GEMINI NEW MOON - 22 May 2020

Exact at 8.38pm GMT, 3.38 EST

There is quite a lot happening during this New Moon, not to mention a considerable amount of planetary activity in curious, communicative and adaptable Gemini. Indeed, the planet of the mind and communication itself, Mercury, is also in Gemini, its own sign. Whenever Gemini is prominent we tend to experience an increase in mental activity and social interaction, as well as the potential for information overload! Gemini rules the media and often during Gemini season we are often exposed to so much information that it’s hard to tell the wood from the trees. The energy of Gemini, the twins, can also bring duplicity and even outright lies. As such, it may be hard to know what to believe at the moment, not to mention that there are so many differing points of view being offered that it could be overwhelming. This is not helped during this moon by Mercury forming a challenging square aspect to Neptune, the planet of illusion, fantasy and smoke screens. This means that the potential for fake news and propaganda is rife, so that it’s hard to know what is real and what is not. One of Gemini’s superpowers, however, is collecting facts and data, and so maybe this is what will save the day. As long at the data itself is correct, that is!

Mercury, the ruler of this Moon, is sitting right next to retrograde Venus in exactly the same degree of Gemini, which definitely increases the potential for more social interaction and communication. Venus is the planet of love and beauty, and as she is currently going “backwards” we are being encouraged to re-assess, review and reflect upon the way are are relating to and communicating with one another. We are living in unprecedented times, and there is a huge amount of fear around, as people’s survival issues are being severely triggered. Fear tends to close the heart and can cause people to act and react harshly and even turn on one another. Retrograde Venus combining with Mercury asks us to reconsider how we are communicating with one another and remember to be kind, loving and considerate to one another’s feelings.

Neptune is also challenging Venus and Mercury, which could make it harder to think and communicate clearly and could also make us considerably more sensitive and thin-skinned than usual. Neptune challenges us to “walk a mile in someone else’s moccasins” and to approach one another with love, empathy, compassion and consideration for one another’s vulnerabilities during this time. This could also be a time for us to take our heads out of the proverbial sand and wake up to what really happening, beyond the illusion. Are things as they really seem? Do we need to change some of our beliefs? Should we simply believe everything we are told? It is time to look behind the curtain and burst the bubble of fantasy? What are we not able or willing to hear? What do we need to say but are not saying?

The Sabian symbol for this conjunction of Venus and Mercury, at 21° Gemini, is: “A tumultuous labour demonstration”, which Dane Rudyar describes as “The revolutionary impact of mental concepts upon the collective emotions and desires of man.” and “The repressed or oppressed instincts stage an emotional outburst, claiming their due.” This symbol brings a sense of people who have been opressed joining to protest against injustices. It also hints at the need to come together and raise voices in order to be heard by those in charge. Neptune, which is squaring Mercury right now, represents the collective consciousness, and this symbol certainly reminds us that the power of the collective should never be underestimated, especially when there is a need to speak out over issues that are too important to ignore.

With all the divisiveness and polarisation that is occurring at the moment between people with their opposing views and beliefs and propensity for turning on one another, Neptune, the planet of unity and oneness, reminds us that we are all souls having the human experience. It is so important to remember that even if we have different opinions or beliefs, we all ultimately want the best and are trying to find the truth. This is a time to come together, not fall apart. United we stand, divided we fall! Neptune is also the planet of unconditional love and sacrifice; the part of ourselves that is willing to open our hearts and do the right thing, even if we have to give something up on a personal level. In aspect to Mercury, maybe we are being challenged to speak our truth, from our heart, even if that feels like a risk.   

Saturn and Pallas Athena are currently joining forces in Aquarius and have both just started going retrograde. They are also both forming a harmonious trine aspect to the Sun and Moon in Gemini. With Saturn now going “backwards”, having been in Aquarius since 22 March, we now get to look back and take a look at the implications and ramifications of what has happened since then. This is a good opportunity to gain more understanding of what happens when people’s freedom and liberty is inhibited and they are unable to mix with other people or gather in a group, or protest, or worship, or be with their loved ones when they are sick or dying. Is it possible to reconsider certain realities that we have recently found ourselves facing, including the virtual reality that has become the norm in recent times? Saturn in Aquarius also brings the potential for authoritarian control through the use of technology, the reality of which might be worth some consideration. What kind of a world are we headed for? Can we have a rethink?!

It is interesting to note that since Saturn has gone retrograde people have joined together all over the world to protest and voice their concern about the current situation. Saturn retrograde has also coincided with an easing of the lockdown in most countries in the world. This is an opportunity for a re-assessment of the whole situation, as Saturn goes back over the ground it has already covered since February. It will be interesting to see what happens when Saturn leaves Aquarius and goes back into karmic Capricorn on 1 July, and also when it goes back into Aquarius on 17 December. Are we going to have more of the same, or will we have managed to shift the energy into a higher vibration by then?Ultimately we are all being asked to be accountable and responsible (Saturn) for creating a vision of a better future (Aquarius) and also for questioning the status quo. It is time to become really clear on what kind of a world we want to live in and to do whatever we can to make it so.   

