Tuesday’s Supermoon Kicks Off a New 8-Year Cycle of Healing—Here’s What’s in the Stars for You
First, let's discuss the full moon itself, which is taking place on Tuesday, February 19, at 10:53 a.m. Eastern. You might find that this one feels extra powerful because it's a supermoon—the biggest and brightest one of the year. "A full moon happens whenever the earth crosses between the sun and the moon. A full moon becomes a supermoon when the moon is super close to Earth, the closest it can be within its orbit," explains astrologer Virginia Mason Richardson. "Because the moon is closer, it appears larger and more beautiful than usual. In theory, we may feel the effects of a supermoon more than a typical full moon simply because of its proximity to Earth."
This particular full moon is happening in Virgo, the sign associated with practicality, perfectionism, and health-consciousness. Since full moons are a time of wish fulfillment, celebration, and release, you may find that you're experiencing some sort of culmination in the Virgo-associated areas of your life. But that's not all, says Richardson—there's tons of cosmic activity happening this week besides the full moon.
"On February 18, the sun enters Pisces, and Chiron enters Aries," she says. "And on the day of the supermoon, Mercury enters its retrograde shadow as it conjuncts Neptune in Pisces, while Venus conjuncts Saturn in Capricorn, and Nessus conjuncts Vesta in Pisces. In short, a lot is going on, and this supermoon will affect us on many levels."
Say what? That's a lot to unpack, but thankfully, Richardson's here to break down the ways that all of these planetary meet-ups might affect you.
Here's what to expect from the game-changing full moon in February 2019.
1. You might see some hard-earned manifestations coming to life
Whatever arose for you during last month's big-deal full moon may come back for a repeat appearance this week, says Richardson. "While this is technically a Virgo supermoon, it’s happening right on the cusp of Leo. So it’s really more of a Virgo/Leo supermoon, blending the energy of the two signs while the sun blends the energy of Pisces and Aquarius," she says. (Remember, the day before the supermoon, the sun will be making its transit from community-minded Aquarius to creative, intuitive Pisces.) "Energetically, this takes us back to the two-year Aquarius/Leo eclipse cycle that just finished on January 21. Reflect back. Things that started to come to fruition then are likely to manifest in tangible ways now."
2. Your focus may shift to self-healing
Another important aspect of the full moon in February involves Chiron, a VIP comet that's referred to as the "wounded healer." It's associated with the areas of our lives where we have the potential to heal based on our own wounds and traumas. On the day before the supermoon, Chiron will make its way from Pisces, where it's been hanging out since February 2011, into Aries. "Chiron has been moving through Pisces, healing our spirituality and our understanding of universal love and oneness," explains Richardson. "On February 18, Chiron moves into Aries, and we dive deep into an [eight]-year journey of healing ourselves as individuals."
As Chiron makes its transit, she adds, you may receive guidance from the universe about your healing path or higher purpose. "The overarching message for this shift is: Star-powered ideas are born in oneness. We receive them by being at peace with oneness," says Richardson. "And only once we are at peace with oneness can we truly be at peace with ourselves, can we find the courage to step into who we truly are and realize just how much we belong here. How much we have a place in this world."
3. You could feel a little psychic
On the day of the supermoon, Mercury and Neptune connect at the same point in the sky—in Pisces, specifically. "Mercury and Neptune in Pisces heightens intuition and opens you to receiving powerful messages from the universe," explains Richardson. "Pay attention to your dreams and what your gut is telling you. Even if you’re not normally the most intuitive, we’ll all get a big psychic boost."
Richardson recommends asking for guidance from your dreams on the nights of February 18 and 19, and then writing down what you remember when you wake up. But don't rush to act on any downloads you receive. "Because this is the start of the retrograde shadow, things might not be as they appear," the astrologer says. "You likely won’t fully understand this message until March 28 [when Mercury retrograde ends]."
4. You may feel stressed about your love life
Mercury and Neptune aren't the only cosmic coupling to coincide with the full moon. Venus and Saturn, too, will be linking up, although they'll be doing so in Capricorn, a sign associated with commitment, ambition, and structure. "Venus and Saturn bring an uncomfortable lesson with this supermoon," Richardson says. "You might feel like you’re not getting everything you want out of your relationships or work. But really, this isn’t news. This is old stuff that you’re being asked to look at again, and instead of getting angsty about it, you're being asked to feel grateful."
Richardson suggests meditation, yin yoga, shamanic journeying, or intuitive healing to deal with any feelings that may come up. "Mars in Taurus plus the Pisces sun make meditation especially productive through March 19," she adds.
5. You could confront issues of safety
The last cosmic event to coincide with the full moon in February involves two asteroids, Nessus and Vesta, which will also be crossing paths in Pisces. "Nessus and Vesta help you understand ways in which you haven’t felt safe in your body or safe expressing your spirituality," says Richardson. "This forces the question: How has the fire within you been squelched by hands unworthy of squelching it?" Only by meditating on this and grieving it can you move on, she says—and now is the time to do so. As Richardson puts it: "It’s time to fan your own flames."
Bottom line: It's time to make peace with your pain in order to rise
We'll be feeling the effects of all this activity for quite a while, says Richardson—most intensely until the March 6 new moon in Pisces, but also through March's upcoming Mercury retrograde cycle and throughout Chiron's jaunt through Aries, which doesn't end until 2027(!). Her advice for navigating the changes that are bound to occur? "On this full moon, as air, water, earth, and fire combine to help you receive all the information, you will see how you can shape the world. How you’re always shaping it. Change is the only constant. And when you combine your spiritual awareness with otherworldly ideas, you become a leader, and you create real, tangible change here on Earth." Sounds like a good time to finally start that women's circle, doesn't it?
If your head's spinning with all this astro lingo, this glossary of zodiac terms will bring you up to speed. And here's a playlist to help you survive Mercury retrograde, which officially starts on March 5.
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