A Crack in the Dam: Flow With the Full Moon in Cancer

The Full Moon in Cancer can be a welcome break from the serious vibe of Capricorn season. Capricorn is ruled by stern and judgmental Saturn, so we may tend to be hard on ourselves during Capricorn season — especially if we’re trying to satisfy an ambitious New Year’s resolution.

At the opposite extreme, Cancer is ruled by the sensitive Moon. Cancer is associated with taking care of people and making them feel good. This includes nourishing ourselves as well as others. If we’ve been working too hard lately, we might have to acknowledge that when the nurturing Cancer Moon pushes back against the driven Capricorn Sun. 

Most years have one Full Moon in Cancer, though sometimes there are two. This time around, the Full Moon in Cancer takes place at 7:33 pm EST on December 26, 2023. 

Full Moons are generally a good time to release unneeded physical or emotional baggage. If you don’t already know what you want to release, this list of characteristics of the Full Moon in Cancer might give you some ideas.

Watch out for:

• Emotional upheaval. We may feel like we don’t have time for messy feelings when there are important goals to achieve. The more we try to stuff our emotions down, though, the more they’re likely to explode. Taking a break to acknowledge whatever is coming up can reduce the chances of things getting out of control.

• Self-pity. Capricorn energy often holds people to high standards. Sometimes this approach becomes harsh and punitive. If it goes too far, we might flip to the opposite extreme of feeling sorry for ourselves. The best path is probably somewhere in the middle — we need both compassion and challenge in order to grow.  

Get ready to enjoy:

• Comfort at home. The discipline of Capricorn season can extend to all areas of one’s life. Perhaps you’ve been using it to clean up your living space or get more disciplined about your domestic routines. At the Full Moon in Cancer, you might enjoy the benefits of the work you’ve been doing to make your home more comfortable.
• Emotional closeness. The Full Moon in Cancer is an ideal time to connect with your family members and other loved ones. Cancer energy is all about nurturing the people in your life. You may especially enjoy a gathering with good food!

• Self-care. No matter how much anyone else loves you, there are some things only you can do for yourself. The Full Moon in Cancer is an opportunity to indulge in the form of self-care you find most nourishing. If you don’t already have a favorite way to nourish yourself, you might want to experiment with something new that seems like it would feel good.

• Bursts of intuition. Cancer is associated with the third eye chakra, which sees beyond the obvious. You might experience a flash of insight about a problem that’s been weighing on you. 

Try to release:

• Unnecessary harshness. The Full Moon in Cancer is a great chance to be kind to yourself. If something in your environment is just making your life harder than it needs to be, you can let it go.

Consider these yoga poses: 

• Pigeon pose can release stored emotions and tension from the psoas muscle, a storehouse of unresolved emotions. This can be a big relief during Capricorn season, when it is easy to push emotions aside. Give yourself time to deal with whatever comes up, though.
• Dancer pose is a great pose for reining in Capricorn energy that has gone too far. It opens the heart, which is perhaps an important part of figuring out how to use your discipline and determination as wisely as possible.

For additional guidance on yoga flows for the Full Moon in Cancer, join the Astro Yoga Experience!