Amelia’s Blog

“Mercury is the god of mind, intellect, thought, voice and language. Our ability to manifest through language, both thought and uttered, is so central that we often take it for granted and spend time and energy seeking more power. Instead we need to learn to see the power with which we are already endowed, and which is constantly replenished as it flows through acts of attention.” Caroling W. Casey

It”s a good time to watch your words as Mercury, the trickster planet  is strong in the sky now – slowing down to station retrograde on July 7 at 4 degrees of Leo.

Often a few days before the station and the few days after can be similar to the retrograde period itself with delays and snafus with communications and equipment. It’s wise to make sure important info is backed up. We are in between eclipses – the upcoming one a Lunar Eclipse on the 16th at 24 Capricorn – making this time frame more likely to contain unexpected and surprising events.

The Sabian symbol for the Mercury station is,”Rock formations towering over a deep canyon.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

“We have this way of talking and we have another
Apart from what we wish and what we fear may happen,
We are alive with other life
As clear stones take form in the mountain.” Rumi

“Hope is believing in spite of the evidence, then watching the evidence change.” Jim Wallis

The New Moon Solar eclipse in Cancer is Tuesday, July 2 at 10 degrees of Cancer at 3:15 PM EDT. Cancer is the sign governing home and hearth and is associated with the desire for  protection and security.

This time bodes well for new intentions and endeavors  as the eclipse makes a favorable aspect to the North Node. This indicates issues relating to  life path and personal destiny are on the table. Eclipses represent evolutionary doorways and open up a new cycle in the area of life determined by where it falls in your astrology chart.

The sign of Cancer is also about nurturing – nurturing yourself and your aspirations as well as your aspirations for the healthy evolution of the planet. It is a good time to assess levels of self care and whether these need to be improved – care of the body, mind and spirit – on order to move in a direction of increased inner wholeness.

Venus will also enter the sign of Cancer on this week indicating  assistance and ease in attracting what you want into your life at this time.

It’s wise to factor in that Mars and Mercury will  both be in Leo at the time of the eclipse and while this can indicate increased courage in taking action it wise to avoid sudden or impulsive starts with Saturn conjunct the South Node and Mercury’s impending station retrograde.

Saturn’s link to the South Node is a caution to be mindful of  what you set in motion now and that you have planned carefully in order to avoid replaying mistakes from the past. It can slow any movement forward. Mercury will station retrograde on the 7th indicating delays and snags throughout the month. This is a long retrograde period  – through August 1. So, as Aesop wisely advised, “slow and steady wins the race.”

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is, ” A small girl bends over a sparkling pond trying to catch a fish.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

“You are not the oil, you are not the air- merely the point of combustion, the flash-point where the light is born.” Dag Hammarskjold

Didn’t I come to bring you a sense of wonder
Didn’t I come to lift your fiery vision bright
Didn’t I come to bring you a sense of wonder in the flame.” Van Morrison

The chart of the exact time of the  Summer Solstice is said to foreshadow the upcoming three months.  One of the notable components of this year’s chart is that Vesta , having recently entered the sign of Taurus, makes a conjunction to the planet Uranus.

Vesta is named for the Vestals or Vestal Virgins of ancient Rome. The Romans worshiped her as the keeper of home and hearth as well as  the keeper of the sacred flame- the fire that would not go out. The  name Vesta  is derived from ancient Sanskrit and means “shining.”

The Vestals were also the keepers of occult teachings known only to them. They were present at every important government function in ancient Rome. They were regarded  as important keepers of ethics and wisdom, without whom Rome would fall.

Vesta, now in the earthy sign of Taurus, is a reminder to keep the inner fires of inspiration burning bright in your every day life.

Vesta is also associated with inner wisdom and inner knowing. In combination with Uranus it bodes well to keep intuition and innovation in mind as you go about your daily tasks. It is a good time to commit to innovative change that promotes healing old and outdated systems and rebuilding or creating new more healthy and holistic models. This applies both personally and in the world.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”A bridge being built across a high narrow gorge.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

“We are stardust
We are golden
And we’ve got to get ourselves
Back to the garden.” Joni Mitchell 

Through early next week there is quite a bit of muse energy about as Venus, the goddess of love and beauty aspects Neptune the planet of dreams. Michelangelo has a Venus/Neptune aspect in his chart. It provides good timing for creativity, artistic work and spiritual growth. It is a romantic aspect.

The aspect is a square which indicates that overcoming something – perhaps related to an illusion of some kind- is indicated. This can be a very high flying aspect that can eventually result in disillusionment so keep your feet planted firmly on the ground when implementing ideas hatched under this influence.

Venus is also aspecting Jupiter and this can usher in a sense of hope, abundance and pleasure. Do keep moderation in mind now because there is a strong tendency towards overindulging. And blind spots are a strong possibility with Neptune’s recent station.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”Two people, at widely different point, are in conversation with each other by means of telepathy.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

“Strength must be redefined not as power- over,  but as power-with.” Matthew Fox

“If we cannot see wholeness in the world then we cannot take actions which are consistent with the wholeness which exists.” David Bohm

Mercury the planet of communication and travel will station retrograde on July 7 and the retrograde period will run through July 31 when it stations direct. A good use of the time before the 7th is to take care of things left undone such as car repairs or other things in need of fixing that have been pushed into the background.

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

” Optimism and a higher vibration are  key to working with the energies available at this full moon time. Creative thinking about how to restructure, reinvent, re-appropriate, recycle and adapt should be part of your focus during this time. Don’t look back unless in gratitude. Look forward, up and beyond limitations and get inspired with what could be instead of fretting about what isn’t.” Lena Stevens

When Alberto Villoldo, the medical anthropologist, was young he had a Cuban nanny. Each night, as he tells it, she would put some dried herbs in a metal pot. set them ablaze and call in the higher spirits. This Full Moon bodes well for this kind of invocation or for spending time in meditation or dream time.

They say the Full Moon is “three days coming and three days going” in influence.

At the time of the Full Moon, the Jupiter/Neptune square – exact three times this year  – is exact. This aspect is about the dreams and visions we have for our lives It’s wise periodically to be in touch with these aspirations in a broad sense and  save the pragmatics for a future time. It is a creative and spiritual aspect when implemented that way. But when not, this aspect can be prone to illusion –  culminating in disillusionment and disappointment.

Jupiter is close by the Full Moon – bringing a sense of expansion, optimism and luck at this time.  Do watch for overdoing –  the pull is strong for overdoing, overspending and overindulging in food and alcohol.

Mars, Mercury and the South Node continue to oppose the Pluto/Saturn/South Node conjunction. This is pointing to the breakdown or undermining  of many of the belief systems and institutions in society. It is akin to the nigredo phase in alchemy (the process of transformation) and it’s wise to remember it is a phase and eventually the phoenix will rise from the ashes. For this reason it is wise to keep your aspirations high for not only your own life, but for a healthy future for the planet.

I have a friend who reminds herself when in challenging situations, “Raise the vibration” and this is a good practice now with Mercury making a favorable aspect to Neptune. It’s a good time to channel higher energy to the earth through higher consciousness.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”A flag bearer in a battle.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

” Carl Jung developed a concept from his study of alchemy. In essence, he says that alchemy (major transformation) can occur when we are being called to hold the tension of a situation with all its opposing feelings and thoughts and not do anything—or make any decisions—until the Third Option or Way makes its appearance. We are called upon to wait.

The Third which emerges is a strong insight about the issue we’ve been holding which we didn’t have before. Jung often called this the Numinous Third because it comes from a place of deep knowing in our psyche that is not reached by rational thought alone.” Elizabeth Spring 

“We’ve got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today.” Marvin Gaye

The Sun is in Gemini now – one of the airy, cerebral  signs of duality. It bodes well to take time with decisions and be open to options or ideas that may not normally be in the mix.

This week there’s plenty of energy to harness to get things done. This is due to Mars moving into an opposition to the Pluto/Saturn/South Node conjunction.  Pluto in alignment with Mars is often seen in the charts of high powered and highly motivated professional athletes.  And Mars with Saturn can indicate a time of hard work. It bodes well to take charge of tasks  that need to be done and stay focused on them. A lot can be accomplished under this influence, given you are willing to work through obstacles along the way.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is.”A relay race.’

