Moon into Gemini: Cosmic Connections

Tuesday evening through Friday morning

The Moon joins Mercury in Taurus this morning, and enters her time-between-times. This time of reflection foreshadows the Moon transit through Gemini, which combines the bright mental energy of Mercury, the emotional sensitivity of the Moon, and the grounded practicality of the Earth element.

Newton fractal

At 7:56pm EDT, the lights come on, the sparklers are lit, a flight of beautifully colored butterflies soars into the sky, as the Moon steps into Gemini. Her first aspect is a square with Neptune, which offers several (possibly challenging) opportunities.

Neptune asks, can we still our chattering thoughts enough to sense the flow of intuitive guidance being offered? Can we open the doors of perception to embrace connections wider and higher and deeper than we ever have before? The Gemini Moon, at the same time, invites Neptune into a quicker, brighter dance, saying, Now! Now's the time, not a mythic past or an envisioned future, but now!

This connection with Neptune ushers in a night of marvel-filled dreaming, as the Moon sextiles Uranus, the Awakener, who might send flashes of insight. Early Wednesday morning, the Taurus Sun trines Saturn in Libra, lending a creative artistry (both Taurus and Libra are ruled by Venus) as well as a groundedness to our dreams.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Gemini Moon trines Saturn in Libra, Air sign to Air sign, sharing ideas, concepts, thoughts, and communication. Saturn's been in Libra a long time, and no doubt has lots to say about what is needed to bring balance, harmony and beauty into manifestation.

An hour later, at 5:17pm EDT, we reach the New Moon in Gemini, followed just a few minutes later by a partial Solar Eclipse. The presence of the eclipse gives this New Moon extra resonances and staying power. If you're making wishes and setting intentions at the New Moon (described here), know that the intentions set at an eclipse New Moon will carry forward not just this month, or until this New Moon next year, but for years to come.

detail from The Creation of Adam by Michaelangelo

This New Moon comes with extra mojo for manifestation and transformation, as Saturn trines the New Moon, and Pluto forms an inconjunct angle-of-adjustment. Mars, Venus and Mercury are all in Taurus, lending their calm, grounded steadiness to the proceedings.

Meanwhile, Uranus, Saturn and Pluto form a T-square, a bit wide but still a powerful sign of the unsettled times we're living in. Linda Hill writes of this New Moon calling us to stand up, claim our power and our voices, and speak out, as she explores the Sabian symbols of the planets at that moment. Joyce Mason offers ways to calm Gemini's sometimes overactive mind, and with radical trust, move into the space of knowing that we can make it through whatever comes.

The essays at MoonCircles for this New Moon offer themes of opening our minds (Dana Gerhardt), and preparing for a wild ride in which we may feel we're flying blind (Simone Butler). April Elliott Kent writes about how this New Moon, and the eclipses to follow, might affect us depending on what will be aspected in our birth charts.

Gemini is the sign of connection, so dive in and explore multiple viewpoints. Open your mind, let your eyes go into the soft focus that widens peripheral vision, and reach out. Thursday, Mercury enters into Gemini, his home sign, bringing attention again to the bright, light-hearted, communicative thought space of this mutable Air sign.

In the wee hours of Friday morning, the Moon's transit through Gemini reaches its close with a reprise of the Pisces-Gemini connections we opened with: Mercury in Gemini squares Neptune in Pisces. Thirty minutes later, Neptune turns direct, entering her time of reflecting on the move into Pisces she just completed as she traverses that ground again, dipping in to Aquarius one last time.

Soon after that, the Moon sextiles Jupiter, a scintillating conversation about philosophy, journeys, and the meaning of life. After a brief void of course time, the Moon steps into her home base, the sign of Cancer, at 4:36am. Phew!

Moon into Taurus: Gracefully Accepting Change

Sunday morning through Tuesday afternoon

Calm at the bridge

Sunday at 9:02am EDT, the Moon steps into the peaceful serenity of Taurus. At times, Taurus can be stubborn to the point of complete immovability, but the aspects accompanying this transit evoke a mood of calm acceptance.

We're in the last days of the waning lunar cycle, preparing the ground for the scintillating New Moon in Gemini.

Taurus excels at all forms of gardening and nurturance. After the fiery energy of the Aries Moon, we're ready for a slower pace, a little rest and relaxation, and reconnecting to feelings of gratitude and well being.

We remain in a time of great change, as this Moon acknowledges. Sunday's only aspects occur in the morning, a few hours after the Moon's entry into Taurus. The Moon will sextile visionary Neptune, and trine alchemical Pluto.

The dreamers at last year's PsiberDreaming Conference showed the power of Earth Moons. We think of Moons in the Water signs as the strong dreamers (and they are), and yet many of the dreamworkers and advocates at the conference had Moons in Earth signs. A Moon in Earth can take dreams and visions, ground them in the world, and make them real. Sunday morning's flowing sextile between the Taurus Moon and Neptune points to exactly that kind of energy.

This Taurus Moon is even prepared to support Pluto's inexorable agenda of deep changes, helping us  understand that sometimes complete transformation is exactly what we need to come into full flower.

Soldiers bringing fallen comrades home

Monday, the Moon joins Mars (in the morning) and Venus (in the evening) for a fully Taurean day. Slow and steady wins the race today. This is Memorial Day in the U.S., a time for remembering the sacrifices of men and women in the Armed Forces on our behalf.

However we feel about war as an enterprise, or about particular conflicts, we can offer whole-hearted gratitude to those who accepted difficult, dangerous roles. We think of Aries as the warrior, fiery, combative, and out in front; but stories brought back from the front lines speak of Taurus as well. We honor the steadfast commitment, the willingness to endure, and the loyalty to comrades and cause, of the men and women who fought and died for their beliefs, and for us.

Tuesday morning, Taurus Moon reaches the late degrees of Taurus. A flowing sextile with Ceres the Grain Mother offers a time of blessing on gardens actual and metaphorical.

The Moon will aspect the Nodes of the Moon as well, creating a semisextile with the South Node and an inconjunct angle-of-adjustment with the North Node. The Nodes are in Gemini (South) and Sagittarius (North), both active, adventuring energies. The touch of the Taurus Moon offers a memory of home, and a reminder that we need to take care of ourselves on our journeys.

The Moon's last aspect in Taurus in a conjunction with Mercury, a combination that emphasizes careful thought and careful speech. Tuesday, we speak peace, remembering our words can harm or heal, and our thoughts shape our actions.

The Moon's time-between-times lasts most of the day, making Tuesday a day of reflection, and a time to avoid beginning important new enterprises (if possible). At 7:56pm EDT, the Moon bounces into bright Gemini, ready to network.

With a square to Neptune opening the night, dreams on Tuesday could be active, with messages flying back and forth across the cosmos and landing in our dreaming minds. This is the opening to Wednesday's New Moon and partial solar eclipse. Pack your flight bags and flex your wings!

Moon into Aries: Moving Confidently Toward Our Goals

Thursday evening through Sunday morning

The Aries Moon is direct, energized, and impulsive––ready to move, reach out, act. Early this morning, the Moon joined Uranus the Awakener, bringing bright flashes of insight into our morning dreams, or maybe just making it hard to sleep.

The Golden Boy

We're reaching the end of this waning lunar cycle, when we understand what's been accomplished and prepare ourselves for the next cycle that begins at the New Moon. The Sun and Moon reach a flowing sextile this morning, a time for new perceptions and ways of thinking. Aries loves the new, so become a pioneer of consciousness today.

Aries is also a warrior. Late morning brings a challenging square with Pluto the Alchemist, while this afternoon brings an opposition with Saturn the Father. We can resist these powerful archetypes, fighting against change and responsibility. Or we can direct Aries' fire toward our own resistance, burning through whatever holds us back, allowing change where change is needed. The choice is ours to make.

Saturday's only aspect is an inconjunct angle-of-adjustment between the Gemini Sun and Pluto in Capricorn. Gemini is bright, active and communicative, moving easily from idea to idea, entertaining many thoughts. Capricorn is steady, focused and determined, not easily changed. Today's contact asks us to adjust our thinking and look at Pluto's transformative pressures in new ways.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, the Aries Moon reaches a flowing trine with the North Node in Sagittarius, and a sextile with the South Node in Gemini. Dreams might point to the next steps on our life path, and offer a push to get moving.

At 6:28am EDT Sunday, the Moon joins Jupiter in late Aries for her last aspect in this sign. Jupiter is enthusiasm, confidence, good luck, and grace, a wonderful place for this Aries transit to end. The combined light of the Moon and Jupiter in Aries illuminates new possibilities.

At 9:02am EDT Sunday, after a brief void-of-course time, the Moon steps into calm, peaceful Taurus, offering a slower, more contemplative energy for the next few days.

Moon into Pisces: Reflecting on Where We Are

Tuesday morning through Thursday evening

The Moon swims into Pisces Tuesday morning (8:24am EDT), a time of sensitivity to emotions, intuition, and spirituality. The sensitivity is heightened by the opening conjunction with Neptune, ruler of Pisces, followed by a conjunction with Chiron, the wounded healer.

Reflection

If you're already empathic, or your boundaries are a bit thin, extra attention to shielding yourself will be a good idea. If there are things you need to be aware of, your emotional attention may be drawn to them.

The connection with Chiron can bring up feelings of woundedness, and also a chance to release those feelings and move toward healing.

This Pisces Moon's antennae will be especially attuned to personal issues. Mercury, Venus and Mars are in Taurus now, and will form flowing sextiles with the Moon on Wednesday. During this time, Venus and Mars will form inconjunct angles-of-adjustment with Saturn in Libra.

Tuesday, we may be asked to adjust how we see our relationships, finances and creativity (Venus), while Wednesday's attention will be on how we act and how we deal with anger (Mars). Taurus is calm, but can be stubborn and unwilling to consider new viewpoints. Saturn in Libra may force us to take a new perspective, or perhaps see something we'd rather avoid. The Pisces Moon will make sure we feel where change is needed.

Tuesday also marks the last quarter of this waning lunar cycle with the Sun-Moon square, also a time when we can clearly see where we are, especially things related to our New Moon intentions. With the Sun in Gemini and Moon in Pisces, we'll have opportunities to make intuition connections, and gain new insights.

Tuesday night brings flowing sextiles between the Moon and alchemical Pluto, and the Sun and innovative Uranus, making this the perfect night to set dream intentions for guidance. Watch for dreams about next steps on your path, with these two powerful outer planets in contact with the Sun and Moon.

Wednesday afternoon's Moon-Mercury sextile begins a long, 30 hour void of course time, as the Moon withdraws into deep reflection. During this time, the Moon will conjunct the asteroid Ceres (Demeter, the Grain Mother), and square the Nodes of the Moon.

When the Moon is void of course, we're advised not to begin new projects if we can avoid it. With the Moon in Pisces, and our focus on the personal, Wednesday and Thursday become a time to go within,  reflect, meditate, or ask for intuitive guidance.

Thursday evening, just before the Moon enters fiery Aries to begin a new cycle, the Gemini Sun squares Chiron in Pisces. This challenge between the light of consciousness (Sun) and the wounded healer (Chiron) marks the potential insights gained from the meditative time-between-times. At 8:36pm EDT Thursday, the Moon bursts into Aries to begin a new cycle through the zodiac.

This Moon transit through Pisces could find us feeling overly sensitive and assailed with unwelcome emotions. If we align with the current and swim freely into these waters, we will instead gain insights into where we are in our emotional lives, and where things need to be brought into awareness for understanding, release, and healing.

Moon into Aquarius: Holding Out for a Vision

Saturday night through Tuesday morning

Soon after the Moon steps into cerebral, future-oriented Aquarius, she forms a flowing trine to the Sun, a moment in the waning lunar cycle of insight and understanding. This is a good place to begin this Moon transit through Aquarius, because there challenges to be integrated.

Overnight, the practical Taurus Sun squares dreamy Neptune, while the Moon flows in sextile with fiery Uranus in Aries. With both intuitive messengers, Neptune and Uranus, in play Saturday night, pay attention to your dreams. Big dreams are always a possibility in the presence of the outer planets.

The Journey of Man, by Hans Doller

During the day on Sunday, the quick-thinking, innovative Aquarius Moon squares all the planets in Taurus who are quite happy to let things unfold naturally and slowly.

Venus, Mars and Mercury all get Moon squares. Aquarius has a plan and wants everyone to sign on; Taurus wants to leave everything in peace. Who will prevail?

Late Sunday, the Moon trines Saturn, planet of tradition in balanced Libra, so perhaps the Aquarius Moon will practice patience, and learn how to honor the deep history of the Earth in creating her visions for what is to come.

Monday the Moon sails alone through revolutionary Aquarius as Venus and Mars meet in Taurus, offering more opportunities for Air and Earth to counterbalance each other. In the early hours of Tuesday, the Moon reaches her final aspect in Aqaurius, a flowing sextile with Jupiter, burning the midnight oil in Aries.

The Moon reflects on all she learned in Aquarius during her time-between-times until swimming into the dream ocean of Pisces at 8:24am EDT Tuesday, where she soon joins Neptune. In this waning transit through Aquarius, the Moon holds to her goal to create a beautiful vision for the future, as she connects one by one with the Earth signs. How can we fully embody our vision?

Moon into Capricorn: Walking the Talk

Thursday afternoon through Saturday evening

Sagittarian exploration ends this afternoon when the Moon steps into grounded, practical Capricorn, the sign that says philosophy might be a nice diversion, but it's time to get to work. Capricorn is the cardinal Earth sign, whose motto is "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

This Moon in Earth will make easy, flowing aspects with planets in Earth and Water, and more challenging aspects with planets in Fire and Air. Yet all four elements are needed, working together in balance, to create the world.

Santa Fe adobe

The Moon's first aspect in Capricorn is a flowing sextile with Neptune, practical Earth and visionary Water. Tuesday at a dream workshop led by my friend Victoria Rabinowe, we built dreams with found objects. Mud, stone, wood, dried stalks and seeds, fragments of bark include all four elements in unique and wonderful forms.

Tonight, the Moon meets Uranus in square. The Awakener blazes through Aries, igniting fires of spirit, of anger, of desire, of change. This practical Moon challenges Uranus to pay attention to structures and foundations.

Overnight, the Capricorn Moon trines Venus in Taurus and sextiles Chiron in Pisces. Perhaps this combination will bring a new steadiness, calm and healing to relationships unsettled during the intense Aries time we've just been through.

Friday is a day to be grounded, offering great support for practical action. Over the course of the day, the Moon will trine Mercury and Mars in Taurus, join Pluto in Capricorn, and square Saturn in Libra. Meanwhile, Mercury and Mars will trine Pluto and join each other. Mind, action and emotion are aligned today.

As the Moon wanes, we share what we've learned with the world. What are the real-world applications of our realizations? "Matter" comes from the Latin materia, the stuff from which things are made, possibly originally from mater, origin and mother. Friday we explore what matters, and what we can do about it.

Saturday, the energy shifts from Earth to Air as the Sun enters Gemini overnight. Venus trines Pluto, calm and creative alchemy. The Moon's last aspect in Capricorn is a square to Jupiter in Aries, bringing us back to the philosopher king, our practical work in hand.

After about five hours in her time-between-times, the Moon lifts off into Aquarius at 10:31pm EDT. Soon after, the Sun and Moon, both now in Air, element of thought and communication, reach their waning trine, a time of harmony and understanding. Saturday night's dreams may fly far on bright wings.

Moon into Sagittarius: A Journey of Spirit

Tuesday afternoon through Thursday afternoon

The Full Moon is the Moon's last aspect in Scorpio, leaving her void of course until she steps into Sagittarius, the sign of the philosopher. Inspired by the mysterious, numinous energies of the Full Moon, Sagittarius embarks on a journey of exploration.

The Art of Adventure, by Tyler Ramsey

Tuesday afternoon, the Moon begins her journey with a challenge to Neptune. These two meet in an exact, in-sign square, completing the square Neptune made to the Full Moon. The hero Moon meets Neptune as a threshold guardian, those seemingly fierce figures whose role is to make sure we're reach for our quest.

The Moon asks Neptune, "what does this mean?" and Neptune replies, "go figure it out ... " as he gestures vaguely toward a landscape shrouded in mist.

Toward evening, the Moon flows energy with brilliant Uranus as she asks, "what can we do with this?" Uranus is on fire; the Moon tries to keep up with the torrent of ideas and images.

Wednesday, Mars flows energy in sextile with Chiron, a time of healing for the warrior. In late afternoon, the Sagittarian Moon flows energy in sextile with Saturn in Libra, the stage of the hero's journey when she finds a sage in the wilderness and learns from him.

Thursday morning, the Moon reaches the end of her quest in Sagittarius. She joins the North Node, reaching an important milestone on her path. Moments later, she flows energy in trine with Jupiter in Aries, a time of enthusiasm and grace. Jupiter, ruler of Sagittarius, has wisdom to offer the Moon.

Her meeting with Jupiter the philosopher king begins the Moon's time-between-times, during which the Moon is in an inconjunct angle-of-adjustment with the Taurus Sun. Taurus loves to stay at home, grounded and secure; the Sagittarius Moon must explore; each looks for a way to acknowledge the other. A this time, Mercury in Taurus and Chiron in Pisces flow energy in sextile, opening a channel for understanding and healing.

Initiated by the Scorpio Full Moon, this Sagittarian Moon makes a journey of spirit on this transit that beginning the disseminating phase of the lunar cycle. The illumination of the Full Moon has come, and we feel the urge to act on what we've learned. But the messages may be unclear, and so the first task is seeking understanding. These are good days for meditations and exploring meaning.

At 4:16 pm EDT, the Moon steps into hard-working Capricorn, ready to take her new understandings and make them real.

Full Moon in Scorpio: A Light in Dark Places

Early Tuesday morning

We move now inexorably toward the Full Moon in Scorpio, filling me with fascination, fear, and awe. Still immersed in Sam and Frodo's journey as a Taurus and Scorpio story, I think today of Galadriel's gift to Frodo, the phial of starlight imbued with numinous protection. "May it be a light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out," she said.

Wesak in Sri Lanka

All the Aries planets confronted us again and again with the ups and downs of its direct, impetuous, demanding, take-no-prisoners energy.

As the last of the personal planets move into Taurus today, leaving Uranus the Awakener behind, we face the consequences of unreflective action, and the need to slow down and nurture the wonder-filled seeds planted during the heady time of Aries beginnings.

These last days of the Scorpio Moon invited us inward to traverse our own darkness. The fruit of such shadowy explorations is the gold trapped in the rocks, bringing Shadow into consciousness, the release of creative passions we have denied or repressed. This is enlightenment, and this Full Moon is also Wesak, celebration of the Buddha's journey.

As always with Scorpio, there's a lot going on. April Elliot Kent and Julia Bondi at MoonCircles dive into personal and global aspects of this Full Moon, and Linda Hill explores the complex Sabian symbols surrounding it. I invite you to read these essays and see which aspects speak to you. What calls to you becomes your point of departure. I also recorded my own guided journey for this Full Moon.

The Full Moon illuminates, and the Neptune square adds its own starlight. May we each accept the gift of inner knowing, to light our way through dark places.

Moon into Scorpio: Facing the Shadow

Sunday morning through Tuesday morning

Just after noon today (12:31pm EDT), the Moon enters Scorpio's murky waters, where her first aspect is a flowing trine with visionary Neptune. We're heading toward the Full Moon in Scorpio, which arrives arrives Tuesday morning (7:09am EDT), at the end of the Moon's transit through Scorpio.

The forging of the Ring by Alan Lee

We feel the Shadow drawing near, the presence of things we have lost, things we fear, things that are taboo, things that are numinous. Neptune's presence intensifies our felt sense of fascination, obsession, and magic.

This afternoon, the Moon opposes Mars in Taurus just as Venus and Mercury transition from Aries into Taurus. This Scorpio-Taurus connection foreshadows the Full Moon opposition with the Taurus Sun. These two signs share a steady focus and intensity. Both fixed signs, they are loyal and sometimes immovable. Yet their styles and interests are quite different.

Taurus loves the manifest world. Calm, patient and sensual, he revels in the sights, sounds, scents and textures of what is, nurturing all things that grow. Scorpio is drawn to the hidden world. Keenly aware of what is not said, not seen, not acknowledged, he understands the power of what is denied, wanting to master occult lore and occult ways of knowing.

At the Full Moon, and with today's Moon-Mars opposition, these two illuminate each other, highlighting their differences even as they complement and complete each other.

In The Lord of the Rings, we meet Taurus and Scorpio in Sam and Frodo. Together, they tell a story about this Full Moon.

Sam Gamgee is Taurus to the bone. A gardener who longed for a simple life, his great loyalty to his friend and master led him into hell, and brought him home again. On his journey, he carried salt, and cooking pans, only letting the pans go in Mordor with great regret. Galadriel's gift to him was a mallorn seed, and earth, gifts he used to rejuvenate the gardens of the Shire.

Tolkien based Sam on ordinary soldiers he knew in the trenches of WWI, men whose steadfastness and simple, strong values brought them and others through. Gamgee is a kind of cotton wool used to wrap wounds. His full name was Samwise, and he was later known as Samwise Gardener.

Bag End by Alan Lee

The key issue in Scorpio is power, where it resides, who wields it, and how. Frodo carried not just his own Shadow, but the Shadow of his world. An unlikely Scorpionic hero in appearance, he was different, a little fey, an elf friend, who had prophetic dreams and premonitions. He also faced the darkness in Gollum, who shadowed him literally and metaphorically, the image of what repression can create.

These two traveled together, as Scorpio and Taurus do over the next few days. On Monday, the Moon is unaspected, traveling alone, as Mercury and Venus meet each other and sextile Neptune the cosmic storyteller. This journey is one of facing Shadow without getting lost in it, bringing the boon back to create a rich and satisfying life.

Tuesday morning, the Moon's only and final aspect is the Full Moon. This Full Moon is a T-square, with Neptune squaring Sun and Moon. This is an out-of-sign square, with Sun and Moon in late degrees and Neptune at the beginning of Pisces. Neptune sprinkles fairy dust over this Full Moon, inviting us to view both sides as part of a single image, which of course they are.

Moon into Libra: Dynamic Balance

Friday morning through Sunday morning
(rewritten Friday after Blogger came back online having lost the original post...)

on the balance beam

We usually experience a sense of serenity with a Libra Moon, but during this transit, the Moon will need all her diplomatic skill to stay upright. The next few days hold a series of challenging oppositions and squares, waiting to test the balance of this Libra Moon.

The Moon stepped into Libra at noon today, spending a few hours alone, probably meditating to find her center. At 5:20pm EDT, she opposed Uranus in Aries, coming up against the revolutionary on steroids.

Libra has a reputation for being wishy-washy, too much of a people pleaser, but that's misleading. When her sense of justice is engaged, she can bring out her iron-hand-in-a-velvet-glove mojo. Tonight, the Moon wants Uranus to take a deep breath and stop running everyone over.

Just before midnight, the Moon squares Pluto in Capricorn. Coming up against the great transformer, the Moon may simply ask for a few concessions before making way. Of course, Pluto and Uranus are preparing to square off too, so maybe the Moon will enlist Pluto's rock-like steadiness to curb Uranus' fiery zeal.

Saturday, the Moon joins Saturn, who's been holding the line alone against Uranus for weeks now. With the emotional Moon nearby, Saturn might let us feel what it's like to be alone against a crowd, giving today a touch of melancholy.

Hopefully, Saturn will also strengthen the Moon's resolve, because Sunday morning, she runs the gamut of the late Aries planets. Dawn brings the opposition to expansive Jupiter, followed later in the morning by oppositions to Mercury and Venus. Again, Libra's peaceful approach might soften the hard-charging Aries vibe.

Jupiter, Mercury and Venus in Aries, plus Mars in Taurus, are in a rare sky position these days. Gary Caton's blog post at The Mountain Astrologer describes how all four are rising before the Sun, something that last happened in 1680. These four are now spear bearers for the Sun, clearing the way for his arrival.

Perhaps as the Moon dives into shadowy Scorpio, at 12:31pm EDT, we'll move into a time of understanding the deeper meanings of the amazing changes we're living through

Moon into Virgo: Magical Weaving

Wednesday morning through Friday morning

The Moon steps into careful, organized Virgo soon, readying herself for a day full of complex patterns and magical energy. Her role, in the Earth sign that offers practical service, will be to weave a cloth that can carry magic.

weaving

Today, Venus, Mercury and Jupiter align in Aries. This triple conjunction in the sign of passion, drive, and desire brings together the two "good luck" planets, Jupiter and Venus, with the cosmic messenger, Mercury, who can traverse time and space in an instant, making connections.

This aspect pattern opens up doors and windows, unlocking potential and making wishes come true.

Of course, that's not all these triplets can do. We've been living with an overload of Aries energy for weeks now, and many of us are feeling frayed at the edges and ready to snap. The combination of expansive Jupiter with quick-tongued Mercury and Venus' keen sense of justice could also create a compelling feeling that it's time to let everyone know exactly what we think.

This is where the Virgo Moon steps in with, oddly enough, help from Mars. Overnight, Mars moved into calm and peaceful Taurus. Now the ruler of Aries is slowing his step, considering the long term consequences of his actions and longing for quiet. The Moon's first aspect in Virgo is a trine to Taurean Mars, a meeting that sets the warp threads in the loom, the underlying structure that creates strength and stability.

Later this morning, the Moon opposes Neptune in Pisces, a meeting that sprinkles the Virgo Moon with fairy dust, whispering we are stardust, we are golden, and pointing the way back to the garden. In turn, the Moon reminds visionary Neptune that every journey begins with a single, careful step. A cosmic thread is added to the weave.

Tonight, the Virgo Moon trines Pluto in Capricorn. As night falls, the Moon steps into the alchemist's laboratory, offering help in the great work at hand. Pluto is slow and careful, adding tinctures to the mix that temper Aries' fire and prevent explosions, directing the energy into deep work. A transformational thread is added, enriching the emerging pattern.

Overnight Wednesday, Mars and Neptune meet in sextile, heaven and Earth communing. Water and Earth are receptive and responsive, fertilizing and stabilizing each other. The weaving continues at a steady pace.

bright cloth

Late Thursday morning, the Sun and Moon meet in trine at the end of the First Quarter phase. If we are truly committed to our goals for this lunar cycle, this is a time of harmonious progress, Taurus and Virgo working together to create something real.

The Sun-Moon trine begins the Moon's official void-of-course time, which lasts all day Thursday and into Friday morning.

Although there's no classical aspects during this time, it's worth noting that the Moon squares the Nodes of the Moon, while forming inconjunct angles-of-adjustment to the Aries triple conjunction of Jupiter, Mercury and Venus.

During her time-between-times, the Virgo Moon puts the finishing touches on the magical weaving, including the karmic pathway of the Nodes, and grounding the fiery energy of the three Aries planets, in her masterful pattern.

Late Friday morning, the Moon enters balanced, harmonious Libra, wrapped in the mystical, bright colors of her strongly-made cloth.

Moon into Leo: The Passionate Monarch

Monday morning through Wednesday morning

The Moon stepped into the splendor of Leo early this morning, replenished by her time in Cancer and ready to reign. Leo is the sign of kings and of clowns, the passionate leader and the playful actor. Leo is bright, creative, joyous, and expressive, glowing in the attention of acolytes and lovers.

Queen Elizabeth I, the phoenix portrait

The Moon is waxing now, gaining strength and light. In Leo, she gathers in energy from Aries and Libra, ready to face any challenge. Monday morning brings an opening trine with Uranus the Awakener, around the time Mercury and Venus reach their conjunction in Aries. This will be a day for speaking from the heart, regardless of the consequences. It's up to us to be sure we also speak with heart, saying what we need to say in ways that can heal.

Monday night, the Leo Moon forms a flowing sextile with Saturn in Libra, emphasizing the creative side of each sign. The Moon reminds Saturn that relationships need to meet the needs of self as well as other; Leo cannot be ignored.

