This year brings us a true blue Full Moon in Capricorn on July 21, the rare occasion of a second Full Moon in a zodiac sign—and it’s likely to rub up some unexpected emotional snags. Mid-July was filled with erratic energy, and many of us will have experienced sudden shifts in trajectory. But this lunation wants us to explore if there are any parts of us not quite ready to make sudden changes. Yet, if we somehow made it this far in July without disruptions, the emotional high tide of this Full Moon is likely to correlate to old hurts welling up out of the past, perhaps quite by surprise.
The Sun’s path through Leo (July 22 – August 22) encourages us to trust in our own freedom of choice (and to accept responsibility for those choices), and to strive for clarity on what is ours to tend. This could be quite challenging, as many of us will experience competing demands on our attention with Mars traversing the sign of the twins, Gemini, from July 20 through September 4.
We may find both our minds and our energy a bit scattered by many interests and pursuits, which could be at turns exciting and overwhelming. The ruler of Gemini, that eternal trickster Mercury, will make their second retrograde of the year at this time. This is sure to add some confusion with communications or information, though we could also work with this influence to reflect deeply on our creativity and productivity to great effect.
Mental Mercury in retrograde motion will also join up with beautiful Venus to make a stressful square aspect to rebellious Uranus, signaling a continued sorting out of our obligations and how we spend our time with others both for love and for money. The half-animal, half-human Chiron, symbolic of the human condition suspended between the material and spirit realms, is stationing to turn retrograde (July 26), bringing his emphasis on the unhealed wounds of self-reflective consciousness. The true blue Capricorn Full Moon, and the period following on it, can open a door to finally acknowledging and voicing what has been repressed in us for too long.
True Blue Moon: Second Full Moon in Capricorn
A true blue moon happens only every 2.7 years when two Full Moons occur in the same zodiac sign, as opposed to the “blue moon” occurring in the same calendar month. On July 21, the Moon will rise round and full in the hardworking, dedicated sign of Capricorn, reaching her maximum fullness at 3:17 a.m. US/Pacific. If the unpredictable, shockingly rebellious conjunction of Mars and Uranus (exact July 14) has shaken anything loose in our lives, this Full Moon is quite likely to stimulate resistance to change, both within us and outside of us.
Whatever parts of us are not ready for a sudden turn of events will be clamoring for our attention and care, and it will be an act of service to ourselves and everything we feel obligated to, to summon the capacity for vulnerability. It may be a tall order for some of us to recognize and act upon our own deepest needs, while holding our hearts open to the very real needs of those for whom we care and to whom we are legitimately obligated.
Some of our tenderness emanates from the asteroid Chiron making a strong aspect to this Full Moon, bringing with it the paradox of humanity’s animalistic bodily needs versus its rational and spiritual aspirations. How can we hold these essential components of being human in their right and fitting places? The inexorable march of Pluto’s irreversible change is also supercharging this lunation, bringing to the surface things we thought we had left behind, echoes of the past with tenacious roots buried into this hinge in time.
As we contemplate what it means to open and walk through the door hanging on the hinge of the true blue Capricorn Moon, we may be jarringly reminded that the greater part of our vitality lies hidden in the unconscious depths of the Soul. The Chickasaw poet and novelist Linda Hogan, herself born with Chiron square Pluto, offers us a poignant observation: “Some people see scars, and it is wounding they remember. To me they are proof of the fact that there is healing.”
Sun in Leo
Sun Opposite Pluto
Sun Trine Neptune
For many of us, these skies will provide an urgent act of renewal should we move to free our hidden vitality from any limiting structures that have so far shaped our path through life. Those structures could be jobs, relationships, goals, emotional or thought patterns which run counter to our unfolding life path.
What a joy it is to be free! What a joy to find our sovereignty, which is to say, our ability to act from the center of our being. Of course, responsibility is the traveling companion of freedom, and the Sun’s journey through the generous, lion-hearted sign of Leo (July 22 – August 22) supports any quest for understanding that, for the adult in us, there is no actual contradiction between freedom and responsibility. Limitations are an integral part of creativity, but we may need to reexamine our borders. The Leonine Sun can help us generate much clearer definitions of the boundaries we must tend to, and the accountabilities we keep.
The Sun’s opposition to Pluto (exact July 22), which is a part of this Full Moon, means we may yet pass through some obstacles along the way, which will test our resolve and our ability to remain clear about and focused on what’s important. A simultaneous supportive trine from Neptune (exact July 21) can also indicate a divine spark of inspiration or intuition, or at least a willingness to reimagine the situation in which we may find ourselves.
Mars Sextile Neptune
Mars Trine Pluto
Mars Into Gemini
Mars’ lively energy will get a boost from its trine to the empowering Pluto (exact July 21), but may also become a bit scattered and multidirectional with its entry into multitasking Gemini (July 20 – September 4). In some ways, Mars in Gemini could provide a glimpse into the multiple ways our mission(s) in life could manifest, and give us a taste of the different possibilities for directing our finite life energy in advance of the upcoming Mars retrograde in Cancer and Leo (October 2024 – May 2025). It will be good to track various inspirations and inklings of pursuits which emerge through Mars in Gemini, because Mars’ turn backwards will mean we shouldn’t get too attached to the trajectory we’re on come October or November. Paying attention to multiple possibilities—and anything problematic with them—over the next two months could help us negotiate with the Goddess of Slowing Down, which Mars retrograde seems to invoke.
Mercury Conjunct Venus Square Uranus
Mercury Trine Chiron
Mercury Retrograde
In the vein of slowing down, this year’s second Mercury retrograde period is now upon us, as the cosmic trickster has already entered the degrees of the zodiac that they will retrace after stationing retrograde on August 4. Perhaps the true blue Capricorn Full Moon will be the opening salvo of Mercury’s insistence that we express our vulnerability or display our true selves.
