The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.
~ Albert Einstein

Saturn's Fishing Expedition

Normally for a New Moon in Gemini, I would start with Mercury, its ruling planet. And usually Mercury is a cheerful, playful rascal, especially when frolicking through his own sign of Gemini. But during this 4-week lunar cycle, Mercury might be a little grouchy, serious, or prone to complaining.

The reason is Saturn. (Isn't everything Saturn's fault? ...except when Mercury is retrograde, of course.)

Right now Saturn is stationary, in the process of turning retrograde as of barely half a day ago. Saturn is normally stern, analytic, logical and methodical. And when he's stationary he can be a task master, issuing orders insisting everything be organized and precise.

Saturn is in the Mutable Water sign of Pisces, which seems like an awkward combination. Sturdy Saturn doesn't particularly like Pisces' formlessness, unless Saturn can control the interaction, like providing a carefully structured conduit for Pisces to flow through. But when Saturn is in Pisces' territory, he has to play by Pisces rules. Pisces' Watery nature can erode Saturn's sharp edges and soften his carefully structured shape.

Saturn typically wants to be specific, conclusive and logical, but Pisces is nebulous, enigmatic and intuitive. Pisces sees a paradox as a mystery to be experienced, whereas Saturn tends to see it as a problem to be solved one way or the other.

And yet, they can each provide something that the other lacks. Pisces tries to help Saturn become more imaginative and open to new possibilities, while Saturn wants to provide structured support so that Pisces becomes a more purposeful force, like a riverbed supports and directs the river's flow.

Pisces is also very idealistic, and when Saturn's staunch determination becomes immersed in Piscean magical waters, they can take on meaning of mythical proportions. Think: Excalibur, the sword in the King Arthur legend. Whoever pulls the sword from the stone is, by definition, the true king. So Saturn in Pisces may touch on the idea of "the divine right of kings" (the one who gets the first and last word in everything).

In that sense, Saturn in Pisces may challenge us to find the ways we have the (obscured?) ability to pull our special talents and gifts out of where they are stuck inside us. We look at that stone and think, "Oh, that old thing? Ya, that is the dream that never was. That's what I hoped my life would become but couldn't make it happen."

Most of us have managed to loosen that sword but haven't been able to pull it out completely and wield it in your lives. This may be due to circumstances, lack of belief in ourselves, or being occupied with other challenges that demanded our full attention and energy. Fast-forward to today: this stationary Saturn in Pisces may give us an opportunity to give that sword another wiggle to see if we can release a bit more of its promise from its inner static potential.

We might be energized to express this stationary Saturn in Pisces by wielding authority that demands ultimate solutions that are wrapped in perfectionism and accepted as gospel. At the other end of the spectrum, Saturn might be more like a slippery fish swimming back and forth between absolute ideals yet not sure which one is most worthy of commitment. Most of the time we'll be somewhere in the middle, trying to move the needle along that spectrum in some direction.

What do you do when you're faced with a difficult decision? I don't believe there is such a thing. Throw a coin in the air and we always know which way we want it to land.
~ The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Mercury, Make Up Your Mind!

Now: Mercury is in a tense square aspect to that stationary Saturn (90°) which puts them at odds with each other. Both are in Mutable signs – they each want to keep their options open so they can manoeuvre the situation in their preferred direction. Mercury is free of his retrograde cycles (until August) and wants to move forward. Saturn's heels are dug in while he pivots to go retrograde, and wants to go backward.

Therefore, your intentions and your actions might wander all over the map before you settle on a decision or direction. With Saturn being so stationary-strong, your determination to choose the most perfect solution could keep you stuck for a while or carrying anxiety around in your pocket, debating whether you're even ready to make a decision.

As it turns out, the Mercury-Saturn square is almost past its expiration date, having already passed exact 3 days ago (June 15) and has only one more day within orb (June 11-19). Your best solution may be one you've already considered but dismissed, thinking there might be a more perfect answer.

So: pick your poison, as the saying goes. Use Saturn's logic to find the best of the bunch, even if not perfect, or flip a coin. Not choosing is still choosing—it's letting the circumstances choose for you. That's not necessarily bad, but it does mean you'll only get to choose how to respond to it, not what you're responding to.

I must have a prodigious amount of mind; it takes me as much as a week, sometimes, to make it up!
~ Mark Twain

Allies of Saturn and Mercury

Although it might seem like Saturn and Mercury are casting a dark cloud over the New Moon, 'tisn't so—at least, not entirely. Both of them have allies in the chart they can call on for support.

Saturn is tightly sextile with Jupiter. Besides them having a congenial relationship through the sextile, it's extra important because Jupiter rules Pisces, the sign where Saturn is currently swimming in circles. When Saturn reaches out for advice from his dispositor, Jupiter answers in his Taurus voice: "Just keep it real, keep it steady, and keep it moving."

Jupiter is in Fixed Earth sign Taurus, which helps Saturn remember his stable, grounded nature. Jupiter usually has an upbeat, expansive disposition, which helps to balance out Saturn's serious, conventional manner. Jupiter also adds in his own voice: "Keep it meaningful and optimistic, too. A pessimistic planet in Pisces makes a pretty pitiful picture."

Jupiter and the North Lunar Node are still conjunct in Taurus (exact June 1). Anything under Jupiter's jurisdiction (like planets in Pisces) are part of your current direction toward growth and evolution. Therefore, stationary Saturn and its square to Mercury are important stepping stones on your path.

Mercury too has his allies. This month, Mercury is sextile and texting (textiling?) Venus and Mars to say he's planning to come and visit them soon. Venus and Mars are approaching a conjunction in Leo, and Mercury is heading for a conjunction with both of them this July and August. (As it turns out, things don't go quite as planned because Venus and Mercury will both be retrograde in August, but that's another story...) For now, Mercury is enjoying a lively conversation with Venus and Mars, which helps take the edge off Mercury's Saturn-stress.

An example of how this could play out is: if you're stymied trying to choose a direction or make an important decision this month, try drawing on Venus and Mars in Leo. And have some fun with it. Do some creative brainstorming with yourself or with a friend. Imagine some absurd and playful scenarios. What do you think would happen if: ...your choice was featured in a fashion magazine? ...you had to run through the streets waving a banner that announced your decision? ...you threw a big event to celebrate it, sort of like a gender reveal party?

Mercury is going Out-of-Bounds by declination for a couple of weeks, from June 23 to July 6 and from 23:31 Gemini to 21:36 Cancer. When Mercury goes OOB it often feels like he's gone retrograde, so don't be surprised if things suddenly get a little wonky. Take the usual precautions – double-check your texts, emails. Write down anything you need to remember correctly, like appointment dates and times. Allow extra time to do things, and be extra careful about clicking on suspicious emails or website links.

On the plus side, Mercury OOB can be a great time to do some imaginative or creative thinking, since your mind is more open to out-of-the-box ideas and observations. Do some journaling, write down your dreams, express yourself in unusual ways, or learn something new that's weird and wonderful.

Truly successful decision-making relies on a balance between deliberate and instinctive thinking.
~ Malcolm Gladwell

Conflicts and Challenges

Mercury has finally shut up long enough for me to tell you about the rest of the New Moon in his sign! The Sun-Moon conjunction in Gemini emphasizes our mental capabilities – thoughts, ideas, perceptions, communication, and whatever grabs your attention.

Gemini's curiosity is legendary, constantly seeking out new information, knowledge and facts. In Gemini's corner of the Internet, it's easy to get lost down the rabbit hole where you keep clicking one link after another – questions bring you to answers that lead to more questions... until your bladder is bursting and you have to dash off to the loo!

The chart has 5, count 'em, five square aspects. In fact, every planets in the chart has a square aspect except for Chiron. This brings some considerable stress and high energy to the New Moon cycle: Mercury square stationary Saturn, Sun-Moon square Neptune, Venus square Jupiter, Jupiter square Pluto, and Mars square Uranus.

It also brings enormous dynamic energy to the New Moon, meaning there's lots of motivation and necessary action flying around. This mega-square energy may feel uncomfortable or even exhausting, but it is also likely to get you up off your chair and moving, especially mentally. Get some new ideas. Reason out problems to find better solutions. Gather more information to work with. Connect the dots to string observations together for greater understanding.

