Functional Flexibility: Mutable Squares with the Outer Planets
Flurries of activity can be both stimulating and draining. Welcome to the stellium of Gemini. What is unique is that Mercury, Venus, and the Sun will square Saturn and Neptune before they end their journey in the sign of the twins. When inner planets square outer or social planets in mutable signs, it can be a point of pausing. It’s like the universe stops and asks, are you sure this is the best solution? Neptune dissolves focus and sees the ideal, while Saturn slows things down, encouraging reflection and an awareness of how time marches on. Squares can be a bit frustrating as they interrupt the change of pace, but they also create innovation.
June 8th – 17th might be the most tension-filled as you negotiate the challenges between relationships, communication and your sense of individuality. Squares with planets in mutable signs provide fantastic opportunities to embrace the concept that “necessity is the mother of invention.” Adaptability will be the key word for that time frame.
Searching for the Spark: No Planets in Fire Signs
After Mars bids farewell to Aries on June 9th, there’ll be a noticeable absence of planets in fire signs. This scenario isn’t entirely new for 2024 – February saw a similar setup. Nevertheless, it could have some psychological impact on us all. You might sense yourself merely going through the motions, reacting to external events rather than tapping into what truly motivates you. Alternatively, you may find it takes extra effort to spark your enthusiasm. Everyone will need to dig deeper and draw upon any fire placements in their birth charts.
To lift spirits during this period, look to days when the Moon graces fire signs for a pick-me-up: June 9th – 11th (with Leo softening Mars’s departure from Aries) and June 19th – 21st (Sagittarius, prior to the full moon in Capricorn). Relief arrives on July 10th when Mercury bursts into Leo.
Summer Solstice and a Sentimental Shift
Look for a shift into the sentimental and familiar on June 17th when both Venus and Mercury move into Cancer. Connection and communication take on a more empathetic tone, and the pace of the month slows down. The Sun will follow these two planets into the sign of the crab when it makes its annual ingress on June 20th, marking the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
This day, when the Sun reaches the Tropic of Cancer and begins its journey back to the equator, is highly symbolic. It represents a transition from the light of growth and external experiences (from December to June) to a period of reflection and internal focus as the days grow shorter. The Sun represents knowledge, the ego, and what makes us thrive. Summer is peak growing season and is the perfect time to appreciate the bounty you’ve worked towards. Take the time to rejoice and reflect on your achievements.
Two Full Moons in Capricorn
In 2024, we have a unique occurrence of two full moons in the same sign. This happens when the first full moon is in the early degrees of a sign, and the second full moon occurs at the tail end. These two full moons in Capricorn will take place on June 21st and July 21st, both ruled by solitary Saturn in Pisces. However, there’s a twist: Saturn will be direct for the June full moon and retrograde in July.
The difference between a direct and retrograde Saturn ruling these lunations highlights external influence versus internal control. Saturn emphasizes themes of boundaries, authority, fatherhood, and the passage of time. Pay attention to what unfolds around the first full moon in June, as the narrative may reach a natural conclusion by the second full moon in July. These two full moons will be the most potent for those who have cardinal signs on the angles or have Saturn or the Moon as their Lord of the Year. (You can learn about which planet has the most influence over your life and your year in a 1:1 consultation).
Dates of Note:
June 2: Jupiter trines Pluto + Mercury sextiles Neptune. Today’s focus is on what is possible. With Pluto offering power behind Jupiter’s dreams for greatness, it can give you the confidence to say yes to what seemed out of reach. This is a great day for building wealth and making deals that add flourishing touches to your image. Harness your powers of clever wit and creative context to help others see the added benefits of joining forces.
June 3: Mercury ingresses into Gemini. The planet of the mind and communication moves into one of its home signs. In Gemini, he can flex his agility and transition between a variety of interests. Absorbing the gist of the social scene almost becomes instinctive for natives with this signature. Over the next two weeks, embrace your gift of gab as your summer calendar fills up.
June 4: Mercury trines Pluto + Mercury conjoins Jupiter + Venus cazimi. Talk about being in the right place at the right time today! Power agreements come easy as support bubbles to the surface. Make sure you take the time to network, gather contact information, and make those connections to unify everyone on the same team. Judgement calls and giving power to your ideas will go over well with those with influence. It’s a fantastic day to pitch ideas and win support.
June 6: New Moon in Gemini. Mercury in Gemini rules this New Moon, giving it a very playful and social quality. While dialogue and quick banter rule this moon, make sure you are slowing down enough to absorb the information given. Pay attention to body language and what isn’t being said as well. The Moon is dark and Mercury is under the beams, which requires more inner trust and reliance on intuition. Conversations away from the group will have more impact than ones in front of a crowd. The power lies in the questions and focusing on the messages. It is a great day for following your curiosity, making a lot of brief social connections, and keeping the flow moving.
June 8: Mars ingresses into Taurus + Venus squares Saturn. There may be some room for negotiating roles and responsibilities in your relationships today. It’s a good day to bring awareness to your inner boundaries and realize needs may have shifted. Mars, the planet of will and determination, moves into fixed earth today. Like a dog with a bone, he’s not easily giving up on his goal, anger, or strategies. They see giving up as weakness and only achieve compromise when there is something in the deal for them. The power of “No” gets amplified in this sign. The hard part for Mars in earth signs is knowing when to release and change direction. Over the next 6 weeks, tune in to the staying power of your determination. It’s a great time to stay the course and add grit to your plans already in action.
