Challenge and adversity are meant to help you know who you are. Storms hit your weakness, but unlock your true strength.
~ Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

Moon in Capricorn, conjunct Pluto

The Moon is in its detriment in Capricorn, meaning it has to work harder to express its essential lunar nature. The Moon's inherent energy is fluid, intuitive, sensitive and warm, whereas Capricorn is serious, detached, logical, and concerned with doing things the right way. Capricorn knows that if you want a particular result, you need to follow the recipe and avoid "colouring outside the lines," whereas the Moon is focused on the personal experience of connection that doesn't have to rely on following externally imposed rules.

That said, Capricorn's Earth element can be beneficial since it gives the Moon some structure that helps our Inner Child feel safe and protected. But that benefit tends to come with a price since our tender feeling nature must consent to staying within the bounds of certain dos and don'ts. If the edges of those expectations chafe against our Moon's need to flow freely, be accepted, or grow beyond Capricorn's containment, it can become an uncomfortable fit.

So, the Full Moon in Capricorn may require you to exercise discipline and delayed gratification – to postpone what you want in order to allow more time for what you want to develop more fully. On one hand, this Full Moon could bring out a feeling of disappointment, sadness, discontent or depression. On the up side, there is the potential to gain something better than you thought possible ...if you can be patient and wait for the situation to mature into something that will give you more of what you need.

You might experience this in your interactions with authority or those who have control over circumstances in your corner of the world. Or, you could encounter it in situations where you are the responsible person who becomes the focus for others' expectations or frustrations.

The Moon is also conjunct Pluto, which puts an intense spin on this Capricorn Moon atmosphere. Encounters with authority could be heavier than usual. Control over events and situations may be – and may need to be – extra carefully calibrated.

Pluto can also increase the need to dig deep in order to resolve problems or to pull resources together to make something positive happen. For example, if there are obstacles in your way, it may help to look behind-the-scenes to figure out what is affecting the obstruction.

So, this Full Moon in Capricorn, conjunct Pluto, may be a time when you need to confront or challenge authority patterns that have become overbearing, excessive or ineffective. You might need to find better ways to empower yourself so that you can push through resistance or inhibition. Thankfully, there are other planetary resources you can draw on to help you do this (more below).

Sun in Cancer, conjunct Mercury

When you reach the end of what you should know, you will be at the beginning of what you should sense.
~ Kahlil Gibrán, Sand and Foam

The Sun is in Cancer when the Full Moon is in Capricorn. This creates a polarity between what you're trying to build in the world (Capricorn) and the foundation you're trying to build it on and with (Cancer). That foundation works best to uphold your ambitions when it's secure, strong, nurturing, supportive and aligned with your best efforts.

When we grow up, this ideally comes from our parents and family, or if we don't get enough from them, it may come from our extended family (aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc) or other authority figures (teachers, clergy, etc). And if those people didn't fulfil our needs enough—and few of us, if any, got "enough"—then we have had to learn to give it to ourselves.

The Sun is conjunct Mercury at the Full Moon (exact on July 16), and Mercury is about awareness, thoughts, ideas and communication. Mercury and the Sun being in Cancer likely enhances your intuitive sensitivity. This can increase your creativity and receptivity to feel-good experiences. At the same time, it may also increase your moodiness, as your thoughts struggle to align with, understand and express your feelings.

The Capricorn Moon rules Cancer and therefore sends memos and instructions home to the Sun and Mercury in her sign. Since the Moon has a rather solemn to-do list that comes with consequential implications, the nurturing support supplied by the Sun and Mercury takes on an extra important role.

As a result, you may be unusually aware of what you need right now in order to achieve what you're trying to do. And perhaps you're feeling a bit concerned that you're lacking or lagging in important resources required to make your plans manifest effectively. However, any concerns you have about the quantity or quality of your "foundation" can also spark ideas about how to improve it.

Moon and Mercury Out of Bounds

Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.
~ Pablo Picasso

In addition, both the Moon and Mercury are Out of Bounds by declination – Mercury, just barely! The Moon is OOB from July 10-14, while Mercury has been OOB since July 6 and comes back In-Bounds just a few hours after the Full Moon is exact. When a planet crosses the OOB line (23:26 North or South), turbulence can sometimes occur in the "take-off" and the "landing."

A planet's energy is already a bit "out there" while it's OOB – pushing the envelope and not playing by the usual rules. When the Moon is OOB in Capricorn, our tendency may lean toward wanting to make up our own rules, to bend the standard guidelines to fit our agenda, and/or to want to get rid of all rules entirely.

With the Moon conjunct Pluto, we may be more likely to be ultra-sensitive to any attempt by others to impose heavy regulations – perhaps you might be relieved because you see this as quieting a crisis, or you might be outraged because you feel it's unjustified or excessive.

When Mercury is OOB, we're usually wondering why it feels like Mercury is retrograde! Mercury's quirky trickster mode is on the loose and playing games. This is now coming to an end, and his next retrograde cycle doesn't start until late August.

As Mercury comes back In-Bounds, he brings with him a lot of ideas, perceptions, observations and intuitive insights he gathered while OOB in Cancer (02:05 to 18:02). So, while the Moon is busy redrawing the boundary lines that indicate how much is enough vs too much, Mercury is sharing his thoughts about how we could adapt to those new boundaries and why they are or aren't a good idea.

Since the Moon and Mercury are in opposition right now, they're likely to see things from different perspectives. So, our feelings may want to push the boundaries while our thoughts look for ways to fit back into the usual boundaries.

Mercury, Pluto and Chiron

Everything is complicated if no one explains it to you.
~ Fredrik Backman, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry

Although Mercury is in orb to oppose the Moon and conjoin the Sun, it's a bit wide to consider it opposite Pluto in its own right (9:47 orb). That said, they are applying toward their own opposition that becomes exact on July 18, but for now their connection and communication need to be translated through the Sun-Moon opposition.

One meaning of this is that your intuition may be attuned to the support you need in order to make something happen, but understanding the high priority of this may be elusive. In the same way, the part of you that knows the significance of your goal, and recognizes how important it is to get the help and encouragement you need—that part of you may not know how to tap into (or how to trust) your intuitive creativity as a resource for doing that.

So, it may take a few days or longer for some the pieces to fall into place enough that you can start to see the bigger picture.

Chiron in Aries forms a T-square aspect pattern with the Sun and Moon. Chiron, known as the Wounded Healer, interjects himself into the Sun-Moon, Cancer-Capricorn debate. Chiron's message is to remind them that not all goals can be accomplished to perfection. Not all efforts will meet with 100% success. And all the encouragement and nurturing in the world may still fall short of all we need to march confidently up the mountain ahead of us.

And even if we don't reach perfection or the success we hope for or the top of the mountain, that doesn't mean we've failed. In fact, much healing and strength can be acquired by accepting that it's okay to be human and therefore fallible. Courage (Aries) is not measured in terms of a perfect result, but by whether we at least try. We have the capacity to control how we respond to a challenge, but not necessarily the outcome. Effort counts.

With an orb of just under 5 degrees, Chiron is easily in orb for this T-square pattern. But like Mercury and Pluto, there is a lack of symmetry between them and Chiron. Mercury is tightly square Chiron (1:17 orb), which can increase your awareness of what both courage and failure really mean for you. Remember that this is an opportunity to reframe what you're trying to accomplish in more realistic, human terms.

Pluto, on the other hand, is just over 11 degrees away from a square to Chiron – much too far. In fact, Chiron and Pluto don't reach that square aspect until 2028-2030 after they've moved into Taurus and Aquarius, respectively. This is a long-term process that is only just barely beginning.

The 2000s began under a Chiron-Pluto conjunction (exact on Dec. 30, 1999 at 11:22 Sagittarius). So, the square aspect that's now building will be a challenge to our collective vision of how to use authority and power in ways that heal, strengthen and advance our world without doing harm.

Uranus and Neptune Reprieve ...Sort of

Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been sober, responsible, and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious, and immature.
~ Tom Robbins

Uranus and Neptune each become the apex planet in two Wedge aspect patterns to the Sun-Moon opposition. Neptune is trine the Sun and sextile the Moon, while Uranus is sextile the Sun and trine the Moon.

The apex planet of a Wedge provides the opportunity for ease or softening of the tension in the opposition aspect. The apex is on good terms with both opposing planets and can therefore act as a kind of mediator or advisor or therapist for them, or even as a distraction or escape strategy.

Neptune's primary contribution is through creativity, faith and acceptance. Make some Neptunian lemonade out of the Cancer/Capricorn lemons – squeeze out the beneficial juice that comes from your efforts and struggles, and add some sweetness in life, which allows you to simply enjoy the fruits of your labours. Let the journey be an end in itself, as well as the destination.

That said, remember at some point you'll still need to come back inside, wash your glass, and get back to work. And since Neptune is tightly square to Venus, too much sweetness could make it harder to get back on track after you've taken a break.

Uranus' impact encourages you to be willing to try something new, venture outside the box, and maybe experiment a little. Find some wiggle room in your expectations and what success would look like, and then jiggle your perspective a little to try to make things fit better. Apply this especially to the resources you need.

For instance, if you run out of sugar, try some honey or maple syrup instead. Or another example: if your financial flow is sluggish, look for creative ways to bring in some quick cash – sell off some of the stuff you've been decluttering, even little inexpensive things here and there can add up. These are just food for thought; use your own best judgment.

