Hi and welcome to the Stella Starwoman June AstroUpdate! More stuff on the likely effects of Uranus in Taurus this month, plus some great tips to beat the winter blues as we barrel down towards the winter solstice and shortest day of the year.
Uranus in Taurus – Fix the Housing Crisis
Uranus spends roughly seven years in each zodiac sign and his function is to blow apart the status quo creating freedom and independence via new technology, new ideas and revolution. Uranus moved into security-conscious earth sign Taurus in mid- May and one of the things he’ll be shaking up over the next seven years is our entire concept and ideal of ‘home’ and ‘home -ownership’. With escalating house prices and a growing population, few young people today can afford to buy a home or qualify for a home loan – a ludicrous situation, when you think about it.
As the current system is unsustainable, things are bound to change with Uranus in Taurus. Think share houses; subdividing; squatting, homestays; couch-surfing; multiple generations of the family under the same roof; build your own home; kit houses; renovations of rundown properties; friends pooling money to create purpose- built accommodation; not owning a home and renting for life; moving to more affordable areas; smaller houses and apartments; new building technologies or moving overseas to cheaper countries.
Will we have a housing market crash? If few can afford to buy houses; no one wants to buy them or if the idea of owning a large home becomes unfashionable, unattainable or undesirable, some sections of the market will crash for sure. And perhaps there will be more focus on who’s actually living in the home, rather than the colour of the feature wall or size of the back yard. Plus the topic of funding care for an ageing population is bound to rear its head, perhaps with changes to the law meaning people will need to sell their family home to fund their retirement and health care, rather than passing on the asset to future generations.
Gemini New Moon – Balance & Poise
The June new moon falls on the 14th in quick thinking and versatile air sign Gemini. New moons always signal new beginnings as dormant seeds slowly blossom into their full potential. Gemini is the sign of the twins; of duality; of darkness and lightness; of masculine and feminine, and at this new moon, Mars and Venus, also symbols of the male-female polarity are close to opposition. With the idea of duality in mind, consider the nature of your close relationships this week and strive to balance giving vs receiving; time together vs time apart; loving yourself vs loving another; sacrificing vs self-preservation. And as we move towards the shortest day of the year, take time to reflect on all you’ve achieved this year.
Happy Birthday Cancer!
This year, from the 21st June to the 23rd July, the sun will travel through cardinal water sign Cancer. Cancer is the fourth sign of the zodiac with keywords “I feel ” and “I fluctuate” and whose symbol is the crab, an instinctive creature dwelling in the watery depths in the safety of its shell. Cancers are extremely sensitive and nurturing with a strong attachment to home, family and community. At best they are in touch with their feelings and display kindness, love and compassion. Cancerians are highly emotional, usually love food and have a reputation for taking care of friends, family and workmates. Negatively, the Cancer individual can be moody, dependent, illogical, manipulative and insecure. Cancer rules the stomach, breasts and solar plexus. When Cancers are out of balance they can suffer from digestive upsets, water retention and breast problems. The Cancer colours are silver and pastel shades and women born under this sign often love antique jewellery and lingerie. Cancer’s greatest lesson is to live in the present and to deal with feelings of fear and insecurity.
Happy birthday to all Cancerians!
Welcoming the Winter Solstice
It is no coincidence that our principal day of worship is called Sun Day. For thousands of years, carvings on temples, cave walls, monuments and artefacts have honoured the sun, bringer of warmth, security, life and light. Our ancestors personified the sun, worshipping it as the light of the world and saviour of mankind. The winter solstice or the shortest day of the year marked the death of the sun god. As the days grow shorter in the period leading up to the winter solstice, the sun appears to stop moving south or north (depending on which hemisphere you are in) and stays still for three days – 21st, 22nd and 23rd of June. This is the meaning of the word ‘sol-stice’ – sun standing still.
Each season has its innate beauty and magic and winter is no different. For people all over the world, from the ancient Egyptians and Celts to the Hopi and Mayans, midwinter has always been a time of ritual, reflection, and renewal. A time to feed the spirit and nurture the soul. A time to pause and rest before moving forward again with renewed faith and hope for the future. Instead of fleeing from the cold and shivering or complaining about the weather, consider how a celebration of midwinter and its place in the eternal cycle of life could help you reconnect with nature, family, friends and the things that matter most.
Seven Top Tips for a Warming Winter Solstice
1) Dress warmly and visit a place in nature that has special meaning for you – a park, paddock or beach; a hilltop or mountain retreat; a favourite tree or even your own back yard. Lie down, close your eyes, relax and listen to the sounds around you, letting your troubles and woes sink into the ground below. Feel the strength of the earth supporting your body and tune into the slower, quiet rhythms of the season.
2) Watch the sun rise or set from the warmth of home while meditating or breathing deeply. Give thanks for both darkness and light.
3) Write a poem or song about midwinter and read or sing it out loud.
4) Sharing food is particularly meaningful in midwinter as it represents faith in the return of the sun and the harvest. Prepare a simple meal from organic winter produce and invite family and friends.
5) Silence is another beautiful way to mark the solstice. Reflect upon the stillness of the day by cultivating stillness in yourself. Consider an hour of silence on the day of the solstice (21st June) or build a circle of candlelight and meditate with others.
6) Take a walk through the bush or your local neighbourhood and collect winter evergreens, feathers, pebbles or other objects. Make a wreath for your front door or create an altar in your back yard.
7) Throw the I Ching or pick a tarot card or rune and write down your dreams for coming months.
Mars Retrograde – Be Yourself!
As June draws to a close, action planet Mars will gradually slow down, come to a halt and begin his two month backward journey through air sign Aquarius (27th June - 28th August). The more primitive side of Mars tends to come to the fore when Mars is retrograde, primitive' meaning anger, passion, rage, lust and the force behind accidents and violence. You have been warned!!
But the true symbolic purpose of the Mars retrograde cycle is not to make us lose our temper or prang the car, but rather to encourage us to align our actions and goals with our true nature. Those 'primitive' emotions and dramas only arise when we're not being true to ourselves.
As Steve Jobs put it:
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life"
Capricorn Full Moon – Deal With It!
This month’s full moon falls on the 28th in solid and reliable earth sign Capricorn. The moon is conjunct Saturn with both planets opposing the Sun in Cancer. Unlike last month’s Sagittarius full moon which was light and bright in nature, this full moon brings the message of responsibility to self and others; being accountable; acting like an adult and paying your dues… or unpaid bills! Mars stations retrograde just hours before the full moon asking us to pause and reflect rather than push forward. So, clearly not the best time for a party, but the perfect week to look back on the year to date and tie up loose ends. And if you find yourself feeling lonely or depressed, tackle some tedious or unpleasant job you’ve been putting off for ages. It will be worth it!
June & July Moon Calendar
Launch projects a couple of days after the New Moon, bring them to completion in the period from just before the Full Moon to the Third Quarter phase and wind them down and reflect on developments in the week before the next New Moon.
The period between the New Moon and the Full Moon is the waxing moon (moon getting bigger and fuller). The period between the Full Moon and the New Moon is the waning moon (moon getting smaller and thinner).
You can use this moon table to select the most favourable days to slow or increase hair regrowth. Full instructions can be found in my Lunar Hair Care guidelines but to get you started I’ve marked the best dates for waxing/shaving to slow regrowth in yellow and the best dates to cut hair for thicker, lusher growth in green. If you’re serious about Lunar Hair Care – why not purchase a moon calendar, available at most esoteric book stores, then you’ll know exactly what time of day the moon changes from one zodiac sign to the next, meaning you can fine-tune your activities with confidence.
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Date |
Moon Sign |
Element |
Moon Phase |
|
JUNE |
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|
31st-3rd |
Capricorn |
Earth |
|
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3rd-5th |
Aquarius |
Air |
|
|
5th-8th |
Pisces |
Water |
Third Quarter |
|
8th-10th |
Aries |
Fire |
|
|
10th-12th |
Taurus |
Earth |
|
|
12th-14th |
Gemini |
Air |
New Moon 14th |
|
14th-16th |
Cancer |
Water |
|
|
16th-18th |
Leo |
Fire |
|
|
18th-20th |
Virgo |
Earth |
First Quarter |
|
21st-23rd |
Libra |
Air |
Sun in Cancer 21st |
|
23rd-25th |
Scorpio |
Water |
|
|
25th-28th |
Sagittarius |
Fire |
|
|
28th-30th |
Capricorn |
Earth |
Full Moon 28th |
|
30th-3rd |
Aquarius |
Air |
|
|
31st-3rd |
Capricorn |
Earth |
|
|
Date |
Moon Sign |
Element |
Moon Phase |
|
JULY |
|||
|
1st-3rd |
Aquarius |
Air |
|
|
3rd-5th |
Pisces |
Water |
|
|
5th-7th |
Aries |
Fire |
Third Quarter |
|
7th-10th |
Taurus |
Earth |
|
|
10th-12th |
Gemini |
Air |
|
|
12th-14th |
Cancer |
Water |
New Moon 13th |
|
14th-16th |
Leo |
Fire |
|
|
16th-18th |
Virgo |
Earth |
|
|
18th-20th |
Libra |
Air |
First Quarter |
|
20th-22nd |
Scorpio |
Water |
|
|
22nd-25th |
Sagittarius |
Fire |
|
|
25th-27th |
Capricorn |
Earth |
|
|
27th-30th |
Aquarius |
Air |
Full Moon 28th |
|
30th-1st |
Pisces |
Water |
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Thanks for being part of AstroUpdate. If there’s something you’d like to see featured, or have something you think would interest others, please contact me at stella@stellastarwoman.com
Happy Stargazing
Stella Woods
www.stellastarwoman.com