Full Moon in Capricorn (Summer Solstice)

Full Moon in Capricorn, 21st July 2024

The summer solstice takes place the day before this full moon. The summer solstice occurs when the sun is at its furthest point from the equator, making it the longest day of the year in the Northern hemisphere (and the reverse in the Southern). It has been marked as the high point of summer – or midsummer – since the Neolithic era. Its counterpoint is the winter solstice: the shortest day of the year. Like the full moon, the summer solstice is all about illumination: visual, physical and metaphysical. This moment is perhaps the most potent of the year to shine a light on our shadows; a time to release, dissolve or burn (fire rituals belong to the ancient rites of solstice) the things that are holding us back and step into our own light.

The summer solstice corresponds with the beginning of Cancer season, when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky, directly above the Tropic of Cancer. The sun is also joining Mercury and Venus in the sign of the crab, meaning we have a stellium of planets in Cancer, augmenting the energy of the sign. This full moon in Capricorn is the first of two full moons that will happen during this Cancer season. Full moons take place when the sun and moon are in opposition, with the sun in the sign of the season and the moon, temporarily, in its opposing sign. This Capricorn-Cancer axis is often referred to as the family axis or, more specifically, the parent-child axis, or the paternal-maternal axis.

Capricorn is ruled by Saturn. Saturn is associated with fathering through self-discipline, authority and structure, and Cancer – ruled by the moon – is associated with mothering through nurture, soothing and self-love. Both these signs are deeply connected to our past, our upbringing and the way we have been societally, culturally or familially programmed. This axis of energy connects us to our own very personal and emotional journey of maturation - how we create boundaries, how we create conditions of safety, both emotional and spiritual, and how we self-parent. The opportunity here is around the release and integration of those different energies, which is fully supported by a square with Neptune in Pisces. There is space to dissolve. To merge what is good and release what isn’t.

Capricorn is represented by the mythical sea goat and possesses a unique and profound relationship to self-knowledge and maturation. With its fish tail and goat body, the sea goat symbolises a transformative journey from one state to another; a symbolism that holds the key to comprehending Capricorn's essence. While Capricorn is associated with the element of earth, the sea goat's representation encompasses both water and earth (sea and mountain), with the sea representing the depths of our psyche and the mountain representing the both the core of the earth and the sky. This is where this axis between Capricorn and Cancer is so complimentary. The sea goat has the ability to navigate both the emotional and material realms because it is at home in both in water and on the earth, like the crab. Capricorn is myth and material and inhabits a space that allows us to take our souls seriously.

This full moon is at 1º of Capricorn, which has a dynamic, initiatory energy. It marks the start of journey between it and the second full moon in Capricorn on July 21st. This next moon, which is happening at 29º Capricorn, represents the completion of this particular journey of maturation and is deeply connected with Pluto’s transit through Capricorn, which started in 2008. Pluto, at 0º Aquarius, is going to be conjunct with July’s full moon, facilitating a new understanding of what needs to be dismantled, destroyed, and transformed. This first full moon in Capricorn is the start of this journey. Amplified by the energy of the summer solstice, it allows us to illuminate our inner structures; the ones that confine and limit us; that keep us disconnected from our true essence. Questions to reflect on are: How do we inner parent? Is our inner parent unkind and critical? How have we absorbed our physical parents into our inner parenting style? Could we transform this voice into something more nurturing and supportive? We must let go in order to move forward. This Full Moon in Capricorn is also in a Grand Cross with Neptune and Black Moon Lilith, which further supports this letting go, dissolving and giving ourselves what we need to feel safe.

How to work with the energy of this full moon? The energy of this full moon in Capricorn may feel big and uncomfortable. Like the energetic form of having too much caffeine. Savina Atai, Taoist teacher, says that: “According to the Biorhythm Clock of Taoist Medicine, now is the time of the year when all the energy in our bodies is gathered in our brain. There is the peak of fire, meaning yang energy. If our body hasn’t gathered enough water (by getting enough rest, renewing our hormones, and cultivating our strength) throughout winter, this overabundance of fire in our system can cause "short-circuits" in our "electrical power grid" - meaning our nervous system.” Being still, giving yourself space and resting are all integral in beginning the journey of self-enquiry that the moon – and the solstice – are inviting us embark upon. During a solstice, it is said that we are more easily able to transcend the boundaries between worlds. It is a time of heightened awareness to our connection with the innate cycles of birth, death and rebirth, represented throughout all of nature. The most effective way to tune into this – to be able to listen to the wisdom and insights from the non-physical world – in to be still and to be in nature.

Image credit: filmplusdigital on Unsplash

Lynsey Allett20 June 2024