The Full Snow Moon 2023

The phases of the moon are among the most fascinating astronomical behaviors we can observe with the naked eye and deeply rich sources of thought and interpretation in Astrology. Among the 9 phases – New, Waxing Crescent, 1^st Quarter Half, Waxing Gibbous, Full, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter Half, Waning Crescent, and Balsamic – the New and Full Moons capture most of the attention. This article will look at the current Full Moon and talk about the kind of “harvest” you should bring in emotionally during this full moon.

Full Moon – Reap What You Have Sown!

The Full Moon for February will occur on the 5^th at 16 degrees and 40 minutes in the sign of Leo; in my Eastern Standard Time zone it will happen at 1:28 pm.

It takes 29.5 days from one Full Moon to the next, spending approximately 2 and ½ days in a sign. The day before and the day after comprise what would be the peak time of the Full Moon energy. The Full Moon is the time of “the harvest”, when what began with the New Moon reaches full potential before waning, fading, and preparing for a new cycle.

Each month has a certain type of Full Moon; February’s Moon is the Snow Moon. Other names for this moon are the Hungry Moon, Bear Moon, Storm Moon and Ice Moon.

There are also several special types of Full Moons: The Blood Moon, which happens during a total lunar eclipse; a Supermoon, which happens when the Moon is full and closest to the Earth; and the Blue Moon (“once in a blue moon”), which is a second Full Moon in a calendar month (occurring once every 2 and ½ years) or the second Full Moon in the same astrological sign.

Full Moon in Cancer – Feeling the Need to Nurture

This Full Moon will take place in the 2^nd decan (middle 10 degrees) of Leo, making it a Leo/Sagittarius Full Moon. The planetary influences involve the Sun as the ruler for Leo and Jupiter as the ruler for Sagittarius. Thus, this Full Moon will be about delving deeply into our Life Path (The Sun) to address the ways we need to expand and explore (Juptier) at this time in our lives.

Since the Moon is in Leo, its energy is playful, competitive, and creative. This Full Moon is going to require us to reflect on what we most need to enjoy life and feel self-confident. The intensity of this Full Moon around what we need at our soul level to feel appreciated cannot be emphasized enough. Thanks to the decan placement, this Full Moon will be about how we need to get out of our normal routine in some adventurous way (Sagittarius) and to find the best way to understand how we fit into our community and society  (Sun in Aquarius) through need to be recognized for our creative gifts (Leo), on the day before, the day of, and the day after the Full Moon.

With this Full Moon at 16d40m, the Sabian Symbol is 17 Leo, “A non-vested church choir”. In his book the Sabian Symbols, Marc Edmond Jones says, “This is a symbol of the inviolability of experience as dramatized for each individual through his participation in the broader or community functions of life. The common activity of group effort apart from any or all social and spiritual regimentation is a necessary exercise in respect for others, and an encouragement to an ordered self-expression. Here is high appreciation of reality through an enhanced and normal enjoyment of everyday living.” The key word is: COMMUNION.

The Numbers of This Full Moon

This Full Moon will occur on 02/05/2023, which totals 14, which totals 5. Five is the number for travel and transformation, so this Full Moon encourages us to embrace the soul path work needed to catalyze ourselves into a deeper understanding of who we are are and what we need. Since the Full Moon happens on the 5^th, we must address our issues around transformation and actions that bring change.

• Getting to Know the Moon in Astrology

The Full Moon in Your Chart

The Full Moon will occur in a specific location of your chart and in special relationship with various points in your chart if you have points near the same degree in the same sign, at the opposing degree (180 degrees away from a point in your chart), three signs before or after the Full Moon degree and sign (90 degrees away), or four signs before or after the Full Moon degree and sign (120 degrees away).

Respectively these would be a conjunction (the Full Moon merging with a point in your chart), an opposition (the Full Moon seeking balance with a point in your chart), a square (the Full Moon challenging a point in your chart), and a trine (the Full Moon supporting a point in your chart). It is possible that the degree and sign of the Full Moon may not form any of these relationships and its effect, for this time, would be minimal or difficult to observe.

If you happen to be born during a Full Moon, then you will feel every Full Moon in some significant or acute way because it is consistent with your birth Moon phase. It is well worth your effort to find out the Moon phase at the time of your birth. If you learn your birth Moon phase, you will likely discover that same phase each month has a strong impact on your emotional state.

With this Full Moon, I get the impact of its energy in my 10^th House of Prosperity (Moon placement on 02/05/2023) and my 4^th House of Family (Sun placement between 1/20 and 02/18), so this Full Moon will energize me to look at how I pursue my career (Leo ruling my 10^th House) and how it affects my family (Aquarius ruling my 4^th House).

As this Full Moon approaches, think about what you want to “harvest” regarding what you most need, at an emotional level, from your need to perform and be recognized (Leo Moon) as you find your fit with your tribe (Aquarius Sun).