There’s a full moon rising in the grit and grind, strive and shine sign of Capricorn on Sunday, July 21 at 6:17 a.m.
Each month, the moon moves through eight phases, cycling through energy and culminating in the full moon, our point of full shine and total release when we’re meant to purge, howl, claw at the sky — and dare to hope the lunar light will light our way.
The full moon always shines in the sign opposite the sun. This week, that polarity falls on the Cancer/Capricorn axis. Known as the axis of family, this polarity is home to the dual forces of intimacy and ambition.
In terms of archetypes, Cancer is the great, cosmic, moon-synced mother, drunk on t-t nectar and sea spray, high on intuition and hyper-sensitive to both beauty and brutality.
Capricorn, meanwhile, is the stern, tough love, black coffee, punishing standards, no-sugar daddy of the zodiac.
Both signs are concerned with security and investment, but their approaches differ wildly and swing between unconditional and conditional love sources. Cancer rules the fourth house of home and lineage, Capricorn the tenth house of vocation and legacy.
Capricorn finds its footing in form, and Cancer moves through feeling. As Cancer sun, Cap moon artist Edgar Degas moodily espouses, “Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things.”
In this way, one of the primary lessons of this moon is that surrender (Cancer) can and should give rise to strategy (Capricorn).
This message is particularly potent when considering this week’s full moon will be conjunct Pluto, the planet of power, death, depth, transformation, and renewal. To see where and what you need to let go of so that you might get to the proverbial good good, look to the area of your chart ruled by Capricorn.
What is a Buck Moon?
As per “The Old Farmer’s Almanac,” July’s full moon is known as the Buck Moon, an homage to the male deer whose antlers are in full-blown growth mode during the deep heat of summer.
Bucks grow and shed their antlers each year, producing more elaborate sets as time passes. When the antlers are fully grown, they harden to bone.
The Buck Moon will be most visible on the night of July 20 and into the early morning hours of July 21
Spiritual meaning of the Full Buck Moon
In addition to bucks sprouting their horns this time of year, nature is in a state of ripening, readying, and renewal.
Indigenous tribes of Alaska, including the Haida and Tlingit, refer to the July moon as the “Salmon Moon” as it signifies the onset of chinook and steelhead runs when the fish flee the sea to return to their home rivers to spawn and die.
“Even in capitulation, there is still hope, and this hope of human beings never ends, will never end.”
Ingeborg Bachmann
This trajectory of return and purpose, home and destiny, beginning as ending, is an apt metaphor for the Cancer/Capricorn axis of this here full moon. In the words of Cancer sun/Cap moon poet Ingeborg Bachmann, “Even in capitulation, there is still hope, and this hope of human beings never ends, will never end.”
Here’s to the cycle of sanctified struggle and strength through surrender.
Ivana Naskova, a psychic at Nebula: Astrology & Psychic Readings for Relationships platform, offers her insights on what the moon holds for each zodiac sign. Read on to learn more.
Aries, this Moon is in your house of work and career. Your efforts and work will be rewarded. You are poised to achieve something noteworthy in light of this lunation.
Taurus, this Full Moon illuminates your 9th house, inviting you to embark on an exhilarating journey of self-discovery. Take this opportune moment to contemplate your personal development and progress, the sacred space between where you have been and where you are just beginning to dream of going.
This Full Moon graces your 8th house, Gemini, serving as a powerful reminder that death is the promise that makes life precious. Are you living yours to your fullest expression? This is an opportune time to reassess your financial situation and consider making wise investments for the future.
The full Moon hits your house of relationships Cancer, providing clarity, inspiration, and insight into your romantic endeavors and creative collaborations. If you can stay open rather than shelled-up and shut down, this period promises plenty of passion.
Happy almost birthday, Leo. This Full Moon activates your 6th house of service and ritual. You will feel a surge of inspiration and a strong pull to prioritize self-care and self-love, as well as literal and metaphorical exfoliation.
Party on, Virgo. Your fifth house of flirtation and enjoyment is brought to light by the Buck Moon. This lunation encourages you to lean into the good times and a looser approach to your life path. Improvement is a worthy aim, but remember that perfection is the death of innovation.
Under the influence of this Moon, you may feel compelled to draw closer to your loved ones, Libra. You tend to give the best of yourself to those beyond your inner circle, but the Buck Moon calls you to care for those closest to you. Additionally, there could be an exciting new addition to your family or an opportunity for a joyous family gathering.
This Moon’s energy is concentrated in your 3rd house of communication, Scorpio, amplifying the power of your words. Now is the perfect time to express your thoughts and ideas. If you feel safer, start with your pet or familiar and build your audience from there.
Take note of your bank notes Sagittarius, as the Full Moon graces your 2nd house of finances. It presents an opportune moment to reassess your fiscal situation and set plans in motion for the future. Moreover, be open to the possibility of unexpected financial gains during this time.
This Full Moon spotlights your 1st house of self-hood, Capricorn, drawing attention to your self-concept and the aspirational image of the person you are striving to become. You can’t hide from this light, sea goat — this lunation asks you to consider who you were, before someone told you who you should be.
The Full Moon shines full light on your twelfth house of hopes, dreams, and self-sabotage, Aquarius. It’s okay if things seem unclear — the time is nigh to take good care of yourself and imagine a path of new habits, rather than familiar fallbacks. Fresh dreams require a renewed strategy.
With the Full Moon in your 11th house of community, you’ll radiate magnanimity, Pisces. Embrace the ethos of the ‘more the merrier,” spend money like you stole it and spend time with friends both old and new. Joy for you is a shared experience.
Astrology 101: Your guide to the star
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience.