The Full Moon in Cancer

January 13, 2025, at 5:28 PM EST

Moon conjoins the Ascendant; Sun opposes

Moon conjunct Mars; Sun opposes Mars; Sun Uranus;

Sextile Moon; Neptune; Sextile Sun; Trine Moon;

Lunar Nodes move to Pisces and Virgo

Lots of planetary actions and energies accompany this moon!

Lena, of The Shamanic School, give us a quick overview of this Cancerian moon. She writes:

“[Known] as the Wolf Moon, this moon invites us to pay close attention to home, family and the environments that are the most familiar, and have been key to comforts and habitual behaviors. Be open and receptive to any lessons that are showing up in this area, as well as any family imprints that need to change as they longer serve. What is most important?

This full moon sheds light on what is coming to the surface that is seeking your attention for emotional clearing and a recalibration of balance in regard to where and how you spend your energy. Focus on releasing any old patterns with the intention of getting aligned with new ones that will serve you best.”

This time of year has always filled me, and many others I know, with a blend of anticipation and apprehension; Not knowing what to expect in the year ahead, yet wanting to welcome any positive steps and avoid any pitfalls; we make our sincere resolutions…and then find ourselves breaking them… and then the genuine soul work can begin!

We begin to truly assess what areas of our lives need necessary repair, and what areas are making progress towards aims and goals we seek. Change, be it personal or political, self designed or societally imposed, will often have astrological markers that accompany these shifts and changes and assist us in trying to comprehend the best paths of action… or inaction-whatever steps that are best suited for our adaptation, understanding, even our survival.

Given the scope of all the activity and planetary action that could be presented, in this report, I will focus on the two most prominent and impactful: the full moon conjunct Mars, and the shift of the lunar nodes backwards into Pisces and Virgo that began on the 11th…

Concerning the moon… As you already know, water signs are the least predictable because of their fluidity-especially when considering the emotional nature that can command or captivate our understanding with the wateriness of a sign becomes prominent, it is the case with this Cancer moon! It is not only under the tensions of the normal opposition from the Sun, but it also encounters tugs and plus 5 planets in water signs! Since Mars connects or conjoins this moon, we can get a more tidal wave or a more energetic expression of feelings and needs that are typical or usual… That is a quite a water wave of energetic force that can find its way towards a more distinct and somewhat contentious and dramatic expression of how valuable Cancerian ideas and priorities are in our lives!

What are the Cancerian priorities? Students of astrology can quickly list the crucial or dominant ones: home; family;mother; land;ancestry; food, and any other focal point that offers a sense of security and a sense of assurance that while the waves might rock the boat, you will not capsize!

In short, expect that there will be an emphasis on feelings over actions while Mars and Uranus make hesitant room for a breakthrough or a breakdown that makes changes in feelings and relationships more possible.

Sometimes, being “broken open” is necessary, and it reveals a way of knowing and realizing your soul’s path in ways that fear or insecurity had not allowed!

Here is another overview of this moon cycle from a more esoteric point of view. It is provided by Sol Johannson, who teaches through the Astrology of the Soul program… She writes:

This Full Moon is pretty unpredictable, so anything can happen, and that’s not to say that the worst-case scenario will pop open like Pandora’s box. It can just mean that we will be emotionally off balance and that we need to work on ourselves in order to find that balance again.

Cancer seeks security and safety, and with Mars retrograde through the sign, this very foundation might be shaken, but the evolutionary intention of Mars in Cancer is to look within to find safety and not depend too much on circumstance. And the Full Moon highlights this lesson. Mental health is being able to regulate yourself and develop discipline enough to be able to not think too much about what is going on. Mental health is about feeling safe. So the mind and the emotions are deeply entangled. Therefore, meet yourself in an honest way, share your emotions, and be honest about your mistakes and needs. This simple act of vulnerability might be the personal breakthrough of this particular lunation. Mars is, after all, a make-or-break planet.”

