On December 15th, 2024, we have a Full Moon at 23° Gemini.
The Full Moon in Gemini highlights the dynamic interplay of the Gemini-Sagittarius axis. The Sun is in Sagittarius, and the Moon is in Gemini.
The Sun and the Moon are at cross purposes, yet within this tension lies the potential for a new, higher perspective or understanding.
What is Sagittarius? What we believe in. Our ‘truth’. The framework of meaning. What makes sense to us.
What is Gemini? The actual, ever-changing reality. The facts. What we actually do.
At the Full Moon in Gemini, our beliefs may come into conflict with the actual facts or experiences around us, challenging us to reconcile the gap between truth and reality.
Full Moon In Gemini – Cognitive Dissonance
One term that captures the essence of the Gemini-Sagittarius axis is cognitive dissonance.
Cognitive dissonance is a psychological concept describing the mental discomfort or tension that arises when a person holds 2 or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes simultaneously, or when their actions conflict with their beliefs.
We believe one thing (Sagittarius) and do another (Gemini).
For example, we believe junk food is bad, yet we indulge in it. Cognitive dissonance is not the same as lying. With cognitive dissonance, the struggle is real. The belief is real – it’s wholeheartedly felt. The behavior is real too.
And the contradiction creates conflict, which the person tries to reconcile.
This process eventually leads to a resolution. The discomfort pushes us to make a choice. This may result in a change of beliefs – “Maybe junk food isn’t that bad if I only eat it occasionally” – and/or a change in behavior – “I will start eating healthier.”
Every Full Moon in Gemini – and we have one every year – is an opportunity to renegotiate these internal contradictions so we can align more authentically with our truth and actions.
Full Moon In Gemini – The Aspects
The Full Moon is square Neptune in Pisces. If the cognitive dissonance inherent in the Gemini-Sagittarius axis wasn’t enough, Neptune adds a dose of extra fog – aka confusion, aka endless possibilities – to the mix.
The ruler of the Full Moon, Mercury, is in Sagittarius and about to turn direct. A shift in clarity is just around the corner – but we’re not there yet.
The Full Moon is also loosely conjunct Jupiter (a separating aspect), infusing us with a sense of optimism, faith, and possibility.
The result? Unexpected turns of events may leave you feeling both excited and confused, making you second-guess your choices.
This combination of conflicting energies creates an atmosphere where clarity feels just out of reach, and every option seems both promising and uncertain.
Are things really as they seem?
Should I pursue this opportunity?
What’s best for me?
What if I’m fooling myself and I’ll regret later? What if I don’t?
Full Moon In Gemini – 7 Of Cups
The Full Moon in Gemini reminds us of the 7 of Cups Tarot card, where a person stands before various cups floating on a cloud. Each cup holds a different item – like a dragon, jewels, a snake, or a castle.
The person reaches out, but without clear focus or direction. The card emanates a sense of confusion, yet also boundless possibilities.
The 7 of Cups is a “bridge” between the material and spiritual realms.
The 6 of Cups (harmony, nostalgia) is the comfort of the past, while the 8 of Cups (leaving behind unfulfilling situations) is the decisive action after achieving emotional clarity.
The 7 of Cups sits in between: it is the moment of exploration, confusion, and overwhelm before clarity or resolution can be achieved.
Similarly, the abundance of options presented by the Full Moon in Gemini can lead to analysis paralysis.
The root cause of this paralysis? Fear of making the wrong choice.
This fear – the fear of ‘reality’ and its consequences – often leads to escapism (Neptune).
Astrologically, the natural order of planets offers a framework to understand this process.
Saturn is the planet of hard work, discipline, and accountability. Once we’ve done the hard work (Saturn), we find freedom and clarity (symbolized by the following planet, Uranus).
However, when we get stuck in this phase – when we feel overwhelmed by responsibility – we skip Saturn’s lesson and escape directly to Neptune, searching for a magical or unconscious way out, projecting our desires onto fantasies rather than grounding them in reality.
The narrative often goes something like this:
“This is so hard; I don’t have the resources, bandwidth, time, or energy to deal with it. What if there was a magical solution?”
The dream job, the knight on the white horse, the magic supplement that will fix all my health issues – the ‘shiny object’ – are not necessarily expressions of Neptune’s illusion or delusion, but rather of our escapism from Saturn’s hard work.
Understanding this dynamic can help us discern between our projected desires and the actual possibilities Neptune has in store for us.
Full Moon In Gemini – Even Better Than The Real Thing
“Even better than the real thing” – a phrase popularized by U2’s song in the early 90s – is a great way to describe the mysteries and possibilities of Neptune.
It suggests that there is such a thing as a ‘real thing,’ and that whatever is deemed ‘even better than the real thing’ might not be real at all – at least by material, 3D standards.
And yet, it is ‘better.’
This means that what we call illusion or fantasy is not inherently bad – just because it doesn’t have a tangible form, or just because it doesn’t meet Saturnian standards of reality.
We often dismiss it (because it doesn’t fit in our current reality). We make fun of it (because we can’t make full sense of it). We call it foolish (because it frightens us with its lack of logic).
Yet, the possibilities that Neptune offers are real (pun indeed).
Perhaps you applied for a job and you got a rejection. You feel deflated and don’t answer your phone. Perhaps your partner is late again, and you’re too frustrated to notice the billboard you pass by on your way home.
However, Neptune reminds us that there’s always a higher plan.
If we believe in this higher intelligence – if we trust the unfolding process – then we can perhaps look at these changes of plans, these interruptions, not as inconveniences – but as the universe’s gentle nudges to pursue something different, something that is more aligned with our higher purpose.
At the Full Moon in Gemini, answer your phone. Read that advertisement on the billboard. Pay attention to the small, seemingly irrelevant details that might initially feel like they’re disrupting your plans. Let serendipity in. Allow the magic of possibility to enter your life.
These Full Moon in Gemini options can be the “shiny object syndrome” OR real opportunities – ones that may not initially look like what you thought you wanted but turn out to be exactly what you needed to move forward.
The Full Moon in Gemini is an invitation to reconsider your options and explore new perspectives. Sometimes, what seems like an illusion can be even better than the real thing.
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The post Full Moon In Gemini – Even Better Than The Real Thing first appeared on Astro Butterfly.
