Gemini Eclipse Sunday; Things are Getting Twenty-Twelvy

We take another swan dive into 2012 astrology Sunday, when the Sun enters Gemini, followed several hours later by a powerful eclipse of the Sun. This combination of factors indicates a rapid shift of energy and acceleration of events, which will be followed up by three more eclipse-like alignments between now and June 5. This is the very heart of the astrology of 2012. It’s not Dec. 21! It’s right now!

Gemini New Moon annular solar eclipse on Sunday at 7:47 pm EDT. The Sun is the yellow circle next to the Moon in Gemini. (They have the exact same numbers next to them, which means they're in a conjunction.) Notice how close they are to the orange horseshoe. That is the South Node; eclipses always happen near the lunar nodes. Also shown is a grand earth trine which is in effect right now. Note Mars in Virgo (red circle with an arrow), Pluto in Capricorn (red golf tee) and Vesta in Taurus (purple chevron). Grand trines have the potential to keep us running in a circle, but this one offers an option: Chiron in Pisces (orange key) is opposite Mars, bisecting one side of the triangle. If you're spinning your wheels, reach for the bold creative option.
Gemini New Moon annular solar eclipse on Sunday at 7:47 pm EDT. The Sun is the yellow circle next to the Moon in Gemini. (They have the exact same numbers next to them, which means they're in a conjunction.) Notice how close they are to the orange horseshoe. That is the South Node; eclipses always happen near the lunar nodes. Also shown is a grand earth trine which is in effect right now. Note Mars in Virgo (red circle with an arrow), Pluto in Capricorn (red golf tee) and Vesta in Taurus (purple chevron). Grand trines have the potential to keep us running in a circle, but this one offers an option: Chiron in Pisces (orange key) is opposite Mars, bisecting one side of the triangle. If you're spinning your wheels, reach for the bold creative option.

Eclipses represent thresholds in time. They have several properties, including a shift in continuity, the sense that events are ‘karmic’ or destined, or just plain intense.

An eclipse within the first hours of the Sun changing signs comes with a message, though it may take time to decipher. With Gemini, we can consider a few themes, especially given that Venus changed directions to retrograde motion in that sign on Tuesday. Of Venus in Gemini, theosophical author Alice A. Bailey once wrote, “In Gemini, Venus reveals the desire for the pairs of opposites for each other for this is the underlying theme of the entire creative and evolutionary process — the interplay of opposites.”

Venus is one of the guardians of erotic consciousness (and emotional intelligence). She’s introducing an attractive force to Gemini, where those two playful twins can explore one another. The retrograde hints at role reversal, gender play, mirror play and experimenting with language. That’s in the backdrop of the eclipse, though — which is the main event for now. Make friends with your other side.

Even the Sabian symbol for the first degree of Gemini hints at this ability to get a look at our ‘other side’ – or both sides at once, actually. The symbol as described in Dane Rudhyar’s book An Astrological Mandala reads, “A glass-bottomed boat reveals undersea wonders.” Its expanded keynote is, “The revelation of unconscious energies and submerged psychic structures.”

Well now. It’s not such a stretch to think many of us keep our ‘inner twin’ submerged much of the time, or that it would help to have any pairs of opposites we carry about ourselves in full view all at once. And to be able to see it all from the safety of a boat indicates that the process being initiated by this eclipse is eminently within our capabilities. It may be a strange world and an unusual view, but we’ll be in a position to see, receive, understand and integrate without threat of annihilation (ego death). Undersea and above the surface are still part of the same world; the surface tension we may feel between our halves is something we can play with and move through this weekend.

One last point about eclipses: do something you love that day, and if possible, at that time. This eclipse is conveniently timed (at least in the United States) for a weekend evening. If you’re going to be in the company of others, choose from those you want to bond with. If you’re keeping your own company, create the perfect space for yourself.

