by Silvianne K. Delmars | June 28, 2024 |
This week’s astro update begins with a Fourth Quarter Moon in Aries. We end our week the following Friday with a New Moon in Cancer, inaugurating a whole new lunation cycle. With the waning Moon still near to Saturn, and meeting up with Mars and Jupiter in the morning sky, it’s a great week to plan on getting up early to watch the show! Here are the highlights (all times in PDT).
Friday, June 28
The Last Quarter Moon at 07 Aries 40 squares the Sun in Cancer, exact at 2:53 pm PDT. This marks the start of the last quarter of an eventful month that started with the Gemini New Moon on June 6. There is the opportunity for a final course correction, after the influx of powerful Solstice energies last week in tandem with the Capricorn Full Moon. How would we like to apply this energy in support of the intentions we set at the beginning of this lunation? What really needs to be completed? And are there aspects of our intentions that have fallen by the wayside? Time to express our gratitude for what has brought growth as well as mourn our losses, mulching what has died to form the rich soil for the seeds to be planted at the New Moon.
This waning gibbous Moon was with Saturn yesterday. Look for it still somewhat near Saturn early this morning as well. Fomalhaut, in the mouth of the Fish constellation will be below and to the right of Saturn.
Saturday, June 29
Saturn is stationing retrograde today at 19 Pisces 25, exact around noon. We are approaching the half-way point of grounded Saturn’s transit through the numinous water sign of Pisces which began in March of 2023 and will end with its final ingress into Aries in February of 2026. One possible view of this process is that as a species, through visceral real-world experiences, we are exploring the question: “What will it take to open our hearts?”
As Saturn slows to a crawl and prepares to retrace its steps over the next five months or so, we have an opportunity to assess our own progress in this profound journey of the heart. In what ways are we being asked to bring our spiritual ideals into more concrete form in our everyday reality? Look to the house inhabited by Pisces in your natal chart for clues to how to navigate your personal journey. Communing with Saturn in the early morning sky, visible or not, can provide a deepening of this process of self-inquiry.
Later this same evening the Moon makes its monthly pass of healer Chiron, in the adjacent sign of fiery Aries. What are our fracture points, especially as they relate to the healing of the wounded warrior archetype? How can we call on the ability of Saturn in Pisces to bring practical, compassionate care where it is most needed to salve our deepest wounds, as we grieve the losses of a world in chaos, and look towards a new way of being.
Sunday, June 30 / Monday, July 1
The Moon will be close to the red planet Mars in the early morning sky, closest on July 1. Though the exact conjunction will not be visible as it happens well after sunrise at 9:19 am. Mars continues in phase 4 of his Gemini synodic cycle overstory which began in December of 2022 and ends next January. This is Mars’ 8th Moon conjunction in the morning sky, as he moves through his passage of rebirth and growth of wisdom. What is the Gemini Sacred Masculine archetype learning this month in sensual Taurus?
Also nearby are the stars of the Pleiades and the planet Jupiter. The Moon and Mars will rise about three hours before sunrise, so plan to rise early if you want to tune in for any Moon-activated wisdom transmissions from Mars’ journey through Taurus.
Tuesday, July 2
There is a lot happening on the esoteric, energetic level today. Time to tune in with third eye vision as well as our more mundane senses, as the Moon conjuncts evolutionary change agent Uranus in the wee hours of the morning in beauty-loving Taurus, followed by Neptune at 29 Pisces 55 stationing retrograde in the last degree of the sign a couple hours later. This is at least a 3-day energetic window, as this slow moving outer planet slowly changes gears.
With Saturn having stationed retrograde just a couple days ago only 10 degrees away, we are getting clear instructions to slow down, go within, and contemplate how we might want to foster the unfolding of practical spirituality in our lives.
Just an hour or so later, messenger Mercury in nurturing Cancer will trine dreamy Neptune in Pisces, also in the potent last degree of both signs. A supportive alignment for granting ourselves deep permission to feel all our feelings, without judgment or blame, and to let them wash through us s o we can be truly cleansed in preparation for the many changes upon us, as we prepare to seed a new Earth reality going forward. This can also be a supportive timing for tuning in to inspirational messages received through the heart’s knowing.
Mercury will then enter the sign of enthusiastic Leo, This is the fourth sign change for Aries synodic overstory Mercury, who emerged from its Psychopomp phase in late June to begin his Hermes Evening Star Phase. Although hard to spot, it is low on the western horizon just after sunset.
Wednesday, July 3
The waning crescent Moon will conjunct Jupiter in Gemini this morning, exact around midnight. You might catch them hanging out together in the early morning sky, with the Pleiades star cluster and Mars above along the ecliptic, and fiery Aldebaran, the eye of the Bull constellation, just below Jupiter and slightly to the right. Jupiter and the Moon will still be fairly close tomorrow morning as well, with Jupiter continuing to move higher in the sky as the month progresses.
Friday, July 5
The Moon meets the Sun this afternoon at 14 Cancer 23, as we start a whole New Moon lunation cycle in the nurturing, householder sign of watery Cancer. Still in her underworld journey, Leo synodic cycle Venus is also in Cancer, making an exact square to healer Chiron later tonight. As our focus shifts from airy, mentally energetic Gemini to deep-feeling, emotion-centered Cancer, it’s good to remember to honor the part of our psyche that may be on its own underworld passage. Be sure to carve out time to just be (rather than do).
I have been taking the time this week to participate in a personal 7-day Planet Medicine Challenge as suggested by Texas beekeeper and astrologer Tiffany Harelik during a recent astrology summit. Each morning I’ve spent some time journaling about the planet that day is named for, starting with Moon Monday and ending with the Sun this coming Sunday. The topics are endless – you can contemplate your natal planet, by house and sign, with any natal or transiting aspects. Or explore the Sabian or Chandra symbol. Or just tune in and see what the planet might want to communicate to you at this point in your journey together. It has been a delightfully surprising exercise, full of unexpected soul treasures. A welcome reminder that the planets ARE our medicine – and we don’t have to be in a particular transit or cycle to tune in to their wisdom.
Like the sunlight through the branches of the tree on our morning walk, the snatch of bird song we catch in the liminal moment of waking, the deer that darts across the road or any creature that makes itself known to us unexpectedly, the precious crystal that sits patiently on our daily altar – the world is alive with beauty and meaning, waiting only for our sacred attention to enliven the gift of its medicine. This upcoming Cancer Moon month is an opportune time to more consciously nurture ourselves by fostering these two-way heart conversations, wherever they may find us.
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