by Robert Wilkinson
The Summer Solstice occurs June 21, 9:38 am PDT, 12:38 pm EDT, 5:38 pm Greenwich (BST). It's the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, said to be the time at which "free will" acts more powerfully than any other time. It is a point of decision, and kicks off Summer, the season of work, play, productivity, and lots of sunshine for those of us up north. If you're "down under," remember to have a little compassion for us up here when December 21, the Winter Solstice, rolls around and we're freezing while you're enjoying the beach! What follows explores elements we all can expect to experience over the next 3 months, regardless of where we live.
Today is the end of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, the end of Autumn in the Southern. If you’re wondering how I reconcile the seemingly opposing energies between the hemispheres, when you’re done here please take a look at The Mirroring of the Northern and Southern Hemisphere Year Cycles in Astrology. It may help readers “down under” see how the important points of seasonal change, though opposite in physical manifestation, actually have similar challenges at each point of shift.
The Solstices and Equinoxes are excellent times for looking at what began in the past 90 days, whether new growth or signs of what is ending, what is emerging and what has slipped down the timestream. In any case, the Solstices are points of radical reorientation, whether toward emotional self interest in the Northern Hemisphere or personal power in the Southern.
How This Solstice Is Related to Other Celestial Events Past and Present
The next 90 days are in any case a time to decide, consolidate, express, stabilize, and work toward what will shift at the Autumnal Equinox. Taking a brief look back, in a “co-incidence” of major importance right now, in this chart Mercury is direct in motion at the exact degree of its recent inferior conjunction with the Sun. That indicates the current “fusion of Life and Mind” indicated by that Inferior Conjunction will in some way impact the next 90 days wherever 9 Gemini falls in our charts.
It also indicates that the recent Inferior Conjunction chart will have much in common with how Mars will operate over the next three months, since Mercury rules Mars at 29 Gemini in this Solstice chart. That also relates it to the Jupiter of the 2013 Solstice chart, since it was at 29 Gemini in that chart.
So that implies Mars will activate life areas related to how our life expanded, or the truth or teaching we embraced, between June and September 2013. That helped us take collective material and weave it into a new “song of life” even as we searched for new revelations and went deeper into our connection with “the ONE.”
Finishing the line of examination, this chart has Venus at 15 Leo, the degree where it will conjunct Mars and go stationary direct in early September. So this indicates a blending of past and future via Mercury, Venus, and Mars in this chart, with past Gemini and future Leo front and center!The charts for the Summer and Winter Solstices provide guideposts for the symbolic and actual weather that will follow in the 90 days after those points in time, just as charts for the Vernal and Autumnal Equinox each show what will follow in the period after those points in time.
The Pluto Factor Past and Present
After many years of being an important factor in the Solstice and Equinox charts, Pluto has now moved on and is not the powerhouse it was. For several years it was extremely important in in the charts at every change of season, since Pluto in early Capricorn was squared by the Sun at the Spring and Autumn Equinoctal points, and opposed the Sun at the Summer Solstice point for a number of years. These are very dynamic aspects that released a lot of energy, and either blocked or propelled events.
Although the Sun is no longer in very close conjunction, square, or opposition to Pluto during these changes of season, in previous Solstice and Equinox charts Uranus has been in close square to Pluto, showing very volatile Plutonic energies in play. In this chart the square is very wide, and the last close square between these two powerhouses will be in play as of the December 2015 Solstice.
Even though in this chart the square is wide, Pluto is still a significant factor due to the exact sesquisquare made by the Moon at 30 Leo that also makes a square to Saturn at 30 Scorpio, itself semisquare Pluto. This creates “Octile zones” that will release the energies of these frictional energies in dramatic change when it impacts our charts. Specific zones include 13-17 Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn, 28-30 Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius, and 1-2 Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces.
Squares tend to put the brakes on some things, while indicating a "turning of a corner" in other things. Semisquares and sesquisquares create agitated conditions forcing shifts in values, expression, desires, or goals. Oppositions create, well, oppositions. That can lead to awareness or obvious polarization.
Squares to Pluto often show things going out of control or something extreme happening that results in either a favorable purification or a grinding toxicity. Given that Pluto is one of the anchors of The Grand Irrationality (not a specific factor in this chart), when squared, semisquared, or sesquisqared, it releases a lot of energy precipitating situations that move people to make choices that propel them into their destiny.
This is the seventh Summer Solstice with Pluto in Capricorn. Given the Solstice and Equinox charts show the weather patterns to come, this chart would seemingly indicate some extremes on the way, and may help explain why there have been so many extremes these past 7 years! The Octile aspects mentioned above will surely make this another dynamic season!
Decan and Element Distribution and the Solstice Jones Pattern
This Summer Solstice chart shows 3 planets in the first decan of their sign, 3 planets in the second decan of their signs, and 4 planets in the third decan of their signs. This indicates a three month period of activity involving a good balance between the actional, social-emotional, and individual-mental and spiritual areas of life, with a slight emphasis on the individual-mental spiritual areas of life. There should be inspired ideas grounded in deep feelings, which need to be clarified so confusion and misdirection don’t occur.
The planets fall in a Splay Jones pattern. The Splay indicates a widely distributed planetary spread that shows a diverse but separated set of interests, with an emphasis on individuality putting itself into different situations that may not harmonize easily. Please consult the recent New Moon in Gemini article for greater detail about this Jones pattern in play for the next season.
On this Solstice, we see 3 planets in Water, 2 in Air, 1 in Earth, and 4 in Fire. That makes this a season where feelings will run VERY high, with a varied sense of connecting and sharing with others but relatively little practicality accompanied by a friction that seems out of our control.
Dispositors, Aspects, and the Lunar Influence
In this chart, we find Mercury and Neptune in their home signs, with the Sun in the sign ruled by the Moon and the Moon in the sign ruled by the Sun. That makes these 4 the final dispositors for all the energies of the next 90 days. Of the three, Mercury is the most powerful, since it is the final ruler of all the other planets except Neptune and the Sun and Leo planets, the latter ruled by the Moon/Sun mutual reception.
With the Moon is at 30 Leo, we will all get focused through our ability to share information and ideas in the mental-spiritual realm. The degree is one of faith in the goodness of life, confidence, creativity, release of heart energy, and an ability to get to the essence of things. We can find joy and power through the Venus conjunct Jupiter in Leo that is tracking the Moon, and both will dance on this lunar degree for a long time between late July and early October.
The Moon rules Cancer, so it's the ruler of the Sun. In this chart we find the Sun and Moon are in a Crescent phase, indicating the next 90 days are about being assertive to make some impression on the world, where old forms are challenged repolarizing us from personal things to a greater concern over larger issues. This will introduce an element of youthfulness in all we do.
In the Solstice chart, besides the Octile series aspects mentioned above, there are a huge number of extremely important forming and just separating aspects showing the recent past has been very intense for many. Prominent forming aspects, showing things to come, include Moon sextile Sun (out of sign), Mercury sextile Venus, square Neptune and biquintile Pluto, and Venus semisquare Sun, conjunct Jupiter, trine Uranus, and quincunx Pluto.
We continue with Sun quintile Uranus, Mars septile Jupiter, quincunx Saturn, and quintile Uranus, and Jupiter trine Uranus and biquintile Pluto. Neptune and Pluto are now 55 degrees 10 minutes wide, showing the Grand Irrationality is not a major player in the coming season.
There are several major energy patterns in play via these aspects. Mars septile Jupiter indicates major shifts for all of us who have planets or angles near 27 Gemini-1 Cancer, 18-22 Leo, 10-14 Libra, 1-5 Sagittarius, 23-27 Capricorn, 14-18 Pisces, and 6-10 Taurus. If you’re affected, it will show crucial choices to be made where you have late Gemini and mid Leo that will affect houses and planets influenced by Aries, Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Pisces.
The Mercury just separating quintile to Jupiter and both biquintile Pluto indicate unique gifts and seeds of specialized transformation for us all, especially for those with planets or angles near 7-10 Gemini, 19-22 Leo, 1-4 Scorpio, 13-16 Capricorn, and 25-28 Pisces. A similar energy will be found via the Sun and Mars quintile Uranus, affecting 17-22 Aries, 29 Gemini-4 Cancer, 11-16 Virgo, 23-28 Scorpio, and 5-10 Aquarius.
Mercury square Neptune has been with us a while, forcing us to get clear about what roles we are and are not playing, and reject all putdowns and communications that undermine what we know. This of course primarily affects those with planets or angles around 7-12 Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces.
Venus quincunx Pluto and Mars quincunx Saturn show hard adjustments and sacrifices wherever they fall, and impact signs and houses these rule. Venus quincunx Pluto will help us make critical adjustments that will prepare us for early September, with productive growth through sharing and comparing information and seeing the next 2+ months as a dress rehearsal for what’s coming in September. Mars quincunx Saturn shows we’ll be acting on recent adjustments indicated by Sun separating quincunx to Saturn, with productive growth by seeing how to ground and focus our power while interacting with others who also have some form of authority.
Any quincunx challenges the health of a thing, and requires forced adjustments and corrections that are usually accompanied by sacrifices. These eliminations are necessary to restore a productive focus.
Other Important Factors
The North Node shows us the line of greatest development is to see how our ideals have been made manifest in recent months, and/or get clearer about what we want and why we want it. We’re all moving into a growth pattern of self-transformation on the social-emotional level to do our Being on a more ideal, archetypal level.
The South Node indicates these growth patterns will demonstrate though us choosing which facets of our personality we will shine a light on so others may see it clearly. Over the next 90 days, be reasonable, fair, balanced, and focus the potency available in the moment.
Venus conjunct Jupiter with both trine Uranus is a very powerful and stabilizing Fiery inspirational influence, promising to light up our Leo sectors! As noted earlier, this Fire influence will pervade the atmosphere for the next 3 ½ months, so enjoy the lightness, brightness, heart, and joy that this indicates. Many will come to a definite form of strength and/or power, with the future laid out like a glowing map for their perusal.
While the quincunxes show necessary adjustments in all life areas related to Venus, Mars, and Saturn (Pluto being a depth influence), the numerous quintiles and biquintiles show many gifts and unique circumstances, and those who have done the tough stuff up front will harvest many specialized interactions and returns. Just don’t forget the octile-series aspects involving the Moon, Saturn, and Pluto indicate some level of gear-grinding as we go through our last Saturn in Scorpio lessons. This is a season of final exams!
So look at what is emerging, and make decisions to reorient toward your new life and initiatives. Trust the emotional intelligence you’ve cultivated since June 2013, as well as your sense of perspective and proportion you’ve explored while learning how to take care of what you really care about, what you really need, and how you want to experience and live your day to day life. Keep letting go of obsolete, stagnant, or stuck emotional responses, and accept the blessing that allows you to drop an old load as you move into a rebeginning.
As always at this time in history, don’t get distracted by the craziness or irrationality in people and circumstances, and don’t worry if a lot doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t have to. Just learn how to feel your knowing and know your feelings, see the need in situations, go for the new and unrealized, and keep finding ways to express your heart creatively without taking in any corrosive putdowns or undermining statements from others.
This is a time of looking back and forward at the same time, of exploring ideas and approaches and ways to enjoy life at a more mature level. We are learning how to experience our individual flow within a greater flow, which should lead us to new ideas, new views, and new understanding. Once we have gotten a vision, or the information, communication, or understanding we need, then make a decision, act on it, and then figure out what you’re actually feeling and experiencing.
Welcome to a season of understanding how and why we had to let go of many things over the past several years, with a last look back before we cut loose from the Saturn in Scorpio era for many years. This is a “last goodbye” to things that are obsolete or we no longer need to grow in our self-expression. We’ve said sayonara to the past over the past four years, and should no longer be bugged by its ghosts and echoes of memories of perceptions of echoes of memories of perceptions of echoes of memories...
Aum, blessings, and Happy Northern Summer and Southern Winter Solstice as we stand on the threshold of a new season of life! Let go of fear, let go of memories, let go of feeling stuck in old limitations, and stay focused on the blessing to come your way that expands your life.
© Copyright 2015 Robert Wilkinson
Hi Robert,
The next to last paragraph is the exact desription of my life from 2012 - present. As a Cardinal sign(Libra) who experienced a senond Saturn Return, Saturn in Libra, Saturn in 12th house Scorpio and now the back and forth over my Ascendent, well I am ready to use all the experiences I have survived to make a clean break from those years. Pluto is transiting my 2nd house Capricorn, but I hope my new found wisdom will guide me through that cycle. I keep reminding myself that Pluto breaks down and rises from the ashes.
Posted by: Starbright | June 21, 2015 at 10:24 AM
Happy Summer Solstace Salutations to you Robert & All at the Aquarius papers.
Thrilled with the above info., topped off the Solstace evening in pleasant ponderings.
Namaste
Posted by: H | June 21, 2015 at 03:49 PM
"Let go of fear, let go of memories, let go of feeling stuck in old limitations, and stay focused on the blessing to come your way that expands your life"
(EXHAUSTED)SIGH! AMEN!
Posted by: Luci | June 21, 2015 at 11:13 PM
Great post and very useful. MAny thanks Robert.
Blessings be to all
Posted by: Nic | June 22, 2015 at 10:52 AM
Thank you Robert. I second that last paragraph description as accurate and appreciate the ending note. Bless you!
Posted by: maggie | June 22, 2015 at 04:17 PM