If your head was buzzing last night too full to sleep, the energy was coming from an early morning Sun sextile Mars.  This is good news if you live in a part of the world where you might have needed the energy for daytime activities, but in the UK the energy would have been used up in psychic processing.  However, this may be the launchpad for a good early morning start, burning up energy and calories on go-ahead projects.  It is a good start to an important day, and a good week for laying new foundations.  Buzzing our way through the day, the next aspect encountered is Mercury trine Jupiter, which is perfect for business, selling, car boot sales and craft fairs.  Perhaps, as previously advised, you have been setting out your stall for the past week.  The day’s transactions may have more importance than you thought, and the details are crucial.  How you place Aunt Maud’s jewellery could be vital in terms of who buys it when.  The day’s events are likely to unfold in a way that reveals its planning on a higher level.  Each step has to happen for the next step to be enabled.  The event of the day towards which we are working is the Solar Eclipse early evening (in the UK), one of those cosmic turning points.  It is a New Moon and as such your intentions are part of the mix of outcomes, but it is also one of those days which when you look back you will say “I could see it coming”, as you watch events unfold.  Depending on where the eclipse falls in your chart, you may find a new identity (if in the first house) or a new benchmark for a relationship (in the seventh house).  The New Moon Eclipse can bring big changes, and let us hope they are in the direction we desire.  Castor*, one of the Gemini twins, is aligned with our Sun today, and that represents the  use of the left hemisphere of the brain.  Although the New Moon falls in the gentle female sign of Cancer and emphasizes motherhood, there is an emphasis on the male side of life with Castor, Mercury trine Jupiter, and Sun sextile Mars.  Football fans and pundits all over the globe are gearing up for the final of the football World Cup today, between Spain and Holland (and refereed by Englishman Howard Webb).  Spain has Saturn trine its natal Sun, Uranus trine its natal Neptune;  Holland has Jupiter trine its natal Sun, Jupiter trine its natal Venus – aspects which brought them to the final.  Holland may have the joy at the end of the day, but Spain might have an enduring legacy, and I have little success in the field of sports prediction (but am still trying).  Howard Webb’s chart shows excellent footballing credentials: Moon conjunct Chiron in the football sign of Aries, and the karmic mission of a warrior (North Node conjunct Mars).  So he is capable of being partial, but what of the impartiality of being a referee?  He has Uranus in Libra (unpredictable in diplomacy) and square to Venus the planet of fairness…um not ideal.  Like Spain Uranus is trine his Neptune (which is at 0 degrees Sagittarius exactly conjunct Spain’s Neptune).  He may therefore have an unconscious bias towards Spain, which may be a past life thing, although it may not necessarily count against Holland.  Moving on, Venus trines Pluto on Tuesday (13^th) and if you emerged victorious from today you may be able to build on your success that day.  Tuesday favours making challenging emotional decisions, which may or may not be linked with the events of the eclipse, but may well bring lasting changes.  Wednesday (14^th) belongs to the other Gemini twin Pollux, and the other hemisphere of the brain, the intuitive right brain.  “Starlight Elixirs” explains: “Thought is manifested  on multiple-dimensional levels and then transmitted through receiving mechanisms to the physical form, and then manifests as electrical activity.  Because of this, the intuitive energies that connect to subtler realms have components that are lost in the translation process.  These lost components are still available, since thought in its true essence and form does not have the same constraints on time that three-dimensional processes, including electrical activity in the brain, must adhere to.  As a result, these thoughts that have not been fully received are able to remain accessible to the individual.  There is no time limit on this.  These thoughts don’t just fade away over time, but can become available as the person attunes to them.”  So if you have had some memory loss recently, there is a chance to recoup on Wednesday.  Last of the Fixed Stars to be helping us this week is Procyon (Canis Minor) on Saturday (17^th).  The emphasis with Procyon, as with the other two, is also about mental functioning.  Procyon seems to work with both concentration and left-brain processes and the intuitive side of the brain, and so can bring both together.  It works well with our Sun apparently.  To continue unashamedly quoting: “This connection is at a subtle vibrational level in which the Sun says: ‘I love you, I care for you, I share with you your life and your light’ “.  So to sum up the week, a huge step can be made to put your life on a new footing.

