CANCER FULL MOON

Greetings friends,

Before I get into this full-moon discussion, I want to discuss a bit about how Seventeen Degrees is evolving alongside me. If you’ve been around for a bit, you’ve been here for the waves of inconsistency that this previous year has had me in; each time I’ve felt as if I have things back under control, yet another life experience sends me for a loop, and I am shaken from routine. To be transparent, the weight of the pressure that I’ve put on myself to write in the past several months has felt crushing and has taken a bit of a toll on my mental health. I’ve been trying to work in the same ways that I did before all of the transformative experiences that 2024 facilitated for me—writing in the same way and with the same volume—and I’ve been recognizing that if I want this to be sustainable for my work-life balance, something I can be consistent with, and also more supportive of the other projects I’d like to actualize, I need to make some changes. I’m going to be making things a bit shorter and sweeter from now on, more specifically in the weekly issues; I used to have a lot more time to write and write and write, and because astrology and writing are my biggest passions, it was sustainable for a season. The wisdom of astrology is something I will never stop sharing, but I’ve been acknowledging that I need to establish clearer and stronger boundaries with myself so that I can conserve my energy for other things as well (including some projects that I’m very excited to share with you in the coming months!).

If I am fully transparent, there is a soft but present fear that sits in the back of my mind, probing me to wonder whether or not people will still want to stay if I change things a bit. I struggle to expand beyond what I know works sometimes, but we are in a new era, under a new Plutonian archetype, and just like the world around us, I am always changing. I am truly excited to see this community grow even more, and I am feeling energized and inspired to create again, especially knowing that I will have more time and energy to invest in other things.

This past year has taught me so much about attachment and surrender—how letting go sets you free and grants you access to a divine and enlightened frequency. Slowly, one by one, the things and people I placed my sense of security in were pulled from my grasp, but I have now reached a place where I’m practicing the art of letting it go before it has to be taken from me. And so, the reconfiguration of my newsletter is exactly that—I’m letting go of what I think it “has” to be and am devoting myself to a more potent, authentic approach. I hope you can understand and appreciate the changes that will be made in the coming weeks as I figure out what the new normal looks like, and I hope that my astrological insights and personal anecdotes continue to support you for as long as you feel aligned with me. Whether you’re here for a while, for a moment, or forever, I am happy our paths crossed, and I love you so very much.

xx, Aspen

HERE’S THE BIG PICTURE

This moon will likely feel resonant through the remainder of Capricorn season, as Mars and the sun will continue to oppose each other until January 19th, which will also be when Venus fades away from its square to Jupiter and conjoins Saturn, both of which are significant influences in this moon’s formation. This moon may feel confrontational emotionally, as the moon is joined by Mars retrograde, which re-entered Cancer at the beginning of January, but it’s an initiation into a new healing journey for some, as it is the first under the influence of the North Node in Pisces and the South Node in Virgo. This new nodal cycle will last through July 2026 and intends to help us become more surrendered, spiritually aware, and intuitive, directing our awareness to the grander picture that is our spiritual development. The full moon in Cancer is an annual check-in with our inner child, foundational beliefs, and interior structures, and considering it is participating in a formation called “the cradle,” there is a deeply prominent reference to childhood, how we nurture, and how we need to be nurtured through this moon, but considering Mars retrograde is conjunct the moon and, by default, opposite the sun, we may be feeling left out in the cold and are being asked to be more self-reliant than we’d like to be.

Wounds that were created due to our caregivers’ actions or how we were nurtured (or not nurtured) as a child may be revealed through this full moon, and in the tone of the cradle, we may have to face the fact that we cannot innocently turn a blind eye to these wounds forever—there reaches a point where we must acknowledge that no one is going to save us, and we must take our own hand to lead ourselves down the path of healing. We may be facing the harsh reality that our parents did not give us some of the tools that others received from theirs, whether this applies to physical life skills, emotional regulation, the ability to communicate openly, or something else entirely. We may find ourselves more prone to pouting about these injustices due to Mars’s influence, but the moon awaits our fit to be over to remind us that the responsibility of parenting ourselves isn’t going anywhere, no matter how unfair we may feel it is that some have it easier than we do (or at least that’s what we may tell ourselves). This moon is about scooping yourself up and carrying yourself to safety and is a reminder that you cannot rely on others to regulate your emotions or parent your unhealed inner child for you—you must do it yourself.

This moon feels like the realization that, while you were once held by a parent or caregiver often, there was a moment when you were put down and never picked up again. It’s the realization that you’re 26 and have to get your own insurance now. It’s the bittersweet awareness that thousands of miles now separate you and your dad when you used to so habitually call his name from across the house because you were too lazy to go find him. It’s the question of, “How old was I when I stopped feeling like a child?” The answer to that will vary from person to person, but we all eventually reach this point where the answer is irrelevant—we are here now, and the child within us begs for attention, love, and direction.

