Mercury Sextile Jupiter | positive thinking, making plans, releasing our words into the world

the prize of trust by shiny-shadows-art

Mercury (ideas, communication, words) sextiles (opportunity) Jupiter (expansion) at 14 degrees Leo (Mercury) and Libra (Jupiter).

The right words, said at the right time, can move mountains now.

This is good energy for planning our future - whether that means our next vacation or next big venture. Words are not just words - they connect us energetically with what we are seeking.

Don't be afraid to say out loud what you want. Put it in writing.

There is, of course, a fly in the ointment - we could imagine heaven as simply a space without flies!

At the same time both these planets are creating opportunities with each other's energies, both planets are inconjunct dreamy, drifting Neptune (strong but retrograde in Pisces).

Inconjuncts require adjustments and integration. It is pretty much summed up in the expression "between a rock and a hard place". So whatever opportunity the Mercury/Jupiter sextile is stirring up, it is not without complications. The key to working with inconjuncts (especially this one involving Neptune) is to use our INTUITION.

The three planets involved in today's aspect are forming a Yod (finger of God) - pointing at Neptune. In astrological speak - this is like the voice of God speaking to/through us. We have to trust our intuition (gut instinct, hunch) and integrate it into our life. This doesn't have to be some big ginormous thing but there is no standing on the sidelines here waiting for someone else to do it/say it for us.

With Jupiter, things can seem better or bigger or more important than they actually are and the inconjunct to Neptune shows the possibility of the whole thing drifting off-course.

It also shows the possibility of the sky's the limit possibilities here, too.

What does our gut say (and I hope we haven't been clouding it up with white flour and sugar!)? What does our heart want? Get quiet. Meditate. Pray for answers. Portals are open. Positive thinking - yes, positive meaning "certain" - goes a long way now. Stop imagining all the ways we are going to fail and start imagining things succeeding beyond our wildest dreams.

Today's energy can be used to make plans for the future, socialize, make new contacts and say the words we need to say trusting they will be heard by the people who need to hear them.

Make the words compassionate (be kind) and boundless (try to avoid setting too many rules and restrictions now) and the words will surely find their mark. Join with other people (Libra) now in an effort to make an impact beyond our own lives and we will surely make a big impact on our own life, too.

Trust, will play a HUGE part in this because it could appear that 1. we can't find the right words when we need them 2. no one is listening anyway 3. the more we focus, the more we drift off course 4. our memory fizzles 5. what we are saying/hearing isn't logical - we could have to move intuitively through any or all of this crap. 

If we've learned nothing else these past couple years we've learned that what is real is what we/others think is real. So what do we want to think?

I gave a presentation on Tuesday and after finishing I thought I kind of blew it. All I could think about was the stuff I had forgotten to say and the way I had let the questions kind of drift off course. And, I talked too fast. Being polished and professional matters to me (blog readers might be left scratching their heads at this one, but it is very true). I thought it important (and still do) to present kind of "spacey" information with my feet firmly planted on solid Earth.

I have realized over the past couple days though that people connected with what I was saying in different ways and that things had gone much better than I thought they did. It was actually the times I went a little rogue - due to memory lapses and not a plan to "just wing it" - that people connected more with what I was saying. They have asked me back to teach a series (and to speak a little slower). I'll post links when I have them.

Here's the way this Yod could impact us through our Pisces house - if you know what house 14 degrees Pisces falls in your natal chart - use the house allocations with the info below for best accuracy, otherwise check Sun and Ascendant signs:

ARIES (Pisces 12th house) - Yod energies point to something behind the scenes or a "secret" desire/want. Confusion could result between you and another person if your/their glasses are too rose tinted. Adjustments will be required.

TAURUS (Pisces 11th house) - Yod energies point to your friends and groups including online groups. Confusion could be the result of a disconnect between your big ideas and what other people are hearing you say. Your information could have to be adjusted in some way to allow everyone to 'buy in'.

GEMINI (Pisces 10th house) - Yod energies point to you career, responsibility, father and authority - it will be easy to lose sight of what you are really trying to do now. Confusion could result if someone says something that gets your hopes up, but actual results will vary. Stay grounded. Know your dreams will get you where you need to be but things might not come exactly as planned. The key to success here is staying focused on what you really want and need from the situation. 

CANCER (Pisces 9th house) Yod energies point to travel, education, politics, publishing, media, weddings, legal issues or what is foreign. There are adjustments required with what you want to happen here or what you are trying to do. Be especially cautious in commerce where things could be inflated - keep an eye on your benjamins. Instead of plunging forward, take a deep breath and think about what your real goals are here and if what you are hearing really makes sense. 

LEO (Pisces 8th house) Yod energies point to other people's resources - partner's income, debts, loans, taxes - death, birth, sex, fertility. Confusion could result if you want all the cards on the table now, but someone else is still holding their cards close to the vest. Maybe they (or you) want to pour pink paint on a problem and pretend it doesn't exist. Instead of plunging forward now with a loud voice, really hear what the other person is saying to you (or not saying) or what the situation has opened up. What is your intuition telling you is really going on?

VIRGO (Pisces 7th house) Yod energies point to partners and equal relationships. Confusion could result if you are projecting what you want to see on someone else (rather than what they are really offering) or they could be doing the same with you. Trust your gut about what is not being said now. The real issue is probably the thing no one is talking about. A portal is open for unconditional acceptance/love/appreciation now between equal partners if you are BOTH willing to be honest about what you really need from each other and what you are willing/able to contribute.  

LIBRA (Pisces 6th house) Yod energies point to your day to day activities, work, health, co-workers, pets. Confusion could result if your big ideas are not totally workable on an everyday basis. This doesn't mean you toss your big, bodacious ideas out the window, just that you have to make some adjustments to make it all work - it will be the adjustments themselves that create the opportunity here. Time is your friend. Work the problem. Let the things you can't work fall into/or out of place.

SCORPIO (Pisces 5th house) Yod energies point to a creative or romantic opportunity or an opportunity involving children. Something good is budding here, but confusion could result from things looking better than they actually are. Be sure you are not just hearing what you want to hear. It will be hard to tell solid fact from fantasy now, so double check what you are being told. You will know instinctively if something doesn't feel right. Don't disregard the feeling. Trust your gut.

SAGITTARIUS (Pisces 4th house) Yod energies point to home, family, mother, security, home business and ancestry. Your expansive plans in these areas might require an adjustment due to some kind of energy drain which could manifest as both a physical thing within your structure - infestation, leaks, structural damage, necessary things breaking down or not working properly and issues within what your structure holds - family or security problems that you or someone else has not been wanting to deal with or issues that have been buried. This issue and what is really at the base of it - ancestral story, family problem, real structure not attended to - needs to be integrated somehow. Work the problem. Fix the leak. Trust your instincts.

CAPRICORN (Pisces 3rd house) Yod energies point to your communication house - issues could also involve transportation, siblings or your local neighborhood. You will need to balance the actual facts you are dealing with and your own big dreams for the future. Words matter now. Choose them carefully. Be honest.

AQUARIUS (Pisces 2nd house) Yod energies point to your money or your personal values. There is the opportunity now to increase your earnings or your self-esteem. Some adjustment will be necessary though. The opportunity could come through someone foreign or involve media, publishing, travel, higher education, weddings, politics or legal issues. Keep your feet on the ground though, every rainbow doesn't lead to a pot of gold.

