The language of friendship is not words but meanings. Henry David Thoreau
Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies. Aristotle
A friend is a present you give to yourself. Robert Louis Stevenson
The pleasure of reading is doubled when one lives with another who shares the same books. Katherine Mansfield
Whenever two good people argue over principles, both are always right. Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach
A different language is a different version of life. Federico Fellini
I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, so nothing of what I was studying seemed to fit. I know now that I should have taken advantage of that time and that I missed a great deal of the opportunity to educate myself. Harrison Ford
In studying the way, realizing it is hard; once you have realized it, preserving it is hard. When you can preserve it, putting into practice is hard. Zen Proverb
December's Gemini full Moon falls on Saturday, December 6. After so many very stressful lunations (new and full Moons), this full Moon seems to hold a better charge around it. There are some great aspects in this chart, most notably from Uranus, which is sextiling the Moon and trining the Sun and Mercury, which translates to issues of freedom, taking on new things, wanting change, desiring to break free, etc. Uranus can bring about the ability to break free, not just the promise of it. First, though, we may have to defuse a few situations, to take the 'charge' out of situations, relationships, our thoughts, etc.
We need to see possibility as there is possibility in this full Moon. Although we are not there yet ,this is a great time to visualise where you want to be in 2015. This full Moon is about letting go of limitations - not only because Uranus can have us wanting more freedom and liberation from constraints, but, also, we have Venus in a lovely trine aspect with Jupiter - with a tip of the hat to the Moon's nodes. This can be loving, expansive, giving, bring a sense of good fortune and the promise of good times and enjoyment with friends and family. But as always, there is a caveat - a warning - there can be a little too much expansion happening in the form of spending money, throwing caution to the wind, partying, wanting to kick over the traces of the past. All this is good, but Jupiter can have us marching at full force towards our desires when, really, we may benefit from taking a moment to assess what our goals really are and going towards them in a way that is sustainable, approachable and realistic. The following are excerpts from my book The Sabian Oracle: 360 Degrees Of Wisdom:
The Sabian Symbol for the full Moon is Gemini 15: Two Dutch Children Talking And Studying Their Lessons Together.
This Symbol shows the need for clarity and for those of like mind to share and communicate spontaneous and creative ideas. The ‘Two Dutch Children’ are discussing and sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings about ‘Their Lessons’. Every now and then they are likely to bring up side issues about their personal lives and to chatter about friends, etc. It may be that they are meant to be only ‘Studying Their Lessons’, however they probably have the freedom to be able to relax and take things easily. The people around them probably won’t be interested in what they are ‘Studying’, although they may sometimes pretend to be. Some may feel left out because the level of conversation or the ways of communicating are so carefree, in-depth or inaccessible to others’ minds.
This Symbol shows people enjoying each other and sharing common goals. When a lot of the confusion of the day-to-day life is put aside, there can be an understanding of each other or those around you that is so strong it can feel like a soul connection. As these are said to be ‘Dutch Children’, they may speak several 'languages', but, there can be a feeling of being cut off and isolated because of language or cultural separations, and this can be frustrating, but if you have companionship with someone on your wavelength, it is much easier to bear. You should be able to relax and feel comfortable with your associates. Try not to look for or create any unnecessary complications. Get on with your job quietly and effectively with company that seeks the same things in life. Getting a grip on life’s ‘Lessons’ will enlighten and enrich everyone in this situation. Finding a friend to learn and be creative with could lead to some valuable lessons about friendships, relating and the world.
Keywords: Sharing of innocence and carefree thoughts and ideals. Exchanging views with like-minded individuals. Simplicity. Sense of companionship. Communication. Best friends. Having the right teacher. Learning and studying. Conversations that illuminate issues. Speaking many languages. Gossiping.
The Caution: Failing to communicate in depth. Unsophisticated viewpoints. Excluding others as “unworthy”. Societal or racial prejudice. “Hearing voices” that don’t make sense. Not hearing the opinions of others to further understand how the world works. Foreign languages that exclude others.
