November 24th ~ December 1st
“Bellerophon mounted on Pegasus” by Peter Paul Reubens
Freedom is a package deal ~ with it comes responsibilities and consequences. ~ Unknown
Most of the planets are going to be in mutable (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) signs at the Full Moon in Gemini on Monday, November 27th (or the 26th in some places in the world). Distracting, changeable, noisy and restless, this is a Moon about our freedoms as much as it is about our limitations. And those limitations include those imposed on us by others, as well as those we apply to ourselves and our own actions. This Full Moon is trying to show us the consequences of both: of action and non-action. Of free speech and the limitations on speech.
Mutable signs are moveable and adaptable, and often receptive. We notice more, see more, move around a lot more during the mutable seasons. On Friday, Mars enters the mutable sign of Sagittarius, and will then oppose the Full Moon in the opposite sign of Gemini. Mars in Sagittarius is optimistic and courageous, but can also be associated with justifiable and self-righteous action. But even courageous and justifiable actions can have serious consequences. Therefore action must also be guided by wisdom, and perhaps even a little humility.
The story of Mars in Sagittarius can be told through the lens of the mythological hero, Bellerophon. Bellerophon began his tale, as many heroes do, by being forced into exile due to a terrible tragedy, and then embarking on an epic journey of redemption. In the course of his journeys, Bellerophon would commit many brave deeds, but the myth that he is most known for was slaying the fire-breathing multifaceted beast, Chimera. Chimera can be translated to mean: an impossible or scary fantasy. In order to achieve this task, Bellerophon first captured and then tamed the winged horse Pegasus, with whose help we was then able to successfully subdue the Chimera.
We all have our own chimeras, our own scary monsters that need slaying. Whether it’s the enemy at the door, or our own demons and delusions, Mars in Sagittarius brandishes the weapon of truth in order to slay our phantoms and demons. No one carries the banner for truth and justice quite like Mars in Sagittarius who reveals hypocrisy, exposes lies, and battles for freedom and justice.
Mars in Sagittarius is a wonderful placement for Mars. But it also has its shadow. And that is the shadow of arrogance. After Bellerophon slew the chimera, it went to his head. He became quite arrogant, and decided that a hero of his caliber deserved to take his rightful place amongst the Gods. So mounting Pegasus, he attempted to fly to Mt. Olympus. Displeased by Bellerophon’s audacity, Zeus/Jupiter sent a tiny gadfly to cut him down to size. Gadflies, also known as horseflies, are known for their irritable persistence in annoying their host. And when the gadfly stung Pegasus, he bucked, throwing Bellerophon from the saddle, and back down to earth where he met his demise. Pegasus, on the other hand, continued on to Olympus where he then took his place in Jupiter’s stable.
Mars in Sagittarius is fabulous when motivated by truth and justice, and the desire to do the right thing. But it’s even better when balanced with some humility.
Let then the motive for action be in the action itself, and not in the reward. Do not be incited to actions by the hope of their reward, nor let thy live be spent in inaction. Firmly persisting in yoga, perform thy duty, laying aside all desire for any benefit to thyself from action, making the event equal to thee. ~ so says Krishna to Arjuna in The Bhagavadgita
Gemini is a sign of speech, communication and movement. It is the means by which we share facts and information. With an opposition to Mars, and a square to Saturn, it could present with issues surrounding free speech, vs. the misuse of speech, or deliberately spreading misinformation. Mars is egging us on to action, to say something, to do something. But as soon as Mars enters Sagittarius on Friday, it also makes an exact square to stern and limiting Saturn. So this could look like the attempt to curb free speech, but also the attempt to curb deliberate misinformation. And for us, in our own lives, it could feel like the need to set better limits and boundaries in general: turning down the noise; limiting the amount of news you are listening to; cherry-picking where you get your news from; setting better limits on unnecessary distractions.
And if we find ourselves confronted with Saturn’s limitations, the flexibility of the 6 planets in mutable signs will come in handy. And that is true whether we are blocked by external conditions, or our own inner fears and trepidation. Whenever we are confronted with Saturn in this way, we might want to ask ourselves, whether we have the ability to change our current limitations. And if so, are we willing to put in the work, and make whatever sacrifices are necessary in order to make those changes? It could also be that when we look at our current situation, we recognize the necessity of accepting our current situation for what it is. In which case, we might then ask ourselves: What can I change in my perspective that will allow me to better bear with my current limitations or obligations?
Below are some of the things that we might expect with the Full Moon which falls at 4º Gemini 51’ at 4:17 AM on November 27th, here in New York City (1:17 am Pacific Time, 9:17 am Greenwich time).
Utter distraction, and difficulty sticking to your schedule or plans.
Having to put your previous plans aside in order to deal with some very necessary and immediate circumstances.
Learning how to set appropriate boundaries with others.
Knowing when to speak, and knowing when you’ve probably said more than you should.
What happens when something gets lost in translation.
Feeling conflicted between what you want to do, and what you have to do.
Conflict is the gadfly of thought. It stirs us to observation and memory. It instigates to invention. It shocks us out of sheeplike passivity, and sets us at noting and contriving. ~ John Dewey
For the Full Moon in Gemini horoscopes, click below: