Forgive the late release of the newsletter this month. I just spent an exciting 10 days in Chicago at the United Astrology Conference, a gathering of 1,500 astrologers, where I gave two presentation and lead an ethics training. Color me charged up and ready to roll!
The June Skies
How was May’s wild ride for you? Full of surprises? Stress? Shifts? Chaos? Welcome to the wonderful world of Uranus in Taurus. June continues this theme but with a more relaxed approach.
Last month kicked off a seven-year assignment to overhaul some aspect of our lives. We must awaken it from its slumber, toss aside the status quo and make changes that allow us greater freedom, more authenticity, and a renewed sense of aliveness. (Not sure of your assignment? Find out here.)
For some, last month was full of thrills, opportunities and breakthroughs, while others experienced stress, upsets, falling outs, shocks, and breakdowns. Such is the nature of Uranus, especially when amplified by impatient, assertive Mars.
This month, Uranus and Mars remain in relationship, but they’re giving each other some distance, which means the volume is turned down, or perhaps the better description is the initial shock or buzz begins to wear off. That said, don’t lose sight of the major assignment! Make changes and get innovative wherever Uranus falls in your chart.
Overall, June will be a gentle month before the more turbulent skies of July, so enjoy the sunshine and play with friends.
Tricky Moon Days
From now until the end of 2020, Saturn and Pluto will be in Capricorn. (The last time this occurred was in 1518, so that gives you some sense of how unique this period is.) Their proximity means the moon traverses their paths four times a month — from the signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn — triggering stormier weather emotionally and interpersonally. But underneath the turmoil lies treasure, if we are willing to dig for it.
Saturn with the moon depresses our spirit, leaving us gloomy, isolated and less able to express what we feel—and more likely to weigh ourselves in the balance and find ourselves wanting. Not only do we focus more on our failings and faults, we tend to internalize what we’re feeling because we feel cut off. Then imagine adding a dollop of Pluto to intensify those emotions and plumb the shadows of our psyches. Fun, right?
If we’re not aware on these days, more infantile aspects of ourselves can spill out and create problems, making visible our fears, insecurities, compulsions and stunted emotions.
But, wait! We have options…
Approached mindfully, we can pair Saturn’s dispassionate eye with Pluto’s fearless depth to take stock of our inner world and restructure it. Saturn is contemplative and sees clearly, if unforgivingly, while Pluto’s talent for self-analysis enables it to reveal our inner workings and confront darker truths about ourselves.
In this context, introspection and quiet isolation on these days can act as midwives for emotional transformation.
So these passages can be emotionally heavier, but also incredibly fruitful (especially those of you with Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn placements). More importantly, they only last a little over 24 hours: the storm cloud passes quickly. Be like a seabird, dipping into the fathomless depths for a morsel to digest.
Or, to use another metaphor: Over the next two years, you can take micro-doses of Saturn-Pluto and consciously break down and restructure your personal hardwiring. (With this in mind, I will be listing these monthly hotspots in the newsletter through 2020.)
Consciously contemplate what you feel and seek insights into the roots of those feelings. Beneficial activities might be journaling, conscious dreaming, counseling sessions or mind-body modalities (Rolfing and EMDR come to mind).
Pay attention to the stories you tell yourself on these days, and take responsibility for the storyline. Feelings, when we don’t assign meaning to them, arise and dissolve. Feelings with storylines grow and take root.
Think about a child learning how to walk. If the child falls, she may cry for a few minutes, but soon after she tries again. The emotion arises and the feelings are released. The child doesn’t have a story that says, “I’ll never learn how to walk because nothing ever goes my way / I’ll never be successful / I’m not good enough / [insert story here].” Saturn points to calcified stories, the ones we told ourselves so often that we think they’re real, the ones that shape our sense of reality.
How can you reframe the story? Write a new ending! Call on your compassion for others and for yourself.
Days in June (all times in Eastern time) when the Moon triggers Saturn/Pluto:
- June 8 (~2am) to June 9 (~noon)
- June 14 (~8am) to June 15 (~5pm)
- June 20 (~2pm) to June 22 (~3am)
- June 27 (~2pm) to June 29 (~noon)
Other Notable Days
Early this month, we can feel like we’re in a soft bubble—or as much of a bubble as one can be in under the specter of Uranus-Mars. Use the days of June 5 – 6 for daydreaming, brainstorming, lazing about, or creative/spiritual pursuits. Avoid signing contracts or hardnosed negotiations, as they require attention to detail, clear communication and a high level of accuracy, all activities that suffer over these two days.
On June 12th, Mercury moves into Cancer and June 13th, Venus moves into Leo and we have a new moon at 22 Gemini, so mid-month the energy shifts a bit. Mercury gets a little less heady and more able to articulate its emotions, and Venus gets out of the house to find a party, especially as it will be applying to Uranus. (Think flirty and looking for excitement.) So, around the new moon can be a nice time for socializing.
June 14-15th finds Mercury in tense relationship to Saturn, which can lead to serious stocktaking or serious differences of opinion. If your viewpoint is challenged, use it as an opportunity to carefully consider your position to see if you have holes in your argument. We tend to be a bit more pessimistic and less able to see all our options on these days, so wait a day or two to see how things look before taking to heart dire prognostications. Our focus is sharp, so it’s a great time to knock out work that requires concentration and a critical eye.
June 18th brings Neptune to a stop and begins its retrograde cycle. It can be harder to focus or get things done, so why not watch a little telly or slide of to the beach to daydream in the sun?
June 21st the Sun enters Cancer and we have Summer Solstice.
June 22nd – 23rd we will have Mercury opposite Pluto, which means folks can get a bit intense and single-minded about their opinions and views. Before you know it what was a conversation turns into a tug-of-war with a weird power struggle beneath the surface. Better to do a quick sidestep and use the compulsive energy to dig deep into research, wrangle with a tricky problem, or turn the microscope on yourself in search of greater psychological insight.
June 26th, Mars will stop in its tracks and begin its retrograde cycle, meaning from our perspective on earth he looks like he’s moving backwards. Remember all the tension (and excitement) in the middle of May? That was Mars doing the tango with Uranus. As they parted from one another, the stress ebbed. Mars turning retrograde means he will begin to approach Uranus again, so we can expect more rock and roll come July. Pay attention to this Mars station (the day of the apparent stop), as it can point to the shifts coming up for you.
Enjoy the relative ease of June; July fireworks are up next!