As the Sun enters playful Gemini, we get a light-hearted breather from taking life so seriously.
Well, on the surface that is.
The Sun Dances into Gemini May 21
at 1:45 AM PDT (8:45 AM GMT) where it stays until June 21 when it enters Cancer at 9:38 AM PDT (16:38 GMT)
The Gemini Twins introduce us to duality — mind and emotions, conscious and unconscious, YES and NO. This year the planetary alignments invite us to examine how we process duality within. Our goal is to evolve from conflict of opposing interests to a dialogue and dance of the polarities.
Just Say ‘No’ Story
Years ago I read a book about executive women that contained is a story I still use as a touchstone to monitor my emotional evolution. The story is told by a young woman who, with much enthusiasm, presented what she was convinced was a great idea to her woman boss. After sitting through an animated expose, the older woman reflected for a moment and said very calmly ‘no.’ End of discussion! I marveled at the authority, simplicity, clarity, and non-emotionality of the woman’s answer. I thought that one day I would like to be able to be so centered, calm, clear, and neutral with my ‘no’s.’
It has taken me a long time to sort this one out. Here are a few of my realizations. (1) We are not required to make excuses, justify, or explain our choices. And if we do so, it is usually an indication that we aren’t sure of ourselves and are looking for approval and validation.. (2) We don’t have to be negative to say ‘no.’ And we don’t have to reeve up excitement to say ‘yes.’ (3) Both ‘no’ and ‘yes’ can be expressed from a neutral place of peace, without attaching a commotional emotion to our response and choice.
(4) If we are relying on mental analysis and ignoring our emotions, our internal conflict communicates our own doubt, fear, and anger. On the other hand, when we tune into our feelings/instincts and listen to our intuition, and act according to their directives, we can communicate from an honest and empowered place. We connect with our truth, which both comes from and pulls us mentally and emotionally inward to a place of peace.
Mercury Retrograde is Heart/Soul Time – May 18 through June 11
Mercury goes retrograde 3 times a year for 21-22 days. We usually notice that things get mixed up, delayed, and disconnected during Mercury retrograde. If we try to bulldoze through obstacles, we often make things worse. Another strategy other than ‘take control’ is required. An intuitive/meditative strategy includes taking advantage of this time to slow down, be still, and pay attention to the subtitles that influence and define our lives.
While Mercury is in retrograde we get a change to observe how our mind and emotions interact and how both are controlled, and significantly defined by, our belief system and subconscious programming.
When we pay attention to and honor the messages of our emotions, they do not need to be negative to get our attention. We can also notice that when our intuition and instincts work together (and we follow them!), we can avoid internal conflict. When our emotions are integrated into our decision making process, they are not defensive; they are simply honest.
Mercury retrograde is a time for assessment, deep inner listening, and connecting with our truth.
This and the next Mercury retrograde are both in air signs. The next one is September 18- October 9 while Mercury is in Libra and, except for the first 5 days, the Sun is in Libra. Mercury retrograde in air signs gives us a chance to look closer at how we use our mind and how our mind uses us.
Air signs are adept at ignoring and deflecting their emotions. Lost in our minds we generate stress by trying to figure things out mentally. During Mercury retrograde our mind ‘goes backward or inward.’ The hooks of our subconscious programming and mental games are not as tenacious. We get a reprieve from our controlling dualistic mind, if we focus on what we are feeling and listen to our heart.
Mercury is in Gemini May 1 through July 8. The element of Air offers us the gift of space. In the open space in our neutral mind, we can meditate on vastness and expansiveness and allow ourselves to awaken to deeper realities that take us beyond the limited constructs of our dualistic mind.
Sagittarius Full Moon – June 2 at 11 degrees.
9:18 AM PDT, 16:18 GMT
Full Moons illuminate what has been hidden in the arenas of the current zodiac signs of the Sun and Moon. The light of the Sagittarius Full Moon seeks to discover the meaning and truth out of all the (Gemini) data and information that we are constantly bombarded with. Mercury retrograde facilitates our quest for inner wisdom by allowing us to switch gears, to meditate, and to pay attention to our inner guidance system.
At the Full Moon – Mutable/Flowing T Square
Neptune in Pisces plays an influential role at this Full Moon. At 10 degrees Pisces, Neptune forms a T square with the Sun and Moon and also squares Mercury (in Gemini), Mars (in Gemini), and Saturn (in Sagittarius.) Pisces mode of computing is intuitive, nonlinear knowing that operates in a manner totally different from mental analysis and logic. Neptune in Pisces helps us listen deeply, focus inward, and slow down to access our intuitive intelligence. We can feel the messages being communicated by our emotions and listen to our heart.
Gemini New Moon – June 16 at 25 degrees
7:05 AM PDT, 14:05 GMT
The Gemini New Moon invites us to become more aware of what affects us and how we impact those around us. Our thoughts have an electrical charge and carry vibrational messages that impact our cells, mood, and physical health and are transmitted into our environment. Others feel what we think!
The Gemini archetype needs mental stimulation and lots of activities. But we need to be aware of the kind of stimulation we are subjected to and its influence on our overall health and spiritual receptivity.
Most of us are over-stimulated by a plethora of e-mails, texts, and tasks that we believe demand instant attention. We feel obliged to multitask, which causes our brain to rapidly switch from one thing to another, burning more glucose and causing exhaustion and disorientation. “Multitasking also increases cortisol and adrenaline levels, and triggers a dopamine-addiction feedback loop. Constant stimulation co-opts the same brain systems involved in addiction, activating our more unconscious, reactive limbic system rather than our self-aware prefrontal cortex.” *(1)
Life on Earth has evolved in the presence of a naturally occurring spectrum of background radiation known as the Schumann Resonances, caused by a reaction to electrical discharges associated with lightening in the space between the ionosphere and the planetary surface. Peaks have been measured at discrete frequencies between 3Hz and 60Hz. Our brain functions at frequencies ranging from Beta waking consciousness (15-30Hz) to Delta deep sleep (below 4 Hz).
Man-made interference, principally in the 50 and 60 Hz range of domestic and commercial power (mains electricity), has distorted this spectrum, producing reactions in living creatures. By changing levels of hormonal secretions, some frequencies can cause depression, at times even to the level of suicidal; others can stimulate a feel-good factor.
Because our bodies and minds have not evolved to sustain exposure to these modified frequencies for prolonged periods of time, their presence can also reduce the quality of our sleep, diminish our ability to concentrate, and interfere with our ability to receive the cosmic information needed to sustain our physical health and access our spiritual connection.
Mars in Gemini joins the Gemini New Moon. As the spiritual warrior archetype, we are reminded that the real battle is within our own psyche. Our challenge is thus to overcome our own ignorance, illusions, and fear.
Chiron in Pisces squaring Mars and the Gemini New Moon urges us to heal the wounds that both men and women have endured from millennium of a dominating destructive patriarchy. Men have been trained to become insensitive and to shut down their hearts. Women have been trained to be submissive and to abdicate their power. Under the patriarchy, fear and anger, not love and joy, define how we deal with life, each other, and ourselves. Monitor your reactions and how you compute strategies to your life situations. Train yourself to gradually shift from fear and anger calculations to love and peace approaches. (See Kundalini Yoga Blog on Computing from Your Heart.)
Saturn Re-enters Scorpio – June 14-September 17
Saturn retrograde takes us from Sagittarius back into Scorpio territory for 3 more months. During this time we will be able to identify fear and anger-based programming that keeps us victimizing ourselves. Our deep emotions will help us recognize underlying patterns that are not aligned with the love and truth of our soul. (Saturn is in Sagittarius December 24, 2014 through June 13, 2015 and then September 18, 2015 through December 18, 2017)
Wisdom from Yogi Bhajan
Here are some words of wisdom from Yogi Bhajan relevant to our spiritual evolution.
Now, there are times when you are depressed, there are times you are impressed. When you are impressed, you usually do the wrong things. Are you listening? And when you are depressed, you always do wrong things. That’s a fact. When you are impressed, you don’t use your intuition.
The strength to come through requires that the transmissions from your brain and the power of your intuition can immediately tell you what to do.
You cannot live intellectually all your life. You have to live by the power of your soul.
References and Footnotes
Austin, Stephanie, Sagittarius Full Moon — June 2, and Gemini New Moon — June 16, The Mountain Astrologer, June/July 2015, pp. 87 and 91.
1. Austin, 87.
2. Austin, 87.
The Power of Neutral explains the workings of the mind and is a perfect guide while the Sun shines in Gemini and Mercury is retrograde.
Thank you Guru Rattana, I love these!