As I was writing up the above, a news story came into my Facebook feed - should learning a second language be compulsory in Australian schools.
The Karmic Condition (the degree before) of this full Moon is Gemini 14: Two People, At Widely Different Points, Are In Communication By Means Of Telepathy. Another Sabian Symbol that speaks of 'two', which is so much representative of Gemini. You may be picking up subtle and not-so-subtle messages from the ethers - you think about someone and there they are. You can feel very connected to others, or to a special someone, and the feelings of connection can be very strong. The trick is, of course, not to indulge in any conscious manipulation of others - being sensitive is key here.
Keywords: Conquering space and time limitations. Psychic and mental communication. Sharing and thinking the same ideas. Knowing what is felt or thought by others. Feeling connected regardless of physical contact. Being on the same frequency. Mediumship. Telepathic communication. Conversation. Direct lines of communication. Mind reading.
The Caution: Blocking out sensitive awareness for the sake of social needs or expectations. Mind and thought control. Manipulating by subtle means. Losing contact. Not getting the message. Not seeing eye-to-eye. Barging into other people’s space.
The Quest Symbol (the degree following) of this full Moon is Gemini 16: A Woman Activist On A Platform In An Emotional Speech Dramatizing Her Cause. This full Moon could see a lot of people protesting or standing up for their rights. It may be time to speak up about something that's been bothering you. You could also be an advocate for someone else, especially if they feel that they cannot give voice to what is bothering them.
Keywords: Stating one’s case. Revealing social passions. Being a mouthpiece for the emotions of the collective. The desire to be heard. Having a platform or stage. The need for rational emotional points to be made. Being the “underdog”. Many things running through the mind. The battle between the masculine and the feminine. Taking it to the streets. Announcements. Fighting for a cause. Having to shoulder too many things.
The Caution: Pressing opinions on the unwilling and disinterested. Feeling that no one listens or cares. Rational or political structures overriding one’s life. Going over the top trying to get a message across. Feeling like the “woman”who is never listened to. Controlling the agenda. Hormonal swings. Male chauvinism blocking female progress. Justifying ones self. Silly ideas.
The Sabian Symbol for the Sun is Sagittarius 15: The Ground Hog Looking For Its Shadow On Ground Hog Day. This Symbol can bring up the issue of whether you're getting up to the same reality every single morning, without anything changing. With this degree around, we can often feel stuck, like we're playing the same scenes over and over in our lives. With Uranus aspecting the Sun and Mercury by a trine aspect, we can work at changing the patterns of our minds so we are not stuck in our own version of 'ground hog day'.
Keywords: Looking back, reading the signs. Divination and other systems of inquiry. Seeing society as being to blame. People having a good look at how they seem to others. Wondering how others perceive you and picture you. Prophets that can tell the “weather” ahead of time. Predictions. Prognosticating. Welcoming an early spring. Scrutinizing objectives and possible outcomes. Looking to nature for clues.
The Caution: Being scared to act without some message of confirmation. People (or society) looking for someone else to blame for conditions. Relying on the same solutions without consideration of changes. Blizzards and the cold. Heading into the winter.
Mercury is the ruler of this Gemini full Moon. Mercury is conjunct (together with) the Sun, on the Karmic Condition of the Sun. The Sabian Symbol is Sagittarius 14: A Vast Panorama Of Sand And Time Is Unfolding; The Pyramid And The Sphinx Rise In Their Glory Before The Eye. This Symbol can bring up issues to do with the past, or, it can show big business and the exploitation of the workers, or, it can point to you building your own version of empire. What do you want to be building that can immortalize your work, your life, giving it longevity?
Keywords: Ancient histories and mysteries. The power of the past affecting today’s world. Spiritual ancestry. Mysteries that enrich. Decoding. Magicians and prophets. Secret messages or tricks of perception? Majestic properties. Riddles. Ingenuity. Plans and the executing of them. Egyptian things. Levels of power. Pyramid marketing. Taxes. The rich versus the poor. The American monetary system. World finances. The World Trade Centre. Masonic mysteries. Cement, sand, plaster. Tools. Architects. Builders.
