The Full Wolf 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 January will occur on the 6^th at 16 degrees and 21 minutes in the sign of Cancer; in my Eastern Standard Time zone it will happen at 6:08 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; January’s Moon is the Wolf Moon. Other names for this moon are the Old Moon and the Moon After Yule.

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 Cancer, making it a Cancer/Scorpio Full Moon. The planetary influences involve the Moon as the ruler for Cancer and Pluto as the ruler for Scorpio. Thus, this Full Moon will be about delving deeply into our intuition (The Moon) to address the profound changes (Pluto) we must address at this time in our lives.

Since the Moon is in Cancer, its energy is compassionate, nurturing, and sensitive. This Full Moon is going to require us to reflect on what we most need most emotionally. The intensity of this Full Moon around what we need at our soul level to feel safe and loved cannot be emphasized enough. Thanks to the decan placement, this Full Moon will be about how we need to change in some fundamental way (Scorpio) and to find the best way to understand how we permanently re-form our foundations  (Sun in Taurus) through compassion for others, and ourselves (Cancer), on the day before, the day of, and the day after the Full Moon.

With this Full Moon at 16d21m, the Sabian Symbol is 17 Cancer, “This is a symbol of the irresistible determination of living substance to press forward indefinitely and uncompromisingly in the expansion and refinement of its own special genius and identity, and thus to establish every possible phase of self-existence in more eternal lineaments. Implicit in the symbolism is the concept of the philosopher’s stone, or of that sure core of immutable distinctiveness which actually constitutes self as such.” The key word is: UNFOLDMENT.

Where do you need to love and be loved this month?

The Numbers of This Full Moon

This Full Moon will occur on 01/06/2023, 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 6^th, we must address our issues around service to others and how we want service from others.

• 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 9^th House of Mastery (Moon placement on 01/06/2023) and my 3^rd House of Communication (Sun placement between 12/21 and 01/20), so this Full Moon will energize me to look at how my mastery of certain kinds of knowledge (Cancer ruling my 9^th House) affect my day-to-day interactions with the people around me (Capricorn ruling my 3^rd House).

As this Full Moon approaches, think about what you want to “harvest” regarding what you most need, at an emotional level, from your relationships and your life path.