We are nearing midyear and soon to go through a NUMBER of important changes… including a few retrogrades! Before we slide into Cancer Season at the apex of Summer Solstice, we felt it appropriate to do a proper review before Gemini SZN comes to a full close. The Sun and Mercury are currently in Gemini while Mars and Venus are in Leo, the latter which will go into a lengthy Retrograde in July (more on this when the time comes). 3 planets will be starting a renewed Retrograde rounds in June: Pluto, Saturn and Neptune.
5/11-10/10 PLUTO RX IN (MOSTLY) CAPRICORN
Pluto Retrograde has been happening since May 1st but it recently switched back to Capricorn on Sunday June 11th, where it will stay the remainder of Rx until switching back to forward motion on October 10th. Revisiting our past Muse about Pluto Retrograde, we haven’t really felt the effects of Pluto in Aquarius, but we know ALL ABOUT Pluto in Capricorn. After all, we experienced it for roughly 15 years.
Since January 2008, we have seen an increase in “traditional” values, which can loosely be associated with Capricorn’s shadow side that enforces rules and old world tenure. Conservative dissatisfaction with social progress and the diversity of discourse in American society led to Trump who gave visibility to an uptick of white supremacy and fear of “wokeness”. The knee jerk from even discussing privilege has seen bans in basic education and a strategic legal attack on the LGBTQIA+ community in courts across the country.
Capricorn in any Retrograde position can quickly switch from Ruler to Rebel. As Pluto is associated with Hades and the Underworld, Pluto Rx in Capricorn could go hard at old structures and systems that do not serve humanity’s greater good.
Pluto Retrograde can be more personal and challenge our relationship to desire and power as it relates to our shadow side. Retrogrades with Pluto’s vampiric energy can also have an opposite effect than its forward-motion agenda, though either can be heavy. It’s quite possible that themes around challenging state violence will be heightened this Summer. As if they haven’t always been in focus the entire pandemic, there could be an extra push to deconstruct capitalism’s relationship to property and government in a manner we haven’t witnessed thus far.
Pluto’s square to the end cycle of the North and South Nodes during this Rx emphasize a collective evolution that sets alight our values, though not without uncomfortable information and processing throughout, as Pluto is a revealer of harsh truths. Hopefully this aspect will also lead to much needed wake-up calls that can change our structural systems for the health of all. Pluto will be harmonious with Neptune, which turns Rx later in June, tying in a spiritual element to the lessons we learn.
6/17-11/4 SATURN RX IN PISCES
On June 17th, Saturn will be in its 1st Retrograde while in its recent Pisces parlay. The planet known for agriculture, symbolized by the sickle, Saturn is connected to Cronos but also his daughter Demeter, who in lore is happiest in the warmer months with daughter Persephone by her side in the fields before her annual Autumnal descent into the Underworld. As we are just shy of Summer Solstice by a few days, awareness around harvest and Mother Earth strongly connect to Saturn’s stay in spiritual water sign Pisces.
However, Saturn in planetary magick represents limitation and discipline, and Saturn’s karmic lessons can be unforgiving and harsh, yet also harvest great wisdom. Pisces is NOT known for productivity, a trait in which Saturn savors, but elements of Justice and Karma are related to Pisces’ higher-thought. And, as with Pluto, Saturn is structural, but in Retrograde hits a personal note, even as a slow-moving outer planet. Saturn Rx is ripe for reviewing how our values intersect with our habits, further emphasized by a look at our moral compass, thanks to the Piscean influence. Emotional growth has more stake in this position than previous zodiac visitations.
6/18 GEMINI NEW MOON
Before the Sun moves out of Gemini for the year, we will experience an electrifying New Moon in Gemini on Sunday June 18th.
As we are halfway through 2023 and soon moving into not just another Astro Sign but also a new Season, this Gemini New Moon proposes a review of our goals. More importantly, Gemini’s analytical air power has the ability to pursue an important pause. How well the approach to our plans serves our hopes will be on high alert. This Gemini New Moon in particular may grant an opportunity to be present and sit with the discomfort surrounding our relationship to stagnation, as long as we don’t fly into a wormhole of ideas with our minds floating further into the ether. Imagining better possibilities and considering all aspects of our multifaceted personal and collective makeup, this moon phase is often made to problem solve and refresh our commitments…
One note: The Gemini New Moon will serve us best by acceptance in NOT KNOWING. We DON’T KNOW what the Future will bring and that can be a difficult truth to accept, especially for an intellect-influenced Moon.
Typically, any New Moon is a sparkling moment to gently recognize the ways in which we need to re-balance, re-new, re-vive before planning, pursuing and priming, all great practices during any Retrograde. However, this Gemini New Moon will not be all bright light due to the fact that it will square Neptune in Pisces. Curiosity is absolutely at peak but perhaps foggy due to the illusionist charm of Neptune. Above all, it’s wise to be flexible if your familiar ideas around the Future weren’t best suited but still plan to make moves forward, with room for re-arrangement and fresh perspective.
6/30-12/6 NEPTUNE RX IN PISCES
Neptune in Pisces will be Retrograde from June 30 until December 6, adding to the many planets that backspin this Summer.
Pisces has been with Neptune since 2011 and will complete its stay in 2026. Typically retrograding for 160 days every year, our sense of clarity can become a bit blurry OR like the rose-colored glasses have been ripped off of us. Neptune’s dreamy disposition may have a tendency to become bogged in false beliefs, if not leaning towards downright delusion. Neptune Retrograde is not the worst of them, especially in Pisces, but it can create confusion in the cosmic climate and it will be exceptionally worse for those prone to Ego-centric debauchery.
As Pisces is ruled by Neptune, their time together is extremely harmonious, even in Retrograde. Neptune’s own wily winds whirlpool our imaginations and dreams, prone to become stew in Rx, resulting in primordial soup of the soul. Another example of “letting go”, those who are sternly regimented with logic may have trouble with this Retrograde; at the same time, this could be a good time to slow down and see where we could possibly learn to surrender.
Though the blue outer planet is known for dreams, imagination and intuition, on a basic level Neptune connects to ideas and creativity. Though those uncomfortable with spirituality may struggle with planets in Pisces, Neptune Retrograde can be a great time for embracing intuition or reviewing creative practices. Saturn AND Neptune in Pisces are somewhat opposites: Saturn is strict and Neptune is fluid. Pisces can push us to be less tied to identity attachments, increasing our sensitivity and empathy, and influence matters of evolution in general.