Spring 2023

The Sun moves into Aries on March 20th at the Vernal Equinox [5:25 PM EDT] to launch the spring season. We are entering the season of rebirth, renewal and new beginnings. In astrology, we recognize the entry of the Sun into Aries to initiate an astrological new year as the Sun begins a new cycle around the zodiac wheel.

A season truly begins with the New Moon in that Cardinal Sign, and the Aries New Moon is on the 21st [1:23 PM EDT] when the Aries Moon conjuncts the Sun. No matter the weather, ‘spring fever’ may be contagious with each of us looking to initiate projects, begin new developments, and focus on our personal interests.

A sense of endings and beginnings can be strong as we end one astrological year and begin a new one, a sense of transformation made even greater with the exit of Pluto out of Capricorn and Pluto’s entry into Aquarius on the 23rd [8:13 AM EDT]. Pluto will be in Aquarius until March of 2043, except for a few interruptions to the Aquarius transit this year and next year when Pluto retrogrades back into Capricorn.

Just as Pluto’s entry into Capricorn back in 2008 triggered a massive transformation, at that time in 2008 the liable collapse of the global financial system, Pluto’s entry into Aquarius could also upset various applecarts.

When Pluto last transited Aquarius between 1778 and 1798, before humankind was even aware of the Pluto influence, the Aquarian cries for independence, liberty and equality triggered political and social upheaval evidenced by the Revolutionary War in America and the French Revolution in France. Assassinations of notable figures occurred. Turmoil and social unrest were strong during this period, as they are in any period of dramatic transformation, and something we might encounter over these next twenty years.

That period of the earlier transit of Aquarius by Pluto also offered a time of scientific discoveries and mechanical advances that foreshadowed the Industrial Revolution. Discoveries of nitrogen and oxygen and the planet Uranus [co-ruler of Aquarius] were discovered by humankind. Significant innovative advances paving the way for the Industrial Revolution were seen in the inventions of the steam engine, the cotton gin, the spinning machine, the electric battery, and the pneumatic tire among the many imaginative creations that reflected a changing world.

For us as we encounter Pluto in Aquarius we may realize being on the threshold of a Technological Age, a time of advances in artificial intelligence, in the healing realms of light, sound and frequencies, in an ascended consciousness and the collapse of space – time limitations as we encounter the NOW where past, present, future are all NOW. We may come to recognize life forms other than those of which we are familiar and a cosmic connection with life teeming throughout the universe. Communication through telepathy and the development of our senses can heighten our awareness and expand our understanding of life and the true purpose of our living.

Energy is energy, and it can be used in positive ways and in negative ways. The downside of Pluto in Aquarius can be the egocentric control of new technologies and new understandings. Already, we have seen indications of the negative use of frequencies. Like a real-life video game, war can be operated by drones and from the comfort of an armchair thousands of miles away from the combat zone. Tasers are able to disarm individuals and bring them to their knees. The surveillance state can track our every step, our every move. Information may become merely an accepted narrative, no longer true scientific enquiry. What we ingest and take into ourselves might even be used to control our thoughts and our behavior. Artificial intelligence in its devouring of knowledge and its accelerated learning could eventually control humankind with the robots becoming our masters and humankind supplanted by computerization.

The opportunity of heaven on earth or the challenge of a brave new world awaits us. We may well carom between the two during Pluto’s transit through Aquarius. These next three months will give us an indication as to what we are in for over the next twenty years.

The 25th of March has Mars ending its seven-month transit of Gemini as Mars exits Gemini and enters Cancer [7:45 AM EDT]. While Mars is in its Fall in Cancer, the Mars transit of Cancer might provide welcome relief from the hijinks while Mars was in Gemini. The Mars in Gemini had people shooting from the lip, saying things aggressively before even thinking them through. The driving was like being either on the speedway at Daytona or on bumper cars. Even more than usual, people were weaving between lanes, using red lights and stops signs as optional, with a tendency to have the pedal to the metal.

With Mars in Cancer, things can be toned down, less aggressive, although with a liability of surreptitious actions. Passive-aggressive behavior cannot be ruled out. On a more positive note, the Mars in Cancer may favor attention to our living environment with home projects engaged and increased interest in residential sales bumping up the flagging housing market. Spring cleanups might be initiated, and plans made for family get-togethers discussed.

