Counting blessings ~> Full Moon Gemini 2018

Full Moon Gemini 2018 @ 5:39gmt 23^rd November 2018

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” 

~ Willie Nelson ~

Freedom loving hippie bandana optional as now is the time to think BIG, count blessings, and remain optimistic! Because the naturally happy-go-lucky Sagittarian Sun is conjunct its ruling planet, Jupiter, over this multifaceted Full Gemini Moon; and the cheerful, open-hearted Jupiter doubles-up any feel-good factor. Whatever this Full Moon brings, it could be way more than most of us imagine – or bargained for!

Be the magnification good or bad, grandiose or pretentious, Jupiter’s presence in his home sign certainly rubs away some of the razor-sharp edginess that surrounded events during an abrasive start to this lunation on November 7^th. Some may still feel slightly shredded or even cut down to size; but Jupiter’s grand – every 12-years – entrance into his fiery home sign, Sagittarius, heralds a time of (calculated) risks and positive imprints, helping us to look forward and stay sharp, in the kindest and most generous way. 

Magnanimous Jupiter is the Cosmic Guru, whose natural dignity affords one to keep an open-mind and be philosophical in any circumstance. Especially with the Sun in the sign of The Archer’, now opposite the Full Gemini Moon. Far-sighted Jupiter in Sagittarius helps see beyond the dualistic thinking of fame and shame, praise and blame, loss or gain, pain and joy; and instead Sagittarius draws back the arrow in his bow to aim high and single-pointedly concentrate upon verity, ethics, and wisdom, thereby revealing much to be grateful for.  

All in all, Jupiter with the Sun in Sagittarius marks the start of a helpful 12-month cycle. Check your own horoscope to see which area Sagittarius lies, and note where in the sphere of your life you can start to expect to see expansion and growth – and potential success - and where all will be well, as long as any unrealistic expectation to any outcome is kept in check. 

When thunder-bolt vajra-wielding Jupiter, as King of Olympus, is next to the Sun, the energy of the moment can be electrifyingly awesome (and I don’t use that word lightly). But beware, Jupiter can also inflate the negative. As easily as the Sun with Jupiter highlights personal integrity and massively positive spiritual influences based on higher principles, truth and freedom; it can also accentuate overinflated egos based on prideful puffed-up self-belief. So best watch-out and note how Jupiter in association with any planet tends to magnify whatever that planet symbolises. 

As the Spirit of Sun now highlights ego, identity or persona, those with Full Moon birthdays have every right to be hopeful. But there is also a warning to heed: beware of overstretching in more ways than one. Remember that no one is infallible and mistakes can be made. Big ones – especially if one pompously oversteps the mark, so please take note. 

To add thrills and spills and more than a peppering of restlessness to the Full Gemini Moon, bolshie Mars is in hard aspect within a tight ‘Mutable T-square’ to both Sun and Moon. In fact, before culmination both Sun and Moon apply the tense and challenging T-square. Moon and Mars are first to escalate tension and square up to whatever challenge you are currently facing; swiftly followed by the Sun to Mars on the 26^th, just as the Full Moon is waning. There is little doubt, this is a fast, omnidirectional, and quickly changing Full Gemini Moon – a Full Moon that could inherently activate our natural wisdom and clear-light mind.  

How we think and what we say is always accented with Gemini, the sign of the twins. It’s interesting that for two reasons, even while the celestial messenger is retrograde, that Mercury plays an integral up-front part during this Full Gemini Moon ‘T-Square’. One is how the mind-motivating planet Mercury is the ruler of Gemini, the sign that contributes constantly moving variables to the events around this Full Moon. The other reason is that during a Mutable Square (in this case Gemini, Sagittarius and Pisces), it is quick-thinking Mercury that rises to the occasion to now become the agent of change – the messenger, negotiator and envoy who carries a magical caduceus wand, which can be waved in the direction where healing is needed.  

A three-week Mercury retrograde period reminds us that learning from the past is just as important as re-working the present (with current plans or ideas that could relate to academia, publication, spirituality or long-distant travel), all-the-while keeping an eye fixed upon a brighter future. Because Mercury is currently close to Jupiter, the key to ‘unlocking’ current problems is possibly found all the way back to events and situations related to last summer, which may have been just as confusing then as they are now. The talkative Gemini Moon influencing the retrograde Mercury encourages honest debate, especially now through Jupiter’s wider lens, looking at situations with an honest eye at facts and figures and potentially wild ideas. Again, a warning: to not indulge the hot air of unhelpful gossip that harms all parties, the gossiper and the gossiped.

Back in the summer (specifically late July-August, during a mighty strong eclipse), Mercury formed a triple closing square to Jupiter. At the time the munificent Jupiter and the celestial communicator urged us to look at the personal karma we can accidentally create; and how, by using our own unique gifts and talents (whatever they may be) we can recover to make a the world all right again – if not better than before. So, for the second Mercury retrograde in a row, Mercury is with Jupiter again; and we may be looking at how to share those personal gifts, as skills or teaching tools, particularly with those we have intimate connections, in order to power-share and reveal previously hidden information.

