Edisona in Gemini: What is a Bright Idea?

 

 Thomas Alva Edison

A famous Edison quote: 'Genius is 1% inspiration

and 99% perspiration.' (Harper's Monthly - September 1932) 

photo credit: Louis Bachrach (c. 1922)

May 4th and 3:08pm (UT/+0) will find asteroid Edisona moving into Gemini, joining an interesting little group which includes Dionysus (sacred celebration/ritual), Sabine (captured, enforced), Tantalus (tempting, temptation), fixed star Aldebaran (integrity), Orpheus (irresponsible/self conscious talent), Industria (industriousness), Hebe/Chaos (service/endless fertility), Klotho (bringing to be) and fixed star Rigel (the teacher)….all in Gemini’s first fifteen degrees.

Why care about the first fifteen degrees in particular? 

Because the above list of points are those which are going to be getting ‘fired up’ as we move forward through these next three weeks or so to June 1st’s Gemini Solar Eclipse.

Edisona, obviously linked to the famous inventor Edison is all about ‘the bright idea.’ You know - because Edison invented the light bulb.

A light bulb

photo credit: KMJ (Oct 2007)

It’s also about illumination...in something of the ‘lesser’ meaning of the word. Mercury, the Sun – those are the central astrological symbols of enlightenment or learning of the internal sort….the kind of understanding which we use in growing our interests.

Against this we have Edisona, which seems to be more about ‘seeing what’s happening’ or having a moment where we ‘get the drift’ or – as applies to the upcoming solar eclipse – we begin understanding the nature of things which will be at stake, up for grabs, in need of attention and of the moment as eclipse-oriented events become the talk of the day.

Considering this eclipse will be at 11 Gemini, Edisona being in Gemini would seem like (sorry, I just have to say it!) a really good idea.

The down side? Considering how solar eclipses tend to be all about blindly tossing the proverbial baby out with the unused bathwater, what we may hear now and going forward are a lot of good ideas which actually aren’t going to get anywhere because some giant force plows them down like a steamroller over an army of marshmallows.

However…that doesn’t mean that this isn’t a good time to have a great idea. Gemini being a sign all about mentality and choice, this would be a classic time to begin getting a clue as to what you need to do in order to make your own dreams come true. And if that new idea or concept or perspective on life includes letting go of something or some method or some situation which has worked ‘well enough’ but which deep in your….whatever (far be it for me to  presume here)…you know isn’t your passion, your ‘this is who I really am (or should be)’ thing…then so much the better. The letting go of temporizing and ‘making do’ is the heart and soul of what a lead-up period to an eclipse is all about, so the more honest you can be with yourself about who you really were “born” to be, the better off you’re going to be.

And listen...I know this isn’t easy. Plenty of us get into life wedgies with ourselves where we’re making the decent paycheck or we want to be ‘part of something’ which makes us feel accepted…but if that isn’t you, it isn’t. The lore about eclipses is all about this very concept – that when we compromise our real reason for being, particularly where we get all dug in and stubborn (yeah, that would be like what…half the human race?), that’s where an eclipse comes along and hits you really hard.

This isn’t about what you like, either. It’s about that inner sense of who you are and who you should be in the world. Let’s remember: Gemini is the polarity sign to Sagittarius, which means what we do or think up gets tested in real world surroundings. Where we love something but everybody hates it (or hates us for doing it, being it or loving it) that may or may not be totally wrong – you have to reflect. Deep inside, is this …no, not what you like or who you are, but who you know you should be in the greater world? Sagittarius is all about the ‘out there’ stuff – our making the way in the world.

And when the world hisses at us for how we’re making our way or who we’re making our way with, or…or…

…It may not be that said ‘group’ is really bad. It may just be that that’s not for us. Much as we might like it, it’s not for us.

Anyway….so let’s get back to the plus side of this ledger and how this all sort of times out. By May 29, Edisona will be conjunct Aldebaran, a fixed star all about integrity. That being at 9 Gemini (the last of Gemini’s ‘doing/being’ first decanate degrees), and with this being just a handful of tick-tocks prior to the eclipse, getting the idea (also known has ‘are you getting the idea already, bub?’) is the order of the day.

