Planetary news this week: June Solstice and Ceres enters Libra

Astrological update for the week of June 18-25, 2023

This week’s forecast will be shorter than usual as I am traveling this week.

Summer Solstice. This week the Sun enters Cancer on June 21st, marking the turn of the season from spring in the northern hemisphere to summer. The turning of the wheel from the shortest days to the longest is a time to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness. The Sun is newly in Cancer – associated with the Moon, the soul (scarab in ancient Egypt) The Moon, ruler of Cancer, is associated with the harvest and the cultivation of the land. The Sun aids in this cultivation in our external lives, and the power of the Moon cultivates the emotional body and the Soul. In esoteric studies the “central sun” acts as the point of integration between Spirit and Matter. At the Solstice the Solar and Lunar powers unite to fuel a transformational shift.

The chart for the Solstices and Equinoxes features a harmonious trine to the South Node suggesting the release of something from the past which may have caused blockages and stress. The sign of Cancer is very sensitive to influences from the past, and will likely help us to be more attuned to these subtleties once the light of the Sun begins to dim as the energy of the Solstice starts to wane over the next couple of weeks.

Meanwhile there are three planets in the joy-seeking sign of Leo, and they are trined by Chiron for a burst of healing wisdom to help us along the way.

Ceres in Libra. We also have Ceres changing signs on the same day (June 21st), entering Libra and forming a square to the Sun at zero degrees in the chart of the Solstice. Ceres has been moving in and out of Libra since December, urging us to connect within ourselves through immersion in beautiful surroundings and harmonious connections with others. The dark side of Libra is ignoring our personal needs for the sake of maintaining harmony, and when Ceres is in Libra the effect of this kind of neglect can be a challenge. On the other hand, we can increase our sense of well-being through negotiating our way through conflict to resolution and personal balance. Spending some time in environments of aesthetic harmony which soothe us will also be helpful.

Stationary Neptune and Neptune retrograde. Neptune has been stationary in the sky for the entire month of June, and after turning retrograde this week it will continue to appear to stand virtually still in the sky throughout the month of July. Neptune’s influence can be magical and transformative, or it can feel confusing and mysterious as the harsh light of reality becomes obscured by mists that are meant to shift our focus from the mundane to the realm of spirit and imagination. If we are going through a challenging Neptune transit to our own chart, this extended Neptunian period may make decisions difficult and we are more prone to deception and illusion since we don’t always see clearly with rose colored glasses.

During this Neptune station over the next couple of months it will be useful to use our Saturnian glasses of clarity to try to look deeply into any situation that seems too good to be true. We may want to enjoy the magic ride, but if we understand the nature of the illusion we will not be disappointed if we wake up in our usual world.

Harmonious influences. This week the minor planetary alignments are mostly supportive:

Jupiter harmonizing with Saturn for enhanced optimism and confidence in pursuing our goals (June 19, but the effect will linger throughout the week)
Mercury sextile Mars and Chiron, and Mars trine Chiron (mostly mid-week), aiding in easy communication and the resolution of some messy situations that may have been causing some troubles.

The only potentially tricky time to be aware of is Sunday June 25th, when a challenging Mercury/Neptune alignment could make focusing on practical matters more difficult, especially since the Moon is also involved. Put aside any important decisions if you can, and let your imagination and intuition run the show for a day or two.

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