This week Venus stations direct, Mars changes signs and enters Aries, and the Jupiter-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn forms its second of three exact alignments. To hold this week in the context of Cancer Season and Mercury retrograde in Cancer, I am brought again and again to meditations on emotional range and bandwidth – how internally we can be so deeply at home with ourselves that we are capable to meet challenges in our life with a spirit of curiosity and willingness to change, rather than fear and avoidance. Range also means that we are capable of fluidly experiencing a variety of emotional states, rather than just feeling locked into a few. This correlates with not having fear around going into the depths, as well as not having guilt for feeling joy.
Venus stationing direct signals not the end of Venus retrograde season, but the beginning of the end. Venus will leave post-retrograde shadow (the degree of Gemini Venus originally stationed retrograde in) on July 28. So this is a wrap-up. How has your heart opened in the last few months? Have you learned new communication skills (Gemini) or revised the way that you talk to yourself (the inner side of Venus in Gemini)?
Watch this forecast on YouTube, or keep reading below:
Welcome back! Or in case this is your first time here, I’m Sabrina Monarch and I’m a soul-centered astrologer. I love providing perspectives on the opportunities of transits and putting into words what the vibe feels like at this moment in time, to support you on your path & open a dialogue between us and the cosmos. If you would like to receive these weekly forecasts to your inbox, sign up for my mailing list here.
Here’s our week in a lot more detail, after a few announcements!
Kickstarter Campaign to fund the year ahead of forecasts and podcast episodes: June marked the beginning of the sixth year of writing these weekly forecasts and I’m asking for your support to crowdfund the year ahead. I’m offering astrology readings, discounted tuition to my Evolutionary Astrology course, and more. These forecasts have long been free and providing so much value to many people’s lives, and I truly need the support of you as my community to thrive. (Consider me like public radio!) I aim to keep sharing valuable free content for years to come and I ask for your help keeping Monarch Astrology around. Please help me reach my goal of having 200 backers – we’re at 18 at the time of publishing this forecast! The campaign lasts till July 30. Back the campaign here.
I’m really excited to share this course in part because I literally don’t think there is anything else out there like it! It’s a psychological, intutive, mystical exploration on the process of cultivating an online presence. This includes moving away from the narrative of the internet as a place of soul-depleting scrolling and moving toward an imagination of the internet as a place of magic, opportunity, and connection — and then actually embodying that more enriching perspective in how one participates with the collective airwaves.
This course also explores the inner-psychological, often hidden/private, processes that go into the cultivation of an online life or a public presence. The resistances and anxieties that come along with this are archetypal and human, and very much part of the path.
I hope that this course unlocks catalytic insights that makes way for businesses, friendships, colleague relationships that are now just awaiting in the wings. Enrollment will be open through the Kickstarter at its lowest ever price.
Learn Evolutionary Astrology with me in August! The next run of the Evolutionary Astrology intensive begins this August. Note you can enroll at a discount through the Kickstarter! This is a transformational course with glowing alumni feedback – learn more about the program and read reviews on the course page here.
New episode of Magic of the Spheres!
I had fellow astrologer and friend Bear Ryver on Magic of the Spheres to philosophize about reincarnation. I really enjoyed this conversation and the sense of timelessness and reverie that it opened up – from discussing reincarnation, meeting people again in this life we’ve met before, spiritual transformations that emerge from romantic longing, dreaming – and astrology. We traveled to some places so it’s a two part episode! Part one of this episode focused on reincarnation through the lens of Venus and Mars, and part two dropped today with thoughts on reincarnation through the lens of the outer planets, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.
Bear Ryver is an Intersectional Astrologer and Reiki Master, winner of the Organization for Professional Astrology’s Most Promising Astrologer Scholarship 2018. He offers private consultations internationally, including his signature Astrohealing Sessions, through his practice Psyche & Soul Astrology. With a background in anti-oppression activism and organizing, his astrological research integrates Mundane, Evolutionary, Modern, and Traditional schools of thought and explores the intersections of power, privilege, and politics as seen in the chart. His mission is to help his clients remain grounded and empowered while they accelerate their growth.
You can find out more about him and his readings at his website: http://psycheandsoulastrology.com
Tune in to part one and two where you listen to podcasts or on your browser here.
Here’s our week:
June 24, 2020
Venus stations direct in 5 Gemini: 11:48 PM PDT
Consider the journey of the heart you’ve been on since April 9, 2020, when Venus first entered pre-retrograde shadow. Venus stationed retrograde on May 12, and will leave post-retrograde shadow on July 28, 2020. So while you may feel a certain shift with Venus stationing direct, expect the themes of this transit to permeate through July.
- One lesson we have been learning (and it’s not too late) is the value of changing our thoughts or choosing certain thoughts on purpose. Related to Venusian themes, it may be our inner-scripts around our self-worth, attractiveness, magnetism, wealth, and so on.
- An elevated principle of Venus is that we can have what our heart’s desire — IF we believe we are worthy of it. Yet, we often have many logical structures set in place in our minds that dictate why we can’t have what we desire, whether that is an assessment of our own limitations or our conceptualizations of what other people think of us or the circumstances that hinder us. We may also have thought-forms that are based in trauma, or what we desire is something we’ve never had before and therefore it’s truly hard to imagine it being possible.
- As an act of self-love, consider doing the following practice (and repeat as often as you like). Call to mind what you truly desire, and write it down. Next, write down all your resistant thoughts. These are thoughts about yourself, as well things like how other people judge you, or circumstances that block you. If this was about romantic love for example, you might have repeating stories about other people like, “they always are untrustworthy”. Next, source compassion and acceptance for yourself for having these thoughts (this is important). Lastly, re-write these thoughts into something more generous that you can truly get behind, and wear those thoughts throughout the day, circulating them through your nervous system like a spell.
- You may find it’s not always enough to just reverse a negative thought – it’s not convincing enough. These new thought-forms must be clever – some idea that brings a spark into your consciousness. Sometimes it’s a new angle that is persuasive enough to do this for you. For example, you might have a facial or body feature that you are perpetually insecure about, and if this has triggered a logical structure in your consciousness that you won’t be loved by another person because of it. Trying to negotiate a thought like, “I actually love my ____________” may not be immediately easy for you to get behind. Then you may need a thought like, “My significant other is enchanted by my entire essence. Every detail about me only adds to how enamored they are with me.” And over time, you may also soften how you feel about said insecurity because it no longer is logically attached to why you can’t have what you desire, and you will likely transform how you feel about yourself and your worthiness.
- Sometimes appearance and beauty is relegated to the category of vanity or superficiality, but in Venusian reality, these things burn with a hot passion inside of us. Because it is worth saying: beauty can be decolonized. Beauty does not just belong to ideal features that have been marketed to us at hypnotic onslaught in this reality. We do not have to be conventionally any certain way to exude Venus. Inner Venusian work is about getting into harmonic relationship with our own desires and passions and our worthiness to receive, and moving out of states of lack or disempowerment around abundance (abundance of self-value, pleasure, money etc.)
- All too often, we hold thoughts and logical structures close as though they are describing our reality, when they are also working to perpetuate and create our reality. The word is magic, and the more conscientious we can be about how we practice word magic, the more intentional our creativity becomes.
June 27, 2020
Mars enters Aries: 6:45 PM PDT
(Image: Saskia De Brauw in “Boyish” by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott for Love #9, spring 2013)
We have a long time of Mars in Aries ahead, since Mars will retrograde in this sign. Mars won’t exit Aries until January 6, 2021. Mars will station retrograde on September 9.
Mars is in its home sign in Aries. In a conversation around the astrological concept of essential dignity (essential dignity includes the assessment of planets as exalted, in detriment, in fall, or in domicile), Cello Carpenter-Pierce made a point that planets in domicile or exaltation are similar to privilege. They write, “In another lens, when a planet is in a sign it rules or a sign of exaltation, there can be blindspots around the suffering of others. We might think of this as a form of privilege. And in defining and becoming aware of personal privileges, we become more responsible in the way we wield our privilege.” You can read Cello’s post here. Essential dignity is traditional astrological concept you can learn more about by searching the #dignitybabes hashtag on instagram and twitter, and you can also listen to a conversation I had with Diana Rose Harper about it here.
Considering Mars in Aries, here are a few thoughts:
- We are emerging from a season of Mars in Pisces, and Mars conjunct Neptune for part of this transit, where willpower and inspiration were some of our deepest energizers (when we had faith, we had energy, or we directed our actions toward what felt inspired and aligned). Struggles of faith, or feelings of despair, also had a direct impact on how energized we felt to move toward goals.
- Mars in Pisces was like, “feel your inspiration flood your every cell, channel the divine and then do it!” With Mars in Aries, it’s a little more like, “have an impulse, and just do it.” There may be more straightforwardness in the air as well as in our own individual processes.
- Regarding the concept of privilege as noted above, Aries can have a way of well, getting its way. This can relate toward steamrolling, being heavy-handed, and being insensitive. In places where we have a lot of energy and power, we will want to be mindful of how we are using it. It’s important to reflect on and take notice of where we have this power, too. Aries can be very forceful but also has a psychology of feeling like the underdog. Where we are aware of our power and strength, we can reflect on its best uses.
- Typically the word “impulsive” has negative connotations – suggesting that a person is impetuous or hasty in a way that is flawed. Perhaps you may relate to the feeling state of being impulsive for lack of better judgement and having to deal with the consequences afterward. However, Mars and Aries both put is in touch with the art of inhabiting our instinctual natures – knowing how to act, and when to act, without having to miss the moment in fear or indecision. What supports you in being in right relationship with your instincts?
June 28, 2020
Mars in 0 Aries sextile Saturn retrograde in 0 Aquarius: 3:58 AM PDT
(Image: Oliva Krause)
These two slide past each other in harmonic aspect as Saturn retrogrades, soon to re-enter Capricorn. During the upcoming Mars retrograde, Mars will be making a more challenging aspect (the square) to Saturn in Capricorn for a majority of the transit. It’s interesting then that the two should have this moment in passing, like a nod toward each other before wrestling, later on.
- Simply, when we have a goal or something we would truly like to bring into fruition, discipline (a Saturn principle) is needed. We need the discipline to show up consistently for the goal until we see it through, the discipline to be focused in our minds, the discipline to set aside time and honor the commitments we make, and so on. If we don’t honor the Saturn principle in this way, Saturn can show up through another channel like feeling inwardly frustrated that we are not ‘getting anywhere’. It’s hard either way – it’s hard to do things, and it’s hard not to do things. 🙂 The question is from which we derive the most satisfaction and self-esteem.
- While it is true that some spiritual teachings and practices resource us with the possibility of inviting more ease into our life (opening up to the idea that lessons can be learned with joy and grace, instead of hardship, for example), believing that “nothing should be hard” can be detrimental. Strength (Mars) is cultivated through resistance (Saturn), and there may be places in our lives that we desire a certain result or a certain kind of excellence YET we don’t want to work for it. See if you can tune into places in your life that moving into your resistance and doing the hard thing opens up a lot of opportunity, freedom, and joy for you.
June 29, 2020
Jupiter retrograde in 24 Capricorn conjunct Pluto retrograde in 24 Capricorn: 10:47 PM PDT
This is one of the transits that characterizes 2020, and it’s our second of three alignments.
- This transit is very clearly playing out through the conversation happening around racial injustice. Jupiter is higher learning and expansion of consciousness, and Pluto is what is hidden/underneath, and processes of destruction and regeneration. Capricorn relates to history and structure, and social conventions and mores.
- Normally we think of Jupiter is joyful expansion, or the quality of looking out toward the horizon and thinking anything is possible. We think of travel, and buoyant feelings of our world opening up. But this placement of Jupiter in Capricorn conjunct Pluto is not often fuzzy-feeling. It’s actually often more horrifying and disturbing. (The realities of systemic racism and oppression are only news to people privileged enough to not have to deal with it themselves. And now, there is a greater call for responsibility from populations who can choose to opt out of paying attention.) This is all still an opportunity for expansion. Should we, collectively, gain greater bandwidth for confronting difficult realities instead of sweeping them under the rug again and again because that’s easier to deal with – then change can more readily occur.
