EcoAstrology Update: Sagittarius-Gemini Full Moon June 2, 2015

By Stephanie Austin

EcoAstrology: Sagittarius-Gemini Full Moon

Important Dates:
June 2: Full Moon (11º49’ Sagittarius-Gemini); Ceres Rx (9º Aquarius)
June 11: Mercury D+ (4º Gemini)
June 12: Neptune Rx (10º Pisces); D+ November 18 (7º Pisces)
June 14: Saturn re-enters Scorpio (until 9/17); Sun conjunct Mars (23º Gemini)

“There are no facts, only interpretations.” -- Friedrich Nietzsche

“If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything." -- Mark Twain

“The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.” -- Gloria Steinem

May 31, 2015
Dear Friends,

The next full moon peaks Tuesday morning at 9:19 AM PDT. All full moons bring light to the dark, illuminating what has been in the shadows of two opposing areas of our life. This full moon spotlights the signs of Gemini and Sagittarius, urging us to examine the signal to noise ratio of our life. How much of what we are reading, watching, and hearing is truly informing or empowering? How much is distracting, draining, and dis-empowering?

Gemini seeks to gather and share information; Sagittarius aims to discover truth and meaning. We have more data than ever before, but not necessarily more wisdom; we possess more time-saving devices, but seemingly less time. Every day 100 billion emails, 20 billion texts, and 500 million tweets fly through cyberspace. One edition of The New York Times contains more news than someone living in the 17th century encountered in their lifetime. According to Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO, “Between the dawn of civilization through 2003, about five exabytes of information was created. Now that much information is created every two days.”

Our bodies are not designed to process so much information. We may multitask, but in reality our brain is rapidly shifting attention from one thing to another. This constant switching burns more glucose, which makes us feel more exhausted and disoriented. Research shows that when we’re multitasking, we actually take much longer to accomplish things, make more mistakes, and increase our stress — one study found cognitive losses from multitasking greater than those from pot‑smoking. Multitasking increases cortisol and adrenaline levels, and triggers a dopamine-addiction feedback loop. Constant stimulation co-opts the same brain systems involved in addiction, activating our more unconscious, reactive limbic system rather than our self-aware prefrontal cortex.

So, how do we step off of the information treadmill? Neptune at 10° Pisces forms a T-square with this full moon, pointing us towards another way of perceiving and knowing. Intuition is nonlinear and non-temporal; it connects us with an intelligence far beyond the bounds of logic and our five senses. To access it, we have to slow down and tune inward, or else we miss the signals coming from our sixth sense. Inspiration as well as illusion are heightened by Neptune’s approaching station on June 12.

Whenever a planet turns retrograde or direct, it appears to slow down and hover for several weeks before and after it changes direction, intensifying its archetypal energy and focus on that part of the zodiac. Neptune turns retrograde at 9ª49’ Pisces and turns direct on November 18 at 7º01’ Pisces; it again reaches 9º49’ Pisces on March 8, 2016. Neptune also squares Mercury, Mars, and Saturn, as well as the Sun and Moon, revealing where we have been in denial, and challenging us to adopt a very different operating system -- the divine intelligence available in our heart.

The busier we are, the more we need quiet, soul time; even a few minutes before we head out the door can make a huge difference in how the rest of our day goes. Mindfulness and meditation practices strengthen our ability to be more centered and less reactive; we make fewer errors and see alternatives more readily. We become more self-reliant and less easily influenced by others. Meditation has also been shown to reduce cortisol, increase serotonin, and strengthen the immune system. For a good introduction on the different kinds of meditation and their effects, read Lawrence LeShan’s book How to Meditate. Leslie Temple Thurston offers a beautiful guided Conscious Awareness Meditation you can download here.

