The Full Moon arrives on May 26th 7.13 am ET / 1.13 pm CET at 5 degrees Sagittarius. The Lunar Nodes are at 10 degrees Sagittarius and Gemini, which means that this Full Moon is an eclipse.
Eclipses occur when the New Moon or Full Moon occurs within 18 degrees of the North Node or South Node of the Moon. Every six months the New Moon and Full Moon align with the nodes. So every six months there is a set of eclipses (either two or three Solar and Lunar eclipses). The North Node and South Node are the points where the Moon’s orbit crosses the ecliptic.
A Solar eclipse occurs during a New Moon. The Sun and Moon are conjunct, together in the same sign on the same degree. When a Solar eclipse occurs the Sun and Moon are aligned from our viewpoint on earth; the Moon blocking the light from the Sun. The Sun disappears (partially) from our sight. A Lunar eclipse occurs during a Full Moon. The Sun and Moon are opposite of each other, in signs opposite of each other at the same degrees. The Earth is in between the Sun and the Moon. During an eclipse the Earth blocks the light of the Sun that wants to reach the Moon. Thus the Moon doesn’t reflect the Sun’s light and disappears (partially) from our sight.
This Full Moon in Sagittarius is a Total Lunar eclipse, the next New Moon in Gemini is an Annular Solar eclipse. Let’s start with some general information on eclipses, before we start looking into this specific one.
General information on eclipses and the Lunar Nodes
Eclipses have always been considered to be important events in astrology. From ancient Egypt to Greece and Mesopotamia to India, eclipses have been considered to be inauspicious events. There are different explanations as to why eclipses are inauspicious. One reason is that the light of one of the luminaries gets blocked. The luminaries support life on Earth. Without the Sun there would be complete darkness and coldness. The Moon guides the different rhythms on Earth, plants notice the cycle of the Moon, the waters are guided by the Moon and human bodies follow her cycle. And the Moon is the source of light when the Sun is away, she’s our guide in the dark. The very first traditions in astrology were based on the Sun and Moon. The lights, the Sun and Moon, are symbols of life. To have one or the other vanish, even just for a little while, has always been considered to be a bad omen.
Symbolically, the loss of light that occurs during an eclipse is due to the influence of the nodal dragon, which ‘eats’ the Sun or Moon during the eclipse. The North and South Node together form a dragon; the North Node being the head and the South Node being the tail. In Jyotish (‘Vedic’ astrology) the North Node is described as Rahu and the South Node as Ketu. Rahu and Ketu was once a snake demon. Until the deity Vishnu decapitated the demon. Rahu is the head of the serpent demon without the body. Ketu is the tail without the head. Rahu has a voracious appetite without, however, the ability to digest. He is responsible for obsessions and desires that push us to our limits. Wherever Rahu is there is inexperience. So wherever Rahu is there is also room for growth; there is potential. Ketu governs things we have learned very well. He withdraws and leads us out. But because Ketu governs what we have learned, he also shows us where we get stuck. It’s so easy in life to stick to what we know and thus not grow. In an individual’s birth chart the Rahu – Ketu axis points to karmic lessons.
In modern western astrology the axis of the Nodes are described as a dragon, with the North Node being the head and the South Node being the tail. The symbolism is not that different from the snake demon’s head and the snake demon’s body in Jyotish. Modern western astrology gives a ‘karmic’ meaning to the Nodes. The North Node pointing to what we have to learn, where there is a lust and where we have something to gain. The South Node pointing to what is familiar and where we tend to go overboard. At least, this is how the Nodes are often interpreted in birth chart readings. In mundane astrology, the North Node is often also understood as where we tend to indulge or what we crave and the South Node where we are challenged to release something. It is interesting that the Nodes just shifted into Gemini and Sagittarius just after the pandemic happened and the world turned into lockdown. The North Node in Gemini in mundane astrology can be understood as the craving for close communications. The South Node in Sagittarius points to the loss of travel far and wide.
The North Node represents the future. It’s associated with increase, and the expression – or obsession – of a hunger that can never be satisfied. It is also associated with something we need to gain or learn. Eclipses that align with the North Node encourage you to break with the past to leave behind situations that are comfortable, safe or familiar in order to move forward. North node eclipses want us to release in order to grow. The South Node represents the past. The South Node is about decrease and can shrink or reduce matters, especially relating to the material realm. South Node eclipses encourage letting go, release and closure. They can trigger endings and may help you deal with or overcome baggage from the past. South Node eclipses want us to release in order to overcome.
Solar eclipses happen during New Moons. New Moons bring the energy of new beginnings and starting over. That is why a lot of people set intentions during New Moons. However, eclipses ‘take energy away’. A source of light is blocked, a shadow comes over the world, energy is taken away. Solar eclipses are not good times for intention setting or manifestation. But, they are connected with new beginnings! Solar eclipses want us to release in order for new things to emerge, new journeys to start. Usually unexpected journeys. Or the ones we didn’t dare to start before.
Lunar eclipses happen during Full Moons. Full Moons are associated with times of harvest and fruition. But with a Lunar eclipse the Moon disappears. This makes Lunar eclipses times of mystery and good times to be quiet, sit alone and enter the mysteries of your own life. Things in life are never exactly as they seem and the fruits of your labor might be different than you expected to become when you put the seeds in the soil. Lunar eclipses may bring insights, pleasant or harsh, that may ask you to review stories in your life. Lunar eclipses ask you to release the known in order to gain new perspectives.
Eclipses act like spotlights that help you reconnect with the deeper threads of meaning and purpose in your life. These threads are often ignored in our busy, fast paced modern lives. A Solar or Lunar eclipse provides a special chance to reconnect with these internal, deeper desires of your being. As a result, you might be inspired to make a meaningful or radical course correction, or recommit to a path that matters. An eclipse can offer you the chance to realign the external manifestation of your life with these often hidden but powerful yearnings in your soul. The energy of an eclipse can be felt in the week before and after the eclipse itself. In addition, the influence of the eclipse can ring out through the cosmos, and in your life, for up to six months following the eclipse.
Eclipses come in chapters, a chapter that lasts about a year and half sometimes two. Thus eclipse seasons are best understood as parts of a chapter; the busy parts, the paragraphs in which the most interesting, surprising or major things happen. And eclipse seasons come with pairs: an eclipse near the North Node and an eclipse near the South Node; and a Lunar eclipse and a Solar eclipse. During eclipse season we are asked to release and let go. But somewhere we are also pushed forward into growth. Furthermore, eclipses are connected over a period of six months.
The Lunar eclipse in Sagittarius on May 26th
The Full Moon arrives on May 26th 7.13 am ET / 1.13 pm CET at 5 degrees Sagittarius. This Lunar eclipse is a South Node eclipse. The South Node is at 10 degrees Sagittarius. This Full Moon is under the ruling of Jupiter (Jupiter is the ruler of Sagittarius). Jupiter currently resides in Pisces, the other sign that Jupiter rules. Jupiter is named ‘the greater benefic’.
Even though eclipses are traditionally seen as inauspicious, this one has some benefic vibes to it. The ruler of the Full Moon is Jupiter and Jupiter resides in his own home Pisces. This means that this eclipse takes place under the government of a ‘do good planet’ that is quite powerful at the moment. Eclipses take away. Putting all these pieces of the puzzle together; this eclipse has the quality to take something away that has been limiting you. This eclipse especially has the quality of taking limiting beliefs, ideas or convictions. If you allow them to be taken away at least. This eclipse might be uncomfortable if you want to hold on to certain ideas; if you remain stuck in your mindset. This eclipse has a beneficial quality if you’re daring to do things differently or think differently than you did before. This eclipse comes with the challenge to not do/think things in the old ways anymore and to start doing/thinking them in a new way. Look at the house that contains Sagittarius in your chart. This eclipse has the power to take something away from that house, especially beliefs, convictions, mindsets. What topics are related to that house? What do you need to let go?