While you may be facing frustration through this moon and may want to fixate on how your parents handicapped you in adult life by not parenting you in all the ways you needed as a child, we’re reminded through the new nodal cycle that we cannot look back on the past with excessive criticism and judgment—it’s unproductive. We can look to the past to inform us about what we may want to change for the future, but fixating on the past will not change it. This moon encourages us to identify what lies beneath the short temper, emotional outbursts, frustration, anger, impatience, or other hot feelings—while we may be feeling aggressive or irritable externally, this is merely the face of the child within us asking to be seen and heard. Perhaps you are facing themes of motherhood, parenting, and nurturing in ways that cause frustration—having to parent your parent and care for them in a way they didn’t for you, having to “be the bigger person” in scenarios where you feel you shouldn’t have to, or addressing the complexity of your relationship with a parent are all potential experiences. We may find ourselves facing attachment wounds due to someone else’s actions—maybe you relied more on the emotional security they provided you than you realized, and you’re now feeling abandoned and are angry at them for leaving you. Or perhaps you’re addressing things from the other side—maybe you typically take on a parental role for others but have, at last, chosen to parent yourself, which could mean you’ve had to leave someone behind and are confronting guilt and feel responsible for their feelings.

This moon reminds us that, regardless of the unique situation we find ourselves in, there are many moments in life where we must choose ourselves and our own well-being first, which may have others feeling abandoned by us. We must do what is best for us, even if it is met with bitterness. This moon does not advocate for self-isolation and a stubborn “I can do it myself” mentality, but it does encourage us to be responsible for our needs, emotional well-being, and overall sense of safety. It reminds us that if we find ourselves choosing to parent someone else, whether that’s a friend, lover, parent, sibling, or stranger, we can’t become passive-aggressive when we’ve knowingly submitted ourselves into that role—we can’t play innocent; we must be responsible for ourselves and be conscious of what we can realistically provide others.

This is the other interesting thing in this moon—we must stand by our decisions, as they set and maintain our boundaries! There may be uncomfortable conversations coming up that involve big feelings from both sides—whether you choose to have it or not is up to you, but this is an invitation for us to have courage and share what is best for us, even if it does not leave the other party feeling satisfied. You cannot please everyone, and what makes perfect sense for your well-being may be deeply confusing and illogical to others. And while you can offer someone an explanation to be courteous, you aren’t obligated to give them one. We all encounter difficulty in life, and while we may want to protect someone from pain, doing so is not always sustainable or nourishing for ourselves. Sometimes what is best for us feels like the worst thing ever for someone else, but with time and an open heart, they will realize that it was ultimately the best thing for them too.

With this moon, I encourage you to stay hydrated, prioritize nourishing foods, wash your sheets, get some time outside, and give yourself a moment to observe your inner world so you might identify what needs more attentive care. This can be a lovely time to reconnect with the child within ourselves so we might heal the wounds that are restricting us from finding more emotional freedom, closer relational bonds, stronger inner security, and a more open heart. When we choose to be accountable for our emotional security and it is no longer dependent on external circumstances or other people, we give ourselves permission to love bigger, feel deeper, and experience a more complex and soul-enriching form of love. Love that is not controlling, dependent, or hungry. Love that is present, raw, and celebrates true vulnerability.

Happy full moon. And if no one has told you today, I love you. xx

JOIN THE MOON CIRCLE

If you’re interested in reading a more detailed analysis of this full moon and want to receive the journaling prompts and mindfulness practice that I designed with this full moon in mind, you can join the Moon Circle through the button below. By joining the moon circle, in every moon newsletter you will receive:

• Detailed discussion of additional planetary influences and any prominent aspects that will be active during the lunation

• Manifestation practices, release rituals, journaling prompts, and other moon-related offerings

• Description of what it means if the new or full moon is contacting your sun, moon, ascendant, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Chiron, Lilith, North Node, or South Node

1:1 READINGS — THE PLANETS ARE TALKING! MEET WITH ME TO DECODE THEIR MESSAGES

We are entering a very turbulent astrological time—March specifically is going to be the BUSIEST month of this year, with a lot of contact to the North Node, a Venus retrograde, a Mercury retrograde, and eclipse season. Woo! With all of that being said, understanding these energies and how they personally impact you can be a massive asset to your growth this year. Book with me below! I’d love to connect with you.

I also still have a few slots open for monthly 1:1 astrological coaching clients. If you’d like to hear more details on how astrological coaching can offer you monthly support curated uniquely for you and your goals, book your free discovery call! Let’s talk!

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