First full moon of 2026 - Wolf Moon. This glorious moon falls in the sign of Cancer at 13 degrees. It becomes full at 10.03 gmt, here is a few insights to how it may affect you.

The first Full Moon of the year rises on 3 January 2026, known as the Wolf Moon, named for the wolves said to howl through the long, quiet nights of winter. This Moon carries an ancient, instinctual quality, a reminder that even in stillness, life is deeply awake.

Astrologically, this Full Moon is at 13 degrees of Cancer and will be felt most strongly by the cardinal signs, Cancer, Capricorn, Aries, and Libra, particularly if you have planets or angles within a few degrees of 13° in these signs. Cancer is the keeper of emotional memory, home, family, and the inner world. Under this Moon, feelings rise to the surface, old emotional patterns seek acknowledgement, and the need for safety, nourishment, and belonging becomes impossible to ignore.

This Full Moon also stands in opposition to both Venus and Mars in Capricorn, sitting on either side of the Sun. This creates a powerful emotional and relational axis between Cancer and Capricorn, heart versus duty, feeling versus responsibility, vulnerability versus control. Venus brings relationships, values, and self-worth into focus, while Mars activates desire, boundaries, and suppressed anger. Under this Moon, tensions may surface in close relationships, especially where emotional needs have been sidelined in favour of obligation, ambition, or endurance.

Spiritually, the Wolf Moon draws us back to the heart. It heightens intuition, empathy, and emotional sensitivity, encouraging us to tend to what truly sustains us. This is a deeply reflective Moon, one that asks where you feel held and where you may need to create stronger emotional boundaries. The howling wolf becomes a symbol of emotional expression, the courage to feel, and the wisdom of honouring your needs rather than suppressing them.

Wolf Moon Full Moon Rituals

Emotional release: write down feelings you’ve been holding onto, especially those tied to family, the past, or unmet needs. Safely release the paper to symbolise closure.

Relationship reflection: consider where duty has overridden desire or where resentment has quietly built. Acknowledge what needs to be rebalanced.

Home cleansing: Cancer rules the home, so clean, declutter, or energetically cleanse your living space with candles, smoke, or sound.

Water ritual: take a salt bath or wash your hands in warm water, imagining emotional heaviness dissolving and flowing away.

Set heart-led intentions: quietly state what you need more of this year, emotional safety, honest connection, and relationships that feel reciprocal.

The Wolf Moon reminds us that vulnerability is strength. As the first Full Moon of 2026, it invites you to soften, to listen to your emotional truth, and to begin the year from a place of inner safety and self-trust. ☾♋︎☍♀♂