On the night of May 15, after everyone else in the house had gone to bed, I went out in the backyard to see if I could catch a glimpse of the lunar eclipse in progress. But the sky was dark, my view obstructed by clouds and trees. I closed my eyes to meditate under the changing moon that was somewhere in all that darkness.
A feral sound tore through the quiet. I opened my eyes to see my white cat savaging a small, lifeless animal on the blackened lawn.
The serene moment punctured, I went back inside, figuring I’d watch it live-streamed from somewhere with a better view. My husband had left the TV on. It flashed scenes of the most recent mass shooting, the one in Buffalo, fueled by an ideology of hate. I picked up the remote and plunged the room into darkness.
The lunar eclipse occurred at 25 degrees Scorpio, the sign of destruction, grudges, and our basest instincts. Before the discovery of Pluto, Scorpio was known to be Mars-ruled. It is still Mars-ruled, but now Pluto adds to the anger and aggression the possibility for transformation.
And that was the message of the eclipse, that we are poised on the tightrope between our primordial nature, the selfish, tribal and warlike impulses of Mars, and the transformative power of Pluto. Not only that, but this eclipse happened along the North and South nodes, which means we all are being asked to choose between operating from our default settings (south node) or our higher purpose (north node). This is essentially the battle between good and evil, both individually and collectively.
The U.S. is currently having it’s Pluto return. This began in early 2022 and will be with us through 2024. This is a huge deal, as Pluto’s orbit is 248 years, which means it takes that long to come back to the point it was in any particular moment in time.
As my astrology mentor Victoria Bearden mentioned in her final newsletter (rest in peace, my friend) we are in for a reckoning. Add to that the many Aquarian transits of the past few years, which have sparked the nation’s freedom-loving, revolutionary and visionary Aquarius moon.
But let us not forget that the U.S. was born under a Cancer sun. Cancer is the sign of women, mothers and motherhood. Without the influence, work, elevation and equal (if not greater) participation of women, and the honoring and protecting of women, mothers and children, the future of this sun-in-Cancer nation cannot be anything near what its revolutionary moon has thus far envisioned.
Looking at it this way, my humble take on the challenges faced by the nation at this moment owes almost entirely to the fact that we have not been a country that has valued women and the contributions of women to the extent that we have valued and elevated men and their contributions.
It’s a no-brainer, because, yes, Cancer is the most feminine sign in the zodiac. I repeat, Cancer is the sign of women. The United States of America is a woman. And her boss Aquarius moon is in the sign of revolution, and of being one’s own unique, fabulous and unapologetic self in spite of oppressive forces calling for conformity. And now we are a pissed-off mother because our rights and freedom are on the line, and our Aquarius moon is not going to stand for that. I hope not, at least.
Because we are each going to do what we are called to do to make our country (and the world) even better than the initial vision dreamed up–with only half the imagination that we are going to need to move it forward–by our founding fathers.
The Gemini new moon of May 30 was the first new moon after an intense eclipse cycle, which cast the net for some luck to come from past efforts, so if you haven’t had a few happy returns since then, the month isn’t quite up yet. Keep the faith and keep stoking the flames. As you’ll see in a moment, the recent full moon will only add to these happy returns.
The aspects were mostly positive, with a couple of exceptions involving Pluto and Saturn, so those still carrying baggage or misconceptions should expect that anything still unhealed will arise to be looked at if it hasn’t already. We’ve had a lot of Pluto and Saturn over the past couple of years, so keep in mind that when sh#! happens, most of it is just review.
Most recently, on June 14, we had the Strawberry Sagittarius Full Moon, and this is the one that is influencing us most strongly now, although some of us may still feel the gong strikes of the eclipses resounding for a little longer.
The chart of this full moon was mainly positive, lucky and highly energetic, a raging party that was mostly harmonious, although due to Neptune’s heavy influence here, illusions and all means of deception (either from the self or others) were also in attendance, as well as a general daydreamy quality (and of course, the obligatory flourish of drama that attends all such parties).
An antidote to this is grounding and centered-ness. Meditation, meditative activities, and filtering everything through your higher self, intuition, guidance and/or internal b.s. detector. Get right internally with any big decisions such as a large purchase or exclusive dating arrangement. Have strong boundaries and self-care, and then enforce them!
Yes, couples may have had squabbles around this full moon, which is typical when the moon (heart/soul) opposes the sun (head/ego). This one packed a little extra punch as the planet of love, Venus was conjunct disruptor Uranus. So if you had upset, you were not alone. However, on the other side of Venus, the north node reminds us that by following our highest purpose and calling, we can encourage our partners to connect with and seek out their own. Remember the north/south node standoff from the most recent eclipse? We will have to keep choosing good over evil, kindness and understanding over default reactions.
Saturn was another key player, but it’s not all bad. In fact, it doesn’t have to be bad at all. Set your own rules and follow them. Be accountable to yourself, a friend, a coach, whatever. Set small goals and meet them. Celebrate successes.
Mars conjunct Chiron in Aries favors an active approach to healing. Seek out that which will heal your mind and body, and exercise more than usual now. Also, Jupiter in Aries is lucky for all, but brings luck especially to those areas in your chart occupied and aspected by the sign of the ram.
Remember, the two weeks following a full moon are great for releasing, de-toxing, de-cluttering and any pursuit connected to reduction/elimination. We’ve still got a bit more of that before the new moon on June 28. So if you haven’t tackled that cleaning or organizing project, this is as good a time as any.
Which brings us to the summer solstice. Early this morning, the sun entered the feminine, family-oriented sign of Cancer. Cancer is one of the 4 cardinal signs that begin a season.
Traditionally, the summer solstice is about celebration. Make sure to celebrate yourself, your achievements, and the ways in which you have been and continue to be blessed.
And hit that reset button, as the solstice is also a time of reflection, planning and intention-setting. What will you embark on in the second half of the year? What divine urge are you feeling now, and what will be your next step?
And yes, the Cancer sun urges us to think about how we can mother the world into its next phase, because the Pluto return I mentioned means that we are at the end and the new beginning at once. What is your part in this becoming? Follow your North node, your highest purpose. How are you being called on to be heroic now? If more of us do this than not, we have reason to believe the world we live in can change for the better.
I think I channeled Victoria a bit in this writing. An excellent predictive astrologer, she remained hopeful about our future, although she was clear on the fact that a Pluto transit like the one the country is facing is no cakewalk. We will all have to reach deep inside ourselves and pull out those divine gifts that will contribute to this evolution. But I believe that we will evolve.
I will end this by saying something that Victoria often said when making such a prediction.
I hope I am right.
If you want to thoroughly know your chart, and therefore yourself, you soul and your truest nature, I do a fabulous session called Transformational Astrology. You will learn about your Moon as the soul/higher self, the north and south nodes in your chart, their aspects and how this adds up to your unique expression and purpose, as well as how to transform your greatest obstacles and realize abundant prosperity in your unique way. Right now, I’m offering a special “bundle” of my two most amazing sessions. Check it out here: Radical Self-Knowledge & Transformation Package
Solstice Blessings,
Jackleen
(619) 275-1731
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