June 2015: Jupiter trines Uranus-expansive action and freedom

We begin the month with a full moon in Sagittarius on June 2, peaking at 12:19 P.M., est. Sagittarius is the natural ruler of the ninth house of foreign matters and people, world viewpoints, education and medical matters and travel.

The ruler of Sagittarius is Jupiter and Jupiter rules money, expansion and religion, (or ideology disguised as religion that is not) and whatever it touches it expands-good or bad. While this is typically an expansive jovial moon, it makes some aspects this time that could become rather fiery.

It is square Neptune, creating a fog of confusion, lack of clarity, and misguided thoughts, along with retrograde Mercury. I expect the adverse weather conditions and flooding we have seen the last week of May will continue until well after this full moon. I expect May 31, and thereabouts to bring an increase in flooding/continued water related conditions in some parts of the country.

Sagittarius/ Jupiter like to blow things out of proportion and this Moon opposes Mercury which rules communication of all types. Mercury also rules young people, pets and travel and we will likely see issues here.

It also opposes Mars, making this a dangerous full moon in some respects and it will likely be an angry one for many and in the world. Mars rules young men, war and police actions, so things may get volatile in the world.

I expect we will see events that involve speech, travel, flooding, religion, men/military or police action, and we will be very lucky if it does not turn explosive.

My advice is to try and tap in to the positive and expansive side of Jupiter and use caution in your speech, travel and communication. And remember on this moon, sometimes silence is golden.

Jupiter in Leo will trine Uranus this month, becoming exact June 22,  at 19 degrees of Aries/Leo. This energy will be strong all month, but the peak is through the middle of June.

This is positive energy all around and will affect you personally if you have planets in Gemini,  Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, Aquarius, or Aries from 17-20 degrees. It will work best for Leo, Gemini, Sagittarius or Aquarius. If you have Libra planets Uranus/Aries will be in an opposition and if have Aries planets Uranus will create a conjunct, and Uranus is erratic and unpredictable energy.

This energy will play out in the world as potential new inventions, some type of positive economic news (as it did last year), and this is a transit of growth, both spiritually and economically. There could be positive foreign associations and connections, advancement for children, young people and it can produce a surge of creativity. (As this blog is written, it has been announced Cuba has come off the terrorism black list. This will be a great step forward.)

This could be a positive time to launch a new business, apply for a job, travel, do creative work, or achievement of any personal goal you may have. Jupiter will expand things and Uranus brings new ideas and opportunities and a desire for freedom. Make the most of this time while we have it as it will not last forever.

Mercury turns stationary direct June 11, at 6:33 P.M., but we are not out of the woods yet. It is at this point we often hear information that can once again change our direction, and glitches can occur. Mercury begins to move forward again on June 16, and at this point anything that has been confused by this powerful retrograde will begin to straighten out and that includes our thinking! But, there is still a shadow period of several weeks before Mercurial energy returns to normal.

Neptune turns stationary retrograde on June 12. Neptune rules art and cinema, creativity, religion, psychics, drugs and alcohol, dreams, and is the planet of illusion, delusion and confusion. Neptune deals with what is deep in our subconscious minds which includes our personal illusions and fears. Creativity, intuition and psychic abilities can increase during this time.

 If Neptune aspects a planet in your chart while retrograde this can coincide with a time when illusions are shattered, or it can seem particularly disappointing.

Saturn will retrograde back into Scorpio June 14, changing the energy once again. This will affect late degree fixed signs and especially Scorpio as we finish up this intense Saturn cycle, which you can read about here. Saturn will complete this two and a half year cycle mid September, not to return again to this sign for another 30 years.

Other transits during June include:

June 5, Mars sextiles Jupiter and this is positive and expansive.

June 5, Venus enters Leo, and love energy becomes more expansive, bold, and flashy. This should be a great month for Leo, fire signs or Aries as this places the planet ruling love in the 5th house of love affairs.

June 6, Venus trines Saturn and this is positive for social activities, people relating to the past and business.

June 8, the Sun sextiles Jupiter and this is positive, optimistic energy.

June 9, Mars sextiles Uranus and this is positive for new ideas and situations.

June 10, Mercury sextiles Venus and this is positive for social or business communications. The Sun sextiles Uranus and this is positive for new ideas.

June 14, the Sun conjuncts Mars. This can be energetic, but angry energy and accident prone.

June 16, the New Moon occurs at 25 degrees of Gemini This New Moon has an intellectual bent and is about third house matters-travel, communication, relatives, neighbors and co-workers. As it conjuncts Mars, this can be energetic, yet angry energy in the world and our lives. Be careful of accidents and arguments.

June 21, the Sun enters Cancer and the Summer solstice occurs at 12:38 P.M., est.

June 23, Mercury squares Neptune and this is discouraging and convoluted energy, prone to deception and unclarity. This transit occurred May 28-29.

June 24, Mars enters Cancer mars in this sign will deal with home and family. Cancer energy is more nurturing, but in some it may become needy.

June 29, Venus trines Uranus Another positive transit for money, love and your social life. Try something different today.

Saturn's Last dance in Scorpio: Summer 2015

Saturn entered Sagittarius for the first time in 29.5 years December 24, 2014, and it will remain in this sign until June 14 ,2015,  when it retrogrades back into Scorpio at 8:38 P.M., est. Here it will remain until September 17, 2015,  when it moves back into Sagittarius until December of 2017.

As Saturn retrogrades back into Scorpio it will be at the 29th degree until July 3. The 29th degree of any planet is considered the anaretic degree and it is weak. This degree is crisis oriented, and it signifies the end of a cycle. We can feel that we are getting too little or too much of something, and the sign the planet lies in shows us the area of life we feel unsatisfied in, or compelled to finish up. The 29th degree is considered a 'karmic' degree by some astrologers. Saturn will move back to the 29th degree again for the final time, September 2-18, 2015.

Saturn in Scorpio is connected with the eighth house. This is the house of sex, the way we feel in our relationship, our partners money, joint finances, taxes and debt, alimony and payments, corporate money, inheritance, wills and legacies, bankruptcy, personal sacrifices  and it is the house of change and transformation. That transformation can even include death, but this is rare and your chart would have to show this specifically. But, the theme of death will certainly play out in the world as the Middle East struggles to overcome ISIS, and this theme is not limited to the Middle East.

Saturn in Scorpio is secretive and for some revengeful as Scorpio's rulers are both Mars and Pluto.

Giving up control and fear of rejection can be issues we face during this cycle of Saturn along with issues connected with what we share with others.

Now is the time to get credit card debt, tax debt or any other kind of debt under control, and deal with the issues connected with this cycle of Saturn.

Often transformation (8th house) feels forced, and is connected with critical events/situations in one's life. It can indicate the influence of others values on you, and societal values. (No surprise the Supreme Court is expected to make its decision on the legality of same sex marriage in late June).

While Saturn is transiting at 29-28 degrees of Scorpio we will be finishing up the lessons/situations that began in October of 2012.

For many of these lessons may have concerned money and shared resources of all kinds. Scorpio is the most intense of signs and these situations can seem overwhelming and overly intense.

Those who absorb and understand what a Saturn cycle teach us typically fare much better than those who kick and scream against the obstacles they are faced with. My astrology teacher used to say, "life is just a schoolyard with many lessons,' and I find this to be true. Best to learn and come to terms with whatever the lessons are now, because in about 7 years, when Saturn enters Aquarius, what we have learned in Scorpio will be challenged again. If Saturn is aspecting a planet in your chart at this time, it will aspect the same planet again in 2020-21 and any cracks in the foundation you have built will be revealed.

This has been a rough two and a half years for those born under the sign Scorpio-or those who have planets that have been aspected by Saturn in Scorpio.  

Saturn enters each sign, or your personal sign, about every 29.5 years. During this period most of us face significant challenges, and often we are forced to re-create our lives in some way, depending on what else is in our chart at the time. In the way Saturn in your own sign is connected with both endings and beginnings.

As Saturn retrogrades back into Scorpio it will affect you if you are a 27-29 degree Scorpio, Taurus, Leo or Aquarius (or have personal planets at this degree and in these signs), or you were born November 20-22, February 17-19, May 18-20, or August 20-22. If you are a Scorpio or Taurus look for issues in partnerships and relationships, health or matters of a personal nature. Leo, look for issues concerning your basic foundation or home and family, and if you are an Aquarius, look for issues with work, and in your basic priorities.

If you are a late degree fixed sign, energy will lift when Saturn re-enters Sagittarius September 19, 2015 and the good news is that Saturn won't return to this sign for another 30 years. By this point, you will have created yourself and your life on many levels.

Just like Saturn affects us on a personal level, it will affect society as a whole. 

Money, finance, taxes, and issues connected with sex (same-sex marriage as one issue) will concern us as a collective, and we will grow and evolve together.