Whenever Mercury and Jupiter connect, there’s a tendency to over think (which can harm the body – especially the spleen); or we think we can do or deliver more than we personally can. Indeed, while its good to now stretch the imagination to far horizons – and mark the 27^th November and December 21^st as excellent dates to brainstorm with your chosen trusted few – be aware of making promises one cannot deliver. If you do take on too much, then be reasonable and recognise how it’s also human nature to let certain points fall away from our to-do lists, as we prioritise and select what we can realistically achieve with all the ‘big data’ at our fingertips that could lead to an information overload. 

Making sure we have the correct view or perspective is essential during this Mercury retrograde. Give yourself headspace if you feel that its needed. An open road can feed the Spirit. Going from 13° Sagittarius all the way back to 27° Scorpio, we could find ourselves striving for truth whilst at the same time delving into the unknown. Great for sorting out issues of trust and secret powers! But still you’re advised to triple check travel information or tax forms. Mercury will go forward 7th December, just in time to put much into place for the next, Solstice, Full Moon and 2019, as the NY begins with a philosophical Mercury pondering the bigger picture and higher truths.

Other astrological factors to consider during this Full Moon are:

   1)  An ‘out-of-element’ Grand Trine (three planets 120°apart), between the Sagittarian Sun and Jupiter, with the newly opened karmic gates of the Cancer North Node (and Capricorn South Node); plus the retrograde Shamanic Chiron, now back in watery Pisces. Two in Fire (Sun & Jupiter) and two significators are in Water, suggesting the flow of the collective is towards healing the emotionally and physically wounded. Thoughts and prayers go out now to all those affected by fire, flood and fear.

   2)  A powerful ‘Cardinal Cross of the Central Spiritual Sun’ sees the Nodal Axis of the Cancer and Capricorn open up karmic gates, while in square up to the long-lasting Venus-Uranus opposition, in Libra and Aries respectively; this Venus Uranus opposition has been a three-month long aspect, but is now coming to an end Dec 1^st. The Cancer-Capricorn alignment tends to delineate foundations and boundaries. This is good to bear in mind as the opposition between the Love Goddess Venus and liberating Uranus often brings up issues of freedom and closeness; in as much as when we get close to someone, an idea, or ideal, we can often, for whatever reason, shun any warmth, security, or familiarity because we sense (rightly or wrongly) we are being fenced in, or owned, or that by getting too close we show others who we really are – revealing a certain vulnerability we may care not to expose. It’s a tricky one. Primarily because love requires the freedom for others to be who they really are. If we try and hold onto to those who demand freedom then we essentially crush whatever friendship or nearness we had. Know that if love hurts, it isn’t love: “Love can never possess. Love is giving freedom to another. Love is an unconditional gift. It is not a bargain” (Osho)

   3)  A Mystic Rectangle creates practical magic between the Sun/Jupiter, in trine to the Cancer North Node, but in sextile to the Capricorn South Node; and the Gemini Moon in trine to the Capricorn South Node but in sextile to the North Node. Within this enchanting pattern are tools to help generate new ideas and spiritual strategies that can release any karmic baggage that holds you back from being truly creative.

   4)  Lastly, a conjunction forming between the phantasmagorical Piscean Mars and Neptune is worth mentioning now, even though it isn’t exact until the New Sagittarius Moon, Dec 7^th. This is because the imagination is stimulated, not to mention the best and most outrageous parties often happen when the Sun is in Sagittarius, when things can get delightfully psychedelic. Have fun by all means, but beware any toxicity (drugs or alcohol), as Mars is also a major part of the afore mentioned Mutable T-Square with Saggie Sun and Gemini Moon. Also watch out for the superficial and shallow. In Pisces, Mars heralds the spiritual warrior who brings light into the world with prayer and poetry, paint or prose. It’s an extremely sensitive position for Mars. Just as one can now radiate an inner authentic presence, escapist tendencies can also come to the fore, but so too can the power of prayer to bring about magic and miracles.

(Now, before I head out to the open road, where did I put my bandana?!)

Until next month and the Solstice Full Moon, this is Astro Dakini signing off for now.

One Love ~ One Heart ~ One World!

“When you meet a person with authentic presence, you find [s]he has an overwhelming genuineness, which might be somewhat frightening because it is so true and honest and real. You experience a sense of command radiating from the person of inner authentic presence.... He or she has an uplifted quality, which magnetizes you and commands your attention. This is not just charisma. The person with inner authentic presence has worked on himself and made a thorough and proper journey. He has earned authentic presence by letting go.”

~ The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa: Volume 8: Great Eastern Sun

with love & many thanks to unknown artist for fibonacci star xxx