While the Full Moon eclipse takes place, Venus applies to a square with Neptune in Pisces and to a conjunction with Mercury in Gemini. The square with Neptune becomes exact on May 27th and the conjunction with Mercury becomes exact on May 29th. My insights on these transits follow in the astrology forecast below. I want to mention them here, because they are already becoming active during the Full Moon.
Astrology Forecast
May 27th Venus square Neptune
When Venus squares Neptune, matters of love and relating in general may become dreamy, confusing or desires may run high. Venus is the planet of relationships, desire and love. Neptune is the planet of both confusion and clarity / dreams and reality. Neptune also comes with desire. Given that the aspect between the two is a square, Neptune is probably going to gift Venus otherworldly experiences instead of clear reality. This transit is good for intoxicating love and sex.
May 29th Venus conjunct Mercury
Venus catches up with Mercury just before he’s about to station retrograde. It’s a passing of the torch. Venus gives Mercury some helpful advice, providing blessings and directions for his journey back into the earlier degrees of Gemini. Mercury is the ruler of Gemini. This transit brings supporting vibes into the house of your chart that contains Gemini. Look into the house topics that are related to the house that Gemini is on in your chart. You might gain blessings / insights / support when it comes to these topics. Make use of them. Don’t forget about them. Mercury is about to station retrograde and he’ll need Venus’s good luck charm on his journey.
May 30th Mercury stations retrograde
Mercury stations retrograde on May 30th at 24 degrees Gemini. Mercury will station direct at 16 degrees of Gemini on June 22nd / 23rd (depending on where you live). Mercury is the ruler of Gemini and thus Mercury is retrograde in his own sign. When planets reside in their own signs, they’re usually stronger. This Mercury retrograde is quite strong. Which doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s more or less auspicious.
Gemini is the mutable air sign. Gemini loves to ask questions, collect data and look at things from multiple perspectives. Gemini is the sign of the twins (in Greek mythology Castor and Pollux). Gemini splits. Gemini is sometimes described as two faced and superficial. (And Gemini in fact can be like that.) Gemini, due to the fact that this sign can split like no other, can also seek profound depth and understand complexity. Life isn’t simple and shallow and Gemini has the ability to see that. Gemini understands that identity isn’t fixed. Gemini understands that we all carry multiple personas. Every sign has more moral and less moral expressions, more beautiful and less beautiful expression, etc. Gemini can be the superficial shapeshifter, not being authentic and just adapting to the crowd. Gemini can also be the one that actually poses the ethical questions, the one that understands that life comes with dilemmas and the one that dares to show different authentic personality types.
When Mercury is retrograde in Gemini, we’re invited to ask ourselves some questions. In order to look at a situation / topic / ourselves from different perspectives. To understand the complexity of a certain situation. To go back and forth like Mercury, instead of going for the straight line. To allow for complexity instead of the completeness that we usually strive for. Thus… what is the house that Gemini is on in your chart? These house topics are up for review. You’ll probably need all of June to gain the insights that you need. Going back and forth on a certain thing. That’s ok. Allow complexity to be.
On June 10th there will be a Solar eclipse (New Moon) in Gemini. This one will be under the ruling of Mercury retrograde. That Solar eclipse will come with some new beginnings. In order to make space for whatever that beginning wants to bring forth, something needs to be taken away or needs to be seen from a different perspective. Eclipses come with shadows and darkness. Mercury knows the shadows well (being able to travel into the underworld and come back to the land of the living, while the other gods and goddesses in ancient Greco-Roman mythology weren’t able to do that). Mercury retrograde and the eclipse may be about shadow work for a lot of us (confronting the inner darkness and complexities; acknowledging the inner schisms). For some (especially Gemini risings) this Mercury retrograde and the eclipse (that will highlight what the Mercury retrograde is about) might be more about acknowledging and accepting the existence of our own psychological drama and losing a sense of self; than about losing a thing, situation or person. This all may sounds like heavy drama; don’t worry, for most this Mercury retrograde and eclipse season won’t be that intense (it all depends on your personal life and chart).
