Get ready to bloom during this week’s full flower moon in Sagittarius

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Arrows to the sky, caution to the wind, there's a full moon rising in the sign of Sagittarius.

Arrows to the sky, fear to the wayside, and truth to the forefront. Folks, the Full Flower Moon in Sagittarius will rise, shine, and peak on May 23 at 9:53 a.m. EST.

Because the moon will be below the horizon while it is peaking, the best time to view the full glory of this lunation will be Wednesday and Thursday evenings.

The full moon occurs when the moon is directly opposite the sun in its orbit around Earth. The sun is ego and the moon is emo, and during a full moon, these inverse energies are illuminated through zodiac polarities, showing us how we can integrate to elevate.

This go-round, we have the sun in ‘chaos as cardio, conversation as sacrament’ Gemini opposing the moon in the ‘may the road go on forever and the party never end’ sign of Sagittarius.

This is bon vivant, let the good times roll and levity lead energy, a bright, breath of fresh air/power huff of a nitrous balloon after an eclipse season that left us somewhere on the scale between rattled/ragged and reborn in the fires of adversity.

Meaning of the full moon in Sagittarius

Sagittarius energy is synonymous with optimism. baitoey – stock.adobe.com
Sagittarius energy is synonymous with optimism. baitoey – stock.adobe.com

Sagittarius and Gemini are mutable signs, meaning they function as a bridge between seasons, a flexibility reflected in both archetypes; Gemini, symbolized by the celestial twins Castor and Pollux, is duality incarnate while Sagittarius, symbolized by the centaur, represents the push and pull between animal need and divine aspiration. Both signs are vested in the liminal and open to the impossible. As such, there is perhaps no axis more complementary than Gemini and Sagittarius.

Apropos of Sagittarius being the archer, this full moon can be interpreted as what can be conceived/targeted (Gemini) can be accomplished/arrowed (Sagittarius).

This is the axis of words and wisdom, curiosity, and philosophy, talking s—t and making moves, where rhetoric becomes revolution. Sag and Gemini alike champion creativity, freedom and unexpected connectivity. If this polarity were an object it would be the hot air balloon, a fantastic dream made possible through the marriage of fire and air.

For both signs, interest is paramount to understanding and both actively seek to have their limits pushed, horizons broadened and minds blown. Here to get far out, they welcome the weird and shake hands with the strange.

The Gemini/Sagittarius axis is made manifest in the hot air balloon. vali_111 – stock.adobe.com
The Gemini/Sagittarius axis is made manifest in the hot air balloon. vali_111 – stock.adobe.com

As Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, the planet of fortune, enoughness and excess, the overarching themes of this full moon are abundant optimism and optimistic abundance.

Optimism translates to “the greatest good,” or the “best of all possible worlds,” in this etymology lies the spirit of this sign and the energy we should seek to channel under the light of this moon.

Remember that the presence or absence of luck has more to do with belief than proof. Believe that life is unfolding for you, with your greatest good not only possible but probable.

Fly high in that hot air balloon of wild imagination, folks.

Meaning of the Flower Moon

The Full Flower Moon gets its name from the blooms that flood the earth this time of year. jakkapan – stock.adobe.com
The Full Flower Moon gets its name from the blooms that flood the earth this time of year. jakkapan – stock.adobe.com

As per the Farmer’s Almanac, the Algonquin people called May’s full moon the Flower Moon, a reference to the boom of blooms that carpeted North America in late spring.

Other names for this moon include the Leaf Budding Moon, marking the awakening of flora and fauna as the weather warms, and the Planting Moon denoting the time when seeds should be sewn for the summer to come. The Cree called this month’s moon the Egg Laying Moon and Frog Moon, while the Oglala knew it as Moon of the Shedding Ponies.

From flowers to ponies, seeds to eggs, all names reflect the promise of vitality.

May this moon, the wealth of form renewed, and the potent rush of possibility serve you well.


Astrology 101: Your guide to the star


Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience. To book a birth chart reading, contact her via her website.