Note to Readers: The July monthly horoscope will be distributed Friday morning, after the Sun has ingressed the sign Cancer. If you would like to review your June horoscope, here is the link. — efc

Dear Friend and Reader:

In yesterday’s edition of Daily Astrology, I explained the background on the past 11 years of stressful astrology — a long series of aspects involving Saturn, which have felt like one test after the next, without our ever finding out our grade. If you want to know a bit about what you’ve been through since 2001, that post may give you a clue.

The fixed star Betelgeuse, associated with fame, success and ‘rare engines of war’. I guess that could mean success in war — for the winner.

Today is the second Gemini New Moon within 30 days. The first happened with the Sun in the first degree of Gemini — that was an annular (not annual) solar eclipse. It’s unusual to have two New Moon events in the same sign the same year, though it’s possible when the first one happens on the first or second day the Sun is in the sign.

Today we have a New Moon at the very end of Gemini, in something I’ve come to describe as the Atlantis degree — 28+ Gemini, properly known as the 29th degree of Gemini. As I mentioned, this degree is like the eye of a needle through which you can thread the charts for the Sept. 11 incident, the Boxing Day earthquake of 2004, WikiLeaks, the Fukushima nuclear meltdown and a number of other world horoscopes. I’ve been watching the horoscopes of news and historic events for a while and I would rate this in the top three strangest things I’ve ever seen. I’ve long pondered what it’s about — and I’ve done some digging. I cover the territory in this subscriber series article from 2011 — though here are some additional thoughts.

This time of year when we face toward the Sun in the direction of Gemini, we have our back to the Galactic Center (which is located directly across the sky in late Sagittarius). I believe the Galactic Center, the core of our little (300 billion star) spiral island in space, serves as a homing signal; it pulls us into the galaxy, toward our spiritual home. When we face away from the core, we’re looking out into the vast — and understandably frightening — expanse of intergalactic space. That can have a lonely feel. Some evening this time of year, get a feeling for how comforting the night sky is when we face away from the Sun and into the center of the milky cosmic clouds of our galaxy. That is the direction of home.

When we face late Gemini, we’re also facing in the precise direction of the fixed star Betelgeuse (a star within our own galaxy, located about 1,800 light years from our Sun). Bernadette Brady describes Betelgeuse as having an influence that can bring “unbridled success without complications.”

The question is, success for what, or for whom? That works both ways — successful happy ventures, and successful disasters. Brady, one of the fixed star masters of our day, also describes Betelgeuse as “everlasting fame.” William Lilly, the 17th century maestro, says the star represents “rare engines of war” — not a bad description of the Sept. 11 incident.

The location of Betelgeuse, a reddish star near the famous Belt of Orion. Photo: Wikipedia.

So, with these options, I am going to put my chips on unbridled success without complications — though I am concerned about how this New Moon activates so many charts that have wrought so much trouble for so many. I think we can use it as a release point; as a thing we can go beyond.

Speaking of going beyond, today is the day that Mars leaves the degrees where it was retrograde much of the winter — it reaches the end of its second ‘shadow phase’ today at 4:18 pm EDT.

The New Moon is followed Wednesday by the Cancer ingress of the Sun, or the northern summer solstice (southern winter solstice). This is by definition an Aries Point event, as the Sun is square one of the tropics and thus in aspect to the spot where the zodiac begins. This zone of the zodiac (involving early Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) is like an intersection of private life and public life, something true not just in theory but also apparent in the study of many charts.

Then on Sunday, June 24, we have the first of the long-anticipated Uranus-Pluto squares. This is what I’ve been calling the 2012 aspect. There will be seven of these between Sunday and early 2015, so this is really the beginning of an astrological era that’s been warming up for at least two years; that’s how Uranus-Pluto aspects work. They take so long to develop (this one has its roots in a conjunction of the same two planets in 1965-66) that they are once-in-a-lifetime events. And they always arrive with turns of history, usually in liberationist style.

On Monday, June 25, Jupiter and Neptune form their one and only square for this cycle; Jupiter is in Gemini and Neptune is in Pisces. This is a slippery aspect, suggesting that one not be too idealistic — realism is the key. Investigate something until you know the truth of the matter. Misunderstandings can happen with the best intentions, so maintain a posture of gentle, persistent, non-accusatory inquiry till you figure out what’s really going on.

Next, Venus stations direct in early Gemini, after a six-week retrograde. That happens Wednesday, June 27. So will end the third inner planet retrograde of the year. As this happens, the Sun in Cancer moves into an exact square to Uranus in Aries and an opposition to Pluto in Capricorn, which will activate the still-exact Uranus-Pluto square. Notably, this is within hours of the first quarter Moon, which is to say that the Moon and the Sun pass through the Uranus-Pluto square within about 48 hours of one another, just as Venus stations direct.

This all leads up to the Capricorn Full Moon on July 3, which happens the same day that Mars ingresses Libra and jumps onto the cardinal cross, into the mix of Uranus and Pluto.

Now, if you think all of this is a lot, you’re right — it is. These events are closely concentrated, and happening one after the next. But we’ve already been through a lot; and there is some good news amidst the concentrated sequence of events. Venus and Mars are making moves associated with direct motion, which will release energy and help unravel complications. We can also be grateful that the eclipses are behind us.

Uranus square Pluto has been building up for decades like a thunderstorm that many of us wish would just finally happen — it’s been a long time coming, and this aspect is going to torture some people with dark agendas (or who are parked on a low density level) while it spurs on those who are seeking liberation. There may be some tension (as described by the aspect I talked about yesterday — Saturn opposite Eris, and the Jupiter-Neptune square), but at least we will get to play a good game. If you have to kick some ass, or tell it like it is, be a good sport.

All in all, I think the moral of the story is KNOW YOUR FACTS. Capital letters in italics. This is cautionary information from Jupiter square Neptune. Take things one step at a time. Allow things to develop, and guide your life gently. Remember — this is all part of one process. There’s one story arc involved, and that would be the path of your life. Remember too that what happens over the next few weeks is an extension of the events that commenced with the solar eclipse on the first day of Gemini.

Recalling a line from the Patric Walker horoscope, the stars in their courses may guide us, but it is we who must row the boat.

With love,