Happy spring semester — and what better way to start it off than with a full moon?! That’s right, on Mon. Jan. 17 at 4:48 p.m. MT, we have our first full moon of 2022, this one taking place in the nostalgic water sign Cancer.
For those who have not read my super informative and slightly cheeky guide to new and full moons, here’s a succinct refresher: Full moons mark the apex point in the 28-day lunar cycle when you decide to keep on trucking towards the intentions set on the new moon, or you call it quits. Now, because Cancer sticks to things better than Flex Seal tape, letting go of the past and calling it quits might not be so easy.
In astrology, the moon rules our emotions and imagination, and Cancer is a deeply emotional, sensitive and sentimental sign. With this moon full in the water sign, it’s likely that our emotions and imaginations will run high, causing a few of us to howl, yip, cry or bark like the wolves of yore. (And that’s no coincidence: Monday’s full moon is called the Wolf Moon, so-named by Native American tribes because during this moon wolves could be heard howling. The more you know, right?)
Anyway, since Cancer is also all about security, it’s a good idea to chill out and focus on all those little things from the past that make you feel warm and cuddly inside and out. (That way, you can avoid a blubbering breakdown, since there could be lots of that going on, or not. Depends on you.)
Of course, there’s plenty more about the 2022 Cancer full moon worth knowing, so here is a detailed list of everything you need to know about the 2022 lunation.
1. Most of the time, nothing happens on the Full Moon
Sounds bizarre, but much of the action happens five days leading up to and away from a full moon (astrology is weird like that). And it’s actually on the day of the lunation that we have a moment of clarity and maybe some serenity because the moon has reached the peak of its cycle. (In other words, we freak out before — not on — the full moon. Cool, huh?) So, if you haven’t noticed any major emotional/personal shifts on the day of the full moon, it could be that they just happen late. Or they don’t happen at all. That happens too. Or doesn’t. You get the idea…
2. The past and present could merge
Since Venus and Mercury are retrograde — and both planetary transits are notorious for bringing back issues/people from yesteryear. Cancer is the sign most connected to the past, so this full moon is going to have you swimming in nostalgia. Maybe this means you recall precious memories about your family, your childhood home or a past love. Or maybe that past love decides to DM you on IG so you two can “catch up.” Either way, some part of your past will resurface. Which means you may have to actually face that resurfaced part of the past. But hey, no one said full moons were easy…
3. Uranus is about to station direct
The planet of independence and rebellion is nearly out of its six-month-long retrograde phase. That means any frustration or restlessness you’ve been feeling over the past year and half is about to subside. This is awesome news if you’re looking to shed some bad habits or make major changes on this Cancer full moon. Of course, since the planet is technically still in retrograde, it might be smarter just to do some loose planning about those major changes instead of actually majorly changing anything. Oh, and keep in mind: Uranus can sometimes lead us to act impulsively. So yeah, try not to do that…
4. Pluto is also making moves
That’s right, the Sun and Moon are not the only planetary bodies aligning this full moon. Pluto, the planet of transformation and regeneration, is pushing us to consider making drastic alterations to our lives. And since the outer planet is currently transiting stable earth sign Capricorn, you can feel confident that any changes in the making will have some grit and grip to them. However — and this bears repeating — since there are so many retrograde planets (and nothing started during a retrograde cycle lasts), it’‘s best not to act on any major renovation plans just yet. Think of this full moon as more of a research/planning day…
5. Not all signs will feel this full moon
Most signs will feel the effects of the 2022 Cancer full moon, but there are a select few that will really feel the effects of this full moon. Cardinal signs Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn may experience a metaphorical club to the head from this full moon, especially in regards to their partnerships, career, home and family or identity. So, if you’re one of those four signs, or if your Rising sign is in one of those four signs, take extra care of yourself and make darn sure you don’t make any major revisions to your life just yet. Save that s— for the next full moon…