Astrology in May 2013 - On The Threshold of a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse at 5 Sagittarius-Gemini

by Robert Wilkinson

Because we’re having a rare event of three Eclipses in a 29 day span, it’s obviously an intense time! However, these Eclipses are not all the same in duration and effect. Today we begin the Gemini-Sagittarius Lunar Eclipse series. This one’s the Third High Moon of Spring, known as “the Christ Fest.”

Though I gave some of this to you a short while ago, I’ll remind you again that it's always good to remember that no eclipse of itself is "bad," nor do we have anything to fear. There is a lot of superstition about Eclipses, mostly focusing on "dreadful" or difficult elements that often seem to accompany them. However, while all eclipses take something away and/or shut something down, an Eclipse can have beneficial effects if we just know "when to hold 'em, when to fold 'em, when to walk away, and when to run."

What’s included in this post was also relevant in the recent Lunar Eclipse Wesak Festival on April 25-26 at 6 Taurus-Scorpio, as well as the recent Annular Solar Eclipse at 20 Taurus. Though this Full Moon is considered the “Vesak” celebration of the Buddha’s birthday in many areas in the East that use Sidereal astrological positions, for our purposes this Full Moon of Gemini-Sagittarius is the Christ Fest, where the World Teacher takes the “wisdom form” set into motion at the Wesak and distributes it to the world as a spiritual teaching for the rest of the year.

The Three High Moons this year include the Full Moon at 7 Aries-Libra, the Wesak Eclipse at 6 Taurus-Scorpio, and this Christ Fest Eclipse at 5 Gemini-Sagittarius. The first showed as the Life force for the year, the second set this year’s “Buddha wisdom” into motion, and this one will distribute it to the world.

The Wesak Eclipse will be particularly strong for just over 3 months, and still affect the entire year. This Eclipse is very short in duration, and in fact will only show Eclipse effects for about 2 weeks, the normal influence for a Full Moon. The recent Solar Eclipse will show effects for 45 months.

Eclipses are both dreaded and misunderstood recurring phenomena. Solar Eclipse effects last for several years, while Lunar Eclipse effects last for a few months.

This Penumbral Lunar Eclipse is also the fulfillment of the recent New Moon in Taurus. This “Christ Fest” or “World Teacher” Full Moon happens on May 24, 9:25 pm PDT, 12:25 am EDT May 25, and 5:25 am Greenwich Daylight time on May 25. It will last 33+ minutes, showing an influence that will last about 16-17 days. This is an Eclipse with a VERY short duration. In fact, the recent Wesak Eclipse, which will show Eclipse effects for about 3 ½ months, will still be in play after this Gemini-Sag Full Moon Eclipse fades.

Today we'll discuss a lot about eclipses in general and a little about this one. In following articles I'll elaborate on the Astro-physics of the phenomenon, who is most affected by this Eclipse, symbols, aspects, patterns, and what we can expect from this Penumbral Lunar Eclipse at 5 Gemini-Sagittarius.

Even if you already read this over the past several weeks, I’ll take this moment to offer that I've composed quite a few articles on past eclipses in the archives that bear re-visiting, since the Solar Eclipses of 2010, 2011, and 2012 are still manifesting results, if traditional Eclipse lore is to be believed. (The July 2009 Eclipse effects just ended in December, while the January 2010 Solar Eclipse will still be in play through September 2013).

Core material about the timeline of Eclipse effects can be found in the article, The Solar Eclipse - What It Means and Its Effect On Our Life, as well as many other elements of what we can expect from these recurring celestial events. Links to recent eclipses are at the bottom of this article.

Also, here's another important article explaining even more about what effects we can expect to result from Lunar and Solar Eclipses. For your reconsideration, The Solar and Lunar Eclipse - Is Any Eclipse Destined to Have Bad Effects?

To whet your appetites, here is a bit from the article:

There is a lot of fear and trepidation connected to Eclipses, an unfortunate leftover from previous centuries when Eclipses were believed to augur the fall of empires, dynasties, and powerful people anywhere the Eclipse shadow fell. While Eclipses do tend to shut down some elements in the area of life (house) in which they fall, this is not necessarily a bad thing, since we must bring some things to an end if we are to embrace newer, better ways of doing our Being. While the future effects of an Eclipse may be powerful, in that they last over a long period, they are not necessarily bad.

No Astrological event need be "bad," or have "evil" effects, regardless of whether we're using Vedic, Chinese, Western, or any other approach to defining "All-That-Is" within a precise system of space-time factors. Though a circumstance may seem to have "bad" omens for the future, we can always transcend any negativity and turn the future to beneficent possibilities. No matter where an Eclipse falls, we can turn it to good.

Here it is important to remember Astrology is NOT a "predictive" art, in the usual way this is understood. The craft is less deterministic than most believe, including we professional Astrologers who seem to be able to "hit the mark" regarding future manifestations.

Pattern is everything, and time is a continuity. By knowing the past and present, we can often extrapolate the future. But we can never know how a being will respond to any given life challenge, whether pleasant or painful. Each has their ability to respond as they choose in the moment.

This directly related to the concept that each planet has a duality of function. It is up to us to determine whether the Moon, Sun, Mercury or any other planet involved in eclipses, "bad" aspects, configurations and other phenomena manifests productively or non-productively.

To remind you, a square can be more productive than a trine, and an opposition can produce awareness. Polarization is only a problem on the ego level. Seen from a higher angle, oppositions are necessary for us to acquire objectivity and the ability to encompass duality within a higher view.

By all means, check out the entire article, since I explained how past eclipses affected my chart, and gave examples of the good that can come after an eclipse removes old patterns. This Penumbral Lunar Eclipse in Gemini-Sagittarius active for the next two weeks as an Eclipse and the World Teaching over the next year will show us the light and power of “reaching beyond established forms,” where the ideas we have that have been “bound in form” will show us other views and other realities.

This will lead us to a “translucid wisdom,” as well as a peace and poise in expressing whatever higher awareness we value. This takes the power of our ability to live our lives on multiple levels and find fulfillment and happiness on all of them expressed as a guardianship, concentrated in becoming good “bridge builders” expressed as tearing ourselves away from the known and familiar, and gives us the light of efficiency, sympathy, and reform expressed as “mellow judgment,” confidence, self-worth, and poise. This will shut down old Gemini and Sagittarius energy and open new potential wherever we have 5 Gemini-Sag in our charts.

This one will bring new discoveries in dimensions previously unknown to our minds, and those who can go deeper, understanding the role the subconscious mind plays in what’s going on, will find high specialization and interpretive gifts coming to them. This Eclipse has many quintiles, showing multiple opportunities to expand along lines we’ve prepared for since September-October 2012.

This is where “the God within” is showing us how to rouse our intention to grow and expand in some integral way wherever we have 20-23 Gemini. This Eclipse will be brief and intense in its effects, and while some things will explode beyond the old form, on the whole this will be an incredibly beneficial in opening us to new views, new ideas, new interpretations, and new ways to envision what we want to see presented to us in the near future.

Though ideas and communications will be prominent, deciding and acting are how we will approach the issues presented these next two weeks (and teaching of the year). This is a time to examine old ideas and approaches and get rid of those views that do not serve the expanding future. This is a time of multilevel integration practices, where we can allow our minds to be vehicles for the Soul, finding self-confidence in our Spiritual awareness cultivated up to now. Whatever is taken away will leave us with a sense of peace and poise.

Whatever is stripped away will leave a void to be filled with more diverse understanding and views that help us to achieve a “Soulful state of mind,” so as with other Eclipses, learn to hold the empty space with patience and a sense of attracting what you need “to perfect the great work” between late June and mid-November 2013.

It will bring a greater awareness around recent and current losses, and show us the power of holding the void. Whatever is shut down by this Penumbral Lunar Eclipse creates a space for new ideas, new interpretation of truths or philosophical understanding, and new views that can help us get new ways of communicating, freed of old mental concepts and complexes.

We’ll be tested on these things on June 5, 6, and 7, when Mars transits this Eclipse Sun. So whatever Gemini functions are shut down will bring new activity quickly, these in some way related to developments, ideas, lessons, and discoveries of late June and early July 2012 that were set into motion in February 2013.

All Eclipses radically transform areas affected by the planetary positions, so look to where you have 5 Gemini and 5 Sagittarius to see what will be shut down over the next two weeks. Those life areas will yield alternative views and a new higher understanding. Those who have been clear about role, function, and precise imagery should see “the appearance of the Beloved on the balcony of consciousness.” Given the nodes, we “gain through loss,” and will need to go deeper to understand how to clean out images in the subconscious mind that do not serve our need for spiritual self-mobilization.

In this “World Teaching” Penumbral Lunar Eclipse at 5 Sagittarius-Gemini, we see the most important factors are Mercury and Venus conjunct Jupiter, with all quintile Uranus. The Lunation forms a Mutable T-square with Neptune, releasing energy into early Virgo. All T-squares hold integrative promise, and in this case it deals with our relationship to collective consciousness and the common feelings we share with all others through all time.

This one will help us mobilize toward getting clear about the roles we’re playing, the roles we’re NOT playing, and move us into the step plan of our work. We will need imagination, a way to assimilate what we’ve seen and learned with new things we’re seeing and learning, and this should provide us with skill in the precise use of doing what needs to be done “to win a prize or a free ride.” Pay attention to details, work the routine while getting a new view and understanding, and you should be able to mobilize in natural ways while seeing the manifestation of some heart’s desire you’ve held up to now.