Tuesday afternoon brings a challenging square between the Leo Moon and the Taurus Sun, the First Quarter Moon. Our commitment to our unfolding goals is tested. As the light shines and our dreams take shape, we see what might be ahead. Is this what we want? Can we continue to nurture these dreams? Do they express what's in our hearts? Now's the time for adjustment and revision.

Tuesday night, the Moon flows energy in trine with Mercury and Venus in Aries. This combination of creativity, grace, thought, communication, feeling, and desire offers a wonderful connection with the Muse that opens into a magical Grand Trine. Just after midnight, the Moon trines Jupiter, a time of fortunate enthusiasm. The trines with Mercury and Venus are still in effect. Meanwhile, the North Node of the Moon, at 25 degrees of Sagittarius, brings our karmic path into passionate connection with the Leo Moon, as well as Jupiter, Venus and Mercury.

The Grand Trine in Fire begins the Moon's time-between-times, as she absorbs the warmth of this fleeting but powerful connection. She'll enter Virgo at 9:59am EDT Wednesday, ready to put all that glorious inspiration to work.

Moon into Cancer: Finding Refuge

Friday afternoon through early Monday morning

spicy hot chocolate

As we head into the weekend, the Moon heads home. Cancer is the Moon's home sign, her safe place. If we're feeling beleaguered (and who hasn't?), this Moon transit through Cancer can help us reconnect with our roots, finding what nourishes us and brings us comfort.

There's still lots of edgy energy around, as Uranus, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Mars are still channeling Aries' driving fire, with Saturn trying to hold the line, in opposition in Libra. Adding in Pluto in Capricorn completes the lineup of difficult aspects for this Cancer Moon.

The Moon's first aspect, thankfully, is a flowing trine to Neptune in Pisces, a chance for these two Water signs to connect and support each other. Friday afternoon, Neptune welcomes the Moon home with a deeply felt hug.

Saturday opens with a challenging square to Uranus, following by an opposition to Pluto later in the morning, and a square to Saturn in the evening. The Moon in Cancer just wants a little peace, not comfortable with the pace of change the powerful outer planets are setting. There could be a feeling here of digging in our heels and saying no.

mother and child

Perhaps a better way to work with these challenging Moon aspects is to say, ok, I know changes are coming, but I need a break. Squares and oppositions are all about finding a dynamic balance, and today we might ask for time to relax and rejuvenate, because taking care of ourselves and our home base makes everything else work better.

Sunday opens with a flowing sextile between the Moon and the Sun, the time in the waxing lunar cycle when we begin to see the shape our emerging wishes and intentions might take. This first glimmer motivates the Cancer Moon to be nurturing and protective, in the face of an onslaught of squares from the planets in late Aries: Venus and Mercury Sunday morning, Jupiter in the afternoon, and Mars overnight.

These squares look for the delicate balance every young thing needs between protection and challenge, peace and stimulation, the comfort of home and the excitement of the world outside. Sunday needs to include a mixture of both, to satisfy the careful Cancerian Moon, and the risk-loving Aries planets.

Sunday in the United States is Mother's Day, and the Cancer Moon connects us with a powerful Mother archetype. Whether our mothers were protective or pushing us out the door, warm or cool, in tune with our needs or not, Mother is where we all come from. Today we explore what mothering means to us, where we've experienced it, what kind of mothering we need now, and where we might find it.

At 5:35am EDT Monday morning, the Moon steps into Leo's spotlight, ready to shine. The nurturing energy of this Cancer transit, without anxiety or overprotectiveness, prepares us to revel in the warmth and creative passion of Leo.

Moon into Gemini: Only Connect

Wednesday morning through Friday night

"Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes."
-- Walt Whitman (Gemini Sun)

tendril

The Moon begins networking with electric Gemini energy at 1:09pm EDT, ready to think, talk, flirt, innovate, juggle ideas, and laugh.

Now we make wishes and set intentions for the New Moon, ready to watch the seeds sending out roots and shoots in all directions.

The Gemini Moon's first aspect is a square to Neptune in Pisces, mutable Air and mutable Water. The Moon in Gemini is an initiator, reaching out to connect people, events, and ideas. Neptune in Pisces is responsive, flowing with what comes.

Which is better, to watch the currents as they swirl by, or reach a hand in and stir things up? Wednesday afternoon, things get stirred up as the Gemini Moon flows energy in sextile with Uranus in Aries.

"Chaos is a friend of mine."
-Bob Dylan (Gemini Sun)

Thursday brings a flowing trine between the Gemini Moon and Saturn in Libra, a recognition of the role of language in creating reality.

"My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I am in my own proper atmosphere. 

But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for mental exaltation."
-- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Gemini Sun)

Thursday night, the Moon reaches late Gemini, ready to talk with Venus and Mercury in Aries, a conversation that continues Friday as the Moon sextiles Jupiter and Mars in Aries. Here, the Moon brings emotional clarity to Aries desires, helping us articulate what we want and who we are.

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, 
instead of a second-rate version of somebody else "  

-- Judy Garland (Gemini Sun)

After the sextile with Mars at 4:12pm EDT, the Moon is void of course until opening the door into her home sign of Cancer at 10:31pm EDT. The transit through Gemini is a sparkler, a cascade of bright bells, a sprinkling of fairy dust lighting the waxing Moon.

"Happiness is neither virtue nor pleasure nor this thing nor that but simply growth, 

We are happy when we are growing."  

-- William Butler Yeats (Gemini Sun)

Moon in Taurus: A Day of Calm

We're in the newest of New Moon days with the Moon one-in-herself today, floating in Taurus without classical aspects of any kind. This is a day for turning within and nurturing ourselves deeply. Wait 'til the Gemini Moon for those wishes and intentions.

For today, I offer one of my favorite poems, by Mary Oliver:

Wild Geese 

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers. 

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting--
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

New Moon in Taurus

Overnight Monday

The New Moon in Taurus arrives just before midnight Monday in the Pacific Time Zone, and in the wee hours of Tuesday on the East Coast.

This lunar seed time happens in the sign of the patient gardener, fixed Earth, sign of sensuality, peace, and steadfastness. As the chart shows, though, five planets in Aries present a force to be reckoned with.

Aries is the sign of new birth, as Taurus is the sign of unfolding. Together they create an opening for new beginnings of any kind, with the chance to make our dreams as real as the soil under our feet.

As always, check where this New Moon falls in your birth chart for guidance on wishes and intentions that will be especially strong for you. Also notice that with planets spanning all the degrees of Aries, many planets and points in our charts will be energized in some way.

Venus and Mercury conjunct in Aries give voice to our desires. Mars and Jupiter conjunct in Aries give power to our actions. Saturn in Libra opposes Venus and Mercury, while also forming an inconjunct angle with the New Moon, offering both a reality check and the power of manifestation.

How can we get a reality check and manifestation of our dreams from the same archetype? I see the universe as a co-created space shared with many other beings, all of whom have their own desires and goals. Within that model, I seek to align my goals with those of my community. First, to do no harm; second, to offer loving support when possible. Responsibility, hard work, and awareness of limits––Saturn loves that stuff.

Tlaloc

In a way, Saturn in this New Moon chart acts as a lightning rod, channeling the fire of Aries and the fertility of Taurus into a new reality.

Ancient gods like the Aztec Tlaloc, god of lightning and fertility; Mayan rain god Chaac, the wielder of lightning; sky god Thor, whose sheet lightning ripened the summer crops; all these have the power to bring new things into being.

The Moon goes void of course at this New Moon, making no classical aspects until entering Gemini on Wednesday morning. For this reason, we wait for the Gemini Moon to make wishes and set intentions in this cycle.

At this New Moon, imagine gods and goddesses of lightning and fire gathered in the sky, sending messages to Earth through the Taurus New Moon. We watch and listen, calm and attentive, until the Gemini Moon arrive to carry our messages to the universe.

Moon into Taurus

Sunday night through Wednesday morning

Everything's burned away under the waning Aries Moon, and the last embers of the bonfire are dying away as the Moon opens Taurus' garden gate and slips inside. It's time for dreams, and Earth Moons are surprisingly powerful for dreaming ... something about the grounding energy, maybe, helps us remember.

in the garden

The Moon's first aspect in Taurus is a sextile to Neptune, also overnight, which amps up the dream energy into the realm of big dreams. Perhaps tonight's dreams will bring more insights on what we've learned this lunar cycle, and the steady calm to let go of what's finished.

Monday morning brings an inconjunct angle-of-adjustment between the Sun in Taurus and Saturn in Libra ... the adjustment here focuses on what it takes to make dreams real, with Sun and Saturn in the two signs ruled by Venus. Monday afternoon, the Taurus Moon flows energy in trine to Pluto, building the strong foundations our souls need.

Overnight Monday, the Moon joins the Sun at 12 degrees of Taurus, for the New Moon. This is the Moon's last aspect in Taurus, and she remains void of course until Wednesday afternoon, when she jumps into bright Gemini, looking for connections and communications.

The New Moon is a time of beginnings, of making wishes and setting intentions, but in this cycle, wait until the Moon comes into Gemini before putting your wishes out to the universe. The void of course Moon is not the best time for starting something new, and Gemini is a wonderful communicator.

This Moon transit in Taurus, bringing us from the waning cycle, through the New Moon gate, and into the waxing cycle, is a time of connecting with the Earth. This is a time for reveling in sensual pleasures and realizing we're surrounded by abundance. Make your seeds ready, but draw on Taurean patience before planting them. Look for more on the New Moon in tomorrow's post!