On the 19th Venus, siren of the zodiac, enters Cancer and sextiles Uranus, bringing a little bit of romantic and prosperity *zing* to our outlook and relationships. Then by the 20th she semi-squares Ceres (which is conjoined by the Leo Moon on that day), squares Chiron, quincunxes Mars, and sesquiquadrates Jupiter. This suggests we care, maybe a little too much, and may fall prey to vanity, or to the promise of Love or Money, if–if we will tie ourselves in knots to please another, do things that make us chafe, endanger our social position or defy the facts, or refuse to honor our own wounds in the doing. The trading of obedience to another’s Will for affection or remuneration is a dicey proposition, chiefly because we’re acting against our own inclinations solely because someone assured us (or maybe only implied, letting us embroider the details for ourselves) that enduring some unpleasantness will get us the big, shiny thing we want. We have to ask ourselves, though, if someone who could actually offer us Love would extract a price for it–that’s not Love then, is it?–and claiming we’ll profit off our own misery doesn’t account for the aftertaste those acts may carry. The challenge will be to allow all those feelings, all those wants, to remain open to Love and Money, and still not sell our Souls–say it with feeling, but underline that feeling with Self-respect (Merc nov Chiron, Hygeia sxt Sedna).

Also on the 19th, the Sun enters Gemini and contra-parallels Black Moon Lilith. We’ll want to look in all the dark, squidgy corners, and talk and think about what we see–or we’ll have the extreme opposite reaction, refusing to examine anything unpleasant. Best to surround yourself with those who hold a similar outlook, otherwise it becomes half the world holding a frog and chasing the other half, that runs away squealing.

This weekend’s word image is an elephant adorned with a fancy headdress, refusing to bow down to allow a rider to climb on. It’s time to address the ‘elephant in the room’, the one that we not only try to ignore, but that has become so recalcitrant that it’s begun to interfere with our own progress. It may have suited us to pretend the issue doesn’t exist, but we’re reaching a point when we may endanger ourselves and others, simply because the problem is big, formidable, and in some way is epitomized by its strong animal nature, one that we really shouldn’t expect to tame in the first place. This thing for far too long has been contained for our own benefit; now it’s time to give it its due, to release it, to no longer expect it to settle for the benign neglect of the past.

And here’s a quick and easy summertime refresher for you—

Have a wonderful weekend!