Monthly Astro Forecast: New Moon in Gemini
Today's new moon in Gemini invokes the power of the mind, helped by an awkward sesquiquadrate (try saying that after a few drinks!) aspect to Mars in Aquarius. The thoughts we think, the way our minds make connections, ideas and opinions and facts and concepts, all of these are the realm of Gemini. More than the ideas themselves, Gemini is also what we do with them, how we share and communicate them, how we fit them into our reality. Our ideas shape our perception of reality, how we see the world. When our thoughts are negative and we focus on our suffering, we see a world equally filled with suffering. When we seek out the positive, the abundant, that which makes us happy, we create a pathway for more of those experiences to enter our perception. Gemini is the exchange of information, based on the thoughts we project out into the world.
That niggling aspect the new moon makes to Mars in Aquarius asks us what we are fighting for, how we are using our ideas in service of the collective good. If we are to change the world, to make it a more fair and balanced place, our thoughts are where we begin. The media, that great Gemini institution, weaves a web of negativity and fear which influences us all, however much we may step back from mainstream information sources. We are encouraged to distrust, to separate, to blame. All of us are influenced by these thought forms, and all of us have the power to change them. We can make a conscious choice not only to reject the prevailing thought forms, but to create new ones. Based on integrity, reciprocity, community. This new moon is a time for setting our intent to consciously re-condition our minds, to create new neural pathways which know that we are enough (if we all believe that we are enough, just as we are, the advertising industry might collapse overnight...), that we are surrounded by abundance, that we have the power to change our world.
The day after the new moon, Mars meets the South Node in Aquarius, giving an extra boost to our efforts to make change. The dynamic of the nodal axis as it moves through Leo (North Node) and Aquarius (South Node) challenges us to grow out of our social conditioning and into our individual creative self expression. There is lots of energy here, as there always is when Mars the warrior is involved, there may be some clashes between the pressure to fit in and the urge to form a unique identity. Sometimes we need to stick our head above the parapet, to fight for what we believe in.
As we move towards Leo season, the North Node is activated, first on June 20th by a meeting with Venus. Now the focus is on our creative integrity, and its time to act on our passions, to do what lights us up and makes us our most shining self. On July 4th, Mercury meets the North Node, making connections and opening our minds. The North node is where we are out of our comfort zone, where we challenge ourselves to be more than we think we are. The square aspects made by the personal planets to Uranus, ruler of that Aquarius South Node and newly arrived in persistent Taurus, awaken our willpower and ability to work hard. Venus (on June 15th) and then Mercury (on June 30th) make square aspects to Uranus, challenging our ability to manifest our freedom and authenticity.
Venus moves into Leo just hours after the new moon, herald of Leo season. Venus is Leo is the show off, the performer, lover of the good life. She is the queen, and wants everybody to know it. There might be some drama, some demands for adoration, but Venus is Leo is also warm and generous. She values creativity, and will applaud and encourage self expression in everyone around her. On June 29th Mercury the trickster joins her, the fool who speaks the truth to the oh so regal queen and stops her from getting so caught up in her divine myth, she loses touch with reality. The trickster gently pokes fun, should the divine child get too self absorbed.
Of course its not fully Leo season yet, and the Sun is only just moving into Cancer on June 21st, the Summer Solstice here in the northern hemisphere. As the light reaches its peak, our focus moves from mind to heart, from thoughts to feelings, from knowing to belonging. The oppositions made by the personal planets in Cancer to the outer planets moving slowly through Capricorn awaken the axis of security, emotional and material. Mercury opposes Saturn on June 16th followed by the Sun on June 27th, and on those days we might feel restricted, held back, even a little fearful. On June 23rd Mercury opposes Pluto, followed by the Sun on July 12th, illuminating the shadow and showing us the form of those fears. We may be questioning the social hierarchy and our place in it, the true meaning of belonging, family and community, what it is that we really need to make us feel secure. Is it enough money, or to be surrounded by loved ones? An abundance of wealth or an abundance of love?
Finally there are several planets slowing down during this lunation, shifting backwards and forwards in the heavens (at least according to our perception). On June 26th, Mars goes stationary retrograde, moving backwards through Aquarius until almost the end of August. Our energies are turned inwards and action may feel slow or difficult. As with any retrograde period, accepting the need to slow down can be helpful, taking our time to consider right action and the best focus for our willpower. On June 19th, Neptune goes stationary retrograde in Pisces. This is a subtle energy, now inwardly focused - what do we need to surrender? Where might we be deluding ourselves? And finally on July 10th, Jupiter finishes almost four months of retrograde motion and we can begin to open up to new beliefs, a renewed sense of meaning. We may become aware of the abundance around us, the hidden riches we have brought back from Jupiter's journey in Scorpio's underworld.
The day after the new moon, Mars meets the South Node in Aquarius, giving an extra boost to our efforts to make change. The dynamic of the nodal axis as it moves through Leo (North Node) and Aquarius (South Node) challenges us to grow out of our social conditioning and into our individual creative self expression. There is lots of energy here, as there always is when Mars the warrior is involved, there may be some clashes between the pressure to fit in and the urge to form a unique identity. Sometimes we need to stick our head above the parapet, to fight for what we believe in.
Venus moves into Leo just hours after the new moon, herald of Leo season. Venus is Leo is the show off, the performer, lover of the good life. She is the queen, and wants everybody to know it. There might be some drama, some demands for adoration, but Venus is Leo is also warm and generous. She values creativity, and will applaud and encourage self expression in everyone around her. On June 29th Mercury the trickster joins her, the fool who speaks the truth to the oh so regal queen and stops her from getting so caught up in her divine myth, she loses touch with reality. The trickster gently pokes fun, should the divine child get too self absorbed.
Finally there are several planets slowing down during this lunation, shifting backwards and forwards in the heavens (at least according to our perception). On June 26th, Mars goes stationary retrograde, moving backwards through Aquarius until almost the end of August. Our energies are turned inwards and action may feel slow or difficult. As with any retrograde period, accepting the need to slow down can be helpful, taking our time to consider right action and the best focus for our willpower. On June 19th, Neptune goes stationary retrograde in Pisces. This is a subtle energy, now inwardly focused - what do we need to surrender? Where might we be deluding ourselves? And finally on July 10th, Jupiter finishes almost four months of retrograde motion and we can begin to open up to new beliefs, a renewed sense of meaning. We may become aware of the abundance around us, the hidden riches we have brought back from Jupiter's journey in Scorpio's underworld.