 Mars-Pluto aspects can be dangerous. I don’t say this to scare you but to inform you that there is some pretty intense energy coming up. Mars in Cancer opposes Pluto in Capricorn exact on Sunday July 2 at 5:58 AM here in Montana but this is something we will be feeling all week leading up to Sunday. We will also still feel this influence fading as we move into next week so it will still be active over the 4th of July. Everyone will be affected by this energy but if you have planets in the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) you will feel this more strongly. You will also feel this more strongly if you have a Mars-Pluto aspect in your natal chart (like I do). With the opposition aspect there is usually another person involved. Mars-Pluto has some difficult energy: obsession, anger, violence, power, ambition, brutality, compulsion, competitiveness, explosiveness. We can become obsessed with another person. We can become angry at them. We can even desire to control them through power, compulsion or brutality. On the positive side this aspect deals with the appropriate use of power and ambition in order to create balance. Being in touch with your own power and being able to use that power wisely is a privilege that comes with practice and wisdom. Some famous people with this aspect in their natal charts are Marlon Brando, Tippi Hedren, and Ian McKellen. Interestingly all of these examples are known for their work as activists so I see activism as another way to engage this energy responsibly. The reason I am writing this is to allow people time to prepare mentally and emotionally for some difficult energy. Here are some example scenarios for the week: I have a toddler … I expect her to try to get her way more than normal as we approach the weekend. Tantrums, crying, yelling even hitting may be things that occur. I must be careful that I do not use brute force to deal with her potential aggression. By being aware of this pattern I can take a deep breath and handle any behavior problems with the proper amount of discipline instead of allowing the energy to overwhelm me and create more problems by overreacting. In relationships if things seem rocky then one or both parties may resort to stalking the other. There could be power struggles which accomplish very little. If you are prone to fighting then this is much more likely to occur while tempers are volatile and people are feeling more aggressive than usual. The way to handle these issues, if they arise, is through practice, patience and compromise. When we feel the need to “win” or be “right” in a relationship we are only sabotaging the long term success. Do not try to win the battle or you may end up losing the war. Another danger here is that people may psychologically project their negative feelings onto others. Projections can be insidious and hard to recognize so try to be self-aware. If you feel that another person is angry at you or upset with you ask yourself if you are in fact upset with them or angry at them instead. If you are driving or traveling be extra careful as I expect drivers to be more aggressive than usual. Since this is a holiday weekend here in the states there may be more people going out of town and some drivers could be reckless in their rush to arrive at their destination. If you are traveling this week or this weekend (I am one who will be on the road) please try to drive safely and to not engage with any road rage or competitiveness you may meet out there on the road. It is better to take your time than to end up in an accident because of carelessness or because of anger. Some ways to use this energy wisely is to engage in sports. Go for a hike. Play baseball. Go for a run. Doing something that is normally both active and competitive helps to channel this energy in a positive manner. Another fun thing to do: sex! This is a very sexual energy occurring so you can have some fun in the bedroom as well by having some energetic and perhaps even risque lovemaking. Since Mars is such an active planet physical activities are preferred to sitting around! But since we can push ourselves quite hard under this influence please make sure you stay hydrated and rest when you need to rest, otherwise you could overdo it this. If you like to drink alcohol please try to refrain from drinking too much as the combination of alcohol and potential for anger can be dangerous. Self-control is one of the things being challenged by this energy but as long as we are conscientious about it we will be fine. Alcohol and fireworks can also be dangerous. Even fireworks alone need extra care this year so be cautious if this is a part of your celebration this year. If you do find yourself getting obsessed, angry or too negative you can channel the energy effectively by doing something physical. Punch a pillow. Go for a run. Work in the garden. It is important to stop feeding the difficult energy and direct it elsewhere because if we don’t direct it elsewhere and instead keep feeding it we will eventually explode (metaphorically) and that is not pretty. If you have any questions about the energy this week I am happy to answer questions! Stay cool all! 
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 The new moon in Cancer occurs at 8:31 PM on Friday, June 23 here in Montana (mountain time). New moons are best for new beginnings, fresh starts, and planting (metaphorical) seeds. The sign of Cancer is known for being both protective and intuitive. If you are working on areas of self-protection such as healthy boundaries and saying no then this new moon can aid with those things. If you are working on developing your intuition this new moon is also a great time to focus more on that area. Depending on where this new moon falls in your own chart (by both house and aspect) the new moon can also be harnessed to improve that area of your life. For example the new moon falls in my 10th house of career and so this is a great time for me to dedicate myself to improving or expanding my career and business.