The Caution: Treasures robbed by the greedy. Monuments that belittle other, lesser achievements. Aloofness through perceived superiority. Proclaiming treasures from the past more worthy, or grander, than present perceptions allow. Slave labor. Anonymity of the masses.
Venus is on Sagittarius 25: A Chubby Little Rich Boy Rides Upon His Hobby Horse. Venus is trining Jupiter, which is a lovely aspect of expansion, good luck and abundance. It can also show overdoing things on any level - so, restraint in one department of life could lead to expansion in another. However, this 'Chubby Little Rich Boy' wants to have is head; he wants to have what he wants to have. And, with Venus here, it may be important to give yourself time to do the things you like doing, regardless of financial reward, just because you like doing them. Too much goofing off, though, can lead to missed opportunities for real growth, so Venus here is probably also asking that we find the balance between what we have to do and what we want to do.
Over a few days after the full Moon, Venus will be going over the Galactic Center - this is one of the zodiac's hot-spots for getting clear on what we want and making it manifest as a reality rather than just as a dream. We dream on our 'hobby horse' to some extent, the days following are meant to show us how we can bring our ideas and ideals into actuality.
Keywords: Hobbies and their pleasures. Unrestrained, imaginative play that can lead to truly wonderful creations, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Protected practice. Having to have one’s sexual needs fulfilled before one loses energy. Exercise, doing something because one can. Constantly going off on distracting schemes. Boys and their toys. Unrestrained passion.
The Caution: Someone spoilt and shallow. Feeling that one can take on anything without thought of the actual consequences. Playing when one should be more serious about life. Not doing one’s work, avoiding it by doing ‘fun’ things instead. Having no friends to play with.
Mars is on Aquarius 2: An Unexpected Thunderstorm. Mars here could bring up the unexpected. There could be flashes of lightning or thunder and there could be some surprises. Where I live, in Sydney, Australia, the weather bureau is predicting thunderstorms all week and we've already had some huge storm just recently. How we react to the release of energy inherent in a storm is dependent on many factors. A great thing about a storm is that it can clear the air and bring wonderful fresh new energy to situations. As I'm writing this, a huge storm is unleashing over the west of Sydney - massive thunder and lightning and flooding. It is curious how the Symbols can come to life so vividly.
Keywords: Sudden visitations of natural wonder. Something that drops on you, seemingly from out of nowhere. Things erupting and happening fast. Storms in a teacup. Shocks and confrontations with raw energy. Thunder, lightning and electricity. The Tower card of the tarot. Being a lightning rod. Water and rain that quenches and revives. Things being unleashed.
The Caution: Losing control without warning. Emotional instability. A “back draft” of emotions. Bottling up and blowing up. Confused by sudden outbursts. Loud bangs and crashes that shock and stun. Seizing up with fear. Sudden unleashing of emotions. Hurricanes of messy energy.
Jupiter is on Leo 23: A Bareback Rider In A Circus Displays Her Dangerous Skill. Jupiter goes retrograde on this degree a few days after the full Moon, so this degree is having some super-concentrated energies happening. How do you want to perform? Do you, or someone close to you, want to take some risks that you might not ordinarily? Do you feel like you've been rehearsing for this for a long time and you're now ready to take on the challenge of running into the ring?
Keywords: Defying gravity. Controlling one’s animal instincts. Courage and mastery over one’s energies. Shows of strength. Situations where one might get “bucked”. Rushing in where angels fear to tread. Being in the media. The allure of drama and danger. Life as a circus or carnival. Amazing displays of skill. Superheroes. Comic book characters. Impressing people with well-rehearsed skills.
The Caution: “Showing off”, losing control and falling. Demanding attention. Looking for applause. Fooling with nature’s energies. Arousing or controlling animal passions. Acting wildly and not thinking about the consequences.
