We are the cosmos made conscious and life is the means by which the universe understands itself.
~ Brian Cox

But let's start with the Full Moon at 27° of Gemini. The Sun is at the same degree of Sagittarius which happens to be the Galactic Centre. So, the Sun's light that is reflected back to us from the mirror of the Full Moon is infused with Cosmic Stuff (technical term). In other words, we have access to a more profound layer within the whirlwind of information and ideas right now.

Remember that this is the Full Moon culminating from the Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius (Dec. 4), and therefore its energy has emerged from the eclipse momentum. So, even without the Sun on the GC, this Full Moon is bound to have a bit more spin and a brighter glow than usual. In fact, the Full Moons that occur within a month or two of the eclipses even tend to look physically brighter in the night sky than usual.

In general, Gemini-Sagittarius is the axis that polarizes between raw ideas and the greater understanding that can be found by working with those ideas. It is also about taking the highfalutin waxing of intellectual conjuring that can sometimes arise in Sagittarius, and bring those concepts down into Gemini's more manageable, everyday context where we can talk about them without needing a Ph.D. in philosophy.

Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'.
~ Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning

Jupiter is trine the Moon and sextile the Sun, forming the apex of a Wedge aspect pattern. The apex planet (Jupiter in this case) can mediate the stress or struggle that develops within the opposition (Sun-Moon). Jupiter itself is in Aquarius (until Dec. 28) and aspires to a worldly view of what the future could hold if we open ourselves to the possibilities.

Therefore, Jupiter's role in the Wedge pattern seems to carry a message that, on one hand we need to bring complex information down into simpler (not simplistic) terms. Yet on the other hand, we still need to bring that awareness back to a broader perspective that speaks to the future.

In other words, don't just assume you know what something means in the greater context of conclusions. Instead, figure out the facts and the essential ideas first—then consider what it could mean in the greater scheme of things.

The Moon-Jupiter trine is also the Sun's and Moon's only applying aspect in the chart, as well as their closest aspect (other than the opposition with each other). This indicates that Jupiter can provide a beacon of hope for the future, provided you're willing to keep your eyes on the long-term prize. Short-term detours and roadblocks may arise but are more likely to be temporary or not as disruptive as they first appear.

Rather than being your thoughts and emotions, be the awareness behind them.
~ Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose

As the ruler of the Gemini Moon, Mercury is the other key planet involved in the Full Moon axis. Mercury's Gemini nature is normally upbeat, cheerful, curious, playful and interactive. In Capricorn, Mercury becomes more serious, practical, focused and methodical. Mercury's advice to the Full Gemini Moon is to not get lost in the playful exploration of ideas and thoughts, but to stay within sight of how those ideas could be used and applied in practical ways.

Mercury is exactly square to Chiron, indicating that the Mercury part of us is wrestling with a dilemma around feeling the pinch of Capricorn's structures: Saying the wrong thing? Oops, did I think that out loud? I want to think for myself but have to conform to the expectations of others. I want to set my brain free from sadness, limitations, and constant caution, but the unwelcome consequences of doing that keep standing in my way.

In addition, Chiron is stationary, returning to forward motion just half-a-day after the moment of the Full Moon chart. This makes Chiron's lament over Mercury's loss of mental freedom and self-direction more persuasive. At worst, this could be a time of increased depression, pessimism or resignation. However at best, this can be an opportunity to check in with your self-awareness to get a closer look at the personal inner "buttons" that get pushed when circumstances oblige you to conform to conventional ways of thinking, perceiving and expressing.

Uranus comes to Mercury's rescue through a trine aspect, reassuring him that restraint and vigilance don't have to be absolute or suffocating. There's enough room between self-denial and self-indulgence for a version of self-discipline that can work well as a compromise. So, it's okay to allow yourself some breathing room to enjoy your playful, easy-going, flexible nature.

Mercury is currently Out of Bounds by declination (Dec. 2 to 28), which means your mind may lean toward wandering away from the straight-and-narrow way of looking at things. This doesn't have to be a bad thing, though, since the Mercury part of you has a plan (even if it seems like it doesn't). OOB Mercury trine Uranus may sense that there are better solutions and possibilities to be found by breaking free of the usual conclusions. The trick is to be open-minded yet grounded enough to see that a new perspective can add to your options and doesn't have to conflict with the realities of your situation.

Mercury has an ally for this – the Moon, which is also OOB as well as contraparallel to Mercury. The OOB Gemini Moon can escort Capricorn Mercury past the barricades of skepticism and doubt, and into the realm of objective detachment. Therefore, fresh ideas that are usually obscured by your expectations of "how things ought to be" may become more visible and doable.

And finally, Mercury and Neptune are joined by a tight quintile aspect (72°) which can also relieve some of Mercury's limited scope. There is great potential for imaginative planning and envisioning fascinating possibilities of what the current reality could develop into—in a good way! So, between aspects to Uranus and Neptune, plus OOB Mercury and Moon, Mercury has more opportunity to "colour outside the lines" than is usually tolerated by Capricorn.

To punish me for my contempt for authority, fate made me an authority myself.
~ Albert Einstein

Saturn and Uranus have glared at each other throughout 2021 in a square aspect (90°). They are coming up to their final pass on Dec. 24, and at the Full Moon in Gemini they are less than a degree from being exact. This transit has pitted authority against defiance, conformity against self-determination, and efficiency against spontaneity. Although Dec. 24 is the last exact pass, they come back and linger within 6° from July through December in 2022, coming as close as 0:37 on October 3rd. So, there will be more of this energy to work through next year.

In the Full Moon chart, they form an interesting aspect pattern with the Sun-Moon opposition. It is composed of a Hard Wedge figure with Saturn as the apex, and another Hard Wedge to Uranus. The two figures are interlocking, overlapping via the Sun-Moon opposition, and also joined through the Saturn-Uranus square. It is composed of all stressful aspects in the Square and Octile families (division of the circle by 4 or 8).

The result involves the polarity of information processing (gathering and connecting the dots in Gemini, and exploring the meaning and implications in Sagittarius), as well as the struggle around conventionality versus freedom (Saturn and Uranus). With these planets being interwoven together, it puts a spin of authority and individualism on the quest for information, knowledge and wisdom.

There are various ways this could play out. For instance, you might be feeling conflicted about the holiday season – struggling with religious/spiritual questions, or disdaining the commercial aspect of the festivities, or just feeling frustrated by again having to deal with pandemic-driven restrictions. Or perhaps you are just weary of the yo-yo pandemic policies imposed by society and governments that strive to adapt to changing circumstances as well as keep everyone as safe as possible.

Coping with this tension might be helped by turning it into an intellectual exercise of seeing what patterns you can identify in the world around you, as reactions and responses to the situation continue to change.

The disowned part of self is an energy - an emotion or desire or need, that has been shamed every time it emerged. These energy patterns are repressed but not destroyed. They are alive in our unconscious.
~ John Bradshaw, Healing the Shame that Binds You

Last, but most definitely not least, we come to Venus and Pluto who rule the chart through sheer force of nature. Venus is stationary, about as still as a planet can get as she officially changes to retrograde direction a mere 6 hours after the Full Moon is exact. She will be retrograde from Dec. 19 until Jan. 29, entirely in the sign of Capricorn.

This makes for a rather serious planet of social interaction, and being conjunct Pluto within 1° for so long (Dec. 8 to 28) that seriousness can push a lot of your deep psychological buttons. Your imagination could conjure some depressing scenarios that feel real, but in most cases won't be as bad as you fear.

For example, you might feel a bit anxious or awkward in your interactions with others, perhaps concerned that you'll be judged or criticized for not doing something perfectly. Or, you may worry if someone close to you might disconnect from you, leaving you feeling abandoned.

The expectations of Capricorn, where Venus and Pluto reside, can feel rather heavy during this time, so it's a good thing to be patient and gentle with yourself and others. Remember, we're all going through this transit in one way or another.

On the other hand, Venus-Pluto could bring you to a deep, even profound connection with someone. If you're in or starting a relationship, things could get rather intense—which might be a good thing or a not-so-good thing, depending on how comfortable you are with being plunged into deep intimacy. If it feels overwhelming, give yourself and the other person some space and time to slow things down a bit.

In the worst-case scenario, if you find the situation getting out of hand or you feel you might be in danger, it's probably better to err on the side of caution and self-protection. Get yourself into a place of safety, if need be, and/or draw some firm boundaries.

With Venus turning retrograde during her encounter with Pluto, what seems to be happening so far this month might suddenly change and go the other way. It's possible that you or they might seem to "blow hot and cold" (as the saying goes) which may be due to mixed feelings – being open to what's happening but also feeling cautious.

This is a natural part of whatever process is unfolding, so stay alert to what's happening both outside and inside. Everyone will experience this transit differently. Be aware of your situation and what will keep you safe, empowered, centered and grounded. Venus-Pluto doesn't have to be a bad experience, and might in fact be a very positive one. That said, it can be intense, and may take some extra effort and focus to manage that situation effectively.

It's all a matter of paying attention, being awake in the present moment, and not expecting a huge payoff. The magic in this world seems to work in whispers and small kindnesses.
~ Charles de Lint

Venus and Pluto form an Irritation Wedge with the Sun-Moon opposition, through a quincunx (150°) to the Moon and a semisextile (30°) to the Sun. The apex of the figure (Venus and Pluto in this case) creates an added dimension to the struggle and tension of the opposition (Sun and Moon).

The aspects to the apex planet in an Irritation Wedge are (wait for it) irritating! These aspects force a connection between signs that share nothing in common – not their element, modality or gender. As a result, it tends to be considered a difficult aspect or even a non-aspect where the planets are unable to "see" each other, like they're in each other's blind spot. An increase in awareness, open-mindedness, and flexibility are required to get them to dance together without stepping on each other's toes.

In this case, the Moon is quincunx Venus and Pluto. The Moon being in Gemini is already about increasing and enhancing conscious awareness, so we're half-way there. But Gemini is usually more easily focused on the factual or intellectual world. Venus conjunct Pluto will call on the Moon to be aware of deep instinct, intuition, passionate impulses, and subconscious urges, so this may be a bit of a reach for our light-hearted Moon.

The semisextile also connects signs with nothing in common, other than "the neighbourhood." The signs are adjacent to each other, so there is an archetypal sequence that flows between them. Perhaps this is why the semisextile is sometimes considered a positive aspect. In any case, the effect of this aspect tends to be subtle or delicate, so any difficulty may be more slightly annoying than irritating.

Venus-Pluto is in semisextile aspect to the Sun in Sagittarius. This sign has a tendency to intellectualize or sprint off to the next horizon, whereas Venus-Pluto in Capricorn requires deep, enduring concentration and focus. So again, the irritation quality is about getting out of our head and into our physical instincts.

Forget your voice, sing!
Forget your feet, dance!
Forget your life, live!
Forget yourself and be!
~ Kamand Kojouri

All in all, this Full Moon calls on us to open the door to our brain and our conscious mind, and to do this in a way where we can pick up on the different textures of experience happening right now. These are somewhat beyond Gemini's usual spectrum of awareness, like being more attuned to archetypal patterns (Sun on the Galactic Centre). To be more visionary (Jupiter). More willing to work with boundaries – solidifying them (Saturn) and/or changing them (Uranus). More logical and practical (Mercury in Capricorn), even if that's a bit uncomfortable (Chiron). And to make clearer sense of our passions, our instincts, and our obsessions (Venus and Pluto).

Mercury and Venus cross paths in conjunction, each going in the opposite direction – Mercury in direct motion and Venus retrograde. This happens on December 29, the same day Mercury enters the shadow to prepare for his own retrograde dance (Jan. 14 to Feb. 3), so Venus and Mercury are both retrograde between January 14th and 29th.

However, they don't meet up in conjunction again until September 26 in Virgo, suggesting that this upcoming conjunction on Dec. 29 is a good opportunity to tune in to your creative imagination. So, dance! Sing! Be joyful and celebrate the best that life holds for you. If you can't get a grip on the best in life, then get in touch with the little things that give you peaceful and pleasing moments. Venus and Pluto are here to tell you that when you tap into anything beautiful, joyful, pleasurable or awakening, no matter how small, it can become a deeper experience that is fulfilling in ways that are very real.

I wish all my readers the happiest of holidays and a rejuvenating new beginning in the New Year. Above all, stay safe. Stay sane. And stay awesome. The world most definitely needs you.

Don’t turn your face away.
Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know.
Open your eyes to the truth. It’s all around you.
Don’t deny what the eyes to your soul have revealed to you.

Now that you know, you cannot feign ignorance.
Now that you’re aware of the problem, you cannot pretend you don’t care.
To be concerned is to be human.
To act is to care.
~ Vashti Quiroz-Vega

© 17-Dec-2021 Wendy Guy, all rights reserved. Divider image via Pixabay.