Full Moon in Aquarius - Liberation and Enlightenment - 19 August, 2024

The Cosmos is alive with dynamic, awakening energy, setting the stage for an exciting but unpredictable couple of weeks.

As we hurtle towards the last quarter of the year the intensity in the universe shows no signs of letting up.

Yesterday’s Full Moon in Aquarius, ruled by revolutionary Uranus, was as powerful as they come. With its close proximity to Earth, emotions are running high and a sense of urgency is in the air.  Full Moons bring illumination and release, and this one, forming a challenging square aspect with Uranus, is well and truly shaking up the status quo.

This Full Moon, the last before the September/October Eclipse Season, paves the way for a period of rapid growth and profound change. Its powerful energy is urging us to step out of our comfort zones and let go of the past. It’s time to trust the unfolding of our process and welcome the new possibilities that lie ahead.

FULL MOON IN AQUARIUS - 27.15 DEGREES

August 19th, 2024, 19:26 BST / 14:26 EST / 11:26 PST

At Full Moon, the opposition between the Sun (light/consciousness) and the Moon (dark/unconscious) brings situations and emotions to a head. The Moon’s brightness reveals insights we may not have seen before, urging us to let go of anything that is disrupting our balance. 

The exact square aspect of Uranus (in Taurus) to the Sun (in Leo) and the Moon (in Aquarius) struck like a lightning bolt, sparking sudden developments and potential breakthroughs. This Uranian energy can jolt something into awareness, which may feel both shocking and liberating. Uranus represents higher consciousness. It aims to wake us up and uncover deeper truths, offering us the chance to break free from entrenched patterns and push beyond perceived limits.

This is a time for breaking old paradigms, but the Fixed signs—Aquarius, Leo, and Taurus—tend to resist change. In the lead-up to this lunation, things may have felt stuck, but now that the Full Moon has peaked, we have a chance to relax, process, and experience significant lightbulb moments!

Jupiter Square Saturn: A Key Transit of 2024

The Jupiter-Saturn square, one of 2024’s most significant transits, is set to trigger considerable cultural, and political shifts.  

When these two planets came together at 0 degrees Aquarius at the end of 2020, they planted the seeds for major global changes.  Now as Jupiter and Saturn meet again, it’s more of a face-off.

While the Jupiter-Saturn square presents challenges, it also stimulates action and growth. Their first exact alignment coincided with the Full Moon, marking the beginning of the next crucial phase in building our new world.  At its highest potential, this transit could help us create a world grounded in Aquarian ideals of equality, collaboration, and community.

Long-Term Commitment and Growth

This Jupiter/Saturn transit, lasting until the summer of 2025, calls for a long-term commitment. By balancing Jupiter's optimism and expansive vision with Saturn's grounded realism, we can build something with lasting potential. Saturn urges us to cultivate the persistence and resolve necessary for meaningful and enduring change, while Jupiter’s adventurous spirit encourages us to enjoy the ride.

Global Tensions and American Politics

Full Moons are often a time of culminations and high drama and on the global stage, it’s a make-or-break week.  Cease-fire talks are in progress to prevent further escalation in the Middle East, while dramatic and unexpected events have seen Ukrainian forces seizing and occupying Russian territory - a situation unprecedented since World War Two.

These astrological themes are particularly pronounced in the U.S. where the Aquarius Full Moon coincided with the start of the Democratic National Convention.  Remarkably, this Full Moon aligned precisely with America’s natal Moon. In Mundane (world) Astrology the Moon symbolises the people, suggesting that this alignment is amplifying emotional intensity and could potentially spark revolutionary action. 

The Moon at 27 degrees Aquarius also closely aligns with Vice President, Kamala Harris’ natal Saturn, the planet associated with karma and responsibility.  This alignment marks a pivotal moment of reckoning for Harris during a critical week. On Thursday she will deliver her much-anticipated speech accepting the Democratic nomination.  It will be interesting to see how things unfold.

We can expect more unexpected developments for Donald Trump, as both Uranus and the Full Moon create challenging aspects to significant planets in his birth chart.  Uranus continues to move back and forth over Trump’s Midheaven, which governs his vocation and reputation. With so many twists and turns leading up to the American elections, some astrologers even speculate that Trump might not even end up as a candidate.

Watch this space!

Looking Ahead

Things are moving very quickly now and as the world continues to reshape itself so do we.   As astrologer, Steve Judd aptly puts it, ‘This is the end of the human race’s training period; we are about to emerge into a much wider field of consciousness.’

The years 2025 and 2026 will be marked by rapid change—this is only the beginning!

Finding Balance

Uranus governs enlightenment, but true enlightenment also requires grounding and embodiment. In this period of accelerated growth, it's crucial to find our own pace and inner stability. Daily grounding practices, like gardening or spending time in nature, are essential. If you’re like me and spend a lot of your time in front of your computer I highly recommend using a grounding mat. 

A Shared Vision

We all have a role in shaping the world we want to live in, and now is the time to harness the inspirational and innovative energies of Aquarius to reconnect with our vision for the future. However, we cannot do this alone. Aquarius emphasizes the interconnectedness of all living things, urging us to unite as a community and align through a shared vision as we co-create our new world.

Let’s draw inspiration from the words of the late, great American anthropologist and author, Margaret Mead.  Fittingly, the Full Moon was exactly conjunct her natal Moon in Aquarius.

‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has’.

Despite the challenges, this is an exciting time to be alive!