Independence Day and the Full Moon of the Guru

Happy America’s Birthday, Steemians! Welcome to my first official blog post here on this platform.

Nowadays, the 4th of July is an excuse for a big party, with parades, picnics, concerts, fireworks, THE works.

But it also very nearly coincides with the most auspicious Full Moon of the year. This year, the Full Moon is on July 9, but in some years, it does fall on July 4th.

Known as “Guru Purnima,” or the “Full Moon of the Guru,” it happens when the Sun is in Gemini and the Moon is in the opposite sign of Sagittarius. It is auspicious because Sagittarius is the sign of teachers, priests, and lawgivers. In Hindu culture, it is the day when we give honor to those who have inspired us, and taught us higher wisdom.

Some of you may remember a song from 1967 called “To Sir, With Love,” the theme song from the movie of the same name, about an innovative teacher who changed the lives of some poor Cockney students. The teacher was played by Sidney Poitier. Google it: “To Sir, With Love” is a good song to sing on Guru Purnima.

What’s so special about the Full Moon in Sagittarius? It is part of the cycle that begins with the New Moon in Gemini. (Vedic astrology uses Sidereal Time, so the first New Moon following the Summer Solstice is in Gemini, not Cancer.)

Gemini is not really the sign of the “Twins:” It is depicted by a young man holding a club, and a young woman holding a musical instrument. This is intended to show a range of possibility. Gemini energy is all about exploration, curiosity, trying new things that you haven’t before, just for fun!

Notice how when the Gemini New Moon happens, schools have just let out for the summer, and kids are going to camp. But you too can tap into this playful energy, and you won’t regret it. When the Sun is here, he brings power to this.

But you need to avoid the temptation to snack on pop-culture candy, indulge in enjoyment purely for its own sake, or gather random data that is merely superficial. The “club” of Gemini is what enables you to determine whether an idea stands up to close scrutiny.

Gemini is often antagonistic to the opposite sign of Sagittarius, because Sagittarius represents Faith Without Question -- but Gemini questions everything. Gemini wants to examine beliefs, not just “believe” them!

When the Moon comes around to be Full in Sagittarius, that is when we have a great chance to harmonize the opposites of Devotion and Reason. With New Moons, all the weight is to one side. With Full Moons, you have to integrate the “other.” It is not either/or, it is both/and.

The Full Moon of the Guru gives you the ability to hold two contradictory ideas in mind at the same time, without judgment. You can honor the diversity and multiplicity of life. It represents a relentless pursuit of TRUTH, not merely the relentless hammering of “dogma.”

Was it Guru Purnima on the original Independence Day, 1776? Very nearly!

Thomas Jefferson submitted the Declaration of Independence to the Continental Congress on June 28, when the Moon was in Scorpio. The debates took place over the next few days, during the Full Moon in Sagittarius. The vote took place on July 2nd when the Moon was in Capricorn, and the document was released to the public on July 4th, when the Moon was in Aquarius -- the sign of mass movements.

The chart below shows the actual Full Moon of July 1. Notice how Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, was right in line with the Full Moon axis. The Ascendant for Philadelphia at that time was Leo: Americans were claiming sovereignty, or “kingship,” for themselves.

Appreciate what Jefferson’s very concise Gemini words, convinced those men to do: For the first time since ancient Greece, they were going to conduct their affairs without the dictates of a monarch. They would need to integrate the higher wisdom principles of Sagittarius into their own lives. The moral conduct and accountability (Capricorn) of the individual would matter in a democracy, far more than it did under a monarchy. They were committing to governing themselves by the Rule of Law (Sagittarius), not the rule of autocratic whim. And these principles would apply to everybody (Aquarius), rejecting the ruler (the opposite sign of Leo).

Blows your mind, when you think about it. It had been 2000 years since any advanced culture had attempted such a thing.

So while you’re enjoying your parades and barbeques, take a few moments to bless the spirits of those Gurus of our nation, whose wisdom has guided us ever since.