If you can keep your mind from wandering and can turn down its chattering and listen closely, you might be able to hear the sound of a huge transition underlying the goings-on of daily life. It’s not an obvious sound—the drone of political machinations drowns out much of the normal soundtrack of daily life. But beneath the angry outbursts and cries of despair, the Wheel of Life is turning and even though it’s creaking under the weight of all it must carry, it’s beginning to turn in a new direction. So take heart and take heed: We are on the threshold of even more shift, and much of what emerges over the course of the next several weeks—or months—is going to blow what’s left of your mind. Don’t worry—as always, even if some of these shifts are difficult, not every change is negative.
The source of mind chatter is a Mercury/Mars opposition. We’ve been under this influence since Monday, June 6, and will be out from under it on Monday, June 13. Mercury symbolizes all mental activities, which for some means everything, but the keyword here is “activities”—Mercury is always moving. Mars, too, is all about motion. Oppositions represent tension and its release, which means this Mercury/Mars opposition is the epitome of monkey-mind, a mental state that scampers from one thought to another, as it simultaneously feeds the need to think about every little incident as if each one was a competition. Do your best to keep your mind focused on what’s important.
The Grand Mutable Cross is waning and even though that signals a lessening of tension, a component of that configuration continues through a T-square among Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune. This aggregation has the potential to pull in several directions simultaneously, as exaggeration, symbolized by the Jupiter/Neptune opposition, collides with a stern “stick to the facts, please” attitude from Saturn as it squares both Jupiter and Neptune.
When I started this week’s column, I was going to write about the miasm that underlies this astral triple play of Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune as seen through the three candidates currently vying for the presidency of the United States. But I can’t. I don’t want to involve myself in the lava flow of anger that underlies this election. It’s not that I don’t understand the various sources of anger or that I think anger is wrong. Anger is always a healthy response against injustice. But anger isn’t going to provide solutions that shift the paradigm. Being angry is a good start, but eventually that anger must transform into practical, tangible strategies that can approach the problem from a new perspective. The goal is channeling the fire of that anger into creative efforts. Just railing against the problem won’t solve it.
Often, sadness underlies anger, and certainly there are a lot of reasons to be depressed about the state of the world. The New York Times ran an interesting editorial on the anti-P.C. voters supporting Trump. (See the link below.) It’s an interesting piece on who his supporters are and why they all hate Clinton so much. They are grieving for a world they thought they once possessed, a world where they may have been poor and uneducated, but that didn’t keep them from feeling privileged.
The hatred for Hillary is so deep—too deep to make any sense of it at all, really. But it seems there’s always a need to blame someone, if only because it’s so much easier than trying to sort out what’s really happening or what’s still unconscious in our reactions. She’s the perfect projection screen for collective frustration. First, because she’s a woman. Next, because she is the story of the last 50 years of compromises and concessions most if not all of us have made in one way or another to survive. Trump supporters hate her because she is emblematic of what they have lost. Bernie supporters hate her because she is emblematic of what’s wrong with the system. But no one deserves to be hated that vehemently. She is not George W. Bush or Dick Cheney. She is not the devil—not even close.
We don’t live in a black and white world, and yet we insist on drawing lines in the sands of duality, judging and excluding rather than listening more intensely to each other, really trying to hear what’s being said. The problems of the world can’t be solved through a contest. Every individual has to cooperate with every other individual so we can learn to live together—that means wife and husband, child and parent, sister and brother, and so on. I know—that seems impossible at the moment. But we will inevitably move toward that view if only (as Spock might say) because it is the logical choice.
We are weeks away from the end of this retrograde cycle, and when Mars goes direct on June 29, many situations will shift—some with the speed of light and others with precise and deliberate grounded action. Think about what you want to put in motion when Mars moves forward, and as you do, try to put frustration and ideas of retaliation behind you. Mars signifies the warrior, and its direct motion could take some of the angry edge off of our interactions, personal as well as political. Let’s hope so, because that would lead to a better discussion of the issues we need to deal with.
Sun Bursts: If you know your Ascendant and/or your Moon Sign, read that too.
Aries March 21-April 19
Do whatever it is you do to keep yourself centered and steady deep within. You’re not in danger of getting lost or losing yourself. There are simply so many possibilities, each with such a powerful pull, you might be tempted to move from one activity to another without concentrating your intention, and that might dissipate and scatter your efforts.
Taurus April 20-May 20
You can define your situation as a clash between reality and fantasy, or you can contextualize your current circumstances as an exercise in building healthy boundaries. It’s your choice, and while I know imagination is the most powerful tool available to humans, learning to set healthy limits will produce beneficial results.
Gemini May 21-June 21
You can do your best to negotiate the difficulties of the moment—and that’s not a bad idea. And it would be wise to consider the causes that have aggregated to produce your current circumstances. If you can identify what’s been nagging beneath the surface and allow that irritation to be revealed, you’ll be better able to find positive, creative solutions.
Cancer June 22-July 22
There’s a temptation to respond to teases and challenges with quick- witted answers that, while funny, might get you into hotter water than you’d like. Do your best to avoid engaging in sarcastic comebacks, and don’t be the one to start conversations with that attitude. Simply be patient—your time for smart comments is on its way.
Leo July 23-August 22
Continue to focus your efforts on creative endeavors even if you’re feeling discouraged about the outcome or daunted by all the work there is still to do. Nothing happens overnight except the dawn of a new day. And with each day, you are gathering strength, momentum, and the wisdom of experience. Stay on course and you won’t be disappointed.
Virgo August 23-September 22
It’s a confusing situation that requires mental clarity and a disciplined focus. You have the ability to access both those qualities, but to do so, you have to put aside petty squabbles. Rather than create your strategies from a negative viewpoint that sees everyone as a potential enemy, regroup and reconsider the players. Everyone, with rare exception, is making the best possible effort.
Libra September 23-October 22
You’re still in a process that requires lots and lots of time, which means you’re required to have lots and lots of patience. I understand you’ve been at this for a while, but this is not the moment to give in or give up. There is still more to learn and many more opportunities to apply those lessons. Keep going, and you’ll know when it’s time to say, “Enough.”
Scorpio October 23-November 21
Stay calm even if you feel riled up and ready to take your stand. Mars is back in your Sign, challenging partnerships of every variety. This is not the time to do battle. It’s a time to find win-win solutions that will accommodate your needs as well as the needs of significant others, whether those relationships are personal or professional.
Sagittarius November 22-December 21
There’s no need to let any interaction become a brain worm. So instead of tunneling down into a brooding state and reworking previous conversations and interactions, learn to let go. Release the need to blame anyone for the outcome, and instead, assess the situation and the results with an eye toward learning what not to do again in a similar situation.
Capricorn December 22-January 19
Your current circumstances won’t be solved by a quick fix, but you’re in a surprisingly buoyant mood given just how much still has to be done. Hold on to this positive attitude and let it guide you through the many tasks still in need of attention. Stay focused, set your priorities, and then concentrate on each situation for as long as it takes to find the solution.
Aquarius January 20-February 18
Interactions with significant others take on a surprising and unpredictable quality, and although some of what you experience could be a bit shocking, most of it is pleasant and entertaining. Keep an open mind as you mingle, but most of all, keep an open heart—these are opportunities to make contact with those you love, and that’s truly important.
Pisces February 19-March 20
Conversations with those you love could reveal vital information about how to improve your interactions. Stay present, even if you don’t like some of what’s said, and do your best not to be defensive. The best way to handle any negative criticism is simply to listen without taking it in. I know that’s sometimes hard to do, but it is worth the effort.
Ralfee Finn specializes in Transformational Astrology. For readings, call 1-212-222-3232, write P.O. Box 343, New York, NY 10025, visit AquariumAge.com, or e-mail ralfee@aquariumage.com.
Copyright © 2016 by Ralfee Finn