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Sagittarius Full Moon: New GPS

By Jessica Shepherd

Did you ever read the children’s book The Phantom Tollbooth? It’s a story about the importance of being willing to engage our life journey, and to learn from it. It begins with a young man named Milo, who is bored. He receives a package one day, with a map, and note that reads, “For Milo, who has plenty of time.” The package instructs him to have a destination in mind, but he disregards that, and as he plays in his room a whole world opens up and he’s taken to his first stop, called Expectations, where he is sidetracked by the Whether Man’s incessant banter, and daydreams his way into the Doldroms, a colorless, boring place. But as he engages his journey, he meets companions, is inspired to undertake a quest and just when he decides life and the world is thoroughly interesting and beautiful and he was all wrong about the “boring” part, he’s dropped by the phantom tollbooth back into his own bedroom with a new note that reads: “For Milo, who now knows the way.”

Our natal chart is like Milo’s map, an object of wonder with its hints and suggestions “head this way… no, go that way” and even glimmers of arriving at a true north. Yet even if we have a map we all bungle through life to some degree, don’t we? That’s because we are here to have experiences, make new connections and learn. None of us are given a guidebook, a scripted “how-to” for seamless navigation of life’s ups and downs. Life is an object lesson in improvisation, in thinking on our feet, connecting the dots and reading feedback. We’re ALL doing stand-up here.

Especially, now. Doesn’t it feel like we’ve entered a new world, one where a high degree of uncertainty and volatility is the new normal? Gemini is the mentally agile part of us that responds to our busy, changing environment with curiosity. Gemini says, It’s a fascinating, changeable world, and one worth discussing. It’s an information-rich sign, with a lot of ideas– all worth considering –but too many can spin our brains into cotton and lead us into confusion. Sagittarius can be the evangelical know-it-all who expresses that there’s only one right way and morally condemns others for their views -or- the wise counterpart to Gemini, helping us to step back from all the noise, sort through information, look at the big picture through a philosophical framework, use higher reasoning to get to higher ground. This lunation asks us to cut through the noise and find our own inner mountain top, though we can get easily sidetracked in the heat of the moment.

I’ve been witnessing a lot of heated debates about right versus wrong, lately, people condemning others for their opinion while placing theirs above others. Mars in Sagittarius retrograde joins this Full Moon. Self-righteousness is in the air. There is a right way and there is a wrong one, and you better know the difference…. That’s ego’s perspective. Ego separates. Yet none of us can claim to know what the world, or others, truly need. That’s Spirit’s perspective. It’s helpful to distinguish.

Fiery Mars invites us to engage life with our energy and choices, but retrograde, that may mean its time to pull back, disengage, recalibrate our compass. Maybe a behavior is no longer working.For instance, entertaining too many opinions, gossip, mental worry can fragment and divide the attention we need to be in the driver’s seat of our life. Ah, the Whether Man. The more people take a fiery moral stance, the more it seems to cause division and drag everyone down. You’ve now entered the land of Expectations –bound to disappoint. Let’s remember that we’re all doing improv, here.

I’ve been on my own Mars journey, getting new information by connecting meditatively to my higher self – an unexpected side effect of starting to do energy work to learn how to manage being an Empath (Mars in Sagittarius has been retrograding around my Neptune). It feels like I’m driving the same car, the same body, but I’m getting a new GPS download, a new way of driving my vehicle. It’s been unexpected, but it wasn’t unintentional. I engaged the uncomfortable things that were happening in my life and I became willing to grow and learn from them. That’s always been my personal philosophy, and it’s served me well in terms of growth and life satisfaction.

What’s your guiding philosophy? Is your compass, your GPS, working – or could it use an upgrade? We are each intrepid explorers on a quest for personal truth in a world full of uncertainty and differences, and while we have more in common than not, we are also so different. It’s easy to generalize truth with a capital T, but that’s not working anymore. The old GPS says there’s one right way for everyone. The new GPS says there’s a right way for you, and only you can know exactly what that looks like for you.

If you have more questions than answers, that’s in the air, too. We’ve got time to puzzle this one out; this is the first of two Sagittarius Full Moons. But with Mars’ placement, this is a clear call for deliberate action/choices, from higher wisdom ground. After all, life will always generously carry you along its stream, but only you decide, with your willingness to engage, read feedback, and learn from your experiences, whether you end up any wiser for the ride.