There is the potential, while Pallas Athena, the warrior goddess known for her sharp creative intelligence and capacity for military strategy, is in Aquarius, for people to come up with some ingenious and unusual solutions to the problems we are currently facing. Pallas Athena in Aquarius brings the potential for shrewdly intelligent and well-planned revolutionary action to defend humanitarian causes and well organised grass roots protests. However, as she is also with Saturn, the planet of authority and control, there could also be some master strategists at work coming up with ways to gain greater control and to counteract those who question and voice their dissent. And with Pallas Athena involved it could be very clever indeed. Pallas Athena will be in Aquarius until 3 June, when she will go back into Capricorn, the sign of government, authority, judgement and control. Hopefully she will harness the best of Capricorn, which is discipline, structure, good judgement and, above all, integrity.

Mars in Pisces is forming a challenging aspect to the Sun and Moon. Indeed, Mars and the Sun will be in this face-off with one another until mid June. This could potentially be calling for the divine masculine to rise within each of us. Mars is the warrior and represents our drive, courage, motivation, energy, desire and capacity to fight or assert ourselves. Mars in Pisces is quite gentle and more likely to be passive aggressive than overtly aggressive. We are asked to find greater empathy, compassion and acceptance of one another and to put our own desires aside for the sake of something bigger than ourselves.We are asked to find our sacred warrior who is able to listen to and act on intuition and spiritual guidance and is willing to stand up for the weak and the vulnerable and fight for our ideals and for the collective. The danger of Mars being in this gentle, compassionate and sensitive sign is that people may act and react in indirect or covert ways that could blind side us. However, this could help people to be less reactive and to be kinder, more tolerant and accepting of each other and better able to listen to one another’s point of view. There are many paths to the same destination.

The Sabian Symbol for Mars, at 7° Pisces, is “Illumined by a shaft of light, a large cross lies on rocks surrounded by sea mist” which Dane Rudyar describes as: “The spiritual blessing which strengthens individuals who, happen what may, stand uncompromisingly for their own truth. Men who do not depend upon collective values, tradition or support but seek at any cost to be true to their individual self and destiny almost inevitably face some kind of crucifixion. They are sustained only by the power within them, to which a light above answers. The symbol tells us: “Be true to thine own self, and in the midst of the outer confusion displayed by those surrounding you, you will realise what you really are as an individual – a son of God.” This symbol implies the supreme worth of a life guided by an inner voice and manifesting a high degree of self-assertion.” This symbol is a reminder to keep the faith, to trust our own intuition and guidance and to be brave enough to act on it, no matter what the cost and no matter what we might have to sacrifice.

There certainly is a lot of interesting planetary energy around right now! It seems that the overall message is that while we may have an overwhelming amount of information and disinformation being passed around right now, so much so that it is hard to know where the truth is, we need to trust our inner knowing. How do we actually feel inside our bodies when we see certain people speak or hear certain views and information? Who and what do we intuitively trust, despite our own belief system? Gemini encourages us to open our minds and allow ourselves to be open to differing points of view rather than burying our heads in the sand or rabidly defending our own beliefs. Gemini also invites us to research and collect information and data so that we can better inform ourselves. It is possible that we may need to completely change the way we actually think about the world. Above all, however, we are reminded to keep our hearts open so that we are kinder, more accepting and better able to “hear” each other, and also able to step up and do what we know in our hearts is the right thing to do. This New Moon may be prompting us to find the courage to put our fears aside and be true to ourselves, finding our voice in true Gemini style and speaking up even if it means facing “crucifixion”. However, hopefully it won’t come to that. Love shall prevail.

Much Love

Amy

xoxo

Artwork: Beyond Illusion, from Osho Zen Tarot deck. I went on to look at the description of this card and found it to be very apt, so I thought I would share:

The butterfly in this card represents the outer, that which is constantly moving and that which is not real but an illusion. Behind the butterfly is the face of consciousness, looking inward to that which is eternal. The space between the two eyes has opened, revealing the lotus of spiritual unfoldment and the rising sun of awareness. Through the rising of the inner sun, meditation is born.

The card reminds us not to look outside for what is real, but to look within. When we focus on externals, we too often get caught up in judgments--this is good, this is bad, I want this, I don't want that. These judgments keep us trapped in our illusions, our sleepiness, our old habits and patterns. Drop your opinionated mind, and move inside. There, you can relax into your own deepest truth, where the difference between dreams and reality is already known.

My website: www.amybirdartandastrology.com