Wednesday, December 7th
Full Moon
in Gemini 16°02'
8:09 pm PST

Past Selves, Becoming Selves: Grieving into New Paradigms
by Sarah Faith Gottesdiener

This Wednesday we greet our last Full Moon of this year. This Moon shimmers with contrasts. It is the Dark Moon time of year when the days are shortest and much of the Earth is asleep. Often, Full Moons at this time are experienced strongly: our magical work is more intense, emotions slosh over the sides of our compartments. You might feel more exhausted, aching in both bones and spirit. Give yourself a chance to catch up to your dreams, dares, and devils.

Collecting Ourselves, Connecting Ourselves

High above our heads, the Moon illuminates the past, the present, and the future. Full in tropical Gemini, on Mercury’s day, she is full of wonder, questions, and koans. This Moon is an air Moon, a Moon for coming up with ideas, adopting new beliefs, and uncovering resonant philosophies from long ago. This is a Moon to sing to, write poems under, tell stories under, put pen to paper under—and later, she asks you to confess the most thrilling fantasies between the sheets. She is a talisman of protection as we pass through our own liminal spaces of becoming.

Collect yourself. Connect yourself. Recalibrate to the time of now.

Not from a place of past hurts, washed up like dry seaweed on an unforgiving beach.

Not from a space of denial, of overlooking your secret desires and needs.

It’s hard to let go of certain selves, hard to hold all the wants and nuances — I understand. You don’t want to leave anything behind, but after a certain point, they’ve long passed their expiration date: a dusty coping mechanism left on repeat. 

This Moon understands paradoxes: the tension of knowing too much and too little at the same time. This Moon understands that sometimes the only way to heal is to excavate the most painful secrets and throw them into a hasty burial, while still yearning to keep them protected and safe.

The Moon wonders aloud:

Will I ever be whole? Will I ever stop needing the light of the sun to appear real to others?

The element of air replies:

You are already whole, sometimes you just forget.

You are realer than real because you are in relationship. We need others to reflect: interdependence is a strength, not a weakness. Affirm yourself and allow others to help you shine and be clearly seen.

The cold night keens:

I am so, so tired. How can I keep going?

The Gemini Moon reminds her:

Just like you did, sweetheart, that last time—just like you always do.

Only this time, make it easier. Only this time, collect your people close like starry lightning bugs.

Only this time, let your tears become mourning dew.

The long night Moon, after spending much time in process, so much time in growth, now blooms; gets to experience herself as a rising Queen; gets to allow herself to keep dreaming.

The twins remind her that this is the cycle, this is the return. She isn’t making it through alone. Relationship after relationship keeps her in orbit: the Earth and the stars and the wind and all the witches below, singing hymns to fire, feet crunching on snow, staring into the wild horizon as so many have before them.

What do you need to collect your selves? What do you need to connect your selves?

What messages does this Moon offer under the longest nights of this year?

— To read the rest of Sarah Faith Gottesdiener's Full Moon in Gemini essay, along with her exclusive Tarot spread and ritual download the December Guide. Looking for lunar insights and magic making opportunities like this? Order the 2023 Many Moons Lunar Planner!