54 thoughts on “Gemini Eclipse Sunday; Things are Getting Twenty-Twelvy”

  2. Today is my birthday…eclipse and all! Chiron Return plus more! What a year. Getting married to my partner of six years on June 5. [something we said we would never do! too funny to ever use the word, “never”!] A naked burning man type celebration with body painting, projects, and of course, our viewing glasses to watch the Venus transit. Even the caterer is excited. We are so odd you know!

    It is a grand life. Looking down the road; I am in the opening scenes of a new movie.

  3. Great stuff on here. Watching Eternal Sunshine ( … again!) and keeping space for moi. Thanks, PW and all!

  4. HS – thanks for furthering my explanation of what house is where on a chart. I took the simple route, as I’m still working on my understanding of the relationships of houses to signs.

    I was looking at my natal chart some more, and noted what I had previously not paid any attention to: Mars is on 00 Gemini 36. How could I miss that? This is really going to be interesting. Oh, and my 11th house starts at 20 Taurus, covers all of Gemini, and ends at 00 Cancer 58. Talk about a spread!

  5. Melissa,

    “(Parish et al. 2007).”

    I know Chris Parish (the author you cited; he works for the Peregrine Fund) and his wife, Ellen. Their daughters were part of a homeschool group she and Regina started and that I belonged to until it disbanded. They live outside of Flagstaff. I was told by Chris Parish that California Condors mate for life but that was several years ago. Thanks for updating us on that.

    My oldest daughter loves vultures, buzzards, and condors of all kinds and collects plushies of them.

  6. One more one liner – thought you might enjoy my avatar-pic story: it was phone-shot at a screening of LOTR (Fellowship of the Rings) at Honda Center in Anaheim — a performance wherein they screen the pix and voice track but fill in the soundtrack with live orchestra and choirs. Really amazing to experience. (Far more so than I had expected!) That’s me at the top of the stadium. Not exactly Blade Runner, but still cool ‘)

  8. aworde, Huffy: thanks both! 🙂 aworde, I wish you lots of love and release from any bullying in any part of your life, and that you gently reside in a space of nourishment and healing.

  11. Yeti – so GOOD to hear from you! It FEEEELS like your tree-talk timing is impeccable. xoxo!

  12. HugS thanks for bringing up the whole house way of looking at our houses too. In that regard the eclipse is in my 11th. I pondered both 10th and 11th and found that the 10th resonated with so many facets of “growth needed here”! that I’m using that as my primary workspace for this eclipse.

    Thanks for the dream-sharing – really important and beautiful moment for you, thank you for sharing. I’m working on a “bully” theme myself – not as lovely as your romance and love and acceptance theme/s, but there will be release, I am sure. (The bullying in my life began – and still is from – dad, his dad, my brother – from there the list feels almost endless.)

    We are in Good Healing Times.

  13. So glad you like the pic, Hugging! took me a while to work out how to get the bloody avatar onto the page – am not much good at this stuff.
    Well your dream really livened up my day, dear! Which once again has been spent slaving over a hot computer. And what a wonderful dream – seems to reflect the sexual healing journey you’re on, as if there’s some kind of completion and release taking place (the orgasm bit is just wow!). This site is good too, especially on dreams about sexuality: http://www.dream-analysis.com/dictionary/page2.htm.

  14. Huffy, love you pic! And thanks for the dream link, this will be helpful to me. 😉

    Can I share a dream I had last night? I am almost reluctant to, but here goes:

    It’s a bit sketchy, but I remember being in a large pool with other people and I was jumping from a high spot into it as people were daring me. Then the scene quickly changed into where I was with my mom when she was much younger. I felt like I was 15 or so too. She was lying on a bed naked and I felt like touching her and doing stuff. She was very relaxed and passive, allowing me to have the sexual experience I needed or wanted. We didn’t have intercourse, but it was a sexual release, and I was standing beside her or slightly over her. I didn’t feel like it was awkward or bad. She gave me the distinct feeling like she was giving me something she couldn’t before, like some kind of signal a parent gives their child that sexuality is a beautiful thing to express and not to hide. At one point I left to go into the next room, but then I came back and had my orgasm.

