Into the Construction Phase

Here's what I do when I'm about to start a big project:

First, I clear everything else out of the way, including the dirty dishes, the dust bunnies, and the pesky piles of papers. I scrap the go-nowhere projects, and tie up the loose ends of the nearly-completed projects. I respond to all of my outstanding communications, and then I close down the lines of communication with the outside world.

Next, I compare my current resources with what I'll need to bring this project to life - What materials are appropriate? How much of those materials will it take to manifest this dream? What tools will be necessary? How much time do I have, and how much time will I need? How much and what kind of space will this construction process require? Do I need any further support - funding, collaborators, experts? Do I need to research anything or learn any new skills to pull this project off?

Then I gather all I need to breathe life into this inkling, and I get to work. If I've answered those preliminary questions accurately, set myself up properly, and chosen a project I believe in deeply and vastly and truly, I'll see it through to completion, despite any setbacks that may arise along the way.

This month, we start to make that shift from the preliminaries of construction to the actual work of building. Full steam ahead is yet to come, but the shift to forwards and upwards begins now.

the Solar month's major astrological events:

We have a blend of challenge/push/growth and opportunity/harmony/support from several major configurations this month. Take note of both the struggles and the gifts, and - just like in any good fairy tale - use the latter to get you through the former.

J U N E

6/19-20 - 2nd Sagittarius full moon, aligned with Venus - Harmonize your perceptions & beliefs.

6/20 - Sun enters Cancer, Summer Solstice - Nourish yourself, and trust your feelings.

6/19-24 Mercury activates a Mutable Grand Cross - Adjust your perspective, & let some things go.

6/27 - Chiron stations retrograde - Deep wounds that surface at this time will receive opportunities for resolution over the next five months of this retrograde.

6/29 - Mars stations direct - We are poised for action after 10+ weeks of adjustment & preparation.

6/30 - Grand Earth Trine - Right effort manifests right rewards.

J U L Y

7/6-19 - Grand Water Trine - Constructively & mindfully harness your emotions as pure energy.

7/4 - New Cancer moon opposite Pluto - Wish for the support you need to step into your true power.

7/9 - Sun trines the degree of the powerful solar eclipse on 3/8 - Watch for and tap into opportunities arising from the events and intentions of that time period.

7/19 - Full moon in Capricorn - Note the interrelation of structure and support in your life.

7/22 - Sun enters Leo - To be discussed in next month's post...

Sun in Cancer: 6/20/16 - 7/22/16

When the sun transits through the sign of Cancer, it's time to engage with what nourishes us - the people, communities, foods, activities, and places that give us a sense of replenishment. It's also good to recognize whom and what you give nourishment to. It's time to get cozy with our nearest and dearest in our safe little nest after all of the activity, getting about, and socializing of the Gemini month.

Cancer is the first water sign of the zodiac, and as such, it stimulates an unfiltered experience of feeling - feeling as in emotion, and feeling as in intuition. It's time to follow our noses. It's time to follow our hearts.

What relationships, activities, and places nourish you?

Where and with whom do you feel a sense of belonging?

What and who feels good to you?

What twists and turns do you feel called to write into the story of your life?

Marshmallow root, which soothes and nourishes all tissues, is an excellent herb for the month of Cancer, especially if you are experiencing dryness in your body. Soak overnight in room temperature water. Strain in the morning, and then sip throughout the day for improved digestion, and a more go-with-the-flow attitude.

Full moon in Sagittarius: 6/20/16 at 4:02 AM PDT

We close out the Gemini month with a second Sagittarius full moon. Repetition gives emphasis to what has already been stated. This time, Chiron, now slowing down to station retrograde, forms a T-square with the Sun and Moon, offering release of old wounds through new information and an attending shift in belief.

Further tensions exist in the mutable portions of the heavens (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces) as last month's grand cross completes and dissipates throughout this month. Mercury stimulates new perspectives through conversation, reading, writing, and the bridging of different ideas and media through roughly the last week of June. Then we're back to the mutable T-square between Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune that has in-tense-ified our springtime with an imperative to surrender, adapt, adjust, and tweak many aspects of our lives at once. This T-square will be in effect until the last week of July.

What adjustments do you need to make to transform your dreams into reality?

What wounds can be healed by new information or a new perspective?

Which of your beliefs are healing to you and others?

Which of your beliefs cause you and others harm?

Vervain is an excellent herb for calming the overactive mental energy of these configurations, especially if it's keeping you awake at night. To improve its flavor and enhance its soothing effects, blend with, tulsi, spearmint, cardamom, or fennel seeds.

Summer Solstice: 6/20/16 at 3:34 PM PDT

A chart cast for summer 2016 shows - in addition to all the tensions mentioned above - a very tight alignment between Jupiter and the north node in Virgo. This suggests that evolution comes through aligning our daily activities with our beliefs - i.e. Do what you believe in, and believe in what you do.

