On a sweltering May afternoon in 2015, D’Arcy Downs-Vollbracht heard an unearthly scream. She ran out of her Bullhead City, AZ ranch house and saw three neighboring dogs viciously attacking her pet goats. The protective mama managed to save one of the goats, but then the dogs turned on her.
During the melee, the horses in the nearby pasture froze – all except Fortune. An American quarter horse born with a deformed foot, Fortune had been saved from the slaughterhouse by Downs-Vollbracht. And now it was time to return the favor. The six-year-old, 1200-lb. mare smashed through a steel gate, ran to her mistress, flung one dog into the air and bit and stomped the others, driving them away.
“She came back all sweaty and stood by me,” said the grateful woman. “Horses are flee animals. To stand and fight against a pack of dogs goes against their nature. I’m sure she knew what she was doing.”
The breeder who’d sold this brave horse to Downs-Vollbracht had called her worthless, but Fortune proved her worth. When love is received, it is given back in turn – even if that means going against one’s instinctive nature. Fortune lived up to her name by not only saving her mistress, but by also raising thousands of dollars for charity by providing rides at local events.
Bravery, speed and devotion are all hallmarks of an Aries Full Moon (Sept. 29, 2:57 a.m. PT). Aries is the sign of the warrior and the athlete. It challenges us to step up, strut our stuff – and defend what’s most precious to us. But Aries can also be a hothead, so a little discretion goes a long way. Luckily, the Sun is in rational Libra, sign of the scales, opposing the Moon. And, the Moon’s dispositor, Mars, is also in fair-minded Libra. There is plenty of pluck and derring-do to be had, but cool-headed action is available too.
If you’ve felt like things have been dragging lately, with Mercury in Virgo taking its sweet time to get up to speed after its retrograde, this fiery lunation can act like a tonic. You may feel inspired to take action on long-delayed priorities, or find the energy and courage to fight for what’s important to you – and bulldoze through anything that stands in the way. Or at least get back to your workout routine.
But what if your get-up-and-go is nowhere to be found? What if there are no immediate fires to be put out or folks to be rescued? Your inner flame may need tending in subtler ways. Maybe, for you, this Full Moon is about taking time out, lighting a candle and going within. Aries is a solitary sign, after all. If the Libra season that began last weekend has thrown you into social overwhelm (as it did for me, thanks to my three-day 50th high school reunion extravaganza) you may need to take your introverted self out of circulation for a bit and restoke your fire. Let those extroverts save the world for the time being. But if, as happened with Fortune, your karmic moment arrives unexpectedly and you’re called upon to rescue someone or otherwise make your mark, go for it! Otherwise, let this Aries Full Moon be playful and restorative. Just remember: There are many different ways to light your fire.
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