Our confidence, enthusiasm and optimism can all be heightened on the 28th when Mercury conjuncts Jupiter. We are likely to be in a playful mood, our creative juices flowing, and looking for outlets in which we could shout from the rooftops: “I gotta be me!”

Spring is upon us, and we may truly be feeling the burst of renewal and rebirth which is the hallmark and promise of the spring season. No Debbie Downers or Eeyores for us. We are scintillating and resplendent in the warmth of our inner sun and spreading sunshine wherever we go. Isn’t it amazing how upbeat, inspiring, and happy people can lift our spirits? This is a time when the ‘feel good’ attitudes are likely to be in full force, no matter the craziness of the powers-that-be.

The 30th of March closes out the month with Mars trine Saturn and Venus conjunct Uranus. Although it does not necessitate our preparing our surroundings as if we were hunkering down in our bunker, we could be straightening things up around our home base, continuing with our to-do projects, and buying the necessary equipment to streamline our operations. Even if we have our head down and eyes to the ground, we might be privy to some interesting and unexpected developments, indications of this paradigm shift with incidents of magic and miracles. Serendipity may be in play where we find ourselves somehow being in the right place at the right time.

We come into April with a burst of energy wanting to spread our wings and put our individual mark on our involvements. We do have to be wary of costs involved, expenses we might either negate or dismiss as irrelevant to consider.

We enter April with the Stellium in Aries with the Sun, Mercury and Jupiter all in the Cardinal Fire Sign. We may be more focused on what we want to do rather than how we are going to do it. We could easily buy into the affirmation of ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way’.

If our willfulness doesn’t trip us up, we can be more grounded and willing to do our due diligence as the shift from an Aries Stellium to a Taurus Stellium occurs with Mercury’s exit of Aries and Mercury’s entrance into Taurus on the 3rd of April [12:22 PM EDT] with Mercury joining Venus and Uranus in the Fixed Earth Sign.

As Mercury enters Taurus, Mercury squares Pluto on the 3rd. Practicality can intrude upon our hopes and wishes as we consider details that are liable to deflate our flights of fancy. Unless we have vetted our prospects, we could find that concept falls far short from realistic implementation. We may not like having the kibosh put on some of our plans, but it would be far better for us to realize the limitations or restrictions to our intended involvements before we invest too heavily in any castles in the air.

Once we find our footing and rein in overconfidence, we can take a practical approach in dealing both with what we need to get done and advancing our long-term interests. Mercury sextiles Saturn on the 5th. By strategizing our course of action, we can be effective and productive in advancing our goals. No longer are we liable to go on ‘a wing and a prayer’ but are more likely to devise a best practices approach to achieve successful results.

The Libra Full Moon on the 6th of April [12:34 AM EDT], when the Sun opposes the Moon, might provide a crescendo with our relationships. We could come to realize that our interactions serve us on an emotional level, as supportive advocates of our efforts and as providing objective critiques and insightful suggestions for a wise pursuit of our interests.

Even if we wish to withdraw, hold our cards close to our chest and not reveal much about ourselves, Friday the 7th can be a truly Good Friday with Venus sextile Neptune. Coming off the Full Moon, we may feel inspired by someone, a sense of karmic connection with someone whereby our comfort and familiarity may be stronger than the amount of time or the experience that we have had with that person. A sense of deep connection can be made with someone on this Friday. They may seem to get us, no matter how withdrawn we might appear to be. This Friday can be a special day with a kindred spirit and could enliven the depth of our sense of being.

The 8th of April has Mercury sextile Mars and provides us the impetus of a good spring cleaning. ‘Out with the old, in with the new’ may be our mantram for the day, as we use this Saturday to clean up and clear out the refuse of our lives. While this process could open up a Pandora’s Box of memories, the main thing is for us not to get stalled by recapitulations or walks down Memory Lane. This is spring, a time of rebirth and new beginnings and in the process a time of letting go of the outmoded and no longer useful.

The Stellium of three planets in Taurus ends on the 11th of April as Venus exits its own Sign of Taurus and Venus enters Gemini [12:47 AM EDT]. Venus trines Pluto to begin the day, and the Sun conjuncts Jupiter at the end of day. We could be flying high on this Tuesday. There is a lightening up with people more optimistic and confident of their abilities. Expanding our reach and engaging more activities and especially those that have a real purpose for us can be our focus now. Spring is about new beginnings, rebirths, renewals, all of which we are likely to be feeling. We just need to be certain that we are not being lulled into a false confidence and neglecting important factors that might hinder our forward progress.

