Astrology Of July 2017 – Get Ready For The Unexpected

Astro Butterfly

July is a very important month which will prepare us for the Great Total Solar Eclipse of the Sun on August 21st. The total eclipse of the Sun takes place at 28° Leo and this degree is heavily triggered in July by several transits. We have indeed a lot of action at the 28° degree of the zodiac: Chiron turns retrograde at 28° Pisces, Uranus at 28° Aries makes a record number of aspects to Mercury (a square and a trine), a square to Mars and a square to the Sun.

Because so many planets are in Cancer and Leo, we also have an excess of Fire and Water modality in July. This combination can make us lose our cool; and because Uranus is heavily aspected – you can “expect” unexpected turns of events, unanticipated decisions and great insights.

But let’s have a look at the most important aspects of the month:

July

July 1st  – July starts in a very intense note with the retrograde station of Chiron, the wounded healer. Chiron turns retrograde at 28° Pisces, the degree of the Total Solar Eclipse on 21st of August, setting the tone for what we are going to expect in the coming months.  Chiron’s message is simple, but not necessarily easy: we need to learn to accept ourselves with all our scars and imperfections.  We need to learn to live with the wholeness of ourselves, with the good and with the bad.

Chiron reconnects and heals what has been separated or broken apart. We have a natural tendency to shy away from pain, from what we think is the unwanted or undesirable part of yourself. But when Chiron changes course (it happens twice a year) we cannot hide anymore from the truth of who we are.

Chiron will ask for authenticity and awareness. Don’t resist the process, otherwise it will be indeed painful. Chiron transits can be amazingly beautiful though if we open our hearts and trust the Universe works in our favor, even if its ways are sometimes mysterious.

On the next day on July 2nd we have Mars opposition Pluto. This is an extremely intense  aspect which is likely to stir us at the deepest level. This transit can create extreme reactions but if you learned to handle Pluto it can also bring great personal power. You can now remove any obstacle that is preventing you from getting what you want.

You are especially affected by this transit if you have planets of angles at 18° Cancer or Capricorn, the sings where the opposition takes place,  as well as 18° of Aries and Libra. You will also feel this energy strongly if in your natal chart you have an aspect between Mars and Pluto. A good way to handle this energy is to make sure you have a healthy outlet to express it. Any type of sport or physical exercise can be a good outlet.

On July 4th Venus enters Gemini. In the 3rd sign of the zodiac, the Goddess of beauty and love becomes more dynamic and curious. After we indulged ourselves into sensorial experiences with Venus in Taurus, now is time to engage our brain too. Venus in Gemini is the best time to have interesting, captivating conversations and to open our mind to new experiences.

If you have Venus in Gemini you will have your Venus return which means a new chapter will start for you in matters of love, finances, personal values, aesthetic expression.

Mercury in Cancer squares Uranus at 28° Aries in the same day and will bring us some unexpected news. Pay attention to your emails, to the news you read on Social Media because you can get some clues about the general theme of the Great Total Solar Eclipse in August.

July 5th – Mercury enters Leo. This transit is great for focus and mental stamina. If a project has been draining you of energy during Mercury’s stay in Cancer, Mercury in Leo will give you the much needed mental focus to advance in your project and reach your goals.

In addition, the transit favors artistic expression of any kind, especially drama, theater, acting, role playing or working with children. In the same day Sun in Cancer squares Jupiter in Libra at 15° making you optimistic (possibly over-optimistic) about your prospects. This stands true especially if you have planets at 15° in Air signs or Water signs.

On July 8th we have the Full Moon in Capricorn at 17°. This is the most intense Full Moons of the year, being in a tight conjunction to Pluto. This is a challenging Full Moon because both the Sun and the Moon are in signs they don’t feel very comfortable in. And Pluto sitting just next to the Moon will expose all our insecurities.

How much and to which extend this Full Moon is going to affect you depends on how much you try to resist its influence. If you embrace the energy with awareness, the Full Moon in Capricorn can be extremely empowering and can help you manifest things that seemed impossible in the past.

On July 9th the opposition between Sun and Pluto becomes exact. If you have planets or angles at 18° in Cancer or Capricorn this transit will impact you in the area of you chart / the houses transited by the Sun and Pluto. Irrespective of the house, the transit will bring some sort of struggle in expressing your individuality.

