This Full Moon is called the Buck Moon since July is normally the month when the new antlers of buck deer push out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. It is also called Full Thunder Moon because thunderstorms are most frequent during this time.

Both Cancer and Capricorn have to do with security; nurturing Cancer (the sign that rules home, family, and emotional needs) focuses on inner security while Capricorn (associated with ambition, power, and achievement) rules the external manifestation of security. What constitutes security for you; what do you require to feel safe and cared for? This Full Moon finds us wrestling with questions about resources, possessions, safety, and self-worth.

We’ve all been under the relentless weight of the cardinal grand cross and this Full Moon lands smack in the middle, turning up the volume even more. The Moon in Capricorn is conjunct obsessive Pluto. The Sun in Cancer makes a wide conjunction to bigger-is-better Jupiter. Unpredictable Uranus, in aggressive Aries, squares both. Pushy Mars in diplomatic Libra (conjunct Ceres, Vesta, and the North Node) is opposite Uranus and squares the Sun and Moon. Something has reached a breaking point; something has to give.

The Monkey Trap

Hunters in Asia and Africa catch monkeys by placing a banana (or sweet smelling nuts) inside a hollowed out coconut then attach it to a rope or stake in the ground. The opening in the coconut is just big enough for the monkey to slide its open hand inside but doesn’t allow for a closed fist to come out. Once the monkey grabs the banana (or nuts) it can’t get its hand out unless it lets go of the fruit. Rather than let go the monkey continues to hold tightly even as danger approaches.

We all have our own personal monkey trap; it could be a relationship, a job, an addiction, or a belief that keeps us stuck and playing small. In reality we can open our fist and walk away yet we don’t. What are you holding onto that no longer serves you; what will it take for you to release it? This Full Moon encourages us to let go and break free. Old forms are ready to dissolve, new ones can take hold. Mars, Ceres, Vesta and the North Node (in Libra) make a healing trine to Venus and Mercury in brainy Gemini, reminding us that it doesn’t have to be hard. Gemini is the sign of communication and information; ask for help, get feedback; don’t keep doing the same thing; try a new method or approach. As author Anne Lamott says, “You cannot heal your crazy mind with your crazy mind.”

Three planets make major shifts all around the same time, stirring up the waters and creating big waves. July 16 Jupiter leaves watery Cancer and enters fiery Leo where it will remain until August 11, 2015. Good news for lions as generous Jupiter brings grace and good will to whatever sign it’s in. On July 20 Saturn ends its long (four-month) retrograde period at 17 degrees of Scorpio. Tough love Saturn has asked us to face some heavy issues (Scorpio) and this has been a demanding period especially for Scorpios, Taurus, Leos and Aquarius. What have you learned? As Saturn moves forward we’ll have an opportunity to put those lessons in action. Finally, Uranus turns retrograde on July 21 (at 17 Aries). Expect the unexpected Uranus can bring sudden changes and unforeseen events; look to see where you have Uranus; that’s where you may be pushed out of your comfort zone.

Learning to Live with Paradox

Saturn (at 17 degrees of Scorpio) and Uranus (at 17 Aries) make an inconjunct (also called a quincunx) from now until the end of August. This is an edgy and awkward aspect; the signs involved (Aries and Scorpio) have nothing in common and don’t understand each other’s world. Demanding Saturn in intense Scorpio wants to dig deep and expose old wounds and dears. On the other hand, rebellious Uranus in impulsive Aries craves big risks and bold action. Meanwhile they’re in our life right now which means they have something to teach us. It’s not either/or, black or white; they’re asking us to stretch and open until we can make room for both energies. This involves learning to live with paradox. I always go back to what Pema Chodron writes in her book, When Things Fall Apart. “The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.”

Lavender Ice Cream

The world is not tidy. In fact, the best things in life are messy; birth, sex, cooking. The challenging aspects force us to stretch and grow. Make room for the Saturn in Scorpio’s need for deep psychological truths and Uranus in Aries’ demand for excitement and adventure. Some of the most delicious recipes, brilliant inventions, and popular brands are composed of ingredients that shouldn’t work – like the Wright Brother’s flying machine, the light bulb or lavender ice cream! Someone with a big enough imagination had a vison and worked hard to get it right, opening up new worlds for the rest of us. That’s the gift of this Full Moon and the inconjunct between Saturn and Uranus. Keep opening and expanding your vision, make room for everything, honor the process.

“Feeling that he must run and that he will take root forever and stand, does both at once and neither, grows blind, and then sees everything, steps and becomes a man of stars instead.”
–James Dickey