Time for the Unexpected

This is another dual-purpose article to discuss the full moon in Gemini and the Winter Solstice, both occurring during the current lunation that began on December 1 with the new moon in Sagittarius. Given that Mars, Mercury and Neptune were slowing down to change direction in this lunation, both the full-moon and the solstice charts have similar energy configurations to the new-moon one. In particular, they continue with the theme of opportunities. During the waning phases that begin with the Full Moon phase, the opportunities will be for gaining wisdom or at least insight on what we accomplished during the waxing phases. That said, that many planets changing direction will make for a volatile end of the year.

Recap: The Holistic Zodiac

In order to present the twelve signs as psychological types, we adopted a holistic perspective of the zodiac where each sign is a “blend” of two forces operating under the Principle of Wholeness. Briefly, a force must act under such principle to integrate wholes out of their constituent parts in such a way that “the whole is more than the sum of its parts”, as the South African Marshal Jan Smuts wrote in his 1926 book Holism and Evolution, where he coined the word “holism”. In physics, gravity and magnetism are examples of such forces but, when applied to persons, Dane Rudhyar uses the word Spirit to mean the Principle of Wholeness. Spirit is not a force or an entity, and it is certainly not God. However, Spirit guides two forces that impulse the integration of a person into a personality, as Carl Jung used the term. Each of the forces, which Dane Rudhyar called the Day and Night forces, integrates an aspect of the personality. Both are sourced from the sun in the relative blend specified by the sign.

The Day Force impulses the integration of an individuality: an individual taken as a whole. It emerges in Aries as the indomitable desire to be an individual which acquires a body in Taurus, and in Gemini achieves the integration of body and mind. Conversely, the Night Force impulses the integration of a collectivity: a collective viewed as a whole as well. Since a collective is a group of interrelated individuals, the Night Force impulses the relatedness of each individual. It emerges as the urge to establish relationships in Libra which must provide the individual with a clear identity in Scorpio, and in Sagittarius are used to obtain the knowledge with which civilizations are built.

Full Moon in Gemini

Gemini and Sagittarius end at the solstices, the yearly culminations of each integration force of Spirit. We will discuss this year’s Winter Solstice later in the article but for now let’s focus on the December 15 full moon in Gemini which will be exact at 1:02 a.m. in California, 3:02 a.m. in Mexico City, or 10:02 a.m. in Central Europe. The opposition will occur at 23°53′ of the Gemini–Sagittarius axis, as you can see in the following chart.

Mars in the Spotlight

In the last article, I mentioned that the trine formed by Mars and the North Node at the new moon would remain within tolerance (“in orb”) for the entire lunation, energizing life’s opportunities and synchronicities for growth. Mars was stationary on December 6 and began to move in the retrograde direction shortly thereafter. Mars is the planet of action propelled by our conscious or subconscious desires so, as you can imagine, it is not very comfortable moving retrograde. Perhaps this is why Mars only moves retrograde for 11–12 weeks every 25–26 months?

We have seen that retrograde motion of a planet in natal astrology indicates that its process operates in the personal unconscious, used in the Jungian sense. However, Mars retrograde doesn’t mean that one’s desires are not acted out in reality, only that they seem to be fulfilled without a conscious realization, perhaps unaware of why an action was taken or initiated. As a transit, the retrograde period from December 10 to February 24 will see the desirous energies of Mars directed inward. But Mars will not clear its retrograde shadow until May 1, when it passes through Leo 7°, the degree from which it began to move retrograde.

At the full moon, Mars will be at Leo 5°41′, the North Node at Aries 2°56′ and Mercury at Sagittarius 6°26′, thus forming a Grand Trine in the fire signs and a Kite with the North Node as leader and the South Node as pilot. Such configuration allows us to work on the personal sovereignty and relationship issues we mentioned in the last article. It is worth noting that Mercury will begin to move direct on December 16,¹ right after the full moon, to fully engage our mind during the waning phases of consciousness, when we reflect on what we were able to actualize in the waxing phases.

The opposition of Mars and Pluto (Aquarius 0°35′) keeps getting tighter on its way to be exact once again on January 3. However, the opposition of Mars to Venus (Aquarius 9°18′), which was exact three days before the full moon, invites us to reflect on any remaining issues surrounding the relationship of our sacred masculine with our sacred feminine, in other words, of our deepest desires and needs. Venus also forms a trine with Jupiter (Gemini 15°15′) to help us reach for truth in relationships. Venus entered Aquarius on December 7 and immediately formed a conjunction with Pluto, intensifying issues of freedom in relationships.

Sun and Moon Configurations

In the full-moon chart, we can see that both Sun and Moon form squares with Neptune at Pisces 27°09′ resulting in a T-Square. Neptune went stationary on December 3 and began to move direct a few days later, another planet changing direction in this lunation. It is also worth noting the Mystic Triangle formed by Sun and Moon with Chiron at Aries 19°06′, bringing healing energy once more to the configuration.

Besides accentuating the polarity Geminis–Sagittarius mentioned at the beginning, the rulers of Sun and Moon, Jupiter and Mercury, are in mutual reception although too far apart at the full moon to form an opposition. We talked about their opposition in the new-moon article since it was exact on December 4, with Mercury retrograde, and will be exact once again on December 26 with both planets in direct motion. Let me stress once again that the opposition is a highly energetic aspect to become aware of the polarity represented by the planet, sign and degree archetypes. Armed with such awareness, we can integrate the poles in collaboration rather than letting them compete for supremacy.

Mercury in Sagittarius is urged not to rely on reason to analyze each experience but to accept all experiences at once and let the intuition of Uranus, its higher octave, communicate their true meaning. Similarly, Jupiter in Gemini is asked to envision the future with the mind, after investigating various alternatives, and communicate that vision. All planets are asked to behave in an odd way when they are in the opposite sign from the one(s) they rule, so they are said to be in detriment.

Sabian Symbols

The symbol for Sagittarius 24° (Sun) has the image: “A bluebird perched on the gate of a cottage”, expanded as the reward which meets every effort at integration into a social environment for those who remain true to their own selves. The symbol carries the key phrase of Good Fortune. In general, a bluebird refers to happiness and luck. The symbol for Gemini 24° (Moon) has the image: “Children skating over a frozen village pond”, further explained as the use of inhibiting circumstances for the development of character and a transcendent approach to the environment. The emphasis is on acquiring experiences by being adventurous but at the same time cautious of not having the proper basis and thus “skating on thin ice”.

Meanwhile, the symbol for Pisces 28°, from where Neptune forms the T-Square with the Sun–Moon opposition, has the keyword: Abundance and the image: “A fertile garden under the full moon reveals a variety of full-grown vegetables”, expanded as the full satisfaction of the individual’s basic needs.We must learn to relate as comrades co-creating a new civilization where we will find abundance from love and not scarcity from fear. The Sun–Moon polarity encourages us to have faith in our good fortune while embarking in new experiences, perhaps exhilarating and dangerous. Chiron in Aries tells us that we may feel like we don’t belong. But not only do we belong, once we realize it we will be more empowered for accepting it.²

Winter Solstice

Less than a week later, on December 21, Sun will enter Capricorn, which marks the Winter Solstice, at 1:20 a.m. in California, 3:20 a.m. in Mexico City, or 10:20 a.m. in Central Europe. In an Aries chart, Capricorn begins at the topmost position, where we find Sun in the following chart.³ Sun forms squares with Neptune (Pisces 27°11′) and the nodal axis (2°07′ of Aries–Libra), which configures a Kite with the Grand Trine of Mercury (Sagittarius 8°35′), the North Node and Mars (Leo 4°45′), just like it did at the full moon, the Kite of opportunities. Also, the opposition of Mars and Pluto (Aquarius 0°45′), the test of wills, continues to tighten.

But the most significant configuration is the Grand Cross formed by two perpendicular oppositions: one in mutual reception between Mercury and Jupiter (Gemini 14°28′), which we discussed earlier, and the other between Moon (Virgo 13°09′) and Saturn (Pisces 13°48′), which is exact to the degree. The four planets are not only linked by those two oppositions shown in blue but also by four squares shown in red, which is why the configuration is also called a Grand Square. We have talked about Grand Crosses in the past but, briefly, they are energetic configurations where the squares help make sense of the oppositions which, if integrated, may achieve a relatively stable equilibrium. The Last Quarter phase, which refers to a crisis of consciousness, will occur about a day later, with Moon conjunct the South Node and Sun in a T-Square with the nodal axis.

As we mentioned earlier, the Winter Solstice represents the maximum Night Force, when physically the nights are longest and symbolically the social collective is largest, the State that is formed from a myriad of individual relationships. However, it is also the time when the Day Force is at its minimum, as a seed of individuality, if you will, for neither force can ever be zero. The chart above thus represents the beginning of six months of growth in individuality, as we gradually let go of our old relatedness.

Another Sabian Symbol

The first degree of Capricorn has the image: “An Indian chief claims power from the assembled tribe”, explained further as the power and responsibility implied in any claim for leadership. Its keyword is, simply: Authority. Writes Rudhyar: “The energies released through group cooperation (Libra), deepened and emotionally experienced as forces of great potency (Scorpio), and given meaning and conscious purpose (Sagittarius) are now stabilized.” For many people, a time comes when they find themselves placed in a situation where they can assume power over others, however limited this power may be. This is the supreme test for man in society: is he ready to assume such power effectively and responsibly?

About Neptune

After more than five months in retrograde motion, Neptune will change direction and take over the reins of the leap in consciousness symbolized by the Minor Grand Trine it forms with Uranus and Pluto. Neptune is the planet that dissolves the crystalized structures of Saturn, exposing its core, but it is also the planet that accepts cosmic inspiration based on universal love. Unlike the last time it moved direct, when it went as far as Pisces 29°56′, this time it will enter Aries on March 30, 2025. I will say more in the article about 2025 but you may begin to feel that a fog lifts after the full moon.

Wrapping Up…

It is highly unusual for three planets to change direction in a span of ten days so don’t be surprised if things seem to happen “out of the blue”, both externally as events and internally as realizations.

The personal planet that changed the most in the lunation is Venus so it is an excellent lunar month to work on our relationships. The trines it formed with Uranus at the new moon and Jupiter at the full moon ensure plenty of energy to work on them from a perch of honesty and truth.

I tried not to talk about mundane astrology but don’t be surprised to see the daily-news chaos to be stranger than usual. As an example, after years of a standoff with rebel forces, the Syrian government seems to have been toppled in just over a week.

Always Love. 🌹🙏💖

1. The chart incorrectly has the notation SR, stationary retrograde, next to Mercury when it should be SD, stationary direct, since Mercury will begin to move direct, not retrograde. ↩︎
2. I know I’m being vague but the full moon should be interpreted with respect to our personal new-moon intention, seeing it as a display of what we actualized during the waxing phases. ↩︎
3. The notation 0°00′ is wrong because such a degree is not measurable. The first degree goes from 0°01′ to 1°00′ and follows the last degree of the previous sign, which went from 29°01′ to 30°00′. ↩︎