Again, just like with Mercury, Pluto and Chiron, Uranus and Neptune are just a bit too wide to talk directly to each other. Any closer and they could be sextile but at 7:09 orb that's a bit too wide to make any communication between easy at the moment. On the other hand, they are moving toward a sextile aspect that becomes exact from 2025-2027 (plus a couple of years before and after when they are close).

In fact, from around 2025-2028, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto form a Mini-Trine pattern – Uranus trine Pluto, with Neptune sextile to both of them – but as with Chiron and Pluto, they will all be in different signs when that Mini-Trine happens (Uranus in Gemini, Neptune in Aries, Pluto in Aquarius). This opens up an exchange of energy between the 3 primary transpersonal planets – awakening, spirituality and transformation. (I'll try to write an article about this sometime.)

For the moment, the best way for Uranus and Neptune to talk to each other is through their aspects to the Sun and Moon. Again, this puts additional stress and responsibility on the Capricorn Moon and Cancer Sun to carry the priorities and needs of energies far beyond their usual realm.

In addition, Uranus is in a tight sextile to Mercury (0:29 orb) but a bit too wide for the trine to Pluto (9:17 orb). Likewise, Neptune is closely sextile to Pluto (2:07 orb) but a bit far to trine Mercury (7:39 orb). So again, these planets seem to yell to each other across a chasm: "What was that? I can't hear you!" while the Sun and Moon must intervene: "They said ___."

So, if life feels like it's become a series of almost-but-not-quite steps, it could be that you will need to step in to fill in the gaps and connect the dots. And in so doing, you will likely find that an otherwise sketchy vision of what needs to be done starts to become clearer, more comprehensive, and easier to know what needs to be done next.

Saturn, Mercury, Mars: Mini-Pentagram

The idea was fantastically, wildly improbable. But like most fantastically, wildly improbable ideas it was at least as worthy of consideration as a more mundane one to which the facts had been strenuously bent to fit.
~ Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

Saturn is the ruler of Capricorn, so he has an important responsibility in how efficiently all of this unfolds. However, he's not very active aspect-wise. Saturn is in Aquarius (March 2020 to March 2023, except for July to December 2020 when it briefly slips back into Capricorn).

Saturn tightly trines Venus, which can lend some comfort and enjoyment to the Moon's hard work. It may also make it easier to apply some gentle limits that guard against overindulgence – a temptation thanks to Neptune's square to Venus.

The most interesting thing that Saturn's involved in, however, is a quintile aspect figure. Saturn is biquintile Mercury (144°), and Mars is quintile to both of them (72°). All of these aspects are very tight, the widest being 0:22, and all are applying aspects (and therefore tend to be stronger).

This figure doesn't seem to have a name, although a symmetrical star-shaped figure using all quintiles and biquintiles is called a Grand Quintile or sometimes a Pentagram (in Solar Fire). So, maybe we can call this a Mini-Pentagram.

In any case, the quintile family of aspects is known for its intellectual, mental and artistic creativity. In this case, involving Mercury, Mars and Saturn, the effect is likely to enhance the ability to think critically and logically, as well as developing ideas about what actions to take in order to make the most of that ability.

This puts a rather fascinating spin on the Full Moon in Saturn's sign. It suggests that when dealing with authority figures or when grappling to take control of your own authority, there is a stockpile of intuition, creative logic, mental clarity, and ideas that reveal how to take effective action.

Sabian Symbol

She knows there's no success like failure
And that failure's no success at all
~ Bob Dylan, Love Minus Zero / No Limit

Sabian Symbol for Capricorn 22: A general accepting defeat gracefully, OR By accepting defeat gracefully, a general reveals nobility of character.

The key to this Symbol lies in the idea that even loss and failure can be invaluable in developing character and inner strength. Since the Capricorn Moon at this degree is conjunct Pluto, it seems to suggest that whatever your frame of mind, whatever your goal, whatever the circumstances – the greatest potential may lie unexpectedly in something other than a logical sequence of plan-action-completion. It doesn't mean you'll fail in what you're aiming for. Rather, the process of development and evaluation of the result have a value all their own.

So, don't be so quick to dismiss or judge what may seem to fall short of perfection. In the context of your own efforts, that metaphorical Saturnian lead may harbour sprinkles of gold that can be gathered and spent like ancient wisdom. And in the context of how you view others, it can help you understand them from a different point of view, appreciating their actions and attitudes in a different way.

The next update will be for the New Moon in Leo on July 28, 2022. Until then, stay safe. Stay sane. Stay awesome. The world needs you. ❤️

When things do not go your way, remember that every challenge — every adversity — contains within it the seeds of opportunity and growth.
~ Roy T. Bennett

© 2022-07-12 Wendy Guy, all rights reserved. Astrological diagrams by Wendy Guy. Divider is from the Carina Nebula image from the James Webb telescope, via NASA. Photo of chess pieces in checkmate by stevepb, via Pixabay.com.