Moon into Gemini: Lighten Up!

Sunday evening through Wednesday morning

Tonight, the Moon sparkles into Gemini just as the weekend winds down. If fascinating conversations begin just when you should be planning the week ahead, or your lost-long friend from high school calls out of the blue, or you can't get off the internet––that would be Gemini.

To the Gemini Moon, networking feels great. The Moon's first aspect is a challenging square to Venus, newly arrived in careful Virgo. The Gemini Moon wants Venus to loosen up a little, try something new, have a laugh; and Venus in Virgo wants to check the fridge and make sure there's enough milk for breakfast and see whether we're out of peanut butter.

bright lights

Overnight, the Moon sextiles Uranus in Aries, lighting up a night of scintillating dreams full of messages, adventures, and surprise. Go ahead and let Venus in Virgo find your notebook and a pen before you sleep.

Monday evening, the Leo Sun opposes Neptune retrograde in Aquarius, personal creative passions illuminated and informed by cosmic intuitive messages. This would be a great time for meditation, visualization or journeys. Late Monday night, a sextile between the Gemini Moon and Saturn in Libra might help us actually remember and record what we learn.

Early Tuesday, the Sun enters Virgo, and the overheated end-of-summer energy drops a notch or two. Attention turns from squeezing the last fun out of summer to preparing for autumn. The Gemini Moon sextiles Mercury retrograde in Leo, a reminder to reflect on whatever the summer has brought forth, and connect the dots.

In the early hours of Wednesday, the Moon trines Neptune in Aquarius, making this another night for big, cosmic dreams. This is the Moon's last classical aspect in Gemini, leaving us floating in a Neptunian lunar landscape until the Moon steps through her own front door, entering the sign of Cancer at 6:31am Wednesday. This could be one of those mornings when dream images and emotions carry through into the day, so keep a journal handy.

Moon into Taurus: Happiness Is a Warm Blanket

Friday morning through Sunday afternoon

Ahhhh, the Taurus Moon ... we each have our own relationship with the Moon signs, and Taurus is one of my favorites. The Moon is exalted in Taurus, a fancy way of saying she's very happy here, and generally speaking, so am I.

The Moon in Taurus understands we all experience insecurities and knows just what to do: A little comfort food, a warm place to relax, the gentle sounds of birdsong or rain drops, a soft voice singing in the background. Sometimes we need to slow down and experience peace.

The Moon entered Taurus at 8:36am EDT, and spends the whole day doing nothing in particular. Today's a good day for nurturing, lavishing attention and care on whatever is most important to you.

This afternoon brings a flowing sextile with Chiron, the healer and mentor, and an easy trine with Pluto the alchemist. We realize that change, even deep and fundamental change, isn't always hard, doesn't have to be a constant struggle. Today we can relax into whatever we know we need, but perhaps have been resisting. Now, it feels right.

Early Saturday, the Moon joins expansive, generous Jupiter, and a bit later, sextiles Mars in Cancer. Jupiter and Mars have energy, yes, but with the Taurus Moon we experience the forces that move slowly, almost gently, but still inexorably. The uplifting of mountains as tectonic plates push on each other, the creation of beautiful cave formations by slow movements of water, the way ancient trees bend to decades of coastal winds––these are the work of Mars, Jupiter and the Moon in Cancer and Taurus.

mountain field

Overnight Saturday, the Moon squares Mercury retrograde in Leo. While retrograde, Mercury slows down, turning inward. This meeting with the Moon is a time to say, what have we learned about ourselves? About our ego drives, our creative impulses, and our passions? What needs to be gently released and composted?

Sunday brings more questions about where our meditations are taking us, as Venus in Leo opposes Neptune in Aquarius, the Sun squares the Moon, Venus enters Virgo, and the Moon squares Neptune. We reach the last quarter Moon, a time of insight (we hope!) and integration of what's happened during this lunar cycle.

The Taurus Moon keeps us grounded, wanting to be sure we attend to the needs of our bodies as well as our souls, and the needs of the Earth as well as the cosmos. The square with Neptune at 8pm EDT is the Moon's last classical aspect in Taurus, but this void is a short one: At 8:53pm, she bounces into bright Gemini.

Moon into Aries: This Is Your Wake Up Call!

Tuesday evening through Friday morning

As we float through another day of this really long void-of-course Moon in Pisces, feeling blissed out, totally confused, or a bit of both, time stretches, cycles around, and turns in on itself. Enjoy the feeling while it lasts, because tonight at 8:01pm EDT, the Moon flames into Aries, ready to rumble.

lift off!

This is the time in the lunar cycle when the Moon still shines brightly, broadcasting what was completed at the Full Moon, sharing the riches. The Aries Moon is ready to march those riches into new territory, to be certain everyone's heard the news and is on the same page. It's time to move forward! No more holding back! Let's move!

Well ... Mercury is still retrograde and conjuncts the Leo Sun tonight at 9:04om EDT, but the Moon in supercharged Aries is ready to roll right over any retrograde hesitations and forge ahead.

This Moon signals her intentions loud and clear by joining revolutionary Uranus in the early hours of Wednesday, then challenging Pluto, Mars and Saturn over the course of the day. This is no shy wallflower Moon; she wants to know what everyone's bringing to the table. Whatever's been stuck may well shake loose today.

Thursday, the Moon is positioned to get things moving. The morning opens with a flowing sextile between Jupiter and Mars, expanding our ability to act. Then, through the afternoon and evening, the Moon trines Mercury, the Sun, and Venus traveling together in Leo. Dive into creative projects Thursday afternoon, because every daimon and muse you know will be energized.

At 7:50am Friday morning, the Moon sextiles Neptune in Aquarius, triggering one last download of intuitive, creative inspiration. This is the last classical aspect in Aries, and after a relatively brief void-of-course time, the Moon steps into calm and peaceful Taurus at 8:36am EDT.

We've been floating in cosmic meditation. Aries is on the threshold, so grab this Moon's coattails and get ready to fly!