Gemini New Moon: Nests
Dates and times are given for U.S. Pacific Time zone.
Nesting
Birds are nesting all around our house. A dove has built her elegant nest on the front porch, in the sheltering nook where a bulky support column meets the roofline; she perches there, alert and motionless, for much of each day. The lush bougainvillea outside our living room windows is rustling and chirping; squirrels rush toward it, then abruptly retreat amidst a flurry of wings and shrieks. So, I’m pretty sure we’ve got a full-occupancy nest situation in there, as well.
Our cats are riveted. They plant themselves at the windows, chattering and wagging their tails for hours at a time. There are a lot of squirrels and crows keeping watch, too. They’re scrappy, resourceful characters who do what they have to do to keep living, including stealing eggs from nests. All those little birds have their work cut out for them, guarding the perimeter from real and perceived threats.
At the restless, curious, Gemini New Moon (May 30, 2022, 4:30 am PDT) we collect the bits of string, twigs, and know-how with which to weave our nests, and we scout the best location on which to build them. This New Moon is ruled by a still-retrograde Mercury, and which favors slowing down, sitting still, and thinking our thoughts; even busy Gemini birds occasionally settle in one place for a while. But as Mercury turns direct (June 3, 2022, at 1:00 am PDT), we may discover that the place to build our nest isn’t necessarily the one that’s proved safe and convivial in the past. In 25 years, we’ve never had a bird build its nest on our porch. It remains to be seen how it will fare.
Good Intentions and New Planting
Each New Moon initiates a new 28-day cycle that begins with good intentions and new planting. But that’s just the beginning. Over the two-and-a-half years that follow, more ambitious goals can be realized. This is reflected in the lunar phase/lunar gestation cycle. Every nine months, a critical lunation near this New Moon degree reveals the larger pattern of what’s initiated now. The First Quarter Moon on Feb. 27, 2023 (8º27’ Gemini) will prompt fresh, instinctual action toward this New Moon’s goals. In the light of the Nov. 27, 2023 Full Moon (4º51’ Gemini), we’ll clearly see the product of what we’re planting now. And the Last Quarter Moon on Aug. 26, 2024 (3º38’ Gemini) offers one last chance to course-correct based on past experience, and make a last push toward the finish line.
So…what’s the work of this Gemini New Moon cycle? Like little birds, to look for the best place to build a nest, collect the materials and knowledge we’ll need to build it, clear out the rot and bolster our foundations, and keep an eye out for predators. Whether your particular nest is a home, a place for your business, a creative project, or something else entirely, the work begins with figuring out what your needs are and exactly what this nest should look like. Then, watch the rest unfold.
The Changing of the Guard
As Mercury turns direct at 26.05 Taurus (June 3, 2022, 1:00 am PDT), it nods to Saturn, turning retrograde the next day at 25.15 Aquarius (June 4, 2022, 2:47 pm PDT). Mercury then leaves the nest and Saturn takes over sentry duty. This changing of the guard triggers the May 16 Lunar eclipse point (25º Scorpio), which – not surprisingly for the first eclipse in a sign after eight years – was rife with ugly awakenings. A total eclipse at the Moon’s South Node calls for some psychic housecleaning; a Saturnine boulder was rolled over to reveal a tangle of writhing creepiness underneath.
In the two weeks since, we’ve been like Gemini birds who are looking for a safe place to build our nests, wary of the watchful cats, scavenger squirrels (ruled by Mercury), and carrion birds (ruled by Saturn). As Mercury moves forward, perspective shifts from a siege mentality and toward a wider reckoning of the eclipse season. And as Saturn turns retrograde, it’s time to address some foundational issues revealed at eclipse time and the rot that’s undermining our foundation. Putting the past to rest is the only way to move toward the comforting, sensible stability of the Taurus North Node future.
Writing and collages © 2022 April Elliott Kent
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