The new Moon

Gemini is a mutable air sign. According to Michael Meyer (A Handbook for the Humanistis Astrologer, 1974) --

The mutable mode distributes the energy that has been concentrated and released by the fixed mode. It symbolizes the principle of flexibility and adaptation. This mode combines and integrates the cardinal and fixed modes within itself. It distributes the power generated by the cardinal signs and concentrated by the fixed signs.

Air signs are also adaptive, and refer to the intellect. The sign Gemini itself adapts the energy released by Aries, and focused by Taurus for use; its natives are often charming, somewhat flighty and given to hopping from one subject to another. At this time of year, the seeds planted in Taurus break ground and we honor the veterans of war.

Mercury rules Gemini and is at this time positioned in Taurus, square a grouping of Chiron-Jupiter-Neptune in Aquarius. This grouping is the subject of much chatter on the net (just paste in "Chiron-Jupiter-Neptune" at Google). To me the most reliable references are the following:

• Cafe Astrology
• Real Astrologers
• Evolving Door Astrology (A nice table of transit dates is included here.)

Most noticeable to me in this chart is that a lot of aspects are being made to Ceres in Virgo. She is also square the new Moon. Ceres is very much tied to Earth and Earth's harvests. Both she and Pluto have been granted by scientists the status of dwarf planet. In mythology Pluto stole Ceres' daughter Proserpina (named Persephone in Greek mythology) and took her to the Underworld. Ceres had to bargain with Pluto to get her daughter back; and Proserpina was allowed to return for only half of each year at that.

Both Moon and Ceres represent Motherhood. That the new Moon is squaring Ceres suggests the beginning a cycle that could include bargaining and compromise, rescuing a child or loved one from a bad situation, an apparently personal action having wider effect than expected, or re-establishing harmony in one's home (perhaps with the sweet return of a lost child).

In the U.S. chart Sun-Moon are in the seventh house and approaching a conjunct with the cusp of the eighth. The seventh house pertains to partnerships, marriage, cooperation and the purposeful exchange of ideas. In a mundane chart, like this one, it contains (or indicates)

The public as an organized social unity, the social consciousness of the people, the relative status of the nation among the nations of the world, and conditions, circumstances and events affecting its social evolution (Devore, Encyclopedia of Astrology)

That the new Moon is conjuncting the cusp of the eighth suggests that business in the seventh is mostly complete for now and we're moving on to another phase.

The Sun-Moon combo is square natal Ceres, and transiting Ceres is in opposition. Natal Ceres occupies the fourth house with the natal Moon and Pallas Athena in Aquarius, but is not in aspect with them. This says they operate in the same area but do not influence each other -- except during a moon event such as this. Remember that fourth house matters include real estate values, mines, buildings, crops, produce, and all agricultural interests, including those of the owners and workers on the land. With Pallas Athena present, industry is also included. These patterns seem to be speaking of a return to truer, simpler values, evidence of which is already being seen, and promise of seemly harvests.

Note that the Chiron-Jupiter-Neptune combo spoken about earlier is exactly conjunct the U.S.'s natal Moon and Pallas Athena in the fourth. Whatever the combo's effect we, as a nation, will feel it personally and perhaps react emotionally.

At this full Moon the Sun is in Gemini, the Moon in Sagittarius. The Gemini/Sagittarius axis speaks of short vs. long-range plans and activities, daily communications vs. scholarly dissertations, short-sightedness vs. visions and dreams. There is an element to Sagittarius of excess and living large.

The Moon has moved from its square to Ceres at the new Moon to a square to Saturn at the full. What comes to mind is that Saturn is 'burning in' lessons learned earlier.