5 Questions You Must Ask Yourself During Tonight’s Full Moon

The full moon tonight holds some profoundly positive aspects, making tonight a night to connect with your deepest life vision and desire for self-expression. This evening’s sky offers us the opportunity to replenish ourselves so we can step up and out in the direction we most want to head.

Since Mercury, the planet of communication, stationed to go retrograde on January 21st, we all may be feeling a tad more introverted. I know I am! (Mercury stays retrograde until February 11th.) Despite popular opinion, I adore Mercury retrograde cycles. They always bring radical clarity into my life regarding where I haven’t seen a blind spot! Further, Mercury retrograde is the best time to find, honor, and live by our inherent intuitive voice.

Though Mercury retrograde cycles tend to get a lot of buzz (often negative), the importance of other retrograde periods flies under the radar. That’s why I am writing to explain how this Mercury retrograde is working in tandem with another lesser known retrograde cycle, Jupiter. It’s my intention to help you understand the positive use of these retrogrades. This full moon activates the same signs these retrograde planets are in, making tonight extremely potent and so freakin’ special!

You see, Mercury retrograde is happening in Aquarius while Jupiter retrograde is going on in Leo. Consequently, tonight’s full moon is going on in Leo, with the sun opposite in Aquarius as well. That said, we can’t talk about this full moon without addressing both of these retrogrades!

Explaining the Leo/Aquarius Access

Leo and Aquarius, two opposite constellations in the zodiac, have some similarities and consequently some polarities as well. Leo, a sun-ruled-fixed-fire-sign, boasts playful attributes that often command recognition. If you live in the northern hemisphere, think of the energy of late July and early to mid-August, the full roar of summer. This is the time when the sun zips through this sign of the zodiac. The vibe is generally that of a vacation — there are long days, lots of excuses to blow off work and play, and an individual desire to stay connected to oneself. Leo is a fun sign that asks us to stay in honest rapport with our deepest longings, desires and capacities to show up in the world as our authentic selves. Leo, at its heart, is a confident, generous, warm, playful, and bold sign, kind of like a mid-August day encouraging us to recognize its beauty!

Aquarius, on the other hand, a fixed air sign, has its moment in the sun in late January through early to mid-February. The time of year (if you reside north of the equator) when the sun doesn’t shine as much. Aquarius, a progressive sign that relates to groups and our ability to move humanity forward, differs from Leo by being less about individual expression and more about group consciousness. Unlike Leo, the energy of Aquarius activates a call within us to serve, to find innovation, to break the rules and come up with creative solutions that move humanity forward.

Aquarius and Leo are similar in that they inspire individuality, connection to our deepest callings and bravery to shake things up. Leo does this by connecting us to our deepest self and Aquarius through the function of liberating our eccentricity to inspire innovation. After all, Aquarius and Leo are astrological counterparts of one another.

How to use the current Mercury and Jupiter retrograde cycles to your advantage during this full moon

Right now, Jupiter, the planet of good fortune and philosophical expansion, is in Leo, asking us all to connect with our deepest sense of self-esteem, so we can boldly do what’s necessary in our life to assure that we are accomplishing our dreams. Since early December of 2014, Jupiter transiting through Leo is in a part of its elliptical orbit where it appears to be going backward. Jupiter will stay retrograde all the way until April 8th.

Jupiter retrograde in Leo wants us all to dive within and examine where we are hiding, where our shame is holding us back, and where we need to let go of our unworthiness in order to claim our brilliance! (Yes, we all have brilliance. It’s part of the human design.)

Opposite of Jupiter in Leo is Mercury in Aquarius, also retrograde. This transit also asks us to look at where we are squashing our uniqueness and our ability to innovate to fit in with the group. Or, where we deny our leadership capacities to change dynamics within groups.

Based on both of these retrograde cycles, and with the full moon tonight in Leo, it’s important to tune into the energies at play! Since this full moon is happening right where these two retrograde cycles are going down– the moon is all cozy right next to Jupiter with the sun directly opposite in Aquarius– we have to pay attention. Tonight’s full moon is the set up for the equivalent of an astrological strike… We’ll knock down the whole set of pins with the roll of one ball if we aim it correctly.

The general theme I want you to consider this full moon is:

Where are you not stepping boldly into a more avant-garde role because you are afraid you aren’t good enough, other people won’t approve, or you are afraid of embarrassment?

Or, where are you striving towards accomplishment, in order to feel like you’ve earned being special, worthy, and unique? This full moon is asking us all to rid yourself of toxic shame-based motivation. Remember, you don’t need to earn your worth. In the words of feminist scholar Meggan Watterson, worth isn’t something you earn; it’s something you claim!

To make the most of this most divine energy I’ve put together the questions I think are most important not only this full moon, but for both of these retrograde cycles!

The five most important questions you must ask yourself this full moon

I suggest you give yourself an hour tonight to take some time to go inward, ask yourself the following, and journal… I know I will!

1. What are your most important goals right now?

2. Why are they so important to you?

3. If you knew you were worthy and unique without needing to prove it, would your goals change at all? If so how? (Really think about this. Are your goals associated with a desire to prove you are worthy, capable, or special? If you no longer needed to prove this, but could rather claim this for yourself, how would your goals shift?)

4. Where are you not stepping fully into the world because you are afraid to go against the grain, stand out, or risk embarrassment?

5. What’s the most important action you want to commit to this full moon as a way to integrate who you are becoming?

Take some time and sit with these questions. To get the most out of both of these retrograde cycles and the full moon, allow yourself to go deep. Doing so may just be as illuminating as the full moon shining in the sky! After you find your answers, make a commitment to yourself. Under the full moon, tonight make a pact with yourself to honor you… Claim your worth, in whatever way makes sense for you! The universe is conspiring on your behalf. Go for it!

I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment below to let me know what’s up for you this full moon!

As always, I send you all of my love.

Warmly,

Jenn