Returning to regular- post-holiday schedule may have been difficult if productive this week, but we need this weekend to hit the reset button. A Full Moon in Cancer calls our attention to any tension we feel between home and private life, and our work out there in the world.
Every January the Capricorn Sun reminds us to invest in our work; it makes us hungry for work that matters and work that takes care of us. The Full Cancer Moon, on the other hand, pumps up the volume on our need for down time and home life, and for whatever we need to do to stay sane and healthy, it makes us long to feel safe and secure on our nest. The planets don’t make us discontent just because they like to see us squirm, as they turn up the volume on their particular issues they push us to break out of our comfort zone and make an extra effort to improve/evolve in that direction. With this Full Moon, the closer our work is to our heart, the less tension we’ll feel, but any tension we do feel will be less about our actual job (or lack of it) and more about how we balance those two poles in our soul.
Every Full Moon highlights a different dichotomy; it brings up the myth that we have to choose one over the other, and asks us to work on the resolution because we need both sides. The Sun in Capricorn symbolizes elements of the father, work, government, structures, organization, ambition, rocks and bones, the posts and beams of our life. The Moon in its own sign of Cancer speaks of the mother, the people, nurturance, nesting, home and homeland, protection, food, family, the great collective ocean we dream in and arise from. Watch the headlines and introspect to see how many different ways we resonate with this apparent tension, and remember the Full Moon’s call is for both and, not either or.
The weekend starts sociable and ingenious under a talkative Gemini Moon. We may want some creative shallowness to unwind after a busy week, as Mercury is still in Sagittarius where it’s been over the holidays, helping us let go of the past and be more flexible and cheerful if easily distracted, and making it hard to let go of the holiday’s freedom.
The mood deepens late on Saturday and the emotional tides swell into high seas as the Moon enters Cancer, squares Uranus and opposes Pluto. Weather blusters inside and out as the Moon waxes full, our inner emotional needs swell up and need time and attention in an otherwise mentally-busy and intelligent week. Ride the tides and remember what important, and hold hands are if the waves really pound. Political tension intensifies between factions that identify as the people and the government in some parts of the world. Fears may show up as doubts and need dealt with honestly, but probably need to be reassured rather than believed.
Coziness helps. This moody weekend asks us to remember to take care of ourselves no matter how busy we get, but also remember to use our work to ground ourselves in the midst of dramas.
But this week is not only about archetypal mood swings, it is full of ingenuity followed by practicality, with a wild edge underneath. Mental Mercury offers us fresh ideas and helps us make them practical over the weekend and early next week as it forms a lovely sextile with imaginative Neptune on one side and competent Saturn on the other this weekend. Mercury then leaves holiday-minded Sagittarius and enters more working-minded Capricorn but squares ingenious if restless Uranus and approaches a conjunction with Pluto. Next week is hard-working and serious with a crazy tone underneath as contradictions and urgent situations call for our attention.
Two big conjunctions bring competing energy towards the end of the week; Venus moves into a friendly, idealistic and imaginative conjunction with Neptune in Aquarius, trines Saturn and reconnects our dreams with our practicality. So work those dreams. Just don’t get lost in the dreams and don’t escape too far.
As Mercury conjuncts Pluto next Friday, it can leave us cynically looking at the problem and getting stuck there. We may long for more, but feel discouraged about the possibilities. We may need to break through denial to see a situation more clearly before we can progress. Some tough news may come in, tough facts that leave us depressed if we look at it too closely and lose perspective. If this feels like it’s happening, we need to stand back and see the bigger picture.
Watch for communication glitches as strange power dynamics can complicate even friendly conversations and we’ll need to use our heart to see through the confusion. We can also feel an unusually strong connection to people and places of the past, it can distract us with some old emotional work or we can take solace for the memories and choose to use it to integrate our past wisdom with our future action.
Friday, Jan 6: The mood is nervy yet practical, conversations are interrupted but we can still make progress if we keep our goals clear. Gather information. Spread the cards out on the table and look for new leads. Midmorning lost facts or items impinge, but the afternoon dialogue is funny and versatile. Tonight, enjoy the buzz, keep it productive and go to sleep when irritations arise.
Saturday, Jan 7: Morning brings a productive and creative vibe; we can just twiddle it away and rest up, or we can use its persuasive imagination and competence on anything that needs doing. While the mood is not so emotionally connected, we can have fun working together. Late afternoon emotional tides deepen as the Moon enter Cancer; if tears well up as we feel a collective sadness, let the waves wash through and soften the heart.
Sunday, Jan 8: Morning can bring some tough moments as Mercury enters pragmatically ambitious Capricorn and squares Uranus; we need to get serious but can get stuck on the problem not on the solution. A break in routine, a new source of inspiration, helps. Later our intuitive or spirited understanding helps us ease around a corner as Mercury sextile Neptune and squares Uranus. Face a problem as denial slips away.
Monday, Jan 9: Morning can be crabby after an overnight emotional Full Moon. We need to take care of ourselves this morning and keep expectations low. Afternoon, people will be defensive and take suggestions poorly; find an inclusive way to hold the energy. Warmth softens moods tonight as the Moon enters heart-centered Leo.
Tuesday, Jan 10: Problems can become overblown, backbones stiff, though enthusiasm builds once we get on the same track and stop bumping egos as the Leo Moon semi-squares Mars. Let disgruntled rhetoric slide off; use tact and diplomacy, when in doubt, load on the complements and reassure everyone that there is room for them too. Win-win-negotiates get farther than any win-lose. Don’t try to persuade recalcitrant people, work with what’s on the table for now.
Wednesday, Jan 11: Nothing may see to go quite as planned. We dream, but the dreams can feel just out of our reach as Venus approaches Neptune while Mercury approaches Pluto. We each need time in the center, and until we feel heard it can be hard to hear others. Our hearts can feel so unsettled; pour out the story, but take a deep breath and consider deeply before living out the next chapter. Honor dear ones with non-competitive attention.
Thursday, Jan 12: Feel the urge to make things happen as the Sun trines Mars and the Moon enters industrious Virgo, but make sure the effort is worthwhile and is not just making trouble. Find what is working and feed it. Self-motivation is boosted, take responsibility and be empowered. Review yesterday’s feelings with a clearer perspective and take steps to improve the situation.
Starcodes 
Thank you for this, Heather. Great blog!
LOL– DEFINITELY reluctant to let go of the Holidays– still haven’t taken down the dang tree…
Thank you again…