Current Transits for June 2011 Current Transits for June 2011Here's some of the important astrological news this month ...
New Moon / Partial Solar Eclipse at 11Gm01, 6-1
Neptune Retrograde Station at 0Pi55, 6-3
Jupiter enters Taurus, 6-4
Chiron Retrograde Station at 5Pi29, 6-8
Jupiter Sextile Neptune, 6-8
Saturn Direct Station at 10Li26, 6-12
Full Moon / Total Lunar Eclipse at 24Sa23, 6-15
Mars enters Gemini, 6-20
Vesta Retrograde Station at 19Aq40, 6-21
Jupiter Semisextile Uranus, 6-28
An online ephemeris for the month is available.
Unlike most of May, the month of June looks pretty busy and intense. Jupiter moves into Taurus on the 4th, quickly forming important aspects. There are 4 stations coming up (Neptune, Chiron, Saturn, Vesta), so there are a variety of situations either becoming more troublesome or bottoming out. Either way, all those stationary planets impart a "stuck" feeling, as though parts of life just aren't moving. We are also entering an eclipse season, with 2 solar eclipses and a total lunar eclipse coming up. Since eclipses are indicators of areas of life that need some reassessment and upgrading (see which houses in your birth chart contain the Sun and Moon for some clues as to which areas are affected), there's a sense of urgency to put these matters in order. In terms of overall patterns of energy, there are 2 big storms in June to stir things up. This includes a low Koz Quake (609 units) on the 26th, the first Quake waveform we've seen since before Christmas (Dec 20, to be exact). That should kick off some action for us! In short, there are a lot of events big and small to keep us on our toes this month. Get ready for a busy time.
June has plenty of material to discuss. There are 4 planets at stations, 2 sign changes and a pair of "big aspects". We're also in an eclipse season, with 3 eclipses coming up in June and July.
At first glance, the chart for the solar eclipse is not terribly impressive. I typically start taking a chart apart by looking for groups of planets linked by aspects, but that doesn't get you very far here. Saturn is closely trine the Sun and Moon, while a number of outer planets form a very loose fan-shaped group (this becomes the Koz Quake eventually). Very little else stands out. This is a chart with a number of scattered stories, but no overarching unifying theme.
In cases like this, it's usually best to start looking at the Sun and Moon in Gemini, trine Saturn in Libra. These are both air signs, pointing to relationship issues. Given that Saturn is approaching its direct station, these situations may be coming to a resolution shortly. Trines are usually useful, unless you totally sit on your butt, making it much easier to resolve problems in an acceptable manner. Air also deals with the mind and intellect, so if you have some mental work to handle, it's a good time to kick off those projects. though it may take some time to get organized properly. With Saturn involved, keep your plans simple and down to earth. All the outer planet activity contributes to a low rumble of unconscious hints and nudges in many directions. Problems that are encountered now are probably due to these low level energies pushing you in ways contrary to your main thrust. But mainly, keep in mind that this is an eclipse, so no matter how weak the chart appears, the influence runs deep and lasts for many months. Check to see which house in your own birth chart contains the eclipse degree, as the affairs of that house will be in need of some revision and upkeep. It doesn't have to be a big crisis by any means, but you'll find that your life will go much smoother for years to come if you put in the effort now. Above all, air is light and buoyant, so maintain an attitude that is cheerful and unattached to outcomes. Taking yourself or the situation you're in too seriously only causes matters to get worse. Playfulness works much better.
Neptune reaches his retrograde station of 0Pi55 on the 3rd, starting 5 months of reverse motion. He'll back up to 28Aq08 by Nov 9 and then resume normal forward motion. One of the important facts to keep in mind about this retrograde cycle is that Neptune is dancing back and forth across the Aquarius-Pisces border for the next 8 months. This cycle is transitional in nature, a change in the basic garb that Neptune will be wearing in coming years. The other fact is we're only 2 years away from the Neptune Return when the planet returned to the position (25Aq52) of its discovery back in 1846. Neptune is still in orb of this discovery position, so this influence continues to affect us. In effect, we're just starting to understand Neptune a little better as it starts its second orbit. So let's start putting the pieces of this puzzle together. Neptune, the Higher Heart of the planetary powers, is shifting from a principled, but rigidly mental perspective to a position dominated by feelings, moods, intuition, confusion, insight and lots of fooling ourselves. It's curious to start seeing how people's emotional weak spots are coming out lately. One perceptive friend called it the "weepy, moody side" of people (along with much anger, thanks to Uranus in Aries). Before we can begin to benefit from the high spiritual potentials of Neptune in Pisces, we have to work our way through our own emotional sludge first. Pisces is traditionally associated with the notion of imprisonment, but the prison bars we're talking about here are invisible and of our own making. As we head into the retrograde cycle, these emotional traps and basic misunderstandings about life are bound to become more seductive and compelling, making it all the more hard to overcome their effects on us. It may actually be a relief when Neptune backs into Aquarius again on Aug 5. A bit of dispassionate mental distance may give you a chance to come to terms with these deep psychic tides and currents before Neptune moves into Pisces for good. Look to where you are putting your emotional energy in coming months -- what grabs your attention and won't let go? What are those self-destructive tendencies you see, those behaviors that work at odds with your conscious goals? What happens when you step aside from these soap operas, especially the "victim narratives", and just change the channel? There's an amazing amount of inner chitchat that hides what is really going on inside you and keeps your higher nature from emerging. An important lesson during this time is simply quiet and stillness, a refusal to let these tides rule your life. Within this calmness is a vast inner world, but you have to let go of the trivial time wasters that pass for culture and consume our lives in a pointless manner. You have a long time to explore this world (Neptune is in Pisces until 2025), but you have to take the first steps yourself in that direction. Ultimately, this placement has amazing spiritual potential, but it also carries the risk of a total crash and burn instead. Tread this path with your eyes open...
Jupiter moves from Aries into Taurus on the 4th, where he'll stay for the next year. He shifts into Gemini on 2012-6-11. Jupiter is the principle of expansion, where your world is improved and enhanced due to connection with the other people around you. Taurus is the zodiac sign most in tune with the material plane. This placement stimulates your interest in anything that makes life more pleasurable or comfortable, but the question becomes what is the most useful way to pursue this. It's possible to chase short term goals based on what feels good right now. You'll probably have a really good time the coming year, but have nothing to show for it after that (except maybe a big credit card bill). A more far sighted strategy is to build a "base camp" for the future, gathering the tools, resources and personal connections that will pay off down the road. You can intuit how well you're doing on this path by whether it produces a deep sense of satisfaction and optimism. There are some downsides to this placement, however. The biggest is that it can produce a tendency towards laziness, doing what feels good and little else. There's also a trend to pawn off the less fun stuff onto others. This creates a dependency and lack of self-sufficiency that can backfire on you later on. Also, Taurus loves to eat, so the Jupiter expansiveness can show up as a weight problem -- watch your hips! Otherwise, this is a rather pleasurable and constructive year coming up, especially if Jupiter is well placed in your own chart. Enjoy yourself, but build for later...
