Have you noticed that plans are hard to pin down since the June 1 solar eclipse? Or, perhaps you’ve been feeling unusually exhausted or wound up – I certainly have. Eclipses involving Gemini, sign of communication, often feel like Mercury (Gemini’s ruler) is retrograde. There’s so much going on, yet it’s hard to make a clear decision. This energy reaches a peak at the lunar eclipse on Wed. June 15 (1:14 p.m. PDT), as the Sun in Gemini is eclipsed by the Moon in Sagittarius. It’s like a thunderstorm that charges the atmosphere with electrical energy, bringing intensity, then relief from the mounting tensions.

Are you facing an important decision, or longing for a new direction? This Full Moon lights up the Galactic Center, catalyzing a fateful turning point. Sagittarius is an intuitive sign – it knows what it knows without knowing how it knows it. By eclipsing the busy and sometimes myopic Gemini Sun, the Moon in future-oriented Sagittarius is telling us to slow down and sense the big picture – the long view. When you do so, the clouds will part and, with a resounding clap of thunder, suddenly you’ll know which way to go.

Bear in mind, though, that there’s another eclipse coming on July 1 (more on that in my next essay). So, the energies of disruption and change will continue even after the Sun slides into watery Cancer at the June 21 Summer Solstice. Hang loose and ride the currents as best you can – something extraordinary is being born.

“The pain pushes you until your vision pulls you.” – Rev. Michael Beckwith

Much of my newly inherited home is about to be demolished. A building inspection revealed toxic mold, and I was advised to leave before I became sick. The remodeling process I’d hoped would happen in manageable phases is descending all at once. I’m trying to keep my head on straight and enlist the right helpers, while receiving a crash course in the intricacies of mold remediation, plumbing and electrical systems.

On bad days, when I awaken at 4:30 a.m. with a pounding headache, I step outside for some fresh air and remind myself that, “This too, shall pass.” Soon, my vision of transforming my 1952 family home into a Mexican Mid-Century “villa” will come to pass. Meanwhile, this security-oriented Cancer is relocating nearby to supervise from a safe distance.

Welcome to eclipse season! And it looks to be a doozy. The June 1 partial solar eclipse in jumpy Gemini (2:03 p.m. PDT) gets things going, followed by a total lunar eclipse in Sagittarius on June 15 and another partial solar eclipse in Cancer on July 1. Eclipses are known for bringing abrupt change, especially when they hit sensitive points in your chart (for example, the June 1 eclipse activates my Ascendant, point of physical self and location).

Adding to its catalytic potential, this eclipse series occurs during the final, Universal Underworld of the Mayan Calendar. During this Ninth Wave (March 9 to Oct. 28), according to Carl Calleman, time is accelerated 20-fold; we’ll experience the same amount of change as occurred from 1999 until a few months ago. Consciousness is rapidly evolving as dimensions merge and a new world is born. It’s our choice: adapt and flourish or resist and suffer.

Does something in your life need dramatic improvement? Since eclipses break through stagnant patterns, now’s the time to align with the incoming energies and make a change. Gemini promotes rapid-fire learning. Though this mental air sign tends to be all over the place, a stabilizing trine from Saturn in Libra to the June 1 New Moon eclipse helps to ground our visions so they can take flight.

If we stay focused, we can ride these energies like a hawk navigating strong winds. However, because the Sun (masculine impulse) is eclipsed by the Moon (feminine intuition) at the June 1 New Moon, we may feel as if we’re flying blind. This sensation is intensified by Neptune (dreaminess) turning retrograde in square to Mercury (the mind) on June 2. We may doubt our direction or second-guess ourselves. Yet Saturn’s trine to the Sun and Moon says: Trust your intuition, take action and things will work out–even if unpredictably.

On June 4, giant Jupiter enters practical, earthy Taurus. It’s time to get real about our finances and figure out how to live sustainably on the Earth. Bringing special blessings to those with prominent Taurus placements, this one-year cycle is good for investing in land and developing realistic and artistic ventures. Also, no-nonsense Saturn turns forward June 12 in Libra (good news for those with strong Libra or Capricorn!), helping business affairs get going again. Add to that a powerhouse lunar eclipse at the Galactic Center on June 15 that will bring vital news and shifting points of view. And, the seasons change on June 21 as the Sun slides into sensitive Cancer at the Summer Solstice. It should be quite a month.

Rapid-fire change can evoke the best or the worst in us. Even if we don’t know what to do next or feel antsy and on edge, inquisitive Gemini reminds us that there is something to learn from pain as well as joy. Hold fast to whatever grounds you, from yoga practice to yard work. In these extraordinary times, we’re called to rise up into our highest selves, spread our wings and find the courage to fly!

Also, you can check out my Astro Feng Shui blog for a Gemini New Moon ritual that will help you embrace your higher truth.

© 2011 Simone Butler . All rights reserved