June 2010: Preparing for Change

une is a month of preparation as the world moves into the “Great Cardinal Crisis” during the month of July 2010. For those of you who are not astrologers, the cardinal energy is considered the spark of new beginnings which are entering now only the material plane but also the planetary plane. This energy represents the importance of learning about you and your relationship to the world. The cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn.

Aries represents the need to understand your physical vitality while learning to experience life through your own perspective. In the positive, the Aries energy can create enough excitement that you are willing to take risks and try new things. In the negative, the Aries energy can represent a conceited ego that believes only his or her new experiences are the valid ones.

Cancer represents the need to learn how to create security in your life through developing a foundation based on family and trust. In the positive, the Cancer energy flows into a nurturing rhythm that encompasses all as part of a larger family. In the negative, the Cancer energy indicates a desire to encapsulate one’s life only around close relations and negate the importance of other people.

Libra represents the importance of relationships, especially legal relationships such as marriage. In the positive, you learn how to make commitments to other people without losing your identity. In the negative, you give so much of yourself to the relationship that you lose the very essence of your being.

The final cardinal sign is Capricorn. Capricorn is your place in the world. It shows the type of prestige you seek. It also indicates the path you believe you need to take in order to succeed in the world. In the positive, Capricorn indicates the success you can achieve because you believe in the order of society. In the negative, Capricorn indicates the need to maintain the status quo of past institutions because you fear change.

If you are born during the start of any of these cardinal signs, you’ll feel the energies expressed in June and July 2010 more than the average person. However, everyone will feel that shift is coming, change is occurring, and there is little one can do. The more you try to hold on to the past, the more the past will force you to realize that you much make changes.

All of this seems appropriate as the month starts with Mars forming an opposition to Neptune retrograde and Chiron in Pisces turning retrograde on June 4th. It will not be easy to start any new projects right now. Either you don’t have all the facts or you don’t have the physical energy. It is a low energy day in general. Instead, you’re better off resting and trying to prepare for the higher level of energy which is on its way.

On June 6th, Jupiter enters Aries. Because of the orbit of Jupiter, it travels faster in Pisces and Aries (as well as Virgo and Libra) than in the other signs. During the year 2009, Jupiter was in Aquarius. It entered the sign of Pisces in January 2010. Now, only five months later it is already in the sign of Aries. It will be in Aries until September 9, 2010 when it retrogrades back to Pisces. It will re-enter Aries from January 22, 2011 to June 4, 2011. The Jupiter cycle is a 12-year cycle.

In your natal chart, Jupiter represents where you need to expand your horizons beyond those which others, especially your parents, thought were appropriate for you. Jupiter also represents where you need to seek your own spiritual path in order to incorporate spirit in your life. Jupiter, in mythology, is the God of the Skies. This is the image: That you need to reach as high as you can if you want to achieve something.

On the other hand, Jupiter can represent hubris: Thinking that you can achieve anything to the point that you miss your mark and injure yourself. You jump too high and when you land there is no safety net. Or, like Icarus, you fly so close to the Sun that your wings melt and you plummet to the ground.

When Jupiter is in Aries, there is a tendency to believe that the programs you want to champion are the only right programs. Aries wants to be first and Jupiter wants to push the boundaries. President Ronald Reagan introduced his supply-side economics in 1981 because he believed that the United States was experiencing “the most serious set of economic problems since 1930s.” Yet, by 1987, the United States reached its first trillion dollar budget. There is a tendency right now in the United States to try and resurrect the feelings experienced during the Presidency of Ronald Reagan. Even though his economic program didn’t work, he still left a large majority of the US population filled with optimism. There is a danger that the budget deficit could continue to increase. President Reagan was against taxes. Now there is a cry for reduction in taxes. There is this sense that politicians just need to determine their cause and rush off without regard to what the price of that cause really will be. You need to be careful not to get so swept up in “the cause” that you don’t consider the long-term costs associated with those causes.

The banking industry was another cause when Andrew Jackson was President in 1833. He vetoed the charter of the Second Bank of the United States because he believed that US dollars were in the hands of foreign investors, particularly British investors. He stopped placing federal deposits with the Second Bank of the United States and instead placed them in various state banks. His cause, as he stated in his address to Congress was a “purely American bank.” Unfortunately, the state banks were not regulated on a federal level and soon economic problems ensued. Again, this is another indication where a leader rushed off because of his cause and didn’t consider all the consequences. There is a danger that any banking changes made during this time period may actually be reactions creating worse systems than “enactions” creating better systems.

As this article is being written, the oil crisis off the shore of Louisiana still continues. Yet, this has not seemed to deter those individuals who believe in drilling for off shore oil. When Jupiter was in Aries in 1975, the construction of the Alaskan pipeline began. In 1953, Britain granted licenses to drill for oil and gas. Historically there is a tendency for countries to try to become self-sufficient and look for various oil reserves on their own land. Therefore, the push to continue drilling for oil will continue.

So today, you may feel that you need to rush into things and take care of them quickly before anything happens. On the other hand, you may feel pressure from other people to rush into situations before you have all the facts. While taking charge of your life is important, don’t forget to consider all the various consequences of your actions.

On June 7, 2010, Mars enters the sign of Virgo and immediately forms a trine to Ceres retrograde (just before Ceres re-enters Sagittarius), and quincunxes to both Jupiter and Uranus. Mars in Virgo represents the need to take care of daily routine. There’s a tendency to feel overworked and never quite satisfied. With Mars making aspects to so many different planets after it enters the sign of Virgo there are many adjustments that you need to make in your daily routine. Not everything is working like it once did. You may feel frustrated because things you normally do just aren’t working out. Or, you may feel frustrated because you’re willing to make some changes but you’re not quite sure how to implement those changes. The key is to move slowly, let yourself make some mistakes during the learning process, and eventually let the answers surface from your subconscious mind.

Since both Jupiter and Uranus are in the early degrees of Aries, it doesn’t take long for them to form a conjunction. This conjunction occurs on June 8th. This is a new cycle which occurs approximately every 14 years and often in a series of three. In this case, the conjunction will occur again on September 19, 2010 and January 4, 2011.

Jupiter represents the desire to push boundaries while Uranus represents the desire to express your individuality. Things seem erratic in your life. At the same time, it’s important to realize that both planets are social planets. This indicates that it’s more important for you to reach out and work with others in your life. This is not a time to try and do things alone. If people are not responding to you, perhaps it’s because those are the wrong people.

You do need to watch out in one area of the world. Weather patterns are very erratic around the dates these cycles occur. Tides tend to overflow and more rain occurs. This could create some problems with crops.

It’s interesting to note that fears of armed conflict tend to increase during this cycle. Yet, nations actually try to work together and resolve their difficulties. So, while this could be a tense time period, more individuals are willing to step back and do something positive about the tensions.

Mercury forms a trine to Saturn while Mars forms an opposition to Chiron retrograde later in the day. You’ll be able to smooth out problems with other people. When you discuss matters of importance, others will listen. If others aren’t willing to smooth over old pains and problems, perhaps it’s because holding on seems easier to them. If that’s the case, you have to ask yourself: Is it worth having this person in my life?

Communications is very confusing on June 9th when Mercury forms a square to Neptune retrograde and a quincunx to Ceres retrograde. Do not try and negotiate anything at this time. People will either deceive you or withhold critical information. Today is a day where people really want to hold on to their opinions and are unwilling to listen to other points of view.

When Mercury enters Gemini on June 10th, it immediately forms a sextile to Uranus and Jupiter as well as a square to Chiron retrograde. Again this can be a day of healing. Unlike the previous day, other people are willing to listen to your point of view. They are willing to share their concerns and find solutions to problems. Just stick with the facts and don’t try to justify your concepts. Good concepts will be listened to.

The new Moon (with both Sun and Moon in Gemini) which occurs on June 12th is in many ways a “quiet” new Moon. With all the cardinal energy floating around, this new Moon represents the need for you to communicate with others so that you understand what’s going on. It also represents the need to meditate and find quiet time where thoughts can just surface up from your subconscious mind. Since Venus is also forming a sextile to Saturn, you may want to think about your investments, especially those dealing with your retirement. Since Mercury is forming a quincunx to Pluto retrograde, you may want to determine if some of your actions are really being motivated by other people and not actions you would usually take.

Be very careful with finances on June 13th when Venus forms a quincunx to Neptune as well as a quincunx to Ceres. This is definitely not a good day for any negotiations which involve financial matters. Whoever instigates the negotiations will be the loser. This is also not a good day for the stock market, especially as it relates to oil and the energy industries.

Things definitely seem better on June 14th after Venus enters Leo and forms a trine to Uranus and a quincunx to Chiron. If you tried to make any business investments the previous day, you’ll see how they really didn’t work out. However, if you try to straighten out your finances today and tomorrow (June 15th when Venus forms a trine to Jupiter and Mars forms a trine to Pluto retrograde), you’ll do much better. On June 15th, you’ll really understand how important it is to make decisions based on your values. You may even run into an old acquaintance that meant a lot to you in the past.

Be cautious again with your financial situation on June 17th when Venus forms a quincunx to Pluto retrograde. Some sort of scandal in the financial market will be revealed around this time period and the stock market will react erratically.

The next several days will be quiet until June 21st, the day of the Summer Solstice in the western hemisphere. This represents the second quarter of the astrological year. During this next quarter, leadership will experience frustration because their actions are being questioned. If you are in a leadership position, it’s important to understand that people aren’t going to take you at your word. They want to see actions rather than hear conversations and promises. You also need to be very careful with your finances. The economy still isn’t recovering the way economists expected. Banks are still withholding loans from small businesses and average consumers.

Being optimistic is important, but being realistic is more important. During this quarter you may feel like you’re out of control. So, it’s important to see where you can control your life. While you may want to push the boundaries on your existence, only do it if you can live with the consequences, whatever they are.

If you feel it’s difficult to connect emotionally at this time, it’s because other people are also feeling disconnected. The Moon at the time of the Summer Solstice is void-of-course. This means that the Moon does not make an aspect to another planet. In a mundane chart, the Moon represents the masses (the public). In a personal chart, the Moon represents your emotional security. When it’s void-of-course it means that you are out of touch with your emotions. And, in the mundane interpretation of this summer solstice chart, it means that the public doesn’t really understand, from an emotional point of view, what all the changes that are occurring really mean. Worse, it can represent that politicians really don’t care what the public needs. Instead, they are more concerned about their private agendas than serving the people.

June 23rd and June 24th are going to be days where you feel a little out of sorts. Be careful on June 23rd because Mercury forms an opposition to Ceres and this can indicate accidents, especially dealing with old infrastructures. On June 24th, Mercury forms a square to Saturn before it trines Neptune retrograde. Communications can be very confusing. People seem to be talking at cross purposes. Spend this day in meditation rather than negotiations. Through being quiet, answers will start surfacing.

When Mercury enters Cancer on June 25th, it quickly forms a square to Uranus as well as a trine to Chiron retrograde. If you spent the previous day in quiet reflection, you’ll have moments of clarity. The answers are there for you to see. If you didn’t spend the previous day meditating, you’ll feel as if things are “niggling” in your mind. Basically, answers are trying to surface. This is especially important since the first lunar eclipse of the year occurs on June 26th.

This partial lunar eclipse is very critical and sets the tone for the rest of June and the month of July 2010. The Moon in Capricorn forms a conjunction to Pluto retrograde. The Sun in Cancer forms an opposition to Pluto retrograde. It will be visible from the Americas, the Pacific, and eastern Asia. The reason that this eclipse is so important is because it indicates the emotional energies you’ll feel during the “Great Cardinal Crisis” which occurs next month. Pay attention to your emotions today. Pay attention to what you hear in the news. While some of the facts may be skewed, you’ll still receive enough information to see where changes need to occur over the next year. This eclipse also has a direct hit on the chart of the United States no matter which chart you use. It deals with the financial situation, not only of the United States, but also the world. Economically things will still not look good and you need to be prepared for that.

On June 26th, Mercury forms a square to Jupiter indicating that news is coming in very quickly. Try not to feel overwhelmed by everything that you hear. If you need to pull back in order to absorb all the information, do so. Also, this is not a good day to start any legal or military actions. Whoever begins those actions will lose.

Mercury continues to indicate that news is coming in quickly on June 27th when it forms an opposition to Pluto retrograde. In addition, Saturn forms a quincunx to Neptune retrograde on the same day. This month is one of preparing for changes and today you’ll see where some of those changes need to occur.

As the month ends, Mercury forms a conjunction to the Moon’s South Node on June 30th. It’s very important for you to review past events in order to understand how to proceed forward with changes in your life. You may want to contact people from your past who were important to you. You may want to discuss matters with your family that relate to making changes in your life.

Remember, this is the month of preparing for changes which will occur in the month of July 2010. This shift is coming. Holding on to the past will be more difficult than ever before. So, use your knowledge of the past to improve your hopes for the future.