Wherever we have Gemini is the focus of Light, Life, and expansion into greater views, and the houses where we have Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Sagittarius, and Pisces will see tremendous growth these next two weeks. Go as deep as you need to over the next two weeks, and you could see some things about subconsciousness that will help you to a deeper inner knowing and trust. More to come in future articles.

More on the Solar Eclipses of 2011 and 2012

Though 2012 was no slouch in terms of Eclipse effects, 2011 was a rare year that offered us 6 Eclipses in one year, 4 Solar and 2 Lunar. We had the first Partial Solar Eclipse in January, we had the second one June 1-2, the third one on July 1, and a final one November 24-25! The 2 Lunar Eclipses were also Total Eclipses, following what we saw in December 2010.

While the Lunar Eclipses are no longer in force, the 4 Solar Eclipses of 2011 will affect us for a long time to come, so take a look at the numerous January, June, July, and November 2011 Eclipse articles in the archives. While you’re at it, you may also want to review the articles on the 2012 Solar Eclipses, since they’re also still in major play at the present time and into the future. Some links are at the bottom of this page.

The Solar Eclipses of January and June 2011 brought blessings upon us since they happened. We've simply been challenged to let go of old life patterns that no longer serve the emergent Archetypes we've been living the past two years. Due to such things as the Grand Irrationality and the various Cardinal T-squares and Crosses set up by Uranus in Aries square Pluto in Capricorn, we're all going through major changes that will affect our lives for many years. It may have been a wild ride, but power and new potentials have resulted from our choices.

Since the past is prologue to the future, those who prepared, learned, and allowed themselves to be moved into new ways of relating to others in 2011 have found in 2012 an activation of a concrete higher power or value they can trust. Those who have not shown kindness and understanding at critical junctures in the past three years have reaped consequences. Our ability to become an elegant and balanced Spiritual Warrior has been put to the test in diverse ways, and 2011 made clear the consequences for seeking what we have sought.

In 2012 we had two Solar Eclipses. The first one in May was Annular, whereas the one on November 13-14 was a Total Solar Eclipse at 22 Scorpio. We also had two Lunar Eclipses. The one on June 4 was a Partial Lunar Eclipse at 15 Sagittarius/Gemini, and marked the "Christ Fest," the third of the 3 "High Moons" of Spring. The Lunar Eclipse on November 28 was a Penumbral Eclipse that fell at 7 Gemini/Sagittarius. That Eclipse showed effects through mid-March 2013. Please check the archives to find out more if you’re so inclined.

Though there are always endings associated with any Eclipse, these open the space we need to align with Spirit in natural and productive ways. Take a new look to see what really matters and what you do and do not want to bring with you into the new world you're already living.

We've all blasted off into new realms in the past couple of years, and now are moving into a time of stabilizing our long term plans. This Eclipse helps us open to new ideas and perspectives leading us to a greater peace, poise, and wisdom.

See you soon with more on this 2013 Gemini-Sagittarius Lunar Eclipse!

To check out the June 2011 Solar and Lunar Eclipses and their influences, here's Important Cosmic Influences Happening in late June and July 2011. The January eclipses can be found in the corresponding archives.

For more about the November 2011 Solar Eclipse with links to the 2011 Gemini Solar Eclipse, please check out The Solar Eclipse at 3 Sagittarius November 24-25, 2011 Pt. 3 - Signs, Sabian Symbols, and What It All Means. (You can follow the internal links in this article to the previous articles about this specific Eclipse.)

For more about the May 2012 Annular Solar Eclipse, here’s The Solar Eclipse at 1 Gemini May 20-21 2012 Pt. 3 (You can follow the internal links in this article to the previous articles about this specific Eclipse.)

For more about the 2012 Scorpio Total Solar Eclipse, here’s The Total Solar Eclipse at 22 Scorpio Nov 13-14, 2012 Pt. 3 - Signs, Sabian Symbols, and What It All Means. (You can follow the internal links in this article to the previous articles about this specific Eclipse.)

For more about the recent Taurus Annular Solar Eclipse, please go into the archives, as there are quite a few articles explaining how this will impact all of us over the next 45 months.

© Copyright 2013 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[Judy Croome (@judy_croome)]

OH MY GOSH. I have been obsessed with playing Kenny Rogers singing THE GAMBLER and that refrain "you got know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run" has been buzzing around in my head non-stop the last six weeks. I hope after this last eclipse is over I can have silence in my head!(And I have done a lot of folding and walking away - no, running!- over the past six weeks as well. Lots of clearing out and releasing going on. :) Thank goodness for astrology and your column which helps me keep grounded and rational.

[Bev]

Robert, I have both my Pluto 19 degrees and Uranus 10 degrees in Leo. With the historic alignment between Pluto and Uranus how will this affect me? Bev

[Cathy]

Hi Robert, jupiter by transit is at 22 degrees gemini 10th house. hoping i'm just having a bad moment. Aum Cathy

[Robert]

Hi Judy - You're most welcome. And yes, maybe your inner muse is singing something to you in these times! ;-)

Hi Bev - Well, you could have Pluto at 19 Leo and Uranus at 10 Cancer, but not both in Leo where you say. When Uranus was at 10 Leo, Pluto was in early Virgo. Anyway, you didn't give me enough info for me to answer your question, which is too extensive for a comment stream. It will affect you 10,000 ways.

Hi Cathy - Lots of "bad moments" going on for a lot of people. This Eclipse will be short-lived and fairly good and trouble free, except for those with something they've neglected around 3-8 Gemini, Virgo, Sag, or Pisces.

[Cathy]

Oh, Hi Robert, ok 6 pisces natal moon with neptune sitting on it,just my shadow. Thanks!!! hAVE TO CLEAN UP THAT SHADOW!!

[Matt]

Lunar eclipse on my "wise" Uranus. Lovely. Didn't Mercury go SRx at this degree last fall? Any connection?

[Lucy]

I noticed all the quintiles in the Lunar eclipse chart and did a 5th harmonic chart to see how they would all fall out. Oh, my. It made a big grand square in fixed, and a Thor's hammer with Mars at the apex. It looks ominous to me but maybe it's just my mood.

[debbie]

oh my, chiron at 6 pisces, pluto at 6 virgo and mars will be conjunct my vertex, looking for the good possibilities.

[chickie]

Ur Highness.....not sure how the asteroids play this moondance
...my Ceres is 5 Sag and my ISIS is 5 Leo....

[Bev]

Robert, I made a mistake in my last question.

Robert, I have both Pluto 19 degrees 55' Retrograde in Leo and Uranus 10 degrees 04' Retrograde in Cancer. With the historic alignment between Pluto and Uranus how will this affect me? And what are your thoughts on the eclipse on 5/24 with this alignment? Sun- Pisces, Moon - Aires,Asc. - Cancer. Bev

[Heather]

Hi Robert, does the span of 20-23 Gemini include a degree or two either side? My rising is at 25'18" Gemini...thanks!

[Robert]

Hi Cathy - Great for tuning into the collective. Just be careful to stay focused on the signal and try to ignore the noise.

Hi Matt - Meet the New Uranus, not the same as the old Uranus. Good catch on the Mercury stationary rx on the Lunar degree of this Eclipse. Connect the dots. Revisit those Mercury RX articles to know more....

Hi Lucy - Certain complete harmonics will form dynamic aspects with each other. And of course, Uranus square Pluto is the key to everything.

Hi debbie - You can be healed into your Higher Self by tuning into the collective need and/or vibe. You have the power of Divine Discernment, which can help transform the collective in subtle but powerful ways.

Hi chickie - Well, since I don't really do asteroids, I shouldn't offer anything. But it would imply that some manifestation of Ceres is leaving, to be replaced with a new one.

Hi Bev - Yes, I noted it. Again, it will affect you in countless ways. You need good Libra skills. Study the symbols for 11 Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. Cannot possibly comment on how Eclipses would specifically impact your chart in a comment stream, since there are too many possibilities. It would take me an hour in a session to explore most of them, and that would transcribe to about 25-30 pages.

Your Cancer rising is in upheaval. Again, there is a need for balance and perspective. And as I noted in an earlier comment, be clear about who you are, what you're feeling, what you know or feel you know, within the context of increasing sensitivity to the collective soup you're moving through. You're headed for a new adventure in self discovery, which will reorient your allegiances. Prepare for major developments coming soon. Signs, signals, and connections in June, major expansion in July and August. You'll be doing much better by early August.

Hi Heather - That's where Jupiter is at this Eclipse. And yes, it's headed straight for your Ascendant as we speak. New adventures on the way very soon! And there is a Mercury-Venus-Jupiter conjunction that happens at 24 Gemini. You will have major discoveries and changes over the next year. One phase will be set into motion in mid-June, the other in early July.

[Christy]

Hi Robert -- so regarding 'cancer rising in upheaval"

all the advice therein, would also then apply to someone with the Sun in Cancer @ 12 degrees 45 minutes - is that correct?

thanks

[Iris]

Hi Robert - thanks for this article - current Pluto/Uranus square opposing and squaring natal chart angles with Uranus conjunct Desc & NSun.
The Lunar Eclipse falls on NMoon/Saturn conjunction in Sag.
Seems to be a positive thing, so far. Definitely shaking things up.

[debbie]

Thank you Robert

[caliban]

'mobilizing in a natural way' . . . music to my ears. 'Heart's desire' has found renewal. I feel joy amongst the blossoms.