Saturn is on Scorpio 29: An Indian Woman Pleading To The Chief For The Lives Of Her Children. This Symbol speaks of pleading the case for others, or, perhaps, for yourself. This is a degree of 'intercession' or advocacy for ourselves or others. Our 'Children' can be our creative pursuits, or, it can literally talk about children, or helping those that can't (or won't) help themselves. Saturn here can also show a reluctance to get involved as one can get tired of always having to 'intercede' and help.
Keywords: Patterns of family dominance. Pleading one’s cause. Seeking love, mercy or forgiveness. Asking higher powers to step in, help or heal. Intercession. Counseling. Protecting the younger ones. Family law courts, magistrates, lawyers. Divorce. Young people taken seriously. Guilt and innocence. Weaving words to a desired outcome. Intervention. Schools. Juvenile delinquents. Being nailed for an offence. Speaking on behalf of others. Tribunals. Begging for mercy. Custody battles. Sexual discrimination. Advocates.
The Caution: Being dominated. Sacrificing one’s self for peace and quiet. Making a spectacle. Ramming one’s opinions. Going on the defensive. Bullying and browbeating. Harping on and on about things that should be forgiven or forgotten. Disruptive elements that get away with anything. Being expelled. Being made an example of.
Uranus is on Aries 13: A Bomb Which Failed To Explode Is Now Safely Hidden From Discovery. Uranus on this degree is very strong, particularly as Uranus is set to go direct on this degree, highlighting the energy for some time to come. The 'Bomb' is not always defused; it can be set off, it depends on the particular situation. In Australia, our conservative government made waves recently saying that we should be pursuing nuclear energy (instead of pursuing green, renewable, forms of energy - just ridiculous). There may be situations that get defused, and this can be a good thing. There can, however, be confusion around whether something really has had the 'charge' taken out of it or whether it is likely to go off at some unsuspecting time. The thing with Uranus here can be to not give things you can't control too much of your energy - let them simmer down and don't add to the drama.
Keywords: Pressure valves. Getting away with something. Tantrums and frustration. Tempers that simmer. Explosive behavior. Bombs, explosions. Sudden and forceful events. Intelligence organizations, CIA, FBI, ASIO, etc. Valuable lessons of self-restraint. Relief from problems. Discharging nervous energy. Security checks. Last minute escapes.
The Caution: Suppressing stress or illness. Doing inappropriate things and thinking the secret safe. Repressing emotions. Undefined anger. Pressure cooker energy that needs to be released slowly. Explosions damaging more than expected. Activists. Deception behind one’s back. Clash of ideals. Terrorism.
Neptune is on Pisces 5: A Church Bazaar. Neptune has recently gone direct and it's going to be gathering steam. Meanwhile, we may feel as though a lot of what we do is 'for free', or somehow 'charity work', or, that we're not being taken seriously. There's also the opportunity with Neptune here to give freely to others, whether it's our time, energy or possessions. This can be a lovely degree as long as we remember not to get into self sacrifice and self negation.
Keywords: Overcoming loneliness and alienation. Selling things. The issue of real worth. A lot of effort for small rewards. Small scale commercial bartering and interchange. The collection plate. Generosity and charitable community attitudes. Jars of jam and things handmade. Bric-a-brac. Bargains. Practical spirituality. Volunteers. People sharing the load. Charity work. Money raising. Garage or yard sales. Second hand clothes.
The Caution: Spiritual or social exclusivity. Giving things smaller worth than they deserve. Using people. Deception on the grounds of faith. Fussing about small details. Fighting over “position”. Issues of territory. Pushy people. Social boundaries that exclude some.
Pluto is on Capricorn 13: A Fire-Worshipper Meditates On The Ultimate Realities Of Existence. What are the 'Ultimate Realities Of Existence'? What is the meaning of life? Why are we here? What are we supposed to truly be doing in our lives?
