The month commences with a full moon at 10 degrees twelve minutes Sagittarius (Gemini’s opposite sign). This full moon closely squares the lunar nodes in Pisces – Virgo. The nodes in a chart are always directly opposite each other: the North node () indicates the skills, talents and behaviours we might develop to effortlessly become who we are becoming. The South node () points to skills and talents we have been born with that we need to utilise and direct toward a life-enriching purpose. (See 2 June for more on the nodes.)

All four mutable signs – Gemini, Sagittarius, Virgo and Pisces are being highlighted at this full moon. We will be prone to restlessness and our inclination will be to spread ourselves too thinly – we may over-adapt, adjusting to situations that are not to our advantage. It is imperative that we integrate our conscious reasoning ability (mind) with our faith and our belief system (higher mind) so that we are able to communicate and live our vision.

Mentally this is a very stimulating time but we need to control the over-expression of the mind or we will run around in mental circles, become aimless in direction and produce a disturbing degree of nervous strain that exhausts and depletes our vitality. (Bil Tierney, a wonderfully knowledgeable astrologer calls it ‘a windmill in a windstorm’).

Since August last year Saturn (form) and Neptune (formlessness) have been opposite each other on the zodiacal wheel (Neptune in Aquarius and Saturn in Leo). Oppositions beg co-operation and subsequently integration which leads to an alive and dynamic peace – quite a mouthful – especially considering the paradoxical nature of these two planets.

In practice we have been learning how to listen to the dictates of our heart in order to loosen the structures that cause us discomfort - so that we may in time flow into new structures and commitments that would be more enriching than those of the past.

This opposition becomes exact for the last time on 25 June and we could speculate that humanity has run its course in this particular chapter on the conquest of illusion, of realty versus dream. If it has taught us anything it is to create our future based on a true appreciation of the present moment – loving what is.

Mercury, The Messenger of the Gods, turns retrograde at 11 degrees 35 minutes of Cancer on 15 June. This planet is assigned to Gemini and stands for all means and methods of internal and external communication: in Cancer our messages will be delivered full of feeling.

When a planet turns retrograde (seemingly reverses) it withdraws from further forward motion (symbolising the gaining of new experience) and crosses over previously transited degrees (symbolising past experiences): we are persuaded to go on an inner journey to ensure that we deepen our awareness about matters represented by the planet and its house position. Where is Cancer in our chart? What are you revisiting?

We tend to be more inwardly attuned and need to remind ourselves to pay careful attention to external details, so reducing vexing delays and mix-ups distinctive of the Mercury retrograde period. If we could still the inner dialogue, this inward turning of the mind in Cancer could help us understand the origins of our irrational fears and thus get in touch with our true feelings.

Mercury turns direct at 2 degrees Cancer on 10 July.

If Mercury is mind, Uranus is higher mind. Uranus turns retrograde on 23 June at 18 degrees 41 minutes Pisces. It only moves forward again in November at 14 degrees 46 minutes Pisces. During these five months we will increasingly insist on greater freedom of self-expression and we will, sometimes to our greatest surprise, be less willing to adapt to conventions we formerly accepted without question. Be aware that as we discover who we truly are, we are developing novel attitudes from within; it may happen that new goals and even new archetypes may be revealed to us.

‘Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart…..Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside awakes.’ Carl Gustav Jung