Solar Eclipse: 3 July in Cancer 05:15 AEST @ 10°

Lunar Eclipse: 17 July in Capricorn 07:38 AEST @ 24°

Mars in Cancer: 17 May – 2nd July (Challenging aspects from 11 June onwards)

Mercury Retrograde: 8th of July (S RX) – 1st of August (Station Direct) 16 August (out of the retrograde degree.)

The Solstice annually marks the beginnings of the Sun’s movements through The Cancer & Capricorn Axis points. Cancer and Capricorn are signs that mark the greatest imbalance of Light and Dark, no matter what sphere you live in. Reflecting the extremes of the light and dark in the physical world as we know it.

Since the ingress of the Moon’s Nodes, the Eclipse points, or Rahu & Ketu into the signs of Cancer and Capricorn (Nov 2018 – July 2020) this axis point has become a more sensitive and accelerated area for growth, and modification.  These are points of change and create a deep push pull effect, working through deep and sensitive plot points of one’s life.  The Eclipses of 2019 take place in Capricorn and Cancer. Meaning if you have any planets in Cardinal Signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn – you will be more directly affected. Planets in Capricorn or Cancer are directly being moulded, modified or purified. Planets in Libra and Aries are being affected by reverbs of these Cancer and Capricorn symphonic clashes.

Capricorn currently has a longer, slower, deeper and at times invisible story unfolding, with the 15-year transit of Pluto through it sign, creating situations and experience of deep modification to the areas of life, that Capricorn planets or points the sign rules over, in one’s birth chart. Pluto transit’s in duration are the longest and slowest of the Zodiac, as well as being the deepest and at times confronting and arduous. Any planets or points that Pluto hit, are hijacked for plutonic redress.

Saturn, the ruler of Capricorn is halfway through its transit of its home sign, making Saturn especially dignified and strong in its current restructuring and Strength testing, of   all that sits in the Capricorn realm.  Since December 2017 this has been working in direct connection with Pluto in Capricorn, by first sign and then aspect. It is creeping closer to conjunction in January 2020. Saturn is challenging the strength of ideas and concepts that are being build or trying to come to fruition, through day by day labouring.  Pluto and Saturn are industrial purging and structural change agents. Since November 2018, Pluto and Saturn have had Ketu or the South Node join the industrial party.  Pluto and Saturn are currently working towards a conjunction in 2020, in Capricorn. The last time this occurred was 1982, at the height of the Cold War, and the rise of Neo Liberalism in Western Government Policy. Saturn Pluto is seen as drastic times of economic change and conflict. More on this cycle in another post.

Ketu or the dragon’s tail is a purging and detoxifying energy. Ketu is pushing for release of things that are not essential or spiritually aligned to the planets or areas of life, its transiting. Ketu is directly affecting the Capricorn, area and placements.  Ketu is joining and working with Pluto / Saturn and is creating an intensified experience. The Pluto Saturn and Ketu transits are catalyst of change pushing you to purify the grounds and environments your seeking to master or conquer.

Capricorn experiences are anything that is slow, and an area of life which reaches maturation over a long period of time. Capricorn energy is about things that you believe are solid, and sure footed.  This solidity allows for feeding of, and creation of gains and overall reward after sacrifice and hard work. But what Pluto and Ketu are doing is adding 2 almost invisible layers of disruption, testing, to see if these structures are truly aligned with you and your forward momentum to the top of the proverbial mountain. Why climb to the top of a dormant or landslide prone mountain? The current planetary transits are testing this sure footedness. This energy will begin to separate by late October, once Ketu clears from its separation from Saturn.

In the Cancer corner, Cancer the only Cardinal Sign in Water.  It is emotional source energy, protected and hidden way by a Crab shell, a tough front, water is hidden away behind strong barriers.  Cancer is the opposite sign of Capricorn. Cancer energy is strong, intuitive, protective, nurturing and sweetness fortified by a protective armour. Once it allows you into the sphere, this is when Cancer energy can really be worked with and enjoyed. Cancer like Capricorn is hard yin.  Where you have Cancer in your chart, is where, what you most treasure is tucked away, protected from the storms, protecting the source of emotion and intuition.  Cancer energy is like a precious spring well, an individual keep hidden away, until trust has been gained, to share the source.

Cancer, has been experiencing Saturn and Pluto from its opposite sign, challenging this protective method. Meaning any planets or areas of life that are in the sign of Cancer have had this constant stress, purification, change, strength testing around its Source energy, for a few years now. The 2020 conjunction will directly affect Cancer planets and points. Putting real pressure on keeping its Water Wells, clean and protected, in the face of constant challenge from its opposing sign Capricorn.