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

“Mercury has many aliases, one of which is Hermes, the Magician. Hermes presides over magic, education, culture and the connective language of correspondences in which the world is written. Hermes invented the alphabet and all means of communication. All alphabets were originally thought of as magically invocative. Not only words but letters were considered divine, each a simultaneous honoring and summoning of the force behind its symbol.” Caroline W. Casey

Mercury, the Magician and Roman god of many disguises is very much alive and among us now through the New Moon at 12 degrees of Gemini on Monday. In the Tarot deck Mercury is associated with the card of the Magician – the first card – associated with beginnings and how we create things. It is the card associated with single minded focus and concentration.

Mercury  in astrology is associated  with a bright, witty, curious, fast moving mind which needs to watch out for mental overload and becoming scattered and stressed. Do take more care with communications of all kinds now – especially impulsive speech and action.

At the time of the New Moon in Gemini, the Sun, Moon and Mercury will all be in this quicksilver sign – making today through the middle of next week – a good time  to provide for extra downtime for rest, rejuvenation and the integration of information.

It is wise at this time to keep  the Magician’s power of  focus and concentration in mind and to stay calmly in the present moment. The Jupiter Neptune square is active now forming a challenging aspect to the Sun and Moon. There can be a tendency for illusion and  upset due to fast moving communications.

New Moons bode well for setting and reaffirming intentions. Best to strengthen your resolve for your commitments. Venus is in a supportive aspect to Pluto, Saturn and the South Node indicating the wind is at your back for endeavors which involve transforming or improving self esteem, financial affairs and relationships with others. It is a good time to commit or recommit to that kind of process now.

Mercury is the messenger of all the gods and governs the wind and the  birds- who are often regarded as messengers themselves. Do make some time for a walk in the woods or a park or somewhere special to you and raise awareness of the wind and our feathered friends.

One of the Sabian symbols for the New Moon is,”Two people at widely different points, are in conversation with each other by means of telepathy.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

“Genuine commitment is a journey into the unknown.” Madonna Kolbenschlag

“The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” Goethe

This is a good week to think about commitments – and by that I mean commitments of all kinds – business, romantic, friendship family etc.  Juno in mythology was married to Jupiter who was renowned for his romantic liaisons. Juno kept her wedding vows but with resentment, jealousy and often acts of revenge. The one time Juno attempted to leave Jupiter, he fell ill and near death without her.

This story can illustrate the complex nature of commitments and how we are or aren’t attached to them. Juno is prominent in the sky this week boding well for thinking about the commitments we have made and would like to make for the future.

Neptune is making a favorable aspect to Juno this week indicating that there can be inspiring ideas about commitments but also the need to make sure that aspirations have solid footing  in order to avoid disillusioning experiences.It also bodes well with any new endeavors to make sure all the information is in.

Jupiter is squaring Neptune now and this can be a time of  dreams and which can make manifest desired goals in the future – again with the caveat that the plans are built on solid ground, with a non- wavering commitment and that avoidance or evasion is not part of the picture.

Juno has been making a favorable alignment to the North Node of destiny and life path  – both in the sign of Cancer. This will be exact on Thursday.  There can be significant events and significant people who come into our lives now and point the way to the future. It is a good time to think about your soul’s aspirations- where you are and where you want to be on your life path and raise awareness for signs and signals that point the way.

Saturn is transiting opposite Juno this week too. This too can bring in karmic people and events. It is also a reminder of the importance of the seriousness of commitment and the willingness to persevere and hold the light during challenging times. It can also be a reality check of some kind about where plans need to be shored up.

With Pluto and Saturn conjunct the South Node now there is the ability to look below the structure of the way plans and commitments have been made in the past. This can be done by looking to the origin of commitments and where you were emotionally, spiritually and intellectually.then  You may have outgrown certain needs that you looked to partnerships to fulfill or may have felt you needed a certain kind of attachment that is no longer necessary.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”A master instructing his disciple.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill