Full Moon in Cancer: Feelings as Friends

Hello and welcome to the ramp up period of the last full moon of 2015! A Full Moon in Cancer occurring on December 25th at 3:15 am. (The first time in 38 years!)

The sun is in sturdy, cardinal Capricorn, full Moon on a Friday, ruled by beautiful Venus.  We've also just passed over the solstice this Tuesday, when the length of the night will slowly begin to ebb, and lightness will creep in over the months. According to Native Americans this full moon is called Long Nights Moon or the Full Cold Moon: winter has put its grip upon us, and the nights are now cold and dark.

The Moon rules Cancer. She is at home in this sign. This is an auspicious time for taking in and experiencing the gamut of sensations that we as humans can experience. Spiritual pursuits, creativity, psychic abilities and awarenesses are highlighted at this time. How we mother and nurture ourselves and those around us, and what that shows us about ourselves, could come up. Issues of intimacy, and the compassion we have for those define our most intense connections. If you are thinking about savings, longer term financial plans, then around and shortly after Full Moon would be a great time to come up with a strategy for this. This might be a great time to question how well you are nurturing your babies: projects, dreams, hopes, desires. What needs to be attended to more, what deserves your energy and love?

Full moons are thought of to be both illuminating, casting truth and light on some situation, as well as being the end of a cycle of some sort. Maybe a project or way of thinking or being. Can you think of cycles you are happy to see leave? What are topics and feelings being illuminated in your life right now?

The subheading I wanted to put on this post was "Feelings as Foes". While so much of the time feelings are incredible indicators of our needs, real headspace and boundaries, at times they can hold us back and make us think things are worse or different than reality. As I've gotten older, it has been very important to connect my emotions with my brain, as well as my body, as well as my aura/energy system. So much of our uncomfortable feelings are rooted in past traumas that were enacted on us when we were very young and vulnerable. These feelings take root in our bodies and cells, and proliferate and pop up sometimes when we least expect it. Now is a great time to examine our hurtful, ingrained narratives, and dissolve them with breathe and intention. Also just observing, as if from a distance, is a great way to start letting old feelings and patterns go.

During almost no other time are we humans on North America as collectively triggered as the Holiday/New Year season. Whether you are spending time with a loving family or not, whether you are happily alone or not, whether you celebrate anything, everything, or nothing at all: feelings are bound to come up around this time. After the Holidays, the end of the year calls for a time of reflection, celebration, and negotiation.

This Full Moon on Friday, exalted in Cancer, is time to remind us that this is all a process, all of it. It never starts being anything more. As the moon cycles through different phases, we all change from moment to moment, from day to day. Thinking of our lives as a process is so much more flexible than to be focused on perfection, or an end goal. To bend, to try, to fuck up, to keep going, to forgive: that is certainly our collective's lot in life. I invite you for the next day, week, month, etc., to think of your life, your trying, your feelings, as a process and practice. NOT a cashed check, a million trillion "likes", an egoic victory. The softer, quieter things can be trophies too: a holding of the tongue, the choice to loosen the body instead of tense it up, drinking more water instead of wine, pausing before reacting.

Last week, my partner's beloved cat companion of 8 years had to be suddenly put down. Neither of us had ever had to make that decision before about a pet, or were at any way expecting we had to undertake such a heavy situation that morning. In the moments right before, all of us were together as he pet her, she purred, and they looked deep into one another's eyes. I haven't felt such an intense range of emotions in ages—anger and rage, sorrow and sadness, beauty and gratefulness, helplessness and will, extreme love and respect for life—they all washed over me all at once and in waves. These feelings were intense and happened all at once, swirling inside and out. The moment felt so intense it was most certainly physically psychedelic. The next morning through all the tears and grief I wondered at the fragility of life, and really didn't understand why people were not kinder to one another.

"Compassion for others begins with kindness for ourselves." —Pema Chodron

At this time I urge you to view your progress as a process and your feelings as friends, and potentially foes. Be kind to your self and others around you, whether they are family or the person in front of you in line. Send love to your ancestors and your enemies. Stay in the dark as long as you need to come up and resurface in the light.

Ways to honor your feelings this Full Moon in Cancer:

You may wish to do a spell for security, safety, home, intuition, community, travel, or creativity.

You might also want to burn past traumas and fears, and set intentions around healthier situations blooming.

Light white, black, silver, blue, and gray candles.

Buy yourself flowers.

Take a nice long soak in salts, lavender, rosemary. Or a sauna.

A long walk under the moon in order to connect with her energy and have a conversation.

Charge your crystals; if you have moonstone you can then carry it with you as a talisman after it has been charged.

Ways to honor your ancestors during this Full Moon in Cancer time:

Light a fire and tell stories about loved ones passed on.

Put their photographs on your altar.

Pray to them, talk to them, see if they talk back.

Give them offerings and write them letters.

Happy Full Moon!