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The Summer Solstice occurred in the northern hemisphere at 11.30 am GMT on June 21st and gives rise to the longest day of the year, while our friends in the southern hemisphere are experiencing their longest night with the advent of the Winter Solstice. Thus summer and winter occur simultaneously on our one planetary home. Home is indeed the keyword here as the 21st of June is the initiating point for the sign of Cancer, that portion of the zodiac that indicates foundation, domesticity, and the roots of our biological karma and psychological nature.

Whether we live north or south of the equator, the most important thing for any of us to do now is to reach inward into ourselves. How established are we in our relationship to our essential being? What is the state of our primary sense of security? What is the status of our fears? How are we still attached to those negative and non-regenerative parts of our family history and its psychological legacy? And how have we developed and built upon that same history and legacy that provides us with strength, love, wisdom, and courage? Where are we still frightened children and where and how far have we evolved into adults while still honoring and playing with that inner child?

It would appear to me that each of us as individuals and the nations, huge international corporations, and the major religious centers of the world as political entities and thus as Collective Beings, will be asking themselves these questions in the months ahead. Indeed such issues will be forced upon us and them and the answers will have to be forthcoming. There are a number of major astrological aspects in the heavens that will require major and profound changes in both our individual and collective lives. Indeed such heavenly positions will force these answers to the surface. Just like the intense weather and natural patterns of destruction that I have been predicting in recent months, both these climatic and psychological challenges will continue now and for the rest of the current summer/winter.

Although the astrologer cannot advise the weather and unfortunately the majority of national, business, and religious leaders do not use wise men and wise woman to advise and assist them (for these people have certainly shown themselves to be unwise and in dire need of evolutionary growth, a conscious and consciousness), I can only put forth some suggestions both to my readers and myself, for like you I am definitely a “work in progress.”

My dear friends, we are in the midst of what astrologers are calling a “Cardinal Climax.” Briefly stated, this is due to the fact that Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto have been and will continue to transit the first few degrees of the cardinal signs, with a major emphasis on the so-called “Aries Point” (0º Aries and by extension 0º of Libra and Capricorn). The Summer/Winter Solstices occur at 0º Cancer (with an incredibly important and potent Full Moon on June 26th), creating what we call a “Grand Cardinal Square.” Although Uranus will move out of 0º Aries in the middle of August, he will reenter the Ram in March 2011 where he will square Pluto for several years thereafter. Saturn and Jupiter will also move along leaving these critical points in September (Jupiter returns briefly for a few weeks in January and February of next year).

Thus in the heavens the following aspects have been recently, still are, or will continue to occur until September: Jupiter conjunct Uranus in Aries; Uranus opposing Saturn in late Pisces/Virgo and early Aries/Libra; Saturn square Pluto in Libra/Capricorn; Jupiter and Uranus square Pluto in Aries/Capricorn, and now the Sun, Full Moon, and Mercury will be in early Cancer over the course of the next week.

I have written at length about many of these positions and configurations and these observations are published in the June, July, August, and September editions of Dell Horoscope Magazine which is readily available in most English-speaking countries.

What I can say and suggest to you here about these celestial happenings may be summarized as follows:

1. Although these influences will all be most intensely felt on individual levels by people who have planets or important points in the first five degrees of the cardinal signs and to a lesser but nonetheless major extent by positions in the last few degrees of the mutable signs, the Cardinal Climax will touch everyone.
2. Habit patterns and lifestyle choices will be strongly challenged. Huge adjustments will have to be made about how and why we do things. Our motivations will be questioned and life will require that our choices be made accordingly.
3. A great world restlessness is upon us. As stated in recent issues of this newsletter, this will manifest as rather terrible storms, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. Please examine the world weather and natural disaster pattern since Jupiter conjoined Uranus in Pisces opposing Saturn in Virgo (middle of May 2010) and note that Saturn and Uranus have been opposed since April.
4. This restlessness will manifest in many people´s lives as the urge to change residence and life orientation and many people will do just that. Others will be forced to move due to political and climatic upheavals. Civil unrest and anti-government demonstrations will be very prevalent. The World Cup has diffused some of this negative collective energy but it will resume shortly after the World Cup is over and people return to their ordinary lives.
5. Political scandals will continue based on the abuse of power (Pluto in Capricorn) or ill-considered partnerships and relationships (Saturn in Libra).
6. Outbreaks of religious violence (unfortunately, this has been and will continue to be a constant for many years).

So, what can we do? Glad you asked. Some gentle suggestions:

1. Reduce desires. The less you want, the less you covet, the less you need to possess in terms of people and objects, the easier and simpler will be your life over these next few months. Have dreams and aspirations? Of course. But do not obsess over them. As the beautiful and wise Swami Satchitananda taught me: “If you have no appointments, you will have no disappointments.”
2. Find your Inner Home. It is Cancer time after all. The Tibetan Master, DK tells us that the soul-centered motto for Cancer is: “I build a lighted house and therein I dwell.” Bring more Light into your home. Increase your spiritual practice, your prayers for others (and yes, you can pray for yourself too—but not obsessively in terms of desires), and your service work. If you have no service work, well find some. Or, develop further your attitude of service in the areas where you currently live and work. Check out the book, Serving Humanity by Alice Bailey published by the Lucis Trust.
3. Stay aware of your motivations in relationships. Let those who wish to leave your life go and make sure that you agree with the terms of those who wish to stay. A good read about this is Ken Keyes, A Conscious Person´s Guide to Relationships. There is a HUGE difference between preferences and addictions.
4. Many of us will find that we are being challenged in our belief systems or for others that we have no belief system at all. In the case of the former, anchor yourself in the principle of the One Divinity in which we all “live and breathe and have our being.” Be patient with the form that your evolving belief system will take as there will be many who are restless and impatient now with their spiritual progress or lack thereof. In the case of the latter, I am happy you are at least reading these words for it shows that you are searching and that is a wonderful and necessary thing in order to find. Keep searching, you will find. But search consciously, not desperately. Relax, breathe, search, smile. As that great loving Father Meher Baba teaches, “Don´t worry, be happy.”

