Putting All of Your Cards on the Table

Libra is known for peace, negotiation, art and beauty. It strives for balance, equality, and reconciliation between differences.  But this sign of order is lesser known for ruling open adversaries.  Libra represents opposing views and those who hold them.

 Open adversaries.  Think about that.  No one is hiding, plotting or planning to undermine you, but rather is out in plain sight, sitting next to you, telling you quite plainly that you are wrong and why. All is fair in love and war. This month we feel all may be so very unfair.  How do we reconcile inequality?  Libra’s effort toward justice, however, may bend over backward for concern with the other (your co-worker, partner, relatives, children).  So be aware of completely forgetting yourself.  Focused intently on making the fairest decision for everyone, the right and best choice, watch that you hesitate way too long and another, quicker, more decisive person swoops in and suddenly, you no longer have any choice.

Planetary gear shifts crank into place from the outset of the month.  On Thursday, October 3^rd, Messenger Mercury rolls into Scorpio while Transformer Pluto, ruler of Scorpio, turns direct motion.  Hello!  Our minds, thoughts and words now take a deeper look, pause to examine every single fact, observing each carefully.  We pay critical attention to ALL of our senses, not just what we see and hear; but also our emotions, intuition, gut instincts feeding us vital details.  Directly opposite Uranus, the Great Awakener, Messenger Mercury points out what we may have missed earlier.  If you are searching for answers and solutions now in any area of your life:  finances, work, relationships, Psychic Scorpio delivers. 

This first ten days holds a particularly sweet spot for artists and scientists, researchers in any field.  Eureka?  Yes, EUREKA!  Meanwhile, Pluto’s direct shift in practical Capricorn moves the Real Deal wheels and gears forward.  The God of the Underworld in structured Capricorn asks:  are you towing the line?  Doing the work, living honestly and with integrity?  Neither Pluto nor Capricorn are warm and fuzzy.  Both deal in cold, stark terms:  the black and white, no nonsense and yes, unforgiving.  If you do not make the effort, don’t expect to be rewarded, much less achieve your goal.  Pluto is now moving into the final third of Capricorn where its emphasis is felt even greater.

Capricorn is an earth sign.  The youth movement to save the planet wants to know, “Will we even have an Earth on which to live in the future?” Their plain battle cry begs our attention.  Pluto direct motion in Capricorn churns up our most basic survival needs.   Capricorn is an action sign.  DO. We now act on what we have mused about for the past few months.   Where we have dragged our feet, or worse, refused to budge, Pluto pushes the inevitable upon us.  And it often isn’t pretty.

The immediacy we feel to act increases as Mars shifts into Libra the very next day on October 4^th.  Talk about opposites!  Motivating Mars rules Action Aries, God of War.  Here now in the sign of peace, equality and balance.  How is that going to work, you ask?  Or not work…  Remember, Libra rules decisions and open enemies.  Mars is our drive.  Ideally, this combination would drive us toward peace in our relationships or between nations.  

Guess what?  With Mars in Libra, this is more often not the case.  Mars agitates, annoys, aggravates.  He is THE disruptor.  His agenda is to incite, wants us to get going.  Enough of Libra’s quest for calm and order.  And so, when tipping the Libran scale of decision-making, Mars votes for conflict and war.  Don’t just sit there:  do something.

October will not go gently into that good night.  Oh no.  On a macro level, the world stage is set for strife.  Think Presidential Impeachment in the United States and Iran vs. Saudi Arabia globally.  And what about your personal world?  Where are you negotiating?  For fairness, for an equal share or equal rights?

Several days later, Vibrant Venus moves into Psychological Scorpio joining Mercury, both opposing Uranus in Taurus.   Expect ah-hahs, surprises and shifts in the arena of resources which both Scorpio and Taurus rule.  We are taking a hard look at ours:  what we have and what we do not have.  Change agent Uranus says it’s time to earn money through alternative applications of our skills or develop new talents to increase income and revenue.  Opposite Mercury-Venus, it also has us consider dipping into a joint savings account, asking a relative for money or taking out a bank loan.

Scorpio deals in secrecy so just remember if you “inadvertently” don’t share information or live by omission, you will be revealed later on.  Hiding behind the on-going Jupiter-Neptune smoke and mirrors effect only digs us deeper into an unnecessary ditch.  While the Sun and Mars sit on Libra’s fence deciding which way to go, remember it always serves you well to choose truth.  You benefit in the long run to be honest with yourself and others even if there is short term pain.  So tell it like it is.  Have the hard conversation.  Make the difficult choice.  Inner peace is invaluable.

Under the glare of the Full Moon on Sunday, October 13th, we won’t be able to hide anyway.  In fierce and fiery Aries, the Full Moon opposes the Sun in Libra.  Talk about a trigger point, or trigger happy.  Wow.  This Full Moon is combustible.  Pluto swings exactly at the midpoint between Sun and Moon.  The Sun, our will, seeks harmony, asks what happened to the days of compromise where each party gave a little for the greater good?  This Full Moon could care less.  It rules our impatient emotions spoiling for a fight.  In the middle, Transformational Pluto in calculating Capricorn asks, what do I get out of peace OR conflict?  It says everyone loses when you settle for peace at any price, so better go big or go home.  This Full Moon means business. 

Where you face decisions in your life, remember:  there are no wrong choices, only learning.  Yes, sometimes the hard way.  The good news is that this same stretch at midmonth offers plenty of flow:  Mercury-Venus align with Neptune and the North Node, our directional calling.  The troika calls our soul, invites us to surrender and flow, to follow our purpose and path.  When we flow with our personal truth, we always win.  Even if it takes a while to realize it.

The following week, the Sun shifts into Scorpio on October 23^rd, joining Mercury-Venus.  Our will matches our words and resources.  The wisest way to harness this energy is through right use of power, shared resources and joint finances for the benefit of all. We are drawn toward deep dives, prolonged/investigative research, mystery and looking under the hood in all aspects of life.  We search for answers not readily obvious.  Messenger Mercury is slowing down now preparing to turn retrograde on Halloween, October 31^st. 

Make like a detective, asking thoughtful questions, use keen observation skills to penetrate beneath the surface of matters.   Three interior planets in Scorpio heightens our intuition, gives us X Ray vision.  We know what’s up.  Follow your vibe.  It is correct!  Use the time from October 23-31^st, the final week of October, wisely and well.  Do not be afraid to ask the hard questions that may ruffle feathers, or to stand up for yourself and what you know is right.   Especially around the Scorpio New Moon on October 28^th.  ALL will be the better for it when the truth is revealed to be dealt with in the open.  No more hiding in the shadows, duck and covering.  Put all of your cards out on the table now.  Then let the chips fall where they may.

Of Special Note:

Please join me at the Fall Artisans Show in Dover, MA.  I am offering mini readings (please book in advance) along with many wonderful artists showcasing a variety of unique work for sale.  Event dates and location:  Thursday, October 24, 6-9 pm; Friday, October 25 10 am-2 pm; Saturday, October 26 10 am- 4 pm.  6 Turtle Lane, Dover, MA   To book a 20 minute mini reading with me for $25, please contact host Soni Masur at 339.225.1389.  Hope to see you there!

Know how....And How!

A remarkably quieter month cosmically, September’s low key energy keep us grounded.  The fireworks of Leo’s August unfolds graciously into focusing intently on the details at hand.  Back to school and back to work means putting our heads down and training our eyes on the ball.

September is humble and relatively drama free.  But please don’t mistake the softer spoken sign of Virgo for a pushover.  While some are creating noise and hullabaloo for the sake of it, earthy Virgos are busy lining up their ducks in a row.  They know the score in precise measures and track every single account with flawless accuracy.  Virgo is nobody’s fool.

Yes, September is a notably calmer month due to the lack of celestial gear shifts and the inner planets now cycling through subtle Virgo.  Unlike August when this same cluster (the Sun/our identity, Venus/love, Mars/our energy and Mercury/communication) passed through Look-at-Me Leo, these planets now align with heavyweights Saturn, Pluto and Uranus in earthy Capricorn and Taurus.  

From the New Moon in Virgo on August 30^th, we felt the choppy ebb turn into a flow.  The seamless flow continues well into September with 7, yes seven out of ten planets forming a grand earth trine, offering harmonious collaboration to get work done.  With the exception of Jupiter and Neptune still battling it out over truth versus illusion, the vast majority of planets focus our attention like a laser beam on the F-A-C-T-S.

Seven planets point to exact data, showing in crystal clear terms what must be dealt with right now.  Get to work, get down to business or else, directs this energy.  More importantly:   we want to.  We feel more than just motivation from cool, crisp fall air; this is powerful manifestation energy.  Saturn-Pluto sharpens our dreams into goals, cutting through our days like a knife, saying there is no more time to waste; while Radical Uranus in Taurus says change and change now or risk all you have and worked for, Mother Earth included.  The inner planets in Virgo corral figures, evidence, and raw material to support our points, plan and prepare us individually and collectively for the future come what may.

Intuitively we understand what people and resources to gather, as well as the steps to take to accomplish our tasks.  It is not an understatement to say that used well, the planetary alignments from September 1 to the Full Moon on the 13^th is nothing short of miraculous.  Know-how meets And-how!  Remember, earth energies are not loud and brazen.  They prefer being behind the scenes analyzing, calculating, producing, and yes, perhaps manipulating for good and the not so good.  Think:  proficiency, effective systems, smooth operations, perfectionism. 

The catch, because there always is one, is the foursome of inner planets in pragmatic Virgo boxing with Jupiter in Sagittarius and opposing Neptune, giving tremendous dynamism to what otherwise might fall by the wayside.  In other words, this challenge makes sure we use the energetic blessings of September and use them well. The Jupiter and Neptune Pisces duel asks us how big can you dream?  What will happen if you dare to go BIG?  Live large, larger than life?  Huge, Grander, GRANDEST?   

Behind the curtain, in the room down the hall, the fearsome foursome of inner planets in Virgo are concerned with the particulars, the what, how and where.  Sun, Venus, Mars and Mercury weigh options, estimate, prepare lists and details.  ”So you want to go to the Moon?”  these planets ask.  “Then you’ll need X, Y and Z, 7, 8 and 9, to get there…”

The energetic combination of immense dreams, huge in scale, versus raw data reality is exactly the force that landed man on the Moon.  At the outset of September, ask yourself, if no dream is too big, where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?  Then follow up with, how will you get there?  As the old joke goes, “how do you get to Carnegie Hall?  Practice.”  A very Virgo trait.

