Full Moon in Aries: We Are At War
Welcome to October. Libra season is here and oh how the Justice card energy is coming through. We have huge invitations this month, incredible opportunities to rebalance the scales of justice that have been far too imbalanced for far too long. The recent loss of Ruth Bader Ginsberg and this week’s travesty of a "debate" are only the latest casualties in the collapse of institutions that were supposed to safeguard our democratic ideals. And yet, even as I fear for the future of American democracy, I know that "democracy" is an almost laughable term to apply to a country founded on genocide and slavery and class warfare.
Today: we are still experiencing genocide, slavery, and class warfare. And this week, just in case it wasn’t entirely clear before, the most powerful man in the nation demonstrated his allegiance to white supremacy and threatened to refuse to abdicate power on national television.
I myself chose not to watch the "debate," after considering what it was likely to do to my mental and emotional state. And after seeing what it did to Trevor Noah, I have zero regrets. Because the thing is, that 90-minute assault was simply a concentrated version of the last four years.
We are at war.
I have resisted using this statement because I didn’t want to be alarmist, or cheapen the experiences of people who are currently experiencing the physical violence of war. But also: for Black people, for indigenous people, for incarcerated people, for undocumented people, for sex workers, for unhoused people, the terror of state violence is constant, and also nothing new. Since its inception, this country has systematically attempted to eradicate and/or repress differences that its elites found threatening. In fancy academic speak this phenomenon is sometimes referred to as "necropolitics": the marking of certain bodies for death (social or literal).
Deck: Next World Tarot by Cristy C. Road
We know that the system has always been rigged. But we’ve also seen beautiful, powerful social movements that challenged the status quo and demanded rights for those who had been excluded. And we’ve seen backlash against those movements — we are currently deep in the backlash. We are both facing an unprecedented moment in history and experiencing a familiar cycle that has repeated itself innumerable times. Michel Foucault taught us that "where there is power, there is resistance." The question we need to ask ourselves now is: what are we willing to fight for?
Tonight’s full moon in Aries illuminates the depths of our fire, our life force, our demands to exist unapologetically in the world. Ruled by Mars, the god of war, Aries is known for its quick temper but equally important to remember is its sheer energy and will. Imagine Aries as a newborn infant, screaming for the first time. What depths of feeling can you access, what hidden flame, what inner force? Many of us have been taught to control our tempers, temper our emotions, be quieter and take up less space.
The full moon in Aries says: FUCK. THAT. NOISE. You are here on this planet and you deserve to take up space, to make your voice heard, to make your will known.
I mean, Donald Trump already got the memo. He has no problem screaming at us. Maybe we need to scream back.
No, I’m not suggesting that we engage him at his level. A lowest-common-denominator pissing match is not what we need. But I do think that the time has come to take a deep breath and make your voice heard. To your elected officials. To your neighbors. To your family. To your coworkers. To your followers. To anyone and everyone who will listen, and to some who won’t.
At this point, you’re probably feeling some combination of the following: anxiety, guilt, fear, discomfort.
Of course you are. So am I. Because the idea of screaming at the top of our lungs is terrifying. So is the idea of taking up space, of demanding things from other people, of not shutting up, of alienating friends and family, of being perceived as obnoxious. Not to mention a second set of fears: What if I say the wrong thing? What if I make a mistake and inadvertently cause harm?
Two things: First, by not speaking out, you are already causing harm. What you’re afraid of is not the harm itself, it’s that someone might get upset with you. We need to figure out how to not let our own fragility stop us from doing anything. We have a choice: we can sit back, do nothing, and hope that our privilege will protect us. Or we can try, make mistakes, learn, and keep trying. (I’ve written more about this here and here.)
Deck: Next World Tarot
Second, it’s okay to be afraid. Fear is a natural emotion. We all have it. And right now, it’s extra appropriate. The question is: what do we do with our fear? Do we let our fear overpower our will, our truth, our struggle for justice? Or do we acknowledge our fears, allow them to be there, and then act anyway?
As Audre Lorde put it, "When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid."
The theme for this month is the Five of Swords. We are feeling defeated, betrayed, burned out, maybe even hopeless. But this card reminds us that while these feelings are valid, they are also temporary. We are only halfway through our journey from Ace to Ten, after all. There is still work to do. Cristy C. Road writes that the Five of Swords is "a symbol of resistance and a symbol of survival amidst an uncompromising, anti-earth society." Represented by a figure holding a microscope and a flowering plant, this card reminds us that we have the tools to survive — and that each of us has a part to play within a larger cycle of life and death. "The 5 of Swords asks you to walk the path of respect and humanity. This may cause you to lose your family, your friends, and your community if they stand for racism, transphobia, ableism or whatever value system challenges your safety. The 5 of Swords asks you to challenge stability in order to find safety."
Deck: Next World Tarot
Our task this month is The Hierophant, also known as The Messenger in Next World Tarot. This card asks us to challenge inherited belief systems, including the belief that we can’t make a difference, that we are not powerful enough, or strong enough, or smart enough. Contrary to what we’ve been told, you don’t have to have a fancy title or position to become a powerful voice for change. In this card, a woman of color stands on a podium, addressing a crowd of people at a rally. This version of leadership is not about ego or personal advancement; it’s simply about saying what needs to be said. What is stopping you from stepping up to your own podium? What messages are you uniquely poised to offer, to which crowds? "The Messenger asks you to lead by offering truth, and elevating the voices of the unheard."
Deck: Neo Tarot by Jerico Mandybur; art by Daiana Ruiz
Our guide on this journey is The Hermit. In order to speak out, we need to do our own inner work. Before we figure out the what, we need to really dig deep into the why. Each of us needs to discover what truly motivates us — beyond fear, beyond guilt, beyond acts of performative allyship. The Hermit’s lantern symbolizes our unique inner light that shows us our path. Yours will look different from mine, so it’s no use comparing yourself to anyone else. This is a path into the dark that each of us walks alone. But once you tap into that deep inner sense of knowing, the way will become clearer. In Neo Tarot, the Hermit is depicted as a figure carrying a bright torch as they tiptoe through a night sky filled with stars. The light of their lantern connects them to the energy of the universe, reminding us that even in when we’re alone, we remain connected to something bigger.
Jerico Mandybur writes about The Hermit, "It takes a certain solitude to be able to tap into the light inside us — to realize the answers that we sought were already within."
It’s time to stop looking for answers outside yourself, and try looking inward instead. Embodying the Hermit means "contemplating your soul’s purpose so you can better understand humanity and your place in it."
Full Moon blessings.