Astrology
August 2025 Full Moon – Freedom from Suffering
The full moon is on Saturday, 9th August 2025, and it is called the Sturgeon Moon.
It is called the Sturgeon Moon because this was the time of the year in North America when the sturgeon (the largest freshwater fish) were most easily seen and captured as a food source.
Sturgeon
Astrologically, the Sun is in fiery Leo (the Lion), while the Moon is in the air sign of Aquarius (the Water Bearer). Leo is the king or queen vibration, and Aquarius is the energy of the liberator.
Leo
The Lion
Aquarius
The Water Bearer
This is also the time of the Lion’s Gate Energy Portal. This is a powerful time of manifestation, spiritual awakening, growth and transformation
The Lion’s Gate astrological portal correlates to when Sirius (the Dog Star) once again rises above the horizon. In Egypt, it marked the time when the Nile River would begin its annual flooding. This signalled a time of fertility and bringing in the harvest.
During the New Moon, we were encouraged to find our inner leader; now, we are asked to think about what it means to be truly free.
When we have the confidence to be ourselves, we can choose to let go of negative habits and choose positive ones. We can be free from inner turmoil and suffering, which allows us to discover the amazing souls that we are.
To help us, the Taoists and Buddhists refer to the Seven Emotions and Six Desires.
The Seven Emotions are called the gates of the mind.
They are: joy, anger, sadness, fear, love, hatred, and desire.
The Six Desires are the gates of the body.
These refer to when and how we judge ourselves and others based on appearance, physical body, tone of voice, and posture.
They are related to the senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste, and the mind).
Emotions and desires are not ‘bad’ as they are part of what it means to be human, but if they are uncontrolled, they lead to suffering.
TIP: Instead of judging emotions and desires as either ‘good’ or ‘bad’, rather see them as signposts and teachers. What are your emotions trying to tell you? And why?
It is believed that the more we learn to understand and manage our emotions and desires through practices like mindfulness, meditation, and cultivating wisdom, the less we suffer.
Then we begin to let go of comparing ourselves to other people, e.g. hoping that they will validate us, or that we will become more like them.
In Taoism, enlightenment isn’t a goal we strive to reach; rather, it is a continuous process of harmonising one’s life with the guiding principles and flow of the Universe.
When we are aligned with the Universe, we are not pushing, resisting or avoiding unpleasant thoughts and feelings.
We start to accept ALL the parts of ourselves; we listen to what each part is saying, without judgement, and we let things unfold naturally without excessive force or struggle.
With blessings,
Lee-Anne x 
