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SKYWATCH
FOR JUNE 2008
Dates and times are all Eastern time zone image from C.U.R.A. Welcome to June! Because we have a number of planets changing direction this month, turning retrograde and direct, the influences of the outer planets are particularly strong now. When planets change their apparent direction (of course they are not actually turning backwards, it just looks that way from earth) they slow down, just as a car does when it prepares to make a U-turn. Mercury is retrograde for the first few weeks of the month and turns direct on June 19, so until then it's important to slow down the mental process and be sure you have all of your details organized. Miscommunication and confusion are likely under this influence and expect to have breakdowns in telephone and computer equipment. Neptune turned retrograde at the end of May and Uranus reverses direction at the end of June, so both planets are still moving extremely slowly; they will cover only about a half a degree's distance in May. This intensifies their power, particularly for any of us who are going through planetary transits of Uranus and Neptune to planets in our birthchart. Uranus seeks change and asks us to break out of the restrictions that keep us from living an authentic life; Neptune reminds us that the material world is only fleeting and urges us to seek an experience that transcends the physical. Honorable planets both, but their influence can create havoc in a life that desires stability. In May we noted the conjunction in early may of Neptune to the (true) North Node, and the conjunction of Chiron to the North Node in late May. The Nodes are not planets; they are signposts in the sky that mark the places where the Moon crosses the path of the Sun's passage through the zodiac. The signposts point to our past (the South Node) and to the future (the North Node). Throughout May Neptune and Chiron both conjoined the North Node, signifying an important event to facilitate inspiration (Neptune) and healing (Chiron). When planets conjunct the North Node they by necessity oppose (180 degrees) the South Node, setting up a tension between the influences that hold us back (South Node) and the pull to continue evolving (North Node) by fully experiencing the wounds of the past and then letting them go (Chiron). Chiron is retrograde now and until mid-October, so we will find ourselves going back over areas of our life which we may have thought were healed and finding other points of growth to bring us greater wisdom. The New Moon on June 3 incorporates this process into a lineup of Gemini planets that includes Venus and Mercury in a tight conjunction to the Sun and Moon. Gemini rules communication and the processing of experience, and this New Moon can help to lubricate any part of the intense healing dynamic that the Chiron/Node event has put into motion. Gemini is the messenger as signified by Hermes, and tends not to get bogged down by personal emotions. The process is what is important now, and Gemini can facilitate this. Mercury is widely squared by Uranus which helps to break the emotional patterns and blocks that hold us back. The danger here is in putting more energy into talking about the issues than actually feeling them; this is the shadow side of Gemini. The Gemini lineup continues until the 8th or so, during which time Venus and Mercury will both form a sextile to Mars which helps to energize us on the mental (Mercury) level and helps to balance any tension in our relationships (Venus). Relationships come into focus around the 12th and 13th when Venus makes a square to Uranus followed by a trine to Neptune. Under the square of Venus to Uranus (which lasts a day or two) you may find that you prefer to be on your own rather than have to make concessions to those around you, but the trine of Venus to Neptune smoothes the way and fosters an environment of love and romance. Just after midnight on the 14th (EST) Pluto, traveling retrograde, will re-enter Sagittarius. The next few months, until Pluto returns to Capricorn in December, will likely be a time of great optimism and expansion in the financial markets and elsewhere. Don't be fooled, however; this is the last phase of the Sagittarius optimism before we re-enter the cold facts of Capricorn such as we saw when Pluto first entered Capricorn in late January. On June 13 Mars (drive and desire) joins the South Node and begins to approach an opposition to Chiron (still conjunct the North Node) which adds fuel to the evolutionary dynamic mentioned above. We may experience Mars coming from outside or within us, but this could be a stressful time in which we are called on to make difficult choices. The tension between Mars and Chiron shows that this could bring up any old and unresolved emotional patterns that cause us pain. The more we have let go of these old patterns, the easier this process will be and at its most ideal will lead us dancing into a future of knowledge and empowerment. The Full Moon occurs on June 18 and incorporates a tight opposition between Venus and Pluto. Here the Sun conjoins Venus with the Moon conjunct Pluto, signifying that the light or conscious mind (Sun/Venus) is in struggle with the darkness and unconscious soul (Moon/Pluto). The Full Moon occurs when the Sun is opposite (180 degrees) the Moon, and the opposition reveals a tension between two polarities. This double conjunction continues the theme of choice that we saw in the Chiron/Node event earlier in the month which, by the way, is still in play for the Full Moon. The Full Moon is in Sagittarius, and brings with it a longing (Moon) for the lightness and adventure of Sagittarius that finds it difficult to reconcile with the Plutonian need to continually re-enter the underworld of the soul to find what is true and deep. This could be a challenging time when we are forced to make a conscious choice: to give up something familiar in order to enter the unknown world of the future. This is a difficult process and requires great trust and awareness. Venus has just entered Cancer at this point and our responsibilities to those that we love have become more important. The opposition to Pluto here suggests that any stress in these relationships will be highlighted at this time and brought into the evolutionary dynamic. Mercury will end its retrograde travels by turning direct on June 19. The Summer Solstice occurs when the Sun enters the cardinal sign of Cancer, the sign of emotional security and family connections. The chart for the Solstice is often read as an indicator of what the season will bring, and in this Solstice chart we see a harmonious (sextile) aspect of Venus to Saturn, helping us to feel more responsible (Saturn) in our relationships (Venus). This will be useful because Mars (drive and aggression) also opposes Neptune (confusion) that day and we could become quite impotent in our focus as what we want (Mars) begins to be more blurred and indistinct (Neptune). Uranus turns retrograde on June 26. Until it turns direct in October it will be dancing through a series of sextiles (harmonious aspect) with Jupiter in which the two planets alchemize to produce an expansion of innovation and new ideas, as well as brilliant insight into ways in which to add meaning to our lives. June ends with a lovely trine of Mars to Pluto at the critical 29th degree. When the will of our individual self (Mars) harmonizes with the will of our higher self (Pluto), there is a beautiful focus of energy that is a great ally in living a conscious life. There is a nice elemental balance of earth, fire, water and air and this will help us to restabilize after the internal challenges that June has brought. This
is a month of integration and a deepening of our own inner purpose.
But with Pluto traveling back through Sagittarius, there will
be plenty of fun as well! |
6/2
Chiron conjunct North Node