able to see things through that you had set up back at the end of July?

 

A full moon is the point of fulfillment, of abundance, and of celebration. It is the time to reap what has come to fruition, and prepare for the next transition. And with tonight’s Full Moon in Leo, peaking at 9:54am PT tomorrow morning, it’s time to step into your light. Whatever you were working on six months ago or the area where Leo falls in your chart is reaching a pivotal point. I’ve described Leo energy like that of the hearth. The warming light we gather around during these long and dark months. Where we can find food, friends, and family. It doesn’t have to be a spotlight, although it can be, but find the space where your gifts and talents are illuminated. Let it warm your heart and get your blood pumping again. A Full Moon in Leo is a wonderful time to reinvigorate our creativity and gather in mutual love and support. When one of us shines with integrity, we all can bathe in the light.

 

This Full Moon in Leo is also opposite Pluto in Aquarius and square Jupiter in Taurus. We may be experiencing some friction around seeing ourselves for who we really are, feeling a deep emotional transformation within us and seeking or trying to reconcile with our sense of purpose. Allow yourself the gift of light, here. Perhaps you’ve done more of this work than you give yourself credit for, and it may just be uncomfortable getting used to your new boundaries and standards. If things aren’t looking so “bright”, I invite you to accept what is; even if you are currently feeling like the goo in the chrysalis. I promise there are wings on the other side. Remember, we are still on this side of deep winter (see below for some Imbolc inspiration), but you can have a little light as a treat.

 

We also have other planets pulling for our success over this moon. Mercury conjunct Mars in Capricorn will offer us some practical thinking and ease when it comes to apply ourselves to work and creative tasks. And with both trine Uranus in Taurus, we could see some positive changes to our work environments, goals, and communications. Venus in Capricorn trine Jupiter in Taurus, and sextile Saturn in Pisces will offer us some generosity and harmony in our relationships as well as the benefit of maturity and growth through lessons learned. We may also see applied spirituality bringing material gains. Jupiter square Sun and sextile Saturn lends a sense of idealism, but one based in a strong foundation. 

 

The more capable we become at holding hope in the same hand as we hold our anger and our grief, the more concrete our actions will be with regards to creative systemic and community change this Aquarius season. 

 

Tonight’s Full Moon is also known in North American and European traditions as the Wolf Moon. For many, this conjures the image of a lone wolf silhouette against a big white disc. However, the name comes from this time of year aligning with the mating season of wolves. It is during this stretch of winter that they become quite active and social, finding partners, creating families and new packs, mixing things up. In the same way, Aquarius season asks us to consider community. The understanding of systems that we gain from introverted Capricorn energy may serve us well individually, but Aquarius reminds us that we are each unique parts necessary to the harmony of the Whole. 

 

We are all too familiar with how pack mentality can be harmful, but most often what we refer to as pack mentality is a homogenization of the members. When we retain our individuation, we relinquish shame in our personal limitations through the expression of our gifts and our talents as complementary to one another's. We start to see value in mutual aid and cooperation toward a fundamental goal. There are times and contexts to mind our own business, and there are times and contexts when the law of interdependence overrules individual gain. The wisdom to distinguish between which is not actually that hard to come by. 

 

Next week on February 1st is the celebration of the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Imbolc, meaning “in the belly,” is a pagan holiday based on Gaelic tradition, which honors the mother goddess and the seedlings that are starting to stir beneath the earth. It is a time to deep clean the home, pack away any remnants of the previous holiday season, perform rituals to send winter on its way and create early altars to spring. The intention is to set a place for conception—of ideas, of new life, of new opportunities, etc. 

 

Sometimes referred to as Oimelc (meaning ewe’s milk) as it lined up with lambing season or St. Brigid’s Day to honor the patron saint of Ireland, it was later appropriated by the church as Candlemas.

 

Imbolc is one of my favorite traditions because, while I love a good excuse to deep clean my home, I also love the shift in direction. It’s during Imbolc that I really feel like the new year has started. We are invited to look ahead, to plan and create space for what we would like to invest in for the next season. While some folks honor St. Brigid with bowls of milk, white flowers, and a corn husk doll effigy, you can also keep your practices grounded in honoring Earth’s natural cycles just as well by doing a thorough deep cleaning of your home from floorboards to moldings, repotting your indoor plants, and planning your gardens or flower boxes for next spring if you haven't done so already. 

 

As a Moonsletter🌙 Member, check out the Ritual for Early Spring that spans Imbolc. I'll also be sending this directly to your inbox next week. I love to do part one after I have cleaned my whole house and put a pot of soup or chili on for the evening. And Sybil loves the extra walk in the woods.