Tonight at 11:13 pm EDT we will have a New Moon in the sign of Gemini. The versatility Gemini brings us, with its dual nature, and its excellent energy for communication and intellectual pursuits, ruled as it is by Mercury, would ordinarily make this an ideal time to explore and expand our views and to consider new possibilities. New Moons are THE time for starting new endeavors. However, Mercury turns Retrograde the following day, which makes figuring how best to navigate through all the celestial energy a bit tricky.

Cafe Astrology offers some tips:

The New Moon in Gemini cycle is a good time to commit to personal goals that express the positive energies of the sign of the Twins. It's time to improve our communication skills by listening to others and enjoying others' points of view, rather than doggedly seeking to find that one elusive "answer". This is a good cycle under which to re-evaluate our communication and social skills by questioning just how much we actually take in information, and communicate in a friendly, non-threatening manner. With this potent Gemini energy, we have the chance to make important changes in our lives. This New Moon is supported by Mars, Saturn, and Neptune, offering us the wherewithal to stick with our plans, and the realism to formulate achievable and practical goals. The New Moon is also challenged by Uranus and Pluto, suggesting we should avoid jumping the gun and jumping to conclusions. This is especially important considering that Mercury is approaching a station and turning retrograde tomorrow.

One of the key words here is re-evaluate. When Mercury is Retrograde, as bad as that can be for creating communication issues, travel snafus, and electronic malfunctions, a more positive effect of this energy is that it allows us to retrace our steps and take another look at things in our lives. Often we see something we missed the first time around. Sometimes, a Mercury Retrograde can bring something back that you thought you'd lost (a business deal, a friend, a job opportunity). The key is to keeping yourself open to possibilities so that you will recognize them when they appear.

This particular New Moon may not be the time to jump gung-ho into something new but to re-evaluate what we've been doing over the past few months to find the areas that could use some attention. What's working? What isn't? Spend some time meditating and thinking about what changes would serve you best. Now is the time to make plans rather than hasty decisions.

Is there something new you've been struggling to implement in your life? This might be a good time to return to that previously set goal and focus on really making it work. For me it's a daily spiritual practice. Part of a Wiccan practice is, after all, regular communication with the divine. Perhaps the Mercury Retrograde will help me return to a place I passed on my path that I need to go back to and sit a while.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Mercury will be Retrograde in the emotional sign of Cancer. Our feelings may not be the steadiest during this time and the energy of the Gemini New Moon will contribute to the tendency toward fickleness. We're likely to feel one way this minute and another the next. Take caution to protect your own feelings but also remember to be sensitive and compassionate toward those around you. The possibility toward misunderstandings will be very high in all areas of our lives where feelings and communication are concerned.

Although Mercury will turn Direct again on July 9th, there are some schools of thought that tell us the effects of a Mercury Retrograde don't dissipate completely until the next New Moon, which will be in Cancer on July 14. In between we'll have a Full Moon in Capricorn to provide a grounding influence in the midst of this unsteady time. As we work through this New Moon in Gemini, the Mercury Retrograde and the coming Full Moon in Capricorn, we can plan for how best to approach the New Moon in Cancer, the zodiac's most fertile sign. The boost to our intuition and emotions that the Cancer Moon will bring will be a welcome change after the uncertainty we're going to start experiencing today. Imagine the opportunity then for beginning new things!

Coming up next: some thoughts on magickal workings to help us get through the next month.

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 9:20 AM