Major summer astrological events could heat things up

TWH – Over the next year, many major astronomical events will occur. These events involve the slow moving outer planets of Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune but also the fast moving inner planet, Mercury.  Slow moving planets tend to leave lasting impacts. There are also two eclipses in July. Mundane astrology, the type of astrology used to predict world affairs and events, examines these long lasting impacts on countries and movements.

Recently, TWH spoke with astrologer and Wiccan, Diotima Mantineia of Urania’s Well about these upcoming events.

Diotima Mantineia of Urania’s Well [Courtesy]

Modern, humanistic astrologers, like Mantineia, emphasize free will and the complex interplay of the many astrological variables.  According to Mantineia, “The natal chart is a blueprint for the life of the soul. It’s not the finished building. It’s a question of how you build your life around the structure of the natal chart.” A natal chart plots the position of the planets at birth. A transiting chart plots the position of the planets in a specific time.

Science and Symbolism

Mantineia holds a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy. For a long time, she felt, “You could not be a scientist and believe in astrology.” Then she realized, “if you’re a scientist and something works, you can’t argue with the fact that it works, just because you don’t know how it works.”

Like other forms of spiritual practice, astrology provides a symbolic language with which to examine reality. Symbols lack a fixed meaning but help individuals explore connections. Symbols force people to go beyond mechanistic thinking. Astrology focuses on the complex interplay of many variables. This complexity interacts with symbolism to awaken the unconscious mind to break through rigid thought patterns. The mind can then see hidden patterns and solutions. Symbols can awaken creativity.

Aspects

Astrologers refer to a planet’s current position as its transit. A transiting planet can form a geometric relationship with the position of other planets. Astrologers call these geometric relationships, “aspects.” Transiting planets can form aspects with natal planets. These aspects heighten the influence of those areas of the natal chart. Mantineia stressed that aspects indicate the ease with which energies of planets can work together.

In Mundane astrology, cycles of planetary pairs have great importance. While some Pagans work with various parts of the Moon-Sun cycle: new moon, full moon,  and dark moon, in an astrological chart, the positions of the planets are plotted along a circle of 360 degrees.

The New Moon, for example,  is a conjunction where zero degrees separates the Sun and the Moon. If 180 degrees separates them, the Moon opposes the Sun. A Full Moon occurs. The 1st  and 3rd  Quarters are called squares where 90 degrees separates them. Other pairs of planets go through similar cycles. Astrologers calls the 1st Quarter an “opening square” and the “3rd Quarter” a closing square.

Summer skies of 2019

Over this summer, several astronomical events will occur that have major astrological meaning. Transiting Jupiter and Neptune continue to square each other. Two eclipses will occur. Mercury will enter retrograde motion, the appearance that the planet moves backwards from a previous position. Mercury will also have significant aspects with Mars and Uranus.

The Jupiter-Neptune Square

Throughout this summer about 90 degrees will separate the planets Jupiter and Neptune. They will therefore square each other. Both planets appear to move slowly through the night sky and Jupiter is also retrograde. As a result, this square will last a long time. The square will become exact this week on June 16 and just before the Autumnal equinox on September 21, but will be active throughout the summer. Jupiter will be at 19 degrees Sagittarius and Neptune at 19 degrees Pisces.

Mantineia interpreted this square, as fostering conflicts. These conflicts could involve religion and extreme dogmatism. She also saw conflicts arising around issues of truth in private and public forums, and felt that this could indicate severe political conflicts.  Jupiter symbolizes growth, truth, and rulership, but also dogma. Neptune symbolizes enigmas, ambiguity, illusion, and spirituality, but also delusions and deception.

Mantineia said those effects will continue to produce confusion until December. At that time, Jupiter will move into Capricorn.

Eclipses in July

In July 2019, solar and lunar eclipses will occur. These transiting eclipses will activate sensitive spots on the natal charts of the US and President Donald Trump.

Mantineia thinks the summer could be very difficult for Trump. Eclipses tend to echo throughout the next six months, so they could set the tone for the remaining half of the year.

On July 2, a solar eclipse and new moon will occur at 10 degrees Cancer. The US has its natal sun at 13 degrees Cancer.

On July 16, a lunar eclipse and full moon will occur. The transiting Sun will be at 24 degrees Cancer and the Moon at 24 degrees Capricorn. The natal Mercury of the US lies at 24 degrees Cancer. Trump has a Venus-Saturn conjunction at with Venus at 25 degrees Cancer and Saturn at 23 degrees. The transiting Sun will conjunct both the US natal Mercury and Trump’s natal Venus-Saturn conjunction. The transiting Moon will oppose all three.

Saturn (Trump’s natal chart) acts as a stern taskmaster, the Lord of Karma. Venus (Trump’s natal chart) symbolizes values. Mercury (the US ‘s natal chart) symbolizes communication including branding and verbal deception.

Mercury retrograde

As the immortal Margo Channing once said, “Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”

On July 7, Mercury goes retrograde at 4 degrees Leo. Mercury retrograde constitutes one of the better known, if commonly misinterpreted, astrological events. Mercury goes direct on July 31.

Besides going retrograde, Mercury has several major aspects. Mercury conjuncts Mars at 3 degrees Leo. Both planets square Uranus at 3 degrees Taurus. This Mercury retrograde period contains the July 16 full moon, lunar eclipse with aspects to the natal charts of the US and Trump.

People experience Mercury retrograde as a time when plans go awry, and nothing works out. Mercury symbolizes communication including verbal deception. Mars symbolizes aggression and violence. Uranus symbolizes disruptive change.

Mantineia feels Mercury conjunct Mars with both squaring Uranus may lead to technological problems. She also felt those problems might include technological warfare.

She said “It doesn’t take long to back up your computer, so do it. We could run into technological problems, maybe even issues with the electrical grid in July.”

This is the first of a two part series on upcoming astrological events. Part II will discuss the upcoming new Jupiter-Saturn and Saturn-Pluto cycles.


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