New Moon Eclipse in Gemini: Breaking Through Barriers in Communication

Tomorrow evening, there is a Solar Eclipse (6:23pm CST) and a New Moon (6:47pm CST) in the 1st degree of Gemini.  This is a very potent energy and it's effects last for the 6 months following it.  Every New Moon is a time where an old cycle ends and a new one begins, but during an eclipse this initiation becomes even more powerful.

The symbol for the first degree of Gemini is 'a glass-bottomed boat in still water reveals undersea wonders'.  Allow yourself some time tomorrow night to meditate on this symbol.  Meditation will quiet the turbulent waters (emotions) in your mind and body, and as the murky sediment (confusion) settles, the still water becomes clear and reveals a clearer view of the life within.  The glass-bottom of the boat suggests the mind's detachment (Gemini) from our emotions, so that we may see what we are meant to see with a more objective view.

But since this is an eclipse, there is an energy present that pushes us to break through barriers...and since it's in Gemini, that barrier is likely in our mind.  Consider this symbol as it relates to a television.  We can watch the world and all of its struggles and triumphs without ever leaving the safety of our homes...thus becoming detached from the world outside.  But when we delve deeper into the inter-workings of our world by choosing to become a conscious and active part of it, we can have the greatest effect.  It's no longer just a story playing out behind a screen as we go about our day-to-day lives...we become an integral part of the story and we choose to 'create our own adventure' rather than just accepting what is shown to us as if we had no power to change it.  Now is a time where a blending of the spiritual and the physical becomes paramount to achieving the emotional and mental balance we're all hoping for.  This new cycle sounds a call to the Sacred Activist within us all.

The keyword for this degree is 'curiosity', appropriately ushering us into all of the curious and communicative energy of Gemini that we've been discovering as Venus has been transiting the sign and will be even more prevalent once Jupiter moves into Gemini in June.  This eclipse initiates us into a time when we are able to reveal hidden aspects of life.  Even though Gemini energy is often content to just scratch the surface in communication, wanting to know as much as possible as fast as possible, this eclipse (as well as Venus still retrograding at a snail's pace through the sign) gives us all a chance to breathe and focus on what's underneath the surface of our view.  The unconscious/subconscious mind stores a diversity of wonders that spark our curiosity for the next 6 months, and now is the time to quiet the mind so that we may look deeper into it.

The closest aspect to this new moon is a square from Neptune in Pisces (spirituality/transcendent love).  Neptune reflects the water imagery of the symbol described at this New Moon.  Now is the time that actions are taken to observe and better understand the depth of the emotional/spiritual implications of our previous actions.  Dedication to the creative opportunities this presents is in the air as Saturn and Venus (both retrograde, and so focusing internally) are in a beneficial trine in air signs (activating the mental plane), while Pluto and Chiron are in an opportunistic sextile highlighting the healing that comes from transformation.

This is a chance to focus the spotlight of the luminaries within and find previously undiscovered truths about life, and about ourselves.  Every eclipse offers us a new perspective.  In a Solar Eclipse, the Moon occults the light of the Sun, showing only the Sun's corona.  This sight represents the brilliance of consciousness that we don't see everyday because we are blinded by the glare of everyday life.  In an annular eclipse like this one, we are able to see the outer ring of our consciousness by taking a step away from the 'core' of our lives (because, usually by this point, something in our 'core' has gone awry and we need a new perspective on life).

What's under the surface of how you've been presenting yourself lately?  When you take away everything that is superfluous, not really you, or accumulated from your environment or social upbringing...what reveals itself as the clearest path to your true aspirations in this life?  Remember that your circumstances, crises, and the stories about yourself that you've accumulated so far are not you...though they are likely representative of your previous actions.  We are meant to learn from our past only...not to take it with us for the long haul. What is important is the NOW of every moment.  The future will take care of itself, and the past is already taken care of.  In the now, we can actively create the world around us.  And this Eclipse/New Moon in Gemini suggests that co-creation and clear communication are the keys to restoring balance in our wonderfully diverse world.

Love and Gratitude,
Felina

Venus Retrograde: Relationships Redefined

Tomorrow morning, Venus in Gemini turns retrograde.  Although this happens once every 542 days, it turns retrograde in the same sign of the zodiac every 8 years.  To understand Venus Retrograde's effects more deeply and personally, think back to May and June of 2004.  How did your values and relationships to others shift during that time?  Regardless of what you may or may not remember from the last time this happened, one thing is always true about every time Venus is Retrograde...important relationships in your life are ready to be reviewed (and some may even need to be redefined or rediscovered).  Someone from your past may contact you during this transit, as Venus will likely be reconnecting you to people with whom you have unfinished business and (because she's going back through Gemini, the mercurial sign of communication) conversations that require resolution.  It's time to decide whether it's best to move on or re-invest in your relationships, but be careful not to only look at the surface of these situations.  There are things you may have missed in the recent past that will resurface as lessons and powerful insight into your own values and understanding of love.  It's best to take your time during this transit (which lasts throughout most of June) to sort through your thoughts and feelings before you make any major decisions in the areas of love and finance (as Venus rules both of these areas of relationships).
Are your relationships in line with your ideals and values?  If not, turn the bright light of investigation on yourself, first, to find out if your desires and expectations are casting others in a negative light.  It may be your own idea of love that will need to expand and mature at this time.  Any planet in retrograde will incline us to look more deeply on an inner level as that planet's energy is no longer projecting forward (and outward), but reflecting backward (and inward) at something we may not have seen or learned while it was moving along full-speed ahead.
With a lot of Gemini energy going on, it indicates that a choice is pressing to be made, and one that urges us to decide what our priorities are and what we truly value.  As Venus is so close to the fixed star of Aldeberan (integrity), this choice which is meant to transform your relationships is best decided by what will resonate with your true standards of integrity.
Just remember, whatever issues arise...don't point the finger elsewhere...the issue is internal, not external.  Everyone will have their own issues to deal with, so you might as well face the facts and look to yourself to fix whatever problem you seem to be having with others.  Passing the blame or continuously reminding others of their supposed shortcomings won't help you or them.  If they can't see (or avoid) what they need to work though with themselves, they aren't doing their part in nurturing a healthy relationship with you or others...and their wake up call will come.  But focus on yourself first...an outward focus during a retrograde period is just asking for trouble.
The degree of the retrograde (Gemini 24) is one that suggests something we thought looked like fun while seeing others do it, but collectively we lacked the knowledge and skill to get to that point of enjoyment, at least right now.  The Sabian Symbol for this degree is 'children skating on ice'.  This is a metaphor for our relationships right now, one that suggests we had tried something new that got off to a rough start because we didn't know what we were doing just yet.  Perhaps we saw it come so easily to others and didn't think we would fail at our first attempt, so we weren't properly equipped for a beginner's lesson.  Keep in mind that while, for many of us, this may be referring to relationships with others...for some it could also mean a new job, a financial investment, or some other endeavor that has been occupying our time and best efforts.
This retrograde isn't pushing us to quit...it's giving us time to re-think and relearn some lessons we may have flown past by thinking they wouldn't apply to us.  Now is the time to go back and pick up some key pieces of our consciousness.  What is it you really desire?  Are your values in line with your thoughts and actions?  You may see the lessons that others are learning or need to learn, but what about yours?
This summer, Venus will eventually swing past this degree again, and if you learned your lessons from this first rocky start...you'll surely be ready to skate alongside the more advanced ice-skaters once Venus is in forward motion again.  Don't give up on your goals, just re-evaluate them for the time being.  This inward investigation will serve you well as we approach the Venus transit across the Sun on June 5th, when all we've learned in the past 8 years from the planet of love will join again with the creative expression of the Sun to bring humanity full-circle to spread enlightened ideas of global communication.
Love and Gratitude,
Felina Lune Kavi

Full Flower Moon 2012

At 10:33 pm CDT on Saturday, May 5th, the Full Moon in Scorpio is exact.  During a full moon, the Sun and Moon are in opposite degrees of the zodiac...this time the Sun is in the 17th degree of Taurus, while the Moon is in the 17th degree of Scorpio.

