June 2022 Astrological Forecast: Releasing Illusion
This article originally appeared on Yoga Journal
June gives us a moment of reprieve. Following an emotionally intense eclipse period, we were left with much to reflect on and process. This work continues but at a more modest pace. On June 3rd, Mercury goes direct after having been in retrograde the last several weeks, while the next day Saturn goes retrograde. On June 14th, the full Moon takes place in the sign of Sagittarius, calling for us to understand truth while no longer grasping at our illusions. The Sun pauses momentarily during the summer solstice on June 21st, marking its entrance into the nurturing sign of Cancer. We close the month with a new Moon in Cancer, which compels us to feel into all the ways that we do--and do not--express our care for self and others.
June 3rd: Mercury retrograde ends
Mercury, the planet of communication, once again moves forward in Taurus following its retrograde. Mercury likes to be in more of a hurry whereas Taurus takes its time. Observe yourself. If your instincts tend to be reactionary, find ways to make communication very simple, clear, and grounded. This includes your self-talk. The lesson is that even when a lot of things are happening in life, you can still maintain a state of balance in your thoughts.
June 4th: Saturn retrograde
Saturn, a planet that often invites reflection, starts its retrograde cycle in the sign of Aquarius. Retrogrades in general ask us to slow down a little. This retrograde asks us to review how much effort we are putting into transforming systems and structures. This applies to your personal life as well as that of the collective. There are many things that have been shown to be outdated recently. Some have been addressed in conversation, yet the time has come to take a long pause and reflect on how much and what kind of work is needed to create sustained change.
When in Aquarius, Saturn is in its ideal expression and helps us create the needed structures to remove outdated systems. Saturn also brings with it a shadow side expressed through those who want to escape structures creating new systems that still alienate others. When we create anything from a reactionary state of being, it inherently still holds within it the seed of what caused the reaction. Be aware of this tendency.
June 11th: Venus conjunct Uranus in Taurus
Venus is the planet of feelings. Uranus is an outer planet corresponding to the awareness body, or the vijnanamaya kosha. This is the layer or sheath of the self where our insights, personal genius, and ability to witness take place. When Venus and Uranus are stationed in the same sign, our focus on the mental body, or manomaya kosha, is heightened. The mental body consists of thoughts, emotions, and sensory input. When these two planets meet in Taurus, we also seek to understand our feelings and our behaviors and why we sometimes act out with a lack of awareness. Observe and be curious about your relationship with each of these koshas.
June 13th: Mercury enters Gemini
The air sign of Gemini is where the planet of communication can most effectively express its naturally swift and clever nature. The invitation is to become more mindful about the meaning we assign to words. To begin to observe this is to come into the right relationship with life and our intellect. Think about the last time you sat at a table. What is the meaning of the table? It has no inherent meaning. However, when you read the word "table," that has meaning. It’s time to explore the meaning you attribute to certain words.
Observe and try to understand your reactions to words that instill an emotional reaction in you in order to find more space for understanding. The meaning you give to certain words reveals a lot about the way you view reality. It can be helpful to take stock of this in order to become more mindful of the way you perceive life and others. Being able to differentiate between the meaning you give words makes for a less reactionary state of being.
June 14th: Full Moon in Sagittarius
The sign of Sagittarius is forever aiming its arrows at the deeper truth of any situation. This full Moon occurs in a relationship with Neptune called a square. Neptune is the planet of disillusionment, which can bring clarity around a truth, perhaps one associated with a deep sense of disappointment through the revelation of something that was unseen prior to the full Moon. Keep in mind, when we experience deeper levels of personal truth, we must be open to accepting the higher truth as it is instead of clinging to our desired version of reality, one that’s based on unconscious projections and illusions. This full Moon is a profound time to contemplate the Hindu philosophy of advaita vedanta, which respects the consciousness of truth and self in all of its many interconnected forms.
June 21: Summer solstice
Twice a year, the Sun appears to stands still. Once at its highest elevation during the summer solstice and again at its lowest point during the winter solstice. These moments are generally known as the beginning of summer and winter. The summer solstice is also the moment the Sun enters the nurturing sign of Cancer, a reminder to us all that we emerge from the primordial womb of the great Mother. We can continue to recreate this state by reflecting on how we can care for relationships in a way that provides a greater sense of belonging--for ourselves and others.
June 23rd: Venus enters Gemini
Venus, the planet of relationships, moves into Gemini, a sign that learns through mimicry. If we look close enough at all of our relationships, we begin to notice how the communication styles and interactions we learned in childhood are repeated in our connections as adults. During this transit, allow your relationships to be the mirror that reveals this dynamic. Be curious about where you still mimic old behavioral patterns. The more we allow our relationships to awaken us, the more we can approach them with curiosity and deeper appreciation.
June 28th: New Moon in Cancer
The lunation at the end of the month in the caring sign of Cancer calls forward the reminder to tend to ourselves. This need will be emphasized by the new Moon being square to Jupiter in Aries. Jupiter is all about growth and Aries has a tendency to be rather self-interested. Ask yourself, in what ways are you self-oriented or think only of yourself? Where are you disconnected from caring for others? What has caused you to assert yourself in ways that are not caring or careful? This time calls on us to expand our definition of caring for ourselves so that we can extend care to others from a place of fullness and honesty.
About our contributor
Cameron Allen began his path to understanding mind-body awareness with a degree in health and sports science and psychology. Beyond the colonized education system, he began seeking understanding through direct experience with nature, Astrology, herbalism, rootwork, yoga, and other indigenous technologies. Cameron is a herbalist, astrologer, and writer. Cameron is a student of life and continues to deepen his studies of ancient wisdom and apply it to modern life.
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