- On an individual layer, this same dynamic of not moving forward without deconstructing systemic patterns, applies. Often having a vision of where we are headed that is aspirational in any way includes the necessity of doing the work to deconstruct how and why things currently are the way they are, so that unconscious patterns aren’t simply projected into the future.
- In regards to awakenings that we are currently experiencing, there is a long road ahead. For racial justice as an example, this is not a trend. Regardless of what happens in the headlines next week, next month, next year — deconstructing internalized racism; expanding our education; and personal recalibration are lifelong processes.
June 30, 2020
Mercury retrograde in 9 Cancer sextile Uranus in 9 Taurus: 3:13 PM PDT
- This is a good transit for epiphanies, and we may find the quality of our spontaneous thoughts shifting/elevating from pleasure and true nourishment.
Sun in 9 Cancer conjunct Mercury retrograde in 9 Cancer: 7:52 PM PDT
(Image: SZA)
- Planets so close to the Sun are difficult to see because the Sun’s light blinds them from our sight. With Mercury out of sight, it can mean that significant Mercury-related developments (transmission of messages and information) are occurring in a way that we cannot see until a little time passes and Mercury is no longer obscured by the Sun.
- Alternately, there are messages that come through during Sun-Mercury conjunctions with piercing brightness, illumination and awareness.
- As an experiment, you might see what it is like to go inward and into meditation during this transit specifically, to see what is illuminated in your inner world.
Sun in 9 Cancer sextile Uranus in 9 Taurus: 11:07 PM PDT
(Image: Lady in Blue by Olivia Krause)
“In The Knitting Sutra, Susan Lydon describes the labor of knitting as a freely chosen craft that enhances her awareness of the value of the right livelihood, sharing: ‘What I found in this tiny domestic world of knitting is endless; it runs broader and deeper than anyone might imagine. It is infinite and seemingly inexhaustible in its capacity to inspire, excite, and provoke creative insight.’ Lydon sees the world that we traditionally have thought of as ‘woman’s work’ as a place to discover godliness through the act of creating domestic bliss. A blissful household is one where love can flourish.
Creating domestic bliss is especially useful for the individuals living alone who are just learning to be self-loving. When we intentionally strive to make our homes places where we are ready to give and receive love, every object we place there enhances our well-being.” – bell hooks in all about love
- The harmonic relationship between Taurus and Cancer hints at domestic bliss, with Cancer’s quality of nesting and home-making and Taurus’s attention to sensual pleasure and cultivating values. With the Sun and Uranus in these signs and harmonizing with each other, it speaks to the awakenings that can be experienced when we have cultivated an environment that reinforces our awakening. This is related both to how we interact with our physical environments, and how we cultivate our minds.
- An awakening that we can experience through Uranus in Taurus is a radical sense of belonging with the earth, and the extension of earth that is the body and one’s environment. By tending to the creation of nourishment, pleasure, and home, it is possible we grow deeper roots that bring us into deeper embodiment and presence.
Thank you for meditating on the planets with me this week! If you would like further guidance, I do offer natal chart readings (book here) and have been increasingly focused on longer-term 1:1 work with my students and clients, in the form of mentorship – helping people form a depth relationship to their natal chart and personal transits over time, to develop themselves, to heal, and to reach their goals, all through the soul-making lens of evolutionary astrology. If you’re interested in working together in that capacity, I am currently accepting new clients. Send me an email at sabrina@monarchastrology.com to start a conversation and set up a free consultation call.
Find me on Instagram @sabrinamonarch and Twitter @Sabrina_monarch, get on my mailing list to stay apprised of all upcoming offerings and events, and I’ll see you next week!
Enjoyed this forecast? Please help me fund the year ahead through this Kickstarter!
With love,
Sabrina Monarch
Sabrina Monarch is a soul-centered Evolutionary Astrologer who publishes weekly astrological forecasts, works with clients and teaches. She is a novelist and has a M.A. in Philosophy, Cosmology and Consciousness from the California Institute of Integral Studies.
(image of monarch butterflies coming out of envelope by @chthonicbacchae)
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