Don't you feel the wind
It's pushing us further now
Are we just gonna let it blow
And hold on, don't you fall
Cause there's such a way to go
We've touched it now
Don't let it go
“Can Our Love…” by Tindersticks
Stonehenge sunrise
Midsummer is approaching ever more rapidly, and while I will share some thoughts on its meaning, celebration and the astrology of this years Summer Solstice in my next newsletter, an email dropped into my inbox last Sunday reminding me that it's time to order tickets for the celebration of Midsummer held by the Gorsedd of Cor Gawr in the temple of Stonehenge. Between 2005 and 2016 I was honoured to be the Lead Priest for the Gorsedd of Cor Gawr, or more correctly Gorsedd Beirdd Côr y Cewri in Cymraeg, which meets inside the Circle of Stonehenge at dawn on traditional Midsummer's Day (24th June) and at sunset on the closest Sunday to the Midwinter Solstice. When I first began leading the Gorsedd relationships between Druid groups and English heritage, at the time managed for English Heritage by Peter Carson, were excellent and straightforward. However, as plans progressed for the new Visitors Centre, which opened in December of 2013, those relationships became strained because of the plans to display the ancestral bones of the skeleton, the human remains', of a body exhumed from a nearby burial barrow. There were many protests and some Druid groups took direct action, which further strained relationships, and although Cor Gawr was never directly involved in those protests there was a significant change of mood. Peter Carson left shortly after the new Visitors Centre opened and things continued to deteriorate. At the same time I was actively involved with the peaceful campaign against the display of ancestors through the group Honouring the Ancient Dead. Iin the end, EH were intransigent and the bones of this ancestor remain displayed.
It was with that as background and following some profound shamanic journeying and spiritual work that I decided that it was right for me to step down when I did. In particular, a dream I experienced remains as vivid in my memory today as it did the moment I woke from it. I wrote a blog post about it, which you can find here A Dreamscape | dancing in the mist (wordpress.com), and I wrote more about my leaving Cor Gawr here: Stepping down, moving on | dancing in the mist (wordpress.com).
So, if you'd like to know more about Cor Gawr, or go along to the Gorsedd to experience a profound and spiritual ceremony inside the Stones with a small group, head over to the Cor Gawr website at bards.org.uk and apply now. There are limited tickets as English Heritage restrict numbers, so best to be quick!
Early June astrology
I talked about the current Gemini stellium, which will remain until 17th June, and what we can expect from the presence of Jupiter in Gemini for the next year and a bit, in my last posting, so do take a look at that here if you've not yet checked it out.
Meanwhile, there's still lots of activity in the skies, and yesterday we saw the trine between Jupiter trine Pluto perfect. With two slow moving planets, we have been experiencing its affect for some time, and with Pluto continuing his steadfast plod back into Capricorn, as he flip-flops between Capricorn and Aquarius, we've probably become almost used to his intensity, living with feelings of imminent and unavoidable change combined with an all pervasive mood of some sort of overshadowing doom. Jupiter increases this sense uncertainly, while offering us the prospect of massive potential for some dramatic positive change. Renn Butler, in his book 'The Archetypal Universe' talks of aspects between these two planets as bringing:
A feeling of great resources and potential, inner stature and authority; a broad and deep experience of life, dramatic opportunities for regeneration and transformation, titanitc evolutionary forces. Extreme material or spiritual ambition, a tendency to feel high and mighty which threatens those in authority; an obsession with glory and greatness, opportunities to abuse power.
Venus cazimi
If that shakes things up (and the evidence all around us shows it already has, and continues to do so) then the exact conjunction of Venus with the Sun - known as Venus cazimi - which will take place later today, 4th June at exactly 4:33pm UK time, will add something different to the energies around us. This is a superior solar conjunction, where Venus is on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth, and it occurs once every 584 days. With Venus unobservable for several weeks due to the Sun's glare, it marks the end of Venus's morning sky apparition and its transition to the evening star. She will remain hidden for a while yet before she makes her mysterious and beautiful reappearance in the western sky. Astonishingly. Venus Sun conjunctions form a perfect pentagram, a five pointed star, or the petals of a flower in perfect symmetry, as they shift through the signs of the Zodiac over time; as those shifts occur they seem to mark specific shifts in moods and focus for humanity. Click the link below to see a graphic of the pattern she makes:
Arielle Gutmann in her book ‘Venus Star Rising’, tells us that Venus Star points are:
period[s] when the swift transference of information via communication systems [become] a major factor in societal transformations.
She points out that in previous Gemini Venus star periods:
there was a loss of innocence
corporations began to increasingly control the media
and that women's movements were especially influenced, but noted the duality of Gemini meant that some freedoms were curtailed as well.
New Moon in Gemini
On the 6th June we will experience a beautiful Gemini New Moon, with Venus exactly conjunct the New Moon. As with all New Moons, this marks a time for new beginnings. Set intentions related to learning, communication, and social connections. This lunar phase encourages us to start new projects, initiate conversations, and embrace the duality of life. Reflect on your goals and plant the seeds for what you wish to grow in the coming weeks. Venusian qualities such as love, beauty, and harmony are emphasised, highlighting relationships, communication, and artistic expression. Depending on where this New Moon is paced in your chart, the beginning of new lasting projects are indicated, and with some precise timings financial and business success is a strong possibility. Check the rising sign to pick the very best moment to begin your project, and check that there are no planets in any cadent houses, and see where these events occur in relation to our personal natal chart too for the best results!
All three planets are still in a separating square with Piscean Saturn, which can act as a moderating forced to any excesses as well as forstering a determination to get things done. dont get sucked in measuring your own self worth based on things like your social media 'likes', or through your feelings of isolation, of not being 'popular' enough, or of feeling less beautiful that others. Avoid the gossip and jealousy and the drama. Instead, we can work on fostering feelings of emotional maturity and integrity, conducting ourselves with a quiet and modest charm, content in the enjoyment of simple pleasures.
Whether you're starting something new, or creating a talisman under this New Moon, It's a time to connect deeply with loved ones, engage in creative endeavors, and appreciate the beauty in our lives.
Mars in Taurus
Mars will leave his fiery home of Aries and enter Taurus on the 9th June and will remain there until 20th July. This heralds a shift in mood and gear for the rest of the month, and I'll write more on that next time. Mars in the temple of Venus means he is 'in detriment' so doesn't set about his activities in the way he would wish to. Venus needs to look after Mars, and while Mars wants action, assertiveness, getting things done, and cutting what’s of no use, in Taurus he will be a little calmer, a bit quieter, becoming less anxious to be as assertive in his nature. Frustrations are likely as Mars may find this a tricky time, but it also gives him an opportunity to harness a less explosive way of working, becoming a little more determined to see things through and now abandon projects for something new when he is bored.
There are some deep and profound gifts in the astrology over the next 10 days or so, but also some challenges. I hope you are able to embrace the positivity and avoid the difficulties, or at least navigate them with Venusian grace and beauty.
With infinite love and blessings,
Christine
“In the end we are nothing more than Love and stardust”
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