Happy second Aquarius Full Moon in succession me hearties (an occasional astrological anomaly)...

...and, after a succession of fairly challenging moon months, I can be confident this week of playing the bearer of glad tidings. Our beloved Luna enjoys the close embrace of Jupiter this weekend, an alignment that signals excellent opportunities for growth in matters personal, material and spiritual. If there is any luck to be had we're going to find it so there's a strong case for symbolically picking up a lottery ticket to consciously mark our grateful readiness to receive all the goodness the Universe has to offer. Mooning HQ would naturally expect a 10% commission on any winnings.

Fortune will also favour the brave this week particularly regarding intimate relationships and romance. For all the singlies out there, this is a great moon under which to put yourself about a bit. There are better odds than usual for meeting a like minded, soul brother/sister/non-binary partner for mutual exploration of the mysteries of relationship, so why not take a punt if you feel inclined? Move with unhurried grace and ease, ensuring humour and honesty provide a perfect platform for pleasure.

For the paired/grouped up, this is the Pisces moon for gay abandon, relaxing inhibition and intimate experimentation. Think outside the box as it were...lol. Let's not allow the norms, postures and positions of our limited cultural and social conditioning restrict the unlimited lexicon of sensuality. Let's find a way to meet our partners truly naked (devoid of preconception and expectation) to see what happens in that holy instant. If we can meet in that moment, with no distraction from either past or future, we can join with all existence in the most intimate embrace available. Phwoarr eh?!

The only astrological word of caution derives from Jupiter simultaneously opposing the Sun which tends towards over-doing all the positive stuff above. Any over indulgence should be tempered to avoid letting greed, immorality, selfishness and arrogance taint proceedings. Go easy friends. Give thanks for the good stuff that comes our way but exercise considered moderation to avoid any disappointment or potential embarrassment.

Whether single or otherwise, relationship is central to our experience and existence. In this column, I regularly bang on about the unified field or 'quantum soup' from which we all emerge, in an attempt to describe the interconnected nature of the Universe. It could be said that our personal relationship with each other and the world around us reflects the qualitative understanding of that interconnectedness.

Science, as its quantum exploration continues apace, is finding deeper connections in the behavioural traits of matter. The celebrated scientist and author Carlo Rovelli in his efforts to understand the quantum nature of reality, champions the “relational” interpretation that maintains quantum theory does not describe the way in which quantum objects manifest themselves to “observers”, but describes how every physical object manifests itself to any other physical object.

He suggests the world that we observe is continuously interacting; it is better understood as a web of interactions and relations rather than objects. From a lay perspective of course, we've been brought up in that apparently solid world of material objects, objectifying and separating them and each other, rather than interacting in a unified way. The current climate crisis could be said to be a disastrous symptom of humanity's mistaken, mentally derived belief in separation.

"Individual objects are summed up by the way in which they interact. If there were an object that had no interactions, no effect on anything, it would be as good as non-existent. When the electron does not interact with anything, Rovelli argues, it has no physical properties."
Manjit Kumar

And yet Rovelli is no science purist, regularly referencing eastern philosophy - a practice often derided in scientific circles. He cites one of the most important texts of Buddhism, Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, or The Fundamental Verses of the Middle Way. Written in the second century by the Indian philosopher Nāgārjuna, its central argument is simply that there is nothing that exists in itself, independently from something else.

Again, from a simplified lay perspective, this makes sense, hopefully reigniting a Mooner's aspiration to help and care for the world that we observe, experience and of which we are an integral part. Caring and sharing becomes an external extension of the continual internal web of interactions and relations that allow our bodies and consciousness to exist and perceive. The nurture of any individual aspect of existence nurtures the whole.

That's all a roundabout way of saying that this Aquarius Full Moon provides a great opportunity to explore and revel in the mutually beneficial nature of relationship in its myriad guises: with people, places and things.

As recognition grows of our vested interest in the welfare of others, so the ego led distinctions between 'us and them' begin to dissolve. The space created affords us a further opportunity to reunite with our greater reality and importantly, delight in and give thanks for the awesome experience.

As we find gratitude in our own lives, let's find a quiet moment to remember the displaced and fearful around the world, who through no fault of their own find their lives in peril. The misplaced human ideology of greed and competition (separation) has brought us to the brink of systemic ecological collapse from within and without.

There is still an opportunity to employ the incredible resources at our disposal to create a creative, healthy, prosperous and peaceful life for All, not just a few of us privileged humans, but we must start to apply our conscious thoughts, words and actions to that critical, caring task immediately.

Under this Aquarius Full Moon optimism abounds which naturally breeds contentment and a happy ease in these late days of European/Northern Hemisphere summer. Optimism may be harder to find elsewhere: Yemen: Afghanistan; Syria; Haiti; Democratic Republic of Congo; Venezuela; Ethiopia; Gaza; Burkina Faso; South Sudan; humanitarian disasters underway in all... and that's before the devastating Covid 19 saga plays out in full across Africa. (Why is Africa still not getting the Covid Vaccine? - Gordon Brown Guardian article)

New friendships and good fortune may be in the offing for some of us reading this missive but let's ensure such privileged liberty reflects our capacity to care and share as an integrated action of living in every circumstance. This nurtured, realised intention radiates invaluable benefit to the connected, unified whole and is a tangible way for us to effect positive global change. Let's get on with it.

With love 'til next time

Mark

Next month's edition of MOON LIT features the surreal and playful poetry of accomplished young wordsmith Samuel Morley. Sam lives and works in London and is a founder member of ArtClub™ an international artist collective that aspires to inspire positive change in the world through their creative endeavour.

His writing is an extraordinary blend of improvised rhythm, linguistic flamboyance and regular lewdness. As you might have guessed, I simply love it. Subscribe for free HERE to ensure his bawdy, lunar influenced titillations tickle your inbox with gusto on the day of publication.