Transcend the Prison of Perception: New Moon in Gemini 2014

Gemini by Johfra Bosschart

New Moon @ 7 Gemini 21'

May 28, 2014

2:40 PM Pacific

11:40 AM Eastern

Perception is a tricky thing. Our eyes can be rather convincing; yet, we know (from science and mysticism alike) that the world of our senses isn’t quite what it appears to be. Gemini symbolizes the root and foundation of our mundane, human perception. Mercury, a planet we associate with this sign, symbolizes the mind in its pure archetypal form.

For the most part, Gemini revels in this illusion that encapsulates consciousness. That doesn’t mean it is incapable of seeing beyond it, but that it can work with the illusion and master all the dynamics within it. The mind, while limiting our awareness to some extent, allows us to filter out the noise and focus on a very specific wavelength.

For us, the denizens of third density, that is an essential thing. Who could function in the world otherwise? An unfiltered perception would be like an endless psychedelic trip. I don’t think we could survive for very long in such a state.

While we know that we perceive only a small fraction of reality, we have the ability to become specialists of this fragment before us. In a way, as humans, that gives us some advantage over beings with more limited awareness than ourselves.

But those “lesser evolved” species have equally mastered their own niches in quite extraordinary ways. A dog’s sense of smell, for example, is truly beyond our comprehension.  There are many examples of this throughout nature. So sometimes, a limitation can be turned to an advantage.

Gemini is a mutable sign. That means that our perception can change. As our knowledge of reality increases so too does our awareness. We suddenly see things so clearly that once evaded us entirely. As scientific discoveries unveil ever wider perceptions of the world, our daily lives begin to change, the mundane becomes permanently altered.

As the Sun and Moon conjoin in Gemini, it sheds light on our awareness. It plants the seeds of an evolving and ever changing perception of the world. That requires the use of the mind, to compare and contrast old and new paradigms of perception.

Gemini’s ephemeral nature allows for the expeditious processing of information. When Gemini is active in the collective psyche, information is the most coveted of all things--for Gemini seeks knowledge, and knowledge gives a sense of dominion over the chaotic world around us.

That flighty, ever curious quality inherent to Gemini will be ubiquitous as this lunation develops. That means, perhaps, an increase of distractions. As we focus the mind on one thing, something else, more interesting, pops up, inviting us to investigate. So, in usual Gemini fashion, this lunation is likely to lend itself to a sense of restless curiosity and fascination with the world (the illusion).

And if there was ever a time to realize the ever changing nature of perception, this would be it. An exceptionally close square from Neptune in Pisces to this lunation greatly challenges our collective and individual perceptions.

While Gemini and Mercury seek facts and knowledge to create a seamless and stable perception of reality, Neptune and Pisces seek quite the opposite: a perception that transcends and dissolves the world of our senses. So there is a quality of intense uncertainty surrounding this New Moon.

It invites us to utilize caution as we acquire more knowledge and awareness, because Neptune in Pisces indicates that there is far more to our reality than we may realize. There is the risk of complete deception. Fact checking is in order here. The mind, eager to make rational sense of things, can often miss critical elements, much to its detriment.

Because, for the most part, we only see what we want to see; we see only what we know. But what we know is always limited, and so Neptune invites us to perceive a much vaster field of awareness. So don’t hastily come to any conclusions with this New Moon.

When confronted with new information, make the effort to go deeper and see beyond the superficial. Mercury’s encroaching retrograde is also a reminder to refrain from “jumping the gun”, so to speak. It’s back track through Cancer/Gemini (beginning June 7) will allow for a reorientation of our awareness and a tightening up of loose ends.

So take your time to stop, pause and consider what’s presented before you. Don’t just settle for the most logical and rational explanation. Neptune urges us to realize that there’s something more to the picture, something we may not fully comprehend, but something from which we can at least gain a modicum of understanding from.

Mercury, the “ruler” of Gemini, is out of bounds alongside this lunation--which relates to something called declination, or a planet’s apparent altitude compared to other planets when viewed in the sky. It’s a more third dimensional view of astrology, which takes it beyond the two dimensional perception of the horoscope on paper.

Quite simply put, when a planet is “out of bounds”; it is beyond the Sun’s highest ascent in the sky. It is beyond the reign and grasp of the “king” (the Sun), the gravitas of the solar system. It is free to express itself in ways it wouldn’t dare to otherwise.

Often the expression of an out of bounds planet is quite Uranian in nature, in that it tends to defy the accepted ways of doing things. Because Mercury, the ruler of this lunation, is out of bounds, we are invited, more than ever, to truly think outside the box. In fact, we’re invited to utterly transcend it, if not completely dissolve it.

There may be a feeling that our limited awareness is more akin to a prison--that the mundane perception is somehow overwhelmingly stifling. Trust that feeling, because this lunation is creating the opportunity for a mental prison break. 

That process is just beginning, as I said, and the seeds are being planted with this New Moon. Lastly, this New Moon makes a trine to Mars, now slowly and surely moving direct. That provides a jolt of mental momentum, and the confidence to ponder things outside the accepted paradigm.

Muster up some courage and challenge your own perception—truly look beyond what you see before you. The energy is readily available, and the tides are truly shifting now. Mercury’s retrograde will help us to rework our newfound awareness so that it fits perfectly into our ever evolving perception. 

The Poison is the Medicine: Full Moon in Scorpio 2014

King Scorpion, detail from his mace head. Oxford Asmolean Museum.
Photo by Udimu, Wikimedia Commons.

Full Moon @ 23 Scorpio 55'

May 14, 2014

3:16 PM Eastern

12:16 PM Pacific

The much anticipated cardinal grand cross has come and gone, though we are likely to feel its effects well into the month of May. The world didn’t end, the economy didn’t collapse, and aliens didn’t return to proclaim the truth of human origins. Well, at least we didn’t hear about it. 

But, this was by no means a non-event. April brought a high precedence of earth changes like we’ve never seen before. In fact, believe it or not, April was the most seismically active month in recorded history, with 13 major earthquakes shaking several regions across the globe.

Five of the 13 quakes were a 7.8 magnitude and higher—including an 8.2 that rocked Chile on April 1. This is really quite remarkable given the fact that such severe quakes generally occur once or twice a month.The cardinal energy seems to radiate throughout the world, expressing itself in some profound and dynamic ways. 

If you have planets situated in the direct line of fire (about 12-16 degrees of all cardinal signs, i.e. Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn) you may have felt the full force of the event in your personal life. The cardinal energy is all about action and initiation—exemplifying the power of the will.

But with Mars retrograde, the floodgates were likely held back a bit; though that doesn’t mean that some big changes didn’t actually take place. Earth changes are a reflection of shifts in higher (and lower) densities or realities. Earthquakes are symbolic of changing, shifting foundations and infrastructures.

Economically speaking, the vast majority of the population isn’t privy to what’s really going on or about to happen. We’re usually the last to know, when it’s far too late to do anything to stop it.

So, let’s not write this event off and subjugate it to the realm of failed astrological predictions. In fact, the biggest, most significant changes happen within each of us. They’re incredibly personal. Since all separation is an illusion, personal change is just as significant (if not more so) than collective change.

Anyway, if you’re reading this, you’ve survived the main event of 2014, fully intact (or so I hope). Perhaps you lost a limb or two, but at least you can still read and operate a computer (It’s the 21^st century, those are pertinent skills).

We’ve also safely passed the eclipse passageway. That portal to accelerated change and transformation has closed. This month’s Full Moon slams it shut, until next time. How has the past month affected you?

How have you changed? How has your life changed? Are you stronger, wiser? If the answer is yes, then you’ve successfully harnessed this energy into your personal life. If the answer is no, you may be clinging to something well outworn.

Most of the time change is voluntary. Astrology doesn’t really guarantee anything. We have free will and astrology is simply a guide to its ideal usage. What it does guarantee is the appearance of circumstances, desires or opportunities that invite us to do something with the energy provided. But ultimately, the choice is ours in the end.

