The Full Moon in Gemini

December 15th, 2024 4:01 AM EST

Sun at 23 Sag; Moon at 23 Gemini; Square Neptune; Sextile Chiron & Eris

While we can await this full moon with the anticipation of a return to “normalcy”, given all the mutable, changeable, and seemingly unreliable energies that this trip through Sagittarius can muster in us, this moon asks us to stop… wait… try to take a break amidst all the hustle and harried times we are currently living through…

Contrary to most full moons, there is no distinct pattern or promotion of emotions, sentiment, or feelings. The only water [planet is Saturn, and so emotions are more easily suppressed or give ground to our thoughts, and how our minds reach and try to grasp our new mental and societal realities that can dictate or at least impinge on how we will move and function in the coming year…

To the relief of many, Mercury stops its backward steps, and begins again to move forward will offer us the more idealistic and far-reaching thoughts associated with traveling through Sagittarius- offering the mental grounding of being able to understand and elevate our thoughts in ways that keep us for continuing in a mind-spinning pace! However, because this time period also features a square to Neptune, it would be wise and prudent to reconsider what you hear, what is being asked of you, personally and culturally, and to test the truth or veracity of claims and contracts, and to be sure to step back, and evaluate carefully that all those spinning thoughts and dubious claims that might try to confuse or betray you!

Another important and lasting consideration for this moon and throughout the holiday season requires us to comprehend a greater understanding of the conflicting energies; energies and actions that ask us to reflect and then respond, rather than impulsive react has to center itself on the influences that started early in the month, and will remain our halting companion and source of hesitant action: Mars Retrograde.

Here is what astrologer, podcaster and writer, April Elliot Kent, has to say about this Mars event that stays with us through most of the winter. She says:

“If there’s a universal message for Mars retrograde, maybe it’s something like: Rethink your work. Do you like what you do for a living, the tasks that occupy your day? Then there are the real world demands, such as a family straining every nerve to cover the rent and fill the gas tank.

What does Mars retrograde mean for people who are using every resource, every drop of strength just to get by? I suppose it’s a time of tapping into even deeper resources of strength and courage to slay whatever dragons lie in our paths; to find the grace to remember how much we do have; and to contemplate how we might, in the months ahead, lend a little of our Mars strength to those who need it. …

The demand to contain the chatter and chaos builds to a head on December 24, when Jupiter and Saturn complete the second of three squares. … The impact spans December 24-27… demanding order, accountability, and adulting.

It’s not a formula for high-spirited celebrating. The gift of this Christmas and Hanukkah could be … stability. Maybe even sanity.

And then, we’re in for novelty, shake-ups, and plot twists all around. As the month and the year wind down, Venus and Uranus collide and deliver late-breaking surprises. Something else you need to let go of?…. Something about the plot twists feels right. Beneficial. Or, at least, inevitable.”

I will begin my discussion of this December Moon, the last of the year 2024, with an easy admission: It’s a cold moon! However frosty it appears and however chilly its reception, it holds an important lesson for us about the value of paying attention, about listening, and about how best we can work with our inner feelings and with our hidden ideals that are awaiting the warmth of our attention in the coming days and months…

One of my favorite book mentors was Scott Peck MD, his observations about life, society, church, and love has had a lasting importance and a foundational impact during my life in ministry, and that value continues on in my work as a life coach…

In my research for this moon report, I found another reflection by April Elliot Kent that summarized the importance of this moon cycle in mutable signs, and how the value of attention has been short-changed by our incessant connection to the media, and how that preoccupation risks losing our willingness to pay attention, and to offer essential expressions of human caring for one another… Here is an excerpt from her essay:

“… Few feelings [are as] wounding as not being listened to, especially by those we love. In his book The Road Less Traveled, M. Scott Peck characterizes true, attentive listening as one of the greatest gifts of love we can offer another person – and one of the most difficult. There are times when it’s easier, of course — in the first flush of passion, when your loved one’s every utterance is like honey, or when your toddler is first learning to talk. But to really listen even when you’re not in the mood, when you’re heard the same story a dozen times, when you’re worried about something else, when there’s nothing in it for you personally – that’s hard work.