June 9: Sun squares Saturn. The pressure has been mounting for the past week thanks to the planet of hard work pushing down on the Sun. Sometimes it feels like you can’t do anything right and everything is a lesson. It’s a time of buckling down, recognizing when you are up against the wall, and doing what you can to lighten the load. Adjust your expectations and remain nimble. You can meet milestones, but moving on can have a bittersweet flavor.
June 11: Mars squares Pluto. Change is never easy, but when this aspect happens in fixed signs, you may be even more aware of the battle of wills. Pick and choose your battles today. Knowing when to disengage is worth its weight in gold.
June 12: Mercury squares Saturn. Be open to rethinking a plan. With aspects between mutable signs, adaptability wins. It may be time to tackle some negotiations. Not all the information is out in the open with Mercury combust the sun.
June 14: Mercury cazimi in Gemini. It’s the halfway point between Mercury retrogrades! The planet of communication and thinking is moving extremely fast and gets a strong moment of clarity. This is an ideal day to express your plans, needs, and truth out in the open. When Mercury is in the heart of the Sun, it is like having the ear of the king who is ready to grant your request.
June 16/Father’s Day: Venus squares Neptune. When the planet of love poses a challenge with what is ideal, there needs to be a reconciliation. Take the time to assess if you are feeling disillusioned with a relationship, or if your expectations are a little ungrounded. The Moon is in Libra and opposes Chiron. It’s a good day to socialize with dear old Dad and reminisce. Be mindful of where you might store your old wounds from the past on a day that is charged with so much sentimentality. It might be time to recognize how roles are changing and responsibilities within the family structure are shifting. Acknowledging how your dad did the best he could with his own limitations and resolve how you will do things differently. This process can be healing.
June 17: Venus conjoins Mercury + Mercury squares Neptune + Venus and Mercury ingresses into Cancer. This is another enormous day in the skies and most of you will feel the tempo change. Yesterday’s ah-ha moments may need to be expressed and it might be a little uncomfortable to be honest with your feelings. When the planet of communication is in tension with idealistic Neptune, the tendency to soften the message to be a good guy to everyone is tempting. Later in the day, both Venus and Mercury move into the sign of the crab, bringing an emotional awareness to how relationships work. Planets in water are good at being present in the moment, letting the natural flow take over, and protecting what is important. It is a definite shift from exploratory Gemini into sentimental Cancer.
June 19/Juneteenth: Moon in Sagittarius opposes Gemini. This is such incredible symbolism for the day. On the day we celebrate the ending of slavery, the emotional moon opens up dialogue about how far our nation has come with topics of freedom and oppression. Jupiter in Gemini invites hope, but also is ready to discuss limitations as well. Seeing both sides of the coin and sitting with any discomfort can illuminate opportunity for growth.
June 20/Summer Solstice: Sun ingresses into Cancer + Sun squares Neptune. Try to keep your schedule light today as there could be a lot of diversions and opportunities to daydream, wander, and explore what’s around the bend.
Today the Sun also moves into the sign of Cancer on the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. Cancer is the sign of the crab and the archetype of the mother. These cardinal suns strive for security and emotional safety not just for themselves, but for those they have deep emotional bonds with. Ruled by the moon, their emotions seem to change like the tide. They are devoted and impressionable, which can sometimes let them be perceived as easily influenced. But beware, being emotional and child-like could just be the way they are controlling you. It can be subtle, but powerful with water signs. Initiating emotional connection is what they do best. When the Sun makes its annual ingress into the sign of the crab, we become more aware of our homeland, our home front, and what goes on inside our four walls. I always found it interesting that the 4th of July falls in Cancer season, when patriotism swells. It is a time to nurture what makes a house a home. During the next month, focus on where you feel secure and connected. It’s time to handle domestic and inner work. Get in tune with your parents or your own parenting skills.
June 21: Full Moon in Capricorn + Mercury sextiles Mars. It is a great day to mobilize resources to make deals happen. When Mars and Mercury are working together, solutions come quickly and a little effort goes a long way. Have the difficult conversations at work for new insight. Today’s full moon in Capricorn is ruled by Saturn in Pisces. This is a very cautious moon, as Saturn is almost to his stationary degree. Reconnect with your inner purpose and make sure your outer life reflects your values. There might need to be a rebalancing of how much attention and focus you are putting on your work/home life split.
June 26: Mercury trines Saturn. Sometimes when you know, you just KNOW. The universe is confirming your gut instincts today with supportive aspects between Mercury and Saturn in water signs. Intuitive knowledge is powerful today. Any agreements made today have lasting impact.
June 28: Venus sextiles Mars. This is my date night pick of the month! It’s a sweet and spicy combination with an adventurous Aries Moon. Take the initiative and plan something fun.
June 29: Mercury sextiles Uranus + Saturn stations retrograde. Gather input from all angles and observe how your perspective shifts. It’s a day ripe with insight and innovation. However, with Saturn stationing retrograde, you might feel a sense of discomfort with the status quo. Things may seem a bit stagnant as you redirect your focus towards what you have control over: your actions. This is where the Mars/Uranus sextile’s innovation can prove invaluable. Take responsibility for both maintaining stability and catalyzing change. Saturn will resume its forward motion in mid-November.