July 2023: Tarot spread for the full moon in Capricorn

Plus some journaling questions, an astro-tarot forecast and an exploration of the Sabian symbol for the full moon in Capricorn.

The July 2023 full moon falls in the sign of Capricorn. Symbolized by the mountain goat, which maintains perfect balance while it climbs over precarious rock ledges, the Capricorn archetype is one of disciplined and dogged determination towards the attainment of our worldly desires.

Spiritually, the Capricorn archetype teaches us about integrity and helps us to harness the ability to plan our work, and stick to it, no matter what. In these times of 24×7 consumption culture, it’s easy to be addicted with shiny object syndrome and forget about our goals and plans. Capricorn teaches us about the meaning of integrity: to align ourselves with our highest ideals and actualize our potential.

This full moon also highlights your voyage of self-discovery: who you are, who you’re becoming, how do you realize your best self? It’s an excellent time to shine some light on your unique personality traits, the things about yourself that you want to change, and perhaps more importantly, to consider how you can achieve your goals while working with yourself {your strengths, vision, etc.} rather than against yourself {following “conventional” advice, which may or may not be serving you}.

Astro-tarot influences for the Capricorn full moon

To throw some more light on the July full moon astrology, let’s take a look at the astro-tarot influences of this lunation. The Capricorn full moon falls in decan 2, which is represented by the Three of Pentacles. This is to be interpreted in conjunction with The Devil, which is associated with Capricorn.

Building anything of value, of meaning — be that a career, a home, a relationship, even the self — requires the laying of strong foundations. And one of the key ingredients in creating that foundation is trust. Because no matter what we are building, and no matter how fabulous a blueprint we have to guide our steps, there’s always the possibility for things to go wrong.

If we stick with the construction analogy, despite all of the blueprints and careful calculations, any number of things can go wrong — the raw materials may be flawed; the input prices required for construction may escalate; the builders may go on strike; the casting of the walls may be skewed to one side…and yet, new construction projects are started around the world almost every day. Despite the possibilities of delays, shortages, and even non-completion.

And while our lives and goals are not a construction project, the analogy serves. We have a vision, and though we may not necessarily have a blueprint, we have ideas on how we can work towards and perhaps achieve that vision.

It requires from us commitment, focus, an attention to detail, and the willingness to do the work. What often stymies us, though, is our own negative patterns of thinking and behaving.

I think it is safe to say that the pursuit of any goal requires some sacrifice, some change from the norm. We need to step at least a little bit out of our comfort zone, if not a lot, and to take some risks. But we can often feel safe in our comfort zones, in the unchanging routines by which we build our lives. It takes courage — and trust — to break away and strike off on a new path. To do the work needed to build a foundation that will support us with our visions. Because if we don’t, things remain stagnant. And from stagnancy eventually grows regret.

Sabian Symbol for the July 2023 full moon

The Sabian Symbol for Capricorn 11 degrees is A Student Of Nature Lecturing, Revealing Little-Known Aspects Of Life

This symbol reminds me of the wisdom of nature, and the people who share that wisdom with us. Mary Oliver, through her luminous poetry, is one who comes immediately to mind. Then there are all the scientists and thinkers and spiritual teachers who talk about the interconnectedness of root systems and the magic of fungi and about the deep connection between human beings and mother nature — a connection that seems to have been severed in this age of digital tech and AI.

This is a symbol of someone who has gained some life lessons and is now sharing that knowledge. As Lyna Hill writes in 360 Degrees of Wisdom: The Sabian Oracle, “telling stories of the wonders of life can inspire others to greater heights in their own lives. Revealing the truth of something can lead to wonder and awe, but it can also lead to disbelief, it really depends on how the message is received” and delivered.

Tarot spread for the July 2023 Capricorn full moon

Here’s a tarot spread to tap into the energy of this full moon.

1. Laying the foundation: Draw 2 cards. These represent the energy that you need to lay the foundation to achieve your goal or vision

2. Checking the materials: This card represents your fears and anxieties

3. Refining the blueprint: This card represents a mindset shift that will help you at this time

4. Mamma moon says: This is always an encouraging message

If you share your spreads on Instagram, please use the hashtag #moontarotstories or tag me @moderngypsy.in so we can connect with each other.

Journaling questions for the July 2023 full moon

Not a cardslinger? No problem. Here are some journaling questions for you instead.

What changes do you notice in yourself this year? These could be physical, emotional, or mental.

Who do you want to grow into? If you could envision a future you a year down the line, in what ways would you be different or the same?

What can you do today that future you would thank you for?