newsletter archive: full moon in gemini & the adventures of the ouroboros tapeworm

Sent: November 30 2025

Ok listen, you can’t claim to be a Mercury rx apologist if you’re not also getting your ass beat planetary style….. If you think about it, it really only boosts my credibility. 

This was me irl this retrograde:

I’d say this was a Mercury retrograde from hell but I feel like the one back in March of this year wins by a landslide, that Venus rx - Mars station- eclipse combo was pretty gnarly but if you feel like you still went to some dark places this November, I’m totally with you! I swear my faith in Mercury is Not blind optimism nor naivety, I just know that there’s so much to be gained through these mental crash outs if you can trust the process.

Now that Mercury has stationed direct, it’s likely that (however painfully) a perspective shift has settled over a previously confusing and frustrating circumstance. If that clarity hasn’t kicked in yet, we still have the post shadow for integration until December 16th. That is to say, we’re not really done with these themes yet, but it’s very possible that the path forward is at least visible. In Mercury on a Hot Tin Roof, we talked extensively about the Mercury-Mars conjunctions and the building Mars-Saturn square that has defined the last 3 weeks. Now that we’re in the post shadow, it’s a great time to compare notes! What was your Mercury rx story? There are quite a few themes that could fit here: nervous system regulation, the intimacy of conflict, overextension and burn out, the function of pain, words aligning with actions, motivational confusion, the reexamination of goals and desires. Whatever you came to a conclusion about is still deeply relevant as the Full Moon in Gemini brings it all home.

I’m already so sick of talking about Mercury but you’ll find that the planets love a synchronistic motif! So of course, just as Mercury stations on November 29th, we have a Full Moon in one of Mercury’s signs just a few days later on December 4th.

This Full Moon features:

• The Sun and Moon exactly at the nodal bendings

• Mercury as ruler reactivating the Grand Water Trine with Jupiter & Saturn

• Mars square Saturn (3º orb)

The North and South Nodes often fade from public discourse until we hit eclipse season, they tend to set a larger six month story arc in motion but between that, we have transits that live in the same modality that act as checkpoints halfway through. We can expect a kind of ecliptic friction as the Full Moon in Gemini opposes a Sagittarius stellium and meets the nodes in Pisces-Virgo at 13º exactly. There is so much in astrology that is left up to interpretation, we can kind of weasel around the fate vs. free will conversation until we get to matters of the nodes and the outer planets. This is where we truly meet the unseen in the things that we do not choose for ourselves, the patterns that repeat themselves relentlessly until we find a way to exit the loop… and coincidentally the exit door only appears at the very end of the 1.5 year transit. I’ve surely said it before but the nodes are exhausting! Forget the ouroboros dragon, they’re more like a tapeworm! It’s fitting too, the North Node consuming as the South Node drains.

September’s eclipse season already brought such emphasis on the South Node in Virgo revealing so much of what it’s really about, but now the Full Moon checkpoint reinforces those themes, highlighting exactly what the nodes might be (rightfully) depleting. This year has already begun to starve out rigid and puritanical mindsets, misplaced devotion or even more literal Mercury ruled things such as health regiments, self sacrificing work habits, fairweather friends, and unhelpful communication styles. Now that we’re in another mutable season, we’re being asked again to further release the grip on these things not by collapsing completely but by recalibrating how the mind operates under pressure.

This Full Moon might result in the training wheels suddenly coming off as they might not be conducive to moving forward or it could be that decisions need to be made whether we feel ready to make them or not. When the North Node points in the direction of Jupiter’s sign, the lesson is almost always about faith as an evolutionary path but that requires us to reassess the parts of us that reinforce dogma. It’s possible that Mercury’s retrograde brought up a theme of “the mind as an enemy” but it’s actually just our very own barometer for what we can or cannot handle. You can never fully “release” the South Node, I’ve always hated that sentiment because it doesn’t even make sense if the signs all work on an axis, you only need to learn how to hack it. While it’s in Virgo squared by a lunation in Gemini, it’s about learning how to work with the mind instead of against it. The chart illustrates a moment in time where we are collectively expanding our capacity for something or another and while it all does ultimately root back to Mercury/Mind/Perception, it will likely vary for each sign (horoscopes below! always read for your rising sign, not your sun!)

Other influences and transit check ins

The Grand Water Trine

We have had an ongoing late degree Grand Water Trine for the majority of the fall season, though it became exact with the Mercury-Mars transit through Scorpio aspecting retrograde Saturn in Pisces and Jupiter in Cancer in late October. Since then, the Sun and Venus continued the transit through Scorpio through the majority of November and now Mercury has circled back. The water element is known for both relational depth and psychic intensity and as such, it’s been the emotional irrigation system of the season.

Saturn’s transit through Pisces these last 3 years has been about creating boundaries in an element that is very challenging to structure. The answer hasn’t been about freezing it (emotion, sensitivity, connection, depth, etc.) but to stabilize it by keeping it properly circulated. Between Jupiter’s transit and so much activity in Scorpio, it’s likely required the confrontation of psychological material that we’d really rather ignore. This trine may have felt heavy at times, but it’s been a kind of medicinal osmosis for anything that has felt frozen or unavailable since Saturn ingressed in March of 2023– intense but also so sweet and healing at times. Mercury’s reactivation of the trine this week is very significant as it makes the final pass with newfound clarity to close this loop. Saturn is exiting Pisces very soon and while there will be another Saturnian struggle opening up elsewhere, the lessons learned from this one are likely starting to pay off profoundly. As for its connection to the Full Moon, Gemini isn’t seen as the most sentimental sign on its own but with the trine culminating, the mind has no choice but to consider the heart in its decisions. "A Changed Mind" is a fitting theme for the next two weeks.

Mars square Saturn

The Mars-Saturn square is present at the time of the Full Moon (exact on December 8th) describing the frustration of movement. Mars in Sagittarius wants to advance, to define meaning through action while Saturn in Pisces sets up the invisible barriers of time constraints, lack of clarity, emotional fatigue, and general disenchantment. It’s the tension between impulse and aligned implementation. Think of it as a second draft to whatever fell apart under the first square back in November of 2023, this was a breaking point for many. Now that we have 2 years of Saturnian wisdom under our belt, we can handle the challenge in a completely different way, one that honors our emotional needs. This test isn’t about whether you can push harder, it’s whether you can move with precision instead of panic– you’ll find that surprisingly, at least half of precision requires the jovial nature of trust.

Gemini Full Moon Horoscopes by Rising Sign

This Full Moon at 13° Gemini acts as a mutable checkpoint. It reawakens the Pisces-Virgo nodal story while Mercury’s post-shadow and the Mars-Saturn square test how well we’ve integrated the last few months of recalibration. For each rising sign, consider where mental flexibility is expanding and what decisions or conversations are asking to take form.

Aries Rising

This Full Moon rewires how you process information. The 3rd house is about learning patterns, language, and proximity, but Mercury in your 8th shows that what has really changed is the subtext and transparency of your communication. Your worldview is being edited through deeper psychological insight and what you choose to share with others. The nodal activation across the 6th and 12th reveals the link between your nervous system, what you may try to mind-control, and other modes of self sabotage. Mars and Saturn from the 9th and 12th push you to apply new philosophies that actually soothe the body instead of scatter it. Mars is challenging the long journey towards peace that you've been on these last few years with new ideas that have the potential to teach you and bring you even closer to yourself. A decision now asks for precision rather than reaction; speak when your thoughts have settled, not when they spike.

