July 2023’s Full Moon In Aquarius Gets The Facts Straight

Full moon transits are often times of clarity and honesty — and no sign loves the truth more than Aquarius. In an Aquarian’s perfect world, facts would always hold more weight than feelings; if this air sign had a motto, it would be “I know.” This week, we’re all getting in line with the water bearer’s ethos: On August 1 at 2:31 p.m. ET, the full moon blooms in Aquarius, bringing with it the potential for illuminating surprises and reality checks that will keep you in step with the collective.

“Aquarius, like Capricorn, is traditionally ruled by Saturn, the planet of structure and order, thought to be the last heavenly body in our solar system,” writes NYLON astrologer David Odyssey. “But the 1781 discovery of Uranus blasted open the known limits of the cosmos. Uranus would come to symbolize change and revolution, sharing the rulership of Aquarius.”

He continues: “The final air sign then serves both masters — tradition and upheaval — as it works towards the practical, structural implementation of change. Its gaze is fixed through the looking glass and into the future, interfacing with new mediums and movements that will speed us to the event horizon.”

July 2023’s full moon in Aquarius lands at the same time as Venus retrograde in Leo; the planet of love and beauty is looking through her notes and reexamining what these values actually mean in the context of your life. There’s already a spirit of revising and recalibrating in the air, so the Aquarius full moon’s arrival will only intensify the introspection. Aquarius is the innovator; it only knows how to lead with vision. The full moon may deliver solutions to whatever feels sticky in your life, but know that it likely won’t be sugarcoated. This lunation is also in a square with Jupiter in Taurus, creating a little bit of friction that opens the gates to abundance.

While Leo is often (fairly) singled out for its theatrics, the fire sign is deeply rooted in creativity. Leo is ruled by the sun, and there’s no creation — physical or spiritual, literal or figurative — without it in the picture. Sitting across from Leo is Aquarius, who takes this creativity away from any potential myopia, and blasts it open for all of humanity. Will your revelations lead you to the bigger picture?