how are you feeling in ancient September
I am feeling like a truck on a wet highway
how can you
you were made in the image of god
I was not
I was made in the image of a sissy truck-driver
and Jean Dubuffet painting his cows
"with a likeness burst in the memory”
Apart from love (don’t say it)
I am ashamed of my century
For being so entertaining
But I have to smile
-from “Naphtha” by Frank O’Hara, Aries
I don’t know what I have done
I’m turning myself into a demon.
-from “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” by Fleet Foxes (Robin Pecknold, Aries)
I’m not an Aries, but I think I get it sometimes when I just want to send someone I love 1 million heart on fire emojis. Because what else matters? ❤️🔥
Today is the Full Hunter’s Moon in Aries. The Full Moon goes exact at 4:54 PM EDT at 16º Aries, and will be visible in the sky later in the evening, rising just after sunset. If you look up to the night sky, you’ll see Luna sitting alongside Jupiter, a bright jewel of an evening star. A gorgeous sight to behold! This Full Moon goes exact in aspect to both benefic planets—Venus and Jupiter—encouraging us to play, while also making a sextile to Saturn, affirming that decisions made now are meant for longer term impact. I like to think of sextiles (when planets are 60º apart) as friends walking side by side, keeping pace with each other, catching each other’s falls. Today’s Moon sextile to Saturn as friends holding hands as they make their way across a vast, rocky terrain. Climbing out of the dune and into the light.
This Full Moon also goes exact in conjunction with Chiron—the wounded healer. Chiron has been in Aries since 2018, forcing us to engage with the the terrifying thrill of not giving a fuck, both the pleasure and the pain that comes after boldly going one’s own way and not looking back. If Aries contains a duality, it’s that of chaos and purity. Aries is ruled by Mars; it’s a sign that can’t stand idleness, finds stillness almost evil (“I don’t know what I’ve done/I’m turning myself into a demon”). This is why Aries can be so prolific, can make anything into a poem or a song or a challenge or a thought experiment (or all of the above as one). This Full Moon is one that offers some cathartic healing. A chance to sit with the pain and NOT laugh it off BUT have a sense of humor about the tears. There’s always another round.
You don’t need astrology to tell you that we’re living in wobbly, destabilizing times. Inflation tides are stormier than ever, threats of nuclear armageddon are delivered with nonchalance, and there’s a distinct melancholy in the way that, despite all this, “leadership” insists that we go back to “normal” (read: 2019). Pluto—planet of death and rebirth—stationed direct yesterday (October 8) at 26º Capricorn. Pluto has been in Capricorn since 2008. This long term transit has marked a period of rapid breakdowns, ugly reveals and sudden transformations in the systems and structures that held us up on a personal, community and global level. What we thought was a fixer-upper in 2008 was quickly revealed to be full of decay. The bones were no good. The place has now been gutted. Now that we’re post-demolition, the question is: what are we going to build instead?
Now that Pluto is direct, we’re heading toward the final exact hit of the United States’ Pluto Return on December 28th (previously on February 22nd and July 11th). Pluto returns to the same part of the zodiac every 250 years. As I’ve said before, Pluto returns are not for people, they’re for nations and trees. Trees get stronger at their Pluto Return. (Fake) Empires don’t always crumble at their Pluto Return, but they do always change. The US is in many ways a completely different country than it was before 2008. But the main difference is that the underpinnings have been exposed, the ugliness brought to light. Before 2008, it was all kept in the basement. By late March of next year, Pluto enters Aquarius, and though the radical planet will dip back into Capricorn a few times until making its final ingress on January 21, 2024, by early next year, we will be entering a new era. You think we’re living in the future now? When Pluto goes into Aquarius, we go full Jetson’s.
