Tonight, August 11th marks the Aquarius full moon. What does this mean for you?

The Aquarius full moon will be highest around 6:35 pm PST. If you live in the Northern hemisphere, the moon will be in the southern sky. If you live in the Southern hemisphere, it will be in the northern sky. This part of the sky is often referred to as the Sea (or celestial Sea) because it tends to look dark and deep due to the faint visible light of the stars.

Aquarius is a Cardinal sign, meaning it is the first sign of the season. The cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Aquarius, the first signs in spring, summer, fall, and winter respectively. Aquarius is also an Air sign meaning they are highly intellectual and communicative. Although it is an air sign, it is associated with the prehistoric sturgeon fish once found in the Great Lakes of North America during the month of August when they became easier to notice and catch by the indigenous people of the area. Thus, Aquarius symbolizes a desire to flow through life contributing to the wisdom of humanity.

This moon was often known and celebrated by many cultures. In China, this moon marks the start of the Hungry Ghost Festival, in which ancestors are traditionally honored and the spirits or ghosts are appeased. The Tlingit people of the Pacific Northwest region of the United States referred to it as the season of the Mountain Shadows Moon. The Assiniboine people called it the Black Cherries Moon because this was the best time to pick ripe chokecherries. 

This zodiac sign is ruled by both Saturn and Uranus. Saturn represents responsibility, hard work, and determination. It reminds us of our limitations as lessons to help us on our human journey. Uranus, on the other hand, symbolizes rebellion and innovation against these limitations. The influence of these two planets combined cause Aquarius to constantly seek to contribute to and revolutionize what we know to be true.

A full moon in Aquarius embodies the energy of Aquarius, making it a potent symbol of evolution and an opportune time to work toward manifesting your dreams and goals in an impactful way. This sign is known for its dedication to hard work and collaboration for the betterment of the community. It loves to devote its energy toward building and, when necessary, righteously challenging society's systems and structures.

You might choose to focus on those goals that are in service to uplifting the collective consciousness of the planet, as these pursuits will be most in alignment with the abundant energy in flow during this time. Your own ingrained thought patterns, paradigms, and potentially dogmatic beliefs may also be called into question at this time. So allow the revolutionary energy of this full moon to help you introspect. Reflect on what holds true for you and what patterns no longer serve your evolvement.

Now all of this dynamic change and airiness may cause you to feel a little less grounded, as if your "head is in the clouds." If this is the case, try this Earthing practice to root down and regain some stability. Imagine that you are directing any anxious or scattered energy down through your legs and out of the soles of your feet. Into the earth. Allow the earth to absorb this energy and, in exchange, receive its offering of positive, nourishing energy in return.

 Another ritual you can try is a full moon water ritual. 

Aquarius Moon Water Ritual

This ritual is to create moon water, charged by the specific energy of the Aquarius full moon. We do this during a full moon when the lunar energy is most potent and we are best able to connect to our intuition. The moon is considered feminine, and water is considered to be symbolic of flow and receptivity, both feminine qualities associated with the moon. Moon water acts as a sponge, absorbing the lunar energy released. Once created, leave it overnight to soak up all of that innovative energy. You can then use it in a number of ways: you can drink it, wash your face with it, or use it as a base for face spray or toner as part of your sacred skincare ritual (distilled works best in this case).

Preparations:

Find a quiet space where you will not be disturbed, preferably where you are able to view the light of the moon. If inside, set the mood by diffusing essential oils into your space. If outside, roll on a diluted essential oil blend on your pulse points (wrists and neck). Take 6 deep breaths, with each exhale lasting twice as long as each inhale. 

Try to choose essential Oils that promote clarity and greater perspective, including frankincense, lavender, basil, grapefruit, or lemon. (Frankincense and lavender help us activate our parasympathetic nervous system response to ease tension and anxiety, while basil, grapefruit, and lemon are more energizing aromas that uplift the senses.)

 

You will need:

• Essential oils
• Glass Jar/Container (although any container will work, I find clear glass ones to be best)
• Water (filtered if you decide to drink it)
• Crystals (not all crystals are water safe, especially many of those that end in "-ite".) The Aquarius birthstone amethyst, as well as jasper, ruby, clear quartz, or the alchemist stone of transformation labradorite (although avoid submerging it for long).
• An intention to focus on.

Optional Items:

• Cleansing herbs like lavender (for relaxation), sweetgrass (for positive energy), or mugwort (an herb believed to be ruled by the moon). If the smell of smoke is too strong for you or not advised, essential oils will work well on their own of course.
• Lighter and metal bowl to burn herbs

 Steps

1. Place your herbs if you are also using them in a metal bowl. Light them and then gently fan them until the flame dissipates and the smoke rises. Use them to cleanse the space as well as yourself.
2. Place your crystals in or around your jar. They will also charge by the light of the moon along with your water.
3. Fill your jar with the water under the light of the moon. As you do so, focus on your intention that you would like to manifest. It could be a goal or a heartfelt desire for the collective like world peace.
4. Set your jar where it is best able to receive the moonlight, in a window sill or outside. 
5. Take a few minutes to meditate and allow the moon to bathe over you. Notice what thoughts, emotions, or visuals arise for you. What might your intuition be trying to communicate to you? What is it that it is asking you to communicate to the world?
6. Reflect on your experience or journal about it and note any revelations that you had.
7. Always smudge the herbs once you are finished to safely extinguish any remnants of the flames.

What arose for you during the light of this magical Aquarius moon? How will you use what you know now to exude magic in the world?