The Lunar Eclipse for this Full Moon occurs @ 6* (5*25”) of Sagittarius/Gemini.

(aside: some of you have asked why I round the degree up. When I incorporate the Sabian Symbols into the discussion, it is necessary to round up since the symbols begin, NOT AT 0* but at 1*. Thus, any arithmetical point from 0*-0*59” would be read as 1*, and so forth. If you look up this eclipse, or any other, for that matter, it will often be referred to as being @ 5* of Sagittarius. This is completely accurate. However, when determining the Sabian Symbol, since the actual degree is 5*25”, I use the ‘rounded up’ 6* point. For the purposes of locating the eclipse degree point within your own chart, use a flexible orb in both directions. Every astrologer has her own perspective on what the orb should be, but the general rule is usually no more than 5* on either side, (though most astrologers default to a lesser orb). I suggest that, if you are starting to work with eclipses, use the wider orb & observe. Thus, go back as far as 0* Sagittarius/Gemini & go ahead as far as 10* Sagittarius/Gemini. Eclipses are funny. They can explode into your external reality like a bomb or they can insinuate themselves into your internal reality like an ‘ear worm’ that you just can’t get rid of. If you are aware of where in your psyche the eclipse is occurring, you can track & observe any effects, obvious or nuanced. Also, the so-called ‘effects’ of the eclipse can extend for several months on either side of the actual event, so if the eclipse happens to be very close to one of your personal planets or angles of your chart, you may already be experiencing phenomena associated with the impulse of the energy.)

So, 6* Sag/Gem…

Sag: A GAME OF CRICKET

Gemini: DRILLING FOR OIL

Any undertaking requires us to be persistent. Sometimes, when we are engaged in the ‘GAME’ of life, we have to ‘drill deep’. There are times when we need to revisit the ‘rules’ that we have been following. Are they the ‘right’ rules for us? Will these ‘rules’ help to get us to our desired goals? Is what we want to accomplish—that ‘oil’ for which we drill, worth the effort we are making? Do we need to find another drilling site & incorporate new ‘rules’ in this ‘game of life’? And perhaps, we need to adjust our attitude; understand that although goals are certainly useful, in the end its really about HOW WE PLAYED THE GAME that matters the most.

Sagittarius is about ethical behaviour, truth-telling, honest appraisal & the courage to venture into the unknown with the knowledge that its worth the risk to do so. Be brave & intrepid in the elaborate, yet simple, ‘game of life’ & drill deep into every thought, intention & motivation so that you play the game with integrity & authenticity. Gemini, the polarity energy is about the accumulation of information that eventually leads each person into her own ‘truth’. This is the energy of inquisitive & ongoing exploration for the purpose of expanding one’s database of knowledge. It is a necessary component part of the ‘search for truth & meaning’.

We now have two of the planets in retrograde motion. Pluto, transiting Capricorn, turned retrograde on April 27 & Saturn, transiting Aquarius, joined on May 23. Plus, get yourself ready for the second Mercury Retrograde this year, getting started on May 31 & finishing up June 23, this time in the airy sign of Gemini. Learn about the SHADOW RETROGRADE periods that precede & follow the official retrograde by reading my blog under ‘star stuff’ on this website, where I dig into the NUANCES OF MERCURY, ruler of Gemini!

The retrograding planets signal that as we attempt to redefine our reality, we need to keep checking in with ourselves so that we lay a solid foundation for the life we are creating for ourselves. The internalization process echoes the symbolism of the Sabian Symbol, DRILLING FOR OIL, discussed previously.

Not only is this lunation a LUNAR ECLIPSE, the nodes, @ 11* Sag/Gem, are stationed retrograde, about to go direct for a brief, few days. The general motion of the nodes is retrograde and they only move in direct motion for a few days a couple of times each month. Nodal Direct energy is noteworthy. It’s a time of clarity in terms of directional impulse. People born with this energy wired into their psyches have the potential to follow themselves into their future with a high degree of certainty, often expressing this in a dynamic & forceful way. For the collective it’s like a jolt of energy being funneled into our collective ‘soul’. We are encouraged to access the powerful eclipse energy of this Full Moon & rearrange our emotional reality. Most of us are suffering some degree of trauma from the strange events of the last few years. What do we really feel about what has been going on? Are we certain that our understanding of this worldwide ‘shock to our system’ is on point? Are we confident that the ‘powers that be’ are making the best-case choices for the human family? Each of us has to individually answer these questions if they have risen up in our minds. Each one of us has to be the final arbiter for our life.

Jupiter is just entered into Pisces where he will remain until the end of July, at which point he retrogrades into Aquarius again. He does not re-enter Pisces again until the end of December. Jupiter is comfortable in Pisces where ethics & spiritual purposefulness combine. This ‘divinely’ wired energy squares the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse & the nodes, which includes both luminaries, Sun & Moon, suggesting that a change must come to the way that we live here on the earth. Are we truly aligned with divine principle? Do we nurture this planet to the best of our ability? Do we act in harmony with Nature? Are we motivated by earthly desires that could lead us into self-serving choices? These are simple questions but they are also incredibly challenging ones. We, here in the so-called ‘first’ world live entitled & opulent lives, even those of us who feel as if we are struggling. In the undeveloped parts of the world, there are entire cities of millions of people who still do not have any sort of sophisticated infrastructure, with no running water or sewer systems and no access to high-efficiency fuel. The largest city by population in Congo is Kinshasa with a population of 13,260,000 people whose main source of fuel is wood. That is obscene. It’s one thing to use wood for an occasional campfire but to have to use it on a daily basis when surrounded by millions of other people? Why do we allow it? True unconditional LOVE does not count the COST when seeking to create health & welfare for those who do not have access to it. When will we, as the ‘royalty’ of this global community begin to exercise unconditional love to our brothers & sisters who are suffering? Does your heart hurt when you think about this iniquitous set of circumstances? If yes, then you are vibrating in alignment with the energy of this Full Moon. The choice, as demonstrated by Jupiter in Pisces square both Luminaries & the Nodes in Gemini/Sag, is the one that only we can make.

We are in the transition time between Pluto in Capricorn & Pluto in Aquarius. During 2023 & 2024, the god of the underworld will be fluctuating back and forth between these two energies before entering fully into Aquarius. Pluto will transit Aquarius from March, 2023-mid January 2044. It’s a LONG transit. For now, there is still adjustment to be made both collectively & individually. What kind of global family do we want to create? Are we content with the current state of affairs globally? What can we do, on an individual level to support a healthier, holistic way of life? Don’t allow yourself to feel powerless. Look deep into your own individual heart–as demonstrated by Cancer, the polarity energy to Capricorn & embrace the individual empowerment of Leo, the polarity energy of Aquarius. Change happens one person at a time.

For now, as we navigate through the last few degrees of Pluto through Capricorn, we can purge our hearts, the Cancer polarity energy, & ensure that we are clear about how we FEEL about the current status quo, as demonstrated by the Capricorn energy. Clearly, our reality is changing & it is up to each one of us to support the kind of structure that best serves humanity as a whole. The collective consciousness is reforming itself under the electric energy of Aquarius. We have been shifting into the Age of Aquarius & soon, we will be entrenching the cornerstones for the next 2 millennia as Pluto transits Aquarius.

This Full Moon provides us with the energy of insight–Sagittarius. It points the way to ever more data gathering–Gemini. It shines a laser-like light on the need for spirituality–Jupiter in Pisces. Our job is to dive deep into our own sense of spiritual connection, to ensure that we are acting with full understanding, to follow the path into a human condition that is decent, kind & loving toward all.