Saturn, Neptune, and the June-July Eclipses: Strength of Realities

June 2011 is greatly “formatted” by a combination of the June 1 solar eclipse at 11 Gemini and the impending July 1 solar eclipse at 9 Cancer. An eclipse having happened is a change of perspective on and approach to life which is now in progress. In the “lee” of the eclipse we see the great upsurge of manifestations—as opposed to the period leading up to it, when people realize how things aren’t true, are no longer functional or stand in need of a change.

One note on that July 1 eclipse date. Since July’s eclipse occurs at 8:55am (UT/+0) it actually occurs on June 30 in some western time zones.

June’s eclipse having been mental (Gemini), and emotionally so (taking place at 11 degrees), it is our emotional thinking or how/whether we have thought through how others think or feel which are now prompting choices, actions and efforts to communicate and get more information. And all of this is causing us to reconsider how we’ve built (Cancer) our life. Basic habits, methods of doing things, even our personal goals are under—mostly emotional (Cancer)—scrutiny. Some of that will hit a “flash point” as the June 15 lunar eclipse in Sagittarius marks a “high water mark” of emotional upheaval good or bad. And given the time zone difference, we can expect that “events” which emerge both in June and July-August (after the Cancer solar eclipse) will be seen first in western time zones.

It’s a subtle effect, that time zone thing, but it’s there.

Into all this come two more markers: Neptune going retrograde on June 3 at 7:29am (UT/+0) and Saturn going direct at 10 Libra on June 13 at 3:52am (UT/+0).

That Neptune is going retrograde so soon after the solar eclipse gives us a sure-fire indication of a polarity between things “dissolving” and fading away…and people taking utterly to their personal flights of fancy. Given that Neptune is going direct in its “home” sign of Pisces, effects can be expected to be heighted or “stronger,” if you prefer…more noticeable or notable. And given that the sign we’re talking about is Pisces, the effects are emotional—but they’re not about faith or despair or fear or idealism or fantasies or any of that stuff.

Sure, that’s what Pisces is known for. Sometimes called “the garbage can of the zodiac” Pisces is the sign of charity and abandonment, addiction and the inspiring teacher, mentor, guru.

It’s all about the choice, people. Pisces has two rulers: the first is Jupiter, the second is Neptune. So how well we come out of it—whether that’s on the elation or disappointment end of the Neptune scale? That’s all about how well we (Jupiter) know ourselves going in. And given that Jupiter’s “home” sign is Sagittarius, the sign of knowledge—this equates to wisdom and the “fact of the matter.”

Sagittarius is the polarity sign to Gemini. In Gemini we choose to know or not. We choose to be disciplined or not. We choose to build or not. We think…or we don’t think, and from all we do in Gemini, that determines whether we reach our Sagittarian ideals or not.

And that’s where Pisces gets the whole “ideal” thing—from Sagittarius. Except Pisces is a water sign. So these are not mental ideals, they’re emotional ideals. How well we understand why our emotional ideals are what they are? That’s a form of how well we know ourselves, and thus the wisdom with which we make choices.

There is a little note we should toss in here about Mercury entering Gemini during the evening of June 2 (at 8:04pm UT/+0, to be exact)…and that, combined with the eclipse of June 1 and Neptune being on station to go retrograde on June 3 (or June 2, depending where you are), really does suggest that in a lot of lives the folly or silliness of some thoughts, opinions, choices, bases upon which stands have been taken…some of that is going to start caving in.

Remember…Neptune is the outcome ruler of Pisces. Thus it describes the results of our emotionally-driven choices.

Then we come to the Saturn situation. Saturn backed into 10 Libra back on May 18 and has been hanging at this degree ever since. Furthermore, even after Saturn goes direct, Saturn will be at 10 Libra until the latter part of July 8 (which would be after the next solar eclipse). Libra is an air sign, meaning issues are being dealt with…or hard realities are being seen on something of a conceptual level.

That would not seem to mix very well with Neptune’s underscoring of emotions. That Neptune’s turn to retrograde is synched so tightly to the eclipse tells us that yes, mental walls are coming down. Realities are being exposed. And ultimately, that’s what Pisces is about: how well we are able to emotionally accept reality…both in making our choices/decisions and as we are met with the result of our choices and decisions.

