With Mercury being retrograde over the solstice, it's interesting to see how the planetary energies intermingle to weave a net of increasing complexity.

The Sun in Cancer

On the 21st June 2007 the Sun moved into Cancer at 8:32:21 in Pretoria. At this time we have most of the planets with Chiron and the North node in Water signs, so here we have the soft emotional Sun in Cancer,

Mercury is already there, and it is retrograde. The Sun is opposing Pluto at 27deg 34' in Sagittarius separating. So I would say that no matter if we would like to ignore this it is going to be an intensely [Pluto] emotional time.

There is more to back up this idea. The Sun is semi-square Venus in Leo and sextile Mars in Aries. With all that energy I would say passionate, feisty and emotional is the name of this game for July!

The Moon, on the other hand, is being a little nit-picky in Virgo, and is a waxing crescent Moon on the day that the Sun moves into the sign that the Moon rules [Cancer]. So this is an empowering and creative time. The energy will not remain static; we will see changes taking place that cannot be held back now. This day sees Mars in its own sign Aries partile trine Pluto. Now that promises to lend some spectacular energy to the day. Mercury is only aspecting the North node, so that would indicate that communication could be inappropriate or at least not quite reaching the mark. This is amplified by the fact that, as I mentioned earlier, Mercury is retrograde. I would like to encourage a lot of introversion and meditation at this time, as one of my erudite tutors once wrote, "There is often a highlighted and keen sense of the workings of one's own mind and thought processes" [Mercury Rx] [Linda Reid in Astrology Step by Step ISBN 1876618 01 9].

Going back to the Moon, it is a waxing crescent moon on this day, so we can expect a mood of anticipation of looking to the future. If we look at what President Mbeki is talking about, he is looking ahead towards doing something concrete about the elections in Zimbabwe next year. He has said that he sees that time is running out for the work to be done to ensure free and fair elections next year. With the crescent moon there is an air of expectancy and then vacillation.

Maybe we will now look at the Moon's phases to see if it is a waxing crescent moon before we make a judgement call on someone who appears to be hesitant.

The Moon is semi-sextile Saturn, opposite Uranus, quincunx Neptune and square Pluto at that time. So how would this appear in the news? The community at large is not sure about their authority [Saturn] or traditions and the state of order and stability [Saturn] because of changes and revolutions [Uranus], anarchy [Uranus] due to reform [Neptune], trends and ideals [Neptune], due to disruption [Pluto] decline [Pluto] and hold out hope for regeneration [Pluto].

And all of that is only when the Sun enters Cancer and the Moon is in Virgo! Start reading the news, let's see what the public opinion really is, can we back it up astrologically?

But how about we take a look at the chart of the time that the Declaration of Independence was signed in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, and we see how that story is told with the transits of today. I have to cover my back here and say that I am neither a politician nor a mundane astrologer, but it takes my fancy to see if we can make sense of this, [I fear that in a previous life I may have been burned at the stake, and lo and behold, I just don't seem to learn! *smile*]

At the time of the signing of the declaration the Sun was conjunct Neptune at 18deg and 19deg respectively in the 10th house. Now to my mind the Sun is known as the leader, and Neptune trends, ideals and reform [is it not also illusion??] Then we have the Moon in Gemini [in the 5th house] the house of dependencies and speculative interests in Mundane astrology is quincunx the Sagittarian Sun in the 10th [the house of the sovereign and their government].

With the unholy alliance of Pluto conjunct Uranus in the 8th house, what chance does this country actually stand?

Here is what I mean. The 8th house in Mundane astrology has an affinity with death, losses, international finance and multi-national corporations. Pluto is about the underworld, disruption decline and regeneration. Uranus is about changes, revolutions, anarchy and innovations. By the way, on the 21st June 2007 transiting Uranus is at 18 degPisces and is therefore partile opposite that Uranus/Pluto conjunction in Virgo. Is the saving grace the fact that Chiron is also at 18deg Pisces in the natal UDI chart and therefore conjunct transiting Uranus? We also have on that day transiting Mars in Aries trine natal Mars in Sagittarius, which happens also to be conjunct the transiting Pluto in Sagittarius at 27deg in the 11th house, which is about the allies of the country and local government.

Come now, Mr Mbeki, you have your work cut out for you, but the world watches as you negotiate this delicate and volatile situation. You are a brave man, for I have to say, if I saw this chart maybe I would plead with the gods and goddesses to cut me some slack and juggle with a few benefic planets before it is too late.

Neptune retrograde:

On the 25th of May Neptune turned retrograde at 22deg Aquarius 2'0". A retrograde Neptune is about as vague as you can get it, but, if your dream journal is lying at the bottom of the pile, then haul it out and start recording your dreams. There is a Buddhist practice where you are encouraged to look at your dream-life, to enhance your chances of enlightenment, using sleep states to enhance spiritual practice. If anyone is looking towards that state, I would say this is a really good time to start. Neptune will be retrograde until 31st October 2007; this will be a great time to get that practice underway.

Till next time, watch the news, and the skies.