Mars (desire & will), Neptune (dissolve & dream) and Chiron (wounds & wisdom) are in slow motion in this chart, indicating a concentrated experience of each of these energies throughout the summer. Anything that concentrates becomes dense, like a vapor condensing into a liquid. Vapor is a substance in a state of dissipation. It moves easily, and affects a large area a little bit, like a thin cloud that blurs the lines of light and shadow. When that cloud condenses into a rain storm, a small area becomes utterly transformed. This season, your will, your dreams, and the healing your wounds offer will have a deep effect. Set out your proverbial rain barrels to harness these energies.

Continue to nourish your nerves with oats, oat straw tea and oat bud tea. Since we are now in the month of Cancer, which rules the stomach, you may feel digestive upset in reaction to anxiety. Fennel is helpful in this, especially in the first week of the month, while Mercury is most active. You may also enjoy balancing support from the mints - especially lemon balm (calming & vitalizing), spearmint (soothing & warming) and peppermint (clarifying and cooling).

Mars stations direct: 6/29/16 at 4:38 PM PDT

Mars' Greek predecessor, Ares, was a more rich and complex character than the monochromatic and brutish Roman god of war. He farmed. He had skill, fitness and finesse. I hope, in the past ten and a half weeks of this retrograde, you've tapped into the Ares level of the red planet. Innovative Uranus twice infuses Mars' direct station with offerings of insight, so on this day, do ask yourself -

What have you learned about -

- your excellence (what you excel at and are built for)?

- your willingness (and un-willingness)?

- your deepest motivations?

- the beliefs that inspire you to act?

Mars is what enables us to act and to build. The red planet is waking from its backwards dream of the past ten weeks. Gather and sharpen your tools.

Many Mars herbs nourish the heart, such as Hawthorn berries, helping us to act from our center, rather than from a reactive state.

Grand Earth Trine: 6/30/16

Construction takes a leap forwards today. In astrology, the earth element has to do with material reality and tangible manifestation. A grand trine stimulates great opportunity by harmonizing all of the signs of one element, but we need to be alert enough to seize it, especially when it lasts for only a day, as this one does. Put some effort into what matters to you today, as it will serve you well in the future. Part of this process may require letting go, as both Pluto (death and rebirth) and the waning (dissipating) moon are part of this trine. Only then can we successfully take the leap forwards that Jupiter inspires in us.

New moon in Cancer: 7/4/16 at 4:01 AM PDT

This is one of my favorite moons for planting seeds because Cancer's rich waters lovingly nourish those potentials. This new moon is conjoined with both Mercury and Venus, so your seeds may take the form of ideas, communications, art, or relationships, as well as actual garden seeds. An opposition from Pluto reiterates a running theme of cleaning up as you build and grow. For everything we plant, we must also clip back and weed.

What new nourishment is showing up for you in your relationships, work, art, and life?

What (attitude, belief, activity, relationship, etc) stands in the way of your receiving what you need?

How can you make your construction self-sustaining?

Grand Water Trine: 7/6-19

In astrology, water is associated with the emotions, and with a kind of intuition that is connected to feeling. Again, we have great opportunity - to heal and renew (Chiron in Pisces), to transform, rekindle and re-activate (Mars in Scorpio), and to be nourished through our connections with others, through fresh ideas and inspiration, and through our own creativity (Venus, Mercury & the Sun in Cancer). This grand trine is quite slippery, meaning your emotions could lead you into highly reactive patterns of behavior. The best way to make use of this time period is to stay conscious with and breathe into any pain that comes up. By staying conscious with what hurts, you can understand and resolve the source of the pain, and then act with renewed clarity.

Micro-doses (one single drop in a bottle of water, drunk throughout the day) of red root tincture can be helpful at this time to help release deeply held emotions, while also supporting the lymphatic system - the waters of the physical body.

Or, if you just need some ease, meadowsweet is a pleasant analgesic herbal tea that lifts the mood. It's also excellent for the stomach, supporting the strong Cancerian energy of this influence.

Clean up as you construct.

Full moon in Capricorn: 7/19/16 at 3:56 PM PDT

We close out the month with a full moon in late Capricorn, forming a T-square with Uranus in Aries and harmonious aspects with Mars, slowly starting to creep forwards. The T-square is in cardinal signs - the initiators and instigators of the zodiac with the ability to bring new forms into being. Manage any impatience that comes up, remembering that ideas happen faster than the speed of light, while manifestation is much slower.

Next month:

We'll move into a more full-force building phase as Mars gets back up to speed, and as we close up the past year of Jupiter in Virgo, now freer to leap outside of the constrains of the spring's mutable T-square/grand cross. Also, Uranus stations retrograde, Saturn stations direct, and Mercury enters the shadow of its next retrograde.

Wishing you a warm month of building, healing, nourishing and growing. Until next month, feel free to contact me, or schedule a private consultation. Thanks for reading,

Rae Diamond