Full Moon in Aries – The Reptilian Brain

On October 17th, 2024, we have a powerful Full Moon at 24° Aries.

The Full Moon is part of an intense Cardinal Grand Cross: Moon (24° Aries) and Sun (24°Libra) square Mars (22° Cancer) and Pluto (29° Capricorn).

A Cardinal Grand Cross occurs when 4 planets in cardinal signs form squares and oppositions, generating dynamic tension that demands immediate action. This Full Moon is charged with high-voltage energy!

If that was not enough intensity, the Full Moon is also conjunct Chiron, surfacing vulnerabilities and old wounds, and asking us to face and heal them head-on (Aries).

All the planets involved in this lunation are in cardinal signs, driving us to act on these primal forces.

This Grand Cross touches on our deepest psychological drivers:

The Moon: our default behaviors and reactions
The Sun: our sense of identity and purpose
Mars: what triggers us and sets us into action
Chiron: our wounds, which when triggered, cause us to either hide in our shell or lash out
Pluto: our reptilian brain – the center for our most hardwired instincts

With these tense astrological alignments, the Full Moon in Aries ‘screams’ triggering. Things ARE going to trigger us. The push to respond instinctively – from our reptilian brain – is very strong.

Full Moon In Aries – The Reptilian Brain

The reptilian brain is a metaphor for our older psychic structures.

This brain is the center for our most hardwired instincts – reflexes, sexual impulses, fight, flight or freeze – it rules over our survival as species.

Without the reptilian brain (Pluto), we would simply not survive.

Pluto carries our ancestral memories, which include experiences that could threaten our basic survival – war, famine, or natural disasters.

We all carry this information in our genes, passing it from generation to generation because Pluto wants us to be well-equipped to survive as a species.

What happens when our reptilian brain is activated? Our ‘survival’ button is pressed, and we automatically fall back on our default patterns.

The reptilian brain is designed to ensure our survival by triggering fight-or-flight responses (Mars square Pluto) when necessary.

Since those early days of evolution, things have changed. We’re no longer being chased by tigers or facing constant life-threatening dangers. Today, it’s rare that we encounter situations that truly demand a fight-or-flight reaction.

However, those hardwired instincts are still with us. We often react to real or perceived threats almost instantaneously, as our biology primes us to either run or fight.

Full Moon In Aries – (Pull) The Trigger

So what do we do when we inevitably get triggered?

The first step is to acknowledge the trigger.

We don’t want to ignore it – this is an Aries Full Moon, after all. Holding back, staying calm, and waiting patiently go against the very spirit of Aries.

But acting destructively isn’t the answer either.

Instead, try to understand why you were triggered. This is where the gold is.

Typically, when we get triggered, our instinct is to project or place blame on others – whether it’s people, circumstances, or something else.

But if something triggers us, there’s usually a deeper reason. It’s calling us to explore something more profound.

Triggers demand our full attention, drawing us in energetically. Sometimes, we need a shake-up to remind us of what truly matters.

At the Full Moon in Aries, pay attention to what triggers you, and ask yourself why it triggers you.

Maybe it’s anger that arises when your basic needs for security aren’t being met (Mars in Cancer)
Maybe it’s a sense of shame, feeling that your existence is insignificant or that others might reject you (Chiron in Aries)
Maybe it’s fear, rooted in the belief that the world is a dangerous place and that you’re not equipped to face its challenges (Pluto in Capricorn)
Maybe it’s the urge to withdraw from the emotional discomfort and shift responsibility onto others (Sun in Libra).

Full Moon In Aries – What Drives You

But the key question here is WHY. Why anger, why shame, why fear?

The Full Moon in Aries invites us to connect with that part of us that is raw and real, that part of us that inherently knows. This Aries inner spark is intuitively guiding us towards the truth, day after day.

At this Full Moon in Aries, we have the chance to (re)connect with it – even if it stirs our deepest vulnerabilities (Chiron).

What are you fighting for? Why are you pursuing what you’re pursuing? What’s your hero’s mission? And what is so important to you that it’s worth doing, even if you fail?