Cap Dramont, near Fréjus, France.
Leading up to this full Moon in Gemini, there have been several important transits, including a Sun-Mars conjunction, also known as a cazimi. A cazimi happens when the Sun conjoins with another planet – it is said that the planet in question is “burned up” by the Sun, thereby losing some of its energy or potency to the Sun. The exception would be when the planet is in its own sign, or “chariot”. In the case of this Sun-Mars cazimi, Mars being in his own sign of Scorpio, he is protected in his chariot; he is immune to the rays of the Sun, keeping his energies intact and perhaps even enhancing them to a degree. The resulting alliance is a blazing chariot of the Sun’s and Mars’ fires, burning in the later degrees of Scorpio. This is also a “new Moon” of sorts, for Mars, beginning a new cycle of just over 2 years, until the two come back together again in January of 2026.
This is a time of endings and new beginnings as it relates to Mars themes, such as action (what is the quality of my actions? How do they affect me and others? What kinds of outcomes have I seen from them?) and passion (what have I been passionate about over the past few years? What have I been willing to sacrifice on the altar of my own well-being? Addiction? Righteousness? Self-deceit?...) How has Mars shown up in your life during that time, and how would you like that to change as we move into a new Mars cycle?
Then, we have the Sun squaring Saturn on Thanksgiving day (11/23), followed by Mars squared Saturn the following Saturday (11/25). These are potentially difficult or challenging aspects, depending on where they fall in your chart. But let’s think about this: what exactly are they challenging? Is it our well-being, or some aspect of our Self that may be out of synch, or not aligned with our best interest?
Saturn’s archetype, in and of itself, is not particularly inspiring of joy and mirth – Old Man Time is there to remind us that our term on this planet is limited, and that it will be time to go before we know it. He represents our challenges and difficulties, but he also enables us to structure our time and our lives so that we can make the most of them. Doesn’t it feel good when you complete a task within the time frame you were given (or gave yourself)? This, too, is Saturn!
So when the Sun, representing our ideals of happiness, fulfillment and self-realization, comes into a square with Saturn, this could simply be a moment of reckoning with an ideal that may not be reasonable or grounded into practical reality, and therefore illusory, unfeasible or not durable. Perhaps Saturn, or what he represents, is challenging us to take a long, hard look at what or who we thought we were, with the risk of seeing something we were avoiding, knowing it was there but not wanting to deal with it. The benefit outweighs the risk when we are able to accept the lesson with humility and move on to become a better person.
When Mars and Saturn come together in a square aspect, which happens 2 days prior to the full Moon, we revisit the Mars themes mentioned above, this time with the critical viewpoint of Saturn. Just another reality check on what is actually motivating our actions or lack thereof (Laziness? Addiction? Wanting recognition? A desire for self-betterment?... it could literally be anything). Like the Sun-Saturn square, this aspect has the potential to help us get clear about this, and to change what we feel needs to be changed in order to come closer to our ideals.
The full Moon in Gemini itself will bring intellectual clarity and the ability to see things from several perspectives to the issues we’ve been working with, whether identity-self (Sun/Saturn) or motivation-action (Mars/Saturn), or whatever else may be active for you at this time. These challenging aspects are in reality gifts from the Universe that can help us re-align our energies to what is truly for our highest and greatest good.
Finally, I have the immense pleasure and pride to announce that I am a Grandma! My daughter gave birth to a beautiful, healthy boy named Milo, born November 17th on the Mediterranean coast of France. He’s a sweet little Scorpio Sun with Virgo rising and Capricorn Moon, and a zinger of a Sun-Mars cazimi in Scorpio, which will light up his parents’ days, without a doubt! I couldn’t be happier to see how the arrival of this little one has already changed our lives for the better.
I hope you all living States-side are enjoying a wonderful Thanksgiving, and are able to feel gratitude and well-being as you reconnect with family and friends. In spite of the darkness this time of year brings, at least in the Northern hemisphere, it is good to see how we Humans have always sought to transform challenges into opportunities (theme of this full Moon, BTW!), and how we have turned this season into a time of celebration. Soon, we will experience the darkest time of the year, Winter Solstice, which is when we choose to celebrate the return of the Light. May your days be lit by the Divine spark of everlasting Light and Love.
All My Relations,
Sarah Songbird
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