full moon - December 3, 2017

This month's full moon is on Saturday, December 3, 2017, 9 47 a.m. CST in 11° Gemini. You'll hear about it on the news because it's a "super moon".  It means the moon is at perigee - the closest point in its orbit to the earth and will look a bit bigger.  More about what a super moon is here. 

Does the moon being closer to earth make it stronger than the usual full moon?  Check out this article, make your observations at the full moon, then you make the call.

Typically, the full moon brings high energy to you and the projects you're involved in.  This month's full moon is exactly square to Neptune.  It's a continuation of the Neptune station point I wrote about in my last post.   Sometimes Neptune makes you feel like you're swimming through water instead of striding through air as you attempt to approach your goals.  It's slow and it's not always clear that you're making progress.  But no step on the path is ever lost.  "Just keep swimming," as Dory said in the movie Finding Nemo.

It doesn't matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop."  Confucius

And speaking of slowdowns, Mercury goes retrograde* on December 3rd, too, at 29° Sagittarius conjunct transiting Saturn.  The keyword is delays.  Traffic and transit delays are likely.  Plan to be ready early and leave early to get to appointments on time.  If you are already late, don't panic - everyone else will be late, too :)

Saturn is a great teacher.  From Saturn we learn patience (I'm still working on learning this).  We also learn about foundation from Saturn.  You have to build a foundation first, whether you're talking about a house or your spiritual practice.  Slow down, have patience, do things correctly with proper focus.

"Slow but steady wins the race."  Aesop - The Fable of the Tortoise and the Hare

* More about Mercury Retrograde

Mercury goes retrograde three times a year for about twenty days.  From our perspective it appears that the planet stops in its orbit and begins to go backward for a few weeks before it changes direction once again to forward motion.  This is an 'optical illusion' having to with our viewpoint on Earth and the relative motion of the planets circling the Sun.
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According to astrology, Mercury Retrograde is a time when things ruled by that planet go backwards.  Mercury rules communication, transportation, and the function of the everyday mind -- short-term memory and logical thinking in particular.  Mercury will go direct on December 22.