October Full Moon in Aries - what to expect from The Hunter's Moon 2021

WORDS Mia Steiber PHOTOGRAPHY Mary Hammel PUBLISHED Wed, 13 Oct 2021 - 4:45 pm

Our next Full Moon arrives mid-week on the evening of Wednesday October 20 - although technically at its fullest point in the early hours of October 21 at 1:56am AEDT.

This Moon is known as the Hunter's Moon, and is one of the few Full Moons that doesn't take its name from folklore. The Hunter's Moon is always the first Moon to follow the Harvest Moon - and the Harvest Moon can change. The Harvest Moon is the one that falls closest to the autumn equinox (or spring equinox for those of us in the Southern hemisphere), and this could be either the September or October Moon. Subsequently, the Hunter's Moon may be either the October or November Moon. And in this particular instance, we're met with a Hunter's Moon in October, signalling the time the people of the Northern Hemisphere would go hunting in preparation for the cold months ahead.

It is important to note that this is not a Blood Moon according to the official definition. A Blood Moon occurs during a lunar eclipse. The reason some call this Moon a Blood Moon is due to its proximity to Halloween.

What to expect from the Full Hunter's Moon in Aries

The Hunter's Moon comes to us in the sign of Aries. As you would expect, Aries is fiery. It is a hot-headed sign that loves passionately and is quick to anger. They err on the side of egotism and rarely have a filter for the things they believe in. They're competitive and love to be the best, sometimes to the detriment of those around them. This is a naturally bold and an ambitious sign, with lots of energy and plenty of enthusiasm. Aries is either a joy to be around, a radiant bundle of energy, or is difficult and deliberately combative. There is rarely an in between.

This will be the defining mood of this Full Moon, and the core theme should be considered 'action'. The radiating Aries energy can be invigorating, pushing you to make the changes you need to make. Or it can make you irrational, and encourage you to jump the gun in a moment of anger. Both of these scenarios may appear to be similar, but there is an important distinction here. Making changes you need to make are ones that will benefit you holistically, and lead to a happier and healthier life. They're not ones that are made in the heat of the moment. While the Full Moon in Aries and its fiery and ambitious energy may be pushing us to act, make sure you're using this energetic push to take the leap on moves you've always wanted to make. It may feel good in the moment to pick a fight with a friend you disagree with - or slam your boss with negative feedback on your latest project - ask yourself, are these actions that will ultimately align with what's best for you? Remember, Aries has a tendency to do as it pleases, regardless of the detriment it causes. Don't let that detriment be at your own expense.

Instead, take the Aries 'I can do anything' energy and channel this to help you believe in yourself. Act with the intention of letting go of things that no longer serve you in the interest of greener pastures. Have you always wanted to start your own business? Have you been thinking about going back to uni? Have you been wanting to make the first move in your current Hinge chat? Allow Aries to embolden you to take a leap of faith and act!

Remember that Full Moons are the climax of the current Moon Cycle. It is the crest of the bell curve, a point where tensions can reach a breaking point and you can harvest the seeds of manifestation sewn at the New Moon. Be mindful of your words at this time and don't allow yourself to be too easily inflamed. It is also a time of illumination, literally and figuratively, where the hidden influences at work will come to the surface. Again, allow yourself to be assertive in your own best interest, but don't be rash.

Which signs will be affected most?

With retrograde season slowly coming to an end, October lifts us from the spell of Pluto, Saturn, Mercury and Jupiter retrogrades. So everything will feel a lot more normal for most signs.

Virgo, who loves order and organisation, will finally feel like they have their voice back as ruling planet Mercury goes direct. You'll feel more energetic and able to communicate yourself effectively. With Aries lighting up your desire for change, good things are in store.

As described by astrologer Clarisse Monahan in our October horoscopes, Cancer will be feeling an urge to connect at the Full Moon, particularly with their mothers. With the Full Moon lighting your tenth house, try to reach out with a kind word or actually meet up with them if you can.

Libra on the other hand may have a more challenging time at the Full Moon. As a sign that likes to carefully consider all angles and keep life in balance, the Aries energy pushing you to act and change may feel uncomfortable. Especially if you feel you haven't had time to evaluate each scenario. You may need to use your gut and intuition to sniff out what is best for you and remember - sometimes we all need to take a leap of faith.