Insights by Kerstin Hern of The Mirrored Lantern / Original art for J. Southern Studio by Spirited Animals
October harvest blessings to all… The Pagan sabbat celebration this month is a crowd fave on the 31st: Samhain (pronounced SOW-WEN), the Witches’ New Year, which is also Halloween and the start of Dia De Los Muertos, which goes through November 2. We will be in Libra energy through most of the month, focusing on communication, relationships, and how to get our personal and relational selves in balance.
We enter Scorpio season on the 23rd, which has us transitioning into the energy of fixed water, highlighting depth, intensity, strong emotions, loyalty, passion, permanence, and often, difficulty in making changes/stubbornness. Scorpio’s passionate nature often reads like a fire sign, so coupling that with difficulty in making changes speaks to the abundance of Wands cards I pulled in the Tarotscopes… I checked last year’s October horoscopes and noticed that I pulled a lot of Wands at this time last year, as well. Perhaps the pattern around this time of year, when we have more access to spiritual energies, is an invitation to engage Scorpio (investigate) water (emotions) energy and combine it with the energy of Fire (will, movement, change, creativity) that show up in the Wands. Together, water and fire make steam = the 5th element (Spirit).
More seasonal numerology: 10/31 (1 + 3 + 1) = 5. In the tarot, fives indicate a type of friction or conflict that, like squares in astrology, are useful for growth and change, albeit not always comfortable or even welcome. Think about the fixed stubbornness of Scorpio rubbing up against the strong presence of the Fire element whose power is to transmute and change. In numerology, five is connected change, curiosity, and creativity. Engaging these themes at this time of the year when death is more prevalent may assist with releases, goodbyes, and forgiveness, which are all very medicinal and part of our personal harvests.
Make note of the full and new moon energy and other significant transits below to prepare for and work with the cosmic flow in September. Use the full and new moons’ symbols, themes, each lunation’s tarot card partner, herbs for candle magick, crystals, affirmations, and more to personalize your own rituals around invocations and releases during those energetic portals.
Notable Transits:
SYNOPSIS:
This full moon is the Hunter’s Moon and is the first full moon in Autumn. The Libra sun at this time is sitting very close to Venus in Libra, adding some supportive warmth to this lunation to soften the edges and promote balance (Libra), especially in relationships. Think about what is tipping your scales that can be let go in order to achieve homeostasis. Opposing the sun, this Aries moon sits very close to Chiron in Aries, indicating old wounds, especially childhood wounds are surfacing. The moon also makes a soft sextile to Saturn, also supportive, but around interacting themes of fatherly energy, time, lessons, learning, structure, and tradition. Collectively, these aspects are asking for you to reflect on your foundations, in all ways, and how they do or do not align with your current transformation(s) and how you show up in relationships.
The day prior to this lunation, Pluto has stationed direct, so all the transformation cracklings behind the scenes are starting to manifest in the material world, and in your consciousness. Get real about personal truths and relationship truths. Again, as Pluto is the ruler of Scorpio (the sign the South Node/Rahu is currently in), this direct motion affects your South Node house regarding transformation taking shape, truths revealed in that specific life zone, and a focus on rebirth there, as well. Whenever the nodes are activated, there is major karmic clearing and integration happening, so think ‘big cycles’ ending and beginning after deep investigation and acceptance of what truly is.
The work here is to use the fierce bravery, confidence, and creativity of Aries and the concept of rebirth with this full moon (full = bright light shining awareness into the Shadows) and couple it with Scorpio’s ruler, Pluto going direct (aka “moving forward”). Confront the hard truths, the shameful truths, the uncomfortable truths, name them, accept them, and you will be set free. You can then fully embody your transformation after those releases under the Aries moonlight, which burns and transmutes them in its fire, are finally un-clutched and let go. Let this lunation be your initiation, chasing the stubborn shadows in your psyche’s forests like the sacred hunter you are.
Allow some little deaths to cycle through, knowing that you never really die… Your authentic energy is undestroyable, and your core light is always shining… Your lantern may just be covered in some soot that you can cleanse with these releases.
THEMES & SYMBOLS:
initiation (Aries is the 1st house of Self), Hunter’s Moon, Pluto, South Node, higher self, incarnations, motivation for change, beginnings through major releases, forgiveness, deaths/rebirths, compost, destroying old foundations, integrating lessons, new personal narratives, independence, empowerment, leadership, self-expression, deep passion, balance of power, homeostasis, purpose, truth, autumn, iron, spear, torch, horn, Ram, hawk, falcon, thistle, honeysuckle, Tiger lily, red, scarlet, yellow, purple, creativity in action, King & Queen of Wands
YOUR FULL MOON LUNATION HOUSE:
Find your sun or rising sign below to see what area of your life will be most impacted by this full moon:
RITUAL + ALTAR INSPIRATIONS
FULL MOON PETITION
For this fire moon, write out your full moon releases or those you want to forgive on a small piece of paper, speak them aloud facing south (fire direction), and then light it on fire and place in cauldron to safely burn. Add salt and mix to purify your intentions and complete the release.
SUGGESTED MANTRA or AFFIRMATION
“On this full moon in Aries, I bring my awareness to all the power I harness, and where and from whom I need to call my power back. I gently release people, energies, and situations that do not align with the person I am becoming. I ask Spirit to remove all obstacles between me and my purpose. I engage creativity to solve problems, to connect with my inner child, and to heal. I engage my inner authority to muster courage and confidence to confront hard truths so I may accept and communicate them. I allow little deaths to shed what no longer serves so I may live in my authenticity and powerfully live in my truth. So mote it be!”
