Cancer Full Moon
On Saturday, the 3rd of January at 10:02 am (GMT), we have the first Full Moon of 2026 in protective Cancer. It’s time to listen to your feelings and protect your space. Are you letting people pleasing stop you from going after what you want? Where do you need to set better boundaries this year? Full Moons are a time to let go of the past and create space for the things you want more of. What a great way to start the year. This week’s blog will look at the energy around this Full Moon, how you can work with it, and where it will fall in your chart.
January’s Full Moon is traditionally called the Full Wolf Moon because the wolves could be heard howling at this time of year. It was thought they did so out of hunger. Now we know that wolves howl for several reasons: to hunt, to find pack members, to establish social bonds and to mark territory. Other names for January’s Full Moon reflect the chilly temperatures at this time of year, such as Cold Moon, Freeze Up Moon, Frost Exploding Moon and Hard Moon. It was also known as the Center Moon because it was in the middle of the cold season.
Full Moons mark the halfway point in a lunar cycle. This is a time to celebrate your progress and achievements, to practise forgiveness and to release anything still holding you back. If you look back to the New Moon in the same sign, 6 months ago, then you should have accomplished whatever you set out to do then. And if you haven't, then you should have a really good idea of why not.
The New Moon in Cancer was at the end of June. What intentions did you set then? What has stopped you from working on them? Have you said yes to everyone else and not taken the time for yourself? If we want to achieve our goals, then we need to make sure we are setting time aside to work on them. Full Moons are when we start to clear out the stuff we don’t need to create space for the things that we want.
Not all Full Moons are the same. They are flavoured by the zodiac sign that the Moon is in at the time and influenced by the other planets. A Full Moon is always in the opposite sign to the Sun, giving us a tug-of-war between the energy of the two signs. Under this Full Moon, we need to find a balance between quality time at home (Moon in Cancer) and your need to achieve (Sun in Capricorn). That elusive work-life balance. If you are employed, are you bringing your work home? Are you always available, even when you are at home? And if you are self-employed or work from home, do you have strict work boundaries in place around time and space? You do not have to be available all the time to employers or clients.
For this Full Moon, we have the Sun, Mars and Venus all cosied up together in Capricorn, opposite the Moon, who has a backwards Jupiter for company in Cancer. Earth and Water signs generally work really well together. We should be looking at our practical needs and responsibilities, and how we feel about them. Are you taking on responsibilities that aren’t yours?
With Venus, the planet of love and abundance, and Mars, the planet of drive and determination, both in Capricorn, we should be able to keep our temper and take our time. Be more serious about your finances and relationships, and think about the consequences of your actions.
Jupiter, the lucky planet of growth, is currently travelling back through Cancer, giving us a chance to review where things might be “too much”. We need solid foundations and a home base that allows us to nurture ourselves and grow from. When we feel safe and secure, we can show up as our best selves, knowing we have someone to catch us if it doesn’t go to plan.
This Full Moon, Venus will bring high points in relationships and abundance. This could be a celebration of partnerships and financial peaks. We should joyfully acknowledge blessings. Meanwhile, Mars will help us turn the corner on a big project. It’s time to be bold and maybe more adventurous between the sheets. Then Jupiter is bringing a sense of joy and abundance that will have us overflowing with good feelings. There is also a higher-than-usual chance of an aha moment.
Cancer is one of the four cardinal signs, which mark the start of a new season. These are the most goal-focused signs, with great vision. They are the signs that make things happen. They are entrepreneurial, enterprising, independent and creative. Cancer has themes around the home, protection and security, making it an ideal Full Moon for looking at your roots, where you come from and where you feel like you belong. What makes you feel safe and secure?
As one of the three Water element signs, Cancer is emotional, intuitive and compassionate. This is the sign of home and family, represented by the Crab, the soft underbelly protected by the hard shell. Listen to your feelings under this Full Moon, what are they trying to tell you? Where do you feel insecure? Where do you not feel seen or heard?
When looking at what is holding you back that you need to release under the Cancer Full Moon, we can use the themes and energy of this sign to help us. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to get the most from this energy.
What is stopping me from putting myself first?
Where do I not feel confident?
Where am I insecure?
What are my feelings trying to tell me?
What do I need to heal?
What family trauma do I need to heal?
Take some time under this Full Moon to really connect with yourself and listen to your intuition. What is your gut telling you? If something feels off, then chances are, it’s a situation you need to get out of. Listen to yourself. Trust yourself. Look after yourself.
To find out where you might be out of balance this Full Moon, find your Rising Sign below. If you don’t know your Rising Sign you can find it here. And if you don't know your time of birth then you can just use your Sun Sign. I’ve also included where you might need some forgiveness and what you may need to release.
Aries Rising
Find a balance between your personal life and your career
Forgive your family
Release any issues about your personal life, home or family
Taurus Rising
Find a balance between your own home and the big wide world
Forgive your neighbours and siblings
Release any disputes between neighbours and siblings
Gemini Rising
Find a balance between give and take
Forgive yourself for any time money was an issue
Release any issues you have about money
Cancer Rising
Find a balance between your needs and the needs of those most important to you
Forgive yourself
Release any issues you have around your appearance
Leo Rising
Find a balance between what you show to others and what you keep secret
Forgive yourself for anything you feel ashamed of
Release anything you don’t like to talk about
Virgo Rising
Find a balance between what you need and what you need to give to your friends
Forgive any friend who has hurt you
Release any issues around what you have been wishing for
Libra Rising
Find a balance between who you are on the inside and how you show yourself to the world
Forgive anyone who has wronged you professionally
Release any issues you have about your workload and how it affects your home life
Scorpio Rising
Find a balance between your thoughts and your faith
Forgive narrow-minded people
Release any thoughts about the grass is greener
Sagittarius Rising
Find a balance between your self-worth and how others treat you
Forgive anyone who has hurt you
Release anything that is holding you back
Capricorn Rising
Find a balance between thinking of yourself and thinking of others
Forgive any past relationship mistakes
Release any issues you have around love and relationships
Aquarius Rising
Find a balance between your daily grind and the cosmos
Forgive the people who annoy you in small ways
Release any issues around habits you need to break
Pisces Rising
Find a balance between how much you give to others and yourself
Forgive anyone who drags you down
Release any issues you have around giving yourself time off
I hope you have found this week’s blog helpful. If you would like to know how each New and Full Moon will personally affect you, then book a Moon Reading using the button below. We will go through your chart, and discover your strengths and any challenges, leaving you with a deeper understanding of yourself and a 12-month plan to work with the Moon.
