First full moon of the year is at 27° Cancer, opposing Pluto (destruction) and the Sun (identity) in Capricorn. Cancer rules the stomach, breasts, womb, and ovaries. She is the creator and nurturer of life, the archetype of the Mother - holding us all. Look into your chart which two houses this full moon opposition falls. This will help provide deeper insight into the area of your life holding you back, it is time to release.

A full moon often brings to the surface full emotion and expression, we surrender and let go in order to move forward. There is a destructive force to this full moon, the underworld is calling because Pluto is staring straight at it and the Sun is illuminating the shadow. We can no longer hide from our own power. The underwater volcano near Tonga that exploded without warning causing tsunami waves across the ocean is a wonderful metaphor for this Cancer full moon. That which is held down underneathe it all, will eventually explode above the surface and cause waves and ripples in your life as well as others. Watery Cancer is ruled by the moon, making it intuitive and empathic, it seeks emotional security and safety. Pluto wants nothing of that, it wants to destroy. They both can work together.

In the book Existential Kink by Dr. Carolyn Elloit, she states “Pluto represents………..all the terrible things in this world that we habitually refuse to identify with and to take personal responsibility for in order to maintain our feeling of being ‘regular’ ego selves. Pluto also represents the possibility of alchemy itself, the deliberate, miraculous transformations that become available when the powers of the Unconscious Divine are recognized, remembered, forgiven, loved, and made conscious.”

Cancer allows us to bring in that forgiveness, remembrance, and love in order for us to face that dark shadow that is calling our name. Are you ready to face your own darkness? Because no amount of ‘love & light’ is going to allow you to manifest the dream you hold until you integrate the darkness. This full moon is calling it out, let it rise to the surface and break those cycles, those patterns, those habits that are holding you back. They are unpleasant, uncomfortable, dark, and shamelfull at times and the more you supress, the stronger they become. Integrating them into your conscious being is where the alchemical magic happens.

There are several ways to work with this full moon.

• Earth walking, or just generally being out in nature to allow a grounding. Write down or speak into a notes app in your phone, what thoughts come up as you walk. This insight will provide the hidden aspects to work with. Mercury in retrograde is stronger now at delivering those messages.

• Sit in or be near water, put a body part in water and let it wash over you; feet in a cold stream, stand at the Ocean’s edge, hot bath with salts, a warm wet washrag on your chest. Water is healing.

• Listen to a podcast on breaking cycles, here is a great short and to the point one called Are you a Cycle Breaker? by SelfHealers Soundboard.

• Read a book on shadow work. One I recommend is the book Existential Kink I mentioned above on how to Unmask Your Shadow and Embrace Your Power by Dr Carolyn Elloit. No, it is not about sex, but it does mention it.

• Vinyasa yoga focusing on the torso, twisting, extending, lengthening, pressing, and holding. Breathwork such as Ujjayi Breath, which is also called Victorious Breath and literally sounds like ocean waves.

My word for 2022 is “Cycles”. How did it come to me? I am a huge advocate in allowing the word to show up to me in different ways, solidifying that it is indeed my mantra for the year. 2021 had me focusing on Joy. Because 2020 was such a difficult year for all of us, the word Joy found me through challenging means because I denied it being my word. I didn’t want to find Joy, but it found me. It stuck and I created a class called Joyful Movement, which cultivated an innner sense of joy and connection all throughout 2021. It extended out into so many aspects of my life, in which Joy seeped in and expanded my heart.

Heading into 2022, with the nodes of destiny shifting into the darker and more transformative realm of Taurus/Scorpio, the word Cycles found me. Yes, as a cyclist, I certainly feel that pull to get back on the bike and am working on a century ride completion for Fall 2022. However, this word has so much more transformative meaning for me. It is time to face my own inhibitions, my shadow, my darkness and integrate it into the light. I am working on breaking Cycles and the destruction of my triggers that keep me held down. A lot of my work will be around my marriage and relationship to my husband, my catastrophizing around money and fears that go along with that, plus my trepidation around transformative body image.

The work we do on ourselves has a ripple effect out into the collective. What transformation of your Self in 2022 will ultimately help others as well?

In-Joy and Alchemy,

Sirena