May 31st / June 1st Sun conjunct North Node
Mercury just stationed retrograde and the Sun conjuncts the North Node. The Sun conjunct the North Node in Gemini (under the ruling of Mercury retrograde), illuminates the topics of this eclipse season. We’re in between two eclipses. The Full Moon in Sagittarius was a few days ago and the New Moon in Gemini will arrive on June 10th. We may not know exactly, yet, what this eclipse season is about; but some insights might arrive on this day.
June 2nd Venus enters Cancer
Venus generally does well in the cool waters of Cancer. Cancer is ruled by the Moon. Both the Moon and Venus like to create relationships (for different reasons and with different purposes maybe, but both definitely are about relating (relating to another person, but also to life in general and the situations that come with living)). Cancer is all about creating safe and nurturing emotional bands. Venus in Cancer desires to create safe emotional bonds. Venus in Cancers loves through nurture and understands through nourishment. In the midst of eclipse season, Venus in Cancer supports us to find comfort with others. If your rollercoaster ride gets too crazy, go and undertake Venus in Cancer activities. Those activities may include other people, sharing tears and sharing food. I’m thinking good old pajama movie night parties with Ben and Jerry’s and your girlfriends.
June 3rd Sun trine Saturn retrograde
The Sun and Saturn aren’t always best friends in astrology. The Sun is warm and Saturn is cold. The Sun is in the center and Saturn is at the far end of the visible planets. The Sun brings positivity and Saturn comes with depression. However, that doesn’t mean that they can’t work together. Saturn supports us in hard work and commitment. The Sun offers vision and inspiration. The trine is a supportive and nice flowing aspect. When the Sun trines Saturn, we may come to conclusions as to how we can bring our visions into reality. We may see what work we need to put in (Saturn), following our inspiration (Sun). Because Saturn is retrograde, these insights may come with the conclusion that we need to revision something or do something over. Or there may be a quality of ‘I need to do this and this first, before I can do that’.
June 3rd / 4th Venus trine Jupiter
The most lovely of loveliest transits occurs on June 3rd / 4th when Venus trines Jupiter. The two benefic planets join forces in order to rain some blessings on Earth. Jupiter is at home and strong in his home sign Pisces. Venus finds herself in the comfortable waters of Cancer. Jupiter may be especially helpful to Venus; but the goddess of love will sure return the favor to the greater benefic. Venus in Cancer trine Jupiter in Pisces will be especially supportive of connection, intuition, creativity and care. Look at the houses, and their significations, in your chart that contain Cancer and Pisces. These houses and their significations are in for some gentle goodness. While the Gemini part of your chart is undergoing rapid change and transformation, the water signs Pisces and Cancer offer places of refuge.
June 5th Mercury retrograde square Neptune, Mars opposite Pluto retrograde
Two significant transits occur on June 5th. Mercury retrograde in Gemini squares Neptune in Pisces. This transit signifies confusion. Mercury retrograde is all about cleaning up the messes in house Gemini. As Mercury squares Neptune, it becomes more difficult to distinguish what you want to keep and what to want to throw away. If you can avoid making important decisions or signing contracts around this day, you might want to do so. Neptune is the planet of dreamlands and he’s not exactly helping Mercury in seeing things clearly.
Mars in Cancer opposes Pluto retrograde in Capricorn. Powerplays come to the surface. Whatever anger, frustration, or defensiveness might have been boiling beneath, it will want to show itself. Or rather, it will need to show itself. The pot boils over. This transit will help/force you in purging (toxic or not so toxic at all but maybe taboo) anger/frustration/desires/lusts, if those has been buried somewhere.
The New Moon (an Annular Solar eclipse) arrives on June 10th 6.52 am ET / 12.52 pm CET at 19 degrees Gemini.
The next lunation + forecast article will be posted a few days before. See you then!
X Maud