Those refusing to face reality now, preferring denial over actuality, September will be harsh.  This is a climate ripe to burst bubbles.  The magic only happens for those willing to play the hand dealt them.  That magic wand of manifestation is reserved for those working in real time and real numbers.  All others are sidelined until they get a grip on their circumstances.  If you believe in a mirage, you will have no water to drink and the destination will always remain out of your reach.  However, if you know for sure there is no surface water in the desert but are willing to dig a well to find some, you will indeed.  In short, roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty.  You will have support, resources and succeed.

This energy culminates on the Full Moon, Friday, September 13^th.  Ominous?  Perhaps.  Or an omen.  Depends on how you play your hand, your choice(s).  The Pisces Full Moon joins Dreamy Neptune opposing the Sun-Venus-Mars-Mercury squad in data driven Virgo.  Illusion (pisces) is impossible to hide under the glare of this Full Moon.  The man behind the curtain is unmasked, revealed for exactly who he is:  a charlatan.  With Jupiter in Sagittarius smack dab in the middle of this configuration demanding the truth, do yourself a favor:  do the right thing and speak the truth.

Jupiter has answers in mid-September to the riddles mounting all summer.  The education planet in its own sign of Sagittarius holds the key to the door of liberation.  On the other side is freedom.  Sure, you can stay locked up in disappointing disillusion; or you can take a chance (Jupiter) and expand, grow, explore what awaits you.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  Why not try?  You have nothing to lose.

The very next day, on September 14^th, Messenger Mercury and Valuable Venus shift gear into Libra at an attention getting degree.  Our minds, communication and relationships lean toward consideration of others, art, beauty, negotiation, balance.  The trick with Libra is making decisions:  choices, choices, choices.  Libra sees all sides, the pros and cons, and wants everyone to be happy.  Just remember to take care of yourself in this mix, to pencil yourself into your own life.  Because if Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.  So help yourself even as you reach to help the disabled person next to you.  When weighing options, ask:  are you factored into the outcome or just looking out for everyone else?

If you wait too long, decisions might just be made for you.  Especially as three days later, on the 17^th, taskmaster Saturn turns direct motion.  In its own sign of ambitious Capricorn, Saturn now opposes the lunar north node in compassionate Cancer.  The reality of our situation faces us squarely, particularly on the home, family and food front.  If you have neglected your own health and well-being, the pied piper is calling you now.  Nurturing everyone else is wonderful, as long as you set limits and boundaries for your own best interests, says Saturn direct.  If you can’t say no, the universe has other plans for you now.  This is one curve best to stay ahead of.

The urge to strike a balance between the needs of you and me, us and them, increases when the Sun joins Venus and Mercury in Libra on Monday, September 23^rd.  As does the disease to please increase.  Saturn-Pluto challenges Venus-Mercury by drawing lines in the sand, lines clearly marked: do not step across.  While Sun-Venus-Mercury want to negotiate, figure out a way for everyone to get an equal share of pie.  The determining factor is, in fact, resources:  how much pie, earth, water, air, money is there?  Mars in Virgo aligning with Pluto has an exact tally of the numbers.  Knows the inventory backwards and forwards.  Yes, the pie may divided equally to satisfy the planets now in Libra; but those with large slices will need to share some of theirs.  And as we know, that can go one of two ways:  to serve the larger interests of the whole, humanity, or to stay small and fiercely guard our slice of pie.

The New Moon on Saturday, September 28^th has four inner planets in Libra, Sun, Moon, Mercury and Venus, and finds us more than willing to share.  Just remember to save an equal measure for yourself. 

All New All the Time

 August gives us a beautiful opportunity to begin our month and lives afresh.  The month opens with a brand spanking New Moon dancing on the cusp between July and August.  For those on the East Coast of the United States and Canada, the New Moon occurs near midnight on July 31^st.  Anyone west of the Mississippi, however, the New Moon enters August on the First.  For all, it is best to hand write and cast your wishes and goals on August 1^st or 2^nd.  Either plant them in the ground or cast into a moving body of water. 

From here, everything follows.  You can firmly hear the Roar of August’s signature Leo the Lion.  Four, yes 4 planets are in this fiery, fertile sign:  Venus (love/money), the Sun (our will), the Moon (emotions) and Mars (our energy); three of which align with Generous Jupiter.  Be very clear about your goals and wishes; because this tour de force in creativity and expansion marking the New Moon yields what you ask for.  Prepare to receive.  Be very thoughtful about your hopes and desires.

Heightening the horse power of this New Moon, Messenger Mercury turns direct motion the very next day.  For the last three weeks our mind and communication turned toward reflection and remembrance and other RE words.  As it moves into forward gear, Mercury finishes its second cycle in the sign of nurturing Cancer before re-entering Leo.  Push on now with projects, ventures and relationships.  Proceed with any major contracts and purchases.  It is GO time!

The dovetailing of the New Moon on August 1^st immediately followed by Mercury direct offers unmistakable cosmic guidance.  Our emotions (New Moon) and thoughts (Mercury) are given license to chart new chapters with creativity (Leo) and care (Cancer).  Leo incites our actions:  how big can we dream? Meanwhile, Messenger Mercury conjoined to the North Node in Cancer supply infinite imagination.   Our hearts and our minds are invested for sure.  Leo provides endless stamina and courage.  Feel the Break-Out energy?  We feel we can conquer the world!