While we could be feeling at the top of our game, our enthusiasm might be squelched on the 14th of April when Venus squares Saturn. Perhaps we haven’t taken into account all the necessary components that make up the conceptualized whole of our involvements. We could also run afoul of someone’s opinions. In this post-modern era [or is it error?] where subjectivity tops the objective, fiction replaces facts, opinions matter more than empirical data, we have to be wary that our studied belief doesn’t run counter to someone’s emotional feelings. With the increasing divisiveness in our society where an attitude and behavior of ‘either you’re with me or against me’ reigns, we have to avoid confrontational discussions that can only be no-win situations and crazymaking at the same time.

The 20th of April has the Aries New Moon [12:13 AM EDT], a Solar Eclipse, as the Moon conjuncts the Sun in the last ten minutes of the last degree of Aries. The Sun then enters Taurus [4:14 AM EDT] where the Sun squares Pluto. With the New Moon right on the cusp of Aries – Taurus, the signature for the next two weeks up to the Full Moon on May 5th gives us both the impetus to spread our wings, expand our horizons and to start the seed planting of our intentions. We may feel as though we are hitting the wall by questioning whether we have the resources to carry out our greatest ambitions. Confidence and persistence go a long way in making our dreams a reality. Often it is all about timing, and the timing now may be more appropriate for consideration and strategizing rather than the actual implementation, since the 21st of April brings us under the three-week influence of Murphy’s Law.

With the Sun entering Taurus on the 20th, the Fixed Earth Stellium is recreated as the Sun joins Mercury and Uranus in Taurus. Some of our fiery temperament with a desire to stretch beyond our normal parameters may be toned down with a tendency for us to take things more step-by-step rather than great leaps forward.

Mercury turns retrograde on the 21st of April [4:35 AM EDT] and will be retrograde until late on the 14th of May. Yes, Murphy’s Law of ‘whatever can go wrong could go wrong’ is in effect. With Mercury initially retrograding through the second decanate [Virgo] of Taurus, we might have to retrace and rework the details and particulars of some of our involvements. As the saying goes: ‘the devil is in the details’, and that statement could be especially true as we trudge through the first week of May.

This three-week period of Mercury retrograde is not a time for important decisions or significant commitments. It is better served going back over things, reworking them or tweaking them and especially looking at the specific details of some of our actions.

The Mercury retrograde sextiles Mars on the 23rd. Mercury direct sextiled Mars back on the 8th, and these two weekends are prime for good spring cleanings. Whatever we didn’t accomplish on the weekend of the 8th, we can clean up and clear out on the 23rd. Let’s bear in mind that spring is the season of rebirth, renewal and new beginnings with an emphasis on ‘out with the old, in with the new’. We may need to make space for the new and not be encumbered by our past.

The 25th of April has the Sun sextile Saturn. If we keep our expectations manageable and have a schedule for this day, we could accomplish a great deal. We are less likely to be distracted and more focused on what is right in front of us. We can be effective and productive in addressing our responsibilities and our normal tasks.

On the weekend of April 29th, Mars sextiles Uranus. Two earlier weekends this April, back on the 23rd and on the 8th, we had the opportunity for good spring cleanings, clearing things out, cleaning things up. This last weekend of April could prove a good time to concentrate on home projects. As the saying goes: ‘the cup has to be emptied before it can be filled’. We may have cleared our space those two earlier weekends, and now we can spend time with our springtime home projects, fixing things up, enhancing our environment. We might become aware of increased shopping activity at Home Depot, Lowe’s or Ace Hardware as people make changes to their living environment.

We come into May with a few booms and blasts, communication disruptions and necessary maintenance or repairs.

May 1st has Pluto turning retrograde [1:09 PM EDT] and the Sun conjunct Mercury. Whenever Pluto changes direction, whether from direct to retrograde motion or from retrograde to direct motion, there is a liability of blasts, bombings, explosions and intense bursts of energy. Things can occur unexpectedly, and we have to avoid second guessing ourselves as to whether we can cope with the changing landscape. We just need to acknowledge that we’re not always privy to what is really going on, much less unanticipated situations that are impossible to prepare for.

Increasingly, we shall need to use critical thinking, in-depth analysis and not take anything at face value for us to see beyond the illusions, the delusions and hype, and become fully aware of the content and substance behind the appearance. We have been subjected to ‘newspeak’, a narrative doled out by the powers-that-be with little information except what we are told to think or how we are to view the world. The veil of Maya is being torn down, but people need to be vigilant and draw upon their intelligence and consciousness and no longer accept at face value what is being presented. There is no alternative but for us to be cautious, skeptical and engage our own serious consideration of significant matters that have both a direct effect and indirect influence on our personal lives.

The 4th of May has Venus square Neptune. Although we would prefer to see the potential in other people, often that potential is a mask that covers hucksters, people who are so self-involved and narcissistic that morals and ethics go out the window, replaced by shady and self-serving behavior. Social media have created the monsters of people projecting themselves as something other than who they really are. Tricksters are on the loose, and we have to avoid being taken in by smarmy characters who express a real interest in our personal well-being, which can turn out to be but a ruse for their own devilish machinations. This is a time when we need to avoid giving people the benefit of the doubt, but instead have people prove their worth before we give them our trust.

Although mindfulness and caution are important characteristics to employ during these accelerated and turbulent times, we can easily be snookered by a liability for us to believe what we want to believe. The energies on the 5th of May provide such an example of distractions and diversions. The two ‘good guys’ of the planetary realm, Venus and Jupiter, are sextile one another. It is also the day of the Scorpio Full Moon [1:34 PM EDT] with the Sun opposed the Moon and a Lunar Eclipse. And it is also the day when all of us are Mexican as we celebrate Cinco de Mayo in honor of a battle fought that stopped the French from advancing into Mexico beyond the town of Puebla. Despite the fact that most people are unaware of this initial victory of the Mexicans over the French, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated with tequila, cerveza, nachos and other Mexican food favorites. Gotta love a party and any excuse for indulgence. If we are easily distracted, we could negate what’s going on in the world and how minute specifics are liable to have potentially negative effects on our personal realm.

Venus exits Gemini and enters Cancer on the 7th of May [10:25 AM EDT]. Much of our interest in running around could be further toned down as we look to spend time at home with family and friends. Fixing things up in our environment and creating a sense of sanctuary can provide a healing space, a refuge from the maddening world, and a base of operations that might even be all encompassing of our life activities.

The 9th of May has the Sun conjunct Uranus in the second decanate [Virgo] of Taurus. We can accomplish a great deal, attend to varied activities, all while working smarter rather than harder. Things may fit neatly together in an appealing manner. We might even consider alternate trajectories and streamlined methodology by which we could get more done in a shorter period of time. This is one of those times when are likely to find ourselves in the right place at the right time.

The 12th of May gives us Mercury in Taurus sextile Saturn in Pisces, and Mercury sextile Venus in Cancer. Taking the time to devise our course of action today may provide us with a best practices approach whereby we can be effective and productive with the intent to close out the week in order to enjoy a family weekend with Mother’s Day in the US on Sunday. Although there can be hiccups early in the day with expenses being more than we might have anticipated, having direction in mind and itinerary in hand might make any hiccups minor and unlikely to throw us off course. Later in the day, we could reconnect for an enjoyable evening with family and friends in person, by text or by phone. This Friday is a day of right action and right connection despite any unexpected mix-ups along the way.

From Friday the 12th of May through Mother’s Day on Sunday the 14th much of our focus can be on home and family matters. The 13th has Venus trine Saturn. Whether we are traveling to visit Mom for Mother’s Day tomorrow or spending time at home fixing up our homestead and preparing for Mother’s Day celebrations tomorrow, this weekend is likely to be replete with memories of where we have been and with whom we have been journeying through our life experience. While one can say that many of our holiday celebrations are thanks to Hallmark and the consumer goods sector of the economy, holidays often trigger recapitulations and walks down Memory Lane. While we concentrate on the present in honoring mom, we also recall past incidents in our journey along the way. Apart from any travel difficulties, this Mother’s Day should be more on a positive note than a day of recriminations.

Mother’s Day is likely to be pleasant, but our travels later in the day could prove convoluted as Mercury turns direct [11:17 PM EDT]. Whenever Mercury turns direction, whether from direct to retrograde motion or from retrograde to direct motion, things can get squirrely with travel difficulties, communication problems, and computer issues. The energy late in the day on the 14th may demand that we add on extra time in our actions and have contingency plans in mind.