This month’s Full Moon takes place in the sign of Scorpio, and yes, conjoins that frightening corner of the zodiac occupied by Saturn. In other words, this Full Moon sits next to the planet Saturn in the tropical sign of Scorpio. Cue the ominous music.

Well, it does look ominous. I mean, Saturn (the greater malefic) conjunct the mysterious Moon in the sign represented by a stinging arachnid. You can’t help but conjure up disturbing, uncomfortable images from that one. But fear not, as we will see, all things can be harnessed toward a much higher road.

Scorpio literally means to pierce, to unveil. A scorpion is a rather fitting symbol to represent that process; although the more archaic representation of Scorpio was actually a serpent. Archetypically speaking, venomous creatures (arachnids, reptiles, insects, etc.) often symbolize the emergence of a remedy, a medicinal substance that will lead us toward transformation.

The venom, the sting, is the medicine. It symbolizes what we need to move past failing circumstances. While the bite or sting may be unpleasant initially, if we survive, we’ve crossed a significant threshold; we’ve entered into a new realm.

In a way, Scorpio symbolizes a deeply spiritual and alchemical process. It symbolizes the desire to merge with something larger than our own personal power. The infusion is often overwhelming, and sometimes devastating or deadly. But with Scorpio, there’s always a risk involved.

That’s the nature of the beast. To become something more than we are, we have to take a leap. We have to defy our fears and face the unknown in some formidable way. The Full Moon culminating here symbolizes the blossoming of a leap we’ve already made or have been intending.

Saturn and the Moon aren’t terribly compatible planets. In fact, they symbolize two highly antithetical yet complimentary archetypes. But with the conjunction, we have a fusion of two elements—two ends of a spectrum: nurturance and tough love.  

That fusion is likely to feel a bit uncomfortable. If we take it too seriously, we may find ourselves overwhelmed by a sense of depression, even despair. That’s the disclaimer on this one. But, a water grand trine formed by the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter and Chiron creates a wellspring of (potential) deep emotional healing.

Feel your way through this one; connect deeply with your inner guide and intuition. All that cardinal energy, all that moving and shaking, takes a bit of a break with the fluid, psychic and intuitive energy that permeates the collective with this Scorpio Full Moon.

Be mindful of getting swept away by emotions, overtaken by real or imagined fears. This Full Moon may have the advantage of illuminating the darker corners of the psyche, allowing us to glimpse into places we are usually reluctant to gaze—to ultimately find a place of healing, to discover the remedy that can lead us further along the path of evolution.

Venus is approaching a conjunction with Uranus alongside this Full Moon and will be exactly square Pluto. This could represent some intense friction and tension within relationships. Venus in Aries conjunct Uranus seeks freedom, personal space and adventure.

Pluto’s square from Capricorn can incite power struggles from those threatened by another’s need for more room and independence; but again, there may be a need to take a risk, a need to go deeper and explore some dynamics within a relationship that are stifling personal growth.

But if such power struggles turn physical, it may be wise to step aside and let things cool down and unwind as the Moon gradually wanes over the next two weeks.

With Mars’ retrograde cycle winding down, that catalytic cardinal energy isn’t as intense as it normally would be. We are likely tying up loose ends with the processes we began less than three months ago (possibly in relation to relationships we’ve revived or are currently involved with).

But this Full Moon doesn’t bring things to a standstill by any means. It invites us to do some deep and possibly intense inner, emotional work. Allow this Full Moon to illuminate what’s real and help you see what you need to heal. While sometimes uncomfortable, these energies allow us to clear away what no longer works, to embrace something fresh, new and exciting.

Things may still be pending which is perfectly natural with Mars’ stationing direct; but we can really get clear here about some very important and critical elements within our lives, if we’re open and receptive to the process. Don’t fear the dark; you are the light that will illuminate the unknown and the forgotten.  All things can be transmuted; all darkness can be used for healing and transformation.