The caution with all that fiery Leo is drama and narcissism.  Watch for overly needy people trying to pull you into unnecessary complications, doing their work for them, prey upon your feelings and good nature.  Radical Uranus exactly challenges Venus and the Sun at the time of the New Moon.  All are in fixed, stubborn signs.  Uranus in Taurus calls us to approach relationships, values and earning income differently, more pragmatically and to apply our will with ingenuity.   The Venus-Sun pairing in Leo are super romantic while Uranus awakens a sensual realism.  Expect surprising relationships, either new people in your life, sudden shifts, unexpected shakeups (possibly dramatic), triggering moments.  These can be positive and negative twists but one thing is for sure:  August leads with ground breaking measures.  All new all the time is this month’s theme.  Uranus is called the Great Awakener with good reason.

The good news is that heavy hitters Saturn-Pluto in sturdy Capricorn keep it real.  The duo sets limits and says NO even when we are reluctant to do so for ourselves.  The heavyweights align with Neptune and the North Node (our directional calling), guiding us to follow our intuition:  what makes sense?  What feels right yet also yields common sense answers and solutions?  We may be tempted by the fantasy and illusion that the continuing Jupiter-Neptune conflict prompt; so the caution is avoiding smoke and mirrors, falling for spin and spin doctors.  Best to refrain from hitting the escape button, laziness in all its forms, relying on others to formulate opinions for you.  Apply focused thought and attention to matters at hand.  Take a step back, observe, detach, listen and observe.  See for yourself what is real and what is not; The trio of Leo planets incites us to create our own reality while Saturn-Pluto give us the grit and tools to accomplish our goals.  Ask:  what is possible?  If you do your own work now, you will be rewarded down the road.  You reap what you sow.

And the possibilities are endless now.  The first two weeks of August overflow with powerhouse energy.  Take advantage!  It builds like a steam engine toward mid-month.  Sunday, August 11^th, Jupiter turns direct motion in adventurous Sagittarius, continuing its alignment with Venus-Sun in festive Leo.  How big can you go?  How broad do you want to expand?  Your world, your vision, your goals?  Truly, this is exciting energy.

The very next day, Messenger Mercury re-enters Leo while Uranus turns retrograde motion.  The cosmic change agent, Uranus offers unpredictability, instability for some, and for others a whole new refreshing perspective.  Leading into the Full Moon on August 15^th, with four planets in playful Leo, all bets are ON.  If you have been yearning to take a chance, pursue your passion, break out of a rut, create an entirely new you, lifestyle or career, this week is it.  More than impelled, we feel compelled.  So go for broke.

The caution is Uranus retrograde, especially as it challenges Messenger Mercury (communication), along with three other Leo planets; watch for anything involving fire, escalating arguments, unrelenting turf battles where each digs in its heels, and accidents.  At a minimum, exercise caution with any heat-based or electrical appliances.  Make sure ALL are turned off after use or when you leave your home.  Take care with any sharp utensils or tools.  Uranus is the change agent.  It can redirect our lives on a dime.  Turning retrograde right before the Full Moon heightens its unpredictability. 

A few days after the Full Moon, a series of planetary shifts occurs.  One right after the other like dominoes, the trio of planets in Leo switch into efficient Virgo.  Motivating Mars (our energy) leads the charge on the 18^th, followed by Venus on the 21^st, then the Sun (our will) on the 24^th.  Within the span of a week, the party Leo hosted for much of the summer draws to a conclusion and the real work, nitty gritty details of life starts.  You will feel the sea change in attitude and action.  Vacations gradually end and give way to a return to work, school and routine.  Welcome Virgo!  Industrious, precise, and health-conscious, our creativity and imagination stoked by Leo and Cancer energies now turn ideas into productivity, making manifest our goals and visions.

The great Planner of the Zodiac, earthy Virgo harnesses resources into an uber efficient production line.  Always prepared for every eventuality, Virgo forms methods and algorithms to solve problems and find solutions.  We just start acclimating to this energetic shift when Messenger Mercury (our thoughts and communication) joins the Virgo stellium.  Heightened the very next day on August 30^th by the New Moon, five, gulp 5, planets in Virgo seek details, to know how, want answers.  The trick is not losing the forest for the trees, being too tightly bound by schedule and routine to squash flexibility and creativity. 

Planning and preparation are essential for successful execution just as much as over-thinking and submission to perfectionism can kill accomplishment.  The great news is the sheer drive of this New Moon.  All five planets in Virgo align skillfully with ingenious Uranus and four align with taskmaster Saturn.  Harness your resources and potential to realize your summertime ideas and dreams now.  Now is the time to put these to good work.  Behold what unfolds!

Of Special Note:

Beginning next month in September 2019, I am so pleased to partner with owner Scott Denardo to offer astrology readings at his metaphysical store Earth's Hidden Treasures in Assonet, MA.  Sessions with me are available twice a month, the first and third Thursday of each month.  To book a live, in-person reading, please contact Scott at 508-644-7398 or via email:  earthshiddentreasures1@gmail.com.  Earth's Hidden Treasures, 63 South Main Street, Assonet, MA 02702.