    After, I was in a space in the dream where I was looking to feel guilty based on her reaction. But it was more an acknowledgment of a moment that needed to happen between us. There was some kind of exchange there.

    Okay, that was it.
    HS

  15. Maeve: What is your sun sign? There are 2 ways we can delineate a house. As Brendan said, look to your chart for the degree and placement of Gemini 00, and if you know your rising sign, you can see that clearly. Sometimes by that method though, a house may occupy a part of Taurus and Gemini – so being really specific can narrow things down in terms of the aspects and placement.

    However, I usually feel major events like these as it relates to my sun sign or whole sun placements (I think is the term). So, for example, Gemini is my 8th house as I’m Scorp. But if I was Aries rising, it would be a different house based on that additional info calculation. It’s really a good idea to know both views and see what is happening for you actually.

    This eclipse for me is right near the end of my 8th house based on my Libra rising. It also is at the beginning of the 8th Solar house if I just use my Scorpio sun sign.

    I hope that helps a bit!
    HS

  17. Maeve – look to where 00 Gemini falls on your chart, and what house that is in.

    Greetings from Bisbee!

  18. Silly question – how do you figure out which house (of mine) the eclipse is taking place within?

  19. I have made a choice. And I am headed down the only road out. Three-hour road trip. This is the time of year the mighty Mackenzie River breaks up.

    this is an up-river example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1jfb2D9HDk&feature=related

    I’m going down-river. Where north and south transactions suspend twice a year, this being one of those two times.

    Nature, sex, friends.

    It feels perfect and it fell into my lap — even if we are still getting snow and hovering at O.

    All the best to everyone.

  21. I so enjoyed reading all your posts about birds,lizards, trees and nature this (very early, can’t sleep well, eclipse morning). Yeti, Amanda – your communion with the trees is so beautiful. Hope you got your cat back ok, Stormi!
    I sometimes kiss my lovely pink roses – feel that they really are full of love, and give so much.

  22. yeti —

    good to hear from you! i love reading what you had to say here about the trees, and it sounds like a beautiful leg of the journey you’re on.

    myself? i found myself sitting in a big old beech tree in a local park early this evening — not one i usually walk to, but after trekking on foot to the post office with my camera slung over my shoulder, the light was beckoning in the new leaves and playing in the fountain spray that the wind was blowing. and this big old beech had the most inviting low, thick, strong branches, so i climbed up in, took some photos, and then crouched in against the trunk with my eyes closed, just listening and running my hands over its bark, feeling it like the skin of a lover, and then held my hands over a scar from an old wound (missing limb?) and another from initials carved in. i could swear i felt a little heat from that old, deep scar in its bark… and it felt so nice to wrap my arms around its trunk.

    and…. funny, i keep reading the horoscopes for my sun, forgetting to check the house this eclipse will be in for my natal chart. turns out it’s the 12th — guess i’ll keep my dream-ears open for any messages…

  23. Brendan,

    Thanks for the nudge to remember to think in terms of houses. The eclipse is in my natal 10th.

    With Neptune smack dab on natal Sun and Uranus smack dab on natal Moon (for the next 2 years lol!) I figure…hm…nope! seems like I’m not “figuring” anything. Time for intuition and change.
    xo!

  24. I’ll take a walk out back amongst the mesquite and rock, where quiet is the norm, and the wind rules.

    Like KathyC, this is in my 11th house. I’ll wait to see what happens in the days to come.

  25. i know they didn’t stop communicating with us yeti, and i stand proudly next to you in the ranks of “crazy” for talking to them too. have been on my roof today trying to “rescue” my elder cat who’s been up there for over 24 hours now, and saw two lizards in the process (blessed dreaming eh!). not unusual in the desert, but around my house it can be, and they were both large, one looked pregnant even, with metallic/silverish arms. so i’m either talking to my kitkat (or the roof since it’s flat and she’s hiding) about why she isn’t coming down to eat/drink or to the tree next to my house about how she can help her get down (stiff back legs makes it harder for her to jump up) or i’m on the roof talking to the mama lizard as she’s walking around my iris bed. and they do talk back, but it does take some practice in learning how to listen with your heart.

  26. That’s where Luna was when I was born into a world of sharp angles, steel, plastic, glass and cars. 2 stances recently learned have the bindings of my pickled resentments melting, a long standing dam developing a new crack that gives the water just enough space to knock the whole thing down. Part of the instruction came from my human teacher, part seems to come from ancestral “spirits”…energies? tendencies? not sure. Part seems to come from the plants. I’m getting stories in my mind as I feel greater connection to trees. Trees as access points to the land critter primordial interweb: both individuals and connected to each of the other plants in its mycelial webwork. Oak: Try standing with your back to me instead, and close, inside my visible root circle. I can’t get through your projections when you face me. If you close your eyes your mind goes back to its interior windows and stops feeling the world our bodies share. If you stand close my own presence can more easily hold your awareness in your own central channel so your mind doesn’t go back into hiding. At the same moment I fully realize I’m human and far from beyond the possibility of delusion I also feel the presence of other living beings so vividly I can’t consider a forest without including the human category of “sentient being”. I think plants never stopped communicating with us, but our head brains have gradually tuned out of the world of people and trees and critters in favor of a narcissus flower of self-fascination coupled with its “mono”theistic Devil of complete dissing of all intelligence other than that of the architects and defenders of the Empire. One God, One Ring, One King, One Eternal War. So you’re considered crazy for admitting you talk to plants and non human animals. Empire can’t melt enough steel for an army when they’re outnumbered by tree-huggers. That’s why hippies get pepper sprayed. It’s like a flowering of thoughts and feelings I’ve had for years, and newness that I would never have dreamed in former states. I guess I’m feeling the eclipse.

  27. In the spirit of so many conversations on Planet waves, I wanted to comment on California Condors “mate for life”. Birds may be socially monogamous; however extra-pair copulation is the norm for probably all species of birds. There may be a few pairs out there that are an exception. I found a study where while observing California Condors, “Pair males engaging in extra-pair courtship generally did so when their social mate was out of sight. Females took an active role, determining the initiation and outcome of the courtship events. Some females actively solicit extra-pair displays and copulations by approaching, grooming or crouching in front of males other than their social mate. “(Mee et al. 2004). I do not study birds so, you may be able to find more current research that has additional information on this topic.
    I also found that condors are in danger of ingesting lethal quantities of lead from feeding on carcasses, which have been shot. Feathers of condors appeared to be elevated above normal background concentrations in some cases. Chronic exposure resulting in levels at 10 µg dL-1 and 40% in AZ had levels >15 µg dL-1 (Parish et al. 2007).

  30. Carrie – will check out the lovely things you posted, tomorrow, when I’m less tired, and can give them proper attention. Didn’t know you lived in Arizona. Must be an amazing place to live.
    And talking of birds – I have a blackbird couple that hang around my terrace from time to time. It’s the male who hops around the place as if he owns it – while the female is always perched on the terrace wall, ready to fly off in fright. Today for the first time she pecked away happily at the rice cake crumbs I leave out for them, unaccompanied by hubby – and was only a few feet away from me. And for the first time I saw that she was just as beautiful as her more admired mate, in her dignified brown plumage. Felt really honoured.

  32. Len, will you be in/near Eureka? Just finished my son’s college apps/acceptance to school there. Lovely place. Excellent sky watching, no doubt.

  33. PS- natal Venus lives at 0 AQ, natal Mean Apogee/Lilith is conjunct transiting Pallas at 0 AR – which of course opposes 0 Libra where I have nothing but Space (air!?).

    Oh and of course there’s Lachesis at 0 TA exactly conjunct my midheaven … hanging out there on the mid-way (of the Eclipse and the Aries point.)

    Lovely aspects to our Eclipse this weekend.

