Full Moon In Cancer Rituals 2023: Balance Your Head & Heart
The full moon in Cancer is like a soft wave of feminine, motherly love that washes over us, and celebrating it with ritual can help you tune in to your heart, feel a depth of emotions, and connect with the people you love most.
The full moon in Cancer is typically the first full moon of the year. It is also known as the wolf moon, as in the native lands of America, it was common to hear wolves howling at this time of year to communicate with their pack.
Read on to learn more about what a full moon symbolizes, what a full moon in Cancer is typically about (+ 2023 specifics), and rituals to help you work with the energy of the crab.
A full moon: nourish, expand & celebrate
The main four phases of the moon cycle are:
- New moon
- Waxing moon
- Full moon
- Waning moon
The moon takes approximately 29 days to complete one full cycle, so a full moon occurs roughly every four weeks.
Each moon phase has a unique energy, which, if we harness it, can help us live and lead in flow rather than pushing against the tide and willing things to happen when it’s simply not time yet.
A full moon is a time of completion, expansion, and illumination. You might find yourself completing projects, celebrating wins, or shining a light on the shadows in your subconscious.
When is the full moon in cancer 2023?
LA, United States: January 6th at 15:03
London, United Kingdom: January 6th at 23:07
Sydney, Australia: January 7th at 10:07
Click here to find the exact time of the full moon in Cancer 2023 where you live.
The full moon phase lasts between 2-3 days, so you can plan to do a full moon ritual on any of these days while her energy is still strong.
What is the full moon in cancer 2023 about?
Some general themes always apply to a Cancer full moon. Then there are specific, timely themes based on the unique planetary alignments that add to the overall energy.
Let’s begin with the specifics for the full moon in cancer 2023.
The sun’s season in Capricorn brings our focus and attention to our work, goals, and wealth, but the moon in Cancer balances this cold, head-focus by reminding us that our home, relationships, and emotional health are equally important.
Now is the perfect time to strive for better balance in all areas of your life as you begin a new year and set to work on your goals. Start as you mean to go on. Is your head in sync with your heart? The journey to the top of the mountain you’ve chosen to climb will present fewer challenges if you figure out this finicky dance first.
Mercury and Mars are currently retrograde, which can halt progress in communication and action, leaving you feeling like a sitting duck. This can be challenging, especially when the sun’s Capricorn energy fuels us with fire and motivation to work on what we want most.
So, if you do find yourself meeting an unforeseen roadblock, pause, take a breath, and remember that this is what climbing the mountain is all about. It’s never a straightforward climb. Sometimes you’ve got to take a few steps back or sideways to move forward again on the right path.
And if you feel confused and unable to make a decision, don’t force it. Take your time. There is no rush to commit right now. Let the intuition of Cancer guide you through this moon all the way to Imbolc (February 1st).
Now for some general themes and lessons the full moon in Cancer brings us.
Tis the season for self-care
The full moon in Cancer is the perfect time to turn your attention inward, create a self-care practice, or up your existing one. Capricorn’s energy can push us to do more, be more, and have more, but resist the urge to exert yourself and ensure you are pouring back into your own cup. This will give you the strength and stamina to continue your climb without burning out.
Feel all the feels
It doesn’t matter if you’ve got a lot of Cancer in your chart (like me) or none—everyone will feel Cancer’s influence when the full moon is orbiting in this sign. Part of the reason is that the moon is the ruler of Cancer, so the feminine, nourishing, watery energy of Cancer is amplified by her light.
Emotions are guaranteed to be heightened during this time because the full moon and Cancer are known for their emotional energy. Be open to the feelings that arise during this time. Let yourself be tender and vulnerable.
One of Cancer’s go-to’s is to retreat into her shell and put up walls to protect herself from getting hurt. This is not always a bad thing, but do it too often, and you prevent yourself from experiencing the depth that emotions and relationships have to offer.
Tuning into your own emotions gives you a better understanding of what you need, while tuning into others’ emotions helps you understand theirs.
Come back home
No matter how far and wide you’ve traveled in the weeks, moons, or years leading to now, the full moon in Cancer is an invitation to come back home. After all, grandmamma moon is at home in this sign, and she asks us to find the same safety, comfort, and sense of belonging in our world.
It’s natural to gravitate to what feels familiar and secure during this time. Get ready for your home and family life to move into full focus. Does your home feel warm, safe, and serene? Or do you feel a disconnect or disease there? Ponder on these questions during the full moon in Cancer.
Be with your family
Cancer is very much the sign of feminine, maternal energy and the mother archetype. During this season, it’s natural to find a stronger urge to take on the mother hen role and nurture those around you. Everything in your home will feel infused with more meaning than usual: cooking meals, eating together around the table, putting out fresh sheets and towels, and spending quality time with loved ones.
Let yourself enjoy being around the ones you love who make you feel good in their presence. Carve out more time at home and nights in with friends and family rather than nights out.
9 Full moon in cancer rituals to try
There are lots of different practices you can weave into your full moon ritual to harness the Cancer energy available to you. Here’s some inspiration, but trust your own intuition. If you feel drawn to something, not on this list, follow that inner wisdom and give yourself what you need. This is an act of self-care.
1. Take a cleansing bath ritual
One of the best Cancer full moon rituals is to run yourself a blissful bath. Cancer is a water sign, so simply being in this element will help you channel these nourishing, feeling, homey vibes.
Light a candle, add salts and essential oils (or make your own bath tea), put on spa-like music, and let yourself peace out. Bathe here for as long as you like. Imagine any old, stagnant energy leaving your body and welcoming in the new.
2. Be in nature
Heading to a lake or the ocean will allow you to instantly feel the watery frequency of Cancer, but just being in nature is enough. For your full moon in Cancer ritual, why not schedule a walk, hike, or run. Do some yoga in your back garden, or lay down and watch the stars as you drink in the fresh air.
This is a simple yet effective way to get out of your head and into your heart.
3. Indulge is slower, subtle practices
Things like yin yoga, soothing breathwork, swimming, reiki, and massage are all ways to connect to your body and the deeper emotions that lie within, and that’s what the full moon in Cancer is all about—it’s a deeply spiritual moon.
Slow down, turn your attention inward, and appreciate everything your body allows you to do. Every moment, every touch, every sensation.
4. Nourish yourself
How often do you sink a cup of coffee or demolish a bar of chocolate without stopping to savor the moment? If you’re anything like me, all the time!
On this full moon in Cancer, slow everything right down. Give thanks before you eat a meal. Try eating in total silence. Chew slower. Switch out your morning coffee for a cup of herbal tea. Swap the sugary milk chocolate for a rich piece of organic, dark chocolate. Take time to cook a delicious meal from scratch using local produce.
There are many simple ways to nourish yourself and find beauty in the little moments.
5. Journal
I always offer journaling as a practice to weave into any full or new moon ritual because putting pen to paper helps us access our womb wisdom and the thoughts, feelings, and emotions in our subconscious.
The full moon in Cancer is a prime opportunity to journal on everything to do with your home, family life, and emotions.
- Where did I feel most at home in the past year?
- What in my home no longer aligns with the woman I am becoming?
- Which relationships make me feel most relaxed and at ease?
- What connections, friendships, and partnerships do I wish to cultivate more of in the coming year?
- Are there any relationships that feel heavy and no longer serve me or my highest self?
- Are there any emotions I have stored up that need expressing?
6. Get vulnerable
There’s no better time to connect with your deepest feelings and share them than when the full moon is shining in Cancer. As part of your ritual, write a letter (or letters) to someone you appreciate and express how you feel. You don’t have to send your letters if you don’t want to, but doing so requires another level of vulnerability: très Cancer.
7. Honor the people you love
Our blood relatives don’t always turn out to be our soul family, and that’s okay. Find a way to celebrate and visually honor whoever you class as your family. Maybe that means you print some photos out and frame them, make a scrapbook, or share a video montage of pictures on social media.
8. Make a contribution to yourself
Cancer and Capricorn do have a similarity, which is that they both value security. Capricorn focuses more on material security, while Cancer focuses on the foundational security of having a safe place to call home. However, this security includes money.
Now is the perfect time to open a savings account, invest in a stock, and start saving for something your future self will thank you for.
9. Cleanse your space
The final way to celebrate the full moon in Cancer is to do a cleansing ritual. Have a clearout of your home and get rid of anything that no longer brings you joy. Clean out the fridge. Donate clothes that you haven’t worn in forever.
You can do this in your physical and digital spaces, i.e., your computer and your phone! Empty your emails, delete unnecessary files, organize things in the cloud, etc.
Ready to celebrate the full moon in cancer 2023?
How will you work with the energy of the Cancer full moon? What do you believe are the greatest lessons Cancer the crab has to teach you? Share your rituals and thoughts with me in the comments below!
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