I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m on information overload. I hesitate to add more, but this week there are three astrological events which can support our evolution. The beginning of the week was all about Love. I hope you felt it. The New Moon on the Summer Solstice with a solar eclipse on the Galactic Cross, alerted us to a portal opening to the Divine Feminine. Throughout the month the Moon will be disseminating tenderness, protection, safety, caring, nurturing energy as she passes through the twelve Zodiac signs. We see her crescent waxing in the blue of the evening sky. We can allow our hearts to open wider as she grows, and let the Light pour in.
If we synchronize our consciousness with Neptune and Venus as well, we can be swept along with the evolutionary flow into a transformed future. On Monday Neptune turned retrograde. This energy is difficult to describe because it deals with the unseen, ineffable mysteries of our Being and the Cosmos. Neptune dissolves boundaries, breaking them down with gentle tidal action, opening our consciousness to reunion with our Essential Selves, with each other and with our Source. It represents our spirituality which is our relationship to the All. You can read about the light and shadow sides of Neptune in former posts: Part 1 and Part 2.
Neptune is considered the higher octave of Venus. While Venus operates on the personal level in the arenas of relationship, romance, sexuality, beauty and things of value, Neptune works at the frequency of unconditional love. When it is retrograde we have an opportunity to go deep within, to connect with our essential nature and develop unconditional loving kindness toward ourselves.
Venus is more than just romantic love. She is the interface between our human consciousness and that of the Goddess in all her expressions. The Cosmic Pendulum is swinging toward the feminine bringing us collectively back into balance. Tenderness and compassion swell our hearts and we long for more space, more meaningful moments, more connection. Our values are shifting as we remember what we truly desire.
Venus turned direct on Wednesday. She will pick up speed and rise higher and earlier in the morning sky. Just a few weeks ago she began a new cycle of relationship with our Sun in the sign of Gemini. She was traveling briefly in unseen realms, inner as well as outer, planting the seeds of change in our psyches which will grow as does her brightness The next 18 months are about learning, listening and experimenting with new ways of expressing our limitless love. We are absorbing the wisdom of the heart and we will need it because on Saturday Mars moves into Aries.
Before we explore that energy, I want to emphasize that the personal planets are very active right now. Nations and eras reflect the action and interaction of the outer planets, but we humans respond on a personal level to the movements of Mercury, Venus and Mars. The first two planets lie between us and the Sun. They function within our psyches to bring coherence between head and heart. This is an important step in making wise choices about how we express ourselves in the world. And this brings us to Mars, the last rocky planet between Earth and the asteroid belt which forms the boundary to the outer gas giants.
Mars exercises our will in the world. Mars acts. He is the masculine energy of Doing, accomplishing, achieving. Mars likes to make things, build things, reach goals, fulfill desires. All of this is beautiful when tempered by the heart, but can turn domineering, destructive, manipulative, dangerous when unleashed in a paradigm of scarcity, competition and acquisition. In the troubled head and heart, it can become aggressive, self-serving, even violent.
For the next six months Mars will be in Aries. The planet will slow down, turn retrograde in September and gradually resume forward motion, not leaving his fiery home sign until January 2021. Mars rules Aries. This is the sign in which he functions optimally. We will experience an influx of energy, the very energy we need to launch ourselves out of one reality into another.
Aries is the first sign of the Zodiac – a new beginning. And that is what is being asked of us – to find a new way of expressing our Martian energy. As a society we are mired in the habits of our patriarchal paradigm, one that works for the few that have made it to the top, but leaves the majority behind and damages our Mother Earth. We know we can’t continue this way but feel overwhelmed and disempowered. Mars to the rescue.
Aries is the first fire sign and carries the full force of Spirit bursting into manifestation. How can we put this energy to the best use? On the personal level, we can use it to break old habits of thinking, reacting, relating. The way we express our energy is indicated in our birth charts by sign and house and relationship with other planets, so it is different for each of us, but in general we can integrate this energy to raise our vibration. Negativity vibrates at a very low energy. It’s the default setting in our society. We take refuge in suspicion, skepticism, cynicism. We over-react in predictable patterns. We judge, blame and shame each other. These behaviors and attitudes take no energy at all unless we explode into rage. What a waste! None of these outlets is productive. What if we used that energy to become more aware of ourselves and the impact we have on others? What if we cultivated a more positive attitude? What if we channeled it into creative solutions to old problems or focused on cleaning out the debris in our subconscious, making room for more light?
I see the next six months as fertile soil for growth and change. Mercury is opening the gates of perception. Venus has opened the portal to the Divine Feminine. Can we express our newfound wisdom in healthy ways that serve the best interests of the majority? Can we rein in our anger, temper our defensiveness and aggression with compassion and wisdom? This may be a challenge. We have been cooped up, confined, restricted. New Saturn boundaries frustrate our habitual life style. Can we draw upon our inner strength and stamina to exercise patience? Can we bring forth our better angels, become aware of the impact we have on one another and choose to sublimate our personal grievances in favor of peace and good will? This is transformative ground. If we want to change our world, we change ourselves and the way we perceive and interact with one another.
I have written much about astrology over the past months because so much has been going on. Next week Jupiter perfects its second conjunction with Pluto in Capricorn, Mercury begins a new synodic cycle when it conjuncts the Sun in Cancer. The third and final eclipse of this season occurs at the Full Moon in Capricorn on the 4th of July, and Saturn retrogrades back into Capricorn to take a final look at our dominator culture. We’ll explore all of that next week.
I had a revelation over the eclipse weekend. Responding to a crisis, I watched my mind race in circles trying to find a solution, looking for a way to fix things. The more I worried, the more fearful I became. My body got tense. My blood pressure shot up. I finally sat in meditation to calm down and gradually felt my heart opening. As I moved into the love, the warmth and peace in my center, I realized that the safest place I can be is in my heart. This is where the love is. This is where comfort and security lie. When things look really dark, I can shelter in my heart.
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