Still from the film “Midsommar”

May 26, 2021 // 5 Sagittarius

On Wednesday, the Gemini Sun, now within reach of the north node, continues its ascent toward the midsummer meridian and toward its destiny, while across the sky, the Moon in Sagittarius nears the south node and takes the shadowy veil. It’s the stuff eclipses are made of, and this time, it’s the Moon’s turn to journey into the belly of the beast. Thus, the Flower Moon of May becomes a Blood Moon to boot. Its rouged and reddened face recalls the anemone that grew from Aphrodite’s tears and Adonis’s blood. Or the poppy, symbol of Persephone’s deflowering, her narcotic of awakening. This lunar eclipse brings both blossoming and shedding, pruning and release. 

Jupiter is in the noteworthy position of both ruling and squaring this lunation from Pisces. In my mind I see him in the robes of the High Priest, or the flamen dialis, as he administers the sacred drink. After the initial purging, we are left pondering deep Sagittarian questions and confronting that slippery concept of Belief. Where do our beliefs come from, the past or the present? From others or from the Self? How do we know right from wrong, and is it possible that such a dichotomy doesn’t exist? Is morality a mandate from on high or a human construct? Is it universal and constant or fluid and subjective? Where is the line between spirituality and religion; between religion and dogma; between dogma and ideology? Why believe in anything at all? What does it mean to believe? As the entheogen starts to work on us, what we thought was written in stone may start to morph, even to dissolve, before our very eyes. Meanwhile, Sagittarius shows us one set of doors, and Gemini shows us another. The first is a choice between wisdom and cynicism; the second is a choice between innocence and naiveté. Which will you pick? 

At the same time, Mercury and Venus, also in Gemini, find themselves in a dance with Neptune, also in Pisces. Our relationships and values are cast in a hazy light; our heart songs become plaintive melodies, nostalgic tunes, or hypnotic hymns. We may feel loss, or confusion, or deep compassion, or divine inspiration. And with three mutable signs in play, our feelings and perceptions are changing—some with the winds, and some with the tides. We are in the eclipse portal now, so though we can look forward to new stories emerging, for the time being, be careful of chasing dragons. Watch out for the rip currents and whirlpools. Make sure that the preacher, or the guru, isn’t a wolf in shepherd’s clothing. And remember that an open mind is healthy, but also vulnerable. Look to retrograde Saturn for help with boundaries and your relationship to time. 

On the other hand, such strong Piscean influence can give this lunation redemptive, healing potential. Avail yourself of its waters to cleanse, play or float freely. See your own beauty reflected in your lover’s ocean eyes. Draw music and hear color in a synesthetic symphony. Read the runes with rose-colored glasses. The nectar you find may have you feeling alive in new and different ways (as that ancient word translated means “overcoming death”). And, on your journey into the unconscious, or into the otherworldly, you will likely encounter the strange, the cryptic, the ineffable. Whatever comes through, try to resist the urge to find answers right away, or to “know” what it all “means,” and trust that it makes sense in the cosmic timeline. This eclipse, though it may bring up big questions, asks little of us, only listen and dream, dream and listen, and leave the rest to the gods.