by Linda Kaye | Jun 1, 2021 | 2021, Current Astro News, News
The First Day of Summer & the Longest Day of the Year
Solstice is derived from two Latin words:
Sol meaning Sun, and sistere to cause to stand still.
0° Cancer
Sunday, June 20 at 8:32 p.m. PDT
2021 ushers in the beginning of summer on the evening of June 20th.(1) The June Solstice marks the Sun’s movement into the sign of Cancer and the longest day of the year — the beginning of summer.(2) Annually, on this day, the Sun appears to stand still as it reaches its furthest point in the Northern Hemisphere. Now, until the Winter Solstice (Dec. 21), the days will continue to grow shorter as the Sun heads south and enters Capricorn where it simultaneously joins the Southern Cross for three days to be reborn so it can resume its annual journey North, yet again.
Celebrated throughout the world, the changing of the seasons are a mystical astronomical occurrence. The movement of the Sun during the Equinoxes and Solstices, and many other celestial events, have been recorded for millennium at countless ancient sacred sites. One powerful Solstice example is that of the Sun’s perfect astronomical alignment with Stonehenge (as depicted above). This event is so captivating that people flock from all over the world to experience it. As with our ancestors, experiencing and aligning to the mysteries of the heavens can provide us a special glimpse into the greatness of our universe and the unseen forces behind it.
Cancer — the watery sign of the crab is ruled by the Moon and associated with security, family, and balancing our inner versus outer world. With the Cancer Sun’s initiation of summer, we can find ourselves wanting to get outdoors to play and spend time with family and friends, often near or in water. Since the fiery Sun purifies and water cleanses, we can embrace these warm summer months as a time to purify and cleanse our spirit. Immerse yourself in large bodies of water and let the liquid light of the Sun wash away any stagnant pent-up energy caused by working too much or spending too much time indoors.
This Solstice also marks the celebration of Father’s day, as well as, Jupiter’s retrogration at 8:04 a.m. pacific time. Astrologically, the Sun is creative, masculine, and authoritative. It represents the father (and/or the responsible parent) in our horoscope. Jupiter is the planet that is associated with fairness, wisdom, and guidance — all of which a child needs from a parent. In this case, the Sun and Jupiter, along with the Moon in Scorpio, are in a harmonious alignment — providing an opportunity for each of us to recognize when we can offer our creative wisdom to children — especially, our own inner-child.
The Solstice is a time to celebrate and honor the life-giving light of the Sun! Therefore, summer is the season to get outside and play. Through honoring this season of creation, we energetically set in motion a period of renewed awakening in our consciousness. Get outdoors, celebrate this Solstice season with family and friends! Share and rejoice in the ever-giving gift of warmth and inspiration that the Sun bestows to each of us during this season.
1. The Summer Solstice typically occurs on the 20th or 21st and occasionally (albeit rarely) on the 22nd.
2. In the Southern Hemisphere June 20 is the shortest day of the year and December 21 is the longest.
© 2021 by Linda Kaye
by Linda Kaye | May 24, 2021 | 2021, Current Astro News, News
visible before dawn in western North America and Hawaii with the full eclipse lasting 14 minutes
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
4:13 a.m. pacific time
5°25′ Sagittarius
Beliefs are choices. First you choose your beliefs.
Then your beliefs affect your choices. ~ Roy T. Bennett
What exactly is a Super Blood Total Lunar Eclipse, you might be asking? A Super Moon occurs when a Full Moon has reached its closest approach to the Earth. In this case, the Full Moon will appear approximately 7% larger and 15% brighter than a typical Full Moon. The next and last visible Super Full Moon of 2021 will occur on June 24 in the sign of Capricorn.
Blood Moons are rare and only occur during a Total Lunar Eclipse, with the last one happening in January 2020 and the next in May of 2022. The red in color occurs due to the natural spectrum of sunlight emitted during a Total Eclipse. A Blood Moon can take on many shades of red, depending on the Earth’s atmospheric conditions. Therefore, a Blood Moon is named for the reddish hue caused by the Earth’s shadow.
Lunar Eclipses occur two or three times a year as the Sun, Moon, and Earth align themselves in a straight line. Lunar Eclipses only occur during a Full Moon when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon and the Moon enters the Earth’s shadow. That said, not all Full Moon’s are Lunar Eclipses because during an Eclipse the Sun and Moon align with the nodes of the Moon, which astrologers often characterize as the “points of Destiny” as they relate to our individual and collective growth.
The darkening that occurs during an Eclipse has symbolically and historically been linked to the unveiling of something deeply hidden, an ominous secret, or the potential revelation of a great mystery. Astrologers have studied eclipses and their effects since the Babylonian Era and have found that they often coincide with Earth changes, political upheavals, and even modern stock-market fluctuations. With the advent of external events, eclipses can become powerful indicators of needed change in our personal lives.
As the Moon represents cycles, Lunar Eclipses are a great time to look at what is no longer working in our lives, so we can complete the ending of a cycle in order to initiate a brand-new chapter of evolution during the New Moon Solar Eclipse. This will be true for all of us, but especially those who have Sagittarius or Gemini planets in their horoscope because these are the two zodiacal signs in which this first eclipse pair of 2021 are highlighting. In general, you can expect a lunar eclipse to maintain an influence in your life for as long as it takes for you to resolve the emotional (lunar) dynamics that it produced.
Jupiter in Pisces, the ruling planet of this current eclipse, is making a close square aspect to both the lights (Sun and Moon). Square aspects can bring about unforeseen experiences and/or realizations. Jupiter in the sign of Pisces signifies the search for self-knowledge through cosmic awareness — truth consciousness — the awakening to the essence of the divine that exists within each of us. Sagittarius is a benefic sign that, among many things, is abound with optimism and a love for the quest — a freedom seeker of adventure, wisdom, and “the truth.” Due to its inquisitive nature, Gemini is generally skilled at communication and consuming large amounts of information from books, media sources, gossip, etc.
These two signs (Sagittarius and Gemini) are seeking to balance the need to know intellectually with an internal knowing. When Sagittarius is out of balance, it ceases to explore an inner authentic truth and becomes a dogmatic know-it-all; Gemini can find itself out of balance — confused, and fragmented — by trying to assimilate too much data. If our external quest for knowledge or information has become habitual or is distracting us from our inner calling, then Jupiter’s influence can help. Jupiter in Pisces has the ability to inspire us to rise above any outmoded belief systems (Sagittarius) and thought patterns (Gemini) that are keeping us from our dreams, our true desires, and the connection to our purest essence (Pisces) — our authentic divine self.
Follow your bliss and the universe
will open doors for you … ~ Joseph Campbell
Therefore, this Lunar Eclipse may unexpectedly expose inner dynamics related to our personal and collective quest for knowledge. The Moon represents our emotional nature and eclipses create a temporary shadow that eventually give way to the light. Astrologically, eclipses are cosmic-timing mechanisms. They are celestial markers that help to create the shifts in our life that encourage us to continue on our individual and collective destiny. Where there is inner uncertainty, an eclipse will encourage you to seek clarity. This eclipse is an opportunity to become an explorer of your own consciousness and pay close attention to the revelations occurring during this period, as what was previously hidden gives way to the light.
Sagittarius Eclipse Contemplation:
- Am I in balance with my need to find answers from external sources versus internal inquiry?
- Is my quest for knowledge or information creating peace or discourse in my life?
- Is my authenticity and inner knowing sabotaged by an egoic informed persona?
- Do I actually know what “the truth” or “my truth” is?
- Is there an optimistic sense of adventure in my life?
- Am I following my dreams or someone else’s dreams?
The energies of an eclipse can be felt a few days before and after an eclipse. The ancient sages felt that eclipses were a time for meditation and learning; a special time to honor the spiritual aspects of our life. Try to keep your schedule light, remain internally focused, eat only pure foods, and do not consume alcohol. The veil between the Earth and Heavens is thinner during an eclipse, allowing you to more easily connect to the eternal universal wisdom that is your divine essence.
Eclipses always occur in pairs: The second — a Solar Annular Ring of Fire Eclipse — will occur on June 10 at 19° of Gemini on the New Moon.
© 2021 by Linda Kaye
by Linda Kaye | May 9, 2021 | 2021, Current Astro News
Tuesday, May 11
11:58 a.m. pacific time
21°17′ Taurus
Your net worth can fluctuate,
but your self-worth should only appreciate. ~ Chris Gardner
The Moon will be in the sign of Taurus all day on Monday and Tuesday, however, it begins its New Moon phase around noon on Tuesday. Taurus is the sign that governs the inner side of Venus, making this new lunar cycle an auspicious time to turn inward and focus on one’s connection with self and the divine spark within. Venus is synonymous with LOVE and when associated with Taurus she is asking us to cultivate a loving relationship with our inner-self.
Astrologically, Taurus is an earth sign and represents the physical earthly domain. From a material perspective, Taurus is the sign that correlates with security with survival – that which provides our security, or allows us to feel secure – will correlate to our values and promote our survival.
When the Moon is in Taurus we will find ourselves wanting to relax and to enjoy the sensual realms, i.e., romance, massages, gourmet food, fine wine, and chocolate. Spiritually, Taurus can represent a deepening desire for divine knowledge into the sacred mysteries.
Because Taurus is associated with security and our values, it is connected Astrologically to our personal financial security. It is common within the Western World to associate our personal value and self-worth with our growing or diminishing financial status. Therefore, this is an excellent time for each of us to ponder the following:
- Do I honor, value, and nurture my unique talents?
- What do I value most and how do I love others based on my values?
- Do I believe my security comes from external resources?
- Is my inner worth based on my possessions and/or financial status?
- Can I appreciate things (and even people) without a need to possess or own them?
- Do I love myself unconditionally.
© 2021 by Linda Kaye
by Linda Kaye | Apr 23, 2021 | 2021, Current Astro News
Monday, April 26, 2021
8:32 p.m. pacific time
7°06′ Scorpio
The three realms of existence are as transient as autumn clouds.
The birth and death of beings go on like a dance show.
The lives of beings pass by like a flash of lightning in the sky,
Rushing down, like a cascading waterfall down a steep mountain.
~ The Buddha
This month’s Full Moon is considered spiritually auspicious as people all over the world celebrate Buddha’s enlightenment. It was while the Moon was in her Full phase in Scorpio that Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree over 2,500 years ago and obtained Nirvana(1). The sign of the Scorpion encourages each of us to embrace the mysteries of death and rebirth and the overall impermanence of human life. Per Buddha’s journey, and his below quote — cycles of darkness will eventually awaken us to the wisdom of enlightenment:
Everything is changeable, everything appears and
disappears; there is no blissful peace until one
passes beyond the agony of impermanence.
The Moon moves into Scorpio on Monday (April 26) at 9:19 a.m. (PDT) and enters into its exact Full Moon phase that evening. Besides the earthly cycles of life and death, the Scorpio Full Moon highlights personal power dynamics, abandonment and betrayal, possessions, other people’s money, sexuality, secrets, taboos, passion, and the desire for deep internal transformation of one’s current state of reality.
As a water sign, Scorpio represents our emotional realm, and most specifically, our deep subconscious — often referred to as the “underworld” by native shamans. This Full Moon lunation has the potential to suddenly illuminate hidden agendas and encourage long overdue transformation. If you desire change, you will want to embrace this powerful Full Moon to transmute your life.
Thanks to impermanence, everything is possible. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
Change is the natural byproduct of impermanence and can be invigorating and restorative. Change is always both positive and negative: even when restorative, it involves loss. Grief arises when we’ve loved and placed great valued in something or someone. Therefore, impermanence and loss provide an opportunity to recognize and appreciate how deeply we were able to love and to also honor our personal values.
In general, impermanence, loss, and change is one of the most difficult hardships we’ll endure. If we’ve lost someone close to us, for instance, we need time to grieve our loss and come to terms with the profound change in our lives. Impermanence can also occur with the loss of a job or the end of an important relationship. Grief is a natural process that can be overwhelming and complicated and we can find ourselves moving in and out of it for an undetermined period.
Additionally, the Full Moon in Scorpio only occurs once a year when the Sun in Taurus reflects its solar energies back to us here on Earth. Taurus is the sign associated with inner security, values, and self-love — all important themes to consider during this lunation.
Lastly, if you’ve been stuck in a defeating karmic cycle, you will want to embrace the transformational energy of Scorpio. Spend time in meditation, ceremony, or ritual and intend to awaken a metamorphosis deep inside yourself. Contemplate the Buddha’s Nirvana, as well as your own predestined divine awakening.
Scorpio Full Moon Key Words: transformation, secrets, illumination, power dynamics, sexuality, possessions, compulsion, defensive, resistance to change, impermanence (death & rebirth)
- In Buddhism, Nivana is the transcendent state in which there is neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self, and the individual is released from the effects of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth.
© 2021 by Linda Kaye
by Linda Kaye | Apr 10, 2021 | 2021, Current Astro News
Botticelli: Venus and Mars
Sunday, April 11, 2021
7:30 p.m. PDT
22°24′ Aries
“We love our lovin’… but not like we love our freedom.” ― Joni Mitchell
The Sun’s movement into Aries on March 20 (the Spring Equinox) marked the seasonal and Astrological New Year – and the official end of winter. Now that the Sun has crossed over the celestial equator and is headed towards the Northern Hemisphere our days will continue to be longer and warmer.
A New Moon is the beginning of a brand new lunar cycle, representing an optimal time of new beginnings and rebirth. Because this month’s New Moon occurs in Aries, it coincides with the Astrological New Year and therefore, two “new initiatory cycles” occurring simultaneously. This extra emphasis creates a cosmic opening for purposeful change.