Rahu or The North Node has been transiting Cancer since November 2018. Rahu, like Ketu, they are direct opposites, they operate together, by moving together as constant opposites. Rahu brings a new dynamic to the Cancer Sphere. Where Ketu detox’s or purges, Rahu devours and is hungry, and constantly consumes, like hungry ghost energy.  Eclipses were thought to be an animal devouring the Sun, Rahu energy, is the devourer of the Sun and Moon. Rahu has an endless hunger and consumption, without proper ability to digest, or nurture being the bi-product of this endless consumption. Rahu can push you into areas or can provide opportunities to change and evolve, however, Ketu must also be brought into the equation. As they balance each other. Like a good food diet – the Nodes are constantly balancing consumption and processing. Managing their push pull is complex is part of the astrological process of June and July. Rahu and Ketu don’t necessary do this on their own naturally. It is through awareness, that mastery of the Rahu and Ketu can begin.

This June and July, we see Mars and Mercury transit Cancer, acting as triggers and accelerating by applying fast acting pressure to these longer-term transits highlighted above. This is creating the volatile environment of June and July. Mars & Mercury will be putting lots of pressure on to the deeper and darkest corners. June and July have great potential to create tension, explosions or confrontation. There will be challenges and questions about the roads we are currently on, especially around, Status, Family, Ancestry, Rooting, Home and Building for the Future.

Mars is in its Fall in Cancer, Mars and Cancer are not comfortable bed fellows. Mars is fast, aggressive, reactionary, Yang Fire. Cancer is slower, more cautious, protective, Yin Water. Mars entered Cancer on May 17th, but by June 11th we see Mars begin to activate Saturn, Pluto and The Nodes, by opposition and conjunction. Mars is setting the frame work for a very active Solstice period.  Mars is very much the aggressor of this situation. Being in its sign of its fall, it doesn’t operate as it should. Mars in Cancer can see explosions of pent up and emotional anger or aggression. Rahu and Ketu can add, a deeper level of repressed emotional trauma or ancestral trauma. Saturn and Pluto – also speak to this concept of clearing out deep emotional trauma leading the way to better foundations or reconciliation.

Mars transiting Cancer,sees a match stick being raised and set. Not allowing Mars to burn off the deadwood, in a wet environment, is where trouble could be caused. This contrary situation (Water and Fire) means Mars WILL find other outlets to do its job, if the steam isn’t let off. The outcome might become more explosive than needed or required. So, if things do heat up, don’t smother them, the aim is to control the fire (like a planned burn off) rather than avoiding the fire, because you wanted to hold on to the dead wood. Mars is tricky this month, work with it.

Mercury will come to play as it enters Cancer on June 5th, Mercury is naturally fast and is a problem solver whose speed and rational brings intellectual smarts to the table. However, Mercury begins to slow down in June and turns Retrograde July 8th, beginning its retrograde cycle in Leo/Cancer.  This Mercury retrograde, timed perfectly after Mars’ transit of Cancer, activating all the sticky points of the chart, really speaks to the 3-fold effect which is building around this time frame and the purging and re-visioning of our Capricorn / Cancer axis of our lives. Mercury Retrograde is here to focus down on and deeply integrate the fireworks or steam lead off during the Mars transit in Cancer.

Mercury’s Retrograde adds to this entanglement by slowing down, and stalling where smart ideas or quick intellect would usually over ride to alter a situation. Where Mercury would deliver inspired thought or problem solving, this retrograde will add extra pressure to an already pressurize astrological frame work.  Events as they unfold will have the longer-term benefit of the Mercurial trickster, moving over these points for a 3-fold breakdown or chapter developments. But the overall feel of this will be of slow and arduous, for limited immediate resolve, in June & July.

Finally, the 3rd and final act in this triple whammy of faster transitory triggers is the actual Eclipses of the Cancer / Capricorn axis.  Eclipses are formed when the Nodal access points (Rahu and Ketu), intercept the orbits of the Sun, Moon and Earth. Creating Eclipses. Eclipses are times of quickening and are turbo charged Full and New Moon Lunations. Eclipse energy is tricky and it’s not a great time for any form of divination, let alone clarity.  The Sun and Moon are blocked, unseen forces are at play, Eclipse times are times for rest and letting things play out.

July 2019 has 2 Eclipses, a Solar & Lunar Eclipse. These will be occurring at the New Moon in Cancer & Full Moon in Capricorn. The effects of these eclipses can last until the next non eclipsed lunation or until the next eclipse in this axis series. IF you have any planets in Capricorn or Cancer, aspecting these Eclipses, these Planets will feel the effect more strongly in your chart than if you don’t, have any planets in aspect. Generally, Eclipses are just strange times, and general caution should be applied.

Overall, there is ALOT going on over the next 2 months, with much of it feeding into the larger 2020 astrological story. Eclipse wise June and July will hark back to December 2018 / January 2019. The next 2 months will have a more notable strength to it with the Mars transit of Cancer and the Mercury Retrograde that begins to unfold in July.

The overwhelming story of these transits is to be gentle and commit to processing or going with whatever pops up. Repressing it, fighting it, ignoring it or not confronting it will be hugely problematic under the above astrology, and inflammation likely, due to   the Mars in Cancer element. Being active rather than reactive or defensive is a good way of dealing with such conflicting energy. It may feel like it is dragging on, or not developing, but the good news is come August / September, things will be in a much better shape and there will be a much stronger platform to launch from. Just don’t let Mars in Cancer make you, come up a cropper! and be careful of the webs you weave during June & July.

xx