A lot has transpired since my newsletter about the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction. When two powerful planets come together they begin a new cycle which in this case lasts 14 years, about half a Saturn cycle. I suggested we approach the conjunction with the stability of Taurus rather than the hotheadedness of Aries. Before we rush in a new direction, we could sit back and reflect, take time to integrate the energies and make sound decisions.
On April 27th Sedna moved into Gemini where she will slowly transit until she begins her transition into Cancer in 2067. Sedna’s orbit is about 11,800 years, so a sign change signals a big shift in collective consciousness, especially in Gemini. At zero degrees of Gemini she is in a harmonious trine with Pluto which turned retrograde on May 2nd. When planets stand still, their power is magnified. Pluto has been squaring Haumea at zero degrees of Scorpio, throughout this transition.
Interesting how we have echoes from the 60’s, when Jupiter and Uranus encouraged explosive social change, with protests on college campuses all over the country. When police made a mass arrest of Columbia students last week, it turned out that 81% of the detainees weren’t students. Nevertheless, it is clear that we are sick of war and genocide. It was this kind of motivation that brought about change and liberation for so many segments of our population in the turbulent 60’s. Taking a cue from Network, “We’re mad as hell and not going to take it any more.”
When we have Pluto preparing the way for transformation, trine Sedna, who draws us forth on our spiritual path, we get a powerful boost in our evolution. Add in Haumea, goddess of diversity and regeneration, in the first degrees of Pluto’s domain, and Venus making her way through the Underworld, we get an alchemical formula for collective awakening. On May 25th, two days after the Full Moon in Sagittarius, Jupiter enters Gemini triggering and expanding these archetypal energies. May can be an enlightening month.
But first we have the New Moon in Taurus on May 7th, happening at 18:02 degrees in the USA 5th House, conjunct our natal Vesta. While the Sun is conjunct our natal Vesta, transiting Vesta is conjunct our natal Sun. The synchronicity alerts us to one of the New Moon themes. What do we hold sacred? Are we tending that flame in our souls? Collectively, are we still devoted to the ideals that birthed this nation – freedom, equality and the right to pursue happiness?
New Moon in Taurus
The Sabian Symbol for 19 degrees of Taurus is “A new continent, fresh and green, rises out of the ocean.” How’s that for rebirth!
Rudhyar adds, “Potentiality for tangible self-manifestation in all beings. Overflowing originality. Spontaneous, rich creative urge.”
How perfect for the 5th House of creative self-expression!
Last week I went to my first theater movie since 2019 and we saw Dune 2. It’s no mere coincidence that this film airs as Sedna moves into a new air sign. I wrote about the myth of Sedna in the Pisces New Moon post. You can check it out here.
The myth of Sedna reveals the role of shamanism in preparing our psyches for transformation. It tells a tale of releasing our grip on the past, surrendering to metamorphosis through death and rebirth. She models for us the potential of our own evolution.
Sedna’s passage through Taurus brought new awareness to our climate crisis, stirred much conflict and polarization, but now at least 71% of our population believes that changes in our climate are threatening our well-being.
So what’s ahead in Gemini? We will examine Gemini in more depth at the next New Moon, because it’s a complicated sign, even though it is frequently reduced to thinking, forming beliefs and communicating them. This certainly is true, but it’s just the surface. At its depth Gemini holds the key to paradox, the lesson that humanity needs to learn next.
Dune is another Sedna reflection and a perfect expression of Jupiter conjunct Uranus. When I first read Dune, over 40 years ago, it sparked my imagination. What would it be like to live on a world without water? Arrakis was once a garden paradise, but then the Federation of Planets learned about the Spice – a psychotropic substance produced by giant sandworms. Not only did the Spice have enormous market value, it was the key to power. Whoever controlled the Spice, controlled the galaxy. Very Jupiter.
The indigenous population, now called the Fremen, were relegated to the desert – sound familiar? They survived through cunning and conservation. Their dream is to take back their planet and restore it to its former glory. Over the years they created a pool of pure water to “re-garden” the planet, once they reclaim it.
