Planetary news this week: Magical Neptune and the heart/mind connection

Astrological update for the week of June 26-July 3, 2023

Retrograde Neptune. As most of you know, planets don’t actually travel backwards but from time to time they will appear to reverse their travels through the sky as we observe them from Earth. These periods when planets are retrograde are times of reconsideration and reversals, times when we sometimes feel we are swimming against the tide.

The outer planets (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) are each retrograde for about half the year: This week, on June 30th, Neptune will turn retrograde, deepening our awareness of the transcendent. Neptune’s influence is transformational rather than personal. It inspires us to experience a Self that lies beyond our individual personalities – to experience divinely inspired creativity, to merge with the Soul in meditation, to experience the Godhead in all of its myriad forms. It also sometimes tempts us with fantasy and illusion, fooling us with subterfuge and undermining our ideals.

During this time the Neptune influence becomes more profoundly personal. You may feel like you are wading through a thick fog in your life, unable to make a clear decision. You may find yourself succumbing to strange illnesses for which there are no names. You may be more susceptible to lies and deception and less able to discriminate clearly.

This is a time to turn within with a greater focus on the inner world than the outer. Meditation and rest is important during this time as our physical energy may be diminished, especially if Neptune is transiting planets in your own chart. You may be more sensitive to psychic energies than other times, especially if you tend to be hyper-sensitive, so plan accordingly.

Mercury enters Cancer. Mercury, planet of the mind, enters Cancer, sign of feeling, on June 26th. Cancer is ruled by the Moon and opens up the heart to the realm of intuition and sensation. I like to think of the Moon as the doorway to the soul; the opening of the emotional heart accelerates the connection of the Self to the Soul. Mercury facilitates the flow of information and tends to be rather detached from judgment and any kind of heart connection, but in Cancer it can become easier to understand and interpret our feelings.

Bonus tip! This week Mercury will conjoin the Sun in Cancer, the “superior” conjunction which marks the halfway point to the next retrograde. It may be time to begin thinking about Mercury turning retrograde in its own sign of Virgo since Mercury will be spending quite a long time there! (Mercury will enter Virgo July 28th and then due to the retrograde cycle won’t leave Virgo until October 4th.) Virgo is one of Mercury’s rulership signs so we can anticipate that there will be some re-organization required, and perhaps a re-establishment of routines and daily schedules during this period.

Here’s what else you need to know this week (Dates and times are for the Eastern time zone, here is a time zone converter to adjust for your locality.)

Monday June 26. We may all be feeling more restless than usual today under a Mars/Uranus square which could leave us feeling dissatisfied and potentially a bit reckless. Alternatively, we may have a great idea which guides us in the direction of something new. Either way, embrace new ideas but try to refrain from being too impulsive Monday and into Tuesday. (Mars square Uranus 9:22 am.)

Tuesday June 27. Mercury enters Cancer just after midnight (see above for details) and then proceeds to challenge Ceres later in the day. Cancer and Ceres are related in my view, since I look at Ceres as a higher octave planet to the Moon. In my work Ceres facilitates integration between the body and soul. For a brief time today be careful not to deplete your energy by overly concerning yourself with matters over which you have no control, especially in the early afternoon when Chiron plays a role to potentially trigger old emotions.

A couple of harmonious lunar aspects ease the way, but the Libra Moon is highly sensitive to disharmony so do what you can to maintain your equilibrium. (Mercury enters Cancer 12:23 am, Moon sextile Venus 10:56 am, opposite Chiron 1:21 pm, Mercury square Ceres 6:17 pm, sextile Mars 6:25 pm.)

art by Judy Mastrangelo

Wednesday June 28. Wednesday morning we delve into the intensity of our passions, with the Moon challenging Pluto and then entering Scorpio where it will remain for the next couple of days. By afternoon though the coast will be clear: harmonious lunar influences aid us in channeling our energies in positive ways. Two harmonious aspects involving the Sun and Venus build on Wednesday to culminate Thursday which will facilitate smooth sailing for a couple of days. (Moon square Pluto 8:18 am, Moon enters Scorpio 8:55 am, Moon trine Mercury 3:31 pm, trine Sun 9:49 pm, trine Saturn 10:06 pm.)

Thursday June 29. Thursday is a great day for just about anything. Our focus is good, we feel optimistic about our goals, and relationships go smoothly. More harmonious energies are coming on Friday, so squeeze that last drop of Moon in Scorpio juice and seek out what sets your soul on fire. (Moon opposite Jupiter 1:28 am, Sun trine Saturn 1:42 am, Venus trine Chiron 8:40 am, Moon square Venus 9:32 pm.)

Friday June 30. Friday brings a very busy Moon, with nearly every aspect being a harmonious supportive one. In the wee hours of the morning EDT the Scorpio Moon reactivates the recklessness of Mars and Uranus that we had on Monday, which you will experience to varying degrees depending on your time zone. However, Mercury harmonizes with Saturn for mental stability throughout the day, and the Scorpio Moon happily engages with Neptune and Pluto to deepen transformative experiences.

The Moon transitions from intense Scorpio to optimistic Sagittarius in the afternoon EDT, giving us a few days to expand our ideas and dream up new possibilities. Also, Neptune turns retrograde that day but don’t expect to notice any big changes. (Moon opposite Uranus 12:22 am, square Mars 4:05 am, Mercury trine Saturn 6:23 am, Moon trine Neptune 10:58 am, sextile Pluto 2:20 pm, Moon enters Sagittarius 2:59 pm, Moon sextile Ceres 7:13 pm, Neptune turns retrograde 9:06 pm.)

Saturday July 1. With the Sun, Mercury and Jupiter all connecting on Saturday, this is the perfect day for writers, thinkers. The opportunities to expand the mind and an invitation to explore new ways of thinking are nearly endless. (Moon square Saturn 3:08 am, Sun conjunct Mercury 5:05 am, Mercury sextile Jupiter 7:10 am, Sun sextile Jupiter 10:25 am.)

Sunday July 2. Another busy lunar day, very appropriate for the Sagittarius Moon which is never content to sit still for very long. A Venus/Uranus aspect culminate in the afternoon EDT which could make emotional bonding more difficult, and to be honest the Sagittarius Moon is not that great at this anyway. Sunday is a day to explore your own dreams rather than be tangled with another’s.

That will end when the Moon enters Capricorn late afternoon EDT. In Capricorn we put aside our own frivolous desires (as Capricorn considers them) to do the responsible thing. Discipline leads to success, so now is the time to put the dreams of the past few days into operation especially since the energies of Monday’s Capricorn Full Moon begin building over the weekend. (Moon trine Chiron 12:29 am, trine Venus 3:21 am, trine Mars 9:18 am, square Neptune 1:33 pm, Venus square Uranus 2:33 pm, Moon enters Capricorn 5:20 pm, Moon square Ceres 10:17 pm.)

It looks like an exciting week! Hope yours is a good one. ❤️

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