Full Moon to New Moon by Kelsey Bednar @the_astro_yogi

August 9 - August 22nd, 2025

The days around the Full Moon on August 9th are jam packed with cosmic happenings, so it will be hard to miss the BIG energy that’s coming through this weekend. To set the stage for this Aquarius Moon, we look at what else is occurring in the celestial realm. 

Mercury has been retrograde since July 18th, asking us to review and clean up anything that hasn’t been working well. We were called (and sometimes forced) to revisit an idea, a tough conversation, a project left hanging, or communication/technology glitches. Mercury will end its retrograde on August 12th, but in the meantime, the Full Moon's light can illuminate areas of life where we still have work to complete. 

The combined energy of Mercury + the Moon could also create some final SNAFUs. If your flight gets delayed, if you forget your keys, if you spill a $7 latte all over yourself, if your car starts making weird noises, or if you completely forget something on your calendar…try not to lose your cool! This Mercurial energy requires you to refocus on the present and practice the yogic tenet of non-attachment (Aparigraha). Some things are simply out of your control, so how can you adopt a more solutions-oriented approach in moments of irritation?

The second notable configuration to overlap with the Full Moon has to do with Mars, Saturn, and Neptune. This can bring a feeling like there’s one foot on a gas pedal and one foot on a brake pedal. In a real life scenario, that would create stress on the brake pads & rotors, the transmission, etc. Though we experience the energy symbolically, it can correlate with real tension in our systems as well. It won’t impact every single person strongly, but if you do feel its effect, the energy will likely come from an outside person or situation. Here's what I mean by that: Either you are the “gas pedal” attempting to move things forward and something/someone pops up to stop you, or vice versa - something is unfolding in your life too quickly, so you take on the role of “brake pedal” to slow its advance. While this may not sound ideal, it’s a configuration that’s only active for a few days. The best way to navigate the energy is to lean into your self-care practices so your system doesn’t get overstressed. Take a class at O + A this weekend, set aside time for a bath or a quiet walk, sing loudly to your favorite music. We all know the stress management practices that work best for us…we just have to use them! 

With the busy backdrop of energy coming from many different planets, we finally arrive at the Aquarius Full Moon! This beautiful lunation peaks overnight between August 8th and 9th. If you are someone who tracks the Moons in your own birth chart, this one is happening at 16/17 degrees of the sign of Aquarius. It’s a great to think about some of the high-road qualities of Aquarian energy, so we can embody them now:

• Honoring your own & others' uniqueness/marching to the beat of your own drum

• Understanding the literal interconnectedness of all things/Humanitarian viewpoint

• Being forward-thinking & willing to entertain out-of-the-box ideas and solutions

• Freedom and Acceptance 

Every Full Moon is a time of culmination, where we honor and celebrate what has ripened in our lives. Think about the period since the last New Moon on July 24th. Also consider the longer period since the Aquarius New Moon that occurred back on January 29th, 2025. What have you been able to manifest/build in those time frames? Where do you see evidence of growth?

The exciting energy of a Full Moon lasts for a couple days, and in the week and a half that follows, we are called to shed. Take a good look at what has served its purpose in your life. Meditate on what you’re ready to let go of. The release can be big or small, but the idea is to use the time between August 11th and August 22nd to make space for new things that will come in time.   

The last notable cosmic event of this period is the fantastic connection of Venus & Jupiter in the sky (August 10th - 14th). These are considered to be the luckiest planets in astrology! Their combined symbolism offers us a time of harmony, pleasure, joy, and indulgence. I smiled wide when I saw that this would happen simultaneously with other intense events, because the natural world offers balance in all things. With this combination, you could:

• Check in with your loved ones and remind them of their importance in your life

• Allow yourself to spend a bit extra on a special experience 

• Buy a lotto ticket or take up an opportunity for a small gamble - especially if you’re a Cancer Sun or Cancer Rising sign! 

• Receive any and all compliments, lucky breaks, and gifts with an open heart - you deserve it! 

• Pay it forward in terms of kindness, love, and joy

It’s a big two weeks we have coming up, and I look forward to connecting with you at the studio and hearing what unfolds for you!