My schedule and the store's most recent newsletter are below:

Astrology readings with Hilary Harley at Earth's Hidden Treasures
September 5 and 19
October 3 and 17
November 7 and 21
December 5 and 19

History in the Making Now open in Historic Assonet, MA is Earth's Hidden Treasures. We are a Holistic Retail Store and Spiritual Center offering classes in Mind, Body, Energy and Spirit. Come experience Salt Therapy for Adults and Children, All level Flow Yoga, Meditation, Intuitive Card Readings, Sound Therapy, Reiki with Crystals, Aura Photography and Astrology to name a few things. We believe in well-being from the inside out. Also available are classes in law of attraction, crystals, stress reduction and writing from the heart. Our intention and focus is to help heal, balance and center the energy field from many different perspectives,  and modalities. In our busy world it's important to take time for ourselves, allow ourselves to receive, relax, and balance so we feel refreshed and able to live our best life. We offer retail products to complement your wellness journey, such as crystals, sage, incense, gemstone jewelry, essential oils, handmade soaps, and unique gifts. Open Tuesday through Saturday, call us or email earthshiddentreasures1@gmail for hours or to set up an appointment 508-644-7398. Our website is www.earthshiddentreasure.com Check us out on Facebook, Earth's Hidden Treasures or on Instagram @earths.hidden.treasures, also check out our ad in Natural Awakenings! Join us for the internationally known spiritual medium, inspirational speaker and author, Roland Comtois' event Signs of Spirit on August 25th at 6:30pm. Call 508.644.7398 to RSVP space is limited and selling fast! Calendar for August 2019  Week of August 1-3             9/2 - 6:30-8:30p ~ Priscilla Gale - Crystal Healing Beds  Week of August 5-10             3rd - 8-9am ~ Sunrise Yoga with Ashley             5th - 6:30-7:30p ~ All Levels Flow Yoga with Ashley             6th - 7-8p ~ Mindful Mandala with Janet             7th - 6:30-7:30p ~ All levels Flow Yoga with Ali             8th - 12p, 5p ~ Lions Gate Portal Meditation 8-8             9th - 6-8p ~ Adult Indigo Class/Healing with Nicole             10th -  8-9am ~ Sunrise Yoga with Ashley                          2-4p ~ Make your own Oil Diffuser Bracelet  Week of August 12-17             12th - 6:30-7:30p ~ All Levels Flow Yoga with Ashley             14th - 6:30-7:30p ~ All levels Flow Yoga with Ali             15th - 6-8p ~ Law of Attraction with Nicole             16th - 7-8:30p ~ Soul Purpose Sound Meditation with Priscilla Gale             17th - 8-9am ~ Sunrise Yoga with Ashley                         2-4p ~ Learn About the Angels Group with Nicole  Week of August 19-25             19th - 6:30-7:30p ~ All Levels Flow Yoga with Ashley             21st - 6:30-7:30p ~ All levels Flow Yoga with Ali             22nd - 5:30-7:30p ~ Crystals 101 with Nicole - free crystal             24th - 8-9am ~ Sunrise Yoga with Ashley                         6-8p ~ Transformation through Sound with Sonic Field             25th - 11am ~ Book Signing and Blessing with Roland Comtois - FREE                         6:30-8:30p Signs of Spirit event with Roland Comtois  Week of August 26-31             26th - 6:30-7:30p ~ All Levels Flow Yoga with Ashley             28th - 6:30-7:30p ~ All levels Flow Yoga with Ali             29th - 6-7:30p ~ Angel Therapy group with Nicole             31st - 8-9am ~ Sunrise Yoga with Ashley                       2-4p ~ Learn how to read oracle cards with Nicole Call 508.644.7398 to RSVP for any events or classes as they may be filled Copyright © 2019 Earth's Hidden Treasures, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: Earth's Hidden Treasures 63 S Main St Assonet, MA 02702-1711 Add us to your address book

An Invitation to Dignity and Decency: The July Eclipses and Mercury Retrograde

July is a very active celestial month.  Right out of the gate BOOM go the fireworks!  We barely scratch the surface of this first full month of summer when on Tuesday, July 2^nd the New Moon occurs.  Not just any old New Moon, July kick starts a fresh lunar cycle with a Solar Eclipse at 4:04 pm EDT.  This eclipse will not be visible in North America.  We are impacted by it nonetheless.

The solar eclipse takes place at 10 degrees Cancer the Crab.  All things home, food, mom, nation/homeland, family and psychological roots are on the table, the focus of our attention.  Through much of June we must concentrate on what works and what does not work in this sector of our lives; the need for crucial decision making and the most compassionate strategy about family roles, house and home needs takes center stage through July.  Both the Solar and Lunar eclipses as well as Mercury’s retrograde backslide into Cancer guarantee it.

Speaking of Compassion:  the intense cosmic activity asks us as individuals and as a nation, where is our compassion these days?  Are we acting in the most nurturing way possible for all involved?  For the United States, this is notably highlighted by the children separated from their parents at the Southern border.  Nothing underscores the plight of family quite like the disastrously inhumane conditions of the immigrant families seeking asylum in the USA.

Expect drama to heighten around this national issue as well as all family and home life at the beginning of July, as Motivating Mars enters Leo joining Messenger Mercury.  The pair directly challenges Radical Uranus in Taurus.  Think Face Off:  each person in opposing corners of a boxing ring or across a mediation table from one another, staring each other down, neither willing to give an inch.  There you have the energy of the first two weeks of July.

In Festive Leo, Mercury (communication) and Mars (our active energy) want to enjoy life, have fun and create; while Uranus in Taurus demands change along practical lines:  how are you going to pay for all of your fun times, parties and creative endeavors?  Oh yes, and what about how your pleasure seeking is impacting Mother Earth?

