This Month’s Full Moon in Aries Is a Wake-Up Call To Put Your Needs First

If you entered the world when the sun, moon, or another planet in our solar system was moving through fire sign Aries, you exude a dynamic, brave — and often competitive — vibe. Aries people are energetic, impulsive, curious, direct, at times innocent, and might steer toward self-focus — for better or worse. This fiery tone is owed to the sign’s ruler, Mars, which oversees energy, action, aggression, war, and sex. And Aries’ ability to stand in their sense of self and go into battle for anything they believe in is something that could be particularly highlighted during this upcoming lunation. 

A full moon in the sign of the Ram will be exact on Sunday, October 9 at 4:55 p.m. ET/1:55 p.m. PT. With the moon opposing Venus, the planet of love, money, and relationships, and forming a pleasant sextile to taskmaster Saturn, this moment’s all about reconciling your needs with those of others in your life and deciding whether or not you want to do the work to strike a balance. 

The full moon in Aries brings your needs into focus. 

Full moons — which happen when the confident sun exactly opposes the intuitive moon — always present a monthly opportunity to wrap up projects you started six months or even two weeks prior. They're culmination points, breaking points, and a chance to release anything that's no longer serving you.

And with this month's full moon falling in impulsive, impatient, and initiative-taking Aries — which is also the first sign of the 12-sign zodiac cycle — you might be itching to lay the past to rest so you can plow head first into the future with more verve than you even knew you had in you. 

And given Aries’ association with the First House of Self, chances are you can’t help but identify super-strongly with your endgame now. Your needs, your dreams, your vision, your voice are all front and center now, highlighted and begging to be shared with the world — or, perhaps even more likely, a partner, a friend, a colleague. Because don’t forget: This lunation pits the moon against the sun — currently moving through partnership-loving air sign Libra, so we’re nudged to consider both signs’ objectives. And while the Aries moon wants you to honor your independence, identity, and personal goals, the sun (and actually, Venus, too — more on that in a moment!) is emphasizing the beauty and importance of reciprocity, equality, and balance within our one-on-one bonds.

The moon’s opposition to romantic Venus will bring underlying tensions to the surface. 

With the moon falling at 16 degrees Aries, it’ll form an opposition to relationship-oriented Venus, which is happily hanging out at 13 degrees of Libra, which means it is in its domicile (a sign it rules and is, therefore, at home in). Opposition sounds pretty harsh, but Venus is a benefic or one of the fortune-bringing planets in astrology, so it’s not as bad as it sounds.

The moon’s face-off with Venus brings to light any conflicts that might be stirring under the surface in your one-on-one bonds — or perhaps in regard to money, values, and beauty, all of which are also Venusian terrain. And because Venus’ main goal — especially in Libra — is to promote harmony, you could be fired-up to talk through any disagreements that are highlighted now.

Bonus: The sun and Venus are heading toward a conjunction (they’ll meet up on October 22 just before the sun shifts into Scorpio the next day), which brings a lighthearted, confident vibe to this aspect of the full moon. So, while the opposition makes it clear that you and your S.O. or bestie or boss aren’t quite on the same page right now, you believe you can figure it out. 

Saturn emphasizes the ability to do the work.

Saturn, the planet of commitment, hard work, and boundaries, is at 18 degrees of Aquarius, which means it forms a friendly sextile to the full moon while making a beautiful trine to the sun and Venus. Saturn means business and can certainly be a bit of a downer when it restricts, but when it harmonizes happily with other planets, it offers a grounding effect. Sharing your fiery truth and working through discord could translate to hard-earned rewards, like feeling more centered and bolstering mutual understanding within a partnership. 

But don’t forget it’s still a full moon during spooky season — and Mars is nearly square Neptune. 

Mars, now in airy Gemini, is heading toward a tense, but potentially activating square to Neptune, the planet of spirituality, dreams, and delusion, which completes on October 11-12 (depending on your time zone). While Mars wants to hit the gas, Neptune is like a thick fog that makes it challenging to know what the road ahead looks like. Plus, we’re still in the Mercury shadow, which means miscommunications are more likely. For that reason, you’ll do well to expect uncertainty and confusion in the days around this full moon — and to wait to make any big, bold, Aries-charged moves until the path ahead is abundantly clear.  

Here, how this lunar event will affect you, based on your sign. (Pro-tip: Be sure to read both your sun and your rising sign, if you know it. If you don't, you can find it on your natal chart or via this CafeAstrology calculator.) 

Aries (March 21-April 19)

With this full moon falling in your sign and first house of self, you’re fired up to get the ball rolling — especially after Mercury’s retrograde in your sixth house of daily routine. But taking time to acknowledge and work through deep-rooted emotions — especially related to partnerships — now can make you even more productive in the long-haul.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

This full moon highlights your twelfth house of spirituality, pitting it against several planets moving through your sixth house of health and routine. You could be realizing that self-care is more necessary than you realized, and listening to your intuition now may be the key to boosting your vitality. 

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

The full moon falls in your eleventh house of long-term wishes and networking, boosting your desire to feel connected to a community. Working with others can be especially satisfying. Just know that with Mars in your sign squaring off against Neptune, a solid game plan might take a bit to fully coalesce. 

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Falling in your tenth house of career, you might have a chance to take on more responsibility on the job, promote your passion project, or pitch an exhilarating large-scale project. Finding more balance between work and home life is also a key focus.  

Leo (July 23-August 22)

The full moon falls in your ninth house of adventure and higher-learning, which makes this lunation a particularly productive time to connect with your inner voice. Doing so could set you up for an eye-opening experience that leads to personal growth.  

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

Like you haven’t had enough drama lately with Mercury retrograde in your sign, Virgo. But this full moon, in your eighth house of intimacy, brings focus to your joint resources and closest bonds. Sharing what you need for a greater sense of security while acknowledging a loved one’s needs can make for smoother sailing in the long-haul. 

Libra (September 23-October 22)

The full moon falls in your seventh house of partnership, bringing the spotlight to your one-on-one bonds. Which are working for you, and which might have run their course? Stepping back could be self-care. 

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Thanks to the full moon falling in your sixth house of daily routine and health, you’re likely wrapping up a work or wellness-related undertaking. And with the sun and Venus in your twelfth house of spirituality, listening to — and trusting — your intuition is integral to determining where you go from here.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

The full moon falls in your fifth house of romance and self-expression, encouraging you to take a time-out from the daily grind so that you can indulge in more pleasure, fun, and creativity. That’s sure to be music to your ears, Sag. And with the sun beaming in your eleventh house of friendship, it shouldn’t be hard to rally the troops. 

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

The full moon in your fourth house of home life encourages you to think about tweaks you might be able to make to better balance your inner and public lives. You might also be compelled to explore emotional issues that have been holding you back from living your life — perhaps especially your love life — to the fullest. 

Aquarius (January 20-February 18)

Falling in your third house of communication, you’re one of the busiest bees during this lunation, but you might be wishing that instead of meet-ups with friends or brainstorms with colleagues, you were hopping a flight to another country. Set aside some time for dreaming and trusting your gut to lead the way. 

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

The full moon falls in your second house of income, so you might be reaching a culmination point of a moneymaking project or feeling like it’s time to pivot to a game plan that’s more in tune with your values. Leaning on loved ones can help you plot your next steps.