Pluto acts as a raging hearth of change, but this Full Moon is obviously firey on its own. Aries is ruled by Mars—planet of action, aggression and war. On the 12th, Mars will make its first (of three) squares to illusory Neptune. This aspect will remain in play until March of next year. Mars square Neptune is an aspect of confused or diffuse motivation. It’s pushing through a jog to get your fastest mile time only to realize you gave yourself shin splints. It’s committing to a new relationship only to realize you don’t even know your lover’s future plans. Neptune is shady, but also courageous. Risks are easy under this influence. Just don’t jump into anything too too fast. You might sprain your ankle.
It’s best to take the advice that I was once given while experiencing a pretty gnarly Neptune transit (and didn’t take myself) which is VIBES NOT ACTIONS. Let your heart burst with joy. Let your tears flow from healing. Enjoy some good ol’ fashioned Aries fun while it lasts. Things are wobbly, but progress is being made. It’s windy but there’s a beautiful view. Have a coke. Take it all in today.
Having a Coke with You
is even more fun than going to San Sebastian, Irún, Hendaye, Biarritz, Bayonne
or being sick to my stomach on the Travesera de Gracia in Barcelona
partly because in your orange shirt you look like a better happier St. Sebastian
partly because of my love for you, partly because of your love for yoghurt
partly because of the fluorescent orange tulips around the birches
partly because of the secrecy our smiles take on before people and statuary
-Frank O’Hara “Having a Coke with You”
**
Horoscopes follow for each sign. Read for your rising sign to get the most accurate take on what’s “actually” “happening.” Read for your Sun (if you’re born during the day), or your Moon (if you’re born at night) if you’d like a second opinion.
My books are open through November 4. I’d love to sit with you, hold your hand through some exciting or rocky terrain, and help you gain clarity on what’s to come.
Aries
Back in April, at the New Moon in Aries, I offered you this: “you’re accepting how much power you have in the world. how can you take better care of yourself so you can more joyously fill that space?”
Consider the methods of self care you’ve cultivated since the spring. Are daily jogs now part of your routine? Regular haircuts? Have you gotten stronger? If it feels like something’s still missing, the answer may not be adding yet another self help book to your bedside table. The answer might be a good cry and taking something off your plate.
Taurus
Back in April, at the New Moon in Aries, I offered you this: “you’re confident in the path you’ve chosen to take, but where can you get lost a little in pursuit of greater discovery?”
Consider all the ways you’ve failed since the spring. Consider all the times you’ve been forced to retreat. Consider when solitude was the right choice. How have you cultivated a better relationship with uncertainty? Make a list of all the questions you’d rather not get the answer to, and celebrate the joy that can be found in all that unknowing.
Gemini
Back in April, at the New Moon in Aries, I offered you this: “you’re aware of the risks you must take to fully be yourself around others. how can you share more of your story with your eager fans?”
Consider all the ways you’ve grown in your friendships since the spring. Who has enriched your life? Who always extends the invitation? Remember: the foundation of community is participation. You’re no longer watching from the sidelines, you’re fully in it. This is a moment to celebrate all you’ve cultivated. But remember: there are so many important people who you still haven’t met. Keep connecting.
Cancer
Back in April, at the New Moon in Aries, I offered you this: “your support system is transformed but stronger than ever. how can you be more audacious, confident in your voice and your true calling?”
Consider where you were in your career and public life back in the spring. What opportunities were coming your way? How have those offers grown or deflated since? Have some of them taken on a life of their own? Have some been left behind? This Full Moon is a moment to be gentle with the part of you that constantly wonders if you’ll never “get there.” Get where though? It’s a gift to have so much space to fill. Keep dreaming about the things you want to put into the world.
Leo
Back in April, at the New Moon in Aries, I offered you this: “you know exactly how much effort it takes to keep your body and mind well. how can you find more freedom and joy in this wisdom?”
Consider the journeys you’ve taken since the spring: all the roads you’ve traveled, all the books you’ve read, all the spiritual moments that have filled your cup. How has your knowledge grown? And how has that led to a mindset shift? This Full Moon is a moment to put the bed the part of you that’s always saying you “aren’t smart enough” to do something. You can do whatever you want. People do whatever they want all the time. Choose your destination.