The New Moon has some awkward and complicated aspects, which challenges us to linger a little longer on information in order to make better sense of it. For one thing, the Sun and Moon are tightly square Neptune which brings in more ambiguity, similar to Saturn in Pisces squaring Mercury. In addition, the Moon herself is waaay Out-of-Bounds by declination. The information you seek—or find—may well be far beyond the conventional. It might be tricky to know what it means, how to use it, or how to integrate it with what you already know.

You may find your mind invaded by peculiar yet fascinating thoughts and ideas – wonderful for anything that relies on imagination, creativity, or seeing things from a weird and wonderful perspective. Write down your dreams – your unconscious may be trying to get your attention about something you've been in denial about, or might be trying to encourage you to indulge in flights of fancy.

That said, it's important to be extra careful to double-check the validity of "facts" and stories you see in social media, emails, websites, etc. False rumours or claims that stretch the truth could pique your curiosity, but what seems to be true may not be what it appears to be at all. It never hurts to run regular virus checks on your computer.

The Sun and Moon are also in a wide but applying quincunx with Pluto (150°). The Lord of the Underworks is now back in Capricorn until January 20, 2024. The Moon zooms through the quincunx in a couple of hours, whereas the Sun stays in orb for about 3 days before and after its exact date: June 21.

On its own, Gemini often enjoys quantity of information over quality. "You can never have too many books," says Gemini, for example. Pluto on the other hand would rather plumb the hidden depths to touch the meaning behind the information, even if it means missing out on some juicy tidbits that Gemini loves to feast on.

The quincunx between the Gemini New Moon and Pluto therefore suggests that you are challenged to find a way to build a bridge between these two dimensions of awareness. In fact, you could find your mind flipflops between them. One minute you're browsing through a smorgasbord of ideas, and the next minute you trip and fall head first into a cavern of deeper implications and connections. Your curiosity will likely steer you back and forth between them.

Everyone has their own ways of expression. I believe we all have a lot to say, but finding ways to say it is more than half the battle.
~ Criss Jami, Salomé: In Every Inch In Every Mile

Venus and Mars

Venus forms a tight semisquare aspect to the Sun and Moon. The semisquare (also known as the octile: 45°) is a cousin in the square family of aspects, which is about conflict, struggle, motivation, action and assertiveness. Venus in Leo at best is about heartfelt self-expression that radiates your best qualities, although it can also settle for shallow glamour that focuses only on the projection of a façade.

Don't let the struggle in this chart take away your ability to think beautiful thoughts. If you don't feel happy or cheerful right now, you might feel you need to pretend you do for the sake of others, but not to the point where you can't be yourself. If you feel crappy then be honest about it, but also try looking for the humour in it so you both can laugh about it and lift each other's spirits.

Venus also squares Jupiter, already a week past exact (June 11), and Jupiter in turn squares Pluto, also past exact from a month ago (May 17). This is a remnant of a T-square that was active from June 2-14, at its closest around June 5-7 within about 4½°. The Venus-Pluto opposition has broken but Jupiter's square to them both still lingers for a couple/few more days. The Venus-Jupiter square again suggests that it's not wise to put on a socially acceptable face if it means locking your authentic self in a closet somewhere.

The last square in the chart belongs to Mars square Uranus who remain in-orb from June 13 to July 9, becoming exact on June 26. This is a dramatic combination, especially with Mars being in Leo. Mars, already a reactive energy, can become even more-so when he squares off with Uranus.

During their transit, you might find yourself acting abruptly, unexpectedly, indecisively or excessively, possibly even for no apparent reason. Your Mars energy (assertiveness, anger, courage, or openly expressing yourself) might come blurting out of you in spurts, especially if you usually find it hard to let that part of you come out and play. On the other hand, this combination can get you unstuck if you're feeling blocked from moving forward or taking action.

And although Venus is not yet close enough to have a square of her own to Uranus, her conjunction to Mars (in orb June 8 to July 21) brings her into the Mars-Uranus drama. In addition, Venus squares Uranus in her own right starting June 22 and is exact on July 2. In fact, she stations retrograde on July 22 within about 6° of squaring Uranus, and remains in-orb for 2 months! (June 22 to August 21) All told, they make 3 exact passes: July 2, August 9, and September 29.

I'll be talking more about the Venus-Mars-Uranus dance as we get closer to Venus retrograde. Meanwhile, here are the key dates.

Sabian Symbol

Sabian Symbol for Gemini 27: A gypsy coming out of the forest.

First: an apology about the term "gypsy" in this Symbol. Many people don't realize this is actually a racial slur referring to the Roma people in Europe. Historically they have lived a wandering lifestyle, often because they were driven out of places and forbidden to settle anywhere, which sadly continues to this day in some areas. I have included it here only as part of the original wording, which most likely was used in its romanticized meaning as a free spirit living a nomadic life, but without realizing its real-life meaning and derogatory connotation.

Dane Rudhyar (An Astrological Mandala) saw this Symbol as "Reaching out toward participation in a larger whole..." In that sense, we have mastered or exhausted our ability to navigate through a limited area, and are now ready to explore beyond those limits. This being a Gemini degree, it is our curiosity and thirst for knowledge that will guide us beyond the same-old-same-old. (Gemini energy is highly allergic to boredom.)

The chart's Mercury in Gemini is square stationary Saturn in Pisces, and the Sun and Moon are square Neptune also in Pisces. This suggests you might be a bit inhibited by the unknown, fear of making a mistake, or uncertainty about what direction to take. It might help to pause for a time in this new territory to find out what your options are so that you can make an informed decision about what comes next.

What is the cost of holding back what is trying to be expressed through you?
~ Allison Fallon, The Power of Writing It Down: A Simple Habit to Unlock Your Brain and Reimagine Your Life

Multi-Dimensional Gemini

Gemini is about your mind – awareness, perception, thoughts, ideas and consciousness. It's about how we take those qualities and find ways to convey them to others, while also listening to their experience of them. Idea exchange, first with our immediate environment and increasingly within ourselves (connecting the dots).

We learn words and other ways of communicating when we're mere tadpoles – usually to indicate something we want or need. Mama. Dada. Hungry. Lonely. Poopy. As we grow into and through adulthood, Gemini and its ruling planet Mercury become our way of gathering and expanding information and knowledge, expressing who we are and how we see life.

In this New Moon cycle that begins in Gemini, you are invited to explore the Air inside your skull. ;-) But this isn't just a brainy vaca(tion). There are conditions that apply to how you do this, particular pathways that will need a weed-whacker to do away with the overgrowth that's in the way of clear thinking.

For example: Saturn is stationary and turning retrograde, which virtually dominates the chart. Saturn is in Pisces, which isn't the most comfortable place for Saturn to sit – the planet of structure, rules and physical existence, in the sign of imagination, idealism and non-rational perception. Yet, the two can come together in areas like art, or creating systems based on exalted purpose, or selfless dedication to manifesting an ideal.

There are many square aspects (90°) the New Moon chart, which could create tension, disagreement or conflict, but can also fire up your motivation and determination. One of them is stationary Saturn square Mercury, the ruler of our New Moon. This could encourage debate, argument, or having to choose your words, opinions and ideas carefully, or you might find you've committed yourself to a position that you can't defend.

The New Moon itself, Sun conjunct Moon, is square Neptune, so while you're browsing through information be careful you don't get tripped up by misinformation and misunderstanding. On the other hand, this is a wonderful combination for creative thinking and imagining possibilities – Saturn warns to be sure to check your facts before committing yourself.

Venus and Mars are hanging out together in Leo for several weeks (June 8 to July 21), reaching their closest orb on July 2, the day before the upcoming Full Moon in Capricorn, and 2½ weeks before Venus goes retrograde. Venus and Mars in Leo are a very creative, dramatic, fun-loving and passionate combination.

Let your inner beauty radiate and your self-confidence shine out to the world! Find ways to express yourself in imaginative yet coherent ways, through words, images, body language, dance, music, touch, taste, or whatever comes to mind.

The next update will be for the Full Moon in Capricorn on July 3, 2023. Meanehile, stay safe. Stay sane. Stay awesome. The world really does need you. ❤️

A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.
~ Lou Holtz

© 2023-06-17 Wendy Guy, all rights reserved. Astrological diagrams by Wendy Guy. Divider of Hemispheres of the Brain by Gerd Altmann via Pixabay.com. Sabian symbol image of Path out of the Forest by Senzekile Msomi via Unsplash.com.