Happy Summer Solstice
The summer solstice occurs on June 21, 2011 at 17:16 Universal Time. I am writing about this in relation to the Northern Hemisphere, where I live; in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are, of course, reversed. On the summer solstice, the Sun reaches its highest point of declination (the movement north and south of the ecliptic), when it is located directly overhead at noon on the Tropic of Cancer. On this day, we will experience maximum daylight hours. According to the Hermetic tradition of ancient Egypt, the Divine Sun-God becomes fully enthroned at the summer solstice, when He is thus able to pour forth His most powerful divine blessings upon us.
For three days before and after the solstice, there is a magnetic shift on our planet, when the indwelling planetary spirit undergoes a psychic adjustment. This is similar to the still point in craniosacral therapy, when the craniosacral rhythm comes to a temporary halt so that the body can recharge and readjust to its natural rhythm. These days comprise a very sensitive time of the year, when we should take extra good care of ourselves, making sure to rest and take time to attune with nature.
The summer solstice represents a time of ripening karmas related to all that we have cultivated in the past six months. Around the solstice and into the months of July and early August, we are apt to experience more vitality and expansion than usual, as the enriched Earth energies rise up to meet the down-pour of dazzling solar radiance. Even so, as the days pass well beyond summer, the waning Sun will once more begin to lead us deeper inside.
In the Vedic calendar, the solstices are known as ayanas. Ayana means “course.” Uttarayana marks the Sun’s northern “yang” course (Uttara=north); Dakshinayana marks the Sun’s southern “yin” course (Dakshin=south). Uttarayana culminates at Summer Solstice, when Dakshinayana begins. Certain shastras actually prohibit the celebration of certain important rituals in this weaker half of the solar year which extends from June 21 until December 21. For instance, marriage during Uttarayana is considered to be more auspicious than during Dakshinayana.
Vedic Astrologer David Frawley (Shri Vamadeva Shastri) described the month of June as a month of “karmic unraveling,” and I could not agree more with this statement (and I highly recommend this particular article if you are on Facebook…if not, please email me and I will send the article to you): facebook.com/pages/Dr-David-Frawley
What is happening in a nutshell is that we are in a month with three eclipses—June 1, a partial solar eclipse; June 15, a full lunar eclipse; and July 1, a partial solar eclipse. Of these, the full moon lunar eclipse on June 15 is a doozy. I say this because the Moon is being eclipsed at the fated and potentially perilous gandanta zone of the zodiac, on the edge of sidereal Scorpio and Sagittarius, and also, on the edge of the first house (the most significant area) of the United States (Kelleher) birth chart. Many of the major Vedic astrology shastras describe the edges between fire and water signs as the “gandanta” zones, which carry with them a heavy karmic knot that must be disentangled and released. The gandanta between Scorpio and Sagittarius is considered the most dangerous of all three gandanta areas, in both mundane and natal astrology. Gandanta zones are often so precarious, in fact, that specific karmic remedial measures are suggested for babies born with the Moon in these placements.
When I examine the fixed stars for the lunar eclipse chart of June 15, three stand out as further potential signs of an impending threat. One of these is the fixed star Algol, “The Demon’s Head,” which is conjoined Mars. Mars is important because it rules Scorpio, the sign occupied by the North Node (Rahu), which is eclipsing the Moon. In the eclipse chart, Mars is conjunct the fixed star Algol, which is associated with brutality and suffering. The Chinese astrologers gave Algol the gruesome title “Tseih She,” which means “Piled-up Corpses.” Algol’s influence is sometimes (but not always) indicative of destructive events affecting large numbers of people.
The other two fixed stars that stand out are Lesath and Ras Alhague, both of which are closely influencing the Moon and Rahu, and both of which can relate to poisoning as well as meteorological events like damaging storms. All these factors become even more of a concern because the Sun in the lunar eclipse chart will conjoin natal Mars in the United States birth chart, which was already triggered by malefic Ketu (the Moon’s South Node) in the June 1 eclipse. These are further indications of the possibility of turbulence and some kind of toxic planetary tragedy ahead. Furthermore, Mars is “Bhoomi Karaka,” indicator of the economy. Because of the South Node trigger to Mars in the June 1 eclipse, the economy could continue to be in decline for a while, at least until after the July 1 eclipse, when much of this month’s “karmic unraveling” may come to a conclusion.
There is one redeeming feature of this lunar eclipse chart which gives me hope that any potential danger can and might be mitigated or averted, in that the great benefic Jupiter is transiting in Aries and trining the Moon in Jupiter’s own sign, offering the hope of Divine grace, redemption and protection. For more specific information about this week’s lunar eclipse, check out this article: www.msnbc.msn.com/…very-long-total-lunar-eclipse-coming-wednesday
Another important event this month is that Saturn is stationing direct (moving forward) on June 14, close to the lunar eclipse time, and this is another indication of possible transformational events bringing change and forward movement. With this forward movement of Saturn, positive improvement may occur in regard to events that have been stalled in your life since earlier in the year, but the results of this change may take time to materialize (may not occur until after August when Saturn gains momentum).
Overall, eclipses bring change, which we all know is the name of the game on this material plane. Eclipses can also bring spiritual evolution and an awakening of truth. These eclipses will influence the collective reality as well as each individual’s reality for the next six months, at least. Additionally, the transiting lunar nodes have just changed their axis from Gemini and Sagittarius to Taurus and Scorpio, where they indicate a dramatic shift that will take place in our collective awareness and experience over the next year and a half.
To understand how the Saturn station and these current eclipses and nodal transits will affect you more on a personal level, you would need to have a thorough astrological assessment of your natal and progressed birth chart. In the meantime, during these vulnerable days ahead, it is important to follow the advice of all the world’s great spiritual teachers who teach us to cultivate peace, unconditional love and the joy of spiritual connection within ourselves and with others. By doing so, we can create the vibrational transformation that is needed to alleviate much of the violence, suffering and turbulence that is being experienced in the outer world.