Aries — the first sign of the zodiac, is ruled by Mars. Both are known for their independent, impulsive, and strategizing warrior nature. Both thrive when initiating brand new cycles of adventure and self-discovery and can become easily enraged when their freedom-loving nature and unfulfilled desires or passions are thwarted. Aries and Mars are associated with ardent romance and both very much enjoy the conquest but can become restless in love due to its ever need for adventure. Note the above beautiful artistic rendition by Botticelli of Mars with his lover Venus.
Love & Power are the vital themes of this lunation due to its close square aspect with Venus and Pluto. Venus–Pluto squares always make me think of the movie Dangerous Beauty. If you haven’t seen this movie, it’s a definite must in order to help understand the intense relationship dynamics that these two planets can create. Along with the Aries New Moon, this planetary aspect has the potential to reveal any deep-seated need for transformation, especially in regards to partnerships of all kinds.
Aphrodite’s planet of love — Venus, represents the need for balance between our love of self and our love of others. Are we able to love ourselves enough to recognize that our needs and desires are just as important as others needs? Pluto — the God of the Underworld — represents themes of death and rebirth and can often signify deeply buried emotions. Are we able to let go of that which is know longer serving our highest wellbeing so we can be reborn? Another role of Pluto is to entice us towards experiences that involve intense power dynamics. These types of Plutonian lessons are meant to awaken us to the right use of power; how to best obtain and utilize our personal power so that we can ultimately interact with ourselves and others from a strong and empowered place of self-love.
Astrologically, the Moon signifies our feeling and emotional nature, which might be intensely awakened (Pluto) during this potent Aries New Moon. Therefore, pay close attention and seek to understand your feelings and emotions and any corresponding reactions that occur over the next few days. Once recognized, old and destructive patterns can be consciously transmuted into inspiration and the freedom to love with balance, harmony, and self-empowerment.
Aries New Moon key words: self & identity, achievement, leadership, courage, warrior, protective, instinctive, impulsive, headstrong, anger & rage, desire, independent, freedom oriented, brand-new cycle of development
© 2021 by Linda Kaye
by Linda Kaye | Mar 25, 2021 | 2021, Current Astro News
Sunday, March 28, 11:48 p.m. PDT
8°18′ Libra
Let there be spaces in your togetherness and let the winds
of the heavens dance between you. — Kahil Gibran
This month’s Full Moon occurs in the partnership sign that represents love, peace, harmony, and the equalizing “scales of balance” — Libra. In Astrology, the Moon is considered a luminary, which means that it has the potential to light up the unconscious realms, both personally and collectively. As you may be aware, a Full Moon always occurs when it opposes the path of the Sun (in this case, Aries) on the zodiac ecliptic. This month’s Full Moon in Libra opposes the Sun, the Centaur planet, Chiron — often referred to as the Wounded Healer — and Venus (Libra’s ruling planet). Due to these aspects, this is definitely a potent Full Moon and therefore, an opportune time to contemplate any relationship imbalances in our lives.
Because Libra is the zodiac sign striving for equality within all our relationships, the current Astrological significations are encouraging us to regain a state of peace and harmony in our personal and collective lives. Hence, you can use the light of this powerful Full Moon to focus upon and determine where you need more balance. For example, if you feel you are out of balance with either your intimate or professional partnerships, and possibly giving more than you are receiving, then you will want to spend time contemplating how you might resolve this imbalance.
The Libra archetype often realizes that it gives far more than it receives so it may be helpful to identify areas of your life where this dynamic of being unable to receive may be occurring. When Libra is involved, sometimes the greatest gift we can give another person is to know when not to give, thereby allowing that individual to independently determine their own needs — Aries. Once you can personally maintain this equilibrium of giving and receiving in your life, you will find that the imbalances automatically resolve themselves. Following, is a quote by singer and song-writer John Lennon that illustrates this beautifully:
There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love.
When we are afraid, we pull back from life.
When we are in love, we open to all that life has to
offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance.
We need to learn to love ourselves first,
in all our glory and our imperfections.
If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to
our ability to love others or our potential to create.
Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the
fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life.
Lastly, Libra is the sign associated with the kidneys and blood sugar balances. Hence, this will be a great Full Moon to commit to consuming less sugar, foods high in carbohydrates, and alcohol. Look for healthy alternatives that support your overall well-being.
For night sky watchers: While the moon is bright, look high in the western sky after dusk for the twin stars of Gemini — Castor and Pollux.
RELATED ARTICLE: Chiron in Aries
© 2021 by Linda Kaye
