Current Transits for June 2005 Current Transits for June 2005Here's some of the important astrological news this month ...
Vesta enters Gemini, 6-1
Jupiter Direct Station at 8Li55, 6-5
New Moon at 16Gm16, 6-6
Juno enters Taurus, 6-11
Mars enters Aries, 6-11
Saturn Trioctile Uranus, 6-11
Uranus Retrograde Station at 10Pi46, 6-14
Full Moon at 0Cp51, 6-21
Ceres Direct Station at 11Sc32, 6-26
Pallas enters Libra, 6-26
Jupiter Quintile Saturn, 6-28
An online ephemeris for the month is available.
The energies in June are generally moderate and low key, which is helpful since they are mostly on the difficult and challenging side as well. It's one of those "trudge through the swamp" kind of months. There are many individual astrological events to affect us in coming weeks, many of them ones that force us to operate at a higher level, but there is rarely a cumulative effect that is truly overwhelming. We're operating under the effects of some of the "big aspects" from May still, especially the quincunx of Saturn and Pluto just after the May 23 full moon, and the outer planets (which influence us at a deeper unconscious level) are quite active all month. Curiously, there seems to be little difference between times of higher and lower energies, so these various energy patterns may simply blur into one another. That may give a feeling of "one damn thing after another" since there is little to break up the monotony. Pace yourself and take it slow and easy. This month may not be as demanding as a typical month may be, but it seems to be relentless.
There's plenty of action in June to talk about. This includes two "big aspects", three planets at their stations and a bunch of sign changes (especially the major asteroids).
Vesta moves from Taurus into Gemini on the 1st. It stays in this sign until it moves into Cancer on Aug 13 for an extended stay (due to an upcoming retrograde period). We normally think of Gemini as the Land of Chit-Chat, a very social sign that values talking, communications and the taking in of information. Vesta in Gemini is one instance where this perspective does not apply. Vesta tends to withdraw from the outer world and turn in on herself whenever she becomes overwhelmed by the busy-ness of life. In this case, she finds the experience of being "wired in" 24-7, of taking in and processing endless amounts of information and data (i.e., modern life) to be a drain on her. Vesta looks within whenever life becomes demanding. Her sense of meaning and purpose comes from a deep communion with the spirit within her, not from anything going in the outer world. She needs to withdraw from the chit-chat so she can become quiet and listen to the small, still voice within. If you find it difficult to be with people these days, take a break. Withdraw from the world into your own home, turn off the TV and the cellphone, get reacquainted with yourself as you truly are in silence. Ultimately, this disengagement will be more satisfying than the maddening chatter we have to endure in the outer world. You'll be able to come back on your own time, energized and satisfied. It's good to take time for yourself.
Jupiter is standing still on the 5th at 8Li55, ending a 4 month retrograde cycle. He first turned around into reverse motion on Feb 1 at 18Li51. Jupiter is our ability to reach out to the world and make new connections with others. It's the give and take between people that enriches our lives and expands our horizons. The last 4 months of Jupiter retrograde have been a time when these connections are tested and diminished. Particularly since the entire cycle is in the relationship sign of Libra, this has been a time of drawing back from others and having to survive on your own resources. Perhaps people have just been too busy to get together much, maybe you've just felt the need to withdraw awhile. Whatever the reason, the relationships you normally rely on for support have not been there for you as much. This is mainly a kind of "test" for you to see how secure your foundations are, especially in the financial realm. Jupiter in reverse gear can be a difficult time for business people, despite his optimistic and prosperous reputation. That's because he curtails his support of your efforts during these cycles. Your customers may not be in a spending mood (given the uncertain financial outlook these days), which means less money in your own pocket. It's time to tighten your belt a little and get through the lean times. As we are now at the direct station, the end of the cycle, there's a wiff of change in the air. Slowly, the limitations start lifting, people come out of their caves more, the general mood becomes more upbeat. The worst is behind us, however I'd still take some time to look back over the last 4 months and see if you could have done things better somehow. It'll make next year's retrograde cycle that much easier to weather.