Taurus Rising

This 2nd house Full Moon magnifies self-worth and resource themes, but Mercury in your 7th reveals how partnership has shaped your sense of value. The nodal tension between the 5th and 11th raises questions about individuality within connection– how your personal desires fit alongside community, and how shared purpose influences creative freedom. Mars-Saturn in the 8th and 11th sharpens your awareness of energetic investments, especially what you owe to others versus what you withhold. You’re expanding the mental capacity to negotiate reciprocity without resentment and this is challenging the foundation you've been building within your support systems and future visions but trust that you have the wisdom to navigate this. A conversation about value or commitment may surface under this Full Moon; name the terms that actually feel mutual.

Gemini Rising

With the Full Moon in your 1st house, this is your yearly check-in, a mirror for how your thinking shapes your identity. Mercury direct in your 6th points to the connection between mind, body, and output, and how your daily rhythms feed the bigger architecture of your life. What you refine behind the scenes now directly affects how you appear, what you commit to, and where you’re seen. The nodal tension across your public and private sectors demands balance between professional expectations and emotional regulation. Mars and Saturn in the 7th and 10th add pressure to refine how you collaborate or commit, especially in relationships that test your timing, think back to late 2023 to gain insight into what you'd like to do differently this time. Something culminates around clarity of direction; decide which responsibilities and relationships still feel aligned with your authentic rhythm.

Cancer Rising

In the 12th house, this Full Moon illuminates what happens behind the scenes of your mind. Mercury in your 5th suggests that creativity and play are the antidotes to overthinking, but this post-shadow phase also reveals what has been fundamentally reworked around how you express yourself. The 12th and 5th connect through both inspiration and interference, and what’s surfacing now may expose the ways you’ve unconsciously sabotaged your own joy. The connection between these houses speaks to the quiet alchemy of imagination, where something private or once hidden begins to take form again. The nodes show a tension between belief and application: you can’t intellectualize faith, you have to practice it. Mars and Saturn in the 6th and 9th has been the ongoing push you need to structure your routines around meaning instead of obligation. Alternatively, this lunation might close a mental loop around burnout; rest isn’t avoidance, it’s incubation, and what emerges from stillness now wants to be shaped into something creative that actually sustains you.

Leo Rising

This Full Moon, you’re evaluating where you fit and why. The 11th house speaks to collectives, audiences, and long-term vision, but Mercury in your 4th brings the story inward. Family conditioning or emotional history informs how you show up publicly. The nodal axis on the 2nd and 8th houses highlights the exchange between shared and personal resources, questioning what your sense of belonging truly costs. Mars and Saturn in the 5th and 8th intensify your awareness of how effort and authenticity intertwine, revealing where creative drive or romantic energy has been shaped by fear of depletion or conversely, fear of investment. This aspect asks for maturity in how you pursue what excites you without overextending or closing yourself off in the process. The Full Moon crystallizes which communities you’re willing to invest in and which require a quiet exit, reminding you that even if your energy is limited, it is a renewable resource.

Virgo Rising

The Full Moon in your 10th speaks to visibility and direction, but Mercury in your 3rd reminds you that what and how you communicate shapes how you’re understood, how you’re known, and eventually how you’re remembered. You're not just using your voice to perform your identity; your voice is becoming your identity. The nodes on the 1st and 7th highlight the feedback loop between self and other, suggesting that what’s reflected back to you now helps refine the message you’re putting out and reveals whether the version of you that’s public still aligns with the version that’s private. Mars and Saturn in the 4th and 7th emphasize the ongoing pressure between domestic life and partnership agreements, exposing how emotional undercurrents and obligations influence your outward expression and lofty legacy ideals. A professional or relational decision may clarify itself now; the more intentional your language, the more accurately others can meet you where you’re headed.

Libra Rising

Your worldview is in revision. The 9th house speaks to perspective and meaning-making, while Mercury in your 2nd suggests that what you believe is now being measured against what you actually value and want to possess. The Full Moon reveals how shifts in worth and resource management influence your philosophy of life, hinting that faith has to be lived, not theorized. The nodes in the 6th and 12th expose how your current daily setup may be out of sync with what you say you want, urging you to build habits that genuinely sustain your long-term vision instead of draining it. Mars and Saturn in the 3rd and 6th highlight mental pressure and scheduling strain, pushing you to streamline how you think, speak, and plan. A conversation or piece of news could reframe your approach entirely; adaptation here isn’t passive acceptance but a kind of mental craftsmanship that keeps your inner and outer worlds in sync.