In mid-July –  more exactly July 10th to July 16th – the sky is pretty uneventful. Time for some much needed rest after such a powerful Full Moon. Make sure you make the best of this phase by taking some time off to recharge your batteries.

July 17 is a very dynamic and in the same time confusing day. We have Venus in Gemini in a square to Neptune at 14° Pisces and Mars in Cancer in a square to Uranus at 28° Aries. If you are the type of person who likes to be in control, you can find this day quite challenging. If you are an artist, an energy worker or you have spiritual interests you can find these transits quite inspiring and empowering instead.

July 18th – July 19th the energy flows easily as we have a trine in Air signs between Venus in Gemini and Jupiter in Libra at 15° and a trine in Fire signs between Mercury in Leo and Saturn in Sagittarius at 22°. We will all feel at ease during this time – any type of communication, exchange with groups, artistic expression is highly favored now.

Even the shy ones can have a blast with all this extroverted energy in the air. So if you normally have difficulties in interacting with people this transit is good news for you – make sure you go out or make contact with others. We will all benefit from this transit. If you have planets around 15° Aquarius or 22° Leo you are especially lucky.

Get ready for some fireworks on July 20th. Mars enters Leo, one its favorite sings and Sun squares Uranus in the same day – again at 28° – creating restlessness and impatience. All these aspects are in Fire signs so expect a lot of intensity and passion.

July 21st – Mercury conjunct North Node at 24° Leo giving us a very important message about our purpose in this lifetime. Pay attention to any clues, especially if you have planets or angles at 24° Leo. The next weeks will be life changing for you.

July 22nd – Sun enters Leo, encouraging us to take time off for fun. No wonder so many people all over the world, irrespective of culture are on holidays around this time of the year. This is a good time to be active and enjoy yourself.  This is not the type of holiday you want to spend in an ashram (this would be more suitable for your holidays in March when Sun is in Pisces)…unless you go there to meet people or do some yoga or something active. Whatever you chose to do, make sure you enjoy yourself as much as you can!

On July 23rd we have the first  New Moon in Leo at 0°. Yes, this year we are going to have two New Moons in Leo and yes, the 2nd one is actually the total solar eclipse I’ve been writing about. This first New Moon in Leo will give us clues about what to expect at the time of the solar eclipse on August 21st (which is probably the most important astrological event of the year).

This fist New Moon is by itself extremely powerful, and great for intention setting as it takes place at 0° and is conjunct Mars, the most active planet.  0° is the degree of the Magician, anything is possible now, and the manifesting power of your intentions is extremely strong. Be careful what you wish for 😉

July 24th – Venus in Gemini is in opposition to Saturn in Sagittarius at 21°and in the same day Mercury in Leo is trine Uranus in Aries at 28° (again, the 28° degree). Don’t let melancholy pull you down. Seek intellectual pursuits instead. This is one of those days when you should let our mind overrule your heart.

July 25th – Mercury enters Virgo, the sign of its domicile. In Virgo, Mercury works at its best – our analytical work becomes very accurate now, and our attention to detail is magnificent during Mercury’s transit in Virgo. Mercury starts to slow down though as it prepares to turn retrograde mid-August.

July 26th – Sun conjunct Mars at 4° Leo – make sure you direct your energy in a project that is dear to your heart. If you do so, the chances to succeed are very high.

July 31st – The month ends with Venus ingress into the homey sign of Cancer.  This is a highly romantic and sensitive transit. Venus in Cancer is also great for spending time with the dear ones. Intimacy and connection are more important than ever so make sure you make the best of this transit by showing the people you care about how much they mean to you.

New Moon In Cancer – Emotional Decisions

Astro Butterfly

The New Moon in Cancer takes place on Friday, June 23rd , 7:31 p.m. PDT at 2° Cancer.

The New Moon is infused with Cancer energy  – we don’t only have the Sun and the Moon in Cancer, but also Mercury and Mars. That’s a lot of Cancer, especially given that all these planets are personal planets, so we will feel their effect at a very personal level.

New Moon

Cancer energy makes us crave emotional nurturing. We usually get the emotional nurturing from being surrounded with familiar people and things.

