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 For
many Pagans, the Full Moon is the most magical of
times, the ideal occasion for ritual and for
creating change. Although any Full Moon can be used
effectively for ritual, it is helpful to know which
sign of the Zodiac the Full Moon is in, and how
that effects the energies at work. This article
introduces the basic concepts of the Moon signs and
their implications for magic and ritual.
As the Moon
moves through the signs of the Zodiac, the quality
of its energy changes. Just as our personalities
can be described in terms of the position of the
Sun and Moon at the time of birth, the changing
moods and energies of our daily lives can be
correlated with the passage of the Moon through the
Zodiac each month.
The signs
can be classified according to their element (fire,
air, water, or earth) and their quality (cardinal,
fixed, mutable) as follows:
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cardinal signs
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fixed signs
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mutable signs
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fire
signs
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 Aries
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 Leo
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 Sagittarius
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earth
signs
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 Capricorn
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 Taurus
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 Virgo
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air
signs
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 Libra
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 Aquarius
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 Geminis
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water
signs
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 Cancer
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 Scorpio
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 Pisces
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The element
of fire signifies passion, change, willpower, and
leadership. Air relates to mental and verbal
activities, such as communication, teaching,
writing, and negotiating. Water is the domain of
emotions and feelings: love, family, relationships,
intuition, subconscious and psychic talents. Earth
is the element of physical things: food and health,
shelter, finances, chores and routines.
The cardinal
signs are initiators, excited to jump into the
domain of their particular element and start living
it. The fixed signs are sustainers, seeking depth
and intensity in their domain. The mutable signs
are restless, seeking to use the energy of their
element step outside themsleves and pave the way
for new possibilities.
The sign the
Moon is in when full is of particular importance to
witches and other Pagans who often do magical
workings at this time. The Full Moon is always in
the sign opposite the Sun. (For example, when the
Sun is in Aries, the Full Moon will be in Libra).
The following list gives a summary of themes for
each sign of the Zodiac, and what sorts of magical
or mundane activities are best undertaken under
each sign.
You can use
these sketches of the meanings of the signs to time
your magical undertakings. For example, a spell to
bring in money to take care of necessities would be
enhanced by an earth-sign Moon (particularly
Taurus); a Cancer Moon might also be appropriate.
An air-sign Moon would be less effective, because
of the emphasis on the mental rather than the
tangible. One could, however, use the energy of an
air-sign Moon to stimulate productive conversation
with an employer or patron, which might lead
indierctly to monetary rewards.
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Aries
Moon:
self-assertion, self-expression, launching
new indeavors, taking the lead; not a good
time to seek long-term solutions,
however.
Taurus
Moon:
protection,
marshalling of resources, patience,
persistence; beware of inflexibility and
stubbornness.
Gemini
Moon:
friendship,
communication, inquisitiveness, mental
flexibility; thoughts can be
scattered.
Cancer
Moon: family,
nurturing, caretaking, sensitivity;
insecurities may surface.
Leo
Moon: generosity,
drama, pride, pleasure; may turn
self-indulgent.
Virgo
Moon: organization,
attention to detail, practical matters,
keeping things working; may miss the
forest for the trees.
Libra
Moon:
love,
harmony, art and culture, diplomacy;
beware of unarticulated control
issues.
Scorpio
Moon: sex,
death, transformation, intensity; beware
of emotional excesses.
Sagittarius
Moon: travel,
religion, moral issues, innovation and
evolution; may lapse into arrogance or
dogma.
Capricorn
Moon: success,
status, prosperity, achievement; can be
materialistic or melancholy.
Aquarius
Moon: creativity,
pattern-breaking, philanthropy,
commeraderie; can lapse into abstract
idealism.
Pisces
Moon: mysticism,
intuition, acceptance, contemplation; can
become lethargic or escapist.
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As the Moon
passes through each sign, it forms angles or
aspects with the other planets. During the time
between the Moon's last aspect in a sign and her
entry into the next sign, the Moon is said to be
void of course. Astrological wisdom says that
anything undertaken while the Moon is void of
course will come to nothing. So if you include the
Moon sign in your planning, it is also a good idea
to avoid the void-of-course times.
Two Full
Moons, even occuring in the same sign of the
Zodiac, can have very different astrological
implications, depending on the placement of the
other planets. To plan your Full Moon rituals with
these additional considerations, refer to
Moon
Magic,
a regular feature of the site that describes the
particular energies of each Full Moon and Dark Moon
in the coming months.
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