Virgo
Back in April, at the New Moon in Aries, I offered you this: “you’re confident that your creativity can weather any dry spell. how can you connect with more collaborators who inspire you everyday?”
Consider all the deals you’ve struck since the spring. What contracts brought a boon? What debts were worth it after all? How have you learned to lean on others for support? In what ways are you still refusing true kindness in favor of stubborn self-reliance? This Full Moon is one to release both your emotional and financial baggage. Throw what’s weighing you down into the sea. It’s easier to work out once you look at it.
Libra
Back in April, at the New Moon in Aries, I offered you this: “despite the noise, you know that your most reliable home is the love you have for yourself. who do you want to share this deep knowing with?”
Consider all the connections and intimacies you’ve cultivated since the spring. Who have you gotten to know better? Who came in like a wrecking ball and then faded away? It’s easy to consider those blink-of-an-eye relationships to be a failure. But take a moment to sit with the healing they provided. Thank them for their service and release them to the sky. Things change. Relationships are circles. Staying open hearted is your greatest resource.
Scorpio
Back in April, at the New Moon in Aries, I offered you this: “your immediate environment is much quieter than it was a year ago. how can you find more immediate joy in your daily routines?”
Consider all the little rituals you’ve created for yourself since the spring. Have you started treating pleasure as seriously as you treat skincare? You need your special shows just as much as you need your serums. Maintenance is always required. Battles are rarely won in a day. And when you win, there’s always another. This Full Moon is for celebrating all the healing you’ve done on your own terms, despite the pain. Keep on with your labors of love.
Sagittarius
Back in April, at the New Moon in Aries, I offered you this: “you know when enough is enough, in many different ways. how can you invite more romance and creativity into your upgraded life?”
Consider how you’ve cultivated more pleasure in your life since the spring. Where did you go on your favorite date? Who was down to jam with you late into the night? When was the prosecco flowing? This Full Moon is for healing the part of yourself that believes pleasure only happens when you keep moving, when you’re trying to prove yourself wrong. Joy doesn’t always have to be a challenge. It can just be a place you go and remain.
Capricorn
Back in April, at the New Moon in Aries, I offered you this: “your knees are creakier than ever but you love how they remind you that you’re alive. how can you incorporate the rituals of your ancestors into your self care?”
Consider all the ways you’ve cultivated spaciousness in your home since the spring. Did you grow a garden? Paint the kitchen? Who have you invited into your world? When did you have to shut the door and change the locks? This Full Moon allows you to sit with the pleasure and pain of taking personal space. Try your grandmother’s lentil recipe, but keep making it your way if you like that better.
Aquarius
Back in April, at the New Moon in Aries, I offered you this: “you know exactly where to sit to get the widest birds eye view. as you circle back down to earth, how can you change up the path that takes you from here to there?”
Consider all the ways you’ve spoken up for yourself since the spring. How has this boldness changed your commute? Changed your friend group? Changed the way you broadcast your personal wins? This Full Moon is for gathering your inner circle for a coven meeting. It’s OK to mourn those who are no longer in attendance, but new adventure awaits and it’s much closer than you realize.
Pisces
Back in April, at the New Moon in Aries, I offered you this: “you know exactly what your responsibilities are to your friends, audience, and community. how can you be more blunt in the moments you need help?”
Consider all the ways you’ve cultivated confidence and worth since the spring. Your bank balance might still be in flux but you can’t deny how much you’ve grown, potential spills from all directions, light sheds on your steady increase. It’s easy to get caught up in old scarcity narratives, especially today. but let this Full Moon be a solve for those wounds. You know where the gold is buried. Don’t be afraid to dig it up.
"Joy doesn’t always have to be a challenge. It can just be a place you go and remain."
YES - I love this line so much.