by Robert Wilkinson
This distributing, inspired, structuring, and expansive Full Moon at 4 Sagittarius-Gemini will help us to renewed dedication, education, and skills, and show us Saturn lessons for the year to come. This one is expansive and all over the place, so keep it light, organized, structured, and BE a more mature expression of love, wisdom, intelligence, and understanding. Here we see the clear light of vaster truths expressed in a potentially dis-structured chaos as a prelude to a different type of social expression.
At a Full Moon, that which has opened since the previous New Moon surfaces in a public form, and heads toward the culmination and fruition symbolized by the second half of any cycle. First half, birth into form and field. Second half, culmination and completion of the purpose of that cycle.
That’s why it’s important to regard the New and Full Moon charts as “God’s Footprints in Time,” since one follows the other in an unending sequence of births of newer and newer seeds. The New Moons show us the seeds that will flourish under the reflected light of the Full Moon.
Full Moons heighten feelings, due to the opposition of the Moon and the Sun. This particular Lunation has three other oppositions, showing polarization is extremely strong along two different axes over the next two weeks. Besides the Full Moon, the Moon also opposes both Saturn and Mercury, and Mars is in a wide opposition to Uranus.
These two sets of oppositions creates an interesting dynamic, since the Moon is trine Mars but is separating semisquare to Uranus, while only the Sun makes a forming sextile to Mars, but no aspect to Uranus. However, Mercury makes a trine to Uranus, with no other aspects to any other planet in Fire or Air signs. I’ll discuss more about the aspects in part 3.
Dispositors - What's the Backdrop to the Energies?
The Moon is in Gemini, making Mercury the ruler of the Moon. Mercury is in Sagittarius, which in turn is ruled by Jupiter in Virgo. This means Mercury and Jupiter are in “mutual reception,” a very powerful self-reinforcing energy loop. That means the Moon has both Fire and Earth as its backdrop, helping it to more practical inspiration, and as Mercury makes a binovile to Jupiter, we have spiritual realizations to be found in reconciling apparent opposing energies that share a common basis of spiritual understanding.
The Sun is in Sagittarius, making Jupiter its ruler in worldly affairs, and Neptune in spiritual matters. Since the Sun is ruled by Jupiter, it ultimately leads us to the mutual reception just discussed. That means Mercury and Jupiter are very powerful players in this Lunation, but have to share influence with Venus in Libra, which is the final dispositor of Mars and Uranus, and Neptune, which is a standalone in its home sign of Pisces. You can find out more about dispositors in general, final dispositors, and mutual reception by going to Astrology Class – What Is A Dispositor and What Is Mutual Reception Between Two Planets?
Because Mercury in Sagittarius and Jupiter in Virgo are such powerful influences, be sure to maintain your sense of order and structure as you open to new truths, visions, and adventures as you move through the various Virgo experiences promised by Jupiter leading the Locomotive. Stay open to learning and teaching both basic skills and more advanced ones, seeing it all as a training exercise in learning skill and cooperation with others. Keep embracing the practical higher service of Jupiter in Virgo, and go for permanent wisdom rather than transient knowledge.
The Sabian Symbols for the Full Moon
This Full Moon falls at 4 Sagittarius-Gemini. It is said that the first third (decan) of any sign deals with the actional, physical, and material levels of life, and as the Lunation is in the first decan of those signs, invokes a sub-influence of Sagittarius and Gemini.
Since the Moon always focuses the light of the Sun in specific forms, the degree symbols for both are important. The Sun degree is the illumination or enlightenment of the Lunation, whereas the Moon shows us the potential forms that enlightenment will take. Though I’ve given you a sense of what this is about up to now, here’s where we go into detail.
The Solar degree symbol for the 4th degree of Sagittarius is "A little child learning to walk." In the Jones class notes, Rudhyar says this is a degree of "life's kindliness in creating safe opportunities for growth," "full appreciation of opportunity," and "crisis in self-development."
In "The Astrological Mandala" he states the keynote is "the natural assistance of superior powers during crises of growth." He notes that this symbol is one of overcoming "the power of gravitation, or … learn to use it... to fulfill the purpose of its life." He speaks of a "critical state of growth - growth in freedom, potency, and individuality" as the gateway to "self-induced progress" where we are observed by a "more evolved Power" and get encouragement and examples to model.