This is a very energetically potent full moon.  Many of you already know that it is known as the Wesak Moon (or, as I like to call it...the Buddhafull Moon) that Buddhists celebrate, also the Flower Moon (you can probably guess where it got this name), and also that it is called a supermoon because of its closer proximity to us.

So, I would like to take this time to get into details about this specific full moon this weekend, so you may better understand the energies present within this opposition and hopefully be better prepared to tap into this extraordinary energy.

First of all, I want to remind you of the rhythm of the solar-lunar dance.  During a New Moon (when the Moon and Sun are together in the exact degree of the zodiac), we plant the seeds in our earthly lives that we nurture to grow during the waxing cycle.  At the time of the Full Moon, whatever was seeded is now meant to blossom to it's full realization at this time.  Then during the waning moon, we feel the necessity of 'pulling the weeds' or clearing out the excess that isn't helping us grow or is working against the work we are putting into our heart's desire.

With that in mind, let's look at the Sabian Symbols of the zodiacal degrees being highlighted by our luminaries.  We'll start with the Moon, which represents the past as well as emotional comfort and feminine (receptive, or 'yin') nurturance.  The symbol for the 17th degree of Scorpio is 'A woman, the father of her own child.'  This symbol represents where we are coming from and what we have been emotionally involved with during the waxing phase of this Flower Moon.  It signifies the commitment, diligence, and productivity that we have given to our goals that we began at the beginning of this phase.  It highlights that our emotional nurturance lately has been empowered by the nurturance we've given others.  Our resources to help others have encouraged us to take control of our own lives and express confidence at being self-sufficient.  Like a woman who raises her child herself, we have learned the necessity of balancing the masculine and feminine nature within us in order to give that balance outside of us (to our children, our relationships, or our projects) and ensure their survival.  This balance of energies is the nucleus of all things...the balance of yin and yang, a sustenance of give and receive.

In opposition to that energy (which can either express itself as a tug-of-war or a balance between opposites, depending on how wisely you've planted and cared for your goal since the New Moon on April 21st), the Sun's symbol in the 17th degree of Taurus is 'A symbolic battle between swords and torches.'  The Sun represents the expression of our goal and where it is leading us, as well as how we can shine as we further infuse this goal with the masculine (projective, or 'yang') energy.  This signifies that some problem-solving will need to take place this weekend in order to come to a resolution of your intention.  Let's think of resolution in terms of music, since I've already expressed that the luminaries seem to dance.  The resolution is when the musician or orchestra passes from a discord into a concord during the course of changing harmony.  In other words, the discord that you may be feeling...don't hold on to that note...change the harmony, and conduct the symphony with your intentions, rather than watching it struggle without your guidance.  Guide your goal to realization with strong conviction, integrity, and (of course) balance.  This symbolic battle between swords and torches indicates that it is between the masculine elements of air and fire.  Within this symbolism, air (swords) represents the mental plane while fire (torches) represent the spiritual plane.  Here is where the battle is taking place, there is some indecision and resistance about how to forge ahead victoriously with our intentions.  It's very likely that your mental state is working against your spiritual empowerment, and that a spiritual crisis is weighing on your mind.  Find a resolution now.  This is the next step in achieving your goal so that you can actualize it as the moon wanes.  There are likely very heavy, maybe even combative, questions in your mind that are sabotaging your inner peace.    You are the only one who can sufficiently answer those questions and solve your problem.

In the bigger picture of things, as we look outside of ourselves and our personal goals and intentions so that we may relate this inner opposition to the external ones in our environment, we see this same battle against peace, balance, and harmony.  The spiritual and mental implications of all that is going on right now in our world is weighing on our intentions to conduct a change into harmony from discord.  We may feel like we are trying to nurture the innocence of this world like a mother with no choice but to become everything she can to her child.  It is weighty work.  The external influences are not always safe or healthy.  There are people and circumstances working against this desire for harmony.  But you are not alone...there are many of us who are working for the same goal. Separate, we struggle, fall behind, and give our power away to those who wish to keep us disempowered and needful.  But together, we find the strength to endure these tests of our will, we find inspiration in the compassion of those who understand, and we find the power to overcome a battle that has no place in our world.

Love and Gratitude,
Felina Lune Kavi