This is a feisty full moon if there ever was one. It is pulling in Mars retrograde that currently resides on 27°07 Cancer, so it promises to be quite an intense full moon. And the world reflects this intensity as well. It’s like a news relay where one thing just follows the other, and they are all equally important and pressing. Factoring in Mars, which is currently OOB (out of bounds), and considering Neptune is now glued to the North Node, we might assume that this lunation is both wild and chaotic. And somehow, we are all in it. Neptune is the ocean of emotion through which we are all connected, so we will all feel this one. Even the hardcore skeptics will go, «What’s the frack is happening?”

Giving a summary of this Martian influence, knowing that it effects will stay with us through the winter and into the spring, we can highlight these qualities and characteristics:

Mars retrograde will feel like Mars in reverse-instead favoring direct actions, adventures, and honoring one’s creative…and not so creative impulses, Mars in Cancer will soften our responses and ask us to kindly wait on our thoughts and feelings and then express them more kindly or with more consideration for the people involved…

However, it is not a time for being timid, nor is it a time for prating surrender- it might be a time to hold your tongue or simply let whatever the attitude or situation blow over without any serious repercussions that a more volatile Mars-such as when it returns to Leo-might incur!

Let’s face it- Mars does not like being in Cancer- it cramps his style and dampens, through the sensitivity of the protective water element-any actions he would like to take! Given that Mars is well-supported by other planets in water signs, this time need not be frustrating… more akin to learning to abide; to consider carefully the feelings of others, and then act with more empathy and compassion…

The second most important event is the shift of the lunar Nodes from being in Aries and Libra, to now residing in Pisces and Virgo…

This 18 month shift began on the 11th… and stays with us through most of 2026, when another shift happens and the nodes move to Aquarius and Leo…

As i see it, this is a hopeful shift in many ways… We move away for the emphasis on the individual, on “me, my, and mine” that can characterize Aries, and there is a move away from Libra’s indecisiveness, or reticence to act justly or fairly because “people will talk” or that the fear of social criticism could be burdensome and overwhelming…

To aid in our understanding, here are some salient points given to us by the astrological group, astrobutterfly who takes on the definitions and expectations of this lunar shift in these words: They write:

“Lunar Nodes transits are very important. The Nodes spend 18 months in a pair of signs, bringing into focus the “unfinished business” or lessons that need to be addressed within those signs. The role of the Nodes is to rebalance what has become misaligned – they act as karmic recalibrators, helping us restore equilibrium.

The North Node amplifies; it lifts us up and propels us forward, pushing us to explore uncharted territory and grow.

The South Node distills; it pares down to the essence, asking us to release what’s been accumulated.

So, what can we expect from the North Node in Pisces and the South Node in Virgo? How will this new axis challenge us to recalibrate our focus and find balance?

… When the North Node is in Pisces, we’re encouraged to take those mindless strolls into the unknown. To let our imagination seduce us and lead us to places we could never have dreamed of.

The beauty of the Nodes is their balance. This search for meaning is not just ‘just another dream’. The South Node in Virgo’s practicality will ground this journey, reminding us to build stepping stones over the water so that we can actually reach those mystical destinations.

In Virgo, the South Node’s focus will be to clear up the path so we can actually make progress and navigate effectively. The South Node is also a point where we can easily get stuck. So with the South Node in Virgo, it’s important to recognize those areas where we’re pedantic or overly fixated on doing things “the right way” just because it’s the way they’ve always been done.

At its worst, South Node in Virgo is OCD – concerned more with “preserving procedures” than finding actual solutions. At its best, it’s about being smart, adaptable, and practical, coming up with solutions and fixes that solve real-world problems.

Animated by a new Piscean vision, the South Node in Virgo’s role is to adjust the systems and routines in our everyday lives and make the necessary changes to accommodate the higher purpose and dreams inspired by the North Node in Pisces.

… The South Node in Virgo is about achieving maximum efficiency with minimal effort. This isn’t about being lazy – it’s about being smart and productive. It’s about tuning into our bodies, adapting to our unique circumstances, and doing what truly makes sense for us.

Whatever these changes mean will vary for each person. However, with the South Node in Virgo, we’re likely to see shifts in how we run our lives and operate on a day-to-day basis.

With the South Node in Virgo, our lifestyle will need to align with and support our newly awakened Piscean dream. We will become smarter in how we navigate everyday life, learning to focus on what truly matters and letting go of what doesn’t.