Gemini New Moon: Power of the Mind

What if, all through your childhood, your dad told you things like, “You’re gonna shake up this world,” and, “You’re gonna win Wimbledon.” And drove you past mansions in the wealthy part of town, assuring you that some day you’d have one of your own.

For two young Black girls growing up in the 1980s in a sketchy neighborhood south of L.A., such aspirations may have seemed wildly unattainable. But, thanks to the mental and physical coaching of their parents and their own hard work, Venus and Serena Williams did indeed shake up the world – and permanently changed the face of tennis.

As recounted in King Richard (on Netflix), starring Will Smith as the crafty, controversial father, it’s a rousing tale of what can happen when raw talent meets radical determination. This is also a tale of two sisters, born only 16 months apart, who, despite fierce competition with each other on the court, managed to preserve their sisterly love and remain each other’s strongest supporter. Though both are champions in their own right, they actually achieved their greatest success by teaming up to win three Olympic Gold Medals in women’s doubles, adding to Venus’ singles gold (and her five Wimbledon wins.)

Serena is now retired and raising kids, but Venus, who’s been sidelined by injuries, recently announced that she’s still passionate about tennis and is aiming for a comeback. The superstar, who turns 44 this month (June 17, 1980, 2:21 p.m., Lynwood CA) possesses a fascinating chart. She has the Sun conjunct Venus (how appropriate!) in the sign of the Twins, and Venus rules her chart with Libra rising. Both planets are squared by taskmaster Saturn and athletic Mars in perfectionistic Virgo, which explains her drive, dedication and discipline despite the obstacles she faced. Serena’s stellium of five planets (including the Sun) in Libra connects with her sister’s Ascendant and Pluto. This powerful tie in the agile, lightning-quick air signs of Gemini and Libra makes for an unbeatable team, both on and off the court.

The upcoming Gemini New Moon (June 6, 5:37 a.m. PT), is eerily akin to Venus Williams’ chart: A conjunction of Sun and Venus is closely squared by Saturn. This is a power aspect, as the tennis star has proven. But a square from the lively, creative Sun and Venus to the planet of reality and self-mastery can also be frustrating. It wasn’t easy for Venus to find an entrée into white country clubs in the late 80s and early 90s. Likewise, this New Moon at 16 Gemini may us slow down and help us develop patience. There are five planets in the sign of the Twins at this lunation: Sun, Moon, Venus, Mercury and Jupiter. That’s a major emphasis on the sign that loves to chat, research, ask questions, try new things, get out and about, multi-task and connect with others. Yet Saturn in Pisces may temper these activities to some extent. A square between mutable signs calls for keeping an open mind and staying flexible. Try to refrain from judging yourself for being unable to move fast enough or for not living up to others’ expectations.

This New Moon also features a beautiful trine from Jupiter to Pluto (exact June 2). This super-networker aspect enhances our mental powers and helps us team up with others to share forward-thinking ideas (Pluto in Aquarius) which can bring luck and boost communications (Jupiter in Gemini). Jupiter-Pluto aspects are associated with wealth and expanding boundaries. This can be a good time to launch a project – as long as you’re willing to think long-term and be patient. Even though it’s not yet exact, we’re now having a preview of the upcoming Jupiter-Saturn square (August 2024 – April 2025), which is a hard-working, one-foot-on-the-gas, one-foot-on-the-brake kind of aspect. More on that at a later date.

If you’re on friendly terms with Saturn, this can be a great New Moon for you. But if you should feel hamstrung, just think of Venus Williams, who transformed her square from Sun-Venus to Saturn into literal gold (including great wealth) by disciplining her mind and body. She may have paid a price for dedicating her life to being the best, but she’s doing what she loves – and you can’t beat that.