Communicative Mercury will dip into their home sign of virtuous Virgo on July 25 before returning to demonstrative Leo on August 14, where they will station direct on August 28. Both Leo and Virgo have a deeply creative, often artistic flair, and for all who wrestle with their creativity or find themselves in a transition with the nature of their productivity, this Mercury retrograde period may prove incredibly supportive of innovation and fresh insight. Mercury will have a persistent and dynamic square aspect to the planet of revelation, Uranus (exact July 21, August 18, September 6), which can provide such sudden flashes of genius, as well as unexpected news.
The mind of Mercury will also make a conjunction to Venus, the planet of harmony, and what some say makes the cosmos intelligible to us at all: beauty. Venus and Mercury meet up in Gemini while Mercury is moving backwards on August 7, bringing an emphasis to the quality of our communications. These two will tangle with changemaker Uranus, and we may experience a great deal of uncertainty around our intimate, business, or friend relationships. Do we want to break off relations entirely? Do we want to renegotiate the terms of some relationships? Do we suddenly want to restore and repair a relationship that seemed hopeless? This influence could also represent a check-in around our sources of income.
With wounded healer Chiron in the mix, himself stationing retrograde on July 26 in Mars’ fiery sign of Aries, it will be on us to take ownership of our own feelings about such matters. It will be far more productive to focus on understanding any distortions within our own spirit that are ripe for reorganization or shedding, rather than impulsively hurting others as we have been hurt. In exploring our own incongruence, we may discover a false self that is covering our more authentic self. Such a revelation could in fact move us a little bit farther beyond the scars of old wounds to access the power of the healing that has already happened, maybe when we weren’t even looking.
Mercury Retrograde Key Dates
Second Full Moon in Capricorn by Moon Sign
The Moon represents who we are before we even think about who we are. She represents our instinctual self, and she describes our deepest vulnerabilities, as well as our most profound capacity to connect with others. Full Moons amplify energy and emotions, and this one may elicit a full acknowledgement of our own deepest needs with an unflinching discernment of our true obligations and accountabilities.
Let’s see how the True Blue Full Moon in Capricorn impacts your own Moon placement!
Aries Moon
You may be surprised (but also not at all surprised) by the revelations which occur under the true blue Capricorn Full Moon. You may have seen this building, but now that the whole picture is in clear focus, it will be important to know your limits, Aries Moon. Don’t go it alone; accept some help—there are people rooting for you!
Taurus Moon
You may be feeling the stress and the strain of recent events, as the true blue Full Moon in Capricorn illuminates vulnerabilities you either did not know about, or which are taking on new and perhaps disturbing shapes. There is grace here for you, Taurus Moon, and though it may feel hard to rise to the occasion, let gentleness, clemency, and compassion bring you clarity.
Gemini Moon
This lunation may bring a mixture of setbacks and successes, Gemini Moon, and it may be hard to decide which category deserves your focus. The true blue Capricorn Full Moon gives you a chance to lean into any troubles you have with self-confidence or with belief in your own power. Consider this a special opportunity to make a stronger connection to your hopes for the future.
Cancer Moon
Deep powers are moving through you under these skies, Cancer Moon. The possibility of a total revamp of your relational style, or perhaps your public self-image, is contained within the true blue Capricorn Full Moon. Yet it’s up to you to define the roles or responsibilities you want to take on.
Leo Moon
Is something cramping your style, Leo Moon? Or, are you having trouble fully adopting a new way of showing your heart in public? Let the true blue Capricorn Full Moon bring any misgivings or doubts to full awareness, so you can be a good judge of what stays and what must go.
Virgo Moon
The true blue Capricorn Full Moon has the spotlight on your capabilities, Virgo Moon, so pay attention to the part of you that is trying so hard to let you know you’re doing a great job. It would help to cut yourself some slack because trying to be more helpful than you already are is likely to set you back.
Libra Moon
The last vestiges of ancient karma are burning away under this lunation, Libra Moon. Half the battle may be just letting the true blue Full Moon in Capricorn illuminate a much greater range of motion than you used to have. Even if it has been a very difficult sudden turn of events lately, don’t self-sabotage by unconsciously moving in the same old ruts—there are new paths right under your feet!
Scorpio Moon
The nature of reciprocity seems to be in the spotlight of the true blue Full Moon in Capricorn, and you may need to sort through how much weight you or your collaborators are carrying. Be wary of overcompensating for imbalances, Scorpio Moon—it seems more promising to be honest about how much each can offer, rather than trying to shift the burden too far in the other direction.
Sagittarius Moon
The true blue Full Moon in Capricorn may carry a little sting with it, as some major relationships may seem to end. Whether it is actually the ending, or just a deep transformation, Sag Moon, just know that this can represent a major step towards having healthier and deeper relationships overall.
Capricorn Moon
The True Blue Moon of 2024 has blessed your sign, Capricorn Moon! This lunation is pointing towards an expansion of creativity, and perhaps some openings in the sphere of intimacy. Fully feel any tensions between desire for freedom or expansion, and the time it may take to realize your goals or potentials. This can teach you so much about the manifestation powers of an open heart.
Aquarius Moon
This lunation seems to be a reminder that there’s still work to be done, Aquarius Moon. Now is not the time to rest and let things run their course. The true blue Capricorn Full Moon would like you to keep pushing for what you think is right, and kick those tired old habitual thought patterns to the curb.
Pisces Moon
You may be lugging around some self-image or ideas about yourself, which simply are not true about you, Pisces Moon. These likely came in from family, whether immediate relations or more distant ancestral ties, and the true blue Full Moon in Capricorn would love to give you greater self-esteem. It’s a good time to say thank you and goodbye to such falsehoods.