We are less likely now to go and explore the unknown, read the latest news, or go on a blind date. Instead, we will want to enjoy ourselves by spending time with old friends, by having a meal “just like mother used to make” or by reading a bioprahical book.

That being said, it is worth mentioning that New Moons in Cancer are a bit special. Although Moon rules the sign of Cancer, and you would expect Cancer New Moons to manifest the lunar energy fully, let’s not forget that a New Moon has rather a “Solar” vibe. New Moons in general are times for new biginings, manifestations, are times to “take the lead” and start something new.

Moon feels very comfortable in Cancer, especially when at her “full” phase. Only then she can shine on her own right and manifest herself freely. But right now, the Sun takes the helm.

At this phase in the lunar cycle, the Moon is literally invisible in the night sky, because of the proximity to the Sun. That’s why in general a lot of times nothing really happens at the exact time of  a New Moon. The secret is to wait for 2 days, until the Moon becomes visible in the sky. Only then we can become aware of what the message of the New Moon is about.

So on one hand, we have a strong Cancerian energy which asks to be akgnowledged and felt in a feminine, intuitive, watery way.  On the other hand, we have the Sun taking the lead with the masculine qualities of setting the vision, being abstract, and taking initiative. This conflict can create quite a bit of friction, and like with every friction, events are likely to happen.

Another particularity of this New Moon is the close conjunction with Mercury, which now is only 3 degrees ahead of the lunation. Mercury with the Sun and the Moon in the sign of the Crab will give us direct access to the subconscious realm of our memories. We are now asked to recall long-forgotten emotions from early childhood that have not yet had the chance to be processed.

Mars applies a square to Jupiter immediately after the New Moon, asking us to “act out” on these emotions. Both Mars and Jupiter are very action oriented planets and if that was not enough they are also in Cardinal signs. We will need to take action, no matter what. Cardinal sings don’t have a plan, they only have the drive to act. It is the task of the Fixed signs to carry out on whatever the Cardinal sign have started.

With so many planets in Cardinal signs, especially in water, we will feel compelled to act upon our emotions. And given that the New Moon takes places just after the Solstice, the stakes are very high. Chances are, we will be very brave about what we are feeling, no matter how awkward, and some emotional decisions will be made,  to the surpise of many, including ourselves.

You are especially effected if you have Gemini, Virgo or Cancer rising or if you have planes or angles between 1-5° in Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn).

To find out which area of your life is in focus look in which house in your natal chart you have 2° Cancer.

Summer/Winter Solstice And Sun/Mercury Superior Conjunction – A Time For Adjustments

Astro Butterfly

On June 21st 2017 we have the Summer or Winter Solstice. Those of us in the Northern Hemisphere will enjoy the longest day of the year, aka the Summer solstice. People in the Southern Hemisphere will have shortest noontime shadow instead.

No matter where you live, astrologically 21st of June is one of the most important days of the year. The Sun is either at the highest point in the sky, or at the lowest. This marks some sort of culmination – a point of “no return”. The Sun cannot go any further than that.

Just as everything around us in the nature gets born, grows, dies, only to be born again, the Vernal solstice is a symbol of change, it is a reminder that we are all part of nature, a part of a higher evolutionary process.

Solstice

In Astrological cyclicity the Solstice acts like a square, it is similar to the first quarter Moon. The Spring Equinox is the New Moon, the two Solstices are the squares, and the Fall Equinox is the Full Moon.

At this time of the year, we are being asked to make the necessary adjustments to the plans we started at the time of the Spring Equinox. This square can bring some frictions, but will also give us great resources of energy to make change happen.

This is the time of empowerment, we are even more empowered than we were at the time of the Spring Equinox (which corresponds to the New Moon phase). The Equinox (the beginning of the astrological year) marked the beginning of a new cycle.

Even if back then we could “pick and choose” what we want to do in the upcoming cycle, and we could literally swim in an endless ocean of possibilities, still back then we were not necessarily very clear about what exactly we want to do.

By now, we know what we need to do. In the last 3 months we also learned what we need to stop doing, or what we need to start doing more. It is more and more clear what our purpose for this year’s cycle is.

