The time of the full moon is traditionally a time for working magic within the various esoteric and wiccan traditions. The first full moon after Litha will be in the morning of the 9th of January. This full moon will bring with it a unique energy vibration that makes it an ideal time to assist in releasing internal conflict, especially tensions that arise from relationships and low self esteem and anger. For those who will be participating in the pathworking of Isis with me in SL we will work with this energy to introduce a new energy vortex into your aura to promote internal unity and connection with the Great Goddess.

Every full moon has its own individual energy signature that is unique. It is this energy or vibration that practitioners use to empower their spell and ritual work during this time. Having an awareness of what particular energy the Universe is offering at these times allows one to make especially effective use of the power that is available at these times.

With the moon in the sign of the crab, its natural home, the power of the moon is essentially supercharged at this time. Each of the star signs has a planetary ruler, for the sign of Cancer this is the moon. With the moon residing in its natural realm this makes this particular full moon a powerful one. This can have both positive and negative consequences. What makes this full moon a rather special one is the alignment of the moon with the Sun and Pluto.

For during this full moon the Moon will be in direct opposition to both the Sun and Pluto who will be travelling through the Earth sign of Capricorn. This will create a ‘tension’ between the moon and these two bodies both on a macrocosmic level and also within our own psychology.

The Sun is often seen as the self conscious, masculine, visible aspect of our consciousness while the moon is the feminine, subconscious, hidden aspect of our being. It should not be hard to discern what effects might be felt during a full moon where our emotional and astral energies are supercharged yet where our moon coincides with an opposition to the Sun. Yet this tension, this conflict between the outer and inner selves is further amplified by the moon’s opposition to Pluto. Pluto is the overlord of Hades, the underworld. He is both subtle and powerful. Pluto is often seen as a higher frequency of Mars, and like its militant counterpart will push and use anger and dissatisfaction to promote change in order to establish harmony within one’s life. Don’t be surprised if this full moon brings up many emotions – not all pleasant.

Yet at the same time that these planetary tensions are bringing internal conflict and problems to the fore, the moon’s energies are being stabilised and strengthened by its position in Cancer and the influence of Aquarius rising on the horizon as the moon reaches its zenith. This will create a foundation of safety and comfort that allows this Full Moon time to be utilised to great effect.

This creates an atmosphere where disharmony between who we are in the world and who we want to be can be effectively looked at without becoming overwhelmed. All of us carry a variety of conflicts and complexes that we keep safely hidden from the world and indeed from ourselves by pushing them down into our own individual ‘underworlds’. At this time the practical, ambitious, hard working Solar energy of the Capricorn Sun is flooding our personality and allowing us access into these Plutonian depths. The lens through which this observation occurs is the brilliant full moon snug in its natural realm of Cancer. The Cancerian Moon will impart a sense of emotional security and a desire to give comfort, love and acceptance to both ourselves and the world. The key words for this time are awareness and acceptance and forgiveness. People who are sensitive to the cosmos will certainly become aware of feelings of self doubt and aspects of ourselves that bring us discomfort or pain. Active practitioners at this time will take that awareness and use the galactic ‘tensions’ to promote healing and harmony both within and without. This is also a most excellent time for initiation, which will be the focus of the pathworking in SL.

This is a wonderful time for healing conflict between our beliefs and our actions and especially deep seated resentments. Some suggestions for suitable workings at this time:

• Spend some time re-connecting with your inner sense of Divinity/Source. This is the part of yourself that is beyond emotional pain, ever forgiving, ever alive, ever connected to the Light. Once you feel empowered in this energy write out a list of aspects of your personality or your behaviour that you would like changed. Working from this expanded sense of consciousness send forgiveness and understanding to these aspects of yourself. Really feel yourself expand into the being of LIGHT you desire to become.
• Take a magical bath. Research either on the net or from decent texts, such as anything by Scott Cunningham, and draw up a mixture of both lunar and solar herbs. Combine them in the ritual bath as you meditate on the different lunar and solar aspects of your consciousness coming into alignment. Once you have felt this take effect meditate on your soul/higher self irradiating your body and aura with complete and unconditional love and appreciation. Feel  the unbounding and endless goodness of Prime Source wrap you in a blanket of energy that is available to you AT ALL TIMES.
• Either cast the traditional Wiccan circle as taught in Amethyst’s lessons – or if you want to attempt a new approach and broaden your studies – then cast a specifically Astrological Circle *. Once the circle is cast have a lunar candle in the West and a Solar candle in the East. Light the Solar candle first and mediate and pray that your self-conscious, thinking, Solar aspects of your consciousness be purified and brought into alignment with the Divine. Then repeat with the Lunar candle. Ritual action taken on the physical has a profound effect on the subconscious, as such activities like these performed at this full moon will have a super-charged effect.
• Honestly look at those lunar aspects of yourself that you want to change, and then make a symbolic physical action to signify to the Universe that you a) intend to change and b) you desire assistance to change. I would strongly encourage people to read the current issue of Spell and Spirit and read the truly excellent article by Shadow-witch Enchanica on moon signs to assist in this endeavour. For example if you moon sign tends towards being overly insensitive then spend the day seeing yourself as a source of unending joyful energy and compliment everyone you encounter, without taking anyone’s reaction personally.

* The traditional circle is cast with the elements assigned to their specific quarters based on how the different elemental forces that lie behind what we term as “Air, and Fire, and Water and Earth” came into being. The Astrological circle which has been an important part of ritual magic work in the West for Millennia has a different method of assigning the elements to the different quarters. It is based on the movement of the Sun through the astrological signs. As such FIRE is assigned to the EAST, EARTH is assigned to the South, AIR is assigned to the WEST and finally WATER is assigned to the NORTH. This is because the Sun always moves through a FIRE sign first, before proceeding through an EARTH sign, then an AIR sign and finally through a WATER sign. This type of circle casting is a very useful tool to become accomplished in if you are planning on working astrological magic in the future. As mentioned it has been used for a very long time and as such is a part of the Universal Human Subconsciousness ( also known as the Akashic Records). By its use you are effectively informing your subconscious that the magic you are performing will be worked out within the astrological sphere, rather than the etheric field of ourselves and our planet.

As mentioned, the tension of this full moon creates an atmosphere where emotional complexes and barriers can either be overcome or succumbed to. The choice is yours. There is no right or wrong in our eternal journey to completeness. Yet if you want to let go of disharmony between your inner and outer selves and grow then this is an ideal time for reflection and honest self appraisal (be brave and ask your nearest and dearest to give their observations of any disconnections you exhibit – but make sure it is someone you trust and someone who has your best interest at heart). Then call on the power of the Moon Goddess and the Capricorn God to join in unison within you to strengthen your heart and open your consciousness. You only need to ask to receive – for all of us are at all times surrounded by the unending desire of the Cosmos to fill us with pleasure, growth, prosperity and peace.

In Love and Light

David