This Month’s New Moon in Gemini Will Be an Escape from Zoom Fatigue
As this month unfolds and we find ourselves settling ever deeper into our socially isolated routines, it’s easy to feel a new kind of fatigue creep into our bones: the kind of exhaustion that stems from countless Zoom calls with coworkers and what feels like even more FaceTime sessions with distant pals on the weekends.
Sure, it’s better than having no one to talk to at all, but these attempts to stay in touch via virtual brainstorm meetings and happy hours take their toll. And, for some of us, allow us to slip into bad habits of communicating.
Luckily, when the new moon arrives in Gemini on May 22, we’ll have a glowing opportunity to address how we speak — and, more importantly, listen — to the people in our lives.
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The new moon in Gemini will give us a chance to fine-tune our communication skills.
Ruled by Mercury, the messenger planet, Gemini is considered one of the, shall we say, chattier signs in the Zodiac. Between their natural charisma, crackling wit, and ability to drop into seemingly any conversation with ease, people born under this sign place a high price on their social lives. When the new moon channels its pensive beams through Gemini on the 22nd, we’ll all feel a little more tuned into who we are as talkers, listeners, and communicators in general.
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In the quietude of this lunar phase, which is best spent reflecting and planning for the future, we could come to realize when we’re most engaged in conversations, versus when we tend to tune out. It could dawn on us that we feel invigorated talking to some people, while others in our circle leave us feeling drained. Perhaps most importantly, we may finally notice how we respond to others — whether it's with empathy, disinterest, or even indifference — and what we do with the information they share. Do we treat our friends' secrets with care or do we tease their personal details to others? Are we doing all we can to let our friends know they're heard and understood?
By highlighting our current approach to socializing, this new moon will present us with the opportunity to reform our communication habits and become more active listeners, contribute to conversations in meaningful ways, and be the confidantes our BFFs need us to be.
On the night of the 22nd, put aside some time to think or even journal about the role you’ve been playing in your recent video chats or group texts and decide whether that role needs to change.
But it will also tempt us with mood swings.
Geminis seem to go through life at an accelerated rate — and they change their minds and their moods just as quickly. When this rapid-fire (some might say Mercurial) attitude collides with the new moon, we'll feel the impact in our emotions: The slightest inconvenience might cast a pall over an otherwise fine day or a joke we make to ourselves may be the thing that gets us through a long afternoon. In other words, our responses will be heightened and, as a result, we may struggle to discern how we’re really feeling.
Gemini energy compels us to prioritize the here and now and brush aside anything that isn’t immediately demanding our attention. So, if we allow distractions (read: after-hours emails, last-minute video calls, or petty arguments among housemates) to infiltrate our evening during the new moon, we’re liable to feel like we’re being pulled in a million different directions at once, emotionally speaking, and wind up snapping at the first person who gets in our way. Limit the stimuli and block off your calendar on the 22nd, and simply commune with yourself — you’ll avoid blowing up at someone for a minor infraction and create time for those reflections we mentioned earlier.
Don’t take this lunar phase for granted.
Whether you’ve had your fill of remote group chats or can’t get enough of them, keep in mind that social burnout can take effect without us noticing. Even if you’ve been genuinely enjoying the video calls that have become a part of our new normal, it’s still important to spend time offline and with no one but yourself. In the midst of a pandemic, there are very few truly peaceful nights. With some planning and intention, the night of the new moon might be our best shot at a little tranquility.
