At our best, we humans are tenacious problem solvers. But, equally true, we are also expert problem makers. It just depends on which foot we are standing and which part is leading the charge. No doubt, the last few years have revealed both options with stark and often disturbing clarity.
And there are still revelations and truth bombs detonating around us. Problems tend to continue until they are solved. It must be noted Mercury is still retrograde. Additionally, Saturn is aspecting Mercury and every other outer planet, including Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and the Nodes. This says the “information” arising will continue to be of the real variety. The stuff that may not be easy but is necessary. Expect reality checks. Brick walls. Triggers. Forced stops and redirections. Saturn keeps it real.
The intention, of course, is clarity on what needs improvement. With Mercury retrograde, we are meant to listen more than pontificate, pause rather than force forward, and reflect rather than disregard. Because Gemini and Mercury both represent the machinations of the mind, communication, perception, facts, and data all come to light during these times, offering the choice of a fresh perspective. But only if we are brave enough to come face to face with what isn’t working. In its most optimum expression, these air forces represent the parts of us that can be curious reporters observing with as little bias as possible and listening to understand, not be right. It symbolizes the part of us that asks hard questions which require contemplation, research, critical thinking, and honest discord to answer.
There is a reason Mercury goes retrograde a few times a year. We are reminded of the need to pause and LISTEN a little more before speaking. To respond, not simply react.
Because words carry tremendous power and with that power, responsibility. Toxicity in any system starts with the parts, typically from the top down allowing negativity and incivility to run amok. There is indeed a sense of urgency with this New Moon ratcheting up the required lessons. In fact, the Sabian Symbol for this New Moon is “an airplane performing a nosedive”. A poignant and apt metaphor. Planned or unplanned, our choices matter most in times of crisis. Whether we persevere or perish depends on our ability to be responsive and not reactive. Clear thinking, discerning facts, data, and instructions saves lives. On the flip side, disinformation and fear-based reactions can be dysfunctional, even deadly. The choices we make and the parts in charge of those choices determine the outcome. There is both hope and challenge found in that truth. Hope because we can save ourselves and set a new path forward. Challenging because fear is activated in times of crisis, igniting pathways that may be habitual but not proactive. In that state, we also become easy to influence. This is the basis of manipulative information tactics and propaganda (a Gemini shadow quality).
Consider the words of master propagandist Adolf Hitler, “Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as hell, and also the other way round, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise.”
Obviously, we are being called to reassess how we communicate, perceive, and share information in our current time. Never before have we had so much data at our fingertips. Never before have we faced algorithms that create echo chambers of information, confusing lines between fact and opinion. Rather than joining us in a common cause, information now divides us. Ideas rather than inspire, polarize. Never before has it been so difficult to decipher truth from falsehood.
In a fear state, we tend to gravitate to ‘fast’ solutions like black or white, right and wrong, and good and evil. And that’s not all bad, of course. Our survival often requires the simplicity of clear-sided action. Our world of information has become a cacophony of level 10 stress experiences, though, and nothing can grow there. In truth, life IS complex, and things DO need fixing. Complexity means there are many facets to consider to any given solution. Complexity means we need to understand what moral psychologists (yes that is an actual branch of psychology) already know- that humans tend to adopt a moral standard and then find the evidence and data to support their position. Not the other way around. We need to reverse that habit. So, the only way forward is to embrace the complexity via responding rather than reacting. We need actual dialog and rationality. We need communication that exchanges actual facts while listening to understand. We need to speak to inspire, rather than demand, preach, blame, indoctrinate, or sermonize. We will also need to compromise. That is the ONLY way to find any semblance of progression.
There is no doubt we are currently living an information emergency in our world. To that end, here are some Gemini-inspired tips to remember as we navigate the terrain.
- Pause so new information can arise. Pay close attention to the stuff that isn’t working the way you want it to. There will be gems of wisdom there. Pause before you speak. Is it kind? Is it helpful? Are you adding to the conversation or simply defending a side?
- Fact-check everything. This is something I have personally adopted, and it has been eye-opening. Learn to check sources, locate bias, and incentives. Many libraries have great info on their local sites if you want to be an expert fact-checker. Before you repeat, repost, share, etc., fact check using reliable sources. Likewise, check the habitual news feeds that play in your head internally. Update as needed.
- Be wrong about something you are sure you are right about. Listen to understand an opposing viewpoint. In this way, you crack the door to complexity and the ability to learn. Have some meaningful conversations and open dialog even (especially) if you disagree. Want some examples of what that looks like, check out the Middle Ground on the Jubliee Youtube Channel.
- Learn about undue influence and the influence continuum. I have spent the last three years researching and learning from some fantastic experts on the subject. There is a significant rise in this type of destructive information influence in society, most notably in politics, religion, health, education, and self-help. Check out Steven Hassan, Rick Allen Ross, Amanda Montell, Margaret Thaler Singer, and Robert Jay Lifton. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it, and it is everywhere. Be on the lookout for thought eradicating clichés, generalizations, whole group projections, and other destructive coercive techniques.
- Learn what it means to think critically. For some tips on that go Skills you need: Critical thinking.
There is an understanding that great change is often preceded by chaos. Crisis points get our attention like nothing else can. We are there. All the information is in front of us. The plane is in a nosedive. What we do next determines the outcome. What we can’t do is ignore it. Planes can’t right themselves. They need pilots that know how to fly right. Because problems will repeat until we solve them. On a collective and personal level, nothing gets better until we make it better. So, commit to being part of the solution. Because….
“We’re all stuck here for a while, so let’s try to work it out.”
― The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion
*This New Moon occurs at 9° Gemini.
*Want to know what this time is revealing for you? Contact me, for more information.
Photo by Aung Soe Min on Unsplash