10 Libra is a degree known for a quality of “isolation” which is often misunderstood. So let’s not presume. Some of us will during this time be needing to think things over…does that mean they don’t care? Some of us don’t deal…or haven’t dealt with emotions (or emotional realities) very well. Facing that is a process. There’s a whole “oh, geez!” quality to 10 Libra which will evoke a lot of guilt and a many an effort to “save face,” as the saying goes.

And yes, there will be those who totally “stuff” the whole emotional thing, who adopt a stony outlook and plunge on…recklessly refusing to acknowledge the needs and feelings of others. Why? Because they are too scared to. You’ll see it—those who talk the most about fear now are those who don’t want to feel it. In essence, their trying to goad others is their effort to get others do to their “fearing” for them. That’s projection.

Your choice is whether you want to dance their dance…or whether you want to be your own person, go through learning the facts for yourself. Are you human enough to not just admit your vulnerabilities and failings but deal with them?

That would seem to be a prime question all throughout June—and like as not the cause behind some of the emotional moments we will see and hear about when the June 15 lunar eclipse hits.

In going retrograde at 0 Pisces, Neptune raises the question of responsibility, especially where issue of compassion or humanitarian ethics are concerned. Yet the emphasis is on self—which is where we see the split between those who go towards the more grandiose “but I want for ME first!” against those who see the benefit in supporting the functionality and stability of the greater world so that said greater world gives them the time and space in which to go about doing what one wants to do personally.

Again, it’s priorities. In going direct, Saturn’s turn becomes less about “inner motivation” (Saturn retrograde) and becomes more about externally driven need or opportunity for growth (Saturn direct). And in Libra, Saturn is “exalted”—strengthened—as planet Saturn is always about how we build our world, how we build ourselves a place in this world and what we accomplish during our lifetime. With Neptune retrograde, the “uncertainties of life” which have been manifesting in our world will come more from within us until Neptune goes direct in early December.

And meanwhile…? Neptune retrogrades back out of Pisces (into Aquarius) as of early August. With Mercury in a Virgo/Leo retrograde, this is likely to be a difficult time in commerce, for those dealing with health issues or health care and once Mercury backs into Leo we will have a rather classic astrological recipe for investment/stock market instability.

Neptune will retrograde back to 28 Aquarius: the degree it was in during the uprisings in the Middle East—not to mention much contentious behavior and fervent insecurity. Behind this however is a very real question who are we as individuals and in our societies? Do we know and acknowledge the scope of outcomes as we make choices which affect people beyond ourselves?

Back in early March, a highly unusual confluence of astrological indicators came into overlap during five (and a half) rather short days: Uranus was at 29 Pisces as Neptune was at 29 Aquarius. This was when Japan’s earthquake, tsunami and resulting nuclear disaster were set off. Twenty-nine degrees has long been discussed in astrological circles (particularly as concerns Uranus) with regards to earthquakes. Neptune at 29 speaks of deep water instability.

Come early 2012, after Neptune goes direct it re-enters 29 Aquarius on January 4/5 (depending on where you are), finally committing to its transit of Pisces on February 3, 2012. Meanwhile, Saturn enters 29 Libra on January 14. And Saturn is still at 29 Libra when it goes retrograde in February, not backing out of said degree until March 2.

Given that Saturn is a planet all about our acts of greatest consequence for good and ill, and how in Libra Saturn is all about what we are to others which in turn decides what they think of us, these months ahead would seem to be all about getting straight with ourselves about who we really are and what we do in the world. Yes, we can get away with things. We can bully our way to our goals. We can take advantage of the weak or un(der)educated.

But considering the law of cause and effect and how life will eventually always test our weakest assumptions, should we?

Boots Hart, CAP

Boots Hart is an ISAR-certified astrologer of 30 years’ experience, with some 20 years as a magazine and online columnist.

Writer by habit and philosopher by bent (some say very bent…), Boots is a metaphysical science geek spiritualist—a person as inspired by the workings of time/space as touched by the often painful adventures of mankind. Through writings public and private, her aim is to use astrology as cipher, helping us understand. Can we learn how to live a happier life? What does that take? Why are the times as they are? These are the questions. And that answers can be gleaned from cosmic cycles and the reflections of those in our lives? That would seem to be part of our journey—the one path we all take and walk together.

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