The Full Moon in Pisces, August 30, 2023

Each year, during analytical Virgo season, a dreamy full moon in Pisces rolls along to challenge us to open our minds, look at the big picture, and connect with our emotions. This year, the full moon in Pisces takes place on August 30, 2023, and it happens to be a Blue Moon, too!

A full moon takes place about every 29 days, so there’s typically only one full moon a month. But if a full moon takes place at the very beginning of the month, another could take place before the month is over—the second one is the Blue Moon. This month, August 2023, a full moon in Aquarius took place on August 1, and we have a second taking place in Pisces on August 30. 

A full moon in Pisces can only take place during Virgo season: Virgo is famously detail-oriented, analytical, and down-to-earth, so a full moon in its opposite sign Pisces creates a whimsical and creative atmosphere. If Virgo symbolizes a healer tending to their garden, weeding and maintaining plants, measuring and labeling herbs, Pisces symbolizes the creativity of the healer to invent and concoct, to transform these materials into something that heals and transforms. We may have been doing some accounting, organizing, and tending during Virgo season and during the Pisces full moon, a transformation takes place regarding that work.

Virgo is also famously logical, while Pisces is known for its intuition and emotionality. During Virgo season, we might have been approaching subjects from a cerebral perspective, working through things rationally with a focus on clear communication. During the full moon in Pisces, emotions begin to flow, and we’re more focused on what we feel rather than what we think. This full moon can be a powerful time to express your feelings and emotionally connect with others.

During this full moon, the moon sits close to Saturn in Pisces while opposing the sun in Virgo, adding a serious air to what might otherwise be a very whimsical, carnivalesque time. Pisces is all about limitlessness, and the sun in Virgo is very mindful of rules and limitations, so the full moon in Pisces can be a time when expectations get shaken up! Saturn is the planet of boundaries, though, so under its careful watch, things may not be as carefree or go-with-the-flow as the usual full moon in Pisces might be. Saturn’s presence could find people focused on their tasks and duties during this full moon. Responsibility and maturity may be big themes. The full moon in Pisces asks us to engage with our imaginations, but with Saturn around, a foot needs to stay in reality, too. A full moon in Pisces could be the perfect time to lose yourself during a music festival or a romantic excursion with a lover, but our responsibilities may weigh heavily on our minds.

The Pisces full moon can also be a very emotional period, typically one where logic is set aside for a full-on cry about every fear and fantasy we wish to indulge. With taskmaster Saturn around during this year’s full moon in Pisces, perhaps we’ll find a balance between being honest about our emotions and not getting swept up by them.

Venus retrograde in Leo separates from a square to Jupiter in Taurus, so this full moon may be a period of coming back to balance after a big drama exploded. Themes like indulgence and abstinence may be discussed, and moderation may be the key to many issues being worked through. Venus retrograde in Leo means we could be reassessing our values and desires, wondering what and who we want to be loyal to. Square Jupiter, Venus may be letting us know that we can’t commit to everything and that we may have to be more discerning about how we spend our time and energy. A decision or action may be made regarding what and who we truly want to focus on in our lives. A grand gesture may be offered. 

Mercury retrograde is also in loose alignment with Jupiter in Taurus. Because Mercury rules Virgo and Jupiter rules Pisces, this alignment may be an important one to consider during this full moon. Mercury retrograde finds us reassessing things and perhaps learning about details or information we previously missed. Mercury and Jupiter are trine during this full moon, which is a helpful astrological aspect. It suggests ease in communication and a general feeling of luck, expansion, and connection. We may learn something at this time that is uplifting or helps us understand things in an expanded way.

Finally, full moons are periods of release, making this a powerful time to say goodbyes, end old habits, and change our patterns. As we assess what we want to hold on to, we might get lost examining all the pros and cons of what should stay and what should go. Virgo season can find us zeroing in on details, but between the full moon in expansive Pisces and Mercury’s alignment with Jupiter, new perspectives could bring us into better balance with ourselves emotionally and with each other as a community.