The powerful transits of the last week of June

Why you might experience misunderstandings, emotional challenges, and a transformation of your inner power in the week ahead

June 25 to June 30: Venus and Mars Will Continue Their Transit Together in Cancer - Potential for Emotional Issues, Water Accidents, and Financial Problems

Using a ten-degree orb, Venus and Mars have been conjoined in Cancer since June 3, and will remain so until June 30. As I mentioned in my prior June forecast, this conjunction has some significant challenges, in large part because Cancer is the sign of greatest weakness for Mars. As I wrote in early June, “this conjunction points to a tendency for emotional upheaval, quarrels, or digestive disturbances. In the mundane sphere, flooding, water accidents, and issues with finances and real estate are also strong possibilities.”

As Mars leaves Cancer for Leo on June 30, it will slowly move beyond its conjunction with Venus, and they will separate by a 5-degree effective orb by July 9. Mars will be moving faster than Venus in July (which is not usually the norm), as Venus will be gradually slowing down to station retrograde on July 22. Venus will continue its transit in Cancer (where it’s been since May 30) until July 6.

When Venus is moving slowly, it receives an extremely high score in something known as Chesta Bala in Vedic astrology. Chesta Bala is one of the calculations within Shad Bala or Spastha Bala, an applied scoring system that determines planetary strength and weakness. This high Chesta Bala score for Venus is a generally positive development that suggests some heightened potential for more inner peace and harmony.

June 24 to July 8: Mercury Will Transit in Gemini - Challenges with Communication, Travel, and Business

At the same time, from June 24 to July 8, Mercury will transit in Gemini. During this period, Mercury will be close to the Sun in its combustion phase, which occurs from June 19 to July 13. (Combustion for Mercury occurs when it is within 13-14 degrees of the Sun.)

This rapid-moving transit of Mercury in its Gemini combustion cycle may hamper travel, trade, commerce, rational thought, and communication. Some may experience indecision, restlessness, breathing ailments, anxiety, or poor decision making.

Retrograde Saturn in Aquarius will trine Mercury during this transit, which can contribute to occupational difficulties but also may help counterbalance the potential impulsiveness and erratic thinking of the combust Mercury in Gemini.

Mercury will come to its exact superior conjunction (known as Cazimi) on July 1. This event occurs when Mercury is moving very fast on the far side of the Sun. At its superior conjunction, Mercury is said to be purified and regenerated through its union with the Sun. This cosmic event marks an important new phase in the Mercury cycle, when we should take time to listen deeply for inner guidance and to tap into fresh new insight and inspiration.

June 26: Uranus and Mars Exact Square - Be Especially Mindful During This Time

On June 26, Mars at 27 degrees of Cancer and Uranus at 27 degrees in Aries will be in an exact square with each other, but this aspect is also within an effective orb of influence for about a week on either side of June 26. Venus is also squaring Uranus, but the exact square between them will not occur until July 2. These transits happen annually, but the zodiacal position that the planets occupy changes year to year, which modifies the flavor of the transit.

At this time, Mars and Venus are in late Cancer in the sometimes noxious nakshatra of Ashlesha, and Uranus is in late Aries in the fiery and sharp Krittika nakshatra. Mars is further challenged as it nears its exact degree of debilitation (which is 28 degrees Cancer). The square itself is a stressful aspect that can point to tense or surprising events on the world stage.

Furthermore, this particular aspect between Mars and Uranus can point to irritation, inner turmoil, cruelty, accidents, violence, and injury, spoiling of plans, and danger through vehicles on land or water. The square between Venus and Uranus in this section of the zodiac can suggest heightened mental anguish, belligerence, moodiness, anxiety, and troublesome events inlcuding water accidents.

June 26: The Moon’s Waxing Phase - A Time To Break Old Patterns and Embrace Change

The Moon will be in its waxing crescent phase until Monday, June 26, when it will square the Sun and set off its first-quarter phase. This will be the halfway point between last week’s new Moon of June 18 and next week’s full Moon of July 3. It represents an opportune time for breaking old habits and embracing change. This may require us to summon extra courage in order to overcome our doubts and insecurities.

June 30 to August 18: Mars Will Transit in Leo - Our Inner Warrior Becomes Empowered Once Again

Mars will transit into Leo on June 30, and will remain in this sign until August 18. Mars has been transiting in the sign of its debilitation/weakness (Cancer) since May 10. The qualities of Mars can become strained in Cancer and also during its transit through the one-degree edge between Cancer and Leo, which will be in place from June 29 to July 2. This edge or cusp between a water and fire sign (such as Cancer and Leo) is called the gandanta in Jyotish ("gand" means “khanda or portion,” and "anta" means “end”).

Gandanta placements have a lot of transitional and transformational energy, as water meets fire letting off steam. Mars in the Cancer-Leo gandanta can be very emotional, insecure, changeable, worried, angry, and pessimistic.

Mars represents the fire element. This planet is associated with our power, motivation, self-esteem, energy, courage, and desire. All of these areas have required special attention during the transit of Mars in Cancer.  Challenges involving these areas of life may reach a crescendo from June 29 to July 2.

During the gandanta transit, some may feel emotionally aggravated and will need to avoid acting on impulse. This is a time when we should take it easy, exercise moderation, stay cool, manage our emotional tension, and especially should avoid waging war or trying to push too hard.

We may also feel very tired at this time, but this too shall pass. Once Mars gets past the sandhi/one-degree edge on July 2, we should begin to gradually feel some strong positive energy again.

When Mars is in Leo, our fire energy is generally healthy and strong. Here, the "warrior" within us has full strength and power, so that there is no need to show force. Mars in Leo is warm-hearted, self-reliant, philanthropic, vigorous, determined, and brave. It is often a good placement for technical skill, talent, or interest in physical activity, sports, law enforcement, or military matters.

The house position of Leo, the houses that Mars rules in your natal chart, and the aspects transiting Mars makes to your natal chart will go into determining the impact of this transit. This is something I would be able to share with you in a personalized reading.

June 30 to December 6: Neptune Will Retrograde in Early Pisces - Potential for Misunderstandings, Deception, and Struggles for Power

Neptune is the planet of divine love, art and music, mysteries, secrets, idealism, illusion, lies, and deception. It will station retrograde on June 30 at 5:07 PM EDT, and will remain retrograde until December 6. During its retrograde period, it will move from 3 1/2 longitudinal degrees back to about 40 longitudinal minutes in Pisces.

If you have any planets or chart points impacted by the retrograde cycle of Neptune, it would be worthwhile to have an astrological consultation to help you learn more and understand how to work with this energy.

Retrograde Neptune cycles are generally a period when we may have to face up to some difficult realities. Around ten days before and ten days after the retrograde station, those whose charts are negatively impacted by the transit may find themselves embroiled in a misunderstanding or some other kind of worrisome situation.

Since June 2017, Neptune has been transiting in Purva Bhadrapada nakshatra, which is an asterism (group of stars) extending from 20 degrees Aquarius to 3 degrees and 20 minutes of Pisces. Neptune will remain in this area of the zodiac until late March 2024.

Ruled by a mysterious, fierce, severe, and fiery deity named Aja Ekapada, Purva Bhadrapada has been described as “diabolical” in some instances, and it certainly can have a dark side with its extreme and passionate qualities.

Neptune being in Purva Bhadrapada nakshatra deals with hidden agendas, conspiracies, and struggles for power by known as well as secret forces. As we move toward Neptune’s retrograde cycle, such matters may become more intensely in focus.

Aja Ekapada, Bikaner Museum, Rajasthan

Neptune in Purva Bhadrapada is even more impactful because of its transit in the United States chart’s fourth house (the core of the nation) in opposition to natal Neptune in the tenth house (the government). This is happening from July 2022 until January 2024. Both natal and transiting Neptune form a conflictual T-square with bellicose Mars in the seventh house of adversaries and international disputes.

All this suggests that we are in a challenging time fraught with confusion, delusion, deceit, criminality, anger, hypochondria, anxiety, escapism, and the loss of meaning, balance, and perspective. Corruption and scandals among government officials are rampant. There is a great deal of dissonance and chaos occurring in national affairs as well as on the international stage.

The last time that Neptune transited in early Pisces in opposition to natal Neptune in Virgo in the United States chart was in 1857 and 1858. Spiritism and Spiritualism were at their height during this time. These movements sought to communicate with disembodied spirits through mediums and seances, but were also marked by fraud and deception.

When the popular song "Spirit Rappings" was published, Spiritualism was an object of intense curiosity.

Additionally, the years 1857 and 1858 were violent tension-filled years preceding the American Civil War, when political and social conflicts erupted over immigration, slavery, states’ rights, and religious intolerance. In addition, the Indian Rebellion (Sepoy Mutiny) of 1857 was a major uprising that occurred in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company.

The period from 1857 to 1858 was also during the Second Opium War in China. This colonial war lasted from 1856 to 1860 and was fought over trading privileges. The conflict pitted the British Empire and the French Empire against the Qing dynasty of China. The United States and Russia were not combatants but received concessions from China as a result of this war.

Looking Forward

As you can see, we have some exciting transits coming up this next week. I am especially looking forward to seeing more potentially positive energy when the Mars and Venus conjunction ends, and Mars moves into a more auspicious position in Leo.

As for the exceedingly daunting Neptune energy, we should stay focused and calm. During this time of discord, deception, propaganda, and corruption, I find it especially helpful to take periodic breaks from the news and social media and focus on activities that give me peace and joy.

As we move forward into the new week, I would like to share a prayer for peace and truth with everyone:

May we all grow in grace and peace and not neglect the silence that is printed in the center of our being. It will not fail us. (Thomas Merton)

Please note that this and all my forecasts are based on the observable (sidereal) zodiac used in both Vedic and Western sidereal astrology, not the tropical system used by most Western and a small number of Vedic astrologers. All the astrological charts that I work with and share are calculated according to the sidereal zodiac and Lahiri Ayanamsa.