We have a Full Moon in Gemini on 3.47 pm GMT on 3rd December 2017. Mercury, associated with Gemini as it’s traditional ruler, is making a conjunction to Saturn, and has just turned retrograde. Neptune is precisely squaring this Full Moon, which highlights the theme of real versus illusion.
While Venus and the Sun are sojourning through Sagittarius, Mercury and Saturn are at its edge about to change signs into Capricorn. Mercury’s usually short conjunction with Saturn is extended since he abruptly goes retrograde during this conjunction. When a planet stations before going retrograde its symbolism can seem that much stronger because it is poised on a degree area for a longer time than usual.
His conjunction to Saturn is for an entire week beginning at this Full Moon. So this Full Moon has a very Mercury-Saturn feel. We might get fixed in our mental patterns, build up barriers to protect ourself and our belief systems that reinforce that limited sense of identity. The sense might be that we can’t quite let go of that which we need to let go of, not quite yet, perhaps later in January when this conjunction re-forms, it will be the time.
Saturn brings to Mercury a stark taste of reality, especially with Mercury’s themes – of mind, verbal and written speech, our mental capacities, communication and travel. When Mercury finally slips from Sagittarius into Capricorn on 10th January, meeting Saturn again on 12th January in Capricorn, we will get another message about this, so whatever happens at this Full Moon is integrated further on 12th.
This is a time for listening, awareness, witnessing, not jumping to conclusions, waiting and trusting. There’s a lot happening behind the scenes. These times are for us to deeply trust in the unfolding process of our healing and the healing of those around us too, that we love.
Many are still clinging on, more and more by their finger tips, living in a realm of illusion and fear. The more we cling and resist the greater the internal and external pressure placed upon us. At this Full Moon, Saturn together with Neptune are working to expose what we give our energy to, what we believe is real and where we refuse to step into what is the ultimate reality which is our Divine essence. This Full Moon is the cosmos’ attempt to reveal to us where we are still playing out patterns of separation consciousness.
It is not the time to make big decisive decisions for the forthcoming year. You might feel that there are decisions to be made, but it’s not the time. Stop cycling and looping options in your mind, or conversely fixating on one option. Let them be and let them percolate. Next year is the time.
Next year is the time to start really bringing into our awareness how do we actually ground our roots more, lay the deeper foundations for the future. Some will be facing up to very real limitations. Limitations and restrictions are never there to work against you. You can fight them or pretend they don’t exist, but there is no escaping Saturn’s reality checks.
Saturn is only there in our best interest and making peace with him will be essential for us to truly get what we want. He is keeping you focused on what really counts and matters. One thing at a time, get used to this type of working through things and resist avoiding and also forcing.
This ‘coming to terms with what is reality and what is illusion’ is Saturn and Neptune’s domain. Saturn puts a limit on something, he puts limits on our awareness, on our perceptions. He says no, that’s just not possible right now, even with all the best intention and work, you need to wait and get to grip with other things first.
With Mercury currently in Sagittarius it’s all still just words and the bigger picture. With Mercury’s conjunction to Saturn there’s a need to prove it. We are feeling the push to make good on our words, but again, we are at the precipice of this.
We will slowly and surely come fully into our embodiment, our spirit more deeply anchored into our body, and this is a slow process, most of the time. Only from this place can we fully receive and step into our soul purpose. Resist getting pulled into many different directions and ideas at (it’s lowest vibration at least). At times we have to focus and commit to one thing, rather than put our fingers in many pies.
Essentially this all comes down to understanding rhythm and cycles. Saturn teaches us that the good stuff comes in it’s own good time, and if we diversify our energy too much and don’t really feel into what it is we are truly here to bring into form, then we are not satisfying Saturn.
This is not the time for new beginnings, but it is the time for consolidation and bringing more structure to things already in existence. With Mercury retrograde, this time until Christmas, is about rethinking and restructuring. Don’t be afraid to look at things with the fresh perspective of Saturn; it’s very helpful to sort what’s real and true from what’s fake (news), illusionary and without meaning for you.
With Saturn moving into Capricorn on 19th December 2017, there’s an even greater emphasis on getting to grips with reality, and for the forthcoming three years, it’s a grounding process. Saturn is the planet that says no to having everything you want. He says you can have it, but you must prove you are prepared to work for it. He strengthens our armour and boundaries, but for good reasons, we need the experience of Saturn if we are to fully come into our power, authority and leadership.
Touching upon 2018, we have many slower moving planets changing signs. This is a completely different and new gear. When outer planets change signs, the feeling is that everything is in motion. Many of these slower planets are changing into feminine signs of earth, with Saturn into earthy Capricorn, and Uranus into earthy Taurus. This supports Jupiter’s recent ingress into feminine, watery Scorpio. The stronger emphasis on the feminine is unavoidable.
So to put these changes into a nutshell for now. Jupiter is now in Scorpio, ending in November 2018, this in many ways sets the tone for the upcoming year: mining spiritual wisdom associated with matters of transformation, sexual and body awareness and experience, & our capacity to have a deep conversation when it really matters.
Saturn in Capricorn, will shortly square the Aries Point (over the next three weeks) bringing together the individual with the collective or public spheres. This highlights themes of family, our personal relationship to corporate and governmental institutions. This is also the beginning of the major Saturn-Pluto conjunction of 2020 (more on that later another time).
Next year Chiron will also change signs for the first time since 2010 entering Aries. Aries is a masculine sign and is about identity, & Chiron in Aries will make us think about what our identity is in relationship to an age when we don’t really identify as spiritual beings in a human body.
Uranus will enter feminine Taurus after 7 years in Aries. He has been a part of two significant alignments: the seven-part Uranus-Pluto square (revolution and the deconstruction of old structures), and the Uranus-Eris conjunction (the impact of digital conditions on individuals and society). Now his move into Taurus, will focus attention on physical reality, and the impact of our digital and technology society, amongst many other themes.
With Neptune’s square at this Full Moon, we can expect to feel somewhat dreamy, and the emotions can feel high. Saturn and Neptune, both two ends of the reality-illusion spectrum (whether Saturn or Neptune is the reality is always up for debate) work well together and this combination means neither end takes over. I think we are getting a glimpse of next year with this Full Moon, and what is yet to come.