The caution with Leo is narcissism, pride and drama; the caution with Taurus is steep frugality and stubbornness for the sake of it.  This challenging energy is embedded in the solar eclipse for us to take a hard look at.  Uranus is The Great Awakener.  With the Sun-Moon wedged in between the planetary standoff, this Solar Eclipse is a wake-up call to our most basic functions as human beings:  how we take care of ourselves, our home (including Mother Earth) and especially the most vulnerable among us, the children and elderly.  What good is a booming economy if we can’t feed ourselves in a few years due to climate change?

Compassion is not limited to human beings; but as of right now, the animal kingdom is showing humanity how best to be kind and nurturing.

Eclipses are doorways, a gateway passage and threshold that mark distinct events or phases in our lives, especially if they impact our astrological chart directly.  So whether you are preparing to launch a child into college, giving birth to your first born, changing your diet, buying or selling a home, getting divorced, becoming an empty nester or a grandparent, ALL things home, food, mom and family demand attention this month.  We have been feeling this energy building for a while now and it will continue into the fall. 

Helping us out over the July 4^th holiday weekend, Venus shifts into Cancer on the 3^rd.  At a world attention-getting degree, Venus, planet of love, money and relationships does her best to smooth out family relations and the home front.  As she gradually joins the Sun through the rest of July, the pair reduces tension between Mercury-Mars in Leo butting heads with Uranus in Taurus.  They gently remind us that if everyone draws a definitive line in the sand, makes a big stink and claims, “my way or the highway,” what a sad, lonely and hard world this will be.  So harken to the energy of the Cancer Sun (our will) and Venus (love/relationships).  Build a sand castle, take a moonlight swim, cuddle up with your loved ones, or eat some home-baked pie.

Most critically, Sun-Venus ask us to feel and not think so much.  To move from our heart center, intuition and imagination rather than our minds.  Can you do it?  What a more gracious and loving world we’d live in if we acted from our hearts and souls, empathizing with how another feels.  Let’s put aside the Rah-Rah, Me First approach and accept this very kind invitation to dignity and decency now.

Ideally, we allow for the higher minded aspects of Leo and Taurus, so abundantly fertile and creative, to graciously take turns.  Instead of digging our heels in over an issue, as the lower forms of this same energy might provoke us to do, better to harness the wild ingenuity they offer.  Through the first two weeks of July, Mercury-Mars in Leo form an alliance with healer Chiron in Aries.  Apply your creative mind to solving long-standing problems.  Leo is as generous as it is creative.  While Chiron in Aries finds all new methods to heal and mend what is broken.  Additionally, this pair forms a grand fire trine (super alliance/flowing energy) to Ceres in Sagittarius.  When we ask questions, educate ourselves and teach others, refrain from assumptions and projections, solutions arrive.  Listen instead of talk.  Silence instead of noise.

It’s fine to party on as long as you share the wealth with the neighbors and newcomers, we are so RE-minded as Messenger Mercury turns retrograde on Sunday, July 7^th.  For the next three weeks, Messenger Mercury reverses gear and backs out of Leo and eventually RE-enters compassionate Cancer on July 18^th.  We are pushed and prodded to RE-think, RE-flect, RE-view every aspect of our lives until Mercury turns direct again on August 2^nd.   The good news is that the very same day as Mercury turns retrograde, the Sun (our will) joins the Lunar North Node (our directional calling) aligning with inspirational Neptune.  Dream and flow says this trio. Just don’t get carried away into Neverland.  Keeping our feet on the ground are heavyweights Saturn and Pluto in earthy Capricorn opposite the North Node-Sun.  Firmly plant roots while pragmatically reaching for the stars.

Neptune helps here in its complement to Saturn-Pluto, offering a creative wonderland for artists and for the rest of us aiming to craft our future.  Neptune is the dream, the Sun our will, and Saturn the architect.  With focused attention during this eclipse and Mercury retrograde season, harness this energy to design, plan and prepare to build your dream life.  Saturn-Lunar South Node says release and let go of what stands in your way.  Reduce the obstacles or excess noise inhibiting you from living your best life, while preserving and using the most functional systems and pieces to build further upon.  The energy tees us up for the 2^nd eclipse of the month on July 16^th, at 23 degrees Cancer opposing the Capricorn Full Moon. 

This Lunar eclipse along the Cancer-Capricorn axis is an especially hard hitter.  The sign of Cancer directly opposes Capricorn and they could not be more different.  Cancer’s signature is I FEEL; while Capricorn’s is I USE.  Get it?  It’s great to be all touchy feely and sensitive but how is that going to work in the real world, this eclipse asks.

This Full Moon is in the opposite sign it rules at the time of the eclipse inciting us to get very clear about the choices we face.  Capricorn is black and white, not pink, green or grey.  The ordinarily cozy Moon now sets aside its soft, cuddly emotion, any feelings actually, other than crystal clear, efficient function.  What works and what doesn’t.  Period.  Tightly wedged between heavyweights Saturn and Pluto, the taskmaster and transformer, this Full Moon has us dispensing with any aspect of our lives that is not useful.  “You cross that line in the sand,” says this eclipse, “and just watch what happens next.”

Saturn-Moon-Pluto in Capricorn are utterly no nonsense.  Deadly serious.  “You fooled around so long wasting time, your gifts and talents, it’s payback time.  Time to pay the piper.”  The energy doesn’t care whose toes get trampled, whose feathers are ruffled, whose feelings are hurt.  We feel this cutting across ALL racial, socioeconomic, gender and cultural lines.  It takes us down to our very foundations and core.  From here, we are to build or rebuild every level of our lives:  psychological, financial, mental.  Really? 

Really. 

This isn’t a dress rehearsal.  It is not kind or nice, playful energy.  If you are way off path, out of soulful alignment and in need of re-direction, July can be gut wrenching.  Some may head for the hills, some may prepare for the apocalypse; the rest of us are simply asked to get real.  If you want all the pretty things in life, then this energy demands it is time to do the work.  Now. Not tomorrow.  This minute. Yikes.  You bet.

The following week the Sun enters fiery Leo on July 23^rd where Venus joins on the 28^th.  Yummy.  We fairly burst with inventive fertility.  Yes we have this problem or that to tackle, but if nothing else, with Mars, the Sun and Venus in Leo squaring off with Uranus in Taurus loves a big challenge to solve.  What’s more, the fixed signs of Leo and Taurus have do-or-die stamina and unending perseverance.  How will you apply this boundless creativity in your own life?

Of Special Note:

Beginning in September 2019, I will offer astrology readings at Earth’s Hidden Treasures, 63 South Main Street, Assonet, MA.  If you are near Southeastern Massachusetts, stop by and discover this amazing metaphysical store!  The only one of its kind in the area, Earth’s Hidden Treasures offers a full product line, range of classes and services including salt, sound and aromatherapy.  To book an astrology reading, please contact owner Scott Denardo at www.earthshiddentreasure.com or 508.644.7398.  

Crunch Time

The third and final month of Spring continues to offer a great push forward.  Before eclipse season and Mercury retrograde in July, take advantage of this full steam ahead energy. Plant and tend to all relationships and endeavors you want to grow.

June veritably drips with abundant opportunities to build the life you desire from the ground up.  You really don’t have to look that hard; simply be open and open minded to what is around and available to you. We feel this overflowing energetic generosity from Day 1 of June as Venus in Taurus (love, money and relationships) aligns beautifully with Transformer Pluto and Taskmaster Saturn, all three in earth signs.  This troika leaves more than just a trail of breadcrumbs for us to follow.  Take their cue:  build baby build. The Moon joins the trio throughout June 1^st, glowing in its most favorite placement adding extra special devotion and dimension to your efforts.  Any significant events occurring the weekend of June 1^st and 2nd are marked for success.  Enjoy. 

The week that follows, June 1-6^th is a notably creative and fertile time, particularly around the Gemini New Moon on Monday, June 3^rd.   Harness new beginnings by hand writing 3-5 wishes and either planting them in the ground or releasing into a moving body of water with an outlet such as a river, stream or ocean. 

This New Moon prompts us to talk, think through and process emotions out loud or on paper.  The Gemini Sun-Moon challenges Neptune in Pisces, and requires extra focus to discern reality from illusion:  how life actually is versus how we want it to be.  So pay attention to sly tricksters and spin doctors, those telling you what you wish to hear.  This New Moon is loaded with illusion, sidetracks to denial that lead straight to delusion down the road if you aren’t grounded. Look at evidence right in front of you:  the nuts and bolts, facts and data of your current situation.  Evidence might deflate your big ideas but at least you know exactly what you are working with to achieve your goals.  You don’t want to be that dreamer believing he can buy a mansion with only has $1,000 in his bank account…

So ask the hard questions now.  You will easily find the answers.  Gemini rules communication and information gathering; while Venus in her home sign of Taurus, aligned to Pluto-Saturn, provides a plethora of useful resources.  Sure, that shiny red sports car is sexy.  Just make sure you go beyond looking under its hood.  Ask:   what kind of safety record does it have?  What warranty does the dealer offer?

Asking in-depth questions to ALL relevant real-life circumstances is vital now.  The Gemini New Moon is mercurial, fast energy; while the lower side of Neptune in Pisces rules fantasy, the invisible man behind the curtain, the puppeteer pulling strings we cannot see.  The key is discernment:  what is real vs. what is spin.  So slow down and tune in.  Take 24 hours to sort things out and review your options.  Listen to your intuition (Neptune in Pisces’ higher dimension).  What does your heart say?  Your internal GPS?  If someone or something cannot wait a single day or two while you talk it over with a trusted loved one, that tells you everything you need to know.  What they’re offering is most likely not the right path for you.

All that glitters is not gold, as gilded tombs do worms unfold. – Shakespeare

The good news is that on Wednesday, June 5^th Messenger Mercury enters compassionate Cancer.  Not so fast, it says.   In nurturing Cancer, Mercury likes to take the slow, scenic road.  Prods us to take it easy and follow the path of least resistance.   Our mind is in absolutely no rush.  We want to feel our way forward, to touch the fabric of our lives, to run our hands and fingers through potentials, across the essence of choices, allowing the full range of our senses (including and especially our SIXTH sense) to guide our next move. Most notably, Mercury in Cancer gives full weight to our feelings and emotional instincts.

Nurturing and compassion steer our thoughts.  Soft and tender, we consider what is best for our children, family, our own best interests and self-care, and yes, our nation as a whole.  Over the next few weeks, the balance of June, Mercury joins Motivating Mars already in Cancer.  From June 9^th through 16^th, the tight troika of Mercury-Mars-and lunar North Node (our directional calling) greatly emphasizes home, food, family, our actual Mother or those people, pets or prospects we mother, and our family dynamics.  Particularly highlighted this week is our heritage:  family beliefs, myths, inheritance, both psychological and genetic.   We examine myths perpetrated on us from birth, imprints we did not invite or ask for, that have pushed us in certain directions we otherwise would not have chosen.