Although we are coming off the Mercury retrograde, we shall still be in its shadow until the 31st of May. Caution continues to be advised regarding our finances and the particulars of various matters.

The 15th of May starts this week and the second half of May in high gear as Mars trines Neptune. As though guided, we could put our spirit into action and have a determination to get as much done as humanly, and divinely, possible. We may feel inspired with a sense that we are fulfilling our personal destiny.

Jupiter ends its transit of Aries on the 16th and enters Taurus. We lose the Fire as Jupiter moves out of the Cardinal Fire Sign. We will pick up the Fire later in the week when Mars enters the Fixed Fire Sign of Leo.

Jupiter entering Taurus adds further weight to the Fixed Earth Stellium as Jupiter joins the Sun, Mercury and Uranus in Taurus.
Although the banking system is proving precarious, thoughts of alternate stores of our personal finances may be considered. Whether we trust the various national governments and their fiat currency or we fear incompetency in the theoretical world of economists, we might become more interested in how we can best preserve our financial resources. Could recent financial banking contagion give rise to Central Bank Digital Currencies? Or will decentralized finance and the quantum financial system be introduced and hold sway? Only time will tell, although the movement of Pluto back into Capricorn can likely test the strength of the global financial system.

When Pluto first entered Capricorn in 2008, we had a major banking crisis with the liability of a global financial meltdown. It’s interesting to note that as Pluto was leaving Capricorn to enter Aquarius in March, we experienced the collapse of Signature Bank, Silicon Valley Bank, and other banks teetering on insolvency and only held up by the emergency infusion of funds. It did seem reminiscent of the shell game at the carnival with the mark trying to guess which one of the three shells contained the pea. What are we likely to see over the next two years as Pluto retrogrades back into Capricorn? Pluto retrogrades back into Capricorn on June 11th of this year, re-enters Aquarius on January 20th of 2024, retrogrades back into Capricorn on the 1st of September of 2024, and re-enters Aquarius on November 19th of 2024 to begin its full transit of Aquarius. Interesting times ahead.

The 19th of May has Mercury sextile Saturn and the Taurus New Moon [11:53 AM EDT] with the Sun Moon conjunction right on the cusp of Taurus Gemini. We have the opportunity of channeling our energy in strategic and well-considered ways. The New Moon configuration is in orb of a sextile to Mars and a sextile to Pluto. We are on the cutting edge of dramatic transformations. As the age-old nursery rhyme about Humpty Dumpty reminds us:
“Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
couldn’t put Humpty together again.”

Shall we also experience dramatic transformations that change the landscape for us as we move forward?

Certainly, the sense of implosions and explosions could be evidenced on the 20th when Mars exits Cancer to enter Leo [11:31 AM EDT], followed that day by Mars opposed Pluto. The Mars entry into Leo gives us a dose of Fire, and we might seek outlets in which we can express our creative talents. Any adverse aspect of Mars Pluto demands extreme caution for the liability of violent actions, bomb blasts, and intense releases of energy often occur under a Mars Pluto adverse aspect. Like a volcano, we would need steam vents to release our pent-up energies in a positive, measured manner rather than in bursts of anger or self-assertion.

May 21st has the Sun exiting Taurus to enter Gemini. With a ‘world is our oyster’ attitude, we are likely to engage any number of activities with our interests varied but not necessarily in-depth. We could find ourselves going here, there and everywhere like a butterfly alighting on a flower briefly only to fly off to the next flower and on. Our brief alighting can be with great gusto both on the 21st as the Gemini Sun trines Pluto and on the 22nd when the Sun sextiles Mars.

Entertainment and expressing our own creative talents can be forefront in our mind. We may feel full of life, interested in exploring unfamiliar terrain with a sense of adventure and excitement. Spring is truly upon us with warm weather, outdoor activities, and the lushness of nature in full display.

May 21st and 22nd can have us running on high octane. Although we can be confident and optimistic, we have to be wary that we don’t push the envelope, try to take on too much too soon but rather harness our enthusiasm and be moderate in our movements, always evaluating and re-evaluating as we proceed, recognizing that circumstances and conditions during this paradigm shift can change dramatically and suddenly.

The liability of our extreme actions and overconfident moves could be evident on the 23rd when Mars squares Jupiter. It would be wise for us to have a budget regarding our finances, be judicious with our expenses, and avoid speculative ventures that seem to be too good to be true.

Even if we go far out on a limb under the influence of the various energy configurations between the 21st and 23rd of May, we can get a grip on the 26th when Venus sextiles Uranus. As if being offered a clue on a scavenger hunt, we could be surprised by some information that allows us to be more effective with less expenditure of energy. We might discover bargains that help us to streamline operations. A sense of the magic and miracles of these times could be apparent, where we feel that we are in the right place at the right time. We just need to be certain that we don’t get in the way of the natural unfolding.

One of the major challenges during these times is for us to rid ourselves of the conditioned belief that we are in control of our life’s circumstance. If the last few years taught us only one thing, it should be that conditions can dramatically change with the changes often not of our making but what we have to respond to. Life today is far different from the life we knew four years ago.

To be successful during this phase, it is essential that we be flexible and adaptable and that we not get in our own way but rather be aware and mindful of the shifting sands in order to effectively deal with the changes.

The 28th of May might have us reverting to an assumption that we are in total control of our life’s circumstance. The Sun squares Saturn on the 28th, and if we try too hard to enforce our will, we could experience a nasty pushback. Old issues or our old mindset might trip us up or delay our forward movement. We may feel as though we are constantly running up against situations that bedevil us, both past matters and relying upon old ways of doing things, once tried, no longer true.

We come into June with us feeling blocked or frustrated by delays or by our putting too many things on our plate. Prioritizing and focusing on the most important matters can help us avoid a feeling of repeatedly hitting the wall.

Early June can be a pleasant time replete with surprising developments and magic moments. We just have to be open to receive.

The 2nd of June has Venus trine Neptune. With Neptune being the higher octave of Venus, this positive connection of the two planets could have our relationships close to idyllic with various magical moments of interaction. Everything may seem beautiful, and we can look on the bright side of life.

This feel-good quality is augmented on the 3rd by the Sagittarius Full Moon [11:42 PM EDT] when the Moon opposes the Sun. Whether we are taking off literally or figuratively for distant realms, we are likely upbeat and operating at the top of our game.

The weekend of the 2nd through the 4th of June can be one of the most pleasant times for romance, companionship, optimism, stretching our wings and surprising developments.

Friday has Venus trine Neptune, Saturday has the Sagittarius Full Moon, and Sunday has Mercury conjunct Uranus. This weekend can be one extraordinary and magical weekend.

The 4th of June with Mercury conjunct Uranus might give us those ‘ah-ha’ instances with revelations about what is truly going on. Not the hype or the narrative or what we might think is happening, but those flashes of genius, like the parting of the clouds, to shine light on the true reality of situations. We might feel as though we find ourselves once again at the right place at the right time.

The weekend of the 2nd through 4th of June suggests we keep our antennae up, put our judgments aside, and be willing to enter onto the magical, mystery tour.

Venus exits Cancer to enter Leo on the 5th of June [9:46 AM EDT] and shortly thereafter Venus opposes Pluto. We might feel less compassionate towards other people, more interested in what we wish for ourselves. A shift in our relationship behavior could create issues with someone. Perhaps they expect us to continue to be the way we have recently expressed ourselves, but that’s not likely with the shift in energy. Relationships that seemed so idyllic a few days before could now turn from love to hate, or from advocate to adversary. This day suggests we walk on eggshells with friends, loved ones and those we encounter today. People are liable to have a chip on their shoulder, narcissistic and only concerned with their own self-interests. With Venus transiting Leo, people may be focused on standing out, being on center stage, and being the focal point of their world.

June 9th has Mercury sextile Neptune. While we might still be highly oriented to our personal interests, our thoughts can be tinged with great emotion. Our intuitive strength can be heightened with a powerful blend of our intuition with our critical reasoning mind. Not only could we be spot on regarding our evaluation of situations, but we are likely adept at our presentation, even to the point of making our case in an appealing and enticing manner and winning over even the most skeptical. With the gift of gab pronounced today, we do have to be careful not to get snookered by the trickster, someone skilled at the message, the style, and a beguiling image. It is important for us to judge matters today both by our feeling sense of things and our critical analysis of the issues.