… The December 15 Full Moon falls in Gemini, the sign of enthusiastic chatter as well as attentive listening. … When we give up pretending that we know everything, we free ourselves to learn from what other people have to say. … Listening – that simple gift of attention and love, like holding open a door for someone leaving a store as you’re entering – makes the world feel a little kinder, a little more civilized. …

Too easily, though, inattention becomes a habit that persists even at home among those we love, and that’s a problem. Love, as Peck notes, is not just a feeling, but a verb. It’s something we do, a bit of spiritual theater we enact through actions large and small. And listening, even when we don’t feel like it, is a small but powerful act of love. …

… The Full Moon in Gemini reminds us, simply, that listening – bearing witness to another’s reality – is a sacred thing and a loving act. Listening connects us to one another – and it enriches not only those who are listened to, but also those who listen to them.

As a wider consideration… It is from Kalia Kelmenson, author of The Salt Within Us, who writes for the Spirituality and Practice magazine/website. She describes the meaning and the lessons to be found in observing and understanding this cold moon in these words:

Spiritual Meaning of the Cold Moon

“Occurring near the winter solstice, the Cold Moon invites you to take a closer look at what lies beneath the seemingly cold and frozen surface. The nights are the longest of the year, so there is a potent opportunity to explore the shadows, the places within that often remain unexamined.

Beneath the Cold Moon

When the Cold Moon brightens the night sky, it is a reminder to sit with the stillness and fan the inner flames with practices of introspection and awareness. Although the holidays loom large ahead, this Cold Moon harkens a return to inner awareness.

… The time of the Cold Moon is a time of deep rest. It is a time to attend to the rituals of renewal and to practices of peace. Bring this into daily life in ways both big and small.

Spiritual Themes for the Cold Moon

As you look to the spiritual meaning of the Cold Moon, seeking solace and wisdom for how to navigate this season, remember how the natural world has adapted. Look to the themes of rest, renewal, and shadow as the wisdom that will guide you through the last days of the year. Be soft and gentle with yourself as you sit with the discomfort of stillness, the unfamiliar territory of the shadows.

Although the pace of the holidays has shifted in the last couple of years with fewer gatherings and social obligations, feelings of isolation and loneliness are difficult. Creating an atmosphere for rest and calm can invite an appreciative approach to time spent alone. Attend to yourself and your need for rest as you would to a small child. Allow yourself to nap or choose a book of fiction you have been wanting to read and allow yourself to drift off into the world of words. You may find sleep comes easier when words rather than blue light lead the way.

There is a constant desire to stay up-to-date on what is happening in the world, but the constant stream of information is overwhelming. This is a potent time to seek renewal, which often begins with turning off the constant stream of input and becoming deeply intentional about what you include in your day. With less outside input, you can begin to tune in to what your body truly needs.

The ways that you move, eat, drink, think, and reflect are basic but powerful places to examine how you are nourishing yourself on every level. Ask yourself, “What do I truly need?” and let yourself be still enough to hear the answer.

As the Cold Moon shines bright in the sky, look within to discover your shadow side, the places within you that remain hidden from view. There may be fears, grief, or despair simmering beneath the surface of your awareness. The light of this moon can help you gently explore those places with compassion. You may want to seek out a friend or therapist to excavate deeper levels of trauma that may be living in your shadowy realm. By bringing these parts of yourself into the light, you release the shame and pain of them. It may feel scary, but trust that you are not alone, and reach out for help to remind yourself of that truth.”

Try this! “Ritual for the Cold Moon.”

Lastly, as a part of this report that spans the holiday and that makes way for the new moon on the 30th, I will include a brief look at the Solstice for this coming year… As you recall, there are 4 major points in the year during our Earth’s travels around the Sun… They are also known by the amount of daylight – light and dark-they hold or have… The longest day being the Summer Solstice, approximately June 21st, and the shortest day, the Winter solstice, approximately December 21st.

One of the practices in astrology that looks ahead to what the unfolding or what the nest year could hold for us is to look at the Solstice charts. Here is a quick overview of this year’s winter solstice and what it might offer us…

The Sun, this year, is located in the 2nd house or the area that concerned its elf with value; with the worth of things. Traditionally, the house of money, food, real estate, jewelry and precious metals… Most importantly, it is square the Nodes which brings unsettling actions and the possibility of dynamic changes! A turbulent holiday season? From this quick outlook, we can see a shift away from any relaxation concerning the expenses or the cost of living! There will be a clear materialistic focus to the coming season as we are learning new ways to establish a reliable foundational look at our selves and our society…