kmartin60
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Posted Mon Jun 22, 2020 7:09 pm...
The Week Ahead
Monday June 22 through Sunday June 28
Astrological Highlights for the week: Neptune begins its annual retrograde on Monday; Venus ends a six-week retrograde on Wednesday; Mars enters Aries on Saturday.
In early evening on Saturday June 27th Mars the planet of inspiration, motivation, personal desire, and action enters Aries. Did you feel the earth move a bit? Well if you didn?t, just wait; it?s inevitable sooner or later you?ll feel it. This is big and important news for a variety of reasons. First, Mars is the ruling planet of Aries so it?s profoundly strong and powerful in this fire sign. According to Myth, Mars is the god of war and of agriculture. At first it may seem like a strange combination but when you think of the awesome power of spring and the undeniable power of seeds to push through the soil to the sun, to grow and thrive, it begins to make sense. The undeniable power of life to expand and thrive ? that?s at least partially explained by the Mars principle.
As Mars resonates through our personalities we feel independent, courageous, self-directed, enterprising, assertive, and decisive. In alignment with Mars we feel healthy, energetic, and passionate. If we are unaware of our Mars or let our passions go unchecked we can become risk-taking to the point of recklessness, and assertiveness becomes aggression. Learning to maximize our Mars energy is learning how to consciously direct our motivations and unconscious drives ? usually a life-long challenge.
So we have established this is an important personal planet and it?s especially powerful in its home sign of Aries. Here is where the story gets more interesting. This summer Mars won?t spend its usual 6-8 weeks in Aries; Mars is planning an extended stay ? until January of 2021. This is not a typo!
You savvy astrologers have already guessed. Mars which retrogrades on average every 2 ? years, is going to retrograde in Aries from September 9th through November 13th. We?ll talk more about this later. For now, gear up; this could be a long hot summer, and fall, and winter. Tensions and passions are likely to run very high which of course we can harness for good or for bad. Fire fuels our passions, crackles with creativity and sexuality, clears the way to move mountains and can be part of the cleansing process of transformation. It can also have us running on empty, burned out and dried up if we don?t pace ourselves.
Before we temporarily leave the subject (there is so much more to talk about and we will in the weeks and months to come) I?d like to bring your attention to a couple of interesting cosmic events happening around this time. They may prove to be very predictive of this Mars in Aries cycle, or at least give us some things to think about. On Friday before Mars says his final goodbyes to Pisces, Mars makes an important connection with the North and South Nodes of the Moon. With the North Node now in curious Gemini and the South Node in truth-seeking Sagittarius, we are in a period of consciously looking at our beliefs and realizing how new information and awareness is forcing us to rearrange the pieces of our thoughts and philosophies into new patterns. What once made sense and was appropriate may no longer be applicable or useful.
For those who are willing to listen, you are being called to a higher level of vision and understanding the purpose of a bigger picture than you were able to see before. This is a combination of readiness to look at strengths and weaknesses, both personal and collective, and willingness to hear a higher truth. A new world of possibilities is opening for you. I?d like to think of Mars squaring the nodal axis as last minute instructions from a higher source that will linger in our minds and serve as blueprints for the actions we take while Mars is in Aries.
The other interesting cosmic event is this. Shortly after Mars enters Aries, it makes a connection to disciplinarian Saturn in forward thinking Aquarius. It goes without saying that Mars in Aries isn?t exactly the model of patience or controlled and restrained behavior, however Saturn is. With Saturn exploring the progressive and socially reforming sign of Aquarius connecting with Mars so early in the new Mars cycle, maybe we can find it within us to be rational and strategic rather than rash and reckless. Although Mars certainly does not usually welcome the controlling authority of Saturn, coming from the compatible sign of Aquarius, maybe we can recognize a bigger more inclusive plan is in play. This can help us look beyond short-term goals and instant gratification to bigger and more important prizes. Just a thought to consider.
Mars in Aries is the warrior, the soldier, the risk taker the entrepreneur, the pioneer, the torch bearer, the survivor, and the veteran. With Mars in Aries things are heating up and the temperature will remain elevated through the rest of the year. This is extremely motivating and a passionate energy that pushes us to desire and act to accomplish all that our hearts and minds can imagine. We?ll need to pace ourselves as Mars in Aries marches incessantly forward with few breaks or time for rest and re-evaluation. As passions intensity, I hope you will think about the ideas above. Fire out of our control destroys; while fire under our conscious direction is powerful, healing, purifying, restoring and transformational.
Stay Informed; Stay Safe, and Spread Hope.
MONDAY
June 22
Moon in Cancer
Neptune Turns Retrograde. 9:32pm
Psychologically we are sticking close to home and family this morning with the Moon in domestic Cancer. Listen to your inner mother and start the day with a nutritious breakfast, some stimulating exercise, meditation, or whatever routines get you off to a healthy and solid start. A dreamy lunar connection to Neptune mid-day helps us to follow an inner guide rather than depend too much on external cues and circumstances.
This evening when the Moon opposes both Pluto and Jupiter in staunch Capricorn we may be emotionally gearing up for a fight, only to find we have no real enemy. Double check your facts and understanding before pulling out the weapons. We may find we have more in common with our opponent than we first believe. Feelings may be hurt or egos bruised; Pluto can be a daunting challenger who settles for nothing less than total surrender.
If you lose a battle, don?t lose faith. With Neptune, the planet of dreams and illusions standing still, poised for a five-month retrograde (until November 28th), it?s very possible we are feeling a bit disoriented or at least questioning our grasp of the situation. As usual, if we go inwards and use spiritual criteria to evaluate a situation, we will come away with a different perception and interpretation.
Daily Muse: For each of us is a separate miracle in a collective miracle;
brought together for a moment by a group of notes and a scan of words,
from the heart of one who dares to think that others might feel as he feels. (Leonard Nimoy ? Moon in Cancer, along with Mars, Jupiter and Pluto)
TUESDAY
June 23
Moon in Cancer/Leo
Moon goes Void of Course 12:20am enters Leo 5:33am then goes Void of Course at 10:34 pm until Thursday
Many may be feeling the effects of being cooped up, and the Moon in Leo is inclined to agree it?s time to get out into the sunshine. The Leo Moon, especially at the beginning of the lunar cycle resonates with childlike enthusiasm, charm and innocence. It?s not just our bodies which are feeling a bit stifled; it?s likely our spirits too. Recent events may be creating situations in which we feel isolated and lonely; but the need to physically distance doesn?t mean we need to socially separate from those people and causes we love.
Leo Moons remind us to connect with the creative spark within and unashamedly express our enthusiasm. Being a hermit is more a state of mind than a state of the body. An early morning lunar connection to Saturn may reinforce a feeling of being all on our own, while later when the Moon finds a friend in Venus we are likely aware of our attraction to others of like mind. Saturn can be a loner, but currently is in the friendly and progressive sign of Aquarius. As the traditional ruler of Aquarius, Saturn is not too far apart from the Aquarian mandate to push for universal humanitarian ideals and be on the front lines of social reform.
Venus in Gemini loves to learn and connect with ideas and people. Indulge yourself in whatever way feels right. Tonight the stimulating square between the Moon and Uranus (modern ruler of Aquarius) encourages individualistic self-expression with little need to please others. Although we may feel somewhat estranged from our past way of doing things, we find inspiration and satisfaction in aligning with evolving values and ideals.
Daily Muse: Nothing in life is more liberating than to fight for a cause larger than yourself, something that encompasses you but is not defined by your existence alone. (Senator John McCain ? Uranus in Taurus, Moon in Aquarius)
WENSDAY
June 24
Moon in Leo
Moon remains Void of Course until Thursday at 10:05am
Venus Retrograde Ends 11:47pm
The Moon in playful Leo makes no planetary connections today and in fact is void of course all day and night. We pretty much have permission to do what pleases us and pursue our own version of entertainment. Retrograding Venus sees the end in sight as she pulls slowly to a stop at 5 Gemini late tonight. She won?t hold still for long; this is the end of her six-week retrograde motion and starting tomorrow we will see slow but steady movement forward. No doubt we have spent some of this time reassessing what?s important and dealing with unexpected changes and revelations regarding relationships and finances. We may have started the process of clutter clearing ? pulling everything out into the open so we could view it ? but we?re not really finished until we decide what to keep and what to do with the rest.
The shadow of the retrograde ? referring to the period it takes until Venus gets back to 21 Gemini where she started the review ? extends until July 28th. Between now and then we are encouraged to consider what we have learned and how it can guide our present and future actions. As the planet of values, Venus is paramount as part of the foundation on which we build our ideas, beliefs, and behaviors. Although the world is generally unpredictable and full of unrest, a deliberate and slow cultivation of what we want to see going forward is the way.
Success comes when we take our time to clarify our goals and persist in their development. We may feel the ?need for speed? but enduring change will be built on our willingness to efficiently deal with the ideas and structures of our past, make informed choices, prioritize what?s important, and direct our energies according to a sound plan. This applies to both personal situations and collective ones as well.
Daily Muse: I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms. (Henry David Thoreau ? Sun, Moon, and Mercury in Cancer; Venus in Gemini)
THURSDAY
June 25
Moon in Leo/Virgo
Void of Course Moon enters Virgo at 10:05am
The Moon in youthful Leo wants to squeak in a couple of hours of fun and games this morning but playtime is over by shortly after 10 am (Pacific Time) as the Moon heads for conscientious and dutiful Virgo. Although, if we are telling the truth, for Virgo, dedicating oneself to a worthy task or a form of self-improvement is as satisfying as it gets. Who needs to play when working towards something important feels so good?
Yes indeed, this is a good day to fine-tune a project, practice a new skill, or increase our knowledge about something interesting. The Virgo Moon gives us the energy and inspiration to apply ourselves. Virgo energy is analytical and detailed making this a good time to edit a manuscript, obsess about the wording of a love letter, or for that matter a ?Dear John? communiqu?, or get serious about any job that requires precise attention and objectivity.
Tonight this Moon makes a positive connection to the Sun in Cancer. We can apply this same level of dedication to whipping up a family dinner or spending time with a favorite hobby or project. In mid-evening the Moon doesn?t see eye-to-eye with Venus in Gemini which sets the stage for a miscommunication. With Virgo?s penchant for criticism, it?s best to pay attention to our need to be right and judge others as wrong before opening our mouths or pressing send on that e-mail or text.
Daily Muse: Dwelling on the negative simply contributes to its power? Someday perhaps change will occur when times are ready for it instead of always when it is too late. Someday change will be accepted as life itself. (Shirley MacLaine Moon conjunct Neptune in Virgo)
FRIDAY
June 26
Moon in Virgo
Before Mars says his final goodbyes to Pisces (entering its home sign of Aries tomorrow), Mars makes an important connection with the North and South Nodes of the Moon today. With the North Node now in curious Gemini and the South Node in truth-seeking Sagittarius, we are in a period of consciously looking at our beliefs and realizing how new information and awareness is forcing us to rearrange the pieces into new patterns. What once made sense and was appropriate may no longer be. For those who are willing to listen, you are being called to a higher level of vision and understanding the purpose of a bigger picture than you were able to see before. This is a combination of readiness to look at strengths and weaknesses, both personal and collective, and willingness to hear a higher truth. New worlds of possibilities are opening for you.
We may be lost in our thoughts this morning as the Virgo Moon (ruled by Mercury) reaches out and connects with Mercury currently retrograding in emotional and sensitive Cancer. This may or may not translate into being chatty or communicative with others. More likely we prefer to write in a journal or otherwise organize our thoughts and feelings during a period of being alone.
Tonight the Moon opposes dreamy Neptune which Virgo often finds unsettling, but can help to deepen our introspection and creativity if we are willing to go with the flow.
Daily Muse: Too often we hold fast to the clich?s of our forebears. We subject all facts to a prefabricated set of interpretations. We enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought. (John F. Kennedy ? Sun and Venus in Gemini, Moon in Virgo)
SATURDAY
June 27
Moon in Virgo/Libra
Mars enters Aries 6:45pm
Moon goes Void of Course 1:02pm enters Libra at 1:16pm
We can expect to be quite productive this morning with the Moon in detail-oriented Virgo. In early afternoon the Moon?s opposition to Mars in Pisces clues us into a shift in energy and direction. We might want to tie up any last minute details as the social air signs predominate the rest of the day.
The Moon dances into agreeable Libra in early afternoon and gets behind a progressive cause when she connects with Saturn in Aquarius in mid-afternoon. No reason we can?t combine business and pleasure! And the feeling continues through the evening as the Moon finds a way to connect all three of the relating air signs when she reaches out to Venus in Gemini. Business events become social and it?s easy to conduct a little business within a friendly venue or social gathering.
In early evening Mars the planet of inspiration, motivation, personal desire and action enters Aries. Did you feel the earth move a bit? Well if you didn?t, just wait. This is big and important news for a variety of reasons. Mars rules Aries, so is profoundly comfortable and powerful in this fire sign. Also, spoiler alert ? this is no typical cycle. Instead of spending its usual 6-8 weeks in Aries, Mars will retrograde in September through November and thus, when all is said and done, Mars will be in Aries until January of 2021. (This is not a typo.)
Mars in Aries is the warrior, the soldier, the risk taker the entrepreneur, the pioneer, the torch bearer, the survivor, and the veteran. Things are heating up and the temperature will remain elevated through the rest of the year. This is extremely motivating and a passionate energy that pushes us to desire to accomplish all that our hearts and minds can imagine. We?ll need to pace ourselves as Mars in Aries marches incessantly forward with few breaks or time for rest and re-evaluation. We may not notice it tonight, but going forward expect the pace to pick up.
Daily Muse: I watched every single Bond movie three or four times, taking in everything I could about how the character had been portrayed in the past, then threw all that away once I started doing the role. (Daniel Craig ? Mars, Moon, Saturn and North Node of the Moon in Aries.)
SUNDAY
June 28
Moon in Libra
If you wake up ready to argue with someone, don?t blame Mars in Aries. We?ll have plenty of opportunity to make him the scapegoat during the next 5 months! The restless energy this morning probably has more to do with the Moon in Libra squaring the Sun in Cancer signaling the close of the first quarter of the lunar cycle. When we hit this juncture every month we need to take a step back and see if our intentions for the New Moon are happening according to plan. Chances are an adjustment or tweak is necessary. Usually this doesn?t mean the idea wasn?t good or that we should abandon something completely. In fact, trying to force a premature or untimely conclusion is something we should try to avoid.
Emotions may cloud an issue when the Moon in Libra conflicts with retrograding Mercury in Cancer. We may want something to be cut and dried, black and white and the solution obvious, but it just isn?t so. Life is messy. Unless clearly indicated, don?t throw something out and start over. Take a step back and notice where a change ? maybe even just a slight adjustment can bring things back into a more comfortable place.
The Libra Moon is usually diplomatic and agreeable. However, Libra is a cardinal sign driven by the need for equality, equity, and fairness. Who can be most unfair? Those adamantly seeking justice. (I?m talking about the quality of a sign here not making a statement about a person or group.) Libra walks the fine line of doing a balancing act between the need to partner, be diplomatic, gracious, kind, and accommodating and being the judge prescribing justice. If we find ourselves getting really worked up under the influence of this Moon we might want to take a moment and appreciate our desire for balance while understanding we can get fairly unbalanced by trying to force another to accept or abide by our view of how things should be.
Daily Muse: The time requires patience, a long-term commitment, and a vision of what you ultimately wish to accomplish?direct your thoughts along a steady uninterrupted course. Know at all times your goal. In this way events that capture your attention will be relevant to where you are going, and all subsequent actions will lead you ever closer to your goal. (R.L. Wing, ?The I Ching Workbook? writing about hexagram 57 ?Penetrating Influence - The Gentle)
Monday June 22 through Sunday June 28
Astrological Highlights for the week: Neptune begins its annual retrograde on Monday; Venus ends a six-week retrograde on Wednesday; Mars enters Aries on Saturday.
In early evening on Saturday June 27th Mars the planet of inspiration, motivation, personal desire, and action enters Aries. Did you feel the earth move a bit? Well if you didn?t, just wait; it?s inevitable sooner or later you?ll feel it. This is big and important news for a variety of reasons. First, Mars is the ruling planet of Aries so it?s profoundly strong and powerful in this fire sign. According to Myth, Mars is the god of war and of agriculture. At first it may seem like a strange combination but when you think of the awesome power of spring and the undeniable power of seeds to push through the soil to the sun, to grow and thrive, it begins to make sense. The undeniable power of life to expand and thrive ? that?s at least partially explained by the Mars principle.
As Mars resonates through our personalities we feel independent, courageous, self-directed, enterprising, assertive, and decisive. In alignment with Mars we feel healthy, energetic, and passionate. If we are unaware of our Mars or let our passions go unchecked we can become risk-taking to the point of recklessness, and assertiveness becomes aggression. Learning to maximize our Mars energy is learning how to consciously direct our motivations and unconscious drives ? usually a life-long challenge.
So we have established this is an important personal planet and it?s especially powerful in its home sign of Aries. Here is where the story gets more interesting. This summer Mars won?t spend its usual 6-8 weeks in Aries; Mars is planning an extended stay ? until January of 2021. This is not a typo!
You savvy astrologers have already guessed. Mars which retrogrades on average every 2 ? years, is going to retrograde in Aries from September 9th through November 13th. We?ll talk more about this later. For now, gear up; this could be a long hot summer, and fall, and winter. Tensions and passions are likely to run very high which of course we can harness for good or for bad. Fire fuels our passions, crackles with creativity and sexuality, clears the way to move mountains and can be part of the cleansing process of transformation. It can also have us running on empty, burned out and dried up if we don?t pace ourselves.
Before we temporarily leave the subject (there is so much more to talk about and we will in the weeks and months to come) I?d like to bring your attention to a couple of interesting cosmic events happening around this time. They may prove to be very predictive of this Mars in Aries cycle, or at least give us some things to think about. On Friday before Mars says his final goodbyes to Pisces, Mars makes an important connection with the North and South Nodes of the Moon. With the North Node now in curious Gemini and the South Node in truth-seeking Sagittarius, we are in a period of consciously looking at our beliefs and realizing how new information and awareness is forcing us to rearrange the pieces of our thoughts and philosophies into new patterns. What once made sense and was appropriate may no longer be applicable or useful.
For those who are willing to listen, you are being called to a higher level of vision and understanding the purpose of a bigger picture than you were able to see before. This is a combination of readiness to look at strengths and weaknesses, both personal and collective, and willingness to hear a higher truth. A new world of possibilities is opening for you. I?d like to think of Mars squaring the nodal axis as last minute instructions from a higher source that will linger in our minds and serve as blueprints for the actions we take while Mars is in Aries.
The other interesting cosmic event is this. Shortly after Mars enters Aries, it makes a connection to disciplinarian Saturn in forward thinking Aquarius. It goes without saying that Mars in Aries isn?t exactly the model of patience or controlled and restrained behavior, however Saturn is. With Saturn exploring the progressive and socially reforming sign of Aquarius connecting with Mars so early in the new Mars cycle, maybe we can find it within us to be rational and strategic rather than rash and reckless. Although Mars certainly does not usually welcome the controlling authority of Saturn, coming from the compatible sign of Aquarius, maybe we can recognize a bigger more inclusive plan is in play. This can help us look beyond short-term goals and instant gratification to bigger and more important prizes. Just a thought to consider.
Mars in Aries is the warrior, the soldier, the risk taker the entrepreneur, the pioneer, the torch bearer, the survivor, and the veteran. With Mars in Aries things are heating up and the temperature will remain elevated through the rest of the year. This is extremely motivating and a passionate energy that pushes us to desire and act to accomplish all that our hearts and minds can imagine. We?ll need to pace ourselves as Mars in Aries marches incessantly forward with few breaks or time for rest and re-evaluation. As passions intensity, I hope you will think about the ideas above. Fire out of our control destroys; while fire under our conscious direction is powerful, healing, purifying, restoring and transformational.
Stay Informed; Stay Safe, and Spread Hope.
MONDAY
June 22
Moon in Cancer
Neptune Turns Retrograde. 9:32pm
Psychologically we are sticking close to home and family this morning with the Moon in domestic Cancer. Listen to your inner mother and start the day with a nutritious breakfast, some stimulating exercise, meditation, or whatever routines get you off to a healthy and solid start. A dreamy lunar connection to Neptune mid-day helps us to follow an inner guide rather than depend too much on external cues and circumstances.
This evening when the Moon opposes both Pluto and Jupiter in staunch Capricorn we may be emotionally gearing up for a fight, only to find we have no real enemy. Double check your facts and understanding before pulling out the weapons. We may find we have more in common with our opponent than we first believe. Feelings may be hurt or egos bruised; Pluto can be a daunting challenger who settles for nothing less than total surrender.
If you lose a battle, don?t lose faith. With Neptune, the planet of dreams and illusions standing still, poised for a five-month retrograde (until November 28th), it?s very possible we are feeling a bit disoriented or at least questioning our grasp of the situation. As usual, if we go inwards and use spiritual criteria to evaluate a situation, we will come away with a different perception and interpretation.
Daily Muse: For each of us is a separate miracle in a collective miracle;
brought together for a moment by a group of notes and a scan of words,
from the heart of one who dares to think that others might feel as he feels. (Leonard Nimoy ? Moon in Cancer, along with Mars, Jupiter and Pluto)
TUESDAY
June 23
Moon in Cancer/Leo
Moon goes Void of Course 12:20am enters Leo 5:33am then goes Void of Course at 10:34 pm until Thursday
Many may be feeling the effects of being cooped up, and the Moon in Leo is inclined to agree it?s time to get out into the sunshine. The Leo Moon, especially at the beginning of the lunar cycle resonates with childlike enthusiasm, charm and innocence. It?s not just our bodies which are feeling a bit stifled; it?s likely our spirits too. Recent events may be creating situations in which we feel isolated and lonely; but the need to physically distance doesn?t mean we need to socially separate from those people and causes we love.
Leo Moons remind us to connect with the creative spark within and unashamedly express our enthusiasm. Being a hermit is more a state of mind than a state of the body. An early morning lunar connection to Saturn may reinforce a feeling of being all on our own, while later when the Moon finds a friend in Venus we are likely aware of our attraction to others of like mind. Saturn can be a loner, but currently is in the friendly and progressive sign of Aquarius. As the traditional ruler of Aquarius, Saturn is not too far apart from the Aquarian mandate to push for universal humanitarian ideals and be on the front lines of social reform.
Venus in Gemini loves to learn and connect with ideas and people. Indulge yourself in whatever way feels right. Tonight the stimulating square between the Moon and Uranus (modern ruler of Aquarius) encourages individualistic self-expression with little need to please others. Although we may feel somewhat estranged from our past way of doing things, we find inspiration and satisfaction in aligning with evolving values and ideals.
Daily Muse: Nothing in life is more liberating than to fight for a cause larger than yourself, something that encompasses you but is not defined by your existence alone. (Senator John McCain ? Uranus in Taurus, Moon in Aquarius)
WENSDAY
June 24
Moon in Leo
Moon remains Void of Course until Thursday at 10:05am
Venus Retrograde Ends 11:47pm
The Moon in playful Leo makes no planetary connections today and in fact is void of course all day and night. We pretty much have permission to do what pleases us and pursue our own version of entertainment. Retrograding Venus sees the end in sight as she pulls slowly to a stop at 5 Gemini late tonight. She won?t hold still for long; this is the end of her six-week retrograde motion and starting tomorrow we will see slow but steady movement forward. No doubt we have spent some of this time reassessing what?s important and dealing with unexpected changes and revelations regarding relationships and finances. We may have started the process of clutter clearing ? pulling everything out into the open so we could view it ? but we?re not really finished until we decide what to keep and what to do with the rest.
The shadow of the retrograde ? referring to the period it takes until Venus gets back to 21 Gemini where she started the review ? extends until July 28th. Between now and then we are encouraged to consider what we have learned and how it can guide our present and future actions. As the planet of values, Venus is paramount as part of the foundation on which we build our ideas, beliefs, and behaviors. Although the world is generally unpredictable and full of unrest, a deliberate and slow cultivation of what we want to see going forward is the way.
Success comes when we take our time to clarify our goals and persist in their development. We may feel the ?need for speed? but enduring change will be built on our willingness to efficiently deal with the ideas and structures of our past, make informed choices, prioritize what?s important, and direct our energies according to a sound plan. This applies to both personal situations and collective ones as well.
Daily Muse: I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms. (Henry David Thoreau ? Sun, Moon, and Mercury in Cancer; Venus in Gemini)
THURSDAY
June 25
Moon in Leo/Virgo
Void of Course Moon enters Virgo at 10:05am
The Moon in youthful Leo wants to squeak in a couple of hours of fun and games this morning but playtime is over by shortly after 10 am (Pacific Time) as the Moon heads for conscientious and dutiful Virgo. Although, if we are telling the truth, for Virgo, dedicating oneself to a worthy task or a form of self-improvement is as satisfying as it gets. Who needs to play when working towards something important feels so good?
Yes indeed, this is a good day to fine-tune a project, practice a new skill, or increase our knowledge about something interesting. The Virgo Moon gives us the energy and inspiration to apply ourselves. Virgo energy is analytical and detailed making this a good time to edit a manuscript, obsess about the wording of a love letter, or for that matter a ?Dear John? communiqu?, or get serious about any job that requires precise attention and objectivity.
Tonight this Moon makes a positive connection to the Sun in Cancer. We can apply this same level of dedication to whipping up a family dinner or spending time with a favorite hobby or project. In mid-evening the Moon doesn?t see eye-to-eye with Venus in Gemini which sets the stage for a miscommunication. With Virgo?s penchant for criticism, it?s best to pay attention to our need to be right and judge others as wrong before opening our mouths or pressing send on that e-mail or text.
Daily Muse: Dwelling on the negative simply contributes to its power? Someday perhaps change will occur when times are ready for it instead of always when it is too late. Someday change will be accepted as life itself. (Shirley MacLaine Moon conjunct Neptune in Virgo)
FRIDAY
June 26
Moon in Virgo
Before Mars says his final goodbyes to Pisces (entering its home sign of Aries tomorrow), Mars makes an important connection with the North and South Nodes of the Moon today. With the North Node now in curious Gemini and the South Node in truth-seeking Sagittarius, we are in a period of consciously looking at our beliefs and realizing how new information and awareness is forcing us to rearrange the pieces into new patterns. What once made sense and was appropriate may no longer be. For those who are willing to listen, you are being called to a higher level of vision and understanding the purpose of a bigger picture than you were able to see before. This is a combination of readiness to look at strengths and weaknesses, both personal and collective, and willingness to hear a higher truth. New worlds of possibilities are opening for you.
We may be lost in our thoughts this morning as the Virgo Moon (ruled by Mercury) reaches out and connects with Mercury currently retrograding in emotional and sensitive Cancer. This may or may not translate into being chatty or communicative with others. More likely we prefer to write in a journal or otherwise organize our thoughts and feelings during a period of being alone.
Tonight the Moon opposes dreamy Neptune which Virgo often finds unsettling, but can help to deepen our introspection and creativity if we are willing to go with the flow.
Daily Muse: Too often we hold fast to the clich?s of our forebears. We subject all facts to a prefabricated set of interpretations. We enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought. (John F. Kennedy ? Sun and Venus in Gemini, Moon in Virgo)
SATURDAY
June 27
Moon in Virgo/Libra
Mars enters Aries 6:45pm
Moon goes Void of Course 1:02pm enters Libra at 1:16pm
We can expect to be quite productive this morning with the Moon in detail-oriented Virgo. In early afternoon the Moon?s opposition to Mars in Pisces clues us into a shift in energy and direction. We might want to tie up any last minute details as the social air signs predominate the rest of the day.
The Moon dances into agreeable Libra in early afternoon and gets behind a progressive cause when she connects with Saturn in Aquarius in mid-afternoon. No reason we can?t combine business and pleasure! And the feeling continues through the evening as the Moon finds a way to connect all three of the relating air signs when she reaches out to Venus in Gemini. Business events become social and it?s easy to conduct a little business within a friendly venue or social gathering.
In early evening Mars the planet of inspiration, motivation, personal desire and action enters Aries. Did you feel the earth move a bit? Well if you didn?t, just wait. This is big and important news for a variety of reasons. Mars rules Aries, so is profoundly comfortable and powerful in this fire sign. Also, spoiler alert ? this is no typical cycle. Instead of spending its usual 6-8 weeks in Aries, Mars will retrograde in September through November and thus, when all is said and done, Mars will be in Aries until January of 2021. (This is not a typo.)
Mars in Aries is the warrior, the soldier, the risk taker the entrepreneur, the pioneer, the torch bearer, the survivor, and the veteran. Things are heating up and the temperature will remain elevated through the rest of the year. This is extremely motivating and a passionate energy that pushes us to desire to accomplish all that our hearts and minds can imagine. We?ll need to pace ourselves as Mars in Aries marches incessantly forward with few breaks or time for rest and re-evaluation. We may not notice it tonight, but going forward expect the pace to pick up.
Daily Muse: I watched every single Bond movie three or four times, taking in everything I could about how the character had been portrayed in the past, then threw all that away once I started doing the role. (Daniel Craig ? Mars, Moon, Saturn and North Node of the Moon in Aries.)
SUNDAY
June 28
Moon in Libra
If you wake up ready to argue with someone, don?t blame Mars in Aries. We?ll have plenty of opportunity to make him the scapegoat during the next 5 months! The restless energy this morning probably has more to do with the Moon in Libra squaring the Sun in Cancer signaling the close of the first quarter of the lunar cycle. When we hit this juncture every month we need to take a step back and see if our intentions for the New Moon are happening according to plan. Chances are an adjustment or tweak is necessary. Usually this doesn?t mean the idea wasn?t good or that we should abandon something completely. In fact, trying to force a premature or untimely conclusion is something we should try to avoid.
Emotions may cloud an issue when the Moon in Libra conflicts with retrograding Mercury in Cancer. We may want something to be cut and dried, black and white and the solution obvious, but it just isn?t so. Life is messy. Unless clearly indicated, don?t throw something out and start over. Take a step back and notice where a change ? maybe even just a slight adjustment can bring things back into a more comfortable place.
The Libra Moon is usually diplomatic and agreeable. However, Libra is a cardinal sign driven by the need for equality, equity, and fairness. Who can be most unfair? Those adamantly seeking justice. (I?m talking about the quality of a sign here not making a statement about a person or group.) Libra walks the fine line of doing a balancing act between the need to partner, be diplomatic, gracious, kind, and accommodating and being the judge prescribing justice. If we find ourselves getting really worked up under the influence of this Moon we might want to take a moment and appreciate our desire for balance while understanding we can get fairly unbalanced by trying to force another to accept or abide by our view of how things should be.
Daily Muse: The time requires patience, a long-term commitment, and a vision of what you ultimately wish to accomplish?direct your thoughts along a steady uninterrupted course. Know at all times your goal. In this way events that capture your attention will be relevant to where you are going, and all subsequent actions will lead you ever closer to your goal. (R.L. Wing, ?The I Ching Workbook? writing about hexagram 57 ?Penetrating Influence - The Gentle)