As Scorpio is related to eighth house issues (and Pluto) the world is rapidly changing in front of our eyes. Now more than ever,  we are in a period of intense transformation. Same sex marriage, the wealthy versus the non-wealthy, or the greatest wealth in the hands of the 1 per cent are all issues we have seen come to light with Saturn in Scorpio, along with a greater degree of violence (Pluto). This summer will be a time of coming to terms with some of these issues and I look for the world to continue to see a great deal of violence this summer.

Saturn is within 2 degrees of opposing to the fixed star, Algol. Some astrologers give it a one degree orb, others 3 degrees. This fixed star is considered malevolent and indicative of violence, and I specifically relate it to ISIS.

Other issues we have not clearly addressed during this Saturn cycle will come to light this summer, and as we move through the summer and toward the fall our focus will shift toward the next Saturn placement for the next several years: Sagittarius and ninth house issues connected with changing views and values, education, travel, foreign matters and our own personal world view and thinking.

 Looking at the Cancer ingress (Summer) chart for 2015, (United States/Washington, D.C.) the ascendant is 23 degrees of Virgo, and the ascendant ruler Mercury lies in the ninth house of foreign relations, and long distance communications at 9 degrees of Gemini. It is square Neptune in the sixth house (public health, public workers, workers).

This does not bode well for foreign affairs, and there can be confusion, issues  or lies concerning foreign matters, religion, ISIS,  education, legal issues and opinions, public medicine/ and sickness. Theft through cyber attacks is likely.  

There can also concern about water related issues this summer.

We will in all likelihood see cyber attacks of large magnitude. Cyber criminals could attack government agencies, schools and universities, hospitals, medical establishments, religious institutions.

This transit will cause confusion and lack of clarity about the above issues, or it can relate to outright lies and deception coming from politicians, and we may miss important issues or factors to consider this summer.

This shows issues among workers with drugs/substances.

Religion will be a theme this summer, along with those who claim to be religious but are in fact trying to manipulate the population. There will be a concern over ISIS recruitment in the homeland.

We can see issues connected to chemical and biological weapons.

Communication methods of various types can be fraught with issues: social media, internet, publications, etc.

The Sun (President/heads of State) is conjunct Mars at 28 Gemini. This shows the government could use militarized force or police to impose its agendas at home or abroad and curb public unrest.

Saturn (29.35 degrees Scorpio) lies in the third house which rules infrastructure, railways, telephones, schools, postal services, newspapers, computer terminals, television, literature, freedom of speech and official communications, and there will be concerns here.

Saturn is square the Moon in the 12th house showing general discontent among the people, and issues connected with the third house and with groups considered subversive that could include women, and their could be issues or threats against prominent women.

There will likely be political attacks concerning women's rights and hospitals/institutions.

In spite of these aspects money will be made with Jupiter trine Uranus in the 8th house of banking and international finance, although it does not look like it trickles down to the average American.

As Jupiter and Venus are conjunct in Leo we should see major new movies, music or theater which should fare well over the summer.

There will be an interest in royalty, movie stars and TV/film/media personalities. We will see very successful box office entertainments, and fun/entertainment will be a theme.

Jupiter squares Saturn

As Jupiter in Leo nears the end of its cycle the first half of August it will square Saturn in Scorpio. The Jupiter-Saturn cycle is characterized by cycles that show 20 year sequences of economic, political and social development. We are currently in the cycle that began in June 2000 at 23 Taurus, symbolizing material growth, material issues and industrial development.

We can see important economic fluctuations, conflicts in social progress, issues concerning democratic values versus oppression and the manifestation of new ideas in our material world.

Clashes between political parties will likely manifest, clashes in foreign relations and ideas. Expansion versus restriction will occur in more than one theme.

If this transit aspects your chart you are a late degree (26-29) fixed sign-Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius or have planets in your chart aspected at these degrees. In this case Jupiter will square or oppose Saturn and this typically produces restlessness and feelings of restriction.

Saturn turns stationary direct on August 2, (1:53 A.M., est) and this is a powerful planetary influence, amping up the energies of Saturn, and whatever it is aspecting at the time. Concrete plans may now be laid and come to fruition.

Venus squares Saturn

Venus turns retrograde at 0 degrees of Virgo on July 25, and retrogrades back into Leo August 1. Venus will square Saturn (and conjunct Jupiter) the first week of August making this a very powerful transit (Saturn is stationary direct) and Venus rules love, money and values. This will aspect your chart if you are a late degree fixed sign. This clash of Venus and Saturn will not bode well for women in general in the world.

Many relationships will end during this time if they are unstable or tottering on the edge. Retrograde Venus has a very powerful affect on relationships. It is a time of reconsidering what we are giving and receiving in our relationships, and typically some situations will end, and others will get back together if other aspects in the chart show it. This is certainly not the time to consider marriage or plastic surgery of any type.

Neptune transits: Distorted minds-questionable truths

Between now and June 2-3, the Sun, Mercury and Mars (and finally the full moon of June 2) will all square Neptune.  As these are the fast moving planets the effects won't last weeks or months like the upcoming Neptune-Saturn square in the late fall, but they will have an effect, and perhaps more importantly we will get a taste and a glimpse of what the upcoming Saturn-

Neptune square will bring late this year, which will be of a lengthier duration and more significant, so pay attention to these dates.

Neptune is currently transiting through Pisces, where it is very powerful, and in its natural placement. Neptune-Pisces rules dreams, religion, pseudo or false religions such as ISIS, drugs and alcohol, creativity, lies and deception, self deception, psychics, and the ocean to name just a few. Neptune in this placement is at its most spiritual and psychic, but it also shows us a lot of people in distress around the world.

When the fast moving planets aspect Neptune we may experience lack of clarity, theft, self deception, lies, confusion, depression, discouragement, tiredness, substance abuse (if applicable), and vivid dreams. At times these upcoming aspects can reveal previously unknown situations. Suspicion may be the theme of the moment, one way or another.

At times Neptune transits can improve our intuition, or cause us to feel compassion for others, or it can manifest itself as a spiritual awakening but it is generally the former, as opposed to the latter. My advice is to go with compassion, creativity and spiritual awakenings as much as possible.

As Mercury is also retrograde in Gemini we need to be on our toes in terms of miss-communication, false communication, and believing the worst without the facts. We need to be careful  driving and traveling and watch out pets as Mercury rules animals (and young people).

As the fast moving planets are in Gemini we will experience our difficulties in the realm of thinking and communicating, or speech, relatives, pets and travel, or young people.

These transits will aspect your personal chart if you have planets in Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, or Pisces at 6-11 degrees. Otherwise, you will still feel the influence but not as strongly.

On May 25 (and the few days before and after) Mars squares Neptune at 9 degrees of Gemini/Pisces. This is a lethargic transit, and we may feel tired, drained or weak and unmotivated. This transit produces fragile egos, as Mars rules the ego, and Neptune is ego-less. Question everything you hear, it may not be correct. Suspicions may be rampant as well as lies and untruths. The best use of this energy is helping others, spiritual or creative practices and/or meditation. Don't be surprised if you have vivid dreams you can recall.

 
Also May 25, Venus squares Uranus, and this is prone to unexpected situations, good or bad. The day may not go as planned and love relationships can be good or bad. Either way, it's typical Uranus: unpredictable. Try something different today.

May 29, Mercury squares Neptune. Communication may become difficult or hard to understand, or miss-understood. This can be mentally discouraging and confusing, and this is not a day for important conversations. Use caution while driving or traveling. This transit will reoccur on June 22-23 as Mercury once again is direct.

May 31, the Sun squares Neptune and this is another debilitating transit. You could feel tired, or run down and energy will be low. As this precedes the full moon there could be some debilitating news, or something could be revealed at this time.

June 2, This month's full moon occurs at 12:19 P.M., est at 11 degrees of Sagittarius, and it is square Neptune.  Sagittarius energy can blow things out of proportion and as it squares Neptune information may be hard to figure out, or incorrect. As this moon opposes Mercury and Mars tempers can fly, and there can be much mis-direction, confusion or out and out lies at its worst. Small mistakes can be blown up to explosive proportions. Best to keep your perspective and wait for this energy to pass.

In the world, we may see water related weather conditions or hear news connected with water, or the oceans. We could also hear news of religion, or those who purport to be religious and aren't. This is scandal prone and we could hear news of this type. It can also be connected with gas or oil, or chemical weapons and pockets of disenfranchised people. We could hear news of same sex relationships. Accidents may occur. The truth may be hard to discern.

Surviving Mercury retrograde

Mercury turns retrograde May 18 at 13 degrees of Gemini. Mercury goes retrograde 3 or 4 times a year, and generally has a bad name and elicits groans when mentioned.  To an extent this is perfectly understandable, as retrograde Mercury is the planet that causes delays, glitches, breakdowns in computers and equipment, relationships, slowdowns and brings hidden factors to the surface. Plans can be put on hold, miscommunication can occur, relationships can end or change, and cars, computers and other machinery can break down at the most inopportune moment. With this retrograde in Gemini it will be very powerful and we need to watch our speech, communication and travel.

