Astral meanders 25 June-1 July 2014

In General:  A New Moon occurs on Friday, June 27^th. This New Moon in Cancer is a good time to commit to personal goals that include honouring our secret, most illogical and intimate, feelings; being aware of the sense of security and safety we derive from our sense of home; allowing ourselves to accept support and offering support to others; and starting a task aimed at improving our home lives. With the Sun also in cancer our consideration turns to our nest, our families, homes, and whatever makes us feel "at home", safe, and protected. Mercury ends its Retrograde by the 1^st and we can start to feel more directed and ready to get back on track! If you have a birthday this week then the year ahead puts more emphasis on the home and family. On the world scene, family issues, parenting issues and safety issues should be highlighted. Locally use the new moon for a great mediation on understanding self!

Thought for the week: Every moment of light and dark is a miracle. Walt Whitman

Aries

Besides spending additional time tending to home affairs, the focus can be on cultivating and nurturing your inner foundations that support you and your growth. You may be a little wasteful with money for the moment, as your desire for luxury and comfort items is augmented and this is something to watch for.

Taurus

This is not a time of adventure-seeking. Rather, it's a time of little ventures close to home. Give other people a little extra time and care, notice their efforts on your behalf, and reinforce your connections. Siblings, neighbors, relatives, friends, and co-workers might play a more important role than usual in your life.

Gemini

Security is a driving force for you now, and you might find that you are particularly interested in accumulating belongings. What you have and what you don't have come into focus, what makes you feel relaxed, your sense of security, and what you value. This is the time of year when personal finances and possessions take your attention.

Cancer

The New Moon on the 27th brings a great opportunity for initiating a new venture, taking the lead, making a presentation, doing interviews, and other happenings that require confidence. Take steps to improve how you come across to others now. It's time to carve your own path in life.

Leo

It's a strong time for making the most of your private time. Reflect, restock, and pay attention to dreams, both night and day, particularly around the 28-29th. Endings of natural cycles may be part of the picture at this time of year. Venus enlivens your friendships and group associations with charisma and style.

Virgo

New connections can be made at this time and networking pays off. Being part of a community or group of friends and building your social grid is important to you. This is a somewhat happy, goal-oriented phase. You're attracting quite a bit of interest, and your energy for making contact with others is extraordinary.

Libra

Public relations work, and other such activities are favored now. It is more about how you express yourself than the specifics of what you are saying that helps sway others to your point of view. You are all the more attractive and charismatic with this position, which favours your reputation.

Scorpio

Intimate relationships are intensified now. Either you or your partner want a deeper union. This is a phase in which you pursue a higher meaning to your life, and seek out new experiences that take you beyond the here and now, and beyond the mundane details of day-to-day life.

Sagittarius

This is an especially pensive phase during which you have the chance to truly uncover your personal strengths and talents. On a more practical level, you may be dealing with joint finances and shared resources now more than normal. One-to-one relating appeals to you more than group activities or more casual connections.

Capricorn

Your diplomacy skills are required more than usual. Your popularity is increasing, and is strengthened by your own ability to cooperate. Your ego and self-importance are tied up in how you relate to others at this time. This may be an especially busy time for people who consult or work with customers one-on-one.

Aquarius

If your regular routine is less than acceptable, you need to look at where you can make improvements, and energy for transformations is strongest after the 27th. This is a time when an opportunity to get rid of what doesn't work in your life is available. You could strive towards perfection in your work.

Pisces

This is a time when you are more flirtatious than usual, and when you might take a few risks in life! You might be a bit of a showman at this time. You are likely feeling good in general, and you tend to spread the joy. You are more receptive and gentle on a romantic level, and tend to be sentimental or nostalgic now.

 

Astral Peeks: The history of astrology

The fact that basically every culture has, at different times, looked towards the stars for understanding speaks to the universal nature of astrology.

As it evolved from one end of the globe to the other, it took on a different importance. Some cultures used it to determine laws and punishments, others for love and spirituality.

The origin of astrology is thought to begin with the ancient Babylonians two centuries before the birth of Christ. They took celestial events that were witnessed in the night sky and interpreted them to signify certain events. Major events like a passing comet, a meteor shower or an eclipse were given extreme importance and they often believed that significant actions were needed to calm the anger of the gods. Human sacrifice wasn't unheard of in some situations to deal with what the Babylonians thought were upset deities.

The first areas of the world that astrology spread to were China, India and Greece. Each culture infused the basic Babylonian astrological belief structure with its own myths, legends and interpretations. In Greece, many of the characters from ancient Greek mythology were combined with the stars to give their astrology its own local style. The same was true for India and China where local religion and superstition was combined with astrology to give it more meaning to the local population.

It was astrologers that made the first accurate maps of star movement as well as the orbit of the moon and many astronomical observations about the Earth, itself. Many scientists today look down upon astrology as being a pseudo-science, but without the tireless work and immaculate record keeping of astrologers hundreds of years ago, the more respected science of astronomy would have been set back by centuries.