Scorpio Rising

The Full Moon in your 8th house brings financial and psychological intersections into focus, asking you to notice where shared power and personal security overlap. Mercury in your 1st sharpens self-awareness around what you share, what you hold, and which narratives you’ve outgrown. The nodes in the 5th and 11th highlight the tension between creating for yourself and creating for validation, revealing how control or fear of rejection may limit authentic expression– not just in your work, but in love and connection too. Mars and Saturn in the 2nd and 5th underline the need to balance self-sufficiency with trust in the emotional and creative process itself, teaching you that discipline can actually make intimacy and joy sustainable. This configuration also reintroduces the idea of risk: to open up, to invest, to let others witness your process without knowing how they’ll respond. Something culminates around transparency; clarity about motives dissolves power struggles and opens space for more meaningful collaboration.

Sagittarius Rising

The Full Moon in your 7th house exposes the state of your partnerships, but its reflection runs deeper than any single connection. With Mercury moving through your 12th, you’re seeing how unconscious narratives about independence or sacrifice influence the way you show up for others and yourself. The nodes in the 4th and 10th remind you that external success only feels sustainable when your emotional foundations are honest, while Mars and Saturn in the 1st and 4th have been the ongoing test in your ability to take responsibility in a way that doesn't compromise who you are. This is a checkpoint between solitude and companionship, self and the patterns you were born into, it's asking how much of your identity has been shaped in reaction to others. The risk now is vulnerability itself– letting others see your truth without first perfecting it... or running away from it.

Capricorn Rising

The Full Moon in your 6th house spotlights how your systems and responsibilities support or constrain your larger purpose. Mercury in your 11th ties this into the communities and networks that depend on you, showing that efficiency is meaningless without alignment to shared vision. The nodes in the 3rd and 9th remind you that information without embodiment leads to stagnation, while Mars and Saturn in the 12th and 3rd underline your ongoing struggle with communication these last few years and this is the final test to show you where you may unconsciously sabotage your own truth and valuable learning experiences. This is less about doing more and more about doing (or saying) what matters; paring down to essentials clarifies where your energy belongs. The risk lies in trusting that a slower pace might actually move you further.

Aquarius Rising

The Full Moon in your 5th house reawakens the need to create, to find excitement, and to feel genuinely alive. Mercury in your 10th weaves this into the public sphere, revealing how the stories you tell about your work, roles that you play, and identity have started to blur together. You may have gained clarity on how you actually want to start showing up vs. how you have in the past. The nodes in your 2nd and 8th house challenge you to confront any imbalances in giving and receiving, asking whether you undervalue your efforts or overextend to maintain harmony. Mars and Saturn in the 11th and 2nd tighten this focus highlighting an ongoing struggle of where showing obligation to the group has cost you ownership of your own self expression. This is a recalibration of exchange and exposure: the courage to risk being visible again without turning the things that bring you joy into emotional labor.

Pisces Rising

The Full Moon in your 4th house brings your inner life to the foreground, revealing the emotional architecture beneath your ambitions. Mercury in your 9th expands this reflection, suggesting that what you believe about safety and home is changing shape. The nodes in the 1st and 7th speak to the evolving balance between autonomy and dependence, asking how you can root in yourself without withdrawing from connection. Mars and Saturn in the 10th and 1st test how you move under pressure, exposing where outer duty has outpaced inner readiness. You've been rebuilding your identity these last few years and this is the final challenge to see if you can align your legacy with who you really are. This lunation brings the quiet risk of redefinition: choosing to rebuild stability on your own terms, even if it means releasing a version of yourself the world once expected you to be.

Happy Full Moon!

Your friendly neighborhood astrologer,

Katie