by Alisha Palmer aka @Cosmic.Ali 

Radically accept yourself! Let your spirit roar!

The Moon is full for the first time in 2024, shining brightly and boldly as it occupies the fixed fire sign of Leo on January 25 at 9:53 am PT at 5 degrees. This lunation serves as a cosmic calling to release what is no longer in alignment with the most authentic versions of ourselves. The ethers are energizing us to celebrate our passions, our joys, and what lights up our spiritual flames. Leo rules over the heart, inviting us to radiate our love in all directions and take inspired action from this space. 

This fiery energy asserts a certain confidence, invigorating a strong sense of self. This Full Moon wants us to be fully ourselves, without hiding or dimming down for anything or anyone. The sign of the lion is courageous — the root of the word meaning to speak one’s mind by telling all of one’s heart. Be all that you are, babe. 

The Inner Child 

Over the past month, the previous two lunations (Cancer Full Moon and Capricorn New Moon) activated the archetypes of Mother and Father. Leo, on the other hand, symbolizes the child within each of us. This fiery energy invites us to get in touch with our innocence, creativity, and excitement. Many of us may have experienced some level of pain or trauma throughout our childhood years that perhaps made us grow up too quickly or diminished our childlike spirits to an extent. Due to this, we may have lost touch with our playfulness or our imaginations. 

When Leo energy is highlighted, we are presented with an opportunity to go within, checking on and connecting with little us. This may look like allowing yourself to play or do something you would have enjoyed as a child. This may also look like addressing any concerns or hurts that we are holding inside, freeing ourselves from burdens or letting go of any wounding we may be carrying. We might look at this as a time to reparent ourselves, to release any narratives, barriers, or blockages by reframing and reworking how we speak to, treat, and respond to our little selves.

Give yourself permission to enjoy your joy! Exhibit your youthful spiritedness! 

Included later on in this blog post you will find a meditation to assist in connecting you to the inner child, should you wish to do more energetic work with this topic. 

Heart Expansion 

Leo is ruled by the Sun and rules over the heart. The Sun brings a warm radiance, and with a Jupitarian influence in the air, we are inspired to open our hearts, and then open them even more. The planet of expansion is reflecting energy off of our Moon, sharing perspectives of prosperity with us should we be receptive to this frequency. 

As we practice and perform our release rituals under this lunar event, there may be a heightened sensitivity felt in our energetic fields. This zodiac sign is passionate, emboldening us to follow our desires and create the visions we see in our minds and feel in our hearts. We may sense a knowing in our auric fields of what is for us and what is meant to depart from our lives. Listen to this intuitive message and lean into your abilities to create and attract the experiences you desire. 

Shameless Self-Expression 

Our Full Moon encourages you to take up allllllll the space with the fullness of your essence. Let your light shine bright! Practice embodying the most confident and courageous version of yourself, letting go of any internal or external judgment, shame, embarrassment, or criticism. We are all individuals with unique expressions. We are all human beings doing our best. We are all souls embodied figuring out life on Earth. We all have interesting quirks. None of us are perfect. None of us will be understood or even liked by everyone we encounter. And you know what, that’s okay! Each of us adds to the kaleidoscope of consciousness. Together, we weave a beautiful tapestry of existence. 

Leo reminds us to be proud of who we are. As Brené Brown (a professor and writer known for her profound work with identifying and addressing shame) states, “courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen”. The more we accept, honor, and celebrate ourselves in our authenticity, the more we are empowered to show up as exactly who we choose to be in any given moment, without masking or altering how we act. Allow your vibrancy to be witnessed! 

Pluto Enters Aquarius 

This far-out planet represents the cycles of death and rebirth, destruction and renewal, and the process of transformation. Since 2008, Pluto has been transiting through the cardinal earth sign of Capricorn, moving us through major shifts pertaining to power/control dynamics and our material, financial, and authoritative structures. The Lord of the Underworld takes us to our deepest depths, reveals hidden truths, and spotlights our shadows, both personally and collectively. 