Chiron stands still at 5Pi29 on the 8th, starting 5 months of retrograde motion. He'll back up to 0Pi38 by Nov 10. This is Chiron's first retrograde cycle that falls entirely in Pisces since before it was discovered in 1977. As such, we are entering a phase in life when dealing with old emotional baggage becomes critical. I often describe Chiron via the metaphor of the "psychic closet", that hidden place where we put all those parts of ourselves that don't gain acceptance from others. Since the ego loves to "look good" in the eyes of others, we gladly throw these parts of ourselves into the closet and gradually sculpt ourselves into the accepted social role that others demand of us. Piece by piece, you become a shallow mask of yourself. One of the joys of the second half of life is that playing a role feels so restrictive you start to gravitate to who you are deep inside (at least if your life goes well). It's time to open up the closet and see what's in there. Some of it is childish or rather ridiculous, but it's amazing how many of these hidden sides of yourself are still wonderful and vital. They just need some dusting off and a chance to mature. In Pisces, this involves old hurts and feelings, at least at first. Experiencing these emotional gems for the first time in decades, you must first deal with the sense of rejection and shame that caused you to put them in the closet in the first place, that sense that there's something seriously "wrong" with you that you'd be this way. Such judgments say more about the people that rejected you than about yourself (most of the time), but the hurt is still there. If you can get past the put down, you can rediscover why you valued these hidden parts of yourself initially. We'll probably go through several years of this kind of self-discovery before getting to the second phase of this placement. This involves some of the higher spiritual qualities of Pisces, the sense of connection with the world at large. This lasts until 2018. Anyway, the next 5 months are apt to be somewhat uncomfortable as you start to experience this inner world with all its mixed feelings and unconscious urgings. Hang in with those negative feelings and don't take them personally -- there are lots of goodies on the other side!
Jupiter is sextile Neptune on the 8th, a quick single pass aspect. Whatever this aspect brings, I don't expect it to be a major or long lasting effect -- it's here and gone too quickly for that. Further, the influence depends a lot on a person's level of development. At the highest levels, this is quite a spiritual force. Jupiter is more the mainstream kind of religiosity, while Neptune tends more to the reclusive mystic meditating in a cave. Because this is a constructive sextile, somehow these two extremes work well together. At a more mundane level, this aspect works in a social manner, breaking down barriers between people and allowing them to mingle more easily. This social lubrication can come out in any number of ways. Neptune is a slippery planet, making it hard to pin down exactly how this aspect works. In terms of a general mood, this energy is optimistic and idealistic, so polish your rose colored glasses. Enjoy this brief and glowing respite. By the way, this is the first "big aspect" for both Jupiter and Neptune since they each changed signs recently.
Saturn is at his direct station of 10Li26 on the 12th. He's been in retrograde motion since standing still at 17Li13 back on Jan 26. Saturn cycles frequently have to do with old karma coming due. Since this cycle is entirely in Libra, you can expect relationships with others to be a dominant theme, but if you want to get a more personal message, look to the house of your birth chart that contains this retrograde zone. is patient, but demanding. When the time is right, the situation will arise when you have to settle your accounts with others, so sometime around this station or shortly thereafter the check will be presented to you. Just face the situation squarely and make good -- Saturn demands nothing less. This sounds like work, not fun, but that's the way the Old Taskmaster operates. The good news: once the debts are paid, you're free from their influence, other than lessons (hopefully) learned along the way. Don't drag this out longer than necessary.
If anything, the full moon chart looks even less promising than the new moon. There's a big split between the faster moving, personal planets and the slower, outer planets, as though these parts of the psyche are barely aware of each other. Saturn is the sole outer planet that crosses this split, just barely, via a pesky trioctile to Mars. The initial storm is falling apart already, so the energies are in decline. Curiously, as sometimes happens, the houses in the new and full moon charts are almost identical, so many of the planets are affecting the same areas of life as during the solar eclipse.
The main theme that caught my eye about this chart is that the full moon (24Sa23) is only 2.5 degrees away from the Galactic Center (27Sa00). An eclipsed and darkened moon somehow resonates well with the black hole symbolism of the GC, so we might expect this eclipse to be extra intense. The GC is some high octane energy, astrologically speaking, a force that makes even the likes of Saturn and Pluto look like amateurs. In a sense, it represents the deep core of the unconscious, the driving force behind the surface circumstances of our lives. Along with the fan-shaped group of outer planets, another sign of unconscious activity, there's a lot brewing below the surface. But for all this power, there's little connection to the surface, to the ego awareness that constitutes our everyday experience. At best, all this may be felt as an indefinable something going on below your awareness, stirring things up for you with little warning. I suspect this eclipse is going to be a sleeper that won't fully reveal itself for many months and even then it might not make much sense to us. As always, check which house in your chart holds the Moon, as that's likely to be the area of your life most affected. Since the houses of these two eclipse charts are so similar, many of the same lessons are present in both charts. I guess the universe means business here...
Mars leaves Taurus and enters Gemini on the 20th. He'll be in this placement until Aug 3, when he moves into Cancer. At first glance, this placement may seem like a mismatch, since Mars is a very physical kind of guy, while Gemini is light, mental and talkative. But in its own way, this placement works well if you have some light mental work to do. The key here is that the chore must be fun or interesting, as Gemini finds it hard to stick with any one thing for too long if it doesn't hold his attention. Looking for patterns and trends in piles of miscellaneous data, a kind of detective game, is an idea way to use this energy. It also inclines you to being more energetic socially, especially when a light, playful interaction is possible. There's a bit of a flirt about Mars in Gemini. You may feel the pace of living to pick up as Mars leaves plodding Taurus and moves into the more frenetic Gemini. It's nothing we can't handle, but you might be caught off guard if you don't pick up the pace some. Get moving!
Vesta goes retrograde at 19Aq40 on the 21st. She'll back up to 6Aq08 by Sep 17. These times when Vesta is in reverse gear are often times when she's going into retreat. She's quite an introvert, so when the outer world gets too much for her, she disappears and goes off by herself. It isn't that she's uninterested in other people. In fact, she can be quite sociable, but she consistently finds her own private, inner world more satisfying. You could go so far as to say that she finds her power and support within, while the outer world is a bit of a drain on her energies. This kind of retreat is her way of getting away from distractions and feeding her soul. This cycle is entirely in Aquarius , so there's probably some big ideas or grand plans that need to be explored more deeply than most people would care to. She needs time to examine all sides of the issue and make it her own. When she's worked through this to her satisfaction, she'll come back out. If you feel the need to be off by yourself this summer, Vesta may be part of the reason. Not everyone responds well to this asteroid, but if you're susceptible to her Siren call, give yourself the space to go within. Every person is a mystery and an adventure on the inner planes, but only a few are conscious of this regularly. Vesta is a strangely enticing mistress...
Jupiter is semisextile Uranus on the 28th, the first of 3 such contacts. The upcoming contacts are on 2011-12-12 and 2012-1-17 in quick succession. This is Jupiter's second "big aspect" since entering Taurus. He's playing a role this summer of blending the outer planets together into a large working group. Unlike the aspect with Neptune, this one hangs around for 7 months and so will have a larger impact on us. Both planets have marked mental-intuitive overtones, but again, they operate on totally different levels. Jupiter is often associated with conventional wisdom, the best story produced by the brightest minds that society recognizes. Sometimes, that locks a person into the accepted narrative in a way that prevents seeing the truth clearly, since such breakthroughs require you to move beyond the common mythology of your time. Uranus has an advantage here, since he's an outsider and a misfit. Of course, being a mental outlaw usually means that the mainstream will not understand or acknowledge Uranus' brilliant insights -- the flip side of conventional wisdom is typically insanity, not genius, in the common understanding of the masses. Most likely, Uranus needs to resort to increasingly erratic or bizarre behavior to get attention at all, much like a rebellious teenager. There's a tension between the two sides here, a tension that is subtly exaggerated by the semisextile. Such an angle between planets brings together both constructive and disharmonious tendencies -- things simply don't fit together well. It's best to drop your assumptions of whether ideas are valuable or not until you've had a chance to explore them awhile. Rejecting a notion because "it's not the way we've done it in the past" is a recipe for stagnation. Have some fun examining your craziness! Uranus is motivated by the sheer joy of doing things differently and escaping from the ruts of conventional thinking. The cycle of Jupiter and Uranus is 13 years long and we've just started this year. Don't stall out so early in the game! Be sure to play, just for the hell of it...