PISCES (Pisces 1st house) Yod energies point to your own dreams. Everything I wrote above about the disconnect between what you are saying (or want to say) and what others are hearing applies to you. The results will depend on your ability to integrate intuition and logic now. At the end of the day, everything will not be able to be worked out - some things will just need to be allowed to move in the direction they want to go ... trust the flow. You're a Pisces and we are dealing with your ruling planet Neptune - you've got this thing.

xo all

Sun Opposite Pluto | outnumbered

outnumbered by dresew

We have the Sun (18 degrees Cancer) opposing Pluto (18 degrees Capricorn) today. This was exact last night.

This is ego vs power. Self destructive habits and self-sabotaging tendencies are activated. Egos get bruised. Physical things can break down.

It's a challenging aspect but can also offer us a burst of creative energy to accomplish what we need to do now.

To work this energy in a positive way we need to balance our creative energy (Sun) with collective resources (Pluto) - money, power, influence. Are we making enough money? Are we charging enough? Where is our power? Where is our influence? What are we really afraid of?

This can show us where/how we need more control in our own lives.

Today's opposition could mean an actual opposition to our plans. This could come in the form of other people's expectations of us or someone in power vetoing what we want to do.

The answers don't necessarily show up now, but the problems become more visible. Power games and power plays are likely. Deal with this stuff diplomatically. Channel that inner Libra.

Often (maybe always and certainly for stuff that shows up now with Pluto involved) the stuff out there is really the stuff in here needing to get out.

If we are viewing some person or situation as the BIG problem in our lives, like everything would be good if we got rid of them or that let's remember how this world actually works - this outer stuff is really disowned parts of ourselves. The outer stuff is always inner stuff. This stuff we don't want to look at within ourselves (like how we got ourselves into our current situation) is unconscious and perverts how we see each other and how we see what is really happening. And it doesn't mean the other person or situation is right/good/not a pain the ass just because we can see the ways we have helped create it.

But allowing ourselves to take responsibility in this way (not to beat ourselves up!) - even just a tiny little bit - allows us to know the fact of the situation which is that  

we have more control here than we think we do.

For now, though, we might have to sit a bit with the ways we don't .....

xo all

The Moon is in Aquarius this morning and trining (brakes off) Venus making this a good time for business because the public (Aquarius) will want (Venus) something. Good for harmony with women, too. By afternoon the same Aquarius Moon is opposing Mercury - so some potential for erratic communication or a public/group spat or challenging info. A good day to be out and about and sociable though.

Full Moon in Capricorn | the balance of POWER

Full Moon Service by alltelleringet

This weekend's Full Moon in Capricorn (exact on Saturday night, early Sunday, at 12:06 AM EDT) is a doozy.

The Moon will be at 17 degrees Capricorn, the Sun will be at 17 degrees Cancer, Pluto will be at 18 degrees Capricorn and Mars will be at 22 degrees Cancer. Jupiter is squaring the Full Moon and Pluto.

(if you have natal planets/points around these degrees the Moon will impact you most directly)

This is a whole lot of powerful energy in a tiny slice of polarized sky.

Having both Pluto (power, transformation, karma, birth, death) and Mars (initiative, action, anger, war) involved with a Full Moon ruled by Saturn (Capricorn's ruler) means all the dangerous and powerful movers and shakers are in the same room

(and now this is making me think of the G20 summit - what a time for that!).

The energy of the next few days - and you are probably already feeling this - is about issues of power and control. Hubs and I had the biggest fight we've had in years the other day over an inconsequential nothing - but what it really boiled down to was neither of us wanting to be "controlled" by the other person. And both of us feeling controlled. It wasn't pretty ... or quiet (Mercury in Leo now).

This is about the Cancer/Capricorn polarity.

Family vs. work. The security that comes from nurturing ourselves, nurturing others or being nurtured vs the security that comes from having work in the world and money coming in. Our nest at home vs our place in the world. Summer vs. winter. Preparing for birth vs preparing for death "winter is coming". Childhood vs old age. Vulnerability vs self-sufficiency. Mom (energy) at home vs dad (energy) at work.

There is so much contradiction and conflict here, but like all polarities this is really just two sides of the same coin - likely something labeled SECURITY.

We can't own a coin without owning both sides. But we can only look at (focus on) one side at a time. The other side is in the shadows - so we have to flip back and forth and balance this stuff out with our time, attention and resources. There isn't really an end to this or a way to "win" here. We just do the best we can with what we have.

Spend too much time with one side of the coin and the other side gets all gunky like those pennies stuck in our car cupholder that have had coffee dripped on them. Now matter how shiny the other side looks that gunky side means we never get to actually spend the money

(yes, this could be one of my strange metaphors that don't get us anywhere - except maybe out to the car with a squirt bottle of vinegar and a cup of soapy water).

Being about Cancer (home, family) and Capricorn (work, responsibilities in the world) or our own needs and the needs of other people - any imbalances here will probably show up now to allow us to realign what isn't working. 

Also imbalances with authority and authority figures and the way we use and mis-use our own authority. 

The Capricorn Full Moon throws a light on what power can do and also on the finality of choices we've already made. 

Both Cancer and Capricorn are concerned with issues of SECURITY, both value TIME and are guardians of the legacy of our ancestors.

Full Moons bring culminations, so maybe something ends now. With Jupiter and Pluto in the mix endings will be big. That opposition to Cancer would make things even more emotional. Some people will experience big wins that lead to increased power. Some, maybe especially if power has been misused, could suffer big losses where their power is greatly reduced.

Full Moons bring things to light. Capricorn themes (and your personal Capricorn/Cancer house themes) will be highlighted - tradition, structure, work, obligations, responsibility, authority, ambition, limits, boundaries, restrictions, goals. Pluto will make sure we really see what is exposed now. Cancer will make sure we feel it. There probably won't be any space to turn away and shield our eyes.

Remember the Achilles heel with Capricorn and Saturn is that this energy often values stability over everything else. Its strength is in being 'un-moveable'. But stable things grow stagnant. Being un-moveable is not a good or realistic way to move through a life that is so changeable. We don't want to be un-moved by what is happening in the world!

This has been a rough few weeks, months or years for lots of people. Many people are speaking/acting from their fearful and wounded places now. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it might not be a good thing either. Our vulnerability links us and grounds us in our humanity. Some things must be shared even when the sharing is painful.

This is a war-like Full Moon, so keep that in mind, too, over the next couple days. Power issues will come up. Other people will not want to be controlled - neither will we. Keep a cool head. Drive safely. A fight could turn into a war and not many things are worth going to war over. On the other hand if something needs to be protected now - this is excellent energy to defend ourselves.

This is also excellent energy to establish a POWER BASE - whatever that means to you.

Don't be too tired or too busy to get out and walk in this one. The energy will be crackling on Saturday night.

xo all

Mercury into Leo | creative self-expression, dramatic conversations, blowing our own horn, speaking from our heart

blow my horn by crilleb50

Mercury moves into Leo late this afternoon. Until Mercury moves on to Virgo on July 25th,  conversations will be more dramatic. Volumes will be set to HIGH. This is excellent energy for self-promotion and creative self-expression and speaking from our heart.

If you are a girl who likes things quiet, invest in some ear plugs - you are going to need them. 

Everyone will tell us what they are thinking and doing. Yes, our Facebook feed will explode. Leo loves an audience! Keep in mind that alot of things we will be listening to/talking about now could be exaggerated. 

Our Leo natal house (where is Leo in your natal chart?) wakes up with increased activity and requires more of our attention.

Leo is our fixed fire sign. People's positions, and we will hear all about them (!), will become louder and more entrenched.

No one will be changing anyone else's mind now. This is not the most cooperative energy, but it can often bring out the best in people. Mercury in Leo can be idealistic and enthusiastic.

The BIG picture will be easier to buy into while the tiny details get lost in the expression of big, powerful ideas. That's OK - we'll take care of the details when Mercury gets into Virgo at the end of the month.

For now, it's the time to think big, talk about what we want, get the word out about what we are doing. If there is something we want to take center stage with or "announce" to the public - this is the month. Think - loud and proud baby!

Some especially auspicious times could be:

July 7th when Mercury sextiles Venus  - our words/ideas/communications create opportunities for our money, values, self-esteem, beauty, love, women. July 14th - when Mercury sextiles Jupiter - opportunities for communication/ideas/words to create expansion, luck and growth - watch out for exaggerations though. July 19th when Mercury trines Saturn - roadblocks lifted, clear sailing regarding activities with authority, responsibility, structure, time. July 21st when Mercury conjuncts the North Node (our collective way forward) - words/conversations coming in that sync us up with or help to confirm our best, most simplest and happiest path forward. July 24th when Mercury trines Uranus - unexpected/surprising news that moves things forward - brakes off!

Note these dates are when the aspects are exact, but the energies are working together for a couple days before and after. That sextile to Venus is in play now!

xo all

The First Half of July 2017 Astrology Forecast for Creatives | buckle up buttercups

"If you knew what was going to happen, if you knew everything that was going to happen next - if you knew in advance the consequences of your own actions - you'd be doomed. You'd be ruined as God. You'd be a stone. You'd never eat or drink or laugh or get out of bed in the morning. You'd never love anyone, ever again. You'd never dare to."
 - Margaret Atwood The Blind Assassin

welcome home by elif karakoc

July is the run up to a mind-bending eclipse season in August and August will clear the slate (eclipse something out, bring something BIG to light) for whatever is getting a total reboot in September and October. A permanent change is coming. Beliefs will be shattered. If you think you are awake now, you ain't seen nothing yet.

But first let's get back to July and our journey through the moody and magical sign of Cancer! August's big eclipse is at 28 degrees Leo and the 28th degree will be triggered multiple times in July, so we know July will give us some previews of what is coming.

(the thing to remember about the future is that sometimes YOU JUST CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE)

The month kicks off with Mars opposing Pluto on July 3rd followed one week later by the Sun opposing Pluto. This is big stuff.

To know what this is all about we have to backtrack through a couple previous dates - remember when something starts energetic fields are created that get triggered later when celestial energies (planets and points) come in contact with them. Early July's transits take us back to October 2016 and January 2017. With Pluto involved we know this story will be about power struggles, manipulation, control, sex, money, compulsion, addiction, death, rebirth - what we are/were willing to do to "win".

Everyone is feeling the pressure somewhere is their lives. We could come to regret impulsive actions taken now ...

Really the entire month of July (Cancer is opposite Pluto while he travels through Capricorn for the next few years - summers are going to stay pressurized) has volatile Pluto aspects. Pluto enters Aquarius in 2023 and we have alot to do before he gets there - and what we do NOW will determine what kind of world we get THEN.

"The future is what we make it" to quote Sandra Connor in Terminator II or Walt Disney - one of those two.

I think much of what we are really feeling now is the dividing of reality "choices" (isn't it very, very clear now that the physical has caught up with the metaphysical that we see what we want to see or more accurately put we see what we energetically line up with!) as the vibrational mismatch between all of us becomes wider and wider. There are things we can't hold onto anymore because the gap between who we were and who we are is just too great. We are energetically disconnecting from the people, places, situations, alliances, roles and beliefs that are no longer on our wavelength.

Yes, it's hard. Bigly hard. HUGE HUG.

On July 9th we have our annual Full Moon in Capricorn. This checks us in big time with those New Year's resolutions we set last January around the Capricorn New Moon. Looking at this power hungry Moon makes me nervous, heady and queasy. Sun conjunct Mars. Moon conjunct Pluto squaring Uranus, Jupiter and Eris. We will focus on the things we can control to get through this one. Post to follow.

From July 10th - 16th the skies slow down a bit and we catch our breath (of course, keep in mind I can't see the transits hitting your particular chart). Remember when your kids were babies and people told you to nap while they napped - well, I know you probably didn't actually do it then, but try it now - this is a good week for napping!

We are in a whole new world.

I know it may not always feel like it is a good one because all we can feel yet about any lack of boundaries, limits and clear definition of what is "real" is the instability these fast changes are bringing us and it feels scary. 

But if I could show you a movie reel of your past lives (or if you do not resonate with past lives - the lives of your ancestors) - you would see that you have never, ever been so free!

On July 17th-20th we are back in the frying pan with Venus squaring Neptune and Mars squaring Uranus. Something will not be controlled now. Rash actions are possible. Love is hard. Something is distorted, draining or drifting. Creative breakthroughs are possible, too!

July 18th-19th - have some good aspects. There is excellent energy to make art, do spiritual or healing work. There is gold here if we are willing to dig a bit and be out and about and looking for it! Problems will not be easily swept under the rug though and could take some time to unravel themselves. Quick fixes fall apart later. We could be restless, but most of the energy here is about creative expression and interactions with groups.

The last 10 days of July will be all about fiery Leo - heat waves, wild fires - hot messes will be hotter messes. The New Moon starts us on the countdown to the BIG August eclipses (we have two Leo New Moons this year!). Mercury prepares to go retrograde and starts traveling the degrees he will backtrack. Events begin to conspire to get us focused where we are needed .... remember the North Node is in Leo now. Our brain is not equipped for these huge energy shifts but our heart will take us where we need to go.

We'll talk more about the end of the month in a couple weeks. xo all

Venus into Gemini | more options regarding love and money

flirtatious by this-is-tis

After a sextile (opportunity) to Chiron today (healing through existing resources, healing with nature, with touch, with food, compromise?) Venus moves into Gemini for the 4th of July.

Gemini Suns and rising signs get more attractive - both easier on the eye and able to attract what they want and need. Whatever house in our natal chart holds Gemini hosts a visit from Venus now - making it easier for all of us to attract what we need in that area.

We are most attractive (use our Venus) through Gemini (our mind). It's a good time (through July 31st) to be talking and communicating with lots of different people about lots of different things.

Venus in Gemini is about variety. In the mutable air sign (Gemini) the themes Venus rules - love, money, value, self-esteem, women, beauty - get more light-hearted. There are quickly more options available. There is also more duality - this is the space where our heart is saying one thing and our brain is saying something else.

We could suddenly recognize a mismatch between what we have and what we want. Or what we thought we had (during Venus in resource-rich Taurus) could be up for grabs a bit.

With Venus in Gemini life becomes more of a flirtation. Communications are more casual, more lively and humorous. It's a good time to set aside any existing constructs about what we like and what we don't like and stay open to new experiences, new people and new situations. Say YES to the things that sound like FUN now.

This isn't the best energy to make an important decision (regarding our Gemini natal house theme or Venus ruled love, money, self-esteem, values, women or beauty) or commit to something permanently.

We don't want to be asking these things of others either. For example it's not the best time to ask clients to be tied into a long-term membership, but it's an excellent time to think outside the box about who would be up for a short-term trial period. People will be more open-minded about less important things. For the next three weeks, it's time to "flirt", it's not the time to "put a ring on it". This doesn't just apply to romance.

Also on the 4th of July Mercury (ruler of Gemini) squares Uranus (unexpected, sudden) in Aries. New and unexpected information/communication about Venus themed issues or our natal Gemini house theme. Solutions, surprises and fast responses can come of of nowhere now. Eyes open.

xo all

Mars/Pluto Opposition part ll - a conscious or unconscious battle for control

cat's cradle by leila was here

On Saturday, Chiron stationed retrograde. Since he's retrograde for about 5 of every 12 months I honestly only pay attention to his stationing degrees. This year he stationed at 28 degrees Pisces. Since we have a very big eclipse happening in August at 28 degrees (this time in Leo) his station this weekend is probably worth noting.

Maybe some hurt (emotional and/or physical) gets revived now. On the other hand if we are going through something hurtful already, the retrograde period (thru early December) can create a bit of space that allows us to catch our breath. Chiron's placement in our natal chart (and he is a fairly new discovery so much is still being figured out and I don't pretend to have any/all the answers here) represents a place of significant wounding or sacrifice. So, the natal house will tell us the area of life the wounding has/will occur and the sign tells us how we will respond/work with it.

On Sunday, we have Mars (in Cancer) opposite Pluto (in Capricorn). Part I is HERE. Battle lines are drawn. And if you have natal planets or points around 18 degrees Cancer, Capricorn, Libra or Aries you will feel this energy strongest.

The T-Square we have been dealing with for the last month reaches its peak (this same degree will be activated at the Full Moon at the end of the week, so the story isn't over until it's over).

Mars in Cancer pushes us to take action regarding our security, home, family, country. It is protective energy but can also be a bit passive/aggressive. Pluto (who will always beat Mars in a head-to-head) in Capricorn uses his power to dislodge, transform or end whatever is excessively dependent (my guess would be a whole lot of thirty year old basement dwellers are being kicked to the curb now).

If we demand too much emotional control, we'll feel the boot, too. 

Those in control have the upper hand now and it may be easiest to see who is actually in control by whose hand comes out on top.

Mars is a fighter - he pushes and pushes even when the object he is pushing against is totally unmoveable. This isn't about giving up - really it isn't, but sometimes we need to know when to stop pushing ....

If there is a David vs Goliath story playing out in your life right now - I hope your money is on Goliath. If some situation is turning us into an unavoidable "David" it's time to keep a cool head. The stronger the punch we throw at Goliath, somehow the more we'll get hurt. Go figure.

Of course if we are working our Pluto well (a self-empowered David) ... we can remove Goliath (obstacle) with a flick of our little finger. Just sayin'.

Last week, we had Mercury (news, information, communication) opposite Pluto (transformation, sex, death, power, control, obsession, compulsion). In the collective we had news about - the top advisor to the Pope charged with sexual assault offenses, Trump's twitter war with the morning co-hosts at MSNBC, a scary NRA ad about clenched fists of truth, news about the sexual harassment culture in silicon valley, yada, yada.

Today's opposition is hitting both Trump's chart and the USA chart rather bigly. It takes all of us back to something from late October 2016. For Trump this would have been a couple weeks before he won the election. I have no idea what was happening with him then, could guess, but won't.

In our personal lives this is about power struggles and manipulation and even winning at any cost .....

My plan this week is to writes the dailies and a monthly forecast for July. This week will start and end with strong Pluto aspects - lots of energy and potential for conflicts - AND we have some wonderful aspects on Tuesday through Friday. We'll talk about the week as we move through it .. the sunshine is calling my name today!

 xo all

the upcoming Mars/Pluto Opposition and more | pay attention to whatever you are dealing with on Friday and Saturday pt 1

16.365 by laauraa

We are building toward Mars (in Cancer) exact opposition with Pluto (in Capricorn) on Sunday then a week later immediately following a challenging Full Moon in Capricorn we will have the Sun opposing Pluto.

(I almost wrote - tighten your belt - but better advice would be to - loosen your belt - so you can breathe, the more room we give ourselves now to just breathe, the lighter the load on everyone)

Let's look at today's energy first. We have Mercury in this space (Cancer opposite Pluto in Capricorn) - I did a post about this yesterday HERE.  

The issues of family vs work could be at the center of whatever is happening. Or the power structure within the family or the familial structure within the workplace (outside world doesn't have to be paid work). 

Maybe a family secret has been revealed (what's that all about?). Maybe we have found ourselves talking over people or they are talking over us (what's that all about?). Maybe we are forced to agree to/with something (what's that all about?). Maybe we are the one forcing our point of view on someone else (what's that all about?).

If the emotion (anger, fear) within a conversation/communication is out of proportion to what is happening, think about what is really happening here - what is really being triggered. With oppositions we can't deal with something ourselves so we create (subconsciously) a situation outside ourselves to force us to deal with it.

Now Mercury (communications, conversation, ideas) gets this party started and moves on, to be replaced by Mars (action), who will be opposing Pluto by Sunday.

Then we will have the God of war opposing the God of the underworld. Pluto (the guy from down under and I'm not talking about Australia here) rules that deep stuff we buried long ago because we don't want to deal with it. In Capricorn he is working with power structures and security issues. Mars (the war guy) rules our passion, initiative, anger and violence. In Cancer he is working with family, home, country, roots, security themes.

Family problems (that might look like a fight with Verizon customer service - what is really being triggered when we are angered when made to wait, feel unseen, feel unheard, feel unappreciated), power struggles especially within groups that feel like family, security issues, childhood traumas will be unearthed, in uncomfortable ways

(I started to feel this energy last weekend and you might have felt it then, too, as these planets started to line up).

Friday and Saturday take note of what you are dealing with because Mars will be getting close enough to his exact opposition to Pluto to feel what this will all be about.

Collectively, this is hitting the U.S. and Trump's chart rather BIGLY. We'll talk about that, too.

We might be very determined to get something done now within some precise time-frame or in some precise way and stuff will line up to interfere with whatever we are trying to power through and force. Projects started many months ago will face stiff tests now. Manipulations will bite us in the ass. Enemies will be powerful. This is excellent energy to burn ourselves out or start a war we cannot win, so let's avoid that.

I think the best way to work with this kind of sustained pressure, especially with all this Cancer energy, is to take care of ourselves. Let some little stuff fall apart so the big stuff doesn't have to.

I'll write more about this tomorrow in Part ll - this energy is going to carry us through the Full Moon on July 9th and the Sun opposite Pluto on July 10th. Then the second week of July will be a much needed breather for most of us.  

xo all

Mars Conjunct Mercury | decisive action, words that open childhood wounds

untitled by sollenafotographie

Today's energy is fast and packs a wallop.

With Mercury (words, ideas, communication, siblings, transportation) meeting up with Mars (initiative, drive, passion, anger) at 15 degrees Cancer - words are our weapon.

Either we cut to the heart of the matter or we cut someone's heart out.

Happening in family, home, country and security oriented Cancer, conversations now could revolve around these themes or take us back to childhood (or past-life) issues.

That guy in your face in the post office will actually be yelling at his controlling mother and you will actually be listening to your demanding brother. Everything will be taken out of context and relate back to something else. Powder kegs are hidden in the most unlikeliest of spaces now. Tread cautiously.

Post internet comments at your own risk. Call your sister at your own risk. Arguments will be swift and passionate especially around issues of safety and our long-standing beliefs that, if changed or challenged, would rock our structure.

The best way through these energies is to blend this week's trine to Neptune and today's conjunction with Mars to find the courage to forgive or apologize. 

On a more positive note (yes, today there are lots of flies in the ointment, but also one nice fly-free zone the flies haven't noticed yet)

if an auspicious opportunity is presented now, the energy is available to take swift and decisive action. There won't be time to hedge our bets, manipulate the data into what feels comfortable or second guess ourselves - if our intuition says "make a move" then make the move.

If courageous words are needed we can find them.

xo all (drive safely)

Mercury Square Jupiter | over-sharing, over-promising, over-explaining, over-spending

glitter and stars by sollenafotografie

Today, Mercury (in Cancer) squares Jupiter (in Libra) at 13 degrees. Yesterday's trine is still in play, too.

Together these energies are a time of BIG ideas and conversations. Great for a group brain-storming session about a problem that appears to be unsolvable. Keep in mind that answers may not be totally practical - this energy can be "over-the-top" - and sometimes too much information is as troublesome as too little. But words have great power this week and our intention to solve things will factor into the results we achieve.

We could have a tendency to over-explain ourselves now. If "No" is a complete sentence then lots of other short and sweet (or short and sour) explanations are perfectly acceptable, too.

I said so many words yesterday I regret today. Knowing these energies are at play isn't enough if we don't act on our knowledge. Some cards are best played close to the chest. I tossed mine all over the table (still looking for that two of spades).

If it feels like other people are judging us, step back from the moment. Do we need to be right or do we want to be happy? Sometimes these things are at cross purposes. A whole heap of the sky is in Cancer now and Cancerian energy is very defensive. Defensiveness sometimes sounds judgemental. Let's give each other a break. We might also have to reel back in our own language. That square from Cancer to Libra (family vs something/someone else) creates tension.

We are in the NEW phase of the Cancer Moon cycle. Our emotions are probably all over the place. Let's not judge ourselves for our weaknesses and vulnerabilities now. It's the job of this cycle to bring this stuff up to slow us down. Tonight we will move into the Moon's crescent phase (creativity, growth) and while we are sleeping the Moon will move into grounded Virgo.

For today, avoid the "overs" and stick with the facts. No over-spending. No over-explaining. No over-promising. Avoid "over the top" schemes, sob stories and TALL TALES.

This energy reminds me of when my sister and I were kids and would get over-excited and giggling too much and falling all over the place and my grandmother would say "you are laughing now, but you'll be crying before the day is over" (ugh Grandma). Back then we usually were crying within the hour. And we might cry now, too. Let's not judge ourselves or anyone else as weak here. Cancer is about working with our vulnerabilities. It's pretty much the point of the whole thing ....

Tomorrow, Mercury is going to hook up with fiery, fiesty Mars. Of course it is exact enough to feel it now. We will have to work hard to outrun that family fight or those angry words. Break out the running shoes now. Or just be prepared to laugh until it hurts.

xo all

Mars Trine Neptune | our faith makes us stronger

faith by sollenafotographie

Here is the one gentle and steady aspect this week to hold onto.

Mars (in Cancer) is trine (brakes off) Neptune (in Pisces).

The energies this week will challenge (Mars) us to remain peaceful (Neptune). Neptune dissolves the boundaries between ourselves and others making it easier to feel what other people are feeling (yes, we are all loving and frightened inside) but can also be emotionally overwhelming.

Mars in Cancer is the divine masculine energy compelled to defend what we call "home" (hold close). This trine to Neptune (the mystical realms) tells us the way to that win-win for all of us is through compassion. We are all is this together. If our right hand forms a fist and throws a punch our left toe is compelled into action, too.

It is MUCH better to move through these times with hands open - the healing action, the compassionate gesture, the universally loving touch - moves all of us away from the circling sharks and into the smoothest waters. We don't have to fight to win. That's the dying patriarchal paradigm. In fact, if we fight we can't win. An open heart opens other hearts now. Pray for peace.

Heads up creatives - this aspect can also dissolve (Neptune) our initiative (Mars). We are only a few days into the summer season, maybe this is a good thing .... xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of June 26th - high emotions, drama, itching for a fight ....

pillow fight by sliwka

Most of this week is about Mercury (words, ideas, communication, conversations, siblings, neighbors, transportation).

He squares Jupiter and trines Neptune on Tuesday. He conjuncts Mars on Wednesday and opposes Pluto on Thursday. Then we end the week on Sunday with the grand-daddy of "win at all costs" fight aspects when Mars opposes Pluto.

Things could go something like this:

Travel plans will be a mess. TAKE EXTRA CARE DRIVING. Words will be BIG and exaggerated. Conversations will be emotional. We could be over-confident or over-commit. Boundaries will be crossed. People will be competitive. We could be over-loaded with information. Words could be heated. We could jump to the wrong conclusion. We could be pushed to make a fast decision we regret later. There could be power plays. Take safety precautions as needed.

Things will feel urgent and that sense of urgency and impatience will make us come on stronger than we intended to - "Did he just say that? Yes, he did." If we have to convince someone of something - well, good luck with that. Maybe something began with Jupiterian positivity and some sense of adventure now becomes fertile grounds for arguments and anxiety. We will be challenged.

If we push, someone else will push back HARDER.

Chiron is going to station retrograde on Saturday triggering whatever vulnerability he is activating within our Pisces natal houses.

The week will end on Sunday with that dreaded opposition between Pluto in Capricorn (power, karma, transformation, security, structure, government) and Mars in Cancer (violence, anger, initiative, passion, war, home, country) that kind of kicks off this summer's volatility and potential for world and personal violence.

I don't mean to sound so negative. I'll write the dailies, look at the Moons and we'll dig in deep and find the good stuff. It's here somewhere. The Moon is in Leo on Monday and Tuesday which is great creative energy and it will hit that North Node in Leo at some point - we need to be working from our heart. And we are, right?

If you can schedule light this week do that. We'll get through it.

xo all

Venus Trine Pluto | having our cake and eating it, too

 julkusiowa

This aspect has been building for a few days and reaches its exact alignment today with Venus at 18 degrees Taurus and Pluto at 18 degrees Capricorn. This is a goodie.

This is where we can take what we want/need/love (Venus) and go in deeper (Pluto). We go a step further. We push that outer limit of what feels comfortable.

With trines things fall smoothly into place. We won't have to push or force or manipulate anything.

With Venus in Taurus (what we already have, what we value) we attract what we want/need/love through what is already working - what comes naturally. With Pluto in industrious Capricorn trining this energy - it's a good time for something good to become something great.

Something we had hoped for gets the green light. An investment grows more profitable. A relationship more comfortable and stable. The value of what we already have increases now. Yes, our stock just went up.

Indulge in just a little bit ... more.

**********

My brother and sister-in-law welcomed their beautiful baby boy Joel Vincent to planet Earth last night. The doctor told them at 4:10PM that he would be born in 10 minutes, and of course, already a fellow who will not be told what to do, Joel made his appearance almost exactly 4 hours later (at the Cancer New Moon with that stellium in Cancer!).

I was planning to be in the hospital waiting room. But I am especially sensitive about my tendency to interject myself into my younger siblings' stories and my sister-in-law is a very private person, so when my brother texted, "Please don't come, I'll text you", those plans changed.

A few hours later he texted "doctor is coming in to deliver baby - doctor says 10 minutes!".

Seconds later my daughter called and we were talking about what was going on at the hospital as I paced around the house (the hospital was actually on fire on another floor, my brother could see three fire trucks from their hospital window and their doctor had been locked outside - it was a nailbiter).

wild turkey and baby?

My daughter, "why don't you just go out there even if you sit in the parking lot, you'll feel better."

At exactly that second I looked out my back door patio window and there was a giant bird, three foot tall, walking next to my pool. I hang up to take a picture with my phone and when I focus in on the giant bird - a type of bird we'd never had in our yard in over 20 years, what the hell kind of bird was this - I see that walking right behind the bird is her baby!

My mom used to send birds in the months after she died, so I knew exactly what this was. I'll just say 'tears flowed like wine' ... and then some wine flowed, too.

And of course, I will re-purpose the corks ...

xo all

what we really need | tonight's Moon can deliver whatever we ask of it ....

summer? by bestraw

We start the day with our early morning Moon opposing Saturn. We have this aspect every month that Saturn is in Sagittarius as the Moon lines up with its polarity sign in Gemini.

This can make sharing our emotions more difficult. We might be feeling more stubborn than usual or feeling the weight of pressing obligations. Issues with authority or our own responsibility could create opposing viewpoints or needs.

By late afternoon the Moon is sextiling Uranus providing opportunities to get ahead by making us more aware of what other people are thinking. 

Yes, we can read minds this afternoon (and yes, I will be thinking about a glass of iced tea right about then ... and George Clooney, yes, I'll be thinking about him, too - damn, you're good - although actually I'm not really feeling George anymore I've lost all my celebrity crushes now ... sniffle).

Unusual or out of the blue communications can go well or feel good.

The Moon goes void (2:45 PM EDT) after that sextile and a square to Chiron making the late afternoon an excellent time for release and meditation. Call it a day early. Unclutter. Organize.

When the Moon goes void after a couple days in noisy Gemini we will likely be feeling the need for some peace and quiet. It's a good time to ask, through prayer, to be released from any negative emotional impressions and dreams of the past that are no longer needed. The ancestors don't need us to carry this stuff anymore. It's usefulness to us is over. We have just grown used to carrying it!

Tonight we get a fresh new beginning with family drama/karma with a New Moon in Cancer

(we will have the Sun, Moon, Mercury and Mars all in Cancer - so all the personal planets except Venus!).

It's a time to honor and celebrate the heritage we do want to carry forward and 'think about/take action with' the new story we will pass to the next generation (and you do not have to have biological children to pass things to the next generation!).

Venus (in earthy Taurus) continues to trine (brakes off) powerful Pluto in Capricorn. This aspect is exact tomorrow. Prosperity and empowerment come from reworking those connections with other people.

Mars (in Cancer) is squaring Jupiter (in Libra). This could take us from confident and bold to shameless and pushy in zero to sixty. Check any impulses to let others know how wonderful we are for a couple more days - it will probably work out better for us then (or the urge will fade or they'll figure it out for themselves).

On the other hand if we really do need to be a courageous super-hero (especially when serving as protector of something vulnerable), the energy is here to assist us.

All these influences impact tonight's New Moon portal.

Cancerian strengths of family building, traditional wisdom, homemaking, compassion, business and structural savvy plus the ability to create a warm and nurturing space for ourselves and others are heightened for the next couple weeks and projects launched within these themes will continue to grow for at least the next six months. 

It will be easier to connect with our emotional needs now.

At 10:30PM EDT the Moon connects with the Sun in Cancer (New Moon). Our monthly creativity peaks and this month is focused on home and family (familial ties). Stability and security matter. Nurturing and comfort matter. 

The closest aspect to the New Moon is that trine from Venus to Pluto which is an excellent one. This Moon can deliver whatever we ask of it ... so let's ask.

xo all

New Moon in Cancer | part II - a new beginning

spirited by catliv

Cancer is all about looking back - family, country, home, our roots, history, real estate, security, mom and apple pie.

And with tomorrow night's Cancer New Moon conjuncting Mercury there is the possibility of important information coming in now within one of these themes or the theme of our natal Cancer house.

I'd say pay attention, but it's probably not the kind of thing you would be likely to miss. If you are affected there will almost certainly be an emotional impact (we will have four planets in Cancer!).

I'll tell you how all of this is playing out for me.

Hub's Cancer house is his 10th house of career and social status, yes, he's quite the little mother duck at work this man. So with all these planets in Cancer now, he has this pile up of Cancer energy in this area of his life. My Cancer house is my 8th house of 'other people's resources, other people's values' things like loans and spouse's income, so I have my little pile there.

This week he heard about a piece of property for sale that he thought would be the perfect place to move his business (we currently rent his shop space). I am not in agreement this is the right move (partly due to my natural ability to focus on the pitfalls and dragons, but for other more logical reasons also). But I'm not exactly in totally disagreement either - mostly because of the astrology. 

Cancer is all about real estate (and my husband's business is like his home to him - he has Capricorn 4th house) and we have his career and public life and my loan and spouse's income houses all lit up like Christmas trees.

Sooo, he set up an appointment with the realtor to meet us at the property today at 2PM  ... and ... we sat outside ... in the heat ... until 2:30PM when hubs called the realtor and she told him the seller didn't want to go through the hassle of dealing with us since we would need to work a contingency into the deal that the loan would be predicated on us getting a zoning change from the town (the change would probably not be that difficult).

Now George is angry because he was feeling the whole thing was "meant to be" because of all this invisible energy at play and the flashing Christmas tree lights he isn't even aware of. I am (secretly) a little bit relieved because the thought of starting this whole exhausting venture of his all over again in a new space makes me want to lie down ... like in a big mahogany box with a velvet liner.

Anyhoo, my point with sharing this story (the outcome is still uncertain) is that when things feel like they are 'meant to be' and then they fall apart before they even get off the ground, it is sometimes because that 'meant to be' feeling was really just a whole lot of universal energy focusing us in a certain direction.

It doesn't always mean the exact thing we are focused on is going to work out perfectly.

The flashing light can be more a "notice this", "think about this", "imagine what having/doing/being this would feel like" directional that will come into play later than it is a sign that this particular thing is for us. Of course, sometimes powerful energies merge to line that thing that is for us, up with us, at times like this, too. Whew, that story was a mouthful! Not sure why I wrote it. xo if you bothered to read it.

The stuff that is going to work out now, we will be emotionally charged about (Cancer) and it will unroll rapidly (Mercury).

The other thing that is happening this weekend, the really important thing, is that my brother and sister-in-law are having their baby. I am not sure if I will be the only person in the waiting room - because half my family lives on the West Coast now and my sister-in-law's family is spread out, too. I bought a book and a box of tissues. I charged my phone. I got some cash from the bank and a box of snacks from Target. I don't know if I will actually be sitting there when baby Joel makes his entrance, but I hope I will be. My mother sat in the waiting room when my daughter was born and she sat in the waiting room again when my sister's daughter was born.

She has been gone for 20 years now. It's feels like it's my turn to sit.

SETTING AFFIRMATIONS

This is a powerful energy to focus our intentions and make affirmations on Cancer stuff : mothers, motherhood, self-care, nurturing, home, family, real estate, home business, food, breast health, stomach and digestive health, gut health, security ...

AFFIRMATION TIPS: get into a positive frame of mind - always make affirmations from a  positive place (positive meaning both happy and certain) - write your affirmations down by hand in script, speak them out loud - then release your attention from them knowing that your intention is known. Know these things are already yours. Cancer is a water sign so this is a great weekend to be near and in water!

Wait until you see a little sliver of Moon in the sky to take any action related to the New Moon (including setting your affirmations), we want our actions to be visible in the world! But don't wait so long that the Moon moves out of Cancer - Saturday night/early Sunday looks good for intentions.

There was more about this New Moon in the weekly HERE

Wishing everyone a powerful, magical weekend of deep connections and familial memories. If you don't have actual family nearby, pull together the people you care about. Love is love.

xo all

(we'll talk more about all this Cancer and what it means next week!)

Solstice | New Moon in Cancer part I - soaking the ground

fearless mother by zoran photo

In preparation for tomorrow night's impactful New Moon in Cancer - let's take a step back a little.

Yesterday's solstice was the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest night in the Southern Hemisphere. The Sun moved into the cardinal water sign of Cancer launching us into a new season.

Astrologically speaking, the energies at play portend quite a bit about the months ahead (and maybe that's too ominous a word to use now that I google it, but I feel the need to let it stay) - the relationship between the planets on any "start date" establish the energies/points the "venture" will be working with throughout its life, in this case the summer (winter down under) season.

We've had an exalted Taurus Moon joining with Venus (in Taurus) and trining nicely with Pluto (power, karma, transformation).

Back on planet Earth (as above, so below) Melania Trump, an Earth Mother Taurus Sun with a Moon and stellium in heavy duty Capricorn (authority) has moved into the White House

(a Cancer country, her child is moving in with her, she is the first First Lady since John Quincy Adams' wife Louisa to be born outside the U.S. - reminding me of the current Saturn - authority - in Sagittarius - foreign - and also reminding me of Louisa's connection to Andrew Jackson, but that's a post for another time!).

I called her an Earth Mother in an astrology group posting a couple weeks back and got my head chewed off people didn't like it.

I understand why, but Taurus rules all the resources on planet Earth including money. We have two astrological mothers - Cancer energy nurtures and protects, Taurus energy gives birth and feeds (provides resources). Ideally, mama needs to provide nurturing and protection AND she needs to provide food and comfort. It's not called the 'hardest job in the world' for nothing, people.

Melania's not the Earth Mother many would hope for, but she's placed in the highest office in the land (think of all her natal Capricorn and Venus's current trine to Pluto) - she is what we've got, so in ways we might not be able to see clearly right now she is what we need.

Another powerful woman, singer Beyonce, gave birth to twins just as the 'twin season' of Gemini ended. She had some beautiful Earth Mother photography done while pregnant. I don't know anything about her efforts on behalf of the Planet either, but it could be a more comfortable image for many people to work with.

What we are really seeing in both these stories - Melania's move and Beyonce's birth - is the archetypal journey from Taurus/Gemini into Cancer.

How is your own personal Cancerian story playing out?

Back later today with Part II.

NOTE - by this weekend we will have the Sun, Moon, Mercury and Mars in Cancer. That is an amazing amount of Cancer energy (and my brother's son is about to be born!). With July 2nd's powerful Mars/Pluto opposition it almost feels like we are soaking the ground in the hopes of preventing a fire from spreading out of control ....

Sun into Cancer | Summer Solstice - home, family, roots - fresh new beginnings

Home by Cristiana Apostol

Mercury follows the Sun into Cancer today - joining together at 0 degrees.

With our North Node in Leo now and Leo ruled by the Sun, the Sun's monthly transitions become even more impactful

(is there a family issue that needs to be 'ironed out/worked with' before we can move forward).

Mercury carries a communication, news, information, an issue, contact with sibling or the local environment that sets the tone for the new summer season. It could refer back to something started around April 20th - the last Sun/Mercury culmination point (superior conjunction).

Today's revelation would be the prologue to a whole new chapter that launches after the New Moon on June 23rd. Post to follow.

Cancer season is about home and family, motherhood, real estate and roots, security and patriotism. It wouldn't be surprising if the message Mercury delivers comes from our ancestors. It would be a good time to pay them tribute with a space dedication in your home - be sure to include a photo of yourself as a child. Think about the ways your own story is woven in with theirs and how you carry your mother's emotional story and your father's physical story (and vice versa - it is way more complicated than this) forward.

That North Node in Leo - and our move into heart - has me thinking this Cancer season and Summer Solstice could be a great bit about looking backward into what took root and grew in our heart when we were a child. We'll talk more about this at the New Moon in a couple days.

In the meantime, the Moon is balsamic. Get enough rest. Go through your family albums. The good financial/resource vibes continue from yesterday. What are you mining?

xo all

Mercury Square Chiron, Venus Sextile Neptune, Mercury Sextile Uranus | multiple opportunities - connect, talk, think, forgive

The Crowd by uglybug

There are multiple energies at play today and of course, we still have that powerful Grand Fire Trine (stay careful with fire and away from angry people).

Mercury's square to Chiron makes this an excellent time for a healing conversation. Words can wound though (the kind of wounds that don't heal) - offer compassion, above all else. No one needs our judgement now. The best tone is set when we forget about sounding right and just speak from our heart.

It's time to forgive ourselves all those Mercury foibles.  

Yes, a lifetime's worth - our North Node is in majestic Leo now - think BIG. 

The wrong word we said at the wrong time. The conversation we didn't have. The email we didn't send or the one we did. The idea that didn't work out. The research we didn't do. The sibling crap. The crap car we bought when we knew better. The times we were less than neighborly.

Particularly if we have a strong Virgo or Gemini signature in our chart or packed 3rd or 6th houses. If we do, Mercury is one of our muses. She/he will not be neglected. Do a ceremony. Muses love ceremony. Then we'll use that sextile (opportunity) to "anything-can-happen, freedom loving, future-oriented, tehno-fearless" Uranus to work with this energy in a new way. We'll talk more about this later.
 
The Moon is exalted in Taurus now. This manifestation portal offers up two sextiles (both were exact late last night):

1. Venus, ruler of love, money, self-esteem and women, in Taurus, a sign she rules, sextiles imaginative Neptune in mystical Pisces, a sign he rules. This is excellent energy to attract what we want through imaginative/spiritual/healing work. Creative times with women can be particularly lucrative now. Mine for diamonds.
2. Mercury, ruler of ideas, communications, siblings, our local environment, our transportation, in Gemini, a sign he/she rules sextiles Uranus, ruler of invention, genius, freedom, in passionate Aries - what do we want to start? Think NEW with this one.

What can we make from this word soup within our own story? Sextiles offer opportunities. Today's tangle highly favors our mental and creative work, people connections and our resources.

The Sun is still in Gemini for a few more hours and Mercury is still here for some hours after that - keep talking, learning, looking at different sides of whatever issues are at play. The answers are out there.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of June 19th - new beginnings

Sand wings by Lileinaya

On Monday, the Moon is uber busy (we likely are, too) ... until she isn't anymore.

We start the day with the Moon in initiating, passionate, "me" and action-oriented Aries - get to work early. Best to put future gains ahead of present comfort this morning. Yes, even if the sun is shining (unless we are on vacation then this is good energy for vacation style action - get out there!). With an Aries Moon everyone will want what they want and they'll want it now. The Moon kicks off with a trine (brakes off) to Saturn in Sagittarius. This is a good time to work with Sagittarius themes - foreign, travel, weddings, politics, higher education, religious, media, politics and with structure and authority. With the Moon in Aries it's best to keep the focus on our own stuff even as we deal with 'big picture' themes.

The Moon is sextiling (opportunity) Mercury - good time to make a decision or come to an agreement. Ideas, communication, local activities, neighbors, siblings, transportation, interviews, writing - all get the green light early in the day. Later on the Moon conjuncts Uranus (also in Aries) and then sextiles (opportunity) the Gemini Sun. We are all feeling ambitious and probably a bit restless and scattered.

The Moon goes void at 3:42PM EST and then moves into Taurus a couple hours later. In Taurus the Moon is exalted. This would be a good day to close down early and enjoy some Taurean comfort - good food, nature, massage, etc. Summer is as close as our own fingertips ...

On Tuesday, we have the Moon exalted in Taurus and Venus (happy in Taurus) sextiling Neptune (in Pisces where she rules). Right brain activities are favored. What could be better for making money with imaginative work, attracting what we want with and through women and/or for compassionate, spiritual or healing activities. We will all be absorbing each other's energy now ... likely in a positive way - it will be easy to feel where other people are coming from (if we are patient enough to let ourselves go there) even when we disagree with them.

The rest of week - Wednesday onward, it is all CANCER all of the time (and there is alot of Cancer for the next few weeks actually). First the Sun moves into Cancer kicking off a new season with the Summer Solstice. Post to follow

The Sun quickly conjuncts Mercury (also making a move into Cancer this week) so the first day of summer brings important messages/information

or something involving a Mercurian theme - information, communication, sibling, transportation, local environment - that could involve us through the summer season.  

Family discussions will be sentimental. What we need and what other people need will be colored by our memories of how things used to be (or how we wished they had been). Comfort comes from people and situations that are familiar.

Then we have the New Moon in Cancer (Friday) - the entire end of the week is about NEW BEGINNINGS. We'll talk about this New Moon later, coming so near the Summer Solstice and sitting with Mercury - it's a big one.

Cancer is all about family and home and history and patriotism and security - about having our needs met and meeting the needs of others we are close to. It's about vulnerability and how we deal with that.

The Sun will shine a light on these areas as well as light up our natal Cancer house. Cancer is ruled by the Moon. Her emotional nature comes from the fact she changes signs every couple days - contrast that with the Sun who moves through one sign a month or Neptune who sits in the same sign for fifteen years. Can you imagine if the celestial body ruling our emotions stayed in the same place for fifteen years? We wouldn't be moody anymore that's for sure and certainly some people would be lucky enough to be smiling for over a decade, but we could be stuck in a bad mood through four presidents and three car loans. That's a whole lot of lemons!

Looked at it this way - the moody, changeable Moon is our friend, right?

By the end of the week, the Sun, Mercury and Mars will all be in emotional Cancer. Whatever is happening will feel deeply personal. Emotions will override logic. We will be feeling where we are most vulnerable. So will other people, so let's give each other a break.

On Sunday, Mars (in Cancer) will square Jupiter (in Libra) and then trine (brakes off) Neptune (now retrograde in Pisces).  This adds passion, excitement and ambition to whatever we are focused on. It could make something feel bigger than it actually is. New beginnings can seem overwhelming because we will be feeling the words we hear and speak, feeling our way through the actions we take (yes, this could slow us down a bit) and feeling what we need to feel safe. The further our current circumstances deviate from this space of safety and the feeling of "home" the more stress we will be dealing with over the next couple weeks.

xo all

Neptune Stations Retrograde | increased intuition, releasing fantasy, releasing guilt, the anesthetic wears off ...

The Whispering Lake by Mirish

Neptune retrogrades are subtle because Neptune is subtle. Think of the way rock is worn away by water - slowly and almost imperceptibly - but effectively and permanently.

This one takes Neptune from 14 to 11 degrees Pisces through late November. If you have planets or points in those degrees or in those degrees in any of the water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) or mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) you will feel this year's retrograde strongest. Neptune is retrograde about 40% of the time.

Neptune rules the ocean, the seas, sleep, our dreams (both the dreams when we are sleeping and the dreams when we are awake), the unconscious, the subconscious, our inter-connectedness, flow, imagination, compassion, meditation, medication, illusion, deception, lies, addiction, alcohol, exhaustion, escape, baptism, sacrifice, spirituality, detox, faith, psychology, mental health, mental illness, intuition, mysticism, fantasy, the ethereal realms (things that cannot be seen, touched, tasted or heard with our five senses), art, dance, music, film, chemicals, drugs, poison, ghosts, victim, martyr, saint, religion, Christ-like, fanaticism, hospitals, healing, research, confusion, retreats, release, isolation, orphans, nursing homes, retirement, our feet, vision, karma, hidden enemies, what is hidden, what we do in secret, lack of boundaries, the 12th house of our charts (things we do last, things that are put away, our subconscious, our self-undoing), the house that holds Pisces in our charts, the 12th house of our charts.

At first glance this might look like a list of unconnected things - but when you look closer can you see/feel the connections? And of course, even as we look for the connection we are using Neptune!

Something here is up for review which means situations, people, circumstances will come up that will re-focus our attention on one or more of these areas over the next few months.

This will be a time to reflect, re-do, re-evaluate, re-examine, release or re-visit what we are working with here. Neptune always turns us inward. Dream guidance and intuition will increase.

Remember when a big energy shifts like Neptune does today we will literally be "off" so things can just feel "off" - let's not push where we don’t need to push. Instead let's stay alert to the signs and feelings around us and take our cue from them. We might require extra (or less) sleep, more (or less) time alone or more (or less) meditation time.

Avoid mind altering chemicals and known addictions. Life's natural anesthetic is moving in reverse now, so the lure of outside numbing agents - that drink or shopping spree or pain pill will be stronger - keep this in mind.

Imagine we are standing at the shore line up to our knees in the cold ocean. When we look down into the water everything looks foggy. Our legs look two sizes too big, almost like one wide mermaid's tale (or this is how I imagine myself, clamshell bra and all). The shells and pebbles at our feet are not in exactly the place they appear to be when we reach for them. Even in the clearest water things are illusory and shifting.

Then the tide flows out. The shells at our feet look a lot more ordinary and less colorful and they are smaller than we thought they would be.

Instead of things being closer than they appear, they now appear to be exactly where they actually are. Stuff is a little less magical - the mermaid's tail/tale turns back into our ordinary legs; sunburned and spider-veined - but now that we have legs again we can do all kinds of things we couldn't do before. Maybe sometimes the tail/tale is needed to keep us sane and protected, but at some point it just gets in our way. And this is a sloppy, terrible metaphor, but you might see what I am getting at. Maybe.

Neptune retrogrades separate the illusion from reality. 

And what we will be left with next November will be the reality. Useless boundaries, lies, guilt, martyr and victim stories and other tall tale/tails will be left on the shoreline. What was vague will clear up. Draining dreams will dissolve. Reality shifts.

As Neptune stations she is sextiling (opportunity) Juno (partnership, commitment) in Capricorn (time, responsibility. structure, work). Since Juno is also retrograde - for some people this will be part of that partnership/commitment "re-view" we talked about HERE - also finishing up in November which I guess will be a big month for .. finishing up!

Also today if you have anything in your chart around 26 degrees of Aquarius, Leo or Gemini there is a nice trine (brakes off) between the Gemini Sun and the South Node in Aquarius and a nice sextile (opportunity) to the North Node in Leo. Communications, ideas, information - also siblings, local neighborhood, transportation - issues that come up now could have a positive impact on your future. If there is something you have been detached from (Aquarius) it could be time to put it in your spotlight (Leo) or maybe your bystander role in a group needs to move more front and center? See what develops. Write down words that catch your ear now.

xo all