I was unable to write the June Skywatch article before I left for my trip, but if you were on my mailing list you would have received a summation of the first week’s planetary events to tide you over.  The newsletter also includes a translation of the month’s planetary events into English which is simpler and easier for novices to understand. To sign up, simply visit my website and enter your email address!

The full article is posted here, and here is a snippet of planetary news for this week:

As June begins, there is a great deal of planetary energy that is urging change and evolution. We are being forced to pay attention to areas in our life where we have been too lax, and at the same time we are inspired to move forward and change the things that need to be changed and transformed. Any wounded areas in our hearts and minds that may be holding us back from our spiritual growth are emerging into our awareness so that we can breathe deeply and release them.

Saturn and Neptune have both changed direction – Saturn has turned direct (forward) and Neptune has turned retrograde (backward). Saturn is creating pressure to wake up to reality, and Neptune is calling us beyond the material world. Uranus has changed signs, moving into fiery Aries, and Jupiter moves into Aries on the 7th. Both form a square to Ceres on the 6th-7th. These two planets demand expansion and radical new ways of thinking about our life. Finally, Chiron is stationary at zero degrees Pisces. The stages of healing the soul are evolving in a new direction, but before that occurs, with Chiron retrograding on the 4th, we have to revisit the old wounds before moving forward.

During the first week of June Ceres is very active, and because Ceres represents our connection to the earth and to our own bodies, the physical manifestation of our life on earth, this affects us deeply personally. A sextile from Ceres to Chiron on June 2nd helps to facilitate the healing of our relationship to our bodies and the planet, but Uranus is approaching a challenging square to Ceres that peaks on the 6th, followed by a square from Jupiter as it enters Aries. The combination of Jupiter and Uranus, especially in Aries, is bombastic and somewhat overconfident – seeking change (sometimes only for the sake of change itself). There is a desire to put ourselves first and we are dealing with primal needs here which are not always the wisest of motivations. A brief opposition from Mars (energy and drive) to Neptune (soul and spirit) could create some confusion and possibly be somewhat discouraging for a day or two.

With all of this energy swirling about we may find that we lack the focus that we need to move forward with our goals and intentions. This may be somewhat frustrating, but it’s important now to clarify the vision before taking action. Once this energy has settled down we can begin to put our vision into more concrete form.

Mars changes signs on June 6, entering Virgo where it will remain until the end of July. Mars in Virgo, an earth sign of order and routine, will help us to ground the exciting power of Jupiter and Uranus in Aries. In Virgo Mars seeks a more practical approach to our lives, so after June 6 planning and organization will become much easier AND more important.

On the 7th Mars forms a harmonious trine to Ceres which changes signs the same day, retrograding back into expansive Sagittarius where we are inspired to care for ourselves and others (Ceres) through expanding our knowledge and wisdom about the world around us. Ceres will remain in Sagittarius until October.

Mercury (mental functioning) forms a harmonious trine to Saturn on June 8, the day that Jupiter and Uranus conjoin in the sky. Mercury transits typically last less than a day and are usually not very notable, but Mercury is very active over the next few days. The trine to Saturn on the 8th helps us to harness our ideas in a way that easily manifests into form. A challenging square to Neptune on the 9th could create difficulties in business matters and other forms of communication, but on the 10th Mercury enters Gemini, harmonizing with both Jupiter and Uranus, bringing new insights and excitement into the picture.

For the next few weeks with Mercury in its own sign of Gemini the mental realm is activated, helping ideas to flow smoothly and aiding our ability to adapt to new circumstances. This process is facilitated by the Gemini New Moon on June 12th. The New Moon phase offers an opportunity for a new beginning, and in Gemini this opportunity takes us into the mental realm where we experiment with new ideas and ways of living our life before actually manifesting these ideas into form.