He offers that this is a technique to resolve conflict on whatever level it's encountered. He says this degree falls in the Span of Receptiveness, Act of Group Integration, and Scene of Abstraction on the technical degree of the Actional level.
Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, tells us here we can find "the maximum possible encouragement... on the practical or objective side," and be stimulated to new potential skills and character development. Here is "the universal fellowship" which helps us share our blessings with others.
He goes on to tell us that this degree is one of "constant rehearsal and perfecting of function through which the conscious being gains and strengthens its powers." The keyword is INDIVIDUALITY, and when positive, we are told this degree is "exceptional facility for entering experience on its own immediate terms while yet preserving the full genius of self-hood."
Of note is that this is very close to the Nov 2011 Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius, and is the exact degree where Mercury went stationary direct in December 2011. There may be some echoes of that Eclipse, or something related to that Mercury direct station, that shows itself these next two weeks.
The Lunar degree symbol for the 4th degree of Gemini is “Holly and mistletoe.” In the notes from Marc Jones’ class, Rudhyar says the Jones class notes indicate this is a degree of “holiday spirit as an attempt to preserve for individuals the wealth and power of racial background” and “social warmth.”
In the Mandala he goes on to say this is a degree of "a longing for a preintellectual state of consciousness,” where everything that was given form by ego finds itself confronting old memories, or the “remains of ancestral images that once had great vitality and power.” He states that this degree “heralds a resurgence of deeper values and aspirations which had been forced back into the collective unconscious.”
He offers this is about “tradition based archetypes” to be discovered that will show us “a return to source,” even if the situation is somewhat volatile. He says this degree falls in the Span of Zeal, Act of Differentiation, and Scene of Discovery on the technical degree of the Actional level.
Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, says this is a degree of “maximum possible encouragement” for the inner self, and “life’s continual stimulus to every resource of imagination and spiritual appreciation.” He says we can find a “universal richness of experience” by which we can find “the dignity of (our) order and learn to share the magic of (our) own self-renewal.”
He offers us the keyword RITUALIZATION. He states that when this degree is operating in a positive way, it is one of “a gift for fellow participation in every rewarding expression of individuality on all levels of human relationship.”
From these symbols it seems we can see the light of an encouraged learning of skill, and a perfecting of function, helping us enter experience on our own terms. This light will be expressed through discoveries of techniques that help us get to deep levels of our existence, and find ways of expressing our individuality supported by these depth-discoveries. So since it’s a very complex time, strive for simplicity in discovery and expression.
TransPluto, Divine Mother, Neptune, and the Polarization in the Collective Atmosphere
In the Full Moon charts of 2009-2012, Neptune was in a very close opposition to TransPluto, the planet symbolizing Divine Mother Energy. That’s a major factor in why things became so polarized during those years, teaching humanity compassion and the need for Viveka, or Divine Discrimination. This has offered all of us opportunities to join together in the Great Mother and realize our interrelatedness on a feeling level with All-That-Is.
The energies of Divine Mother will only grow stronger throughout this century, and these will be demonstrated each time the planets make significant aspects to TransPluto. In this chart TransPluto is direct at 2 Virgo, showing us the long term future of humanity.
The Divine Redeemer is showing us ways to demonstrate a higher and broader level of discernment through accepting experiences that liberate us so that “compassion and understanding” may come forth. We’re still in the set of lessons related to the period when it occupied the first degree of Virgo in October 2011 through October 2014, as well as the time after that when it occupied 2 Virgo. It began its transit of 2 Virgo in October 2014, remaining there until mid-January 2015 when it retrograded back to 1 Virgo.
It re-entered 2 Virgo in early September 2015, and will stay at that degree until late Feb 2016, when it retrogrades back to 1 Virgo. It then goes forward to 2 Virgo in early August 2016, and stays there until the end of March 2017, when it again retrogrades back to 1 Virgo. As you can see, we’ll be dealing with themes related to 1 and 2 Virgo for a long time to come.
In terms of the larger Era, we’ve now ended the TransPluto (Percephone, Parvati) in Leo era that we knew from September 20, 1935 through July 4, 2014. The transition period where this planet danced at the last degree of Leo and first two degrees of Virgo began October 2011 and ended July 2014.
