July 2018 Ascension Energies – Universal Family

The Witches Magickal Digest for Monday, July 2

“You are the spell the universe has cast.”

— Phyllis Curott, Wiccan priestess, attorney, and author

 

July–The Month of Julius Caesar

This month was first called Quintilis, that is, the fifth month, which shows that the year began with March. In the year 44 B.C. the name was changed to Julius in honour of Julius Caesar, the founder of the Roman Empire. The month Quintilis was chosen as the one to be named after the Emperor Julius because his birthday was on the twelfth of that month After his death, the name Caesar became a title of the Roman Emperors, and we still have the word in the titles Kaiser of Germany, Czar (or Tsar) of Russia, and Kaisar-i-Hind (Emperor of India), one of the titles of our own king.

Julius Caesar was a very great soldier, and it was by skill as a general that he became the first emperor the Romans had. Until his time they had no supreme ruler, the chief office being that of consul. There were two consuls who had to be elected, and who only served for a certain length of time. The Romans hated the name of king, and Caesar, who seemed to have really wished for the title, was afraid to take it, in case it should turn the people against him. In 44 B.C. at the feast of the Lupercalia, held, as we have said, in February, the crown was actually offered to him by Marcus Antonius, a great Roman noble.

“You all did see that on the Lupercal
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse.”
SHAKESPEARE–Julius Caesar.

Caesar made himself master of all Italy, conquered the whole of Gaul (i.e. France) and Spain, and won great victories in Greece, Egypt, and Africa. But he is famous not only as a soldier; he was a great statesman, a great orator, and a clever writer and historian. He formed several plans for the improvement of Roman life, and took a great interest in the building of public works. He reformed the calendar, as we have seen, and he wished to have the Roman law set out in a clear way, so that it could be easily understood; he had plans for draining marsh land near Rome in order to make the country more healthy, for enlarging the harbour of Ostia, a very important port near Rome, and for making a canal through the Isthmus of Corinth in Greece.

In the year 44 B.C., before he could carry out any of these very useful plans, he was killed in Rome by men who had once been his friends, but were now jealous of his power. Shakespeare describes this tragedy in his play Julius Caesar, and makes Marcus Antonius, when looking upon the murdered Caesar, say:

“Thou art the ruins of the noblest man
That ever lived in the tide of times”.

Caesar is particularly interesting to us because he came to our island in the days of the Ancient Britons. In one of his books he tells us that there were great numbers of people, many buildings, and much cattle. There were trees of every kind, as in Gaul, except the beech and the fir.

“The hare, the hen, and the goose they do not think it right to eat, but they keep them for amusement and pleasure. Most of those living inland do not sow corn, but live on milk and flesh, and are clothed in skins. All stain themselves with woad, which gives a blue colour, and makes them of more hideous appearance in battle. They have long hair, but shave every part of their body except the head and upper lip.”

At the time of Caesar’s invasion London was a stronghold of the Britons, and was very probably attacked and captured by Caesar. The first mention of London in history is in a book by a Roman historian named Tacitus, who, in describing what happened in the year A.D. 61, tells us that the Roman general leading the army here in Britain was unable to hold the town at the time of Boadicea’s revolt. London was then very largely destroyed, but the Romans rebuilt it and gave it a new name, Augusta, in honour of their Emperor Augustus. This shows that it was a place of great importance even in those early days.

The days from 3rd July to 11th August, ‘the hottest part of the year, were called by the Romans, “dog-days”, because they thought the great heat was due to Sirius, the dog-star. Sirius was a dog belonging to the giant Orion, who was a great hunter. Diana, the Goddess of the Moon, was also the Goddess of Hunting, and after she had driven her chariot with its white horses across the starlit sky, she spent the day hunting in the forests. Here she often met Orion, and soon fell in love with him. This angered her brother Apollo, the sun-god, who determined to put an end to their friendship. One day he called Diana to him, and began to talk about her skill as an archer. Pretending that he wished to test her skill, he asked her to shoot at a dark speck which could be seen floating far out at sea. Diana, all unsuspecting, at once drew her bow, and so strong and true was her aim that she hit the object, which disappeared beneath the waves. She then found that the dark speck was the head of Orion, who had been cooling himself in the sea after his hunting. She was filled with grief at his death, and vowed never to forget him, placed him and his dog Sirius in the sky. The constellation Orion can easily be found on a clear for the stars forming his belt and sword are unmistakable. Following behind the giant is the very bright star Sirius–“the scorching flames of fierce Orion’s hound”. Virgil in his Aeneid describes one of the heroes of Latium as being “as great as Orion, who, walking on foot through the deep waters of the very middle of the sea, making himself a path, yet rises above the billows with his shoulders; or carrying down an ancient ash from the summit of the mountains, has his feet on the earth, his head shrouded by the clouds of heaven”.

The Angles and Saxons had two names for this month of July: Hegmonath, the hay-month, and Maedmonath, the mead-month. A third name was sometimes given to it–the “latter mild month”, that is, the second warm month.

Today is Monday, June 2, 2018

Monday is the sacred day of the moon, personified as the goddesses Selene, Luna, and Mani. The moon is ruler of flow, affecting the changeable and impressionable aspects of people. If a full moon falls on a Monday, then the powers of the moon are at their most potent.

Deity: Mani

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Planet: Moon

Tree: Willow

Herb: Chickweed

Stone: Agate

Animal: Crab

Element: Water

Color: Green

Rune: Lagu (L)

The Celtic Tree Month of Duir (Oak) (June 10 – July 7)

Runic Half Month of Feoh (June 29 – July 3)

Goddess of the Month of Rosea (June 13 – July 10)

Source

The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

The Goddess Book of Days for Monday, July 2

In Babylonia, of Shapatu or Sabbat of Ishtar. In Rome, day of Carna or Cardea, Goddess of Domestic Life (carried over from June I). She is the Goddess of Hinges, of what goes in and out, a Goddess of Physical Survival.

The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein

Goddesses Associated with Mondays

Luna, Selene, Diana, Re, Gealach, Ida, Artemis, the Witches, Yemaya, Erzulie Tuesday Soorejnaree, Pinga1la, Anna, Aine, Danu, Yngona.

Source

The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein

Monday: Keep the moon safe from the wolf

Easy to remember – Monday is the Moon Day. The word moon is associated with the Norse god Mona (Máni). He was pulling the moon accross the sky, trying to escape and save it from a mythological wolf. At the end of the world, the wolf will catch them and tear the moon into pieces. This apocalyptic period of the world is called Ragnarok in Norse mythology.

 

In Romance languages, Monday is also the Moon Day (lunes in Spanish, lundi in French, lunedi in Italian: coming from Latin Dies Lunae).

 

Monday’s Magick

Monday – Is associated with the Moon

Colours – White, Silver, Grey and Pearl.

Monday is the best time to deal with such matters as: Psychic Pursuits, Psychology, Dreams, Astral Travel, Imagination, Women’s Mysteries, Reincarnation, Short Trips, Women, Children, Public, Domestic Concerns, Emotions, Fluids, Magick, Spirituality, Nursing, Full moon magic, Purity, Protection, Truth, Meditation, Peace, Sincerity, Justice, Warding off Doubts and Fears, Anything to do with Water and Bodies of Water, Antiques, Trip Planning, Household Activities, Initiation, Astrology, New-Age Pursuits, Archetypes, Totem Animals, Shape-shifting and Religious Experiences.

Ritual Work Associated with Monday The Day of the Moon

Perfume: White Poppy, White Rose, Wallflower

Incense: Myrtle

Wood: Willow

Color: Silver, Grey-white

Influences: Agriculture, Domestic, Longlife, Medicine, Travels, Visions, Theft (new moon)

 

Reference:

A Book of Pagan Rituals
Herman Slater

Monday–The Day of the Moon

The moon, like the sun, was an object of wonder in the days of old, and was worshiped almost everywhere in some form or other, but it does not play quite so important a part in story as the sun. Since the moon is paler than the sun and its light soft and gentle, it was often regarded as being a chariot driven by a woman, but the course of the moon-goddess across the sky was similar to that of the sun-god.

Diana, the moon-goddess of the Greeks and Romans, known also as Cynthia, Phoebe, and Arterms, was the twin-sister of Apollo, and drove a golden chariot drawn by milk-white horses. Diana and Apollo were children of Jupiter, and were born in the Island of Delos, where a temple to Apollo was afterwards built. Another of the Seven Wonders of the World was the temple to Diana at Ephesus, on the west coast of Asia Minor. The worship of Diana at Ephesus is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles: “And when the town clerk had quieted the multitude, he saith, ‘Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there who knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Diana and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?'” The temple was destroyed in the year A.D. 263, but remains of it may still be seen.

Diana was also the Goddess of Hunting; she was a skilled archer, and spent the day in huuting, as we have seen in the story of Orion.

The most famous story of Diana is that of her love for Endymion, a young shepherd–a story which has been told by the poets many times. One evening as the moon-goddess was driving silently across the sky, she saw sleeping on a hillside a handsome youth, his resting flock scattered over the gentle slope. Attracted by his beauty, Diana stepped from her chariot and gazed long at his face; then softly stooping, she kissed him lightly on the lips. Endymion, half wakened by her touch, caught a fleeting vision of the fair goddess as she hastened to her chariot. Filled with wonder at the sight, he rose quickly and rubbed his eyes, but all he saw was the bright moon floating across the dark sky, and he thought that he had been dreaming. The next night the goddess came to him again, and again he saw her with his half closed eyes. Each night when the bright rays of the moon fell on his upturned face he dreamed this wonderful dream, but he was always sleeping when the goddess came, and nevr saw her in her full and dazzling beauty. The days now seemed long and dreary to Endymion, and he waited anxiously for the night that he might see again the glorious vision.

Diana was filled with dread at the thought that the beautiful youth would lose his beauty as the years went by, and at last she cast a spell over him while he slept, so that he should never wake again, and carried him away to a cave in a mountain-side known only to herself. There the loving Diana paused each night in her journey across the sky, and gazed on the face of the fair Endymion.

Diana, when hunting in the forest, was attended by a band of wood-nymphs who were her faithful followers. One of these nymphs, Arethusa, was one day cooling herself after the chase on the banks of the River Alpheus, when suddenly the God of the River appeared. The startled nymph ran quickly into the woods, but the god Alpheus pursued her, telling her that he loved her and that she need fear no harm. Arethusa was too frightened to listen to the god, and ran on, till at last, worn out, she prayed to Diana for help. The moon-goddess was ever ready to help her faithful nymphs, and in answer to the prayer transformed the girl into a fountain, which she hid in a thick mist. Alpheus, suddenly losing sight of the nymph, wandered sorrowfully about, calling out her name in his distress. Arethusa now thought that she was safe, but the wind-god, Zephyrus, blew aside the mist, and Alpheus saw a fountain where there had not been one before, and guessed what had happened. He quickly changed himself into a river and rushed towards the fountain, but Arethusa sprang from the rocks and hastened away over the stones and grass. Diana now saw her fresh danger, and made an opening in the ground, through which Arethusa slipped, to find herself in the kingdom of Pluto, the God of the Underworld. Here she wandered until she found another opening, by which she escaped once again into the sunshine on the plain of Sicily. Alpheus, however, at last made his way across the sea to Sicily, where he found Arethusa and won her love. The Greeks believed that flowers cast into the River Alpheus in Greece were carried by the river as gifts to his lover, and appeared later in the fountain of Arethusa in Sicily!

Among the Egyptians the moon was regarded as a god, who was named Thoth (The Measurer). He was also the God of Wisdom, Invention, Writing, and Magic. He was one of the earliest of the Egyptian gods, having come into being at the same time as Ra, the sun-god, and it was he who was said to have created the world. The Romans compared him with Mercury because, like Mercury, he invented writing. As the God of the Moon, he was represented as wearing a crescent moon on his head, and holding in his hand a stylus, a pointed instrument used by the Egyptians for writing on their wax tablets.

The Babylonian moon-god was Sin, the Lord of Wisdom. He was the father of the sun-god, and was one of the greatest of the gods, owing to the fact that the Babylonians regulated their calendar by the moon.

The Angles and Saxons believed that the moon was driven across the sky by Mani, the son of a giant, in a golden chariot drawn by a horse named the All Swift. As in the case of the sun, our ancestors had no distinct goddess of the moon; but we shall read of Mani again in a later chapter.

Hymn to Diana
Queen and huntress, chaste and fair,
Now the sun is laid to sleep,
Seated in thy silver chair,
State in wonted manner keep:
Hesperus entreats thy light,
Goddess excellently bright.
Earth, let not thy envious shade
Dare itself to interpose;
Cynthia’s shining orb was made
Heaven to clear when day did close;
Bless us then with wished sight,
Goddess excellently bright.
Lay thy bow of pearl apart,
And thy crystal shining quiver;
Give unto the flying hart
Space to breathe, how short soever,
Thou that mak’st a day of night,
Goddess excellently bright.
BEN JONSON–Cynthia’s Revels.

 

Monday Is A Day of Witchery, Magick and Enchantment

Think for a moment on all of the witchery, magick and enchantments that you have discovered. Don’t be afraid to adjust spells to suit your own specific needs. Any gentle, illusory, and dreamy charms and spells can be enhanced when you work on the day of the week that is dedicated to the moon. Mondays are a fantastic day to boost your psychic abilities and to tune in to your intuition and empathy. It also gives you the opportunity to work with a different lunar phase each and every Monday, which means in one month you could work four different types of moon magicks on Mondays. How’s that for adding to your repertoire? You are going to have mad skills in no time at all.