Immediately after the Solstice, Mercury makes a superior conjunction to the Sun marking the peak of the current Mercury cycle, a time of manifestation for our “Mercurian” pursuits. Whatever you started at the beginning of the current Mercury cycle around April 20th will come to fruition now. Look which houses in your chart are ruled by Mercury for more clues on how this is going to affect you.

The Mercury Sun conjunction takes place at the very potent degree 0° Cancer – this is one of the four cardinal degrees, the most powerful degrees in the zodiac. Transits to 0° of Cardinal signs are the best times to take action and assert ourselves.

This is not a time to play small or hide in the house. Get out there, do what you know you need to do. Mercury will make you very articulate so make sure you speak up and tell the world your truth. Get out our your comfort one. Feel the fear and do it anyway.

If you have Gemini, Leo or Virgo ascendant you will feel especially empowered by this transit. Similar if you have planets or angles around 0° in Cancer. We will all get some exciting news of some sort, Mercury is the messenger of the Zodiac after all.

The New Moon on June 23rd will carry on the theme of this Vernal Solstice, so there is more to come this week, stay tuned!

Neptune Retrograde – Remembering The Source Of All There Is

Astro Butterfly

Neptune is our connection to the web of life, the sacred script of our existence. Neptune is the ‘space in between’, all that cannot be seen, or defined.

Probably the most mysterious and misunderstood planet of our solar system, Neptune rules Pisces, the last sign of the zodiac, acting like the ‘final frontier’ of our existence, the place where everything merges into oneness, the Source where we all emerged from and where we will all return to.

The experiences of ego dissolving and the yearning to be ‘one with’ the cosmic ocean of completeness are what we call ‘Neptunian’ experiences.

Neptune

Neptune’s station retrograde on June 16 is an invitation to find this space of ‘oneness’ inside, as opposed to chasing for it in the outside world. The inner world becomes now the fertile soil of imagination, the place where everything becomes possible. During Neptune stations, we feel that God, the source of all there is, is on our side. The ocean, the sky, the mountains, each plant, each animal, everything is God manifesting and coming into being from that place of completeness, of perfection.

The message of Neptune is that there is a unity beyond the egos, bodies, and that separation is only an illusion. This reality of ultimate unity cannot be explained with our limited processes of the mind, it has to be experienced. We cannot “prove” Neptune.

But Neptune is also associated with illusion, delusion, and deception. The paradox of Neptune is that, when we start to believe too much in this perfection, in this unity, we lose ourselves, we are left without any reference point, we have no more home to come back to. When we realize we have ‘lost ourselves’ the tendency is to prolong our stay in this space of oneness by using drugs, alcohol, and other artificial mediators.

Like with every spell, Neptune magic does not last forever. Neptune retrograde is a reminder that you can dive into the Neptunian divine waters as many times you want to connect with that space, as long as you don’t forget to take your diving gear with you.

Psychologically, Neptune is described by our drive to return to the womb. In this way, Neptune acts in opposition to Pluto, who wants to preserve the matter, and sustain life as we know it. Because of these opposite drives, we humans want to live, create, leave our mark, reproduce, in order to honor our purpose as outlined by Pluto, however no matter what we do, the longing to return to the Source, to find again the paradise we have lost when we came into existence, is always there to haunt us.

I experienced Neptune strongly during a hypnosis session few years ago. The hypnotherapist had his natal Neptune conjunct my natal Mercury to the minute.

During the session I envisioned myself in my mother’s womb. From there I plunged directly into the deep waters of the ocean, where I experienced the fury of the water and had to fight with sea monsters. Soon after, I drifted into a space where I would float effortlessly. My heart and the heart of the Universe were beating as one. I felt one with the universe, there was no distinction between me and anything else. There was no separation.

When Neptune is active the sky like it is now, or when we have Neptune transits to personal planets or angles, we feel an urge to unite with something vaster than the self, to lose the boundaries of our small egos and merge with something larger. Our instinct for preservation dissolves and we let ourselves dive into the unknown, without any fear.

‘I never walked near the edge

Used to fear falling

I never swam far from shore

Never tried the secret door

But when you five me love

When you give me love

I have no fear of heights,

No fear of the deep blue sea,

Although it could drown me,

I know it could drown me’

Katie Melua / No fear of heights

The recent Neptune / Saturn square has showed us what happens when we fail to distinguish the dream (Neptune) from reality (Saturn). The square has brought us the crisis of immigration in Europe and the crisis of “fake news” all over the world, proliferated especially through social media.

Things gotten out of context and posted on Social Media have become viral. We don’t know any more if what we share on Social Media or what we see on TV is the reality. Fake news also bring very important questions: What is a fact? What is reality? Is perception the same thing with reality? Where do we cross the line?

The dystopian world described in the book 1984 gives very good examples of the shadow sides of Neptune. In the book, the so-called Ministry of Truth is in fact a propaganda machine. The word used is a misnomer because in reality the Ministry of Truth is responsible for the opposite, to falsify the historical events that do not serve Big Brother’s agenda.

With Neptune, it is very important to distinguish between awareness and deception. Neptune tells us we are one with the universe, but in this vast universe you can find the good and the bad, you can assimilate energy that serves your higher purpose, but also energy that drags you down.

During Neptune retrograde we need to be as awake as we can possibly be. Instead of putting the rose colored glasses on, simply put you glasses on, you want to see the world for what it really is. You can chose to lose yourself into the world of imagination to unleash the divine spirit inside you, and you also want to turn the TV off when you realize that what you are watching is someone else’s novel.

During Neptune retrograde, allow your ego take a break through myth, poetry, artistic cinema, and listen to the whisper of the dream. Allow memories and dreams to surface. Look for the truth that transcends the ego and remembers its source. And then take what has been revealed to you and bring it to the next level to fulfill your unique purpose. Not someone else’s.

Jupiter Is Now Direct – Expand Your Horizons

Astro Butterfly

Life is good! Jupiter just turned direct after a 4-month hibernation period. What makes Jupiter’s direct motion so special is that it took place immediately after the Full Moon in Sagittarius. And Jupiter is Sagittarius’ ruling planet. What happens when the planet of luck, happiness and generosity turns direct? Life starts to move forward.

After 4 months of doubting our goals, hopes and dreams, it is time to start over again with full confidence. Jupiter direct is about going forward, no matter what. No dream is too high, no challenge is too  great for the God of all Gods!

Ready for the next big adventure of your life?

Jupiter direct

Anything we start in the days following June 9th (when Jupiter turned direct) will be blessed with Jupiter’s luck and good fortune . Especially if your relationships have been stagnant (Jupiter is in Libra, the sign of partnerships of all kind) now it is time to take action and bring them “back to life”.

If you have Sagittarius or Pisces ascendant, or planets or angles around 13° Libra you will benefit greatly from this energy.  Jupiter cycles starts every 12 years, so if you are 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96 years of age, you have your Jupiter return. During Jupiter return our desire to expand our horizons, our desire to travel, to experience the world, to learn and grow is stronger than ever.

Does Jupiter really bring good luck? Jupiter has always been associated with good fortunes. Jupiter, the protector of the Romans, the God of all Gods in Olympus, and the giant gas ball of our solar system is indeed linked to expansion, growth, and good fortune.

It is believed that the pull of Jupiter’s gravity has helped shape the fate of our solar system. In the early years of our solar system’s history, Jupiter, thanks to his immense gravitational field, has stopped asteroids form bombarding the smaller planets, including the Earth. We won’t be here without Jupiter!

Jupiter gives a sense of optimism and faith, being the official ruler of religion and missionaries. No matter how bad things get, Jupiter always brings a positive outlook. He truly believes that things can ultimately turn out well.

“People who wonder if the glass is half empty or half full, miss the point. The glass is refillable.”

Jupiter loves scale and he doesn’t like to stay small. He wants to go farther than anyone else. That’s why Jupiter rulers everything that is “higher” or “farther” – higher education, long distance travel, faraway and exotic places, foreigners, government and religion.

Under Jupiter’s beam, we are more keen to experience new places – either literally or with the mind’s eye – and to seek a higher meaning in everything we do. Our risk appetite also increases, as well as our sense of adventure – Jupiter transits are notorious for giving us a push to move into unknown territories.

When Jupiter goes over important points in our chart, we suddenly get more interested in different places, different cultures and different points of view. We get excited about the unexpected, about the possibility of discovering something new.

Does Jupiter trigger any point in your chart? Take a trip, read a book, or get in contact with a foreign culture. This is a good time to broaden your perspective and grow.

Saturn, Jupiter’s sky neighbor has been for a long time in Sagittarius, trying to temper Sagittarius’ notorious optimism. Saturn has been teaching the archer some valuable life lessons and although he hasn’t completed his mission yet, we are all less impressed with Saturn’s lessons. Right now, Jupiter direct, stronger than ever, is infusing everyone and everything with optimism and joie de vivre and as a result, Saturn’s power is starting to fade.  We’ve learned our lessons, thank you very much Saturn. We are now ready to move on.

The world is changing and our beliefs are changing too. Jupiter direct is giving us the enthusiasm we need to change what is not working, what is keeping us stagnant. Which hopes and dreams have you been neglecting? Jupiter direct is the sign you’ve been waiting for. Time to take action and make your dreams a reality!

In the spirit of Jupiter direct, in the following week I will be doing readings focused on relocation and travel astrology. In you are planning a move to a different city or country, or if you wonder which places are best to travel check out my Etsy store. Knowing your exact time of birth is required for this type of reading.

Full Moon in Sagittarius – Nothing Else Matters

Astro Butterfly

The Full Moon in Sagittarius on June 9th will get us in touch with the truth of our nature: divine and glorious, and in the same time messy and limited. The Full Moon takes place at 19° Sagittarius and is conjunct Saturn, The Great Teacher.

What makes this Full Moon truly special is that Jupiter, the Full Moon ruler, turns direct literally one hour after the Full Moon. Jupiter is now in Libra, the sign of “the other” – if you’ve been struggling in your relationships, Jupiter direct is good news.

The Full Moon in Sagittarius brings a mixture of adventure and discipline. While Jupiter is all about expansion and new opportunities, Saturn warns us to take it easy and be responsible for our decisions. As a result, we are asked to ponder how far we want to go vs. how far we can go. The message? You can do what you want, as long as you play by the rules. You have all the freedom, within the framework of accepted social responsibilities.

Full Moon Sagittarius

Let’s get back to what Sagittarius stands for.  Sagittarius is our inner guru, our inner prophet, our inner pilgrim, ready to explore the many unfamiliar territories of the world and of the self, in search for the Truth. Look how Sagittarius is depicted, armed with a bow, focused intently on the direction in which his arrow is headed. The bow, full drawn and ready to let fly, symbolizes the divine power embodying the tension of spiritual force.

The Full Moon in Sagittarius will give us a potion of the Truth, a potion with magic herbs and bitter medicine.

And what is this truth about? Jupiter stations direct in Libra , the sign of one-on-one partnerships. We can only discover who we are through the Other, through the process of Projection. The other becomes a mirror of our inner self, especially of the unconscious side of our inner self.

Do you like what you see? Are you ready to make friends with the man in the mirror?  What about your relationships? Which relationships honor the truth of who you are? Which relationships help you grow and which one drag you backwards? Which people do you trust?

“Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters”

Metallica – Nothing else matters

The Full Moon in Sagittarius will ask us to accept our human limitations and love our divine imperfections. The process can be awkward. Jupiter is applying to Neptune with an inconjunct, and in the process we might experience a crisis of faith. Thankfully Saturn will give us the clarity we need to discern from this communication which is of God and which is not. And Jupiter direct station means we WILL move forward, no matter what.

This is the last Full Moon in Sagittarius with Saturn in Sagittarius. The next series is in 28 years’ time. This is our last chance to integrate the message of the Great Teacher and move forward, with a renewed sense of optimism.

The sabian symbol of this Full Moon is “Pelicans menaced by the behavior and refuse of men seek safer areas for bringing up their youth”. The symbol stands for the process of transmutation. We are asked to take what is truly valuable, what is absolutely essential for our journey and with this move towards safer and brighter realms. We need to be very clear about who we are, as we won’t have too much time to ponder. But ultimately, this is a message of faith and optimism. The new place WILL be a better place for us.

The Full Moon in Sagittarius will affect all of us, and especially those of us with Sagittarius or Pisces ascendant, planets or angles around 19° in Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) or planets or angles around 13° in Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn).

