If you track the moon phases incessantly like moi, then all iterations of la lovely Luna are special to you. But, the upcoming full moon is an extra special one in so many ways. Firstly, the September 2019 full moon is also known as the Harvest Moon! Like the Neil Young album! But in this case, it marks the full moon that falls closest to the fall equinox. It's also special given that it's the last major luminary of the summer season, so there's a sense of both closure and new beginnings on the horizon that comes along with this moon's energy. Lastly, it's a full moon in Pisces, which means it's good to know what it means when there's a full moon in Pisces — because the energy of this luminary is going to affect all of us, no matter our zodiac signs.
Let's talk about the sign in which this full moon will reside then, shall we? Pisces is a mutable water sign, and it's actually the 12th and last sign of the zodiac. This gives it a sort of otherworldly and spiritually evolved energy. It's represented by the fish, which happens to be the only sign of the zodiac that dwells entirely underwater — a totally foreign world to us mortals. It makes sense, then, that Pisces is known for its penchant for daydreaming, psychic and emotional sensitivity, and habit of getting caught in the fantasy worlds that they favor over reality. Combine this with the energy of a full moon? We've got an emotional and confusing, yet transformative lunar experience.
"A full moon in Pisces is an emotional ending," says astrologer Lisa Stardust, who spoke with Bustle about the energy of the September full moon. "This luminary in particular is a very complicated one because we may not want to let go easily. In fact, we may feel stuck and the feeling of inertia will cause emotions to rise."
There are astrological reasons for this: Neptune, which is Pisces' modern planetary ruler, is a major player in the astrological complexity of this luminary. As the planet of dreams and illusions, Neptune's side-by-side placement to this full moon will make us all feel foggy-brained when it comes to visualizing our next steps (or even identifying our own wants and needs), and we'll be super deep in our feelings and emotions — perhaps to the point where it clouds our rational judgment (which the Virgo sun so desperately encourages us to call upon).
Let's also talk about the fact that this full moon is also the annual Harvest Moon, aka the final full moon of the summer season — because while we may not feel clear in our thinking under this luminary, it does signify unavoidable changes, endings, and new beginnings. "This Harvest Moon is the prerequisite for the autumnal equinox," Stardust tells Bustle. The autumnal equinox will take place on Sep. 23 and marks the first day of fall in 2019.
"Under this luminary, we will start to see the seasonal shifts in the air," Stardust continues. "The sun will start setting earlier and we will start to embrace the autumnal harvest." This full moon is a culmination of all the energies of the warm, vibrant, abundant summer as we enter the bittersweet autumn.
So how do we deal with the shifting emotional tides and chapters closing? "Being gentle and tender on ourselves will help — as long as we don’t add extra pressure," Stardust advises. That ability to self-soothe is going to come in very handy under this full moon, because it's Virgo season, and we all know how perfection-driven, meticulous, and improvement-obsessed Virgo energy can make us. All that pressure to perfectly organize our thoughts/feelings/life paths will only make us crumble under the intensely emotional, confusing, and insecurity-driven energy of this Pisces full moon. Gentleness, self-compassion, and self-care are absolute musts. Because once we ride this watery lunar wave into the coming season (and coming chapter of our lives), things will begin to take shape — and our goals, feelings, and trust in the universe will become all the more clear.
