Astrology May 21-30 (♊️I): A Curious Wind

The Sun enters the first decan of Gemini late on May 20^th. There is a rapid acceleration as we leave the slow, Saturnian end of Taurus, and set foot in the first face of Gemini, for here the Sun shifts its spotlight from the static weight of earth to the constant flux of air. The twins are inhale and exhale, and their aerial binary is embodied in every breath, every word spoken and heard.

There is an expansive, curious and exploratory quality to the first decan of Gemini, which the Sun will be in until May 31^st. The dual formula of the twins divides all, and it is here, in the first decan that we witness the birth of analysis. The mind’s sharp knives break time into day and night, divide being into mind and body, cut hands into left and right. These primordial pairings quickly multiply, as two becomes four, and four becomes eight. In a blink we go from two to sixty-four, from there to countless categories. This is the blessing and curse of the binary virus, whose original vector was that of the forbidden apple picked long ago.

Yet these divisions, like mathematics itself, are not purely theoretical. From analysis is born technique, and from technique, skill. It is thus no surprise that the figures which appear in this decan are consummately skilled. Ibn Ezra describes a woman floating in the air, gifted in needlework. The Yavanajataka pictures a rainbow-garlanded warrior clutching shining arrows,

the tools of his craft arrayed before him. Meanwhile, Agrippa shows a man with a professor’s rod, knowledgeable in science and the art of numbers. This variety of figures thus shows that the emphasis is on skill, whether the art be peaceable, such as sewing; warlike, such as archery; or abstract, such as mathematics.

Yet the binary poison which makes all analysis, and thus skill, possible, is not without its dangers. The intellective virus spreads without concern, colonizing experience as it goes. Too much analysis yields too many options, the excess of which can generate paralysis and anxiety. We see this possibility in the bound figure of the RWS Tarot’s Eight of Swords. The power to circulate and explore is also the power to scatter and dissipate. Indeed, in the context of the first decan of Gemini, the Picatrix speaks of talismans “tailored to promote someone losing his mind and becoming deranged.”

Though the gusts of Gemini’s first decan have the potential to confuse, they can also lift us out of ruts and blow us toward new places and ideas. This curious breeze guides us down unexplored avenues of both travel and thought. It is the fresh air of curiosity. Our goal is thus to circulate, but not dissipate; to spread out, but not to scatter.

The events which take place during the Sun’s time in the first decan of Gemini are as varied as the crafts practiced by the figures mentioned above. The challenge is to retain center while whirling about, to explore and enjoy subplots without losing the thread of the primary arc.

The Sun Trine Mars

The Sun in Gemini perfects a trine with Mars in Aquarius on May 23^rd. The solar and martial fires here both serve to heat the air, stimulating gusts of thought and movement. This trine also turns the Sun’s golden eye toward what, exactly, Mars is up to. As Mars has quite a bit planned for his 3^rd quarter retrograde, a little foreshadowing is helpful indeed.

Jupiter Trine Neptune

Although it is only exact on the 24^th, the trine between Jupiter in Scorpio and Neptune in Pisces is active throughout the decan. Jupiter in Scorpio advocates emotional growth, particularly the transmutation of pain into wisdom, and Neptune places these processes in a larger, deeper, and gentler context. Their trine pours a soothing, healing bath in which to relax and reflect. This trine is the second in a series of three that began in December 2017 and whose third installment will arrive in August.

Venus Opposite Saturn

The first half of the decan is somewhat cramped by the opposition of Venus and Saturn, which perfects on May 25^th. Serious, dutiful Saturn in Capricorn constricts fun and comfort-loving Venus in Cancer. This opposition highlights the friction between obligation and play. You may be able to reconcile the two, or you may need to temporarily prioritize one over the other.

The Full Moon in Sagittarius

The most important moment during this decan is, no doubt, the Full Moon in Sagittarius on the 29^th. As I wrote in my daily entry about this lunation:

While the Sun in Gemini I scatters its stimulating rays in all directions, the Full Moon in Sagittarius points to the need for coherent efforts and centered attention. Although it is possible to accomplish many things, and rapidly, a moment of focus is required for each. Consider the archer’s-eye viewpoint, and narrow your gaze to one target at a time.

Although this lunation is not configured strongly to much else on a planetary level, it lines up with two potent fixed stars. The Moon reaches maximum fullness while configured to the antagonistic Antares, the Scorpion’s Heart. Meanwhile, the Sun will be conjoined sturdy Aldebaran, the Bull’s Eye. While the planets trot, run, bump, and grind, the stars hold their position. The planets thus speak to the changeable, while the stars testify to what endures. Thus what occurs on this Full Moon may well have more permanent implications than it might seem Think well about what you do while beneath its light, for those actions are more likely to echo in time.

Mercury Enters Gemini

Mercury ingresses into Gemini on the 29^th, shortly after the Full Moon. The messenger is at home in the dual-bodied sign, and thus favorable for works of transportation, cogitation and communication. Mercury’s entrance into the first decan of Gemini doubles down on the potential for both rapid circulation and frivolous dissipation. At this point, Mercury will be near top speed, and so will only be in Gemini until June 12^th — less than two weeks.