On January 20th, Pluto entered the fixed air sign of Aquarius, a space it hasn’t occupied since 1777 to 1798. We have entered a once in a lifetime cycle through this zodiacal zone, activating themes that have not surfaced for about 250 years, serving as one of the most profound planetary phenomena we will ever experience. Aquarian energy inspires us to revolutionize outdated foundations, to advance technologically, to seek the greater good for all, and to elevate expired belief systems. 

Pluto had a short stay in Aquarius from March 23 to June 11, 2023, beginning to bridge the transition between these two Saturn-ruled signs and giving us a taste of what is to come throughout this generational turning of the times. Pluto will be dwelling in this cosmic space for most of 2024, until taking one final dip into Capricorn to finalize and wrap up its journey from September 2 to November 20. From then on, Pluto remains in Aquarius until 2043. 

The Sun is currently sitting in a conjunction with Pluto, highlighting this electrifying entrance. As full moons are formed by the luminaries opposing each other, this means that the Moon is sitting across from this brand new Plutonian influence as well. This is hands down one of the most notable energies at play under this lunation. 

Celestial Conditions Of The Full Moon Chart 

As we discussed above in this article, Pluto is a power player in this lunar line up. The Aquarian shift is activating a new house in each of our individual natal charts and with the planet of transformation at the zero degree point, the light of our Full Moon is illuminating this intensified ingress. Notice what themes are surfacing for you in this astral area, as it gives insight into what will be activated for the next two decades. Pluto’s journey represents a process of unearthing and excavation, digging up and destroying what is no longer in resonance so that we may rebuild and rebirth new life in place of what has expired. The luminaries present with Pluto shine light to the shadows, offering sight into all that must be seen so that we may do the work to close any chapters and let go of what is no longer serving us. This practice may be uncomfortable, even painful, as the stars ask us to shed these layers of our beings and experiences, however in order to allow renewal we must be willing to release. 

Beyond the super-charged Plutonian effects, we see the Sun and Moon forming a square to Jupiter in Taurus. While squares typically express as hard aspects, this pairing with the planet of growth and abundance is expansive. Working as a mid-point between the Sun in Aquarius (mental realms) and the Moon in Leo (passions), our Great Benefic magnifies our soul visions/desires and assists in grounding them into physical reality with earthy Taurus. The message shared by this cosmic combo is to clear out anything holding you back so that you can make space for all that you are calling in and creating for yourself. 

Since our last moon blog, our celestial goddess has made some notable moves. Venus has left the fiery domain of Sagittarius and has entered the earthy space of Capricorn. She is lining up into a trine with Jupiter in Taurus, offering a soothing reassurance in the midst of such a potent period of release and restructuring. The planet of love and harmony reminds us that remaining dedicated to what we are building for ourselves will pay off should we stay devoted to our mystical missions. 

Also in Capricorn, we see Mercury, the planet of communication and exchanges, and Mars, the planet of drive and desire, together in a conjunction. This combination may be expressed as inspired mental activity or even harsh verbal expression. Not only are Mercury and Mars crossing paths, but we also see the pair in conversation with Chiron, the wounded healer, in Aries. We may feel this aspect as a pressing on internal pain points, or showing up as an opportunity to heal deep inner wounds. 

Speaking of Mercury and Mars, a few days after this Full Moon, this dynamic duo will be in an exact square to the lunar nodes, Rahu (north node) and Ketu (south node). This acts as a turning point, between old versus new. Whether it be pertaining to belief systems, thought patterns, or the way we take action and move through the world, these cosmic bodies are giving us a chance to choose differently, to lean into a direction that better serves us. We can stick with the comfort zones that may hold us back and render us stagnant, or we can choose to leap into trusting the unknown. 

Lastly, we’ll chat about Uranus, the planet of awakening, innovation, and liberation. Currently retrograde in Taurus, Uranus is about to station direct on January 26th, ushering us into a period of all planets direct that will last until April 1st! At the time of the Full Moon, this eccentric sphere is slowing its motion preparing for its reversal. Within a matter of days, Mercury and Mars both share a trine to Uranus, energizing us to break free of any restraints keeping us locked into anything we’ve outgrown. 

FULL MOON RITUAL :  Inner Child Connection Meditation

The relationships we have to our inner child archetypes is directly linked to the current versions of ourselves, informing some of our deeply rooted behaviors and beliefs. Connecting with our younger selves gives us insight into what may need healing, releasing or reprogramming from our childhood years. Our inner children may be holding onto big feelings that are impacting how we give ourselves permission to express ourselves, whether consciously or subconsciously. 

This meditation practice will guide you into a space of meeting with your inner child, to either establish or grow a connection to their energy. Remain open to what they may have to say, or any messages that come through for you. Be gentle and compassionate with them, for they did their best to help get you where you are today. 

1. To start this ritual, we will start by setting our spaces. A few suggestions: Light a candle or incense, grab a cozy blanket or pillow, turn on healing frequencies or binaural beats, set out any crystals or special symbols, diffuse essential oils, make a warm cup of tea, etc. Anything that feels best for you! 

2. For this specific meditation, locate a childhood photo of yourself if you can. Not required, but it is helpful to have a visual of the energy you are invoking forward. 

3. You may wish to simply experience the essence of your inner child, or you may wish to write down a few questions to ask them. If the latter is feeling like the choice for you, go ahead and write down your own questions or gather inspiration from the prompts written below: 

What are your favorite ways to have fun? What makes you excited? 

Is there anything that makes you sad? Is anything hurting your feelings? What do you love most about yourself? 

What do you want to be when you grow up? 

4. When you’re ready, take a moment to arrive. Repeat a few rounds of deep, slow breaths. In through the nose and out through the mouth. Inhale, exhale. Again, and again. Draw your complete attention to the present moment. 

Close your eyes or opt to gaze at the childhood photo of you. 

5. Begin envisioning a younger version of you. Focus on whatever details stand out to you, whether it be your appearance or your surroundings. Call forward little you, with open arms and an open heart. Let them take form and sit with them. 

Notice any sensations, energies, or emotions that may be arising from deep within this version of you, or even activating something within your present experience. Without judging them, feel into them. There are codes and wisdom within them. 

6. If you feel comfortable doing so, communicate with your inner child that they are safe, that they can trust you, that you are here for them and to support them. After voicing those affirmations, once again take note of how that makes you feel. 

Dive into asking your inner child any questions you have on your mind, or rather just offer kind words to your inner child, such as telling them how much you love them or how proud you are of them. Imagine giving little you a big hug.

Take as much time here as you would like. Know you can return to this space any time you wish to tap into this timeline and work more with younger you. 

7. After coming out of your meditation, journal or reflect upon anything that may have come up for you. Perhaps, brainstorm ideas of ways you could treat or tend to your inner child and integrate them into your routines more regularly. 

Mini Moon Horoscopes 

What themes and areas of life are being most activated in your personal natal chart by this Leo Full Moon? Read on below for your mini horoscope, written by rising sign. 

Aries Rising: 5th House – creativity, children/inner child, romance, pleasure, addictions
Taurus Rising: 4th House – family, ancestry, inner foundations, home life, roots, traditions
Gemini Rising: 3rd House – environment, intelligence, expression, habits, siblings, neighbors
Cancer Rising: 2nd House – finances, income, material possessions, values, self esteem
Leo Rising: 1st House – identity, the physical body, sense of self, appearance, beginnings
Virgo Rising: 12th House – mental health, spirituality, subconscious, self undoing, solitude
Libra Rising: 11th House – friendships, community, audience, awareness, innovation
Scorpio Rising: 10th House – career, public image, aspirations, achievements, reputation, legacy 
Sagittarius Rising: 9th House – belief systems, higher education, travel, knowledge, foreign affairs 
Capricorn Rising: 8th House – boundaries, intimacy, shared resources, shadow work, investments 
Aquarius Rising: 7th House – relationships, partnerships, one on one connections, collaborations 
Pisces Rising: 6th House – physical health, daily devotions, wellness practices, rituals, pets

Thank you for reading! Sending you love and blessings during this Full Moon! xo