The Cancer trio directly opposes the Lunar South Node-Pluto-Saturn, setting off a tug-of-war, either an acute internal struggle or steep external conflict we must delicately navigate.  Mid-month finds us becoming vividly aware of how our family systems function (or don’t); how systems or beliefs have impacted us for better or worse; we may feel a rising us vs. them sensibility; gain a clear insight of what must be preserved at all costs and what must be overhauled, purged or released, for our own good or the greater good and well-being of the whole. 

As you wade through this unmistakable week, be very careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water.  Helping us juggle relationships and resources, Venus enters flexible Gemini on June 9^th.  We find alternative solutions to what otherwise can feel like do-or-die situations or stark black and white choices.  Gemini Venus offers skilled versatility, key in mid-June, allowing detached, cooler heads to prevail in what can be otherwise emotionally charged days leading into the Full Moon on June 17^th.

Conjoined to Generous Jupiter in Sagittarius, this Full Moon wants freedom, adventure and to feel awesome and boundless.  Any legal matters brewing will come to a head this week.  Deals are sealed.  The need to follow your own path, break away and be true to yourself above all else is crucial.  It is crunch time.

Honesty is not merely the best policy now; it is the only policy.  The Full Moon shines a glaring spotlight on the need to be absolutely, 100 % your own self.  Conformity is a thing of the past.  So turn down conformity in favor of being a pure individual.  Why?  Because you now understand the real cost of going along simply to get along; the true price of following the herd mentality, be it that of your family, workplace, friends or community.   Regardless of others’ opinions, needs or desires, you must honor the acute drive to live your own life.   Those making the hard, difficult choices now to be true to themselves will avoid the inevitable consequences awaiting the less bold and brave.

Walking away from all that is familiar or known is not for the faint of heart.  So as you face what may feel like immense tasks ahead, take one day, one hour even, at a time.  Be very gentle and forgiving with yourself.  Break down your to-do list into small, manageable pieces.  Above all, ask for help.  You may be surprised how willing people are to lend support, resources and time.

A few days later, the tide turns.  Literally.  Neptune, God(dess) of the seas, turns retrograde in its own sign of Pisces.  The effects are so subtle we are not immediately aware of the inward pull.  Neptune aligns helpfully to the Lunar North Node in Cancer and Saturn in sturdy Capricorn, sharpening our intuition.  We know, and feel, exactly what we need to function optimally (at best) or for self-preservation (at a minimum).  Pay attention to your internal GPS, otherwise known as soul insights.  If you let go and let God take the wheel, divine steering delivers you to the most advantageous destination.  Set aside your inner control freak.  At first glance, it may not seem as though your prayers are being answered.  However, in time you will know that the best thing that ever happened to you was not landing that guy/gal, job, or wish…

The very next day, June 22^nd, is the Summer Solstice.  The Sun enters the sign of Cancer the Crab at a world-attention getting degree.  Challenging healer Chiron for the remainder of June, the Sun (our will) calls us to attend those less fortunate, to be earth angels for those in need of nurturing and empathy, and most definitely to heal our deepest wounds.  Feed the poor, tend the sick, hug and hold the despairing.  These are not clichés.  For there are no clichés where there is hunger and need for well-being.  In this season of warmth and sunshine, be the answer to the question and the solution to the problem so greatly needed by our planet now.

Messenger Mercury enters Leo on Thursday, June 27^th challenging Radical Uranus in Taurus.  Watch your thoughts and see where they follow.  Try not to attach to them.  Best to stay neutral and weigh your options.  Leo Mercury can surely have grand ideas while Uranus in Taurus opts for practical methods.  These two may very well clash and conflict, as you may feel naysayers are raining on your parade.  Both Leo and Taurus are fixed signs, meaning, they don’t want to give ground and can be rather stubborn.  Try to let each take a turn:  throw that party (Mercury Leo) but do it within a budget (Uranus in Taurus); flex your creative streak while planting unusual flowers in your garden; take a job interview you otherwise wouldn’t yet make sure to ask the practical questions.  You get the idea. 

The on-going struggle between Jupiter in Sagittarius vs. Neptune in Pisces comes to a head this final week of the month.  Both in their own home signs, Jupiter demands the law be upheld, truth and honesty in ALL matters, while Neptune spins illusion while seeking escape from reality.  We see the effects of this in so many areas of our lives:  the opioid epidemic rages at fever pitch (Neptune rules drugs and alcohol); the deep divides within our nation economically and politically; and the war between facts and data vs. scripted messaging. 

At its root, Neptune is about our Soul and Spirit.  In its own sign of Pisces, Neptune seeks to clarify and cleanse all obstacles obscuring our true essence.  It offers distinct polarities:  the easy escape hatch to avoid our soul work OR harkening to what makes our soul sing, uniquely and individually. It says, sure, take the easy escape route now but the work honoring your soul still remains to be done.  One path is fear based (avoidance) while the other holds a hand out in good faith.

Meanwhile, Generous Jupiter, offers abundance IF we tow the line and honor our path, be true to ourselves.  When we seek the good life just for the sake of a joy ride, emptiness and shallow living surely follow.  But if we do the work of honoring our truth and path, we hone lives of depth and dignity.   Both Neptune and Jupiter offer the easy way out OR the honest, soulful path.  The clash of these two planets now clearly highlights this distinction.  Which will you choose?