Mercury is halfway through its second retrograde phase of the year (May 18 to June 11, from 13º to 4º Gemini), reminding us that our thinking matters as much as our spoken words. Thoughts are boomerangs. We can’t think a judgmental thought about someone else without feeling that negative energy ourselves; conversely, appreciation and gratitude given to others nourishes and elevates us as well. We can literally make ourselves sick by angry or blaming thoughts; chronic anger and resentment often lead to inflammatory conditions in the body, from headaches and arthritis to thyroid and liver disorders. Dishonesty towards ourselves or others also has physical and psychological consequences. Worry about being caught in lies increases stress and cortisol levels, which in turn suppresses our immune system. Lying also increases norepinephrine, which elevates heart rate and blood pressure. Our psyche and body respond to white lies as well as lies of omission; sometimes the most damage occurs from what we don’t say.

With the Sun in Gemini until June 21, Mars in Gemini until June 23, and Mercury in Gemini until July 8, we have extra cosmic support for bringing more mindfulness and honesty into our communications and relationships. June 14 Saturn re-enters Scorpio, where it remains until September 17, turning the light back up in the basement of our psyches, impelling us to deal with what’s been stashed in our unconscious. The Sun’s conjunction with Mars the same day at 23º Gemini can heighten our courage and/or our reactivity; beware of jumping to conclusions. If you catch yourself feeling angry, ask: What need(s) of mine are not being met? If you are the recipient of someone else’s anger, remember that anger is almost always a cover for fear. It’s less threatening to show anger than hurt, sadness, or fear. Nonviolent Communication (NVC) offers simple but powerful tools for getting to the real issues and solutions; watch a helpful video here.

This full moon highlights Aldebaran (9º47’ Gemini), one of the brightest and easiest stars to see in the night sky, as it appears close to the Pleiades and Orion’s belt. Aldebaran is the eye of the bull in the constellation of Taurus, associated in many different traditions with the opening of the third eye. Aldebaran is also one of the four Royal Stars of Persia which marked the equinoxes and solstices in ancient times. As the “Watcher of the East,” Aldebaran is linked with Archangel Michael and divine illumination. This full moon also highlights Antares (9º52’ Sagittarius), the brightest star in the constellation of Scorpio; its Arabic name means ‘the heart of the scorpion.‘ Antares is the “Watcher of the West,” associated with Archangel Uriel, truth, and transformation. The opposition of Aldebaran and Antares instructs us to become conscious creators by aligning mind and heart, insight and passion, wisdom and love.

This full moon asks us to contemplate: Are we in our right mind? Are we using our right brain? Are we listening to our inner guidance? It reminds us: “In an age of acceleration, nothing can be more exhilarating than going slow. And in an age of distraction, nothing is so luxurious as paying attention. And in an age of constant movement, nothing is so urgent as sitting still.” (Pico Iyer)

Namaste,
Stephanie Austin
www.EcoAstrology.com
360-379-3060
PO Box 1745 Port Townsend, WA 98368

Stephanie Austin M.A. is a full time astrologer specializing in life purpose, career, and relationship readings since 1986. She also teaches astrology and writes the New and Full Moon column for the Mountain Astrologer magazine. Her background includes a bachelor's degree in Psychology, a master's in Consciousness Studies, and a lifelong involvement with meditation, Nature, and healing. For more information on her astrology readings, eBooks, tutorials, and forecasts, visit www.EcoAstrology.com.

These new and full moon updates are sent as a service to my astrology clients, students, and friends. To subscribe for 25 updates a year via PayPal, click on http://ecoastrology.com/forecast.html, or send a check for $12 (or more) to Stephanie Austin, Box 1745, Port Townsend, WA 98368, along with your email address. Your support is greatly appreciated!


Resources

Starved for Time? Here's a Surprising-and Easy-Solution by Christine Carter here.
3 short, powerful videos on what karma really is and how to end it with Eckhart Tolle:
• Trapped in Karma: Sleep Walking click here
• Transmuting Karma click here
• How to Become Free From the Wheel of Karma click here.

June 1st: The Psychology of the Future, an online video series with 30 visionaries here.

©2015 Stephanie Austin | PO Box 1745 Port Townsend, WA 98368
Web Version  Forward  Unsubscribe

Powered by Mad Mimi®
A GoDaddy® company