Summer Solstice — the longest day of the Sun in our northern hemisphere, followed instantly by the slow movement toward the shortest day. The Sun moves into the sign of Cancer at 4:08 pm (pacific time). We have completed the first quarter of the astrological year beginning with the initiating force of Aries, and now we work the fields (figuratively if not literally), play, enjoy our families and make ourselves ready for the autumn harvest.

The energies are complex as we begin this season. Much of this year so far has been dominated by the retrogrades of Mars and Saturn and the movement toward the first exact square of Pluto and Uranus. Mars reflected our review of right use of will and our inner initiating force. Saturn shows our final days of reviewing the structures of our lives and will move direct (along with Venus) by the end of the month. The Pluto/Uranus square has us looking deep at our shadow material, the need for authentic freedom and the revolutionary process we are here to birth. At the moment of the Solstice, the Moon has already moved into Cancer, creating a T-square by opposing the transformative force of Pluto, and yet also moving to kiss Mercury, the ruler of all of this Gemini activity. Venus has been retrograde since May 5th, asking us to revisit relationships, cleaning up the past of this and prior lives, understanding our worth, our money and acknowledging the details of beauty and harmony — just a little more deeply. Her power was particularly focused on our earth as she crossed the Sun, solar energies infusing directly through her to us. Two eclipses have occurred recently, triggering energies for those whose charts they touch. The first, a solar eclipse just past 0 degrees Gemini; the second, a lunar eclipse at 15 Sag/Gemini. The transiting south node of the moon is in early Gemini, sandwiched by Venus and Jupiter. Here we feel our karmic patterns around relationship and expansion, beliefs and the possibility of hope; communication will pay off in expanded understanding, especially if we can harness the intuitive, compassionate potential of Neptune which squares the Nodes. And then today we had a New Moon in Gemini (29 degrees), just to make sure the message does not go unnoticed, we are assured it is time to begin, this mercurial forcefield touches us most definitely with its messages.

How can we make sense of so much celestial activity as we move into the summer season? It makes my head spin just to list it all!

Communication, creativity and relationship connections are essential to work through the transformation and karmic relationship patterns brought to the surface. We might find ourselves distracted with too many possibilities and a tendency to stress and mental anxiety. As always, spiritual centering and meditation will help, perhaps with a healthy dose of balancing physical activity. We might be drawn to trips, to taking classes, to books and information. We are learning to detach from the non-essential, to value our connections with each other, to talk and to play. Projects in alignment with our true purpose will be moving forward more easily beginning in July, and connections and projects that are not of our highest values may move out of our lives rapidly and unexpectedly. Listen to the voice of Spirit; pay attention to your dreams. The dream state has been amazing lately. Visions are everywhere.

We now remember what we came here to do, and who we came here to do it with. Gemini rarely seems focused, and this is no exception. The difference is the intention is to bring the non essential to our attention so that we can focus on meaningful transformation and the relationships that honor our soul.

(Photo courtesy of Ivar Palsson in Iceland)