June 18th ~ 25th

Where would I possibly find enough leather With which to cover the surface of the earth? But wearing leather just on the soles of my shoes Is equivalent to covering the earth. Likewise, it is not possible for me To restrain the external course of things; But should I restrain this mind of mine What would be the need to restrain all else? ~ Shantideva

This next week is a mix of shifts and turns, and stalls and readjustments, as we reach this year’s Solstice, culminating with a Full Moon next Thursday. The Summer (Winter in the Southern Hemisphere) Solstice falls on either June 20th or the 21st depending on where you are in the world. This is when the days are long in the Northern reaches of the planet, and darkest in the South. It is also when the Sun appears to hesitate before it returns on its apparent southward journey. And so this date is one of the 4 magical cardinal corners of the Solar Year, marked by the stations of the Sun.  

A day of power and initiation, the Solstice is when the Sun enters Cancer. Memorialized at sunrise by the heel-stone of Stonehenge, Midsummer has been celebrated for centuries by lighting bonfires to cast out evil, and to welcome in prosperity and fertility for the Summer months ahead. Cancer is a sign of home, family, heritage, roots, for picnics in the park, and barbecues in the backyard. It is a sign of empathy, caring, nurturing that which we would want to see thrive and grow. Lunar and emotional, changeable like the tides, it is also the sign of Jupiter’s exaltation. 

And on June 20th, just hours before the Solstice, Jupiter now in Pisces, stations for its retrograde phase which lasts until October 18th. Jupiter’s stations are always accompanied by a trine to the Sun, bringing optimism and promise for what could be. Jupiter is a planet of hope. But when it stations retrograde, it aims to focus the promise of that potential within. As a result, it can often feel as if we are being redirected to seek fulfillment not outside of ourselves, or in the outsides world, so much as in our own hearts and minds. We are being reminded that our true and everlasting happiness is not to be found in external things, but within. 

If we think that all of our happiness, as well as the cause of all of our problems are the result of external things in our lives, we will put all of our effort and focus on trying to change our outside circumstances. If we could make that much more money, buy that hot new item, get that new position, then we will be happy. However for these 4 months, we are being asked to direct our attention, not to our external conditions, but within, to the very heart and root and cause of our happiness within our own minds. For this is where all the real growth in our lives takes place. 

It can even seem sometimes as if opportunities in the outer world are temporarily withdrawn, or put on hiatus. That promise for promotion or a raise is still there. It just may not necessarily be fulfilled until Jupiter is direct again. Jupiter retrograde periods are really good for things like spiritual journeys, religious retreats, philosophical discourse, or opportunities to gain greater understanding, wisdom, and knowledge. People return to school, re-evaluate their own core beliefs, and look for ways to become more informed, and better versions of themselves. We are being asked to connect with our highest potential. 

And whereas in the external world Jupiter is associated with luck and abundance, internally it is associated with ethics, morals and beliefs. And there can be triggers at these stations of Jupiter that can throw us back on ourselves, weighing in on whether things are moral and just. However, these retrograde periods of Jupiter are not really so much about the judgment of others right now, so much as whether or not we are honestly living up to our own standards of conduct. In this way, these 4 month annual journeys with retrograde Jupiter are essential for our own spiritual and moral growth. 

The desire for truth and understanding is an intrinsic quality of Jupiter. There may be some winding roads to travel before we get there, but the journey to understanding is as important as the destination. We can learn through exploration, thru questions, thru study, through discourse. And as we ever strive to bee more ethical, kinder and better versions of ourselves, then true altruism can finally be achieved. 

As Jupiter stations retrograde, Mercury is also slowing for its direct station on June 22nd. It will still take a bit for Mercury to pick up speed. But one of the things that occurs as Mercury slows for its station, is that our perspective and our perceptions begin to shift, as we return to what we usually think of as “normal”. Those thoughts and yearnings and ideas that were being planted during the retrograde cycle will then begin to gradually germinate and grow. In the mean time Mercury is still retrograde, and there may still be a few shifts of perception before all is said and done. 

And we are not entirely out of the veil of uncertainty. That could take a few more weeks. Therefore holding on to and reminding ourselves of those things that will and do make our lives more meaningful can continue to guide us through this time. And eventually, as more things come to light, we can see with greater clarity and understanding. 

Not being able to see our way forward could feel especially frustrating, as we are tasked with finding our place in the world this year. We are still in the midst of a lot of evolutionary growth, change and adaptation, and understanding how we fit into this ever-evolving world is part of that process. This can include finding a true calling, your place that you can call home, and those things that you know will aid and support your well-being. With so many of the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto, and soon Neptune as well) now retrograde we are trying to internally process what that all looks like for each of us. Saturn makes an exact sextile to Chiron this week, engaging and summoning our healers, our guides, our teachers, and pathfinders. May they help to bring us where we need to go. 

For this week’s horoscopes, click below:

HOROSCOPES

Costume design for a bacchante by Leon Bakst

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