Capricorn Full Moon: Playing the Long Game

Our beautiful green planet just marked a shocking new milestone – enduring 12 consecutive months of unprecedented heat. Every single month from June 2023 to May 2024 was the world’s hottest such month on record, and this alarming trend appears likely to continue. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, who are about to mark the beginning of summer, this is sobering news. While we’re looking forward to picnics and pool parties, we might also be wondering, Will wildfires threaten my home? How will I avoid heatstroke? Or, Can I afford to pay the A/C bill?

Climate change is a hot topic – and a controversial one. Though many experts despair over global warming, climate scientist Susan Solomon isn’t one of them. In her new book, Solvable: How We Healed the Earth, and How We Can Do It Again, Solomon describes past environmental victories – against ozone depletion, smog, pesticides and lead – and extracts the essential elements of what makes change possible. Cooling the climate, she concludes, is doable. But it’s a long game won by a union of public, political and regulatory pressure. The path to success begins, she writes, when an environmental problem becomes both personal and perceptible to the public. The heroes in her book include gang members turned social activists, concerned Long Island birdwatchers and brilliant legislators and scientists. Reviewers say that Solomon’s offering provides a bracing yet hopeful reality check showing how we can solve the problems we’re facing.

The sign of Capricorn excels when it comes to reality checks and playing a long game. And, on the day after the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, we’ll have the first of two Capricorn Full Moons (the second is on July 21). This brings us a rare, extended opportunity to harness the mountain goat’s fortitude and patience to gain traction on our goals – whether personal or global. These Full Moons are like bookends: Whatever begins or becomes evident at the first one can be revised or expanded upon at the second one. We are usually in the habit of planting seeds for growth at New Moons, and we had a Capricorn New Moon on January 11. Perhaps it’s time to review your goals from that timeframe, and see how you’re doing with them. You might even want to toss them out altogether, and bring in new ones.

Since the June 21 Capricorn Full Moon happens so close to the Solstice, this creates a “new beginning” impulse that plays out through the July 21 Full Moon. So no matter where you are in relation to your New Year’s goals, you can take advantage of this determined energy by setting an intention or taking a step forward at the first Full Moon and building slowly from there. The July 5 Cancer New Moon will play a part as well; we’ll be covering this period in more detail in upcoming blogs.

The journey begins at the June 20 Solstice, as the Sun enters nurturing, life-giving Cancer. This shifts our energy and focus to what we care most about. And, that energy is heightened by the June 21 Capricorn Full Moon (6:07 p.m. PDT) at 1 degree of this practical, earthy sign. As the Moon opposes the Sun, Venus and Mercury in sensitive Cancer, it asks us to balance themes related to mother and father, home and family, business-building and nurturing what you hold dear (like Mother Earth). The Sun and Moon make an out-of-sign but potent square to Neptune at 29 Pisces. This encourages intuitive thinking and faith, though Neptune can also bring confusion or heartbreak/empathy related to the suffering of the world.

If you want to pursue a new challenge or energize an existing one, whether for yourself or others, begin by searching your heart for what matters most to you – since you’ve got to have a passion for something to keep your spirits up. Then set a reasonable goal for achieving it, and break it down into action steps. The first step could be as simple as clearing out old files to make space for a meaningful new project. If global warming is your primary concern, you could become an activist by registering voters or petitioning President Biden to declare a climate emergency to free up resources for mitigating the problem.

What if you’re not inspired to take bold action? That’s okay: Radical change-making is not for everyone. And with the Sun, Mercury and Venus in cozy Cancer right now, you may just need some serious rest at home. But if you’re ready for action, take one small, practical step at this Full Moon to improve your life. Just remember that you’re playing a long game. We can all be inspired by Susan Solomon, who recently told The Guardian in relation to the climate emergency, “It’s certainly scary, but I don’t share the pessimism…you can’t look at the [falling] price of solar energy and batteries and not see big change coming. For goodness’ sake, let’s not give up now, we’re right on the cusp of success.”