FULL MOON MEDICINE
Aries rules the head, scalp, teeth, tongue, and arteries. Give yourself (or have a loved one or pro give you) a head massage to improve circulation and release tension. Use tea tree oil in your shampoo to stimulate your scalp and clear your crown chakra. Eat ginger and turmeric to bring in Fire Spirit. Give your teeth some extra care and do a coconut or charcoal pull. Write a love letter to your inner child from the Self you are now and evolving into.
This lunation’s themes are very similar to the energies around the full moon a couple of weeks ago, since Pluto stationed direct at the full moon (Pluto rules Scorpio) and there is a solar eclipse at the new moon in Scorpio now. Specifically, this moon continues the story around major cycle shifts and releases that bring profound change. This is the season for it!
Fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) will feel this solar eclipse most. People love to trip about eclipses in general, but even for the most neggy, most everyone agrees that solar eclipses are harbingers of positive change by shifting one’s timeline to be open to more abundance, versus the more growing pain-sort of shift with lunar (inner/emotional) eclipses. Often, these changes are unexpected but very much invited once you get a glimpse of the rewards!
This new moon/eclipse energy is wonderful for re-writing your personal narrative, creating a story that fits the person you are becoming. This also is a reminder to “allow” others to change if they have been doing the hard personal work, too. It’s easy to hang onto old narratives about others and ourselves, but if we want to be seen for the butterflies we’ve become, it’s important to let go of the images of others as caterpillars… They are on their butterfly journeys, too, and you may miss them if you keep looking on the ground for a caterpillar and not up the sky for a beautiful butterfly.
Venus is directly conjunct this lunation, creating a glorious threesome of the sun, moon, and Venus in the sky! This threesome also trines Black Moon Lilith. Trines are the most auspicious aspects, activating luck and synchronicity around its planetary relationship… In this case, forward movement and luck created by the lunar (inner/emotional self), solar (ego, personality, and public self), and Venus (relationships, worth, value, love, money) harmonizing with Black Moon Lilith’s primal fierce Femme energy. She’s the dark goddess moon who holds divine anger, sexuality/sensuality, and rebelliousness. Allow this “zero fucks” energy to flow in harmony with setting new boundaries or starting new relationships to define what “healthy, safe, peaceful, joyful, exciting” etc. means to you in all relationships and other Venus themes, such as money and self-worth.
THEMES & SYMBOLS:
massive change, new timeline, full release of grudges, ending toxic relationships, solar Self-empowerment, new personal narratives around power, unexpected inner + outer experiences, feeling with ALL senses, spiritual/sexual/emotional awakening, new commitments, expressing new needs, primal energy, sexuality, magnetism, power, inheritance, soul mates, deep connections, obsessions, investigations, mystery, secrets, new desires, regeneration, getting unstuck, shadow work, magick, dark waters, caves, Black Moon Lilith, Venus, Pluto, the scorpion, the eagle, the phoenix, the snake, butterflies, black, crimson red, maroon, indigo, dark purple
YOUR NEW MOON LUNATION HOUSE:
Find your sun or rising sign below to see what area of your life will be most impacted by this new moon:
RITUAL + ALTAR INSPIRATIONS
Write your intentions as specifically as possible on a small piece of paper, in the present tense, as if they are already happening or already happened. Fold it 3 times toward you, symbolizing bringing energy to you, and place on your altar under your crystals. You may also place your petition under your water element candle or chime candle before you light your candle. This is a water moon, so you can use moon water, ocean/lake/river water, or clean drinking water to submerge your petition after your candle goes out.
SUGGESTED MANTRA or AFFIRMATION
“On this new moon in Scorpio, I open myself to flow with big changes for my highest good. I remain flexible while being committed to my goals so that anything unexpected in service to my growth and transformation will not be missed. I am empowered to write my new narrative and plant seeds of abundance that align with my many identities. I gracefully shift timelines through the light of this solar eclipse portal. I commune with Venus and her high vibrations of love to walk in harmony, ease, and grace through all changes and transitions coming my way. I am excited and prepared for my journey! So mote it be.”
NEW MOON MEDICINE
Scorpio rules genitals, anus, bladder, prostate. Recommendations: New moon sex and sex magick (which can be done solo!), Trauma-Sensitive yoga, Child’s pose, legs up the wall yoga poses, pelvic floor contraction, deep breathing (Lion’s Breath, square breathing, belly breathing), drink lots of water and eat plenty of fiber.
Wishing you all meaningful little deaths during the full moon and a beautiful chrysalis shift at new moon this October!
Kerstin from The Mirrored Lantern has practiced right hand path magick and tarot for over 30 years and has been a lover and learner of astrology for just as long… She is currently in graduate school for Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Spiritual & Depth Psychology and is a pre-licensed psychotherapist in Los Angeles. Follow her on Instagram @themirroredlantern for witch tips, tarot, occulture, and depth psych tidbits!
Happy Full Moon in Capricorn! 🌝♑️It’s a special one as it is our second full moon in Capricorn in a row! So I did a quick tarot pull asking thee questions. In the earthen spirit of Capricorn of course I got pentacles, clarity, and straightforwardness with this reading lol. Took me less than 5 minutes to understand. Read for for the spread!