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About Jessica Shepherd

Jessica Shepherd is a writer, astrologer and health coach who has studied and practiced modern astrology since 1992. She is the author of A Love Alchemist’s Notebook: Magical Secrets For Drawing Your True Love Into Your Life (Llewellyn, 2010) and the books Venus Signs: Discover Your Erotic Gifts and Secret Desires Through Astrology
(Llewellyn, 2015) and Karmic Dates and Momentary Mates: The Astrology of the Fifth House (Moonkissd, 2014). In 2018, after living in California for twenty years, she relocated to Honolulu, Hawaii with her husband, dog, and cat. Find out more about Jessica at Moonkissd (www.moonkissd.com).

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The Moon is in its
Full Phase

in the
Sign of Scorpio


Today's Lunar Aspects (Greenwich Mean Time)
(subtract: PST -8 hours, PDT -7 hours, EST -5 hours, EDT -4 hours)

  • Moon opposite Uranus, 2:35am  May 13 2025
  • Moon trine Saturn, 6:37am  May 13 2025
  • Moon trine Neptune, 11:29am  May 13 2025
  • Moon sextile Pluto, 4:11pm  May 13 2025

Venus is currently
The Morning Star

in the sign of Aries


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Astrologers use a variety of house systems, or methods of dividing up the sky into twelve sections. I use the Porphyry house system; another popular house system is Placidus (this is the default on https://astro.com). If the chart I send you looks different from what you are used to seeing, then likely a system other than Porphyry was used. Whole signs, Equal House, Regiomantus, and Campanus are examples of other systems. If you find all of this confusing, do not worry. It is likely not critical to your report.

m  Conjunction:  Like peas in a pod, planets in conjunction tend to come from the same place. They act together, but it’s also hard to tell them apart. This aspect can increase talent, focus, and intensity (“two are better than one”). Or one planet can disappear as the other dominates. Their connection feels so natural, it’s easy to think everyone blends these planetary energies just as you do—but mostly, they don’t!.

p  Sextile:  Planets in sextile are compatible, though without any fireworks. This aspect doesn’t demand your attention. It quietly presents an opportunity. You can join these archetypal forces. Donna Cunningham has called this the “Oh, that!” aspect, because that’s generally what her clients say when she describes their benefits.  To get the most from sextiles you need to actively work them.

q  Square:  Squares are wild and wonderful—but difficult too. The power struggle between these planets was likely defined in your youth, when they were impossibly challenging. People are usually aware of their squares. They force the issues that make you to grow. And that’s their gift. They ensure you learn your lessons. When you rise to the occasion, they bless you with energy, action, and success.

r  Trine:  Michael Munkasey has dubbed this the “goddess aspect” because it’s so lovely. Identifying talents you may have perfected in a previous life, trines can bring you joy. There’s a nice flow of energy between planets in trine. They support and reinforce each another. But without any struggle, you might take them for granted—neither using nor developing their gifts. An unattended trine can sometimes trick you into negative behaviors.

t  Inconjunct/Quincunx:  Your quincunx planets are innately incompatible. Bringing them into harmonious expression requires constant adjustments. This can be stressful, also motivating. You’ve got to keep changing your process, opinions or attitude—which promotes highly creative solutions.

u  Opposition:  They say opposites attract—and planets in opposition are never far from each other, though they’re constantly bickering. You may be triggered into awareness of this aspect by other people who seem to resist or undermine you.  An opposition can make you feel uncertain, insecure, or discontent, until you can accept and see yourself in both energies. Typically people find it easier to identify with one side and project the other onto unsuspecting others in the outer world.

First House: Personality, physical body, beginnings. Includes the Ascendant and rules physical appearance, the image you project to others, your general outlook on life, how you start things; may describe your role in your family system, often guides your first impression of immediate environment.

Second House: Money and personal finances, sense of self-worth and basic values, personal possessions, talents.

Third House: Communication, thoughts, language skills like writing and speaking, early schooling, siblings and neighbors, short trips, coming and going around town.

Fourth House: Your home, psychological foundations and roots, family, parents, domestic life, instinctive behavior, ancestry, your connection with the past, sense of security, domestic life, real estate. conditions at the end of life.

Fifth House: Children, creativity, romance; pleasure, entertainment, self-expression; all forms of “play”, speculation, gambling, and attitude towards taking risks; hobbies, attitude towards romance, lovers as opposed to partners, attitude towards having fun.

Sixth House: Work and job (as opposed to career), daily life, attitude towards service and coworkers, helpfulness, pets, attitude towards routine and organization, how you refine and perfect your skills.

Seventh House: Partnerships, one-to-one relationships, marriage, the first marriage, the “significant other”, business partnerships, competitors, open enemies, lawyers, mediators, counselors, contracts, negotiations, agreements. clients/the public.

Eighth House: Transformations and crisis, your ability to meet and rebound from crisis and change, sexuality; sex, death and rebirth, rituals and personal growth, your partner’s resources, addictions, psychology, other people’s money, taxes, divorce/alimony, inheritance.

Ninth House: Attitude toward expanding horizons, religious beliefs and personal philosophy, higher education, long-distance travel, morals, foreign languages and cultures, personal truths, publishing, commerce, advertising, your sense of adventure.

Tenth House: Career and profession, your contribution to society, social status, public reputation, material success, how you carve out a public identity for yourself; attitude toward authority figures, parents, caregivers, bosses, governments, attitude towards responsibility, desire for achievement.

Eleventh House: Friends, groups, organizations; hopes, wishes, aspirations, personal goals; your philanthropic attitude, concern for the collective, humanity; like tenth, can bring recognition and honors for fulfilling hopes and dreams.

Twelfth House: What’s hidden beneath the surface, karmic dustbin, limiting childhood/past-life messages, self-undoing, hidden enemies, hidden weaknesses, dreams, secret affairs, lost items, hospitals and prisons, hidden strengths, spiritual studies and soul growth.

A  Sun: Our vitality and magnetism; self-identity, ego.
Roles: The Self, the Hero, the Performer, the King.

B  Moon: Intuition, emotion, nurture.
Roles: The Mother, the High Priestess, the Child.

C  Mercury: Mind; physical dexterity and mental agility.
Roles: The Thinker, the Communicator, the Student, the Trickster, the Merchant, the Thief.

D  Venus: Our capacity for pleasure, receptivity, creativity, and social connection. Also indicates our relationships, self esteem, and financial abundance.
Roles: The Lover, the Seductress, the Artist.

E  Mars: Desire, initiative, anger.
Roles: The Protector, the Athlete, the Warrior.

F  Jupiter: Luck, opportunity, expansion, higher learning, religion.
Roles: The Scholar, the Gypsy, the Traveler, the Monk, the Professor.

G  Saturn: Hard work, commitment, focus, inadequacy, leadership, suffering, loss.
Roles: The Task Master, the Grim Reaper, the Wise Old Man, the Builder, the Cynic, the Boss.

H  Uranus: Change, breakthroughs, upsets, discoveries.
Roles: The Revolutionary, the Humanitarian, the Visionary, the Snob.

I  Neptune: Imagination, spirituality, idealism, addictions, deception, compassion.
Roles: The Artist, the Romantic, the Guru, the Addict, the Martyr, the Victim.

J  Pluto: Transformation, power, psychological dynamics, helplessness.
Roles: The Terrorist, the Detective, the Psychotherapist, the Dictator, shady people.

a  Aries: Pioneering, competitive, selfish, impatient, courageous, reckless, independent, dynamic, domineering, “Me first!”

b  Taurus: Patient, stable, lazy, dependable, practical, sensual, stubborn, artistic, possessive, greedy, gentle, loyal.

c  Gemini: Intelligent, curious, adaptable, quick-witted, restless, clever, scatterbrained, lacking follow-through.

d  Cancer: Nourishing, intuitive, protective, moody, sensitive, maternal, domestic, childish, cautious, creative.

e  Leo: Proud, dignified, vain, expressive, romantic, generous, childish, overbearing, self-assured, creative.

f  Virgo: Perfection-seeking, practical, methodical, petty, critical, studious, discriminating, cautious, never satisfied.

g  Libra: Charming, sociable, peace-loving, refined, diplomatic, artistic, indecisive, apathetic, easily deterred.

h  Scorpio: Passionate, secretive, penetrating, resourceful, suspicious, manipulative, jealous, sarcastic, intolerant, determined, aware.

i  Sagittarius: Freedom-loving, philosophical, optimistic, enthusiastic, careless, impatient, talkative, a know-it-all, broadminded, athletic, honest.

j  Capricorn: Serious, responsible, practical, hardworking, stubborn, brooding, inhibited, status-conscious, domineering, unforgiving.

k  Aquarius: Progressive, individualistic, unpredictable, cold, intellectual, artistic, eccentric, shy, impersonal, scientific.

l  Pisces: Compassionate, intuitive, ungrounded, romantic, impractical, self-sacrificing, seductive, musical, artistic.