We’re now in the extreme waning phase of the Moon — called the balsamic phase. Balsamic is an interesting word associated with balm, or something that heals wounds and soothes pains. I don’t know how this word became associated with the phase of the Moon when it’s waning less than 45 degrees from the Sun, but it makes sense, at least this month.
We haven’t had a Full Moon or New Moon that wasn’t an eclipse since the Aries New Moon. Since then, every lunation has been an eclipse, and that’s been making itself known as the sensation of extreme overdrive. That started to relax with the May 25 Sagittarius Full Moon lunar eclipse — the most recent Full Moon. But since the last eclipse in the series was a Full Moon, the next New Moon is like the closing chapter in the cycle.
The Gemini New Moon is exact Saturday at 11:56 am EDT. It’s not exactly a warm cup of tea with honey — the New Moon is making many aspects, in particular, to centaur planets Chiron and Pholus, as well as a potent asteroid called Juno. Those points are like growth checkpoints; the centaurs describe various shades of healing process. The trine to Juno — the most exact aspect made by the Sun and Moon — describes something opening up in intimate relationships.
What might that be? Well, there’s another aspect, Mars square Neptune, and that’s a kind of integrity check. My take on this setup is that it represents a question. What haven’t you told your partner? What withholds do you have, have you openly deceived him, her or them about anything, and do you have any plans that you want to reveal?
I would declare this Saturday and Sunday “come clean with your spouse, partner, boyfriend or girlfriend weekend.” One thing I can tell you from the astrology is that the way is open. Clarity is possible. You get a kind of a pass; what you get clear about now will be easier than addressing it in the future. If there’s something you want that you haven’t mentioned, now would be the time.
I suggest you pay attention to any problems or situations that you know or even suspect are related to alcohol use. So often I’ve seen this as the point of impasse in relationships. If you’re faced with this, I have two questions: how long has it been going on, and how many times have you said enough is enough?
Contemplating those themes will give you good information to work with.
Be:
This is for you from one of my Turkish friends Defne, who wrote this (an excerpt) from her post in Facebook about what lies ahead in Istanbul:
“I will keep telling to myself. “The things you can do will appear to you slowly. Take it easy and keep on believing in the people and yourself! And yes, celebrate what has been achieved!!! To be able to go on!!! “
Pssst, Len:
Personal planets are trining my Saturn return and Ascendant. I feel as though I am being lifted!!
Well said Fe, as always. It is one of the ingredients in the Uranus square Pluto soup we are all feeding on, this little dollup of Juno square her nodes and Mars square Neptune. To add more flavor to the soup, Len just added a dollup of Black Moon Lilith who leaves Gemini for Cancer whereupon she will trigger the pungent flavoring of trans. Hades at 1+ Cancer. What doesn’t kill us will make us stronger, or grow hair on our chests, and as you say, time will tell.
be
Eric: Thank you so very much. i love the balsamic lunar phase, and you have explaned it more concisely, and more appropriately, than any other interpretation in my experience. Thank you also for your interpretation of the Gemini New Moon in the context of the eclipses we have been through, as well as through the syntax of its own aspects and concurrent energy patterns. There is no astrologer like you anywhere in the world.
be: Pitch perfect and profoundly erudite once again – thank you.
Fe: Well said. By golly, it’s good to have your words lifting all boats here on Planet Waves again!
Be:
I think its about generating energy into re-opening the Patriot Act to see how those provisions started in 2001 are outdated now, and to determine if the Act itself is finally outdated.
The amount of current and well-deserved concern over warrantless wire-tapping is one thing. The real work is to actually dismantle a vast governmental system – not just agency, but SYSTEM. That is going to take lots of work, deep audits and cooperation. By the government.
That government in its current form glorifies doing nothing, has been sold to corporations including the weapons and therefore the security industry. Homeland security agencies formed in the previous Administration exist without oversight. Who are they and what are they doing?
We are not opening up a can of worms, we are opening up a can of cobras.
Its easy to blame the Obama White House, they were next in line to carry on the same old same old. Frankly, the Democratic majority in the Senate, in its role as Congress is as much at fault for letting the Patriot Act renew — they are fine as long as a Democrat is in the White House.
Its even bigger than this — not only is the government complicit in perpetuating the terror state, the terror state perpetuates itself with a news media and culture that abets a constant state of security anxiety.
Curious, I think one of the other reasons I am enraptured by the resistance movement in Turkey is that the Turks are no longer under the sway of the all-powerful Erdogan AKP leadership and its creeping fundamentalism. They have released their fear of government reprisal with joyous acts of creativity and inspiration, no matter the cost it seems.
Americans need to ask ourselves — are we ready to sacrifice our unnameable fears for something more powerful and creative — the ability to govern ourselves? Are we sick and tired enough to throw off these familiar shackles of fear? Time will tell.
Well, on a government level, “how long. . how many times. . ” might refer to the Nat’l Security Agency collecting Verizon customers’ phone records. Juno (partners) IS stationing, along with Neptune and Chiron, and is still in the T-square with the nodes who have been in the same degrees for a month and a half. She awaits this trine to Saturday’s Gemini New Moon while also tightening her conjunction with the U.S. progressed (Sibly) Mercury (retrograde) now at 20+ Aquarius. Who have you talked to and for how long and how many times is one of the burning questions he’s asking.
Today’s astrology confirms this as transiting Pandora (oops) and Pholus (oops) among others in Sagittarius opposes the U.S. natal Mars in Gemini. The U.S Mars (aggressive action) squares the U.S. Neptune (suspicion) in Virgo (examine), and right now trans. Hybris (arrogance) is sextile the U.S. Neptune. They (Hybris and U.S. Neptune) in turn both quincunx (forcing to adjust) transiting retrograde Hermes (phone call records), also in Aquarius at 21 degrees, as he retrogrades back to stationing Juno (and prog. U.S. Mercury). However, trickster Hermes is ALSO trine the U.S. natal Mars, and therein lays the oops factor!
Then there’s trans. Hebe (server) at 29 Scorpio (private records) rx. who sextiles trans. Astraea (doesn’t give up easily) at 27 Capricorn (government) rx., who is conjunct the U.S Pluto (the digger). No stone is being left unturned I would imagine.
With the ending of the eclipses things will be revealed as usual, and this New Moon on Saturday features a square between Mars (aggressive) conjunct Pallas-Athene (protector of the state) in Gemini (conversation) square Neptune (deceptive) stationed retrograde (potent) in Pisces (dubious). In the chart set for Washington DC, Mars and Athene are in the 10th house (Gov’t) and Neptune is on the cusp of the 7th house (partners, open enemies and maybe some of us). This ploy is reinforced by the New Moon’s opposition between Mercury (talk) and Pluto (expose).
I saved the best for last though. Transiting Sphinx (silent, secret) at 28 Gemini (conversation) trines the U.S. natal Moon (27 Aquarius), BUT it also forms a yod with the above trans. Hebe sextile Astraea (conj. U.S Pluto), putting pressure on silent Sphinx to cough up his secrets. I like to believe this will benefit the People (U.S. Moon), based on the New Moon’s Venus (lesser benefic) being conjunct both the U.S. Venus and Jupiter (greater benefic) in Cancer (homeland security), who grand trines with the New Moon Saturn (stability) and Neptune (peace). I could be wrong.
be