    Since transiting Venus went retro opposite natal Saturn, I figure new structures are waiting to be created? Hm. Like I said, I’ll be writing and absorbing eclipse vibes!
    x0

  35. Lovely PWers,

    “…experimenting with language.” made me laugh. Can’t count the number of times in the past days where the wrong word came floating out of my mouth just as though it had been planned and made perfect sense. Like “mouse” instead of “airport” when discussing computer. And not just me – discovered others who are having this same phenomenon occur!

    Since the observatory will be packed, I think I shall be writing on Sunday evening.

  36. I am a month away from my brother’s birthday by a year: he is born June 5th, 1955, I am July 4, 1956. I have told him to prepare himself to be cracked open by the eclipse on his birthday, all that frustrated and stifled love will burst out into the universe and will flow back in, times infinity.

  37. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeX_hEDU5Sw

    For everyone to enjoy. The Condor is one of America’s largest birds with a wingspan of over 9 feet. They are endangered, mate for life, and only hatch an egg every 2 years. They are released at the Vermillion Cliffs in Arizona and also populate the Grand Canyon so well that visitors can see them pretty close up.

    And some pictures that show why I LOVE living in Arizona (please scroll down through them all while listening to the music) :

    http://www.shltrip.com/Grand_Canyon.html

  42. Same thing happened to me, Carrie! (the double post). Might not be much help, but I think that whatever choice you make will be the right one.

  45. I have a choice to deal with. My Women’s Hoop meets Sunday night at 5:30…minutes before the eclipse happens. This is a group of women who are meeting in a sort of Paganistic and connecting way to form bonds and bring forth the feminine. It feels alien to me when I go there but I did it for my daughter who wanted to go but is shy (she is just entering womanhood/adulthood at 19).

    Or I can remain at home with my husband and kids; gazing at the eclipse through a special filter on our home telescope on our lovely wooded street.

    My heart says do the latter but I wonder if I am supposed to do the former because of the growth I am working on internally. The eclipse hits me in my 9th house so I have to think what is best for setting my intentions and being where I love being.

    “do something you love that day, and if possible, at that time. This eclipse is conveniently timed (at least in the United States) for a weekend evening. If you’re going to be in the company of others, choose from those you want to bond with.”

    I am already bonded with my family and I am not exactly choosing to bond with these women; my daughter wants me there as a space-holder for her…almost as a guard for her until she feels comfortable. This is only the second meeting of the Hoop and she is the youngest woman there so she is not ready to venture there alone. Launching young adults is like that…be there but not too much; support but push them a little.

    So if I “do something I love at that time” it would be staying at home. If I “choose from those you want to bond with” I might need to go to the Hoop to stretch out of my isolation (our family is a bit isolated because we are so close and “different”).

    Decisions…decisions…..Isn’t this exactly the Gemini polarization this eclipse is dealing with?

  46. Sweet! The integration of the dark twin without the feeling of ego death would be a welcome switch from the norm. I’ll be “celling” (cello lesson). Getting back to my passion for music this year, but exploring how to go about it with more intuition and less perfectionism. Challenging, but I’ve a feeling it will help open a lot of internal doors that have been stuck closed for a while…

  47. “The revelation of unconscious energies and submerged psychic structures.”

    One thing I’ve maybe missed in the articles this week is the trine between retro Venus in Gem and retro Saturn in Libra right now. The above quote though seems to maybe characterize this aspect.

  48. Thank you, Planet Waves Daily Astrology. Thank you for a beautiful and instructive chart. Thank you most of all for a comforting counsel that confides the crucial while making room for the creative.

  50. There is always something to add primarily under the curiosity of Gemini. The duality is so present in Gemini it sufficient to identify the House before the sign of Gemini to count of its effectiveness in its dual role, dual function, dual status… In this duality there is taking and giving in the same personality….There are several keys that open various doors to explore and the danger of mistaking door open….

    The feast of l’éclipse on Planet Waves 🙂

  52. Yep. That’s my life. And I’m not even pulling out the head-protection. Or flotation devices. Going on this ride naked and a notebook strapped to my … I haven’t decided how to wear the notebook.

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