Jan 3, 2023 | by Daniel Giamario |
The Cancer Full Moon on Friday, January 6, 2023, is an extremely special one for our school and for me personally. This is the Epiphany Full Moon, and in the traditions of the school, it’s the Magi Full Moon.
Exact Full Moon is January 6, at 4:08pm Arizona time, at 16Cancer21.
In the Roman Catholic and Protestant versions of Christianity, Epiphany on January 6 has usually been celebrated as the arrival of the Magi (three wise men), bringing gifts in adoration of the birth of Christ. This was 13 days after December 25, celebrated as Christmas. The Magi, of course, were astrologers and astronomers.
In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Christmas is celebrated on January 6, and Epiphany is thirteen days later on January 19. For them, it is not about the Magi, but a celebration of the baptism of Christ, when the revelation of divinity was made known. The dates are different because Eastern Orthodox still uses the Julian calendar.
The word epiphany is really interesting. Following are some phrases I discovered:
- an appearance or manifestation, especially of a divine being
- a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something
- : an intuitive grasp of reality through something (such as an event), usually simple and striking
- : an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure
- : a revealing scene or moment
Epiphany and revelation have many similarities in meaning. One sense of epiphany is “a revealing scene or moment”, and one sense of revelation is “something that is revealed”. However, epiphany may also mean “an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine Being”, a sense not shared by revelation. Additionally, revelation is more likely to be used in the ecclesiastic sense of “an act of revealing or communicating divine truth”.
On the early morning of January 10, 1982, I was camping in the Wonderland of Rocks at Joshua Tree National Monument. Earlier the previous day had been a total Lunar Eclipse (19Cancer14), though not visible in the Americas. That night, one of the most remarkable experiences of my entire life happened. A large and evocative rock formation which I now refer to as Grandfather Rock, spoke directly to me and imparted specific instructions: “Apprentice with me, come be with me one weekend a month for a year.”
I followed those instructions, and over the next year, almost all of the main components of this astrological paradigm, as well as what became the first wave of the school emerged. For me, this was both an epiphany and a revelation. I have so much gratitude for that night.
Ever since, the Cancer Full Moon is the Magi Moon for myself and the school. And the Full Moon of epiphanies, revelations and transmissions. The fact that this year, the Full Moon falls exactly on
Christian Epiphany and Eastern Orthodox Christmas increases the significance even more.
Last but not least is a feature that was not present in 1982: This January 6 is an extreme out-of-bounds Moon of 26N57 declination. I strongly suggest going out, experiencing this Full Moon, and see what kinds of epiphanies and revelations you receive!