By the time of the new moon, the first storm is already looking ragged and starting to fall apart. The new moon chart tends to breakup into little groups of planets that are only loosely connected to each other. One such group starts with the Sun, Moon and Mercury close together, trine Neptune and widely opposite Pluto. First impressions are that the intellect is being stimulated by higher impressions and visionary material that cause deep-seated shifts in one's perspective. What that means in particular is unclear, but then again, whenever Neptune is involved, things are bound to be uncertain. Just try to be clear about whether you're fooling yourself or not, because Neptune states of mind are often sources of self-delusion. Let the inspiration rekindle your spirit, but don't feel you have to take the vision as "truth" of some kind. The second big group, in contrast, is mostly built up of difficult planets. Mars, Saturn and Pluto are at the top of the list of Usual Suspects when it comes to making life miserable (Juno and Pallas do little to soften the blow). There are powerful stresses going on beneath the surface, bubbling in the emotions mostly, that threaten to break free into our lives. If you can maintain some emotional discipline during this time, it's unlikely you'll do much damage (and you might even learn something about yourself). If you're less careful, you may get into a fight or two along the way, as these planets bring out the worst in you. The strongest planet in this bunch is Saturn, so exercise a little caution and restraint. What these two groups with their extremely different outlooks on life have to do with each other is rather uncertain. Perhaps the idealist side can soften the tougher side up, while the visionary is given a dose of realism. Maybe they can't even communicate yet. Stay with the confusion for now -- there's a lesson in there someplace.
Juno shifts from Aries into Taurus on the 11th, where she will stay until Aug 12. After that, she enters Gemini for an extended stay (another retrograde cycle). Juno is the queen of partnerships, the need to form supportive bounds based on respect and equality. Aries is a bit too fiesty and egocentric to make partnerships work smoothly (Juno is a Libra gal), but Taurus is more to her liking. There's a quiet, simple, earthy quality to Taurus that promotes just enjoying each other, savoring the pleasures of life together. It's important to have the material needs of the relationship adequately taken care of, so those kind of issues (especially money) don't become problems or points of conflict. Taurus is also a very sensual sign, accenting the physical pleasures of life together, including sex. This is a time to enjoy your earthly delights together, so don't let suspicions or lack of fairness sabotage your intimacy. Quiet times are when love is cultivated. Take time for each other.
About 5 minutes later (still on the 11th), Mars shifts from Pisces into Aries. What a relief! All that Piscean selflessness is a real drag for Mars and he's so happy to be back on his own turf. Mars is about expressing your will-power, of doing things your own way, so the "me first!" attitude of Aries is perfectly fine for him. This is a time to focus on things you want to do and goals you want to accomplish. Just realize that Mars in Aries is not exactly the most sensitive placement. It's very easy to step all over somebody else and not even realize it. Obviously, this conflicts with the Juno in Taurus placement going on today, so it's important to guard against being too self-centered. You don't want to annoy Juno unnecessarily. A little consideration avoids much of the problems associated with this placement. Otherwise, this is an excellent tailwind for starting new projects -- enjoy the cosmic support for your efforts. Mars will leave Aries for an extended stay in Taurus (one more retrograde cycle) on July 27.
The trioctile aspect of Saturn and Uranus is the final event of the 11th to consider. This is the last of 3 such contacts, with the previous contacts on 2004-8-7 and 2005-2-17. Here are two planets that are about as different as two planets can possibly be. Saturn is about structure and form, discipline and hard work, building strong foundations for future growth and very conservative in outlook. Uranus, on the other hand, is a maverick that is into change for its own sake, a revolutionary that never saw a status quo he didn't want to blow up. There's something wild and unpredictable about Uranus. When he's active, the world feels out of control and chaotic. Usually when this happens, it simply means the world is so complex, it can't be shoehorned into our limited mental boxes we use to make sense of the world. You can't "control" what you can't understand. Trioctiles are funny aspects. They represent a conflict that initially starts within your own psyche, but at a level so deep it escapes your notice. As often happens when the unconscious is active like this, the conflict appears to originate in the outer world instead as some situation that limits or challenges your own way of life. There seems to be two main ways to handle the situation. One is to resist the changes and maintain the structures you've previously built up, a kind of fundamentalist approach. The other is to question and overthrow everything. Neither of these extremes, total stasis or unbridled change, is viable however and a middle path of moderation must be found. Stasis or refusing to change with the times is basically choosing death. Total change is too stressful, leading to nervous exhaustion. It's time to pick and choose what to hold onto and what to let go of, to decide on the path that feels right for you. As we enter the last stages of this process, the stresses that challenged us may be dissipating soon, but it's important to bring this growth period to a graceful conclusion. Regardless of which extreme you favor, a path of conscious choice is itself a worthy goal. Learn to chart your path wisely.
As if to exaggerate the importance of the trioctile, Uranus is standing still on the 14th at 10Pi46. It will back up to 6Pi50 by Nov 15. When Uranus is backing up like it does for the next 5 months, it's time to reexamine some deeply held beliefs and mental ruts. The clue to look for is some area of your world that seems crazy or spins out of control. As I mentioned, this is more a problem with your own mental blinders than with the world. We all view the world through our private point of view and when it's too narrow to handle reality well, the world looks nuts. The trick is even recognizing you have a point of view to begin with. Most people are under the delusion that they see reality clearly and directly, that their understanding is totally rational and objective. In fact, nobody sees reality directly. All our knowledge is actually interpretation and belief at some deep level, the workings of the mind itself. It's quite healthy to question your point of view now and then, to challenge the filters and notions that structure your perceptions and understandings. In particular, Piscean themes related to spirituality, blind faith and commitment may be high on the list of things to mull over. Watch for the craziness. It can actually be a lot of fun...
If anything, the full moon is more of a mess than the new moon was. It's hard to find groupings of planets of any size whatsoever, so it's unlikely there's much of a coherent message in this chart. I can't imagine it's that bad of an energy, given that planets like Venus and Jupiter seem to be the most prominent influences. The most notable detail of this chart is the fact that the full moon is happening right on top of the summer solstice today. The solstice degrees (0 degrees of Cancer and Capricorn) are powerful positions in the zodiac. To the ancients, these were the "gates" or "doors" through which souls entered and departed the material plane. Perhaps this is a good time to try to "pierce the veil" between worlds, to tune into spiritual levels usually unseen in our busy lives. It's unclear what else this time is good for.
Ceres is standing still at 11Sc32 on the 26th, ending a 4 month retrograde cycle. It first turned around at 25Sc06 on Mar 21. Ceres is the Great Mother in mythology, representing issues of how we nurture and support each other. Scorpio is the deeper passions of the psyche, the gateway between the conscious world of the ego and the depths of the unconscious. In very broad strokes, Ceres in Scorpio is about how we nurture each other and contribute to the health of our web of relationships through our own emotions and passions. It sounds good in theory, but it's a path fraught with traps and potholes. The world of the emotions is very seductive. They color your point of view so thoroughly that the entire world looks like what you feel inside. It's easy to get sucked into your private little soap opera without realizing it. One common consequence is the tendency to project all the problems in a relationship onto the other person, perceiving no responsibility of your own for the issues. Obviously, this can only poison the relationship, not support it. It's time now to own up to your end of the bargain, to take responsibility for your own feelings and overcome the distorted perceptions they produce. Only then is it possible for your love to be pure. It's time to move on.
Pallas reenters Libra from Virgo on the 26th, where it will be until Sep 19. Because of a recent retrograde cycle, she has been dancing back and forth across the border line between Virgo and Libra much of the last year, trying to balance the goals of practicality and aesthetics. Pallas is a complex body with many meanings, so it's hard to pin down the significance of this cycle precisely. I mainly think of her as a mental-intuitive body that envisions situations as entire patterns or gestalts, making it possible for her to understand matters in a very intuitive manner. However, she's also associated with arts and crafts, as well as issues of justice and fairness. And she's often known for being somewhat cut off from her own feelings. There's a sense in which both Virgo and Libra are caught up in their heads, divorced from warm feelings and intimacy. They both try to control and manage people and situations, though for different reasons. Virgo wants things to go smoothly and efficiently, while Libra wants them to be pleasing and harmonious. Neither placement is particularly emotionally involved, even with other people. Perhaps it's time to crawl down from the ivory tower and get involved with others again. Life isn't always "pretty" in a Libra sense and intimacy can be a messy proposition, but it beats the sterility of the mental realm. Leave room for the messiness.
Jupiter is quintile Saturn on the 28th for the second of 3 contacts. The initial contact was on 2004-11-8, while the last one will be on Aug 21. Jupiter and Saturn are the two sides of what I call the "social contract", the basic assumptions that govern our relations with each other. Jupiter is the benefits and potentials for growth, while Saturn is the responsibilities and restrictions you take on. As these two planets go through their slow 20 year cycle together, the social contract needs to be reassessed and sometimes updated from time to time. Considering they are connected by a quintile now, an odd aspect that seems to defy normal expectations, we are in the middle of a 9 month period where radical measures can suddenly seem quite ordinary. It's as though your perspective shifts, causing problems that seemed unsolvable to simply be transcended. It's a good time to look at your connections with others with a fresh eye, to drop outmoded assumptions that lock you into trouble. I've often remarked about how this current 20 year cycle is related to the Middle East, especially the Israeli-Palestine problem. It's fascinating that Yassar Arafat died the exact day of the first quintile last Nov 8, deftly causing many of the roadblocks to peace to simply evaporate. Since then, halting steps on both sides have been taken to promote further progress, although the recent announcement of postponed elections in Palestine shows not all issues have been resolved. There's much more work to perform, but better now than under the coming square.