On July 4, 2014, TransPluto left Leo for many centuries, and entered into Virgo for the next century. It made it to 2 Virgo on October 16, 2014, where it eventually went stationary retrograde. That degree is one of humanity experiencing “a liberating ordeal.” Because it’s Divine Mother, I would think that would mean we all will be tested to allow compassion and understanding to come forth as humanity stands at the crossroads of time.
Of some importance is that Saturn has been squaring TransPluto since December 2014. That has severely tested our ability to be far sighted, compassionate, and discerning in seeing the larger redemptive possibilities of this time in history. In this chart Saturn is now in a waning square to TransPluto, showing us we’ve past the roughest part of the past year’s challenge to find responsible ways to release this “Divine Mother energy.”
Also, when Jupiter recently conjuncted TransPluto in August for the first time in Virgo, it began a new 12 year cycle of how these “Divine Mother energies” will manifest. It also began a new long wave era, since Jupiter will conjunct TransPluto in Virgo every 12 years until the 22nd century!
To finish this brief section, Venus also went stationary retrograde exactly conjunct TransPluto in late July, setting up Venusian manifestations of Divine Mother that will show each and every time 1 Virgo is transited. That means the Venusian Divine Mother promise of late July was expanded, or set into motion somehow, by Jupiter's transit of 1 Virgo in mid-August, and then took expression due to Mars’ transit of that degree in late September, and found “beauty of form” when Venus transited it in early October.
So we’ve officially entered a different Spiritual Era that will last through July 2107, when it leaves Virgo for good and re-enters Libra for the first time in many centuries, also after a few years of dancing on the cusp of Virgo and Libra. I just offered you a bit more about this vast spiritual energy field in Astrology in the Age of Aquarius - Transpluto, a.k.a Divine Mother, Parvati, and Percephone.
A New Look At Mercury Retrograde
As I mentioned in part 1, though Mercury is now moving forward, quickening in its journey through Libra and signs to come, by December it will begin to slow down, preparing to go retrograde in early January at 2 Aquarius, guaranteeing all of us a “cosmic visitation” that will galvanize us to action. While that sounds very dramatic, you can bet you’re going to mobilize in the area of your chart where 2 Aquarius falls.
That’s why if you haven't already gotten your copy, you may want to buy a copy of the new expanded 2nd edition of my pioneering book A New Look At Mercury Retrograde, the 2015 winner in its category of The Indie Spiritual Book Awards.
The first major work on Mercury retrograde ever written, it offers in-depth information about Mercury retrograde people, Mercury retrograde in the various signs and houses, and what the entire Mercury Retrograde phenomenon is about. If you want to know the greater meaning of the recent Mercury retrograde in Libra, or the one before that in Gemini, or the others in any other sign and the influence in the houses, it’s all in there.
By knowing more about 2014's Mercury retrograde periods in Pisces/Aquarius, Cancer/Gemini, and Scorpio/Libra, or 2015’s Mercury retrograde periods in Aquarius, Gemini, and Libra, you may see patterns in what was going on in your life, what you were taking a new look at and why, and how this "looking back" influenced your choices as you moved through past events. And you can get a heads up by taking a look at the coming 2016 Mercury retrograde periods in Aquarius/Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn/Sagittarius. It’s all in the book!
Here's the Createspace link to the page where you can purchase a paperback edition of A New Look at Mercury Retrograde, and here’s the link to where you can order your copy of the ebook copy of A New Look at Mercury Retrograde.
This closes part 2 on this Full Moon. Part 3 will cover important chart factors, aspects, configurations and more, which I'll give you soon.
© Copyright 2015 Robert Wilkinson
A child learning to walk and a world waking up to the sovereign power of their feet ...
"Before the rush the sky will show signs" Nostradamus 9-44
Posted by: sue | November 25, 2015 at 10:32 AM
What a mix of energies and opportunities for what is unfolding now on our planet. Things aren't always easy and these times are no exception but there is hope and sources to deal with current events in different ways. The divine mother energies are a good source and signal, among many other energies and situations at play.
Thanks Robert and ready for part 3!
Blessings be to all.
Posted by: Nic | November 25, 2015 at 11:01 AM