The Spiritual Meaning Of This Month's Full Moon Is About Independence

There’s a vivacious full moon on the way, and it will illuminate the night sky on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 5:05 p.m. ET. Glimmering through the audacious sign of Aries, the spiritual meaning of the October 2020 full moon has everything to do with your independence and sovereignty. Sounds contradicting in the middle of Libra season, but full moons are already a call for balance. With the sun traveling through relationship-driven Libra, the full moon in Aries will activate the unconscious part of you seeking more freedom.

You don't have to be an Aries or have personal planets in this cardinal fire sign to experience the effects of this lunation. (For more context on how it will affect you, check which of the 12 astrological houses in your birth chart belong to this Mars-ruled sign.) Go-getter Mars will be retrograding through its sign of rulership, Aries, during a full moon in the same sign. This is important to consider, especially since it's the first time Mars retrogrades through warrior-like Aries since 1988. This is one of the many reasons why it's such a pivotal lunation, with the exception that this retrograde transit will also be challenged by Jupiter-Saturn-Pluto in Capricorn, making the aftermath that much more potent.

Aries' cardinal fire prefers to take the lead. It drives forward with vigor, stamina, aggression, and zealousness. However, with its planetary ruler, Mars, retrograding through its sign, the warrior planet's fiery passion is automatically turned inward, which could make the cosmic noise seem a lot louder. So if you find yourself suddenly feeling restless, find an outlet to release the repressed energies. You will need to take action, in order to create the balance you seek.

The Spiritual Meaning Of The Full Moon In Aries: Oct. 1, 2020

The phases of the moon are a reflection of the ebb and flow of your emotions. When the moon reaches its peak of fullness, it means the sun is sitting directly across from it, both literally and in terms of the zodiac wheel. So if the sun's in Libra, it will sit directly across the moon via its polar opposite sign, Aries. This astrological axis, belonging to Aries and Libra, revolves around the balance that exists between independence and commitment, and/or self-assertion versus reassurance. One cannot exist without the other, so both of them come to life during the full moon phase.

Another way to look at this is, the sun's opposition with the moon is symbolic of the sacred masculine (sun) and divine feminine (moon) energies alive within, and all around you. For instance, the sun is your physical identity, and the moon is your shadow self. The person who you are around others is depicted by the sun, and who you are when no one is around is represented by the moon. During the full moon phase, the sun will shed light on everything happening externally, while the moon highlights your internal reality.

It's not every day you get to harmonize both of these parts of you in simultaneously, which is precisely what the full moon phase is all about. It's no wonder this lunar phase can be incredibly revealing, as it puts a spotlight on whatever needs to acknowledged, readjusted, or perhaps even come to an end. Don't lose your balance. Eight planets — the sun, moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto, Chiron, and Lilith — will be traveling through cardinal signs during this time, which means there will likely be an insatiable desire to lead and take control.

Assertive Aries moves forward confidence, but Venus-ruled Libra needs to be validated, in order to experience bliss. Wherever these two zodiac signs are located in your birth chart can help you determine the part of your life that needs harmonizing. Don't add more pressure. Taking a moment to acknowledge what's happening at the moment will suffice.