The new moon occurs at 3 degrees of Cancer. So if you have planets at 3 degrees of an cardinal signs (Aries. Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) you will feel motivated to make changes with this new moon. The Sabian Symbol for this degree is “A Man Bundled in Fur Leads a Shaggy Deer”. This is an unusual symbol. If someone is bundled in fur it is likely very cold. And here he is working with the deer instead of hunting it. To me this brings in the idea of working through hardship and cold in cooperation with nature. Deer are wild animals but here it is being led willingly. There is something here that reminds me of the Strength card from the tarot as well. We tame the wildness within and we walk out of the cold. Some of the “background noise” for the weekend and week ahead is a volatile t-square involving Mars, Jupiter and Pluto. This type of energy can be a little dangerous as we tend to blow things out of proportion and explode. The caution here is to be on guard but be careful not to overreact. Balance and perspective helps to keep things in line. But if you are accident prone or have anger issues you may need to work extra hard in order to stay safe and retain your poise. One last thought on the new moon in Cancer … the moon rules the sign of Cancer and both share very nurturing energy. Cancer is the mother of the zodiac. With this energy you have the opportunity to nurture yourself and your family. How do you care properly for yourself and for those around you? This is a good time to recommit to being kind, nurturing, and compassionate … especially to yourself. Give yourself a hug and allow yourself to truly acknowledge your feeling in an authentic manner, instead of being too hard on yourself. Happy New Moon!  The summer solstice is upon us. Here in Montana is occurs tonight, June 20, at 10:24 PM mountain time. The solstice occurs at the moment when the sun makes his ingress into the sign of Cancer. This also is when the sun aligns with the Tropic of Cancer to reach his maximum northern longitude. It’s the tropical zodiac, after all. It aligns with the tropics and with the seasons. It’s officially the first day of summer. The day of longest daylight hours and the shortest night. Light is prevalent. Light reigns. Here is my blessing for all this day:
May your life be filled with light. May light warm you and guide you. May the light show you the way. May the light lead you to love. If you are lost in darkness perhaps it would be a good time for a deep look inside. The water sign of Cancer is one of depths, and with an abundance of light perhaps it is a good time to look within more deeply than before. We must be comfortable with ourselves to feel safe in this world, and if we aren’t comfortable now we must do the work to make it so. It is not always easy work but it is always worth it. Ultimately this search brings us closer to our true selves. And once we know our true selves we can truly lead authentic lives. We can shine our own light. We do shine.  Whether you know it or not you are working toward something. It can be a long term goal, a weekend getaway, or a beer belly. You decide. The suit of Pentacles asks you to be responsible in your choices and in your actions so that you work towards things that provide you with some type of wealth, whether that is physical wealth, emotional wealth, spiritual wealth, relationship wealth … making the proper investments pay off in time.
In tarot the suit of Pentacles represents the element of earth. Sometimes called Coins, Worlds, or Discs this suit is seen as relating to the material world including nature, work, money, career, home and other property, and all things business. It takes time for our work to come to fruition, whether that is a garden we are growing, a book we are writing, a sport we are improving. The idea of patience and practice is repeated in this suit card after card. We do not master an activity after trying it once. We must practice it, hone our skills, learn how to get better until we reach the point of mastery and even then if we neglect our practice then our skills will fade. We do not harvest a garden by simple planting the seeds. We must also tend our garden carefully with water and attention in order to insure a harvest. But one thing is certain in the suit of Pentacles: if you do the work there will be a harvest. Hard work, diligence, practice and patience pays off in the form of rewards. That reward can be a promotion at your job or more zucchini than one person could possibly eat but the reward is there. If you do not heed the lesson of Pentacles, that hard work leads to rewards, you will have a lot of trouble reaching the goals in your life. If you are unwilling to be diligent, responsible, and patient how can you even see something through to the end? It can be a degree in higher education or it can be saving up money to afford your dream vacation. It doesn’t matter what it you are working toward … if you do not stick to the plan you will not achieve the results you desire, simple as that. Ultimately Pentacles asks you to consider what you are working toward in your life. Are you making an honest, viable effort? Are you considerate of your responsibilities? Are you taking time to rest? Rest too is important because if you push too hard all at once you will wear yourself out in the long run. Are you nourishing yourself and your projects properly? Are you willing to share your resources with others? Are you willing to ask for help when needed? When we live according to the patient, dedicated, hard-working theme of the Pentacles we see that there is a connection in how we invest our time/money/energy and what returns we receive. Other suits which we will cover later are more flashy, they perhaps have more zest or zing, but if we want to make something happen in our lives we can always count on the predictability and security that Pentacles provides. What is your impression of the suit of Pentacles?  The Full Moon in Sagittarius occurred earlier today (Friday, June 9 at 7:10 AM MDT). Since the moon is applying to Saturn in Sagittarius there is quite a bit of tension in this full moon! We may be filled with wanderlust and we may want to just get away from it all but ultimately we are called to face our duties, choices and responsibilities under this full moon.