So light up those lunar scented candles and add a little mystique to your outfit by wearing an enchanting lunar color. Wear your sparkling silver jewelry and maybe add a pair of dangling silver earrings or a pendant shaped like a crescent moon. Create lunar potions and philters; make a dream catcher and give it as a gift to someone you love. Burn some sandalwood or jasmine-scented incense today to inspire the glamour and magick of the moon. Slice up a favorite variety of fruit that is in season for a snack or share it with your love and enjoy his or her lunar and romantic qualities. Brew up a cup of chamomile tea, enchant it with a little moon magick, and relax and get a good night’s sleep.

Most importantly, get outside tonight and watch the moon for a while. What phase is she in? What color was the moon as she rose? Why not start a journal and write down at what location the moon rises and sets for a few seasons? This is a great way to teach you to tune in and to become more aware of the moon and the influence that she pulls into our lives. Try calling on Selene for her magickal assistance, and call Thoth for wisdom and strength. Get to know the Norse Mani and the Latvian Meness. These gods of the moon have plenty to teach, and if you allow their influence to cycle through your life, you’ll receive many blessings. Be imaginative, and create your own personal lunar magick and witchery. Go on….the moonlight becomes you.

Source

Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan

Hints & Tips for Your Monday

To incorporate this day’s energy work spells for intuition, peace, fertility, and inspiring your inner muse.

This is a wonderful day to connect to your inner self.

Intuition and inspiration are both enhanced when imbued with moon energy.

Use today’s energy for psychic work, (intuition, divination and clairvoyance), Goddess rituals and faerie magick.

 

The Practical Witch’s Almanac for July

h the long days of summer, how they stretch out before us for the entire month of July. The end of the month is Lammas Eve, the beginning of the August 1st Sabbat, also known as Lugnasadh (Irish Gaelic).

 

A July 12th through the 28th are auspicious times for magical working, spells, healing, and more. Take advantage of any trips you take into the woods to harvest new wand materials (respect local laws and the local habitat), stones for spell pouches, or flowers for the altar.

 

Warm nights continue to draw us to the outdoors, and the total lunar eclipse on the 27th offers a great opportunity to camp out and view the show. While you are looking up, you may catch a shooting star from the Delta-Aquarids meteor shower.

 

The Delta Aquarids can produce up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by debris left behind by comets Marsden and Kracht. The shower runs from July 12 to August 23, and peak days are noted on the calendar pages of July 28th and 29th.

 

The bright full moon may keep you from seeing a lot of meteors, but the brightest ones will shine through. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Aquarius, but can appear anywhere in the sky. With clear skies, Saturday the 28th after midnight is a great time to “make a wish”.

 

The Practical Witch’s Almanac 2018: Thirteen Months of Magic
Gladheart, Friday; Jensen, R..

 

The Witches Almanac for Monday, July 2

World UFO Day

Waning Moon

Moon phase: Third Quarter

Moon Sign: Aquarius

Moon enters Pisces 1: 31 pm

Incense: Rosemary

Color: White

Correspondences for Monday, July 2

 

Day: Monday ( Moon-day)

Planet: Moon

Colors: Silver and White and Grey

Crystals: Moonstone, Pearl, Aquamarine, Silver, Selenite

Aroma: Jasmine, Lemon, Sandalwood, Moon Oil, African violet, Honeysuckle, Myrtle, Willow, and Wormwood

Herb: Moonwart

The sacred day of the Moon, personified by such goddesses as Selene, Luna, Diana, and Artemis. The Moon is ruler of flow affecting the changeable aspects of people. If a full moon falls on a Monday, its powers are at their most potent.

Magical aspects: peace, sleep, healing, compassion, friendships, psychic awareness, purification, and fertility

Monday is ruled by the moon – an ancient symbol of mystery and peace. Monday is a special day for mothers as the cycle of the moon has long been associated with the female menstrual cycle. Those wishing to conceive a baby would be wise to try on a Monday as the magic of motherhood is strong and pregnancy is in the air.

This is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving agriculture, animals, female fertility, messages, reconciliation’s, theft, voyages, dreams, emotions, clairvoyance, home, family, medicine, cooking, personality, merchandising, psychic work, Faerie magic, and Goddess rituals
.

Monday Is Ruled By the Moon

 

This day of the week is dedicated to the moon and all of her magic and mystery. Mondays are for women’s mysteries, illusion, prophetic dreaming, emotions, travel, and fertility.

Some suggestions for Monday enchantments would include:

*Getting outside and looking for the moon in the heavens. Sit under her light and absorb a little glamour. Call on the moon goddess Selene for practical help in magical issues.

*Invoking the god Thoth for wisdom and insight

*Empowering your silver jewelry under the light of the moon. