by Lynn Hayes.  This is written for Eastern time zone – please adjust accordingly for your own part of the world.  You can see the positions of today’s planets here.

Venus entered Taurus on Friday. Taurus is one of the signs ruled by Venus (the other is Libra), and for the next month or so we are governed by a love of fine and beautiful things and inspired by creative beauty. This is not a particularly good time to go on a diet, because Taurus loves fine food and Venus can be particularly self-indulgent in the signs of its rulership.

Mars is also in Taurus now, and our drive and desire (Mars) is for stability, peace and pleasure (Taurus). This is a very sensual combination, and Venus is aligned with Mars for much of the month, moving into a conjunction which peaks on the 21st. With Venus and Mars conjunct for much of the month, our social life is likely to be energized and even the homebodies among us will have a stronger desire for interaction with others.

This will be particularly true at the time of the Full Moon in playful Sagittarius on June 7 at 2:12 pm EDT, although the Sagittarius Moon will be squared by Saturn, so purpose and intention will be rewarded here. This Full Moon is the perfect time for group ritual or celebration in which a spiritual purpose combines with a structure and focused plan in a social gathering. 

In Sagittarius the Moon gives us a longing for greater understanding of our world and a desire for experiences that expand us, but Saturn seeks to confine us and instill discipline and a desire to work hard and achieve success. This is a somewhat complicated combination of planets that will be best served in a balancing act that includes both structure and freedom.

Mercury is in a challenging square to the triple conjunction of Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune for the next few days (until around the 12th of June), and during this time the call of our soul (Chiron/Neptune) may not jive exactly with the thoughts in our head (Mercury).  Don’t be surprised if you are more emotional than usual now, but this is a fabulous time to take note of messages in your dreams, to get creative, to explore philosophy, to learn more about the spiritual realms. 

This Full Moon is known in Algonquin folklore as the Strawberry Moon, although here in North Carolina the strawberries have been out for quite some time.  It is also called the Rose Moon in Europe.  

Venus is moving into a trine to Pluto which is already in effect at the time of the Full Moon but which peaks on June 8th, a short-lived but powerful influence on our relationships. Romantic feelings are intensified now, and with them the opportunity to deepen our relationships and find a new level on which to communicate.