Our protagonist, Paul Atreides, played brilliantly by Timothee Chalamet, is a reluctant savior because he foresees the destruction that will accompany a revolution. And then there are the Bene Gesserit, an occult group of women who have trained their psychic powers. While they claim spiritual superiority, their goal is the same as the harvesters, to keep control over the planet.
Substitute Earth for Arrakis, our political system for the Federation; runaway capitalism for the Spice; the dwindling resources of our poor for the Fremen austerity; religious dogma for the Bene Gessserit; and of course, Jesus for Maud’Dib. Go see the movie. It’s a thrill. I loved it so much I went back to my 40th Anniversary edition of Dune and am reading the whole trilogy again.
Dune may seem like a diversion from astrology, but why do we study astrology? We’re looking for answers to life’s mysteries, for guidance in how to navigate the times. Dune mirrors the complexity of a civilization in the grip of greed for power and wealth. It’s current.
Mercury conjunct Chiron
The day before the New Moon, Mercury made its third conjunction with Chiron during his retrograde shadow, which he escapes on May 13th. Clearly the focus is on healing. Mercury is telling us to think about our mental health. The conjunction takes place at 21+ Aries only a degree away from our natal Chiron. We’re beginning a new Chiron cycle. Where will we be in 50 years? We’re being asked to think about it. And think about our collective conditioning, our childhood and adolescent initiations into the insanity of our paradigm. Our adult conditioning to work like slaves to earn a bit of the Spice. How long will we let our current paradigm enslave our minds with the lure of wealth?
Our collective consciousness is damaged, wounded, filled with anger, fear and resentment. This is what needs healing. Sedna will try to teach us that our connection with one another is more important than our opinions and beliefs. She will be flowing her waters through our collective consciousness washing away the residue of a dualistic paradigm, expanding our minds to perceive the whole.
The Sabian Symbol for 22 Aries rounds out the symbolic picture. “Gateway opening to the garden of all desired things.” The garden metaphor again. We are symbiotic with our planet, we are made of the same elements, we are connected energetically. The life force of our planet sustains us. As we heal our beliefs, we add to the wellbeing of the Earth. Ceres turns retrograde on May 14th, asking us to reflect on her plight and our joint fate.
Yes, we need to address pollution and energy issues, but we now have the resources to solve the problem – a good project for AI, should we choose to accept it.
Sedna and AI
One of the ways astrologers parse out the meaning of a planet is synchronicity. Not only are we connected energetically to our planet, we are bathed in the energies of the galaxy. They are like currents that we can slip into and be in harmony with the cosmos. At these times, we can align ourselves with the incoming energy and ride its wave.
Uranus was discovered at the same time as uranium. A new spirit of freedom spawned revolutions around the world. The first sighting of Pluto was accompanied by the discovery of Plutonium, but also the seeds of depth psychology. We can see the two-edged sword we must walk between polar opposites. We can see the dangers that lie in the power of atomic energy. Was humanity ready for that power?
Sedna arrived during an exciting time of emerging social media and digital exploration which is leading to quantum computing and a growing awareness of our interconnectedness. It is also associated with the birth of AI. I’m not prepared to discuss when AI actually started. A laptop is AI to me. But here we are again with a new test. Is humanity prepared for this new power? Will we use it responsibly? Looking back I have to give humanity a thumbs up on nuclear bombs. We had some accidents, but not since WWII have we used that weapon in war. This is a good sign, despite the scattered madmen around our planet.
AI has the potential to take us where we have not gone before. It will facilitate space travel. Who knows what amazing powers it will discover on its own – the power to heal, the power to see into the unknown, the power to travel to the stars, and most definitely the ability to restore balance between humanity and Gaia. This is glorious. Seems like it has come at a crucial moment, when we need wiser answers.
