New Moon in Gemini--June 1

This New Moon on Wednesday, June 1, brings our attention to all things Gemini: things of the mind and of duality. It's known as the sign of the twins.

In some of the older Tarot decks the card for the lovers is assigned to Gemini. But Gemini energy is not about romance really as it has little connection to the emotions we associate with love. No, the puzzle that Gemini is working on all the time is duality, how to reconcile opposites. For example, how do we get the Divine and the human drives in ourselves to unite in a functional team? How can we love our enemies? Can there be a committed love relationship and also individual freedom of the highest order?

If you're a person with a strong Gemini influence in your natal chart this might seem more relevant to you. But as we look at each of the 12 signs in the course of a year we find a way to relate and find meaning in each. Gemini folks have their Sun, Moon or rising sign in Gemini or a focus on the 3rd House (many planets there). Or they might have a prominent Mercury, planetary ruler of Gemini, important because it's connecting to several planets by aspect.

Typical personal qualities of Gemini are versatility, adaptability, friendliness and a good mind. Some issues include tendency to nervousness, a jack-of-all-trades tendency, and also a "don't fence me in" fear of commitment, similar to Sagittarius, its opposite sign on the wheel.

On the chart for the New Moon Saturn is in trine aspect to the Sun/Moon conjunction and is also squaring Pluto and opposing Uranus, those latter three forming a Cardinal T-Square. Saturn is in the sign of Libra now and that sign rules the house of marriage and is thus associated with committed relationships and friendships in general. My take on the energy of this day is that it brings to our attention lessons around cooperation and relatedness.

Since I moved to Taos a year ago (where I knew in advance only one part-time resident) the topic of friendships has been up for me. While doing some reading on Saturn in Libra I came across this idea: take responsibility for the kind of people you attract (like attracts like) and see if the qualities you find in them are ones you're willing to own. For example, if you seem to attract people who are not accessible, this could be part of your shadow. That got my attention.

But the long and short of it is that relationships are helpful because they bring to our attention qualities and habits we would otherwise be unaware of in ourselves. We get poked, let's face it. And with Saturn in Libra now this could be happening regularly, but best to see the glass half full of helpful mirroring. In late June and early July there will be a brief period when planets will align to form a Cardinal Grand Cross. This will likely be an intense time for all and our next New Moon on July 1 will be reflecting it.

I chose to work with the "lovers" idea in my collage to celebrate the opportunities I have now in my close relationships. I am cultivating in myself an attitude of gratitude toward those who move toward me with a willingness to engage. There seems to be more of that going on and I am paying attention and attempting to be more conscious in my intentions toward these old and new friends. Let there be LOVE.