June 21 to 23:

The Sun enters Cancer at 11:30am on the 21st. From this day until the 23rd, the Sun will square Uranus and Jupiter. This should give rise to a lot of thunder and lightning and many summer/winter storms. Such turbulence will find its way into the World Cup as Jupiter and Uranus have a lot to do with international sporting events. I would also not be surprised if there is also some religious-based violence. Since such energy marks our times, this can happen any day of the year, but these aspects do encourage such clashes right about now. Used wisely, these energies can help you to renew your faith and strengthen your beliefs in yourself. As the wise astrologer once said, “The stars impel, they do not compel.”

June 25:

Mercury enters Cancer at 10:33am and proceeds to square Uranus and Jupiter. This is not a good day for traveling, especially far from home. Confusion in communications is likely and if this aspect falls in your chart with any exactitude, you will find that your sense of objectivity in your judgments will be impaired, so do not jump to conclusions.

June 26:

There is a partial Full Moon eclipse at 4.46 Cancer/Capricorn at 11:31am. This is complicated and stressed by the opposition of the Sun and the conjunction of the Moon to Pluto and the Grand Cross that will come as a result of the positions of Jupiter and Uranus. This will not be an easy day for the world. Economic security will be an issue in many people´s lives. Corporate giants like BP will really be deservedly hit big time. Many people will be very upset with their government, bosses, and financial institutions. Family issues will come up for many, especially those with important placements around this degree in their natal chart.

June 27-28:

The energies mentioned above continue on for these two days as Mercury touches the eclipse point and opposes Pluto. On the personality level, people will hold grudges and speak behind other people’s backs. Negative thoughts will be rampant, so say your mantra, prayer, or other affirmation of the Love that is your spiritual home. Be objective to the processes of mind these days, your own and others. Try to avoid getting into arguments with dissatisfied people as no one will win.

July 1:

Mercury in Cancer is sextile Mars in Virgo. This is a good day to fix things up around the office and home.

July 3:

My beloved friend Artemes Turchi is celebrating his 60th Birthday and he looks marvelous, Cardinal Climax notwithstanding!

July 4:

Jupiter begins a cycle of squares to Pluto at 3º of Aries and Capricorn. This one culminates on July 25th. We will see some very strong pronouncements from fundamentalist and orthodox religious leaders during this entire period. These statements will do nothing to aid the world situation—on the contrary. In addition, there should be some scandals or other pejorative issues surrounding precious metals and/or international banking.

July 8:

Venus is opposing Neptune at the very end of Leo/Aquarius. A great day to go to the movies, eat pastries, write romantic poetry, and visit art museums. Not a good day for anything more practical than that! (Sounds like a number of Sundays I spent when I was living in Lisbon—no wonder I liked that city so much.)

July 9 - 12:

Mercury enters Leo at 4:30pm on the 9th and trines Jupiter and Uranus from the 9th to the 11th. These are great days for travel if these aspects fall in a good place in your chart. (Note to the serious astrology student: especially if these aspects connect to your Third or Ninth Houses and/or the natal rulers of these houses and super-especially if those rulers happen to be Mercury and Jupiter.) Venus enters Virgo at 11:33am on the 10th, so be selective about your traveling companions! The Sun is sextile Mars from the 9th to the 12th, so there is lots of “free energy” about to help you carry your bags and get from place to place. Bon voyage!

July 11:

The New Moon Total Eclipse occurs at 7:42pm GMT at 19º of Cancer. An eclipse means the end of one set of circumstances and the beginning of another. If this falls on an important placement in your chart, you will find that area of your life undergoing some major shifting. In the case of Cancer, this has to do with reassessing your basic sense of personal security. The eclipse can really unlock a door that needs opening. This is not at all negative if you are prepared to release what must be left behind and open to what is new. If it were to fall in your Eighth House for example, this could indicate a new direction in your path to healing old family or emotional wounds and clear a path to regeneration.

July 13 - 20:

There are no major astrological patterns or aspects occurring at this time other then the continued influence of the Cardinal Climax aspects mentioned above, which is quite enough to keep us busy.

July 21:

Saturn reenters Libra at 3:11pm where it will remain until October 5, 2012. Saturn likes this sign and finds its “exaltation” here. This means that Saturn will encourage balance and right judgment in relationships and equality of responsibility in all partnerships. He will be struggling however with Uranus in Aries with whom he makes an exact opposition as soon as he mounts the Celestial Scales. Thus the opportunity for Saturn´s more positive nature to emerge will have to wait until this heavenly battle is over. These two bodies remain at odds until the first week of August when they part company, not to be seen again in such a zodiacal entanglement for another 40 years. But they have been “at it” since the last USA presidential election when they brought in a new government headed by (to me and so many others), that great guy, Mr. Obama. His election personifies this Uranus/Saturn opposition, i.e. the battle between old and new archetypes for political and social prominence. (Please note the last time Uranus and Saturn opposed, Dr. Martin Luther King was fighting for human rights and we kids were burning our draft cards.) This opposition continues the battle between traditional and conservative social outlooks (Saturn in Libra) and the evolution of new social paradigms (Uranus in Aries).

Blessings and love to you all from Alan in Bali.