But there is the dark side of AI. We’ve already seen its ability to deceive us. It’s a great weapon of propaganda. It threatens to compete in the arts, writing music, creating movies and books – all machine made. We can entertain our useless brains with soulless art.
It threatens to displace workers. In fact, one of the dreams of its early development was the “Singularity.” AI would replace humans altogether. It wouldn’t matter if the planet died because human bodies would be unnecessary. Our brains would be hooked up to a central AI brain and we would all become one. The Matrix! I smiled as I read the beginning of Dune. One of their sacred laws is “Thou shalt not make a machine to counterfeit a human mind.”
Spiritual teachers and channeled beings claim that humanity has been at this juncture several times before, where technology exceeds maturity and moral responsibility. Science Fiction has been portraying the dangers for decades. Here we are again. Will we blow ourselves up? Will we starve ourselves as the planet desiccates? Will we kill each other? Will we bring about the end of human life and hook up to Brain Central?
We have a steep learning curve ahead and Sedna has arrived in Gemini just in time.
Embodiment
Mars is in the first decan of Aries, his home base. Venus is at 10+ Taurus, one of her domiciles. The two of them are in their power. It’s a great time to assess our balance. We have been bombarded with powerful and transformative energies. There is much chaos in our world. And the Aries month was encouraging action.
Now the Moon, which resonates with our bodies, slows down and slips into feminine mode. It’s a good time to enjoy the body. As we tend to its needs, we are supporting the integration of change and all the information which has been overwhelming us.
I highly recommend body work. Get a massage, take a sauna or soak in a hot tub. Do Yoga. Feel the tension flow out of the body. Go for walks among trees and birds. Connect to the glory of Spring. Open up space inside for energy to flow.
I’m working with an astonishing young woman in Los Angeles, via Zoom. She is teaching me how to be comfortable in my body. I’m learning about the small muscles deep inside and how I can activate them to initiate painless movement. It’s deep and focused work, but I find myself getting stronger and feeling more alive. There’s a lot to discover right within our own bodies, revealing old patterns of stature and movement that have held us in place for decades.
Neptune
The themes of the Taurus New Moon are reinforced by Neptune which is hanging out in the very last degree of Pisces, its home base, sextile both Sedna and Pluto. For the past two years Neptune has been opposing the USA natal Neptune, awakening a new awareness of our interdependence and Oneness with All That Is. It will turn retrograde at 29:55 Pisces on July 2nd, spend the rest of the year in review, then turn direct on December 7th, entering Aries on March 30th 2025. Neptune will have completed one full cycle of the Zodiac and begin a new 165-year cycle of spiritual awakening.
Varuna
The dwarf planet Varuna is hanging out on our North Node at 6+ degrees of Leo. (Just happens to be the degree of my natal Venus, as well.) Varuna is about sovereignty and as it activates our North Node, draws us toward a future of freedom, autonomy and self-determination. One more positive sign for the outcome of this year.
I’ll be back with the Full Moon in early Sagittarius on May 23rd.
Personal Note
This is a time of change for all of us, me included. In April I completed five years of writing this newsletter. I vowed to continue it through this year, and will do my best; but I am feeling the need for change. I don’t know what that looks like yet. I enjoy writing these letters, but I will probably post less often, and write more about big events than the lunar cycles. I may switch to Substack where I can receive a stipend.
I am also writing two books, both of which are close to done. I am dedicated to my writing, but drawn toward book publication.
Then there are life’s little surprises. My husband is having knee replacement surgery June 7th and we will be in Los Angeles for three weeks at least. I have no idea what demands there will be on my time, but I will try to get out the Gemini newsletter.
For those of you suffering with knee issues, there is a new procedure that is basically painless, does no damage to any muscles, tendons or ligaments, has a recovery time of 10 days, requires no general anesthetic and replaces the worn knee with a custom made new one. There are only two places in the states where this surgery is available – Los Angeles and somewhere in Texas. If you are interested, leave a message at the bottom of this post, or email me.
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