Hold The Torch – Venus At Greatest Elongation And Triple Conjunction

Astro Butterfly

Venus is in the spotlight on June 3rd . If you look at the night sky 2 hours before the sunrise you will notice she is very bright these days. This is because Venus reached the maximum eastern elongation, a.k.a. she is at the greatest distance from the Sun.

Venus is highly independent she is at her greatest elongation, especially when she is a Morning Star. Far away from the light of the Sun, she can express herself freely, and enjoy her creative independence at the maximum.

In this part of the synodic cycle, Venus knows what she stands for and what she wants. She expresses her views freely. Many leaders of the feminist movement were born under this Venus phase. But independence can be a blessing as well as a course. After she reaches the point where she cannot go anywhere further, Venus decides to dive back down to earth. But before that, more exactly on June 3rd at 03:15 (EDT) Venus reigns undisturbed from her Eastern throne.

And if having Venus at greatest elongation was not special enough, Venus also makes a record of 3 conjunctions with Uranus, Eris and Pallas. The closest aspect is with freedom-seeking Uranus (at 27° Aries), signifying the awakening of the feminine to its intrinsic power. The aspect promises electrifying experiences and can bring sudden changes in the area of your life ruled by Venus (look in which house you have 27° Aries).

Venus Eris Pallas Uranus

Venus conjunct Uranus in the bold sign of Aries is the feminine version of Prometheus, the Greek God who stole the fire from Mount Olympus to give it to the mankind. Venus touched by Uranus brings the eternal flame of love to the mankind, holding the promise that no matter what, we are loved.

The second conjunction is with the asteroid Pallas. In Greek mythology, Pallas Athena is the goddess of wisdom, courage, strategy and skill, and is associated with creative intelligence, especially related to war and craft making, as well as with perception – more exactly our ability to see patterns in large amounts of data.

The third conjunction is with the minor planet Eris. Eris is a powerful feminine archetype. She is the feminine version of Mars, the God of War (Mars was Eris’ brother), and is associated with the concept of discord. We tend to give a negative connotation to discord, however discord in necessary for the perfection of the harmony. Many astrologers (including myself) believe Eris rules Libra, the sign of the scales.

Indeed, “balance” and “discord” can be the different sides of the same coin, and you can’t have one without the other. If we break down the word “discord” we have the prefix “dis”, meaning “different,” and “cord”, which means “heart.” So that leaves us with “different hearts.” When we believe too much we tend to know very little. Eris tempers the absolutist quest for one single truth and brings the much needed “balance”, ironically, through discord.

If we look at the famous Trojan war myth we can get a better understanding of how these feminine architypes (Venus, Pallas, Eris) play together.

“The goddesses Hera (Juno), Athena (Pallas) and Aphrodite (Venus) had been invited along with the rest of Olympus to the forced wedding of Peleus and Thetis. Eris was not invited to this wedding because of her history of creating troubles. She then tossed into the party the ”Apple of Discord”, a golden apple inscribed  “For the most beautiful one”, or “To the Fairest One” – provoking the three goddesses to begin quarrelling. Paris, Prince of Troy, was appointed to select the fairest. Hera offered political power,  Athena promised infinite wisdom, and Aphrodite tempted him with the most beautiful woman in the world: Helen of Troy. While Greek culture placed a greater emphasis on power, Paris chose to award the apple to Aphrodite. His choice marked the beginning of the 10-year Trojan war”

Altogether the triple conjunction in Aries stands for freedom, empowerment, integrity and justice. These aspects are particularly important now when Venus is at the greatest distance from the Sun. Venus, struck (Eris) by the divine fire (Uranus) of wisdom (Pallas), shines brighter than ever. We have pure, empowered feminine energy. Venus is truly a Goddess now and is asking every single one of us (regardless of gender) to stand for our sacred feminine values.

On top of the quadruple conjunction, Venus joins Saturn and the North Node in a Grand Fire Trine, being at the apex of an aspect called Castle. A Castle is a rare astrological event which stands for a promise from the Universe that if we build solid foundations (Saturn) in our life, only the sky is the limit in what we can accomplish (North Node).

We need to build a torch, a solid foundation, to keep the divine fire alive.