New Moon in Gemini — May 24, 2009, 12:11 UT
The torch we know by its flame,
which brings illumination and light
wherever noble souls congregate.
— The Old English Rune Poem
Gemini is an air sign, and the element of air represents the intellect, mentality and ability to communicate. Mercury, the ruler of Gemini is retrograding in Taurus. When a planet is retrograde it tends to turn the energy of the planet inward.
This New Moon in Gemini can help us to get intuitively in contact with the light within, start off a special learning and teaching process and share it with our friends and community, or even in a wider concept, for the good of the humanity.
The current astrological climate has its parallel in the energies represented by the rune Kenaz.
The New Moon is square asteroid Hermes in Pisces. Mercury retrograde is squaring the triple conjunction of Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune in Aquarius, another air sign. Uranus, the ruler of Aquarius is sextiled by Mercury. In Greco-Roman mythology Hermes/Mercury, the messenger of the gods, was traveling the pathways between the worlds.
Jupiter conjoined Chiron the previous day. Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune are now in tight conjunction, all three sharing the same degree in Aquarius. This is an aspect of strong intuition and devotion, and it encourages us to teach and inspire our fellow humans. Aquarius is the humanitarian sign, where we as individuals are able to connect with the wider world.
Chiron’s elliptical orbit around the Sun links the realms of Saturn and Uranus. The Sabian symbol for the discovery degree of Chiron is Taurus 4: The rainbow’s pot of gold. Barbara Hand Clow called Chiron the rainbow bridge between the inner and outer planets.
In Norse mythology also we find the rainbow bridge, Bifröst. It is a bridge that links the worlds above and below, the earth and heaven. It is sometimes called a bridge of flame, and it also symbolizes the world within.
Norse god Heimdal is the guardian of the rainbow bridge. He is one of the solar gods, whose domain is between the worlds, on the threshold, just as Chiron has been sometimes described as a doorway between the worlds. Heimdal is said to have taught the runes to humankind.
Kenaz is one of the runes that are used to invoke Heimdal. Kenaz symbolizes the torch, the inner light, the torch of learning. It is associated with consciousness, creativity, wisdom and mental agility. Kenaz can stand for a burning dedication to an outside cause. It symbolizes a gathering of people sharing the light. It is a guiding torch which can be handed from one person to another. The torch is a fire which is controlled and made of service to the humankind.
Here we get a link to the Greek myth of Prometheus, who was known for his intelligence, and who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals. Richard Tarnas has proposed that Prometheus is a more fitting figure for the astrological traits of the planet Uranus — the creative spark, technological breakthrough, sudden enlightenment, intellectual and spiritual awakening — than the sky god Ouranos.
Zeus punished Prometheus by having him bound to a rock while a great eagle ate his liver every day only to have it grow back to be eaten again the next day. Here we get a connection to Chiron, too. Chiron had been wounded by Hercules’ poisonous arrow. He was in great agony, but he was not able to heal himself, nor was he able to die, because he was an immortal. Prometheus could only be released if an immortal offered to take his place. Chiron agreed to take the place of Prometheus, and thus eventually was released from his pain.
In the chart Mercury retrograde is in conjunction with two asteroids, Apollo and Sphinx. They are emphasizing the theme of the acquisition of knowledge and passing the information forward. Asteroid Sphinx stands for mysteries and missing information, but usually when questions arise, the curiosity pushes us to seek the answers.
In mythology Apollo was a solar god. He was the patron god of music and poetry, and half brother of Hermes, who created the famous lyre for him. Asteroid Apollo is an Earth-crosser asteroid on a strange orbit around the Sun, different from the Sun itself which is the center of our solar system. This is why Eric Francis has proposed that astrologically Apollo might be a light-bringer in other ways than the Sun, perhaps representing something of the inner quality or talent of seeing the light where others might not see it.
Asteroid Pandora represents a point of curiosity, and now shares the same degree with the triple conjunction of Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune. We may be allured by new ideas, and by exploring them we may suddenly discover some hidden talent in us.
By trusting in one’s own intuition, and by determined effort, the torch can be handed over.
References:
Paul Rhys Mountfort, Nordic Runes, Destiny Books, 2003
Melanie Reinhart, Chiron and the Healing Journey, Penguin Books, 1998
Marc Edmund Jones, The Sabian Symbols in Astrology, Aurora Press, 1993
H. R. Ellis Davidson, Gods and Myths of Northern Europe, Penguin Books, 1990
Freya Aswynn, Northern Mysteries & Magick, Llewellyn Publications, 1998
Richard Tarnas, Prometheus the Awakener, Spring Publications, 2004
Martha Lang-Wescott, Mechanics of the Future: Asteroids, Treehouse Mountain, 1996
Eric Francis, The Spiral Door Almanac, 2007