Eclipse season is officially over, but the astrology of October is just beginning to ramp up. The spooky vibes are starting strong with a full moon on Oct. 6. Rising in the bold and brazen sign of Aries, this fire-ruled lunation is the first supermoon of the year — meaning it’s peaking in closer proximity to the earth than a typical full moon — and it’s also earned itself the iconic title of this year’s Harvest Moon. This red-hot supermoon rises right around sunset, promising some dramatic and stunning lunar visuals. Its astrological influence will be equally powerful, which is why you’ll want to know the spiritual meaning of October’s full moon, too.
In astrology, full moons are the climactic midpoint of the moon’s monthly journey through the heavens, during which the face of the moon is fully illuminated by the sun from the opposite side of the zodiac. Because this lunar phase brings the moon to its brightest and most visible point, it makes sense that full moons are often associated with intense emotional swells, powerful revelations, and cathartic releases. This energy is naturally helpful for letting go of things, pushing something to a turning point, or otherwise expressing your feelings openly.
October’s full moon is in the cardinal fire sign of Aries, which happens to be considered the very first of the twelve signs. As the zodiac’s brave and zealous leader, Aries’ energy makes this full moon an empowering moment to stand up for your needs, prioritize your own desires, and dig deep into whatever truths have been revealing themselves to you as of late. It’s time to reap all that you’ve sown this season and integrate every important lesson life has taught you.
Aligning with the spiritual meaning of the Oct. 6 full moon can help you make the most of it, so open your heart and get ready to create some lunar magic.
The Harvest Moon’s Spiritual Meaning
The full moon on Oct. 6 serves as this year’s Harvest Moon, as it’s the full moon occurring closest to the date of the autumn equinox. This is the first time since 2020 that the Harvest Moon has taken place in October rather than September, making it extra special. Per Farmer’s Almanac, the Harvest Moon has long been considered culturally significant, as its proximity to the equinox creates astronomical conditions in which the moon rises right around sunset for several nights and appears visibly full for several days instead of just one. This conveniently-timed moonrise and extended period of lunar luminosity traditionally allowed farmers to work later into the evening and harvest their crops for several days, which was important during this critical part of the year, as the autumn equinox is an ideal time to prepare and store the summer’s bounty before winter begins to creep in.
This explanation also feels symbolically aligned, as the spiritual meaning of October’s full moon is pushing you to dive deep into whatever task, desire, or goal lies in front of you. It’s the first lunation to hit since the transformative portal of September’s eclipse season closed, so now is your chance to harvest all the metaphorical crops you’ve been tending to in your life over this past season.
As the first sign of the zodiac, Aries energy is badass, bold, and always ready to blaze new trails, so now’s the time to tap into these qualities within yourself. Channel the courageous leader within you and start going after what you want with gusto. There’s no reason to wait around for anyone else to make magic happen for you! Aries is just as hot-headed as it is headstrong, so paired with the general emotional intensity of a full moon, you might find that feelings are especially explosive during this period, but you’ll find that any blow-ups are likely to blow over just as quickly as they came. After all, Aries is ruled by the impulsive warrior planet Mars.
Don’t abandon yourself to appease anyone else.
Currently, Mars is well-placed in its other home-base sign of Scorpio, encouraging everyone to be strategic and play the long game when it comes to conquering their goals. While the full moon isn’t making any major aspects to other planets, there will also be a concurrent square-off taking place between intellectual Mercury in Scorpio and control-freak Pluto in Aquarius. This connection is great for mystery-solving and digging deep beneath the surface of whatever you’ve been struggling with — so if something has been tugging at your psyche, be willing to face the matter head-on. However, beware of falling too far down a mental rabbit hole, as this aspect can lend itself to obsessive thoughts. It’s good to be focused, but getting overly fixated can wind up isolating you from the results you actually want.
Channel The Full Harvest Moon Energy
The diplomatic and partnerships-oriented vibe of Libra season has everyone thinking about themselves in symbiosis with others. But having the full moon across the zodiac in headstrong Aries signals that it’s time to focus on yourself. How can you prioritize your own needs and pursue your own desires without feeling like you’re letting other people down? Is the energy of those around you something that you feel the need to fight against, or are they naturally helping to push you in a direction that feels aligned? You’ve got to have your own back in every circumstance, so don’t abandon yourself to appease anyone else.
Additionally, if you followed the advice of many astrologers and put your moon spells on pause during eclipse season, you can officially resume your lunar manifestation practice as of this full moon. In fact, it’s an ideal time to focus on releasing anything that’s hindering your independence or making you second-guess your goals. Try a full moon candle ritual if you’d like to harness the red-hot energy of this fire-sign-ruled lunation.