*Interpretations from “Starlight Elixirs” by Michael Smulkis and Fred Rubenfeld

with a little help from my friends

Cancerian Cheryl Cole has been in the news this week, having been diagnosed with Malaria.  She has had an intense public life.  She was the first girl picked for the girl band “Girls Aloud” (with North Node, Mercury, Mars and Sun in the 11th House of girl bands) for her showbiz quality (Venus rising in Leo).  We then wondered if she was a bit mouthy (Mercury conjunct Mars) when she was accused of attacking someone in a public lavatory.  She then became a WAG (a term she is not keen on) when she married Ashley Cole the footballer in July 2006.  From there she became the “nation’s new sweetheart” for her glamorous role on the X-Factor (another feature of Venus rising in Leo).  Now she has very unfortunately contracted Malaria, as Uranus in her 8th House (sudden shock to her life force) squares her Mars (a disease of the blood), curtailing (Uranus) her activities (Mars).  We only hope that her suffering will be minimal and that more research will be done into this disease ~ Lana

Meanwhile a homeopathic perspective from our resident homeopath Sarah Berry:

Many assume that malaria is untreatable, but it can be treatable with homeopathy.  It seems sad that Cheryl, despite receiving ‘allopathic’ prevention, has succumbed to Malaria.  Perhaps homeopathic intervention, with no risk of side effects, could have been, at least as and dare I say, more effective.  At the very least homeopathic remedies will address the whole person, on all levels, and help in so many  more ways.  I just came across a diary entry of mine from February 2009.  I was attending a homeopathy college, fending off disapproval from medically trained relatives, and I was accused of ‘supporting dangerous placebo versus tried and trusted medicine.’  The placebo argument is just not relevant.  Homeopathic remedies cost pennies and they work.  All practitioners have plenty of case histories to prove this but strangely antagonists are reluctant to consider this evidence.  Another misunderstanding I have several times recently come across is that Hahnemann ‘invented’ homeopathy.  Remedies occur naturally and are to be discovered, never invented.  I wish Cheryl a speedy recovery, whichever route she uses.    saraheberry@aol.com

And a fascinating voice analysis from our voice expert Felicity Cook:

Cheryl comes across as very confidant but I hear something in her vocal quality (spoken) which suggest to me she is a softie at heart and perhaps a good deal of sadness which she manages to cover up, on screen. Her heart is open but hurt and I would say that although there is clearly some spiritual connection coming through, her grief is causing the 6th chakra to be fixed and rigid. If she could link her open heart to her slightly unbalanced solar plexus (3rd) and brow chakras (6th) she would be a true spokeswoman for truth.  Being vulnerable from the slings and arrows of love’s ungrateful fortunes (sadness in the front of the heart chakra), she would have left herself unguarded for the attack from the outside into her life blood hence the Malaria.

If you are interested in having a voice analysis, please contact Felicity Cook at her website www.thevoicedbodymind.com

It is men’s finals day at Wimbledon, and my favourite shot of the week was the tender expression of Rafael Nadal when he beat Andy Murray in the semi-finals and gave him a hug.  He has Venus (affection) in Cancer (maternal), and that showed.  It is now time to turn our attention to the point in our birthchart of 0 degrees Aries.  This is a point of great vitality, and this year it is being stimulated to an unusual degree.  Tomorrow Uranus the planet of revolution revolves.  It will be stationary preparing to go retrograde, and recent revolutionary moves in your life will temporarily be suspended, and starting to turn over old ground.  The government is going through the motions of undoing various statutes from the previous government in order to implement their new policies.  If you are hazy about the 0 degree Aries point in your chart, it has already experienced the entry of Uranus (28^th May), the entry of Jupiter (6^th June) and the conjunction of the two planets (8^th June).  If you study the events in your life from those periods, you may gain some understanding of how this point is currently being used as a springboard in your life.  Venus opposes Neptune on Thursday (8^th).  This can bring confusion in relationship: you might suddenly wonder who someone is; and confusion in the art world: there may be a mystery over who was the artist of a particular work, or who is the perpetrator of an art theft.  So two questions of the day might be “Who are you?” and “But is it Art?”  A day of tantalizing mystery, and half-answered questions.  Friday (9^th) is an opportunity to exercise the mind, with an emphasis on Mercury.  We are working towards an eclipsed New Moon next Sunday, and useful work done now may pay dividends in getting your act together, and painting a cohesive picture for the New Moon in Cancer.  You are laying out the elements, assembling the pieces you need for this event, which could be a turning point.  It is not an art exhibition, but it is an emotional exposition.  You may be needing to explain your feelings, for instance, in an effective and efficient way.  Mercury sextile Saturn early on Friday (UK time) enables you to set out your stall, apply your mind, do your paperwork, connect your thoughts and ideas with practical methods.  At this time Mercury is at the very end of the sign of Cancer, and able to encompass the feelings: put your feelings on paper.  Mercury then enters Leo, so the practical phase has been dealt with and the focus next is how to display your material.  If for instance you are preparing for a craft fair, the creativity will start to flow.  Best aspect of the week is Friday evening (in the U.K.) when Mercury trines Uranus.  Brainstorming will bring up a cornucopia of ideas.  On Saturday, Venus enters Virgo and discrimination and good taste become acute, food tastes, fashion tastes, standards in friendship, colour sense, etc.  Your senses may be heightened.  You may find yourself walking a very fine path in choosing materials or in relationship negotiations, for Venus opposes Chiron and quincunxes Uranus, so there will be relationship crises, and egos may need to be massaged.  The right people need to be in place at the right time for the eclipse on Sunday, which is backed by a sextile and a trine, giving it an extra sense of purpose.  Whether you are a pawn in the game, a bit player, a choreographer, a scriptwriter, architect or director, you will have a sense that you are meant to be where you are and hopefully also know the reason why.

How was the Grand Cross for you yesterday?  I heard reports back from several people flattened on Chaises Longues, tiredness being an undeniable feature of the experience.  Hopefully, today can be a kind of rebirth, and certainly there will be mental challenges today with Mercury opposite Pluto, the results of which may bring a mental reorientation.  You may need to look at where other people’s rules, constructs and constricts are limiting your own beliefs, and keeping you held through fear.  Tomorrow (Monday 28) Sun is conjunct Mercury, so that can bring about a mental rebirth, favouring focus and travel.  Wednesday (30^th) brings a conjunction between the South Node and Mercury in Cancer, when the focus can profitably settle on the past (in this lifetime or previous ones) and insight may come forth in connection with family ties and soul groups.  Mental shifts are supported by the Sun’s alignment to the Fixed Star Alhena in Gemini: *“This star appears to offer individuals the ability to rapidly change modes of thought and to shift context.  This will give them the ability to see things in a whole new way and to utilize the information from a new perspective or to change their minds in a way that is appropriate for their own development.”  On Thursday July 1^st Mercury sextiles Mars, promoting quick thinking and intelligent action – a good day to get things done, and a good day to act on any new ways of thinking which emerged earlier in the week.  Wimbledon matches could be super-efficient.  The Ladies Finals are scheduled for Saturday 3^rd July, coinciding with a conjunction between the Sun and the South Node in Cancer.  The outcome could be karmic!  The aspects look more favourable towards Venus than Serena Williams, contrary to seeding positions, but maybe Serena has the strength to defy astrological odds or the instinct to work with them.  (See  my earlier blog ruminations on Wimbledon).  For life outside Wimbledon, quoting myself from last week regarding the Sun/South Node connection, we are individually and collectively “coming to terms with karmic issues from the connection with the Sun this week, not in the sense of retribution but of looking at causes and what you contributed and why,  so that you can move on.”

*Interpretations from “Starlight Elixirs” by Michael Smulkis and Fred Rubenfeld

As I observed in my radio show with Kim Gould in March (link on my Past Lives page), tennis seems to have come in 3 clear phases astrologically.  The first was before the mid-70s, when the Sun Signs of top players tended to be Cancerian or Libra, both genteel signs responsive to the ebb and flow of the art.  The second phase came in the mid-70s with the advent of the power serve, when the Fire signs were more in evidence; speed, muscle, brawn and athleticism to the fore. Nowadays there is an accentuation of Mercury-ruled signs Virgo and Gemini in the charts of top players, showing that they have added to the responsiveness of the first phase and the athleticism of the second phase, and learned to use the mind and cerebral faculties on top of this.  The amazing longest match took place last week between Isner and Mahut, Isner the enduring Taurean just about winning, due no doubt to his strong serve (Mars conjunct Chiron in Gemini, possibly).  This could have been a pre-birth contract set up, as  Mahut’s Mars (energy) is exactly trine Isner’s Jupiter (enthusiasm and triumph) – sort of pre-birth match-fixing (no karmic repercussions).  At the inception of the match, the Ascendant was on Isner’s Saturn, so this was a test of his endurance which he, just about, passed.  Andy Murray could make it to the final next Sunday, when Venus will be trine his Moon, and Mars on his Ascendant, which will bring out all his fighting spirit.  However, Mercury square his Jupiter could bring unforced errors,  and the Ascendant square Neptune may bring unrealistic hopes surrounding him.  Rafael Nadal has Mercury trine his Jupiter (accuracy) and Mars sextile his Venus (vitality and watchability) but I don’t think these aspects are strong enough for the title.  With the Sun conjunct the South Node, it will be Nodal, not Nadal (couldn’t resist it, sorry).   The finals will be more than usually karmic in outcome under this aspect.  Predictably (?) Federer has good aspects: Mercury sextile his Venus, and Venus trine his Neptune and sextile his Pluto, so he will be in the flow, and could well add to his records.  Andy Roddick could be overwhelmed with Jupiter opposite his Mercury, but Uranus trine his Uranus could give him lucky breaks and some intuitive shots.  Of the top two Williams sisters, surprisingly Venus has the better set of aspects.  Stacked against Serena are Pluto square to her Sun,  Mercury square her Jupiter,  Sun square her Saturn,  North node square her Saturn.  Her game slid a little bit this week (her words).  Can she overcome all odds?  (Probably).    She will be meeting Maria Sharapova in the next round, who has Sun and North Node square her Jupiter – perhaps next year may be better for Sharapova with Jupiter transiting all her Aries planets. Venus Williams (aptly named with Sun conjunct Venus natally) has Pluto trine her Jupiter  (power and luck) – this could be her year.  Another player who may do better next year is Jelena Jankovic, who has Venus/Mars exactly conjunct in Aries . This year Mercury trines her Mercury which is good for focus, but Neptune squares her Saturn , and Jupiter squares her Neptune, neither of which are easy.  I am not a betting sort, but if I were to twist my arm I would go for Venus Williams and Roger Federer as 2010 champions.

Apologies to those who like their blogs freshly laid on a Sunday morning.  I am writing this two days in advance as I will be away for a short break.   Some of you may be surprised at the moment to be feeling exhaustion as a result of the demands of the Jupiter-Uranus buzz.  If you are, try to restrict your activities to things you want to do, and cut out activities that drain you.  I hope you benefitted from the superb aspects early last week.  On the Venus trine Jupiter-Uranus last week, I had the good fortune to win an ebook of Chironic poetry , Poems to Heal the Healer: The 12 Chiron Signs by Joyce Mason on her website http://radicalvirgo.blogspot.com/ Joyce had asked for a name for a new species of human, and  I can reveal  that the next stage of human will be Homo Astrolopithecus.  I know many of you out there love to explore the healing dimensions of Chiron and poetry, and can recommend this book as a creation of beauty and inspiration.  There’s something happening every day next week!  Sunday (20^th) brings a spiritual tone to Father’s Day with a trine between Neptune and the Sun.  This may bring up a theme of the “absent father” which concentrates on the spiritual link between you.  There is a link between your father and the sea, so a good book title for the day is “The Old Man and the Sea” by Ernest Hemingway (or better still, the film).  On Monday (21^st) the Sun enters the sign of Cancer, ushering in the Summer Solstice, and conversely bringing a link with the sea and the mother, which may be archetypal or symbolic if you can’t actually take your mum to the seaside.  A minor step forward may occur in the oil situation in the Gulf of Mexico, but the situation will still be in the forefront of our minds while Saturn is quincunx with Neptune.  There is a square between the Sun and Uranus on Tuesday (22^nd) which adds an element of surprise to your seaside break with your parents.  This is followed by a square between the Sun and Jupiter on Wednesday (23^rd) so any surprises from the day before can be seen as silver linings.  The first half of the week’s activity is all based around the Sun, so Leos will be prominent this week, and possibly calling the shots.  The second half of the week sees much activity around the planet Mercury, highlighting the activities of Geminis and Virgos.  Thursday 24^th brings a square between Mercury and Saturn, which may be tedious for travelling (e.g. the threatened tube strike in London for that day) and for having to catch up with the detail of paperwork and documentation.  It’s just something that has to be done.  If you are still fatigued, do the paperwork then resume your position on your chaise longue.  This will be an advantageous position from which to enjoy the ensuing trine between Mercury and Neptune later the same day, which favours bringing dreams and inspiration into the conscious mind, and writing poetry.    For those who have advanced beyond the stage of the chaise longue, a spot of dancing may be enjoyed.  The Sun also aligns with the star Tejat in Gemini which “can gently and easily increase the ability to bring spiritual ideas into clear and expressible form as mental concepts and direct ideas to be shared with others”* This reinforces the action of Mercury trine Neptune.  On Friday (25^th) Mercury enters Cancer, presenting a united front with the Sun, increasing focus in some ways, but then Mercury squares Uranus which could produce mental overwhelm.  Added to this the same day Pluto opposes the Sun, and that is emotional and psychological overwhelm.  Keep up your meditational practice…The tension is building to the Full Moon the next day.  A more lighthearted square between Mercury and Jupiter on Saturday (26^th) may help us to see things philosophically, and someone may refreshingly play the Joker (there’s always one).  Shortly after is the eclipsed Full Moon in Capricorn, whose purpose is to help us to effect a turning point in emotional and social structures.  In the news, there may be an emphasis on Institutions which provide social services, and questions and answers as to how they may be improved and what changes need to be made.  It will be a busy week, so if you are a bit tired already, you need to have a chaise longue ready in between aspects.

*Interpretations from “Starlight Elixirs” by Michael Smulkis and Fred Rubenfeld

There is an emphasis on the constellation Orion this week, and particularly today.  Earth civilization has had a close relationship with Orion, and it is one of the most identifiable constellations in the sky.  Spiritually, there are both positive and negative forces involved with Orion, and therefore it is a good week to be aware of negative forces, and how they come into your life, and what part your own shadow plays.  But also then to balance that and take advantage of the higher spiritual energies available.  Today the Sun is aligned with the other two stars from Orion’s belt (continuing along from last week) and they are  Alnitak and Alnilam.  Alnitak is the left hand star of Orion’s belt, and our Sun’s current alignment with that star can increase telepathy*.  Alnilam enables us to work with the issue responsibility, an issue that we all have a relationship with in past lifetimes if not in this lifetime.  Mintaka, another star from Orion, also features today, and this star teaches about balancing aggression.  And the Great Orion Nebula (M42) draws threads of your life together today: “Meditating on this nebula or using the elixir will increase one’s ability to incorporate change and to extract from various thought forms, even negative thought forms, certain aspects that one may find valuable and useful.”  If experiences from the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction last week have left a lot to digest, you can combine them or take an overview, with the help of this star.  Some people work well with crystals in connection with Orion.  Tomorrow Venus enters Leo, and a domestic vibe from the Venus sojourn through Cancer, gives way to a more showy mood, more expression, life and colour coming into our lives.  Some of us have been reluctant to get out their summer colours, wardrobe-wise, and this will be enough to bring them out.   Later in the day Venus trines Uranus, and a socializing, party mood takes over, and inhibitions are thrown off.  A real buck’s fizz moment.  The party season continues on Tuesday (15^th) with Venus trine Jupiter, and the vibration graduates to celebration, not just any old party but something really special and meaningful in your life.  A romantic high is possible, too, for those who are seeking.  It is one of those days when everyone’s a winner (except in the World Cup), for Mars trines Pluto too.  The aggressive side of Orion can be balanced, and channelled constructively.  Footballers can give it their all, and the outcome may be a stalemate but it will have been a good competition.  There is an alignment with the star Alhecka in Taurus that day, which favours self-forgiveness.  The Venus-Jupiter trine brings social harmony, and the Mars-Pluto trine brings psychic harmony and balancing, and expressive forces in co-operation.  On Thursday (17^th) another Orion star is highlighted, Saiph, and your perception of time may be altered.  Friday 18^th brings an alignment with the Pole Star, Polaris, so you may feel you are aligning in some way with your life path.  The approach and books of Martha Beck “Steering by Starlight” and “Finding your North Star” may be relevant to you at this time.  Do take stock of your alignment, physical, mental and emotional, on that day, for the next day (Saturday 19^th) brings a square between Sun and Saturn, and that may bring another cycle or re-alignment which is started by some awkwardness or dislocation.  Balance is always temporary until the next learning.  Another connection with another star in Orion also takes place on Saturday, and that is with the well-known star Betelgeuse (“Beetlejuice”).  Sun square Saturn can bring up our fears to be looked at, and Betelgeuse can play a part in healing: “Fears are lessened and insight into the source of the fear is strengthened.  An awareness of the purpose of such fears in one’s own life path is enhanced” says the book “Starlight Elixirs”.  Often, especially when we look into the hidden past-life fears we have, the source of fear is not what we thought it was.

*Interpretations from “Starlight Elixirs” by Michael Smulkis and Fred Rubenfeld

Since Uranus moved into Aries you may have noticed signs of change and movement in various ways.  A couple of trends I noticed last week were a lot of troupes (Uranus) acting as One (Aries) on Britain’s Got Talent, and two members of my circle changing (Uranus) their identities (Ascendants).  I mustn’t labour any points today because there are many aspects to get through, including the whopper Jupiter conjunct Uranus.  Today Jupiter jumps into Aries, a fire sign with whom Jupiter has a natural affinity.  It is a good day, and year (Jupiter stays a year in a sign, roughly), for expressing the fire of the human spirit.  Aries is great ground for giving birth to new ideas and feeling your enthusiasm, but there is a danger of riding roughshod over other’s sensibilities.  So feel the enthusiasm, and don’t do it anyway…look around to see what others are feeling and thinking.  Mars enters Virgo tomorrow, so there will be an opportunity to explore how your energies and enthusiasms translate into service of some kind.  Some of you may have experienced being overstretched or actual burn-out while Mars was in a long stay of Leo.  Tomorrow can be an opportunity to quietly take stock of your energies, and see how they are best used.  Economy is the watchword, for Virgo does not waste anything, including energy. Tuesday (8^th) is the big day, for the likely lads Jupiter and Uranus are conjunct in Aries.  Time for the new ideas,  re-inventions and enterprise.  Jupiter and Uranus have a natural affinity, being adventurous and freedom-loving.  They can express themselves fairly uninhibitedly in Aries, but the sign increases their selfishness.  Dynamic shifts can happen in the house area this conjunction occupies in your natal chart, but there may also be disruption.  If there is a long-held cherished dream, you may get the green light.  But also be on-guard for the unexpected.  You could be walking along a particular highway, and Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda may whizz past…It may be the time to seize a dream, for it is the best thing to happen this year in terms of aspects.  However, it does link in with the Cardinal Climax, so you can’t separate what you are doing from the general problems occurring in the world.  If your pet project is along the lines of re-building from the rubble of ruined economies or environments, it is more likely to get the universal blessing, for instance.  Your individual personal growth is important though, and that too may be honoured.  Human potential is definitely a province of Jupiter-Uranus in Aries.  Coming as it does at the very beginning of the astrological wheel, the 0 degree Aries point, it is a very physical manifestation, so don’t be surprised if there is a very concrete and symbolic event in your life on that day.  Perhaps supplies of concrete may reach Gaza, for instance.  Mercury trines Saturn also on Tuesday, which is another concrete, and additionally practical aspect, especially for planning.  Mars also opposes Chiron, which may bring back some of the paranoias of last week’s Mars opposite Neptune…Derrick Bird’s last words apparently before his shootings were: “Am I being paranoid?”  We all need to be aware of our paranoia, and work with it in constructive ways.  Mercury squares Neptune on Wednesday (9^th) which refocuses the paranoia from an energetic level to a mental level.  Paranoid thoughts could be channeled into gently-teasing poetry, or you could talk them over with someone you trust.  Mercury enters Gemini on Thursday (10^th) so you can freely and easily articulate, and it is also a good day for travel.  Mercury in Taurus represented thought driven by feeling, but the mind can roam more freely and lightly, or flit like a butterfly under Gemini.  It is a day that mind and travel can really take wing, because Mercury then sextiles the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction, so any of those big and bold ideas which entered your psyche early in the week, can catch fire and explode into imagination and activity on Thursday.  It will be difficult to find restraint, so like fireworks some sparks may delight and some may land in slightly dangerous places.  Hopefully Mars in Virgo will be ready to take proper health and safety measures if required.  Mercury squares Chiron too, so health issues may flare up, possibly caused by over-excitement.  On Friday (11^th) Mercury squares Mars so there could be cross words or irritability on that day, as again someone may be overwrought from all the excitement. I would several years ago have recommended herbal tranquillizers at this point, but I am a recovering addict of these, and have resolved not to use them again.  The end of the week on Saturday (12^th) brings a New Moon, symbol of new hope, in Gemini.  Our Sun is aligned with three fixed stars on that day: Mintaka from Orion’s belt (channeling aggression safely), El Nath in Taurus (multidimensional awareness) and Capella in Auriga (family interconnections)*.  So you could be aware of an ongoing complexity, and again you cannot take a blinkered approach in your activities.  We are learning to take global issues into account on so many levels, when shopping in the supermarket, when sifting through our recycling, when watching the news and sending out prayers, etc…The last aspect of the week, also on Saturday, of Venus sextile Saturn, illustrates just that, for it speaks of relationships with responsibility.

*Interpretations from “Starlight Elixirs” by Michael Smulkis and Fred Rubenfeld

The term “planet” is Greek for “wanderer”, and this week two of them plus an asteroid change direction in their wanderings.  I have just a few hours ago returned from four days in Venice, so this blog may sound like a travelogue, or I may have total writer’s block.  The first day of my holiday I realized I had put a “typo” (too kind a term) in my last blog, writing quincunx instead of semi-sextile, and would not be able to correct it until I got home…Meanwhile I saw the Full Moon on the Grand Canal, wistfully reflected in the eyes of the Gondoliers.  The next morning business was brisker, and their eyes were glinting sunlight instead.  And where were you when Uranus went into Aries?  I was asleep on the Rialto Bridge (a very complex bridge with a Hotel which was hard to find).  But on the day of Uranus entering Aries, two volcanoes erupted in Guatemala and Ecuador in South America, much to the suffering of humans, but nature needing to let off steam again.  Today Saturn goes stationary at 27 degrees Virgo prior to going direct and travelling back towards Libra.  Saturn went back in a particular area of our charts for some clutter-clearing, and I hope you were able to achieve some.  When it goes back into Libra there will be more earnestness about making relationships or coalitions work.  My blog of 18 October 2009 entitled “Saturn in Libra – Karmic Dilemmas” looked at the issues highlighted when it first entered Libra.   We now have  a coalition government in the U.K. led by a Libran Prime Minister.  Delicate “proximity talks” are going on in the Middle East as Barack Obama seeks to make his mark on this age-old search for peace.  Saturn does not reach Libra until 21 July, but the period in between is important preparation, as well as there being more Saturn-in-Virgo cleaning up, notably the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  To keep astrologically up-to-date on this situation, read Nancy’s Starlight News Blog (link on my Contact page) and the comments to it. Tomorrow (Monday 31)  Neptune goes stationary at 28 degrees Aquarius prior to going retrograde.  Neptune ruling oil and water will in retrograde motion show up more problems in connection with the oil spillage.  Complex interconnections need to be understood and worked with in this retrograde phase.  Neptune does not turn direct again until November, but some aspects of the oil spillage, or your own life complexities and clearing up operations, may hopefully gain ground by the time Saturn completes its mission in Virgo in July.  Saturn direct in Virgo favours the practicalities, while Neptune retrograde highlights the emotional and compassionate needs of the weaker elements in our society (Neptune in Aquarius) or the animal kingdom which need our help.  Saturn going and Neptune coming back meet up again in a quincunx (yes that really is one) at the end of June, and though it’s an uncomfortable aspect, it may be what is needed for people to work together on complex operations, and also to prepare for future ground.  On Friday (4^th June) Chiron goes stationary at 1 degree of Pisces prior to turning retrograde.  This is the researching phase of a healing crisis, in your own life or out there as on the coastlines or the waters (Pisces).  Later as Chiron retrogrades back into the sign of Aquarius, there may be more scrutiny of the problems in air space.  All the elements are vying for our attention at the moment, it seems.  In the retrograde phase, diagnosis of the problem has been identified, and causation is what is being looked at.  If you are reviewing your life, turning out the closets could reveal some causations, e.g. an old postcard could bring back a state of mind you had forgotten, and re-tell a story whose nuances you might have missed.  On Friday too there is an opposition, between Mars and Neptune, so something may need to be looked at which you would have preferred to avoid, and there are more stories to be revealed on the themes of water and oil.  Coming back so recently from Venice, reading a biography of the scientist Galileo, I appreciate so much the depiction of the play of light on water by the different Venetian artists old and new, but realize that we need the ingenuity and research of the scientists now to help achieve the healing and balance of our environment for its survival, but also that we can continue to enjoy the beauty of the planet.  While away, I managed to offend one artist near St. Mark’s Square.  “You like only my water?” He asked.

Jupiter opposes Saturn today, and you may notice another facet of the Cardinal T-square being highlighted in your life.  The situation would be characterized by opposing interests, stuckness and impasse, and difficult negotiation.  Normally, Jupiter opposite Saturn would have a discrete effect identifiable on its own.  But at this time it is only a part of the effect of a web of major aspects which include Saturn opposite Uranus, and Pluto square Uranus and Jupiter conjunct Uranus.  The dilemmas facing an individual or a nation could be illustrated by the responsibilities currently faced by Angela Merkel in Europe at this time.  Her natal chart shows an interest in personal finance (North Node and Chiron in the 2^nd House) and public finance (Jupiter, Uranus and the Sun in 8^th House).  Currently, her responsibility for the fate of the Euro is illustrated by the fact that Pluto (representing the wider economy) is now trine her Venus (financial expertise) in the 9th House of foreign interests. The Jupiter-Saturn opposition runs across her 4^th-10^th House, showing a fair degree of popularity at home (Jupiter in 4^th) and a tough stance in the world (Saturn in 10^th) but with each side of this opposition impinging on the other as to make difficult choices.  For example, the popularity at home has taken a dent because she took the decision to prop up the Greek economy.  The Observer leader says this morning: “It has not escaped Ms Merkel’s notice that many of the creditors who now demand extreme fiscal austerity of European citizens would be out of business had they not last year been rescued with European taxpayers’ money.  The German chancellor’s leadership in shoring up Europe’s finances is commendable.  Her anger is also wholly justified.”  Maybe you can draw parallels in your own life.  Tomorrow (24^th) Venus opposes Pluto, which is not a good day for finance, Angel Merkel’s, Sarah Ferguson’s, or anyone else’s, as there are opposing factions of interest.  This includes emotional currency too, if you are engaged in a relationship struggle.  It is best to hold fire and balance your own process for the time being.  You may need to hold fire for a few days because tension then builds to the Full Moon on Thursday 27^th.  This Moon is in the sign of Sagittarius, opposing the Sun in Gemini, so that is 3 sets of oppositions so far in the catalogue of the week’s aspects.  There will be tugs of opposing interest all the way through, and if nothing can be gained in confrontation, then again it is best to work on your own process until it is clear that something has shifted.  The Full Moon could support some communication, as long as it is not too emotionally-laden, because the Gemini-Sagittarius polarity is at least communicative.  The energy around the struggles of these oppositions which dominate the week will suddenly be overtaken by the important astrological event on Friday (28^th) of Uranus entering Aries.  Suddenly, a whole lot of things will become clear.  Evidence will come to light, motives will come to the surface.  If you are wishing to work positively with the upcoming conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus at the 0 point of Aries on 8^th June, you will see at least one component of this fall into place for you on Friday.  If you know what house the conjunction will fall in natally, you can apply your work even more consciously.  But as ever in this climate of complex major aspects, as one thing becomes clear you see a whole lot of underlying complexities, and that is  Jupiter semi-sextile Neptune which follows on the same day.  It is as though you can establish one huge principle, but then need to negotiate the details which are another world of thought on their own.  There are worlds within worlds to be discovered and learned about, and even enjoyed, right now.