This is the day of the New Moon in Gemini, though (as I write) we’re not there yet. Tonight, the Sun and Moon meet at the end of Gemini, which is a place of choice.
In today’s world of constant, emphatic, intrusive communication, we’re told we need to choose, commit, take a side. As if, in that moment of choosing, we’ve done all we need to do. As if everything will unfold as intended from that one moment.
This New Moon says, it’s not that simple.
The opening of Gemini, where we see Uranus the disrupter right now, promises endless, enthralling, scintillating, captivating choices. A shining array of possibilities promising wonderful futures.
The end of Gemini brings the necessity of choice. What Tolkien named the doom of choice, which does not mean the outcome will be terrible, but instead that the choice must be made. At some point, the choice will be made.
Tolkien’s use of the work ‘doom’ calls back to the oldest meanings of the word, which include judgement, a decision that reflects discernment and triggers consequences. In Greek, it links back to ‘themis,’ often translated as justice.
Themis is not human justice, though. It is the underlying, implicit, immutable laws of existence itself. Themis was a Titan, a goddess before the Olympic pantheon. She is the one who reminds us that in each moment of life, we are making choices. Many are fateful in ways we cannot see.
“Choose well. Your choice is brief, and yet endless.”
― Goethe
The Sun and Moon are a bit isolated in this chart. Their closest aspects are sextiles to Chiron and Eris at the end of Aries. It’s interesting to see Eris here. An important key to Eris’ story links her to Themis.
Eris is an asteroid named for an agent of chaos. She was said to be a daughter of Nyx, the primordial night. She is sometimes described as a sister to Mars.
She was not popular on Olympus. Seen as a troublemaker, a problem. She was not invited to an important party, and out of spite (it is said) she tossed a golden apple at the feet of three goddesses challenging the most beautiful to pick it up. This led to the Trojan War.
Yet astrologer Jason Holley shares a deeper story, in which Eris took her anger and distress at being left out to Themis, who, with her insight into deep patterns of history, advised Eris to throw the apple. Take her revenge. Counseled her to make the choice and do the deed.
Chiron’s presence offers an invitation to personal healing, through understanding our own patterns. Why does one comment trigger us, and another does not? Why do we fear this situation, and not that one? Why are we drawn to this person, and not the other?
So, yes, a New Moon in Gemini is about choice. How we choose, what we choose, when we choose.
But it’s not exactly demanding we make a choice right now. It’s more about looking at the process and considering consequences.
“As is often the case, it was the easier choice to make
and the more difficult choice to live with.”
― Hank Green, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing
First, this Moon is out of bounds. She’s not really listening to anyone else right now. She’s following her heart. This invitation is to notice, to feel, with the Moon, what we want right now. Peace. Food security. Safety. Housing. Ice cream. Music. Poetry. Chocolate. Wine. Bread.
Second, this New Moon is ruled by Mercury, who is in Cancer right now, which means the Moon and Mercury are in mutual reception. They’re in each other’s places. They have each other’s keys and codes. They’re connected.
Next, Mercury is embarking on their second retrograde of this year, which is in the sign of Cancer. We’re being invited to explore how we choose. Emotionally? Rationally? Impulsively? Deliberately? Randomly? Endless Gemini choice points.
At this New Moon, Mercury is at 18º 31’ of Cancer. This is the second decan, which Austin Coppock names The Walled Garden, a beautiful image of safety where delicacy and sensitivity are protected.
Mercury here has a beautiful voice. We can talk this out and Mercury will help us understand what we feel and why. What we choose and why. This is not the last time we’ll be here, though.
Mercury entered their preview period on Friday, June 12, at 16º 18’ of Cancer, in this same decan, the beautiful garden. We will return during the retrograde, and again in the post-retrograde review. For the next weeks, we will revisit this garden twice more.
Even if we made a choice, a firm, clear choice, or a whole set of choices with this New Moon, Mercury will make sure we revisit, reconsider, reexamine, recalibrate. All those retrograde “re” words.
Venus has moved into Leo, boldly positioning herself to trine Neptune and oppose Pluto. She is ready to take stand. She has things to say. Some will be Neptunian dreams, or possibly confusions. Some will be deep Plutonian truths, or possibly challenges.
Jupiter at the end of Cancer squares Chiron and Eris. Even Zeus is paying attention to issues of healing and chaos. This is a benevolent philosopher king as well, as long as he remains in the Moon’s sign.
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It’s a good time to check where your Moon is, and your Mercury. Do they support each other? Are they heading in different directions? What does your chart say about how you make decisions? Whatever that pattern is, is it working well for you? These are the kinds of questions likely to come up with this New Moon and in the Mercury retrograde weeks ahead.
Mercury will station retrograde at 26º 15’ of Cancer, on June 29, day of the Full Moon in Capricorn. The cazimi is July 12 at 20º 42.’ The direct station will be at 16º 18’ (back in the walled garden) on July 23. The review period ends on August 6 at 26º 18. Check those dates and positions to see how this Mercury Rx interacts with your birth chart.
The theme of this New Moon in, clearly, choice. Not so much what we choose, though, but how. Not about making specific choices either, but realizing that we do, constantly, choose, one way or another. Whatever those choices are, they influence what happens next.
This is a window of time through which we can explore, yes, what we choose, but more importantly, how and why.
“I chose and my world was shaken, so what?
The choice may have been mistaken, the choosing was not.”
― Stephen Sondheim, Sunday in the Park with George
Title image from a photo by Ian Taylor on Unsplash
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