With Venus running with Mars at this point in Taurus, a lot of folks are going to be sticking out their lower lip and pouting ‘but I LIKE doing this!’ … and yes, that may work for some. But will it work for you? That idea is your Edisona/Aldebaran: check the inner integrity meter. Is your world growing? Are you more rather than less secure with your place in life and/or the world (both count)?

As of May 30th, Edisona moves into Gemini’s second decanate: degrees 10 through 19. This being where Gemini expresses itself about emotions and most emotionally (poetically? fervently? persuasively?) it’s a good time to ‘put out the appeal’ or maybe launch some sort of campaign.

Whatever you’re doing, the days of June 14, 15 and 16 have Edisona conjunct fixed star Rigel (the teacher). So it’s a great day to ask questions and get information, however you glean best. Since that Venus/Mars thing is now split up, everyone’s more in a ‘productive mode’ and with Mars still in Taurus’ late degrees part of the reason why would be that a few resounding NO!s have been delivered since we last checked in on this transiting pair.

From June 25 through July 21st when Edisona enters Cancer, this is the real test of how well things are working. The 3rd decanate of Gemini – degrees 20 through 29 – are like all zodiacal 3rd decans about the getting feedback, the responding to external force and influence. And here the response (and often the input) is verbal, textual – or otherwise expressed as the opinion on ‘idea of the thing’…even when Edisona isn’t around!

As photographed in UV, 'fixed star' Betelgeuse can be seen

pulsating. Is this a metaphysical indicator that things are - and are

meant to be more or less easy? I'd think so!

photo credit: NASA/ESA

And with this particular Gemini 3rd decanate…well, let’s just take our theme from the two fixed stars positioned at the beginning of said decan (Bellatrix) and at the end of the decan (Betelgeuse). There are a couple of others hanging in this arena, but these two really pretty much say it all. Bellatrix is the quintessential ‘oh, you think? PROVE IT!’ and Betelgeuse is ‘ease of passage/easy going.’ Obviously we all like Betelgeuse and hardly one in twenty of us enjoy Bellatrix.

But since all of life is a process, let’s look at it this way: if you receive the Bellatrix critique and you fix the problem, then you get the Betelgeuse approval and support – you’re on and about your biz. But if you fight for (or insist on persisting with) something which doesn’t work, which isn’t acceptable, which violates or ‘cheats’ on some sort of rule or standard…(or frankly, if your choice simply sucks) then Betelgeuse becomes the door which slams in your face.

The third decan of Gemini is totally about this process and the experiencing of this process. If Edisona’s passing through here gives you the idea of how life works, bravo! If Edisona passing through this decan even gives you some idea of what’s keeping you from achieving some peace and harmony in your life or efforts, we have to applaud that too.

Worth noting here also is that on July 4th, Edisona will be conjunct the South Node (ease of association) with fixed star Phact (and Bellatrix) right behind. Would this make it a good day to go out and do something new? It well might be.

But maybe more to the point...this combination really sounds like one where you get past the hard stuff (Bellatrix) and explore possibilities (Phact) which may well pay off. Or when you begin to understand how to get in sync with others. With Venus at 0 Cancer (the beginnings of connections) and the Sun already in Cancer’s emotional degrees (not to mention this coming right after the July 1st Cancer solar eclipse) this is a good time to get rid of the old, accept the new and perhaps …just perhaps to mend fences or bridges, depending on what’s gone down in your life.

To this we could at how Bellatrix and Betelgeuse (and come to think of it, Rigel) are all members of the same constellation: Orion...the Hunter.

A constellation map of Orion

by Blueshade (Nov 2004)

Take it as just another little celestial suggestion that we are meant to go find our answers, our inspirations, our new and bright ideas. Life isn't supposed to be easy...the eternal Gemini/Sagittarius polarity is all about the growth cycle and about stretching ourselves particularly in areas which seem uncomfortable or disquieting to us.

At the very least...we need to understand why they're such a problem, y'know?

So that’s all I have to say on Edisona - for the moment, that is. Which means I’m now leaving you with all these ideas so that you can have some of your own!

Is it a deal?

Happy gleaning!