the full moon in aries for writers
with writing prompts
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The Full Moon arrived at 6* of Aries at 5:57am Eastern this morning.
While the moon isn't making any exact aspects, it is co-present, by sign, with Chiron, often known as wounded healer, which is having a difficult conversation with warrior Mars, the ruler of this particular lunation.
Fiery moons can bring out our passions, but also our argumentative natures. Sore spots can be extra tender, especially when Chiron is involved and when Mars strides right over them. This might be a day to lean back, or lie down, rather than lean in.
And this makes sense, that the cycle being completed, what is being released, might be especially tender, non-linear, or otherwise rough. They may well be connected to fear, to survival, to base instincts around the creative process that we don’t often let ourselves acknowledge on a daily basis.
This Full Moon is reaping seeds that were planted in an eclipse cycle, after all: at the Hybrid Solar Eclipse in Aries on April 20th at 29* Aries. During that season, I wrote:
Creativity activates our fear. Humans have made a great many developments over the years, but unfortunately, our bodies are not developed so much as to discard vestigial organs like the appendix; our brains are not so developed that vulnerable processes like creative writing do not immediately activate the amygdala, which is essentially the panic room.
The amygdala does not know the difference between cliff diving and starting a new novel. It cannot differentiate between slamming on the brakes to avoid a collision with the car in front of you and writing about your mother.
To the amygdala, it’s all the same thing, and consequently, the singular message it sends to your nervous system and other parts of your body is: DANGER DANGER DANGER.
Which is a problem, when you are otherwise entirely physically safe in your home, sitting down at your desk (or couch, or coffee shop table) to write.
Which is why it’s all the more important to create as much safety, structure, comfort, and “home” around ourselves as possible during otherwise challenging astro weather like eclipse season.
In order to preserve whatever sanctuary of writing for ourselves we possibly can.
Today’s Full Moon is the last lunation before we go into eclipse season in October. Don’t be afraid to offer yourself extra gentleness and spaciousness today. Personally, it’s been a very busy and demanding week, and so, by way of endeavoring to take my own advice, I have given myself permission to not write as lengthy a newsletter for this moon as I might otherwise write.
What small, restful mercies can you offer yourself that reflect the moon’s own waning?
Also also also.
For those of you starting new projects and/or hurtling towards deadline, looking for accountability: Showing Up to the Work: 6 Weeks to a Viable Draft begins October 12th and runs until November 21st. We’ll write together live on Zoom 2 hours a day, 3 days a week, for 6 weeks.
And for memoirists reckoning with the ethics and craft of memory, representing others on the page, and telling the untellable, Tell It Slant // Uncovering the Truth in Memoir returns Sunday, October 8th at 1pm Eastern. Of her experience, class alumni Alyson Germinder shared,
Before Tell It Slant, I felt like I needed permission from others to tell my story anytime I sat down to write. Jeanna's class helped quiet the voices looking over my shoulder and empowered me to draft with abandon. Jeanna told me what I needed to hear again (and again): I've had the power to give myself permission all along. I walked away feeling freer, both as a writer and a human.
The absolute best class. I still think about it and incorporate what I learned into my writing practice.
Writing Prompts for the Full Moon in Aries
What happened in your life around the time of the Aries eclipse this year that laid groundwork for what is happening now? Look to the Aries house of your chart for more details.
What tender, sore spots have come up for you this week? Alternately, what arguments? Remembering that everyone is being similarly activated, what tools in your toolkit can you use to cool down as you head into the weekend?
What is your relationship with your writing like right now, as we prepare to go into eclipse season? Are you supported, structured, and resourced in the way you want to be?
"Under the Tuscan Sun" is my favorite comfort movie. I love Mayes' books, too, and always take one when I fly anywhere (because anxiety).