In astrology as in life, we have the opportunity of going back over various matters. If we don’t understand a situation a first time, we repeat the conditions in order for us to understand the issue a second, third, or more times. I frequently suggest that the universe taps on the shoulder. If we don’t take the hint, the universe taps a little harder. If we still don’t get what the universe is trying to tell us, we are liable to get a lateral lobotomy, or whack on the side of the head. Eventually, we shall learn our lessons. Once learned, we no longer have to repeat the lesson.

A repeat occurs as Pluto retrogrades out of Aquarius and back into Capricorn on the 11th of June [5:47 AM EDT]. During the time that Capricorn transited Capricorn, from 2008 through 2022, we experienced various crash and burns associated with many traditional institutions. The Capricorn transit of Pluto initially in 2008 came as the global financial system went through crisis with a liability of an implosion, saved only by bailouts. Something similar occurred in March of 2023 as Pluto exited Capricorn with the global banking teetering with the collapse of Signature Bank, Silicon Valley Bank and the concerns about other banks, including First Republic, Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank.

We shall see what other institutions collapse or need significant reformation during this next transit of Pluto back through Capricorn until early January 2024.

The 11th of June has the Pluto retrograding back in Capricorn. Mercury trines Pluto. Mercury exits Taurus to enter its own Sign of Gemini [6:27 AM EDT]. And Venus squares Jupiter.

This day is a highly active day with major changes and tremendous impetus. The Mercury trine Pluto allows us to consider how best to deal with our revenue, expenses and finances during a period when economic instabilities and financial difficulties could become increasingly evident.

As Mercury enters its own Sign of Gemini, we lose the Stellium of three planets in Taurus. With our thoughts considering a wide range of interests but with little depth, we can be highly talkative but without a great deal of substance to the content. We are liable to be more interested in diversity than in focus.

The two ‘good guys’ of the planetary realm, Venus and Jupiter, being in square to one another could have us negating costs and expenses in favor of our desires and wishes. We might easily run up our credit card balances as we call out ‘charge it’ in covering what we want to do with little restraint to our whims.

Any excess or ill-conceived actions on the 11th could have us paying the price on the 15th of June when Mercury squares Saturn. A sense of disappointment or depression might come with the realization of the costs due from earlier foolish decisions. Sometimes, we need to step back so that we can move forward. Old issues may hamper our forward progress. It is important that we not gloss over significant details but rather do our due diligence and address even the slightest particulars.

Someone can be a major assist in helping us in our endeavors when Mercury sextiles Venus on the 17th. If we try and go it alone, we could easily fool ourselves, assume that we have taken everything necessary into account and yet still miss essential components. Someone with an objective and detached perspective might provide insights as to the best course of action and anything that we may have glossed over.

Also on the 17th of June, Saturn turns retrograde demanding patience and suggesting we prevent emotional reactions to whatever we need to contend with. Saturn will be retrograde until the 4th of November with delays and frustrations challenging us. Some people may feel anxious, powerless, and subservient to the vagaries of these times. To counteract negativity, we can draw upon prayer and faith, even blind faith, that things will work out eventually for the best.

The Mercury Venus sextile and Saturn turning retrograde on the 17th is on the ‘dark side’ of the Moon prior to the Gemini New Moon on the 18th.

The Gemini New Moon with the Sun Moon conjunction on the 18th [12:37 AM EDT] is in square aspect to Neptune. Although we are likely considering a wide world of options and alternatives for our future, the liability of confusion and missteps is strong. This is not a time for us to advance on mere hopes and wishes, but rather to take everything, even our own musings, with a grain of salt. We are prone to buying into illusions and delusions and familiar with them from the constant barrage of hype, ‘newspeak’ and fictions displacing facts.

Increasingly for our own safety and well-being, each of us is compelled to hone our skills of awareness, mindfulness, and critical analysis. We no longer have the privilege of being oblivious to true reality nor the concession of accepting things at face value.

We close out the Spring season with Jupiter sextile Saturn on the 19th of June. Patience, taking our time and doing insightful vetting of every one of our involvements, will keep us from harm’s way and will make certain that every step we take is well considered and well thought out.

We may be living in turbulent, tumultuous, even occasionally precarious times, but as the wise saying reminds us: “we never get more than we can handle.”

Old endings beget new beginnings.

Spring 2023… promises made, promises kept — renewals, rebirths, new beginnings…