All of this will occur, but this period does not have to be the disaster many believe it to be with some basic knowledge ahead of time.  The four most important things are to 1)understand what retrograde Mercury means 2)know what to expect 3) know what to avoid and lastly 4)understand what you can gain from it. With this basic information available, you should be able to make the most of the time, and benefit from the retrograde as oppose to being caught off guard.

The first step is to know what retrograde Mercury means. In the strictest sense of the word, the planet of communication does not actually go backward, it only appears to. This will occur three or four times every year.  A planet is described as retrograde when it appears to be moving backwards through the zodiac, and this is referred to as apparent retrograde motion.  When planets retrograde, their effects on humans are different than when in direct motion. Thinking is deeper, situations often appear to go underground for a time, or change altogether, and sometimes our focus shifts. Mercury retrograde is the most talked about retrograde, because it is a fast moving planet that controls our thinking, speech, travel, and cognitive skills. When Mercury retrogrades, there are several phases.

The first phase is the pre-retrograde shadow period which began April 15.  This period is where Mercurial energy starts to shift and it is time to start wrapping up new projects for the time being and focusing on what is at hand.

The second phase of retrograde Mercury is the stationary retrograde period, when Mercury starts to shift into apparent backward motion. This period Is May 18-21, when Mercury starts its retrograde. This is the period most glitches start to become evident, and if you have a prominent Mercury in your chart, thinking may become foggy.

Mercury continues to retrograde in Gemini through June 11, when it turns stationary direct. This is the second period when glitches, breakdowns and changes in direction may well occur.

Mercury begins to move forward again on June 16, but remains in the shadow direct phase until June 27.  Mercurial energy does not pick up its normal pace until completion of the second shadow period. So, the retrograde Mercury period is actually a much longer cycle than most people understand. Changes will occur at the juncture of each retrograde phase.

The second step in surviving a retrograde is to know what to expect. What you can expect and prepare for are slowdowns, delays, miscommunications, interference with travel and travel plans and appointments, and the breakdown of machinery, situations and even relationships. If your car has been limping along and you have been putting off a repair, know this is the likely time it will become obvious that you have to fix it. If your computer is slow or having problems be sure and back up everything important. (I learned this one the hard way several times!) If you are in a relationship that is tottering on the brink of ending, this may well be the period that can occur, and often does. Of course, I always tell people, ‘Mercury retrograde is a wild card.” Sometimes, relationships can be fixed and problems brought out into the open if it is worth saving. Expect delays, changes of plans and try and not have situations set in stone.  In other words, prepare to be flexible.  Mercury retrograde is often a frustrating time to be looking for a job.  Don’t give up though, just keep plugging on and stay on top of all communication. And make sure you are direct and to the point in your communication with others.  If you don’t understand what someone is telling you, by all means ask for clarification.

The third and perhaps most important step in surviving retrograde Mercury is to know what to avoid. Don’t get married, start a new business, start new projects or begin anything you hope will become permanent during the most important three week phase of the retrograde. Don’t purchase high ticket items, important Christmas gifts, paint, or anything you expect to be there for a long time if you can avoid it. Retrograde Mercury is not the time to start new projects, but rather finish up the old, and redo, re-organize or re-work. Go against this advice and you may wish you hadn’t. I chose the paint color in my office on retrograde Mercury just to test it, and as I write this post, I wish I had time to get out a paintbrush today.

The fourth step to surviving retrograde Mercury is to understand what you can gain from it. Know that retrograde Mercury is part of the natural cycle of life and it is not anything out of the ordinary. Everything serves a purpose and the point of a retrograde Mercury is to slow down a bit, reflect, rethink, re-do, re-plan and reorganize and reconsider. It is a period of correction. Rather than starting new projects it is time to look at what is on the drawing board. Often during a retrograde, thinking changes direction and a more appropriate course of action can be mapped out. Often new information comes to the surface that must be considered.  Sometimes secrets are revealed, and the truth comes out into the open.  The truth may not be what your want to hear, but it can set you free. Retrograde Mercury is a time to plan, work on you, and delve into the spiritual side of life. Sometimes important contacts with people from our past can be initiated, and there is generally a focus on the past or past situations that can come back up to be resolved. Just focus on what is at hand rather than starting new situations.  If you are forced to start a job during a retrograde, it could be altered when Mercury goes direct, or you may not have all the facts. If you begin a new relationship on a retrograde, it may end or change when Mercury goes forward, time will tell. 

All in all, retrograde Mercury is a period where we should reflect on our current state, and plan rather than initiate new ventures. Reconsider your options, re-write, re-organize, and re-think. If you follow these basic principles, I can’t guarantee you won’t experience frustration, but you will survive the retrograde and perhaps come out of it better than you had believed possible.