Frank Martin Don LLC - Professional Intuitive & Astrological Consultant

June… swinging from the rafters…

June has a little of something for everyone. This month may seem like a wild metronome, swinging from one extreme to another. By now, we should be used to the volatility of these times, and this month is likely to ratchet up the volatility severalfold.

Although June brings the end of Spring and the start of Summer, many of us may find ourselves juggling various activities, trying to keep up with the vagaries of change, and making decisions at the last moment but recanting our decision before we’ve initiated action.

The month starts off with the Mercury retrograde already entrenched. This second of the year’s three Mercury retrogrades began back on the 26th of May and continues into the 19th of June. Akin to Murphy’s Law whereby ‘whatever can go wrong will’, we have already witnessed some Mercury retrograde incidents during the early stages of this Mercury retrograde cycle before June even begins. One occurred on the 28th of May when an elevated train in Chicago derailed, followed several hours later by two commuter trains outside Boston colliding and derailing. On May 30th, a jetliner overshot a runway in Honduras killing several people and in New York on the same day a building crane collapsed killing two.

With Mercury retrograding through its own Sign of Gemini and with the early part of June having a Stellium of three or more planets in the Mutable Air Sign, we need to watch our communications, our travel plans and our ideas. Computer problems can be an issue and already I have experienced Internet problems with emails sent but not received.

Retrograde motion asks us to go back over issues and situations that we might have thought completed but may still need some reworking, reconsidering and reformatting. Yes, the ‘re-s’ are en vogue with retrograde motion.

Another retrograde cycle in operation, this one having started back at the beginning of April, is Pluto which entered Capricorn at the end of January and has been a significant contributor to the question as to whether we have ‘built upon rock or built upon sand’. Already, we have seen structures of society shaky at best as financial institutions have reeled from credit crises, a sense of constriction in energy and food supplies with a consequent exponential increase in costs of both, and the questioning of whether the global community is moving into an economic recession akin even to the Great Depression of the 1930s. Not only have society’s structures been rocked during this initial transit into Capricorn by Pluto. We have also seen the extremes of earth activity with devastating consequences highlighted by the cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in China. Our stability and security have been rocked.

During June, on the 13th, Pluto retrograde backs out of Capricorn and re-enters Sagittarius. In turning direct in September, Pluto will come back into Capricorn at the end of November for its multi-year transit of the Cardinal Earth Sign.

As Pluto re-enters Sagittarius, we shall have the opportunity to look at what we consider to be our philosophy of our lives and our living, see what we consider to be the quality of living and recognize that we are not islands unto ourselves. The world community will once again become a major focal point and this Pluto retrograde through Sagittarius incorporates the period of China hosting the Summer Olympics, providing China the opportunity of truly presenting their emergence on the world stage as a major, if not the major, player in the global community.

Towards the end of June, on the 26th, we have another shift in direction as Uranus turns retrograde until the end of December. Many of the changes we might have initiated or sought to incorporate in our lives may have to be put on the backburner. Much of this year has by Sign the opposition between Saturn and Uranus, an opposition that first becomes exact on November 4th, Election Day in the US.

This battle between old and new is engaged, and for each of us the question is raised as to whether we shall rely on the past for solutions to the present and for the future, or if we are willing to find different ways of operating, recognizing that the ‘tried and true’ may have been tried but may no longer be true. This push pull between old and new can also be seen as the process of inventory-taking and, similar to the Pluto energy that will be going back into Capricorn at the end of November, seeing where we have built upon sand or upon rock with the recognition that the ephemeral and superficial are likely to be washed away and a realization of the importance of us focusing on building upon rock that can withstand the volatility of these times.

Volatility, as we all may have well discovered, is the keyword of these times.

As already mentioned, the month of June begins with a Stellium of three or more planets in Gemini and the Mercury retrograde. The month also begins with a Grand Trine in Earth, thanks to the month beginning with the Moon in Taurus trine Saturn in Virgo and trine Pluto in Capricorn.

June begins with one planet in a Fire Sign, four planets in Earth Signs, four planets in Air Signs and one planet in a Water Sign. There are two planets in Cardinal Signs, three planets in Fixed Signs, and five planets in Mutable Signs. Five planets are in Positive Signs, and five planets are in Negative Signs.

With an emphasis on Earth, Air and Mutable Signs, June starts like a tornado with things whipping around and with us scurrying about even to the point of swinging from the rafters.

While we have the ability of inventory taking and focusing on the practical basics, we also must recognize that we all might be dealing with a sense of A.D.D. [attention deficit disorder]. We all have plenty to do, many irons in the fire and an activity list that never seems to quit. No rest for the weary is the way we may sometimes feel about our lives at this time.

But the energies now also allow us to work with our myriad of activities in spurts of time. If we can realize what our productive time cycle is, no matter how long or short it might be, the more we can both juggle the various activities in which we participate and also work at our optimum. The days of singular focus from nine to five or beyond are long past. These days we are juggling and often adding ever more activities to the mix. The best way to handle all that which is on our plate in today’s world is to spend some time on one activity, then some time on another activity, and then some time elsewhere. It is far better that we play the xylophone, hitting the various notes of our activities, than try and play a one-note samba.

What we do have to watch for during much of June is being sure that whatever we do, we do in pencil with a large eraser in hand. We may find ourselves chopping and changing. At times, we might feel like Alice’s Mad Hatter, ever late, ever hurrying.

Prioritizing during June is an essential requisite to dealing with the energies.

The month also begins with Mercury square Uranus and Mercury trine Neptune both aspects becoming exact in July on the 5th and the 6th respectively. Our thoughts can by flying around, embracing possibilities and impossibilities as if they were the same. Unexpected communications could disrupt our plans. Although we may get knocked off center at times, our intuitive sense is likely to be strong if we can tune out the dissonance and cacophony of the world around us.

This month of June is a good time to think of possibilities, consider our plans and entertain prospects we might not normally take into account. It would be wise not to act on some of our startling revelations until after the 19th, but the exercise in letting our mind roam and explore can also provide a greater sense of autonomy and help us feel less at the mercy of forces beyond our control.

The Gemini New Moon on the 3rd can have us focusing on relationships, making plans for get-togethers, and considering pleasurable activities for our summertime. Already, as a result of increasing basic living costs, a new word has entered our vocabulary: staycation. While often the summer is a time of travel and get-aways, more people are discussing enjoying time off spent in their home environs, enjoying the benefits of their local environment and finding fun activities that do not cost a bundle to enjoy. Increasingly, we may discover or re-discover the simple pleasures of recreation and re-creational activities. We may have gotten used to the distractions and diversions of expensive toys or distant trips, but we now have the opportunity of appreciating the simple pleasures of life in the summertime.

Champing at the bit may be part of the energies operating around the 12th and 13th when Venus squares Uranus on the 12th, followed on the 13th by the Sun square Uranus and Pluto retrograding back into Sagittarius. We may want to engage in changes, do things that are unfamiliar to us, and stretch our parameters. At the same time, Venus trines Neptune on the 13th and the Sun trines Neptune on the 14th. This time can be one of various parties and social interactions. Some get-togethers may be for a specific cause or movement, and some might be reunions with friends we have not seen or been in contact for a while. Let’s enjoy, for the following week with the Sagittarius Full Moon and the energies around it could prove quite dicey.

The Sagittarius Full Moon on the 18th could be a doozey. Whatever we have planned around this time might have to be postponed or could be disrupted. There is a Moon Pluto conjunction with the Moon opposed Sun, and the Sun opposed Pluto exact on the 20th. Venus moves into Cancer on the 18th, but before it does so, Venus opposes Pluto. The Full Moon presents a Grand Cross by Sign in the Mutable Signs with the Sun Venus conjunction opposed the Moon Pluto conjunction. The Full Moon is also close to a square with Uranus in Pisces and by Sign square to Saturn in Virgo. The intensity of this time is likely to be ratcheted up severalfold and added to by Mercury turning direct on the 19th and the Sun entering Cancer to begin the Summer on the 20th. On the 21st, Mars opposes Neptune.

This mid-June period can be rather extreme, with unexpected situations challenging us and even threatening disruptions and disarray. Nothing is likely done in half measure now. Even a domino effect could be in play whereby one situation triggers various reactions and responses that may be extreme in nature.

To paraphrase an often mis-quoted Bette Davis line in All About Eve, this mid-June is a time for us to fasten our seat belts for it’s likely to be a bumpy ride.

We may be looking at letting go of certain things or we may find that things are being eliminated. One cannot rule out the potential for assaults and attacks during this period, so it would be wise to be vigilant and recognize the liability of people flying off the handle without a moment’s notice. A sense of hair trigger responses can be rampant during this mid-June period. Even our relationships can go through turmoil with possible break-ups and endings going on.

The latter part of June seems to have the intensity settling down. The Sun in Cancer, Venus in Cancer can have us looking at family matters and things around our home. The staycation may be a greater draw for us than the travails of travel. Day trips, short trips may be far more intriguing than the hassle of flights and the high expense of distant travel.

While the month of June starts off with us engaged in many different things, the intensity of the mid-month may force us to slow things down and have a greater appreciation for the simple things in life as we close out the month.

June… swinging from the rafters…

June… swinging from the rafters…

June has a little of something for everyone. This month may seem like a wild metronome, swinging from one extreme to another. By now, we should be used to the volatility of these times, and this month is likely to ratchet up the volatility severalfold.

Although June brings the end of Spring and the start of Summer, many of us may find ourselves juggling various activities, trying to keep up with the vagaries of change, and making decisions at the last moment but recanting our decision before we’ve initiated action.

The month starts off with the Mercury retrograde already entrenched. This second of the year’s three Mercury retrogrades began back on the 26th of May and continues into the 19th of June. Akin to Murphy’s Law whereby ‘whatever can go wrong will’, we have already witnessed some Mercury retrograde incidents during the early stages of this Mercury retrograde cycle before June even begins. One occurred on the 28th of May when an elevated train in Chicago derailed, followed several hours later by two commuter trains outside Boston colliding and derailing. On May 30th, a jetliner overshot a runway in Honduras killing several people and in New York on the same day a building crane collapsed killing two.

With Mercury retrograding through its own Sign of Gemini and with the early part of June having a Stellium of three or more planets in the Mutable Air Sign, we need to watch our communications, our travel plans and our ideas. Computer problems can be an issue and already I have experienced Internet problems with emails sent but not received.

Retrograde motion asks us to go back over issues and situations that we might have thought completed but may still need some reworking, reconsidering and reformatting. Yes, the ‘re-s’ are en vogue with retrograde motion.

Another retrograde cycle in operation, this one having started back at the beginning of April, is Pluto which entered Capricorn at the end of January and has been a significant contributor to the question as to whether we have ‘built upon rock or built upon sand’. Already, we have seen structures of society shaky at best as financial institutions have reeled from credit crises, a sense of constriction in energy and food supplies with a consequent exponential increase in costs of both, and the questioning of whether the global community is moving into an economic recession akin even to the Great Depression of the 1930s. Not only have society’s structures been rocked during this initial transit into Capricorn by Pluto. We have also seen the extremes of earth activity with devastating consequences highlighted by the cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in China. Our stability and security have been rocked.

During June, on the 13th, Pluto retrograde backs out of Capricorn and re-enters Sagittarius. In turning direct in September, Pluto will come back into Capricorn at the end of November for its multi-year transit of the Cardinal Earth Sign.

As Pluto re-enters Sagittarius, we shall have the opportunity to look at what we consider to be our philosophy of our lives and our living, see what we consider to be the quality of living and recognize that we are not islands unto ourselves. The world community will once again become a major focal point and this Pluto retrograde through Sagittarius incorporates the period of China hosting the Summer Olympics, providing China the opportunity of truly presenting their emergence on the world stage as a major, if not the major, player in the global community.

Towards the end of June, on the 26th, we have another shift in direction as Uranus turns retrograde until the end of December. Many of the changes we might have initiated or sought to incorporate in our lives may have to be put on the backburner. Much of this year has by Sign the opposition between Saturn and Uranus, an opposition that first becomes exact on November 4th, Election Day in the US.

This battle between old and new is engaged, and for each of us the question is raised as to whether we shall rely on the past for solutions to the present and for the future, or if we are willing to find different ways of operating, recognizing that the ‘tried and true’ may have been tried but may no longer be true. This push pull between old and new can also be seen as the process of inventory-taking and, similar to the Pluto energy that will be going back into Capricorn at the end of November, seeing where we have built upon sand or upon rock with the recognition that the ephemeral and superficial are likely to be washed away and a realization of the importance of us focusing on building upon rock that can withstand the volatility of these times.

Volatility, as we all may have well discovered, is the keyword of these times.

As already mentioned, the month of June begins with a Stellium of three or more planets in Gemini and the Mercury retrograde. The month also begins with a Grand Trine in Earth, thanks to the month beginning with the Moon in Taurus trine Saturn in Virgo and trine Pluto in Capricorn.

June begins with one planet in a Fire Sign, four planets in Earth Signs, four planets in Air Signs and one planet in a Water Sign. There are two planets in Cardinal Signs, three planets in Fixed Signs, and five planets in Mutable Signs. Five planets are in Positive Signs, and five planets are in Negative Signs.

With an emphasis on Earth, Air and Mutable Signs, June starts like a tornado with things whipping around and with us scurrying about even to the point of swinging from the rafters.

While we have the ability of inventory taking and focusing on the practical basics, we also must recognize that we all might be dealing with a sense of A.D.D. [attention deficit disorder]. We all have plenty to do, many irons in the fire and an activity list that never seems to quit. No rest for the weary is the way we may sometimes feel about our lives at this time.

But the energies now also allow us to work with our myriad of activities in spurts of time. If we can realize what our productive time cycle is, no matter how long or short it might be, the more we can both juggle the various activities in which we participate and also work at our optimum. The days of singular focus from nine to five or beyond are long past. These days we are juggling and often adding ever more activities to the mix. The best way to handle all that which is on our plate in today’s world is to spend some time on one activity, then some time on another activity, and then some time elsewhere. It is far better that we play the xylophone, hitting the various notes of our activities, than try and play a one-note samba.

What we do have to watch for during much of June is being sure that whatever we do, we do in pencil with a large eraser in hand. We may find ourselves chopping and changing. At times, we might feel like Alice’s Mad Hatter, ever late, ever hurrying.

Prioritizing during June is an essential requisite to dealing with the energies.

The month also begins with Mercury square Uranus and Mercury trine Neptune both aspects becoming exact in July on the 5th and the 6th respectively. Our thoughts can by flying around, embracing possibilities and impossibilities as if they were the same. Unexpected communications could disrupt our plans. Although we may get knocked off center at times, our intuitive sense is likely to be strong if we can tune out the dissonance and cacophony of the world around us.

This month of June is a good time to think of possibilities, consider our plans and entertain prospects we might not normally take into account. It would be wise not to act on some of our startling revelations until after the 19th, but the exercise in letting our mind roam and explore can also provide a greater sense of autonomy and help us feel less at the mercy of forces beyond our control.

The Gemini New Moon on the 3rd can have us focusing on relationships, making plans for get-togethers, and considering pleasurable activities for our summertime. Already, as a result of increasing basic living costs, a new word has entered our vocabulary: staycation. While often the summer is a time of travel and get-aways, more people are discussing enjoying time off spent in their home environs, enjoying the benefits of their local environment and finding fun activities that do not cost a bundle to enjoy. Increasingly, we may discover or re-discover the simple pleasures of recreation and re-creational activities. We may have gotten used to the distractions and diversions of expensive toys or distant trips, but we now have the opportunity of appreciating the simple pleasures of life in the summertime.

Champing at the bit may be part of the energies operating around the 12th and 13th when Venus squares Uranus on the 12th, followed on the 13th by the Sun square Uranus and Pluto retrograding back into Sagittarius. We may want to engage in changes, do things that are unfamiliar to us, and stretch our parameters. At the same time, Venus trines Neptune on the 13th and the Sun trines Neptune on the 14th. This time can be one of various parties and social interactions. Some get-togethers may be for a specific cause or movement, and some might be reunions with friends we have not seen or been in contact for a while. Let’s enjoy, for the following week with the Sagittarius Full Moon and the energies around it could prove quite dicey.

The Sagittarius Full Moon on the 18th could be a doozey. Whatever we have planned around this time might have to be postponed or could be disrupted. There is a Moon Pluto conjunction with the Moon opposed Sun, and the Sun opposed Pluto exact on the 20th. Venus moves into Cancer on the 18th, but before it does so, Venus opposes Pluto. The Full Moon presents a Grand Cross by Sign in the Mutable Signs with the Sun Venus conjunction opposed the Moon Pluto conjunction. The Full Moon is also close to a square with Uranus in Pisces and by Sign square to Saturn in Virgo. The intensity of this time is likely to be ratcheted up severalfold and added to by Mercury turning direct on the 19th and the Sun entering Cancer to begin the Summer on the 20th. On the 21st, Mars opposes Neptune.

This mid-June period can be rather extreme, with unexpected situations challenging us and even threatening disruptions and disarray. Nothing is likely done in half measure now. Even a domino effect could be in play whereby one situation triggers various reactions and responses that may be extreme in nature.

To paraphrase an often mis-quoted Bette Davis line in All About Eve, this mid-June is a time for us to fasten our seat belts for it’s likely to be a bumpy ride.

We may be looking at letting go of certain things or we may find that things are being eliminated. One cannot rule out the potential for assaults and attacks during this period, so it would be wise to be vigilant and recognize the liability of people flying off the handle without a moment’s notice. A sense of hair trigger responses can be rampant during this mid-June period. Even our relationships can go through turmoil with possible break-ups and endings going on.

The latter part of June seems to have the intensity settling down. The Sun in Cancer, Venus in Cancer can have us looking at family matters and things around our home. The staycation may be a greater draw for us than the travails of travel. Day trips, short trips may be far more intriguing than the hassle of flights and the high expense of distant travel.

While the month of June starts off with us engaged in many different things, the intensity of the mid-month may force us to slow things down and have a greater appreciation for the simple things in life as we close out the month.

June… swinging from the rafters…

This week seems largely a pleasant and playful week. We’re looking to chat, idle about and enjoy ourselves. It’s the first full week of June and we can plan picnics, barbecues and other casual get-togethers. We are far more interested in having a good time than our daily responsibilities.

We may feel enthused and buoyant, not wanting anything heavy or too serious to bring us down. No raining on our parade this week, thank you very much. We may have sprinkles or an occasional shower, but it’s unlikely to slow us down. We could even find ourselves singing in the rain.

As though we have gained a second wind and are more focused on our personal lives than what is going on around us in the world at large, we are looking to express ourselves in an upbeat and creative manner. It would be wise to maintain a detached eye regarding the parameters in which we’re operating. Otherwise, we could blithely go along, singing our song and not consider the conditions or circumstances around us.

The second week of Mercury retrograde might have us encounter miscommunications and misunderstandings with the possibility of delays and concurrent frustrations if things do not go according to our desires.

Although we are energized and looking to enjoy ourselves, it would be wise to keep aware of our itinerary and our intended destination. Slowing down and savoring the experiences are far better than rushing through one fun-filled event after another.

The week itself seems one of accelerated movement and fast-paced energies interrupted by major slow-downs and lack of energies with several Void-of-Course Moons. No matter, as long as we realize that life is a process of cycles with its own rhythms and different phases. Like the ebb and flow of the oceans’ tides, this week allows us to be full-bent on fun during the flow periods and provides us the opportunity to catch our breath during the ebbing periods.

This is a week to jump off the track, find uplifting distractions from the daily grind and share our varied thoughts and multitudes of ideas with friends, loved ones and acquaintances.

This week we may feel as though there is no stopping us now.

Monday, June 2nd – Waiting for Godot – Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Moon Void-of-Course, Saturn. Monday starts the week with a Taurus Moon trine Jupiter, sextile Uranus and square Neptune. We may be considering what we need to buy in order to have our basic supplies and certain niceties in our lives. We may want to add a little spice to our life, incorporating some flair. Our image and presentation can be very individualistic today, allowing us to stand out. We don’t want to be cookie cutters, whereby we are just fitting in to the socially correct format. No, we start the day fully aware that we’ve got to be ourselves, put our imprint on things and have the ability to do what we want to do as an interlude to our normal routine. What we have to be careful of is a tendency to bring in change solely for the sake of change. Emphasizing our own personal needs could have us stepping on other people’s toes. Some of our aspirations may be more for difference and doing our own thing than considering the purpose or the results. Although we could start the day with a full head of steam, second-guessing ourselves might create an element of confusion in which we’re just blowing off steam. For much of the day, for nine hours, the Moon goes Void-of-Course making no further connections to the planets as it finishes its transit of Taurus and before entering Gemini later in the day where the Moon squares Saturn. Towards the end of the day, we could critique ourselves and wonder why we didn’t accomplish more. We could feel as though we have skipped over details or not attended to certain pressing matters. If we go there, it’s important for us to cut ourselves some slack. Life is not about being an automaton. There are times when we need to stretch our wings, try something different and engage in diversions or distractions from our daily routine. Monday could be one of those days. Besides, we are in the dark of the Moon, a day before the New Moon, and the energies are not as strong for initiation and getting things done. Mental health days are important and Monday could be one of those days. If we become critical of ourselves, let’s keep in mind that all work and no play is not what life is all about.

Tuesday, June 3rd – Talking the Talk – Gemini Lunation, Venus, Sun, Mars. Tuesday has the Gemini New Moon, at which time there are four planets in Gemini. The Moon conjuncts both the Sun and Venus and the Moon sextiles Mars. We may find ourselves absorbed in conversations, with our discussions ranging all topics and a tendency to flit from one thought to another. Today is a great day to communicate with friends and loved ones, even the stranger on the street. Even if we feel that we are talking incessantly, we may feel as though we are generating new ideas and stirring up thoughts of plans for some fun times in which to participate. We may be talking the talk today, as may many people. Relationships are highlighted, and we might contact people from far and near just to chat and indicate our appreciation of having them in our lives. Social get-togethers and breezy interactions today give an indication of the next fortnight ahead. We may be making plans and filling up our social calendar. We want to be with people, and the more the merrier.

Wednesday, June 4th – All About Me – Sun, Mars, Mercury, Uranus, Neptune, Moon Void-of-Course, Pluto, Saturn. Wednesday has the Sun sextile Mars. We also start the day with a Gemini Moon that conjuncts Mercury, squares Uranus and trines Neptune. We can extol people’s virtues today, especially our own. We may want to be on center stage, discussing our ideas and our plans and would very much like an appreciative audience. We have a great deal of energy, can be very persuasive and can win adherents to our cause. Unexpected situations could come up that force us to change our plans or make addendums to our schedule. It doesn’t matter though, for we are energized and ready to take on more and more, juggling various activities by spending small amounts of time on each of our many and varied activities. After a whirlwind start to the day, the energy drops as the Moon goes Void-of-Course for nine hours with the Moon making no further connections to the planets as it finishes its transit of Gemini and before entering Cancer where it opposes Pluto and sextiles Saturn. While we may take on a great deal of activities during the early part of the day, later in the day we can be far more discerning and selective. We can focus on those matters that are truly meaningful. From a helter-skelter approach earlier in the day, later in the day we can sort through, eliminate, focus and prioritize.

Thursday, June 5th – Hiatus Time. The early part of the week may have had us scrambling as we took on anything and everything that crossed our path or came within earshot of us. After much activity and frenetic energy this week, Thursday is a great deal quieter. The Moon is in Cancer and not making any significant planetary connections today. We might want to spend time at home or with family members without having a ‘to do’ list in front of us and our activities ratcheted down in order to take the time to stop and enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee or tea. Thursday is a day when we can catch our breath, review what we have been involved with this week and consider our plans for the upcoming weekend. We might decide to straighten our home, to incorporate some of the recent purchases intended to spice up our lives. Like an eagle that creates its nest then flies from it to come back to it eventually, we too can use this Thursday to come back to our nest and ready for our next flight of soaring.

Friday, June 6th – Living for the Weekend – Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Moon Void-of-Course. Friday has Venus sextile Mars. More so than earlier in the week when our focus may have been more on our personal wants, this Friday allows us to interact with other people where there is more give and take. We may not just trumpet our accomplishments today, but also enjoy a meaningful interchange with those special people in our lives. We are more accommodating, more gracious today, and there seem to be pleasant get-togethers with other people. Early in the day, the Cancer Moon opposes Jupiter and trines Uranus. Although we may have things we intend to do, even should do; we are likely to focus more on social interactions rather than our tasks at hand. We want to spread our wings, explore new territory and have a sense of freedom of movement. It would be easy to put our responsibilities on the backburner today and just enjoy special time with those special people in our lives. Our discussions may revolve around our weekend plans. This Friday, the first Friday of June, could have us focused on ‘summertime’ weekend activities. We’re primed for enjoyment and may feel like we’re champing at the bit to get the weekend going. And many of us may start it early, since the Moon goes Void-of-Course for over twelve hours as it finishes its transit of Cancer without making any further planetary connections and before entering Leo later in the day. As the Moon enters Leo, we are ready to partay. Yup, this Friday could have us living for the weekend.

Saturday, June 7th – Celebrate, Celebrate – Mercury, Sun, Venus, Mars. Saturday could have us ‘celebrate, celebrate, dance to the music’. We are interested in doing fun activities with other people. Whether there are social occasions that bring us together, or whether it’s merely a spontaneous happening that draws people together, this Saturday is one to focus on enjoyments, amusements and having a good time. Mercury conjuncts the Sun and Venus today. We also have the Leo Moon adding to the focus on fun with the Moon conjunct Mars and sextile both Mercury and Venus. This Saturday is a day to kick up our heels and enjoy life. Discussions are uplifting, and communications involve everyone present. This is a day when no one is left behind. A sense of all inclusiveness generates ever greater energy and enthusiasm. Concerts, movies, parties and other celebratory engagements may have us going from one thing to another but all with the concentration on enjoying ourselves.

Sunday, June 8th – Good Times – Mercury, Mars, Sun, Neptune, Moon Void-of-Course, Pluto. What a great weekend this can be, and the fun that we wanted to kick off back on Friday continues to roll on during this Sunday. Yes, we are looking for good times. Today Mercury sextiles Mars. Early in the day, the Leo Moon sextiles the Sun and opposes Neptune. We are all likely feeling energized and enjoying recreational activities. People may put on quite a show in entertaining other people. A sense of sumptuousness can dispel the anxieties and concerns of the world and finances. Today is a day not to worry about the ‘what ifs’ as much as being in the moment and enjoying the fun of exuberant living. We do need to watch for excess and overindulgence however. We can embrace the abudanza [abundance] of life but without going overboard. As the day progresses, the Moon goes Void-of-Course for over ten hours as it finishes its transit of Leo without making further connections to the planets and before entering Virgo where the Moon trines Pluto. After a fun-filled weekend, we can gear ourselves up to get back on the track. We’ve recharged our batteries, taken time to re-create ourselves, and are ready for the new week to begin and prepared to take on the world and concentrate on what needs to be done.

This week continues with the Mercury retrograde. If you haven’t noticed various glitches in our lives recently, then consider yourself very, very lucky. After sending out my June energy patterns email list, I had some emails returned indicating that recipients to a specific website were no longer valid email addresses. I went to the website only to find that it no longer existed. I searched and searched for the site and for the specific individuals associated with the website. As though I were witnessing a Twilight Zone episode, it appeared that this particular website and the individuals involved had disappeared and virtually into thin air or nonexistent in virtual reality. I would have accepted this fact if it were not for an email from someone indicating that true to a Mercury retrograde their website went down for the weekend due to their host server’s own computer glitches with the consequent effect that whatever emails were coming their way became lost in virtual space. This email was followed by another from someone else indicating that their computer was acting like Hal, the nefarious computer in Arthur Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, and was doing its own thing even to the point of controlling functions, transmissions and the individual’s way of life. Ah, yes, Mercury retrograde when there is the liability to Murphy’s Law of ‘whatever can go wrong will’.

If you haven’t suffered under this Mercury retrograde, then you have been free of computer glitches, miscommunications and misunderstandings, traffic problems and the general headaches of feeling like a ping pong ball in a fast and furious competition like the ones in Balls of Fury.

Meanwhile, the potential for further and possibly even greater glitches occurs during this week around the 12th and 13th when we have Venus then the Sun both transiting through Gemini (the Sign of Mercury and the Sign in which Mercury is presently retrograding) squaring Uranus.

The early part of the week may have us more focused on the particulars, the specifics and the details, keeping watch, maintaining vigilance to be certain that nothing goes truly awry or starts to run amok. Towards the end of the week, we may be itching for something different, seeking change but possibly dropping the ball regarding our normal, daily activities.

One of the key factors of this week is Pluto, which is also retrograde and on the 13th retrogrades out of Capricorn and back into Sagittarius. During the Pluto transit of Capricorn we have seen the crash and burn of certain corporate behemoths and traditional institutions. A sense of the slippery slope regarding the financial aspects of our lives has been apparent and even agida inducing. While Iraq and other international intrigues may have taken a back seat to our concern about the economy and our personal financials, Pluto coming back into Sagittarius can raise the spectre once again of issues associated with foreign affairs, religious outfits and our philosophical view of the ways we are doing life.

The energy of this week plays to the keyword of these times: volatility. There can be a great deal of intensity this week, and our reaction may be to tune out and turn on our own virtual reality of the ‘what could be’ and the ‘ways we wish it to be’.

Monday, June 9th – Possibilities and Realities – Sun, Venus, Saturn. Monday has the Sun conjunct Venus in Gemini, while the Virgo Moon conjuncts Saturn. We could feel like we’re on a push – pull between what we want to do and what we have to do. If we had our way, we would probably take this day as a ‘mental health’ day, a little Spring fever inciting us to sit back, hang out and just enjoy the day with friends considering our prospects and all our possibilities. Even if we can go there, we might feel as though hard cold reality is looking over our shoulder, making us feel guilty that we’re not taking care of our responsibilities, attending to our necessary tasks. We do have to watch that we don’t get down on ourselves, judging our human frailties and condemning our imperfections. This day could have us swinging between highs and lows, a sign of the times with the intense volatility operating between the upbeat and confident and the downbeat and depressive. Best practices for this day would be to operate in spurts of energy, taking care of our scheduled activities with interludes of breaks to catch our breath, recharge our batteries and consider our plans for the future.

Tuesday, June 10th – Caught in the Mix – Lunar T-Square, Mercury, Sun, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter. Tuesday could be somewhat difficult. We have a Lunar T-Square in the Mutable Signs as the Virgo Moon squares the three planets in Gemini with the Sun, Mercury, Venus; and the Moon opposes Uranus. We could feel on overwhelm today, caught in the mix of our routine with added, unexpected situations cropping up as well. Even if we know what we intend to do on this Tuesday, other things could come up that demand our attention. Today is a day for us to be a master juggler, keeping all the balls in the air without dropping one or negating some particular that can bring our projects crashing down. We are likely to be on high anxiety today, even waiting for the other shoe to drop. If we can keep up with the pace of the day, then we could get a lot done. The energy is ratcheted up and we need to feel secure in the knowledge that we never get more than we can handle. If we plan to have a singular focus today, forget about it. This day is for multi-tasking and going from one thing to another without losing sight of the specifics and with being certain that we are handling the necessary details.

Wednesday, June 11th – Not on my Watch – Pluto. Wednesday has the Libra Moon square Pluto. We may be doing an evaluation of other people’s motives today, wondering whether they are with us or against us. Although we might be very accommodating today, we are looking for best case scenarios and how we can best use our interactions with others to advance our interests. If people are unwilling to assist us, we could cut them off at the knees. Our interactions with others may prove quite intense today. It could be a case of smiling faces but with an agenda operating behind the scenes. People may try and stand in our way today, all the while asserting that they are our best supporters. This Wednesday is one when we could witness the old saying of ‘I’m doing this for your own good’. Hmmm, let’s be careful of our interactions today, be charming and graceful but keep our eyes wide open and ears attentive to not only what is being said but the intonation in which it is said.

Thursday, June 12th – Fascination – Venus, Uranus, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter. With Venus square Uranus, followed tomorrow with the Sun square Uranus, we are likely to be looking for something beyond our normal circumstances. We could easily become infatuated, fascinated by the different, the unique, the iconoclastic. We may be champing at the bit to break out of our old shell and explore new realms even to the point of experimenting with new ways of expressing ourselves. The Libra Moon today trines Mercury, sextiles Mars and squares Jupiter. We are looking for fun times and may start making plans for concert-going, trip-taking and finding ways to get off the proverbial track. Anything that takes us out of ourselves and away from our daily existence could be enticing, even seductive. Although we want to explore, stretch and move beyond ‘same old, same old’, we do have to watch that we don’t go overboard, bite off more than we can chew or put a big dent into our credit card. Fascination is great. We just need to watch any attendant expense.

Friday, June 13th – Fiddling As it Burns – Sun, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Lunar Grand Trine, Moon Void-of-Course, Pluto, Saturn, Pluto Sagittarius. Friday is the 13th and ties in with people’s superstitions of Friday the 13th. In the wisdom teachings, the 13th talks to transformation, shapeshifting and metamorphosis. Not everybody likes change, but change is a fundamental part of universal life and the human condition. This Friday has the Sun square Uranus and begins the next two days of Neptune trines as Venus trines Neptune today followed by the Sun trine Neptune tomorrow. We may be aching to make changes today but we could also find ourselves jumping from one thing to another. If there is a party or get-together, we’re likely to go there for the day also starts with the Libra Moon creating a Grand Trine with the Moon trine the Sun and Venus in Gemini and trine Neptune in Aquarius. We are far more interested in our social interactions rather than our responsibilities. It’s Friday, the end of the workweek. Whether we’ve started it or not, Fridays in the summer tend to be half days with little work getting done any of the day. More so than ever, the warm weather and summer inclinations are to be living for the weekend and holiday time when we vacation and take life a little easier. Although life may not be easy during these present times, we can easily close our eyes to the world around us and look instead at having a good time with good friends. This Friday is one of those days. We don’t want to feel restricted or obligated. We want to share fun events with friends and colleagues. As the day progresses, the Moon goes Void-of-Course for close to twelve hours making no further connections to the planets as it finishes its transit of Libra and before moving into Scorpio where it sextiles Pluto and Saturn. The latter part of Friday could find us sorting through, inventory taking and throwing out things that just don’t work for us. We may spend much of this Friday lazing around, enjoying ourselves but as the day comes to a close, we could get a second wind and scratch the extraneous from our ‘to do’ list. The Moon sextile Pluto occurs just as the Moon enters Scorpio and right before Pluto retrogrades out of Capricorn and moves back into Sagittarius. Whether we notice the shift or not, the undercurrent changes from the ‘build upon rock or build upon sand’ scenarios we’ve experienced the past few months and returns to a consideration of our philosophy, ways of living and our connection to the larger realm both geopolitically and regarding religious institutions.

Saturday, June 14th – Out of Here – Sun, Neptune. Saturday has the Scorpio Moon and the Sun trine Neptune. We may be more interested in uncovering the possibilities of our lives than dealing with the mundane reality of our lives. We could go more internalized, introverted and introspective today. Today is a day for us to tune out the world and create our own virtual reality. Whether we do so by getting out of Dodge and seeking some pastoral sanctuary in which to walk, contemplate or picnic. Or we just hang out in our daily world while tuning out the cacophony and dissonance that often jangles our world and us. Today is a day for a daydream. We may not have a great deal of energy but we are also keeping much of it in reserve. Things would have to really speak to us for us to get involved today. Otherwise, we might take this Saturday just to laze about, meandering with our thoughts through pristine wildernesses. What we do have to watch for is any feeling that people just don’t get us. It would be very easy for us to turn inward but in so doing we would be closing ourselves off to the myriad of possibilities we might take into account and that others could suggest.

Sunday, June 15th – Homage to the Ancestors – Jupiter, Uranus, Lunar T-Square, Mars, Neptune. Sunday is Father’s Day, a time when we pay homage to our ancestors and especially to our father. Although eastern traditions emphasize the importance of our ancestors and our lineage, western society often sees such days as this as a Hallmark Holiday, one of those obligatory rites of celebration. This Sunday has the Scorpio Moon sextile Jupiter, trine Uranus but also creating a Fixed Sign T-Square by the Scorpio Moon squaring Mars in Leo and squaring Neptune in Aquarius. If we can honor our ancestors in a public place, things may go far better than if we were to do so merely in one-on-one. Today can be fairly intense, bring up various issues for many of us, even to the point of drawing a line in the sand and creating an adversarial position. Let’s not go there, for it would only create a lose-lose situation. Today is a day to allow past slights and hurts to be like water under the bridge, long gone. Doing something different today in celebration of our ancestors is far more enlivening and upbeat than just the obligatory visit or phone call. A teacher I once had suggested that the worst enemies incarnate in the same family in order for the individuals to have enough time to work out the karma between them. Whether you believe that to be true or not, certainly our families and our parents are major teachers in our life’s journey.

Like life recently, this week has its ups and downs. We may feel constricted in moving fast forward ahead but we can also use the time to rid ourselves of the outworn, the outmoded and leave behind the past. We do have to be careful that we are not feeling too uncomfortable in our own skin, which could trigger knee-jerk reactions and extreme actions. If our actions are well-considered, then we could use the week to focus on what truly works for us and those people and situations that are merely hangers-on.

This may also be a time when we take a good hard look at our financial situation. We might take into account rising expenses especially those of basic necessities such as food and energy costs. Although we might feel as though the conditions are restricting us, we don’t have to feel victimized. Now is a time for us to work smarter rather than harder, a time for us to be creative regarding our living costs vis-à-vis our revenue stream.

We can consider our options, blueprint our strategy and focus on what we can do without. Living simply is not simply living. On the contrary, we could discover that some of our activities and involvements have merely been additional distractions that have kept us from the core of our life’s situations and prevented us from concentrating on the truly essential in our lives. Our past tendency to more, more, more can now be seen as an outgrowth of immediate gratification. Now we can get serious about what is essential in our lives and reinforce what we consider to be the quality of our lives. We may have to winnow down the quantity in our lives but we do not have to sacrifice the true quality of our lives.

This week is an active week for planetary configurations, punctuated by the Sagittarius Full Moon with Venus opposed Pluto and Venus entering Cancer ending the Gemini Stellium, Mercury ending its three week retrograde cycle by turning direct, the Sun ending the Spring Season with an opposition to Pluto and entering Cancer to begin Summer, and Venus sextile Saturn while Mars opposes Neptune. Here comes Summer, a summer when we might realize that our vacation and re-creational times confirm the old saying: ‘there’s no place like home.’

Monday, June 16th – Life in a Straitjacket – Saturn. Monday starts the week with the Moon moving into Sagittarius where it squares Saturn. We may feel as though we want to stretch our wings, broaden our horizons and fly beyond our normal parameters. Nice concept but we also have the Moon square Saturn. While we may feel expansive and want to widen our scope, we might also feel restricted by our conditions or our circumstances. Today could be one of those whipsaw days where we want to do certain things, make future plans and focus on the big picture but feel constricted or constrained by our responsibilities, our resources or our sense of limitations. Although we could carom back and forth between exuberance and depression, it is important that we don’t lose sight of the specifics or brush over the particulars of situations. We may feel our wings clipped or have the sense of living our life in a straitjacket. No reason for us to go there, since we could also see how we can expand our activities but in ways that don’t break the bank or by being more effective with less expenditure of energy. People could be carping today, playing the blame game and unwilling to accept responsibility for their actions and their consequences. Let’s keep in mind that we do not have to fall prey to things determining our lives but rather that we affirm that we are ‘victims no more’ and have the capability of directing our lives by our choices.

Tuesday, June 17th – Over There – Mercury. Tuesday has the Sagittarius Moon opposed to the retrograde Mercury in Gemini. We are likely to be far more interested in what is going on beyond our daily routine. We might be considering our Summer plans and thinking about where we want to go and what we want to do… out of Dodge, somewhere over there. We could easily let our mind wander and create all kinds of possibilities, some of which may have no basis in reality. Our conversations can be endless with people discussing all sorts of ideas, interests and beliefs. There could be so much talk today, idle chatter even, that we get exhausted by the volume and by the interminable nature of our discussions. Today is a day to take everything with a grain of salt, not believe everything that we hear and avoid making long-term and significant decisions. For on this day we may not have all the facts and figures at our disposal but could easily be swayed by a stunning and persuasive presentation. Let our minds wander, our thoughts consider all possibilities but maintain tight control on our commitments.

Wednesday, June 18th – Get off of my Cloud – Venus, Pluto, Mars, Neptune, Lunar T-Square, Uranus, Sagittarius Full Moon, Sun, Venus Cancer. Wednesday is often referred to as ‘hump day’ since it comes in the middle of the workweek. This hump could be Himalaya-like with all the energy jumping around today. And talk about extremes! This Wednesday could be an all or nothing sort of day. Just before Venus leaves Gemini to enter Cancer later in the day, Venus opposes Pluto in Sagittarius. The Sagittarius Moon trines Mars and sextiles Neptune. The Sagittarius Full Moon creates a Mutable Sign T-Square by Sign with the Moon conjunct Pluto and opposed the Sun and Venus and square Uranus in Pisces. Everyone may be a little edgy today, drawing lines in the sand, and powerplaying on each other. There may be a sense of frustration with the status quo and a willingness to make changes no matter how drastic the consequences might be. The energy today is such that we could unleash a fury of activity and yet at the same time cut people off at the knees. Relationships could be sorely tested today with standards being held so high as to be unattainable. People may be pontificating, feeling very self-righteous and wanting what they want without cutting anyone else slack. Unexpected situations could arise that demand our attention or merely add to our ‘to do’ list. We might get caught up in the frenzy and the frenetic today, so the more that we can keep a rein on our emotions, our actions and our finances, the less damage we are likely to incur.

Thursday, June 19th – Realignment – Saturn, Mercury direct. Thursday is wedged between Wednesday and Friday and this Thursday is wedged between two Pluto opposition aspects: yesterday’s Venus opposed Pluto and tomorrow’s Sun opposed Pluto. Things are likely to be intense these few days with a tendency towards extremes and an all or nothing attitude. Thursday could provide a balance point thanks to the Capricorn Moon trine Saturn. Our disposition is serious and we are interested in sorting out the important and the extraneous. Today is a good day to take account of our situation, refocus our energies on the significant and consider the best practices approach to accomplish our goals. This Thursday also brings an end to the three week Mercury retrograde. From my experience and what I have heard from people, this Mercury retrograde has been a beaut. Computer problems with communications being lost or transmissions going haywire seem to have been part of this process. As Mercury turns direct today, our thoughts, communications and even computer issues can start to straighten out. It is important to keep in mind that whenever Mercury changes direction --- whether from direct to retrograde or from retrograde to direct --- the shift in direction can often exaggerate Mercury problems. Therefore, we need to be careful today while driving, while conversing and while computerizing. We shall still be in the ‘shadow’ of the Mercury retrograde until July 4th, so let’s be mindful, clear-headed and thoughtful in our communications and our discussions. Making plans, considering the means of achieving our goals and taking care of outstanding matters can all be accomplished on this Thursday. Let’s remember that with the Pluto influences, we may be looking at winnowing down, cutting away the dross, and focusing on the core issues.

Friday, June 20th – Here Comes Summer – Sun, Pluto, Jupiter, Uranus, Summer Solstice, Sun Cancer. Friday ends Spring and begins the Summer with the Summer Solstice and the Sun entering the Cardinal Water Sign of Cancer. Before we get there, the Sun in Gemini opposes Pluto in Sagittarius. We may be giving thought to our future plans, considering what we want to do and how we want to do it. Whether pushed by world circumstance or by our own personal transformation, we are looking at how we can improve the quality of our lives and what it will take to create the best in our lives. We may consider those things we want to be over and done with, and those situations we want to nurture and develop. In the Northern Hemisphere, we are at the greatest light of the day and the longest day of daylight. With the Moon in Capricorn conjunct Jupiter and sextile Uranus, we may be reconfiguring our home, making plans for family get-togethers and considering our ‘staycations’ with the intention of using our summer time-off to enjoy the benefits around home and our local environment. This entry into Summer could find various significant people leaving the world stage over this season. We might also discover that the housing market has some upsides to the downside of the housing bubble burst. Today is a day to entertain possibilities and consider the changes we can make with the recognition that any healthy changes we begin might prove to be like the snowball going down a mountain, gathering momentum and eventually becoming an avalanche. Let’s focus on the changes inside ourselves, our change in attitude and disposition, and then begin the outreach of improving our living environment and connecting with family and friends in making plans for casual get-togethers over the summer months.

Saturday, June 21st – Good Friends, Extreme Actions – Venus, Saturn, Mars, Neptune. Saturday has the Moon moving out of Capricorn and entering Aquarius. This is the first day of Summer and we are likely to put a spin on our activities as a kick-off to summer fun. Venus sextiles Saturn today and Mars opposes Neptune. On the one hand, we could find ourselves reconnecting with people from our past. Celebrations might include family gatherings and reunions with old friends. We may also be doing some clean-up around the house, straightening things up, extending our living environment outdoors with additions of patio furniture, barbecue grills and outside games. On the other hand, we could also be looking at having fun with capital FUN. The potential for extreme sports and pushing the envelope could put us in harm’s way if we get overly caught up in competitive sports and proving ourselves. Although we could take a great deal of pleasure in our activities today, we have to be careful that people aren’t being a little too belligerent or wanting to one-up one another. Moderation in all things is something for us to keep in mind for the tendency otherwise could be to go to extremes and seek change solely for the sake of change.

Sunday, June 22nd – Back on Track – Mercury. With some real swings in energy this week, especially on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, Sunday allows us to take things down a notch or two and reinsert brain rather than emphasizing brawn. This Sunday is the 22nd, a Master number in numerology representative of the Master Builder when we can formulate the ways to reach our goals and realize our dreams. The Aquarius Moon trines Mercury today. We could serve as great sounding boards for others, just as they could do for us. We can encourage our own and other people’s hopes and wishes. Our discussions may be scintillating and our thoughts might consider options and alternatives that are usually not within our scope. This is a day to take into account the possibilities of our future and the ways by which we can streamline operations in order to achieve best results. It’s as though a light bulb has gone off in our mind’s eye. We seem brighter and more clear-headed about where we want to go and how we want to get there.

This Summer begins with the Summer Solstice and the Sun’s entrance into the Cardinal Water Sign of Cancer on June 19th – 20th. At the time of the Summer Solstice, there are two planets in Fire Signs, three planets in Earth Signs, two planets in Air Signs and three planets in Water Signs. There are four planets in Cardinal Signs, two planets in Fixed Signs and four planets in Mutable Signs. There are four planets in Positive Signs and six planets in Negative Signs.

This Summer starts with an ‘all or nothing’ disposition, an intensity when nothing is likely done in half measure. Although we are looking for summer fun times, we may also come to realize that the landscape has changed. The easygoing ‘lazy, hazy days of summer’ may be a past memory, hard to recapture under today’s backdrop. While we might find these times challenging, we could also use this period akin to the grain of sand within the oyster --- irritating, aggravating but also the means to create the pearl.

Although our financial situation might seem confused, and even prone to distortions and illusions, the challenges of these times allow us to review our lives, consider how we can best instill quality into our living and ask us to be creative working smarter rather than harder and open to unexpected situations, alternatives and options that we might not have taken into account during so-called easier times. The complacency of discontent may be over for many of us as we are forced to take the bull by the horns, accept accountability for our actions and be far more discerning regarding our choices.

A keynote of this Summer period is Pluto retrograding back through Sagittarius, having briefly transited Capricorn, a transit that will begin a multi-year sojourn at the end of this November until the end of 2024.

A major theme of Pluto transiting Capricorn is and will be the question of whether ‘building upon sand or building upon rock’. Anything that cannot withstand the shifting tides and extreme onslaughts may be washed away. The key question for each of us will be the ability to get to our core, to draw upon our essence and to live our lives in soul-full manner. The shallow, the superficial, the extraneous will no longer support us or comfort us. We have to focus on the fundamentals of our lives and emphasize the quality rather than the quantity in our living.

We have already witnessed indications of the Pluto Capricorn transit. Like Chicken Little, this Pluto Capricorn transit that occurred from the end of this January through mid-June has seemed like the sky was falling. Whether financial restrictions through soaring energy and food costs, or atmospheric paroxysms with bizarre and aberrant weather patterns and devastating cyclonic storms, or geophysical phenomena with explosive volcanic and profound earthquake activity, or health issues and a general malaise feeling that things are just not right but rather heading in the wrong direction; all of us may have felt hard-pressed during these recent times. As that great New York Yankees philosopher Yogi Berra once memorialized in words: ‘It ain’t over ‘til it’s over’.

While we have a brief respite from Pluto going through Capricorn this summer with Pluto going back through the latter part of Sagittarius, we have to recognize, even appreciate, that the initial indications of Pluto’s transit going through Capricorn reaffirms the beginning lyrics of a Carpenters’ 1970 song: “We’ve only just begun…”

This Summer allows us to take a very serious look at our lives. Like the Native peoples’ concept of shapeshifting, we are in a major process of TRANSFORMATION. We have the opportunity, often times experienced as a challenge, to consider how we can focus on the essence, the integral substance of our lives.

The Summer starts with Pluto opposed both the Sun and Venus. Our sense of self, our relationships, our family matters and our dependence on past experience with the assumption that the ‘tried and true’ is productive or even effective are all up for question. We may not like the process, but the more we can keep in mind the grain of sand within the oyster, the better able we can understand that forces are operating that bring us to a new day. First the irritations and the aggravations, and then the pearl.

The Summer begins with a Grand Cross by Sign in the Mutable Signs with Mercury in Gemini, Saturn in Virgo, Pluto in Sagittarius and Uranus in Pisces. We might all feel as if we have attention deficit disorder going from one thing to another to another. But such frenetic activity could also prove a wonderful thing, for it can allow us to explore possibilities, investigate options and may also move us increasingly into a co-creative stance rather than the old ingrained and conditioned mindset of controlling situations and making things happen. It can also keep us from being stuck, unhinging us and forcing us to be more ‘in the moment’.

There is a saying that ‘if you want to make God laugh, tell God your plans.’

We might discover the truth to this statement, as unexpected situations arise that disrupt our schedule and throw monkeywrenches into the spokes of our plans. Through the volatility of these times, we may be forced to ‘let go’ and become more observant of the shifting tides and the extreme caroming that is likely to be operating.

Things may not be as they seem, but such a reality provides us the opportunity of attuning our awareness and being open to all possibilities. We are certainly determined, forceful and looking to find avenues for our creative self-expression and venues for active recreation [re-creation]. What we have to avoid is leaping into situations with passionate commitment without having considered the conditions or the likely consequences of our actions. If we do not evaluate our steps or our jumps as we go along, we might discover that we are racing towards or leaping into intended destinations that turn out to be precipices and nasty falls.

The desire for transformation, change, a need to find real purpose for ourselves are great intentions but without full and repeated consideration of what we are doing and where we are going we could wind up affirming the old saying: ‘the pathway to hell is paved with good intentions’.

If we are clear about our motivations, passionate about our goals and devise an expeditious strategy to achieve results, all the while willing to adjust and adapt as we go along; then this Summer allows us to virtually move mountains.

The Mars Pluto trine that begins Summer becomes exact on the 30th of June giving us the strength, power and reserve to make the changes necessary to bring us closer to what we perceive to be the quality of our lives. For some, this energy could be used in merely getting off the track, having a good time and using the energies as a healthy respite from the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Why go there if we can broaden the approach and see this summer as a threshold crossing into making determined shifts in the ways we are doing our living?

Increasingly we may realize that we do not have to do it all, since the universe is likely to step in with unexpected situations arising. We do have to be determined to release elements of our past that are no longer functional or productive. We may have to let go of certain situations in order to provide space for new possibilities to come forth.

Early July could be a little testy. Mars exits Leo to enter Virgo on the 1st, and we might find ourselves demanding standards of others while feeling insecure about ourselves. We may feel like we have been punched in the gut as we are buffeted by challenging events and unexpected situations. Things we thought resolved might rear their ugly head and demand that we look again at where we have been and what we have done. Everyone may feel a little on edge during this July period. On the one hand, we might see the Promised Land before us, but on the other hand we may not have a clue as to how to get there. During these times, it is essential that we not fall into a victim mode, cursing our circumstances and refusing accountability for how we got where we are.

Communications can be off, and we might refuse to face facts, preferring instead to buy into wish fulfillment, the image rather than considering the substance. Computer glitches, travel problems and the potential for accidents are strong liabilities during the early part of July. We all need to catch our breath, count to ten and not make assumptions based upon first impressions. While the energy may be ratcheted up severalfold, it is important that we keep our cool and maintain a clearheaded approach to things that are insistent upon gaining our attention.

The first half of July may provide a tug of war between our professional responsibilities and personal interests and the needs of family members and living environment issues. A tendency towards excess is likely. Especially around the 5th when Mercury squares Uranus we have to be careful with our driving, traveling, communications and computer problems. Slowing down during the first half of July would seem necessary to prevent rash actions and miscalculations. Let’s keep in mind cyclical nature whereby the greater the wave, the greater the trough. ‘Moderation in all things’ would be wise to keep mantram-like in our minds.

Although July can start off on a rocky road, the second half of the month seems especially pleasant and a great time for us to get off the track, get away or enjoy the recreational activities of our local environs. We are feeling more on top of things during the second half of July, far less susceptible to the vagaries of these changing times. We can take a more proactive approach during this second half of July and feel less reactive to events and circumstances that may be beyond our control.

Towards the end of July, we have a Stellium of three or more planets in the Fixed Fire Sign of Leo with Venus on the 12th, the Sun on the 22nd and Mercury on the 26th entering this regal and pleasure-seeking Sign. The second half of July is a good time for fun events, partying and enjoying warm weather activities. We are likely to feel more creative and far more expressive of our own personal interests.

August continues with the vacation feeling of having a good time. We do have to keep a heads-up around the 6th of August for on the 6th and influencing that week we have two difficult planetary configurations: Mars opposed Uranus and Mercury opposed Neptune. Champing at the bit, we could experience a tendency to leap before we look. The potential for accidents and assaults can be strong, as the energy is ratcheted up severalfold with an unexpected thrust of force and a lack of clarity that can create confused situations. It would be wise to take everything now with a grain of salt, not rush to judgment and avoid hasty actions or knee-jerk decisions.

After a return to calmer, gentler energies, we may have to pick up the pieces around the 13th and 15th. Reunions and reconnections may stir up past memories that we would have preferred to be forgotten. A weightiness and seriousness of disposition could set in as we start critiquing life with a critical eye and possibly even a negative attitude.

On the 6th of August, Venus enters Virgo joining Saturn, followed by Mercury entering its own Sign of Virgo on the 10th, at which time we have a Stellium of three or more planets in the Mutable Earth Sign. Our discernment may be stronger. Although this month is often one when we engage in vacations, this year due to energy and food costs and other accelerating costs of living we may decide on doing ‘staycations’, staying around our home environs rather than vacations going away and getting off the track of our normal circumstances. In so doing, a seriousness of thought and anxiety over the future based upon present conditions could set in. We are looking at the details, at the specifics of our lives and no single factor is exempt from our scrutiny. We do need to avoid self-judgment or setting the bar so high to unattainable standards. Criticism, even to the point of hyper-criticism can be en vogue. We might also have a tendency towards tunnel vision, putting on blinders and seeing only what seems evident to us and negating the possibilities of the future and the prospects unfolding due to the impelling factors of change.

Explosive times during this month of August could occur around the 6th, the weekend of the 17th and the weekend of the 23rd. The end of August could have us licking our wounds or continuing the clean-out of our lives.

Yet, the latter part of August also sees a shift from a powerpack in Virgo into a Stellium in Libra with Mars entering Libra on the 19th, Mercury entering Libra on the 28th and Venus entering its own Sign of Libra on the 30th. Although our concerns about our daily existence and how we are likely to make it under the financial strains of these times might still be vexing us, we are also taking the time to enjoy the company of others. Hopefully, we are not engaging in a ‘misery loves company’ scenario, carping and criticizing about the way the world has turned. Rather it would be wise to use the increased interest in others for pleasant social occasions, supportive encouragement and for brainstorming sessions as to how best to stretch our resources and be more productive by cutting back on our expenses.

As we come into September, we might feel as though we had just gone through a lost Summer. Even if we did get away, we could have the sense that we could not truly escape the issues and problems of the world that are impacting our personal lives. Even if getting back on the track seems as though we have had no real break, the sense of it being darkest before the dawn could also arise.

A Sun Saturn conjunction on the 3rd may have us feeling like the wind has been knocked out of our sails, that as we return to the normal activities of our lives with the beginning of the school year we have not truly had the opportunity of re-creation.

With the Sun trine Jupiter on the 4th, we might feel far more energized, confident and optimistic that no matter how bad situations might seem around us, we shall prevail. This sense of exuberance and enthusiasm can be reinforced around the 7th, 8th and 9th of September as Mars, then Mercury, then Venus all square Jupiter and both Jupiter and Pluto turn direct on the 8th. Advancing our interests and making great strides are all possible during this end of Summer.

We are looking to make transformations to our lives, even if we don’t know how we might do so. Even if we try to hold on to the past, we may sense the irrelevant and outmoded slipping through our fingers, like the sand draining in an hourglass. There may be times when we do not appreciate the stresses and strains that we are being put through. If we can keep in mind the idea of labor pains during any birthing process, then we can come to realize that the changes in our lives and the changes happening around us truly provide the means of shapeshifting, transforming and moving into a new way of being.

Like the volatility in life these days, we may experience the summer in the same way. Our lives may be very much the way Mark Twain is attributed to have said about the weather in New England. If we don’t like what’s going on now, let’s just wait a few minutes.

The Summer may have its wild swings --- ups and downs, merry go-rounds. One thing is certain. Life in 2008, and life during this Summer, is not the way it has been. Even if we would prefer the complacency of discontent, things are being ratcheted and our life experiences are far more varied with situations coming up fast and furious.

Let’s all take a deep breath, embrace the times enjoyment and realize during the stressful moments the old wise saying that we never get more than we can handle.

Summer 2008… no longer lazy, maybe hazy days of summer…

This week could have us thinking about our summer vacation plans, with us focused on fun events and social gatherings. The first part of the week may have us dealing with our responsibilities, tying up loose ends and concerned about how we are going to make it under the avalanche of bad news streaming at us. The answer to the latter is for us not to fall into a victim mode, assume that we can only be reactive to situations but instead to look at the opportunities buried deep within the dire circumstances of these times. Yes, we may need to affirm the truth to that old saying: ‘if life hands you lemons, make lemonade’.

Although we could feel a little overwhelmed to start the week, by putting one foot in front of the other, concentrating on the necessary details of every matter and accepting accountability for our actions, we can successfully use this week to take care of important matters and also plan for some pleasurable events.

The last few weeks have provided both a ratcheting up of intensity and also a dysfunctionality that has forced us to review, rework and repeat certain procedures.

This week is far more pleasant, even though we may have been recently conditioned to looking over our shoulder. Such an ingrained response pattern can drop away as we start to recognize that not every time is the other shoe, whatever that shoe might be, going to drop.

The latter part of the week can be quite enjoyable as we search out summer fun. We may realize that we don’t have to spend a fortune to have a good time. We might come back to the recognition that even simple, inexpensive activities can provide a wonderful time.

Although many of us are pressured by the accelerating inflationary costs of living, such a reality provides us the challenge of doing more with less and also allows us to see what are the truly important things in our lives.

Monday, June 23rd – Possibilities or Realities – Neptune, Mars, Pluto, Sun, Saturn. Monday starts the week with the Aquarian Moon conjunct Neptune, opposed Mars and sextile Pluto. We could easily get caught up in the ‘what ifs’ of prospects and possibilities. Whatever catches our fancy, whether based in reality or a hoped-for scenario, can have us going full force towards its attainment. Our interests may run counter to other people’s interests and we might question why people can’t see things from our perspective or are too pig-headed to admit their mistakes. Although we are looking for win-win scenarios, our viewpoint may be tinged with our egocentric desires, what we want and how we want it. We could easily make the assumption that how we see things is the way the greater good would operate. As the day progresses, the Moon moves out of Aquarius and moves into Pisces where it trines the Sun and opposes Saturn. We might retreat into our home environment as if circling the wagons and nursing any grievances of being misunderstood. We might also find that we have certain responsibilities that we’ve let slide over the past few days. The more we can take care of tasks at hand, the more we’ll be able to start up some new projects during the latter part of the week.

Tuesday, June 24th – Homecoming – Venus, Mercury. The comforts of home may provide us a sanctuary on this Tuesday. As if battle scarred by recent developments, we might just want to regroup and recharge our batteries. The Pisces Moon trines Venus and squares Mercury today. Our sensitivities are turned up severalfold. Our feelings are heightened but our communications could be off. We might feel as though we cannot truly communicate what is going on with us. Our thoughts can be far more emotional than rational. Today is not a day to jump to conclusions. On the contrary, it would seem important for us to take time, mull over situations and see them from different vantage points. Otherwise, we could make decisions based more on our feelings than the facts. By feathering our nest, cleaning things up around our homes and adding some summer style to our surroundings, we can create a protective barrier to nurture us and prevent us from taking action that might be more faith-based than well-considered. Our moods can go through some radical swings today with rapid thoughts that are strongly emotional. We might be called upon to go out of our way for other people. While we can provide emotional support, we cannot solve other people’s problems. That is for them to do.

Wednesday, June 25th – Tidying Up – Sun, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Pluto. Wednesday has the Cancer Sun sextile Saturn in Virgo. Today is a great day to tidy things up, deal with necessary tasks at hand and bring outstanding matters to conclusion. This Wednesday also continues with the Moon in Pisces which today sextiles Jupiter, conjuncts Uranus and squares Pluto. Champing at the bit to make changes and consider alternatives to our daily routine, we might want to sort through different situations, clean things up and throw things away. There is an old saying that the cup has to be emptied before it can be filled. So too with this Wednesday. We can address various matters that are in our ‘cup’, strategize and prioritize, and then separate the essential from the nonessential, tossing away those things that are merely distractions or clutter. Our sense of responsibility is strong today but we also have to watch that doing too much or spending too much time on matters of little consequence does not rein us in. This day can be a highly productive day. We can accomplish a great deal but we will need to maintain focus and not be distracted by exciting, unexpected diversions that could be far more appealing than dealing with the tasks at hand. First, the clean-up, clearing the decks to make some room for new activities, then the consideration of new projects and new situations in which to participate. Towards the latter part of the day, the Moon moves out of Pisces and enters Aries. We are moving into a whole new phase, going from endings to new beginnings.

Thursday, June 26th – Mine or Ours – Sun, Venus, Uranus retrograde. Thursday has the Aries Moon square both the Sun and Venus in Cancer. Today is a start-up day. We may initiate various new projects and get things going in a new direction, all with an imprint of our own personal stamp. While this may be a ‘me’ day, we have to be careful the toes we step on. Family members may feel that we are being self-centered and not taking into account the needs of the collective, of the family. We may want to make changes to our plans, changes to our environment. Past patterns could get in the way of the new ways we want to do things. We might want to get on with things, champing at the bit and yet feel encumbered by other people’s interests or our commitments. We can get things started today but it is important to be certain that new projects are not being done in accord with old patterns. We are not looking to re-create the past, and yet the ‘tried and true’ could subtly impact the way we choose to do things. We may not be able to have it both ways, asserting our personal preferences all the while keeping it socially correct. Like a helium balloon tied tightly to someone’s wrist, we may also feel that we cannot float free but are limited in our choices. Focusing on our needs all the while that we are smoothing any ruffled feathers is the best way to handle today’s energies. Uranus turns retrograde today until the end of November. Many of the radical shifts we might want to see in our lives may have to take the back burner or be reconsidered for a later date.

Friday, June 27th – Going for the Gold – Mercury, Jupiter, Neptune, Mars. Friday can be an especially pleasant day. And if we are lucky to be on a Summer schedule with Fridays off or half days, then this can be the start of a fun-filled weekend. Today, The Aries Moon sextiles Mercury, squares Jupiter, sextiles Neptune and trines Mars. We may be filled with a wide assortment of plans for today, which include social gatherings and recreational pursuits. Our mind can be going a mile a minute with all sorts of possibilities. We do have to watch that we don’t go overboard and try to do too much. We could be so full of energy that we want to take on the world. While we can juggle several different things today, we do need to be aware of time management and be realistic in what we can do and what just does not fit into our timeframe. Plans should be made with the condition that we might not be able to accomplish everything we want to accomplish. If we don’t get strung out by trying to do too much, this Friday can be a great day. Let’s keep in mind that a little can go a long way --- whether that little is time, monies or involvement.

Saturday, June 28th – Plans into Action – Pluto, Saturn, Sun. We start Saturday with the Moon about to leave Aries and enter Taurus. Before it does so, the Moon trines Pluto giving us greater determination and passion to stretch our wings and broaden our scope. Our exuberance may know no limits. We may feel as if nothing can stand in our way. Some of this sense can be derived from Friday’s ‘feel good’ attitude. The beauty to Saturday is that the Moon moves into Taurus where it trines Saturn and sextiles the Sun. Even if we went a little overboard yesterday, we can step back, strategize and figure the best practices methods to achieve results. Saturday is a day when we can put our plans into action. Although we have gained a head of steam and are ready to move fast forward ahead, Saturday allows us to blueprint, plan and consider how best to accomplish our goals. We can get a lot done today. If we are vacationing, then the comfort of recreation can be satisfying and nourishing to us. If we are shopping, we can find the bargains and stretch our dollars, a characteristic increasingly necessary during these volatile times. If we are at home, we can spruce things up and add greater warmth and comfort to our living space. A personal makeover today would also present us in a perfect light. Saturday can be a great day when we focus our interests and move from enthusiastic conception into pragmatic manifestation.

Sunday, June 29th – Making Nice – Venus, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune. Sunday continues with this upbeat weekend. Today, the Taurus Moon sextiles Venus, trines Jupiter, sextiles Uranus but squares Neptune. Interactions with other people can be especially pleasant today, but it would be wise to take things with a grain of salt. We are also feeling the Mars Pluto trine exact tomorrow. We are all looking for some good times, wanting to express ourselves and seeking to broaden our scope. A tendency towards extravagance and trying something new could be part of this Sunday. While testing the waters of new activities and new interests should certainly be part of this Sunday, let’s keep our involvement as tentative and not make a final determination. We could be feeling invincible, as if we had turned the corner of some challenging times. However, it might be too soon to make such a judgment. It would be wise to remember that life is cyclical. Like the ocean’s tides, there are times of high tides and low tides. Even if we may be feeling on top of the world today, it would be important not to fully engage immediate gratification without considering the longer term consequences or the expenses involved in satisfying our desires. Let’s have a good time, enjoy the company of others, explore new possibilities but always keeping in mind the importance of reviewing and evaluating at a later date. This weekend can be a fun-filled weekend, one when we can balance both recreational activities with restructuring our lives so that we feel more proactive and less reactive to the vagaries of these changing times.

This week starts off with a bang and a rush out the door. The likelihood of going to extremes this week cannot be discounted. With a creative thrust, we can be off and running. We may feel that there is so much to do and so little time in which to do it.

The early part of the week can have us going from one thing to another to another. We begin the week with Mars trine Pluto. We want to grab the bull by the horns and make every moment count.

Mid-week, we have the Cancer New Moon with a focus on home and family matters. Balancing our personal interests of what we want to do with the responsibilities of our daily commitments and what we need to do could lead to excess and extravagance. We may want what we want and might not question the cost.

In the US this weekend is the Fourth of July, a long holiday weekend that celebrates the birth of the nation. It also celebrates summer as being in full gear. Even though our financial concerns might temper our summer plans, we are not looking to sacrifice good times, fun events and pleasurable activities.

No matter where we might be or what we might be doing, it would be wise to keep a heads-up over the weekend. My least favorable energy configuration for travel, and especially air travel, occurs on Saturday with Mercury square Uranus. This interaction is one when we can leap before we look and brings about unexpected situations that can be challenging at best, disastrous at worst. Communications can be off with misunderstandings and computer glitches possible. Travel could be accident-prone. This energy is one when it is important that we keep our wits about us and not get thrown off by distractions or surprises.

The weekend ends the week with some lovely energies for reveries with old friends and new acquaintances. Social get-togethers can be enjoyable gatherings as long as everyone chips in to help and no one person is left to make the preparations and do the subsequent clean-up.

The old saying of ‘variety is the spice of life’ is thematic of this week. We might find ourselves involved with everything under the sun, and then some. As long as we don’t get swept away by the currents, we can ride the waves and enjoy the varied experiences this week offers.

Monday, June 30th – Bounding Forth – Mars, Pluto, Saturn. Our sleep state Sunday night – Monday morning may be anything but restful. We could be restless, dealing with various encounters in our sleep state or champing at the bit anticipating the dawn ahead. We start the week and end the month of June with Mars trine Pluto. Our determination and will may know no bounds. We might feel as if we could move mountains. We certainly want to put our mark and our imprint on everything we touch. While we are looking to make a good and strong impression today, so too may everyone else. Hopefully this day doesn’t turn into a shouting match whereby the person who speaks the loudest gets heard or a saber rattling exercise of who carries the biggest stick. If we can focus on our personal best rather than a comparative spitting match, then we can accomplish a great deal today. We have the passion and drive to accomplish results. The early morning hours have the last vestiges of the Moon’s transit of Taurus and a square to Mars. Our sense of stability and supportive comfort may be upset. We may feel an urgency to do something, anything. In the early morning hours, the Moon moves into Gemini where it squares Saturn. We may have a great deal to do and in so doing we have to be careful not to skip over the details. This is a day when haste truly could make waste. While we would prefer to be off having a good time or slaying dragons, it would be wise for us to attend to outstanding matters in a focused and diligent manner. We may have a lot on our plate today but rushing through things won’t necessarily accomplish them. Let’s take care of business and then focus on our pleasures.

Tuesday, July 1st – Bumps Along the Way – Mercury, Uranus, Neptune, Mars Virgo. With tomorrow having the Cancer New Moon, this Tuesday puts us on the dark side of the Moon. Today’s Gemini Moon conjuncts Mercury, squares Uranus and trines Neptune. We may be filled with all sorts of ideas, but some of them may just be off the wall. We can easily bump along our merry way, assuming that things are going to turn out all right no matter what our involvement might be. Nice concept but not a concept that deals with true reality. We can hear people waxing poetic about possibilities, prospects and potentialities. Where a problem might arise is the fact that all this painting pictures could also be all goobledy gook. Silver tongues may be wagging and the message could be quite enticing. Today is a day to read between the lines, look at the fine print and take things with a grain of salt. Unexpected situations could arise that put a dent in our wish fulfillment or our delightful scenario of what could be. We may need to be on our toes, able to adapt to changing conditions and recognize that in making our decisions we might not have all the facts at our disposal. Even if we want to believe in make believe today, startling revelations might puncture our balloon. Today could also serve as a prelude for energies operating on Saturday. Let’s be careful of our communications, our travel and computer issues. If we don’t take everything at face value, this Tuesday could be a pleasant day. This day also has Mars exiting Leo and entering Virgo and joining Saturn. We need to be careful of our health, focused on our well-being and attentive to any intestinal issues. Now is a good time to start a new health regimen, taking into account our diet and finding exercise programs that can assist in the malleability of our physical structure such as yoga, pilates, tai chi, chi qong.

Wednesday, July 2nd – Getting it Right – Pluto, Mars, Saturn, Cancer Lunation, Sun. Wednesday has the Gemini Moon opposed Pluto in the early morning hours of Wednesday, late Tuesday night. Our emotions could be turned up severalfold and with the liability to feeling that our balloon of wish fulfillments has been popped. Even if we fall to the ground, our ability to get back up and get things right is reinforced by the Moon moving into Cancer where it sextiles both Mars and Saturn in Virgo. This Wednesday is a good day to straighten things up, do a major cleaning and cleansing of our home and our possessions. We can find the right place for everything and putting things in order will be a good launching pad for the fortnight ahead. The Sun Moon conjunction kicks off a fortnight when we may be looking at home and family matters. Reunions can be in the cards, or the stars, for the next few weeks, but it would be important for us to keep in mind mantram-like the saying ‘that less is more’. In other words, whatever we choose to do in regard to socializing, entertaining or travel plans, let’s do so with an eye of avoiding excess and extravagance. We may want to put on a show, go on a bender, but all to the ultimate detriment of our financial condition. The challenge for all of us may prove to be how we can be more effective with less expenditure. One of the beauties of these times is that it lets us get real. Instead of being dolled up or throwing easy money around, we all have the opportunity of stripping away the gloss and glitter and revealing whom we truly are. We may feel like the emperor with no clothes but at least our essence, our soul and our spiritual worth can now shine through. With this New Moon we have the opportunity of stripping away the superfluous and extraneous and focusing on what truly matters to us both in regard to our personal interests and to our home and family matters,

Thursday, July 3rd – All This And More – Venus, Jupiter, Uranus. If I have been spitting into the wind in regard to the importance of conserving our resources and being more aware of our financial condition, then this Thursday could be a prime example. A tendency towards extravagance, indulgence and excess could show up today thanks to the Venus Jupiter opposition. Concurrent with that energy configuration, the Cancer Moon adds its own two cents, or considerably more, by opposing Jupiter, conjuncting Venus and trining Uranus. Today we could easily go on a bender, as if like a child throwing a tantrum, we want what we want without consideration of its implications. We might want to make changes to our wardrobe, hairstyle, and/or environment. A complete makeover could be quite appealing. Change solely for the sake of change could prove expensive and mindless. If we have not fully budgeted our time or our finances, this day could have us doing all this and more. Before we start off today, it would be wise to make a list of what we need to do and what it might cost both in time and financial expense. Once we have made our list, we might want to prioritize in order of both most important and least costly. If we don’t keep a rein on ourselves today, we could go hellbent for the shopping malls, buying on impulse and winding up with a large credit card bill. This day can be a fun day and a day when we could let ourselves loose a little bit. But we do have to watch for excess and indulgence.

Friday, July 4th – Happy Birthday, USA. Friday has no significant planetary configurations. We do have a Leo Moon so the emphasis today is likely to be on good times and asserting our creative self-expression. As it marks the founding of the United States nation, this day with the Leo Moon is likely to find politicians pontificating. It may be all about ME today but the energies are ripe for hot fun in the summertime. Recreational activities, sports, concerts, parades, barbecues and general enjoyment may be the hallmark of this day. Even if we are out of country and Independence Day means little to us being of a different nationality, this day still has all the beauties of a Leo Moon day. A fine romance, special times with that special someone and a venue on which to leave our mark, all are highlighted today. A word of caution, however, should be noted. Tomorrow has Mercury square Uranus and the influence could impact today. Communications, travel, high technology could present problems. Unexpected news could upset our plans or demand that we make adjustments. With the loud voices bellowing from town squares and on the television waves, we should not be surprised if some of the declarations are off key or totally miss their mark.

Saturday, July 5th – Wrenches in the Wheels – Mercury, Uranus, Neptune. Saturday has my least favorite energy for air travel: Mercury square Uranus. This configuration can often create difficulties with high technology, travel and communications. Whatever we have planned can easily go awry. This energy is one whereby it is essential to dot the i’s and cross the t’s and then continually review and recheck. While there can be some startling insights today, revelations that allow us to come up with answers to problems that may have been perplexing us for awhile, the energy is also quite frenetic and hard to get a handle on. The main thing to do is to maintain vigilance and be ready to duck or shift according to changing conditions. The potential for confusion can be ratcheted up due to the Leo Moon which sextiles Mercury today also opposed Neptune. Confusion can reign supreme. Having eyes in the back of our head and defensive driving could avoid some needless delays or traffic problems. Backing up our computer files might avoid interruptions or crashes with the liability towards losing our data. Going slow and being certain that we have communicated information clearly and fully can prevent misunderstandings and lack of full detail. At the same time, doing something unusual or out of the ordinary is something to consider. We are looking to stretch, to make changes and to explore. If we go there, let’s go prepared with directions and itinerary.

Sunday, July 6th – Summer Reveries – Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Pluto, Mars, Saturn. Sunday can be a special day, one of those days when life is truly worth living. If we haven’t entangled ourselves or created drastic problems for ourselves with yesterday’s Mercury square Uranus, today’s energy allows us to step off the planet and move in our own special world, an idyllic world akin to paradise. Today, Mercury trines Neptune and Venus trines Uranus. Even if we got knocked for a loop by the Mercury Uranus square, today’s energies allow our intuition to be strong. Trusting our feeling nature can come up with the right answers and a sense that everything truly works out for the best. The Venus trine Uranus provides some interesting and exciting social interactions. It might be with someone we know whereby we get to see them in a totally different light, more fully appreciating their uniqueness and individual qualities. We could also have some unexpected meetings, bumping into people, being in the right place at the right time. The sense of synchronicity, asequential reality, can make us aware how truly small the world is --- the six degrees of separation concept. While we have all this great energy swirling around, it would be best to take this Sunday as a lazy, hazy day of being in the moment and enjoying the wonder of it all. While we may have our head in the clouds today, we could also find our feet being wrenched back to the ground. Although the day begins with the Leo Moon trine Pluto instilling a sense of adventure and pleasure-seeking as the theme of the day, the Moon then moves into Virgo where it conjuncts Mars and Saturn. We might feel pulled between our responsibilities and our past patterns and how we feel we should behave. While this could be a dampener, it need not be. We can still have fun, kick up our heels and explore, all the while recognizing that we are enjoying a brief and delicious interlude from our daily circumstances. Even if we cannot get out and about and find ourselves restricted to our normal conditions, we can allow our mind to wander and enjoy the lushness of our own visualized paradise.