A reader recently sent in a question about getting married on the Gemini New Moon. Apparently some pseudo astrologer told her the New Moon is a “bad day to get married.” I don’t think that any astrologer has any business making a statement like that, and it’s basically proof that they are not an astrologer. An astrologer must apply a reasoning process consistent with the known foundations of astrology, and with a touch of originality. Such a statement does not qualify.
The New Moon is about a new story: a marriage is such. It’s a great image: the Moon and the Sun coming together. Now, we could talk about marriage itself and whether it’s such a good idea: to bind oneself to one person, with no guarantee the relationship will work out, creating lots of legal headaches if it does not. This, when you could just as well make a personal commitment without a government bond involved. But that is another topic entirely.
Gemini is the tarot card of The Lovers, sometimes (in very old decks) called The Brothers. So the idea is that the relationship is twin-fraternal-passionate. It is a mix of the three. Those with esoteric training know that this card is about making a choice: generally The Lovers says, correct choice.
On June 12 we have a day with many exciting features, such as a very close conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus. This is an indicator that the marriage is a group experience or community experience of some kind; these people are social animals and there will be lots of other folks around.
Mercury has just made a square to Mars: this is a hot, sparky, mentally oriented relationship. That indeed is something to watch: not mentalizing all the sexual energy out of existence (Mars conjunct Vesta in Virgo). Either that, or keeping a bold interest in matters of an intellectual erotic or erotic-service orientation.
This is a rich chart with lots going on — and a New Moon close to sunrise in the Eastern U.S. If one is going to get married, it seems like a perfectly fine day to me. There are many indications of healing in this chart: of opening up to inner frontiers that need love and attention.
To this reader: I misplaced your email. You may contact me if you need more information.
Another layer is that the phallic Lovers is the unbridled lust that is typically associated with Pan and male desire whereas Temperence is the civilizing control women have on that male unbridled lust. Temperence represents mixing carefully that lust with the consequences of it…it means that life giving is done carefully and with a sense of the outcome instead of just as the pursuit of pleasure without thought for the outcome (a woman’s point of view because she deals with the outcome in a very deep physically changing way). A lot of folks in Crowley’s time seriously believed that sexuality was mostly about procreation and that bias is often seen in the work of those around at that time. Crowley was aware of it and played with it a lot because he was said to believe in pleasure for the sake of pleasure alone but was aware of the constraints society (in his mind women) put on that. At least that’s the interpretation Robert A Wilson, later biographers and some members of the Golden Dawn put on these cards (from what I read).
Eric,
If you look at those two tarot cards from a slight distance, you will also see that the Lovers card has a phallic symbol incorporated in it and the Arts (Temperence) card looks like a yoni with the dual heads being the clitoris and the bowl being the vagina…perfectly placed where it would be in relation to the clitoris. Crowly loved putting a lot of sexual stuff in his cards as well. These two are opposites because they also (to Crowly at least) represent the male and female genitals and the mystery of the sex act itself. Just sayin’……
http://ericfrancis.com/sagittarius/sagittarius08.html
The layout on this is a little weird…it was a blog from the days before blogs. But this piece compares the Crowley Lovers and Temperance cards…
Actually, a post on Temperance would be a great idea.
Its the one card i get when I’m really happy with my world, and understand intuitively how and why people respond and behave towards me. Tension and harmony. Pulling the rubber band to the right strength so that it holds, but doesn’t break.
If Temperance was a astronomical body, I think it would be the Great Attractor.
It’s a great card, and I’ve taken Pamela as a mentor. She is such a delight. I think that your take that it’s about inner cohesion is purrfect.
Crowley notes that “the” corresponding card (which completes the puzzle) is Alchemy/Temperance — the Sagittarius card. I am waaaaay too tired to tell that story…soon….
I love this card. It has got to be one of the most enigmatic of the Tarot, next to Judgement. Whenever I get this card in a reading, it comes back to bite me in all the ways it can for every aspect I’ve inquired about. Mostly about cohesion with my self. And definitely about my work. That one and the Empress. I can relate.
ah, now that’s math i understand! it’s the third space beyond the binary where you + me = three. i’ve also heard it as there’s always three sides to every story; your version, my version, and what “really” happen(s)/(ed)…
The price you pay for raiding the back of my mind is to put up with my occasional, inane comments.
Gemini is by far the cruelest of signs, as I well-know.