Keywords: Self-conquest. Kundalini energy. Playing with dangerous elements to reach a higher state of being. Philosophy. The stories of our lives. Examining life and its meaning. The buzz of being alive. Questions of our very existence. Finding the reasons behind everything. Contemplation and meditation. Incense. The hypnotic spell that fire can cast. Staring into the flames. Throwing oneself into the deep end. The search for core truths. Climate change.
The Caution: Overestimation of personal power and abilities. Obsession to the point of self-obliteration. Being intense. Going too deeply. Exhausting oneself. Excluding family and friends because of philosophical or spiritual convictions. Not seeing the woods for the trees.
Chiron, the Wounded Healer and The Stories We Tell Ourselves, is on Pisces 14: A Woman Wrapped In Fox Fur. Are you paying attention to how you look, how you dress, how you come across to others? Do you take time for yourself? Do you show your intelligence or do you tend to hide it, thinking others will think less of you if you show your smarts and your beauty?
Keywords: Outer expressions of real inner worth. Animal magnetism and attraction. Intelligence and its display. Cloaks of feminine wit and sexuality. Beguiling minds. Animal totems and furs. Perceived beauty. The sense of having class and money. Beauty, fashion and talent. Being forward and upfront. Sense of personal style. Grace and composure. Elegance. Knowing what to say and when. Dressing up. Money spent on beauty. Tempting others with sexual signals. Perfumes. Pheromones. Taxidermy.
The Caution: False fronts and expressions of wealth. Selling out for momentary, or monetary, gain. Wrapped in intellectual superficiality. The fatal allure of beauty. Scoring points solely through charisma. Being so caught up in fashion and glamor that one loses a true sense of self. Being overdressed.
The Moon's north node is on Libra 18: Two Men Placed Under Arrest Give An Accounting For Their Actions Before The Tribunal Of Society. Issues of right and wrong and people doing 'the wrong thing' by each other can be brought up with the node here. People lying, deceiving, misleading or stopping others from doing what they need to be doing can be a theme that needs some attention. Governments around the world, in particular, seem to be leading the way with this Symbol.
Keywords: Having to plead one’s case. The need for “legal help”. Unacceptable principles. Blowing the whistle. Pointing at others to get off charges. People unable to relate. The “Romeo and Juliet” story. Feeling caught out. Restrictions. Karma to be worked out. Being framed. Circumstances out of control. People in handcuffs. Identification parades. Police. The law. Lawyers. Judges. Juries. Tribunals. Police states. Breaking laws.
The Caution: Refusing to conform. Sabotage of relationship values. Feeling stuck, unable to move. Staying in relationships when one should go. Deadening emotions. Shutting off to cope. Not having one’s point of view heard. Losing one’s authority. Being bound karmically. Being tied up and limited.
The Moon's south node is Aries 18: An Empty Hammock Hangs Between Two Lovely Trees. This may be last, but it is not least :) We need to be mindful about being on guard continually, being tired, wrung out, not able to rest, not taking time for yourself. It is important to remember your physical, mental, emotional and social needs. If we never relax, we will be wound up more and more and the future will include the tension that you are accumulating now.
Keywords: Detachment. Abandonment. Having too much to do to be able to rest. Issues to do with sleep. Sleeping difficulties. Planning for days off or for retirement. Hustle and bustle. Memories of loved ones. Lounging or sitting under trees. Having permission to stop. Time out. Missing a lover. Beds, sheets, pillows, sofas. A favorite chair. Holidays. Trees and gardens.
The Caution: Deliberately pushing when in need of rest OR not being involved in life’s complexities. Dodging responsibilities. Having nowhere to stay rest or retire. Neglecting time for oneself. Too much work and no play. Areas of life which are not fulfilled. Having so much work there’s no time for relationships. Always being on the go.
It seems that we need to think expansion without overdoing it, optimism while keeping our feet on the ground, getting things done while taking some time off for ourselves. An interesting mix, this full Moon, but one with quite a lot of promise for the parties in the lead-up to the holiday season :)
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