The Sabian Symbol for the degree of the full moon is “Pelicans Menaced by the Behavior and Refuse of Men Seek Safer Areas for Bringing Up Their Young.”. This is quite a powerful image, and it brings to mind the following questions:
Sometimes things must come to an apex (full moon) before we are willing to make the changes needed in order to insure a safer and more peaceful life for ourselves and for our loved ones. While this symbol talks about “young” in terms of offspring we can also see this symbolically as any new projects, hopes, dreams or ideas that we are nursing in our lives. Others can sometimes kill our dreams through their own negativity or disbelief. If you are facing such a situation in your life then it is time to walk away. You cannot change others but you can create a sanctuary for yourself. The time is now to do that. The position of Saturn helps in letting go. Saturn asks us to cut ties with anything that isn’t properly serving us in our lives. In some ways Saturn is the ultimate ascetic. What is necessary and what is extraneous? Saturn helps us let go of things we don’t need and if we are reluctant to let go Saturn makes things difficult in order to force us to see the wisdom of letting go. Under the influence of this full moon take some time to think about what your true priorities in life are right now. And then think about your long term goals in how to maintain and improve those priorities.  Leading up to the full moon in Sagittarius on Friday, June 9 at 7:10 AM MDT we have a couple other sign changes that in my mind are quite helpful! Let’s jump right in!
Earlier today (Tuesday, June 6 at 1:27 AM MDT) lovely Venus entered her home sign of Taurus. Venus in Taurus luxuriates in nature. There is something vibrant and verdant here, yet also something graceful and languorous. Since Venus rules the sign of Taurus this is excellent energy to invest in all things Venus … love, money, beauty, art, gardening and more. Personally I think I will schedule a pedicure as that is something that makes me feel positively beautiful! If you have been wanting a massage or spa treatment this is a great time! Venus will spend about a month in Taurus so we do have some time to enjoy this placement! Later today (Tuesday, June 6 at 4:15 PM MDT) curious Mercury will move into his home sign of Gemini. While the energy of Venus in Taurus is elegant, peaceful and poised … Mercury in Gemini is quick, curious and adventurous! Mercury loves to explore and that can include ideas, neighborhoods, people and more! This is a great time to be more social … if you have been wanting to get out more use this energy as a push for you to become that social butterfly! If you have been wanting to learn more about something this is also a great time to look into a subject or join a group that explores a topic in which you are interested. Having planets in the signs of their rulership is good for all of us, no matter what signs we have in our natal charts. Planets function their best in the home signs and this gives a sense of comfort and familiarity that helps us to accomplish what we are working towards. It also gives us a sense of peace and ease. We just feel like we are wearing, for example, clothes that fit instead of clothes that don’t feel right on our bodies. If these two positive changes aren’t enough we also have magnificent Jupiter stationing direct just after the full moon on Friday. More on the full moon in a later post! But on Friday, June 9 at 8:04 AM MDT Jupiter stations direct and once again starts moving forward. This is great for those of us who feel that some of our problems have blown up and now seem out of proportion to the rest of our lives. Now we have the chance to put things right. We see what is out of balance and we can work toward implementing new and better techniques in handling what has not been working in our lives. Using this relatively positive astrological time to further your personal goals and just to relax and have fun for a change is highly recommended. Hey, it isn’t often that we have the chance to promote harmony, beauty and inner peace in our lives with support of the stars. Often we must push through obstacles and challenges in order to grasp at a sense of peace and balance. Consciously embracing this energy and making the most of it is the way to go. It is all too easy to just set ourselves on cruise until the next major kerfuffle or snafu comes along in our live. Don’t worry, the full moon will bring some excitement to the mix as well as bring up some of our responsibilities, but all in all the energy here is a small reprieve before we get into eclipse season in August. |
Nikki RichAstrologer, Reiki Master, tarot reader, and so much more! 
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