Today's Full Moon in Gemini highlights a complex weave of energies that can provide us with opportunities to integrate facts with belief, knowledge with philosophy, and to allow reflection and discussion to open up new avenues for healing from a higher perspective. Though the full moon occurs at 7:27 AM EST today, we've been in a period of intense build-up of these energies since midweek, and are likely to be feeling these effects until Sunday, when the moon moves into the much quieter territory of Cancer.

Themes that are surfacing now are inextricably linked to the energies of Chiron - the asteroid that represents our deepest wounds and the need for holistic healing - by way of a square between the Sun, Moon, and Mercury. Chiron is closely linked with Sagittarian themes of wisdom and teaching, creating a mutual reception between the philosophical Sagittarius sun and a Gemini moon that craves knowledge. With Chiron in the empathic waters of Pisces, we have an incredible opportunity to swim through any past or current pains that are surfacing and perceive them in profound new ways. If we allow ourselves to feel deeply into our hurts and observe realizations that rise into our consciousness without judgment, we can analyze the roots our pain and attain new levels of awareness. Though Chirotic lessons are traumatic, they offer incredible evolutionary gifts. With so much high-minded and optimistic Sagittarian energy in the mix, we can view situations from a vantage point that allows us to move beyond grief or outdated beliefs while seeing the spiritual truths these lessons have blessed us with.

More on the Gemini Full Moon...

Though the Sun-Chiron square is bringing lower energy levels for many, the Gemini moon ensures that things keep moving within and without! Heightened feelings of nervousness and anxiety are par for the course when luna moves into Gemini. This sign is ruled by Mercury, The Winged Messenger in mythology, which zooms around the sun in a mere 88 days - that's 28.9 miles per second! Those with prominent Gemini/Mercury placements in the birth chart have minds that match that speed. We all get a taste of how it feels to experience typical Gemini traits when luna ingresses here; an upswing in mental activity, phone calls from friends or networking opportunities, and an increase in short trips are heightened anytime the moon travels through this sign. But a Gemini full moon increases this energy dramatically, and many people will be experiencing the "thought tapes" on continuous rerun and much mental restlessness now. Anything that quiets and soothes the mind will be beneficial this weekend!

A refreshing splash of energies is present among the mental/physical exhaustion and emotional pangs. Mercury is trining Uranus, the planet of uncompromising individuality and lightning-quick flashes of genius. This brings the possibility for fresh ways of perceiving situations and brilliant new insights and ideas. Our ability to rise above emotional attachments and approach issues in radically different ways is also supported by Mars in Aquarius (the sign ruled by Uranus). 

If you had a hectic start to your week, you're not alone! The moon's passage through Gemini from late afternoon on Sunday, August 17 through the early morning hours of Wednesday, August 20 caused disconnect and frustration with all things Mercurial for many people - myself included! The beginning part of this week - especially Tuesday - felt like a mini-Mercury retrograde. If you're familiar with astrological cycles, you'll know that when Mercury is retrograde, the things that Mercury rules - communication, speaking and learning, travel, and the transport of anything from one point to another - are significantly impacted, and usually in ways that bring frustration, "wild goose chases," and so on. 

But Mercury is indeed direct, and in a very organized and fastidious earth sign - Virgo - with its next retrograde cycle beginning on October 4. If that's the case, why all the confusion and frustration this week? There are two significant reasons for this, one being equally as influential as the other. 

The first of the two is that Mercury, the planet that rules Gemini, has been in opposing Neptune in its home sign of Pisces. Neptune represents compassion without borders, dissolving the perceived differences between people and all living things. Because of its ability to activate within us a heightened sense of intuition and mediumship abilities of every kind (including the creative "channeling" done by artists, actors/actresses, spiritualists, and dreamers) by blurring the lines of physical reality to connect us with higher realms of consciousness, it can also bring a certain "fog," a lack of clarity and "spaciness". When Neptune and Mercury connect - especially if it's a hard aspect such as the currently waning opposition - achieving clarity of communication can be challenging. One's capacity for memory recall can be fuzzy, and it's easy to space out on facts and details. It's a wonderful time for connecting to the collective unconscious by way of meditation, spiritual practices, artistic activities, and engaging in eloquent self-expression, but not so supportive of honing in on details! Some of the common difficult tendencies I've observed during Mercury-Neptune transits are an increase in people's inattentiveness while driving (and having to reign in my own wandering mind while driving!), internet connectivity/communication issues in general, a tendency to get caught up in dreamy/unrealistic thinking and "laze" the day away, and a laissez-faire tendency toward organization and promptness.

The second reason for this chaos was the moon's Void of Course status in Gemini on Tuesday. When the moon goes void, all activities and plans made or undertaken during that time are considered to be "null and void," usually quite unpredictable in outcome. A void moon in and of itself can create a certain kinds of confusion or mental fog depending on the sign the moon is in, and when paired with the current Mercury-Neptune opposition, it can really create mayhem, frustration, and unexpected changes on the mental/intellectual and communicative level. 

Here are some of the ways these energies manifested in my life this week, particularly on Tuesday while the moon was void:

• Unexpected schedule changes and confusion at home led to a second day of chaos in following through on scheduled activities (Monday's schedule was thrown off by a trip to visit a relative who was having emergency surgery out of town - Gemini reconnections and Neptunian themes of self-sacrifice and compassion)
• Unusual wireless internet connectivity issues necessitated my being on a service call for a good portion of the evening before I could make good on work plans
• Dinner was postponed due to my housemate and I having forgotten to prepare any food for the week (Neptune-Mercury)
• An abrupt change in weather threw off outdoor plans
• A friend's flight was delayed due to weather, a very common occurrence during Mercury retrograde cycles 

In addition, I found myself connecting with people via email/phone/text messaging almost frenetically throughout the passage of the moon through Gemini, as if the Universe was guiding me to play "catch up" just as usual...only this time I experienced much difficulty in connecting with people at the scheduled times and was playing perpetual phone tag! I also made calls to learn more about international calling plans in lieu of making a close connection with someone on Twitter (how very Geminian is that?!) and made calls to gather more information on items for my business space. Though none of these events were necessarily life-changing in and of themselves, they further clarify for me the impact that astrological configurations have on our daily lives (and also serve as a reminder that no, we're not going crazy - it's just the planets at play!). 

The rest of this week has felt quite different, since Mercury-Neptune opposition continues to wane and the moon has moved from very mentally active Gemini into the home and heart-centered sign of Cancer. Though a powerful Mars-Saturn conjunction continues to intensify in Scorpio, we'll be able to enjoy a much-anticipated quieter inner/outer atmosphere and a gradual increase in mental clarity over the next couple of days. Breathe in the peace, and be blessed!