David R. Roell
Hot. You want to say hot, e. But sorry. My Cap Mercury is an efficient snarker. I’m done.
Two Geminis together in one relationship guaratees there will be at least six people in the room, even though there are only actually two.
Please, my Gemini sister, my mom and me with moon in Gemini, it was all my poor Libra dad could do to stay sane.
My two absolutist cents.
===haha two geminis cannot be in one relationship because it adds up to six! of course!-efc
Never trust absolutist statements. (lol)
Wait, wait…I’ve got my Dover Publications Astrological Paper Doll set somewhere…I think I stuck it in with my old voo-doo doll of my 7th grade algebra teacher.
Okay. I’m done being snarky now.
===SO SOON?? You’re just getting…warmed up. -efc
Astrologer or not, it’s not a responsible statement to make. I am working with someone now who is dealing with their partner having been told, “Two Geminis cannot be in a relationship.” I debunked this as a non-astrological, agenda-driven statement (the person who said it was her ex) and suggested that he read the Gemini-Gemini chapter in Linda Goodman’s Love Signs. Not that I give out astrological certifications, but if I did, she would get one.
Took a look myself. Having no idea of the place and time of the wedding, could not determine the house arrangement. Can’t see anything untoward. Sure, Jupiter and Uranus on the Aries point is powerful, but the rest of the T-square is rather loose. Sure, Chiron in the first degree of Pisces is quite the deal. No Mercury retrograde for the guests! The only thing i can guess is that distraction might be a problem, as if. Don’t want to put another astrologer down myself but sure would like to know what he or she was seeing.
I would have hoped that Eric had done his homework.
Because it’s a handy reference, let’s peruse Robson’s Astrology and Sex. In chapter 23, Choosing the Wedding Date, we read this:
The sign position of the Moon is a matter of very considerable importance, and so is that of Venus and the ascendant. The ancient astrologers have given us a list of the influences of the signs when containing one or more of these factors in a horoscope for the time of marriage. They are as follows:
. . . Gemini. The first fifteen degrees are favourable, and the last fifteen unfavourable. (pgs. 183-184)
Robson compiled his books from study of older books & when he thought matters were strange or inexplicable or just wrong, he said so. His silence on this point indicates his agreement.
I notice the querent is asking about the upcoming new Moon in Gemini, which will fall on June 12, 2010, at 21 Gemini. Which is the unfavorable latter half of Gemini.
Of new Moons & the marriage chart, Robson says this:
The Moon’s aspects need particular care . . . Nor should the Moon be in conjunction with the Sun for this denotes the death of the husband. (pg. 186)
I find the position of the Moon in Gemini in a wedding chart – at any degree – to be unfavorable, since the Moon is the primary indicator of fertility in the marriage and Gemini is one of the least fertile signs. One of the principle reasons people get married is to have children, and while a wedding Moon in Gemini will not preclude them, if both the husband’s and wife’s charts are both weakly fertile – or not at all – the Gemini wedding Moon is not going to help them any.
Of other aspects, Robson says this:
. . . The Moon should be between first quarter and the full if possible, and in any case should be passing from new to full, and not from full to new. It should be free from bad aspects, especially from Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, and should be favourably aspected by Jupiter or Venus. Venus should also be free from affliction and in favourable aspect to Jupiter, an ideal position being for Venus, Jupiter and the Moon all to be in favourable aspect to each other and if possible in signs of the watery triplicity. (pg. 186)
A day when Jupiter aspects Uranus, is unfortunately, a day when it’s either not aspecting the Moon, or not aspecting it very well. On the 12th of June upcoming, in addition to an unfortunate Sun-Moon conjunction, we also note these exact aspects:
Venus sextile Saturn. A stable but not very cheerful marriage.
Moon square Saturn. Bad.
Moon square Uranus. Bad.
Moon square Jupiter. Bad. Squares are a form of stress & yes, Jupiter can be stressful.
Moon trine Neptune, which I think can go either way.
The Jupiter-Uranus conjunction is exact on the 8th & is still well-within exact orb four days later.
I would suggest the soon to wed couple find another day. This one’s not so hot. While the wedding may be a community affair (I have seen some staggeringly big wedding parties) it is first & foremost about the two people at the center of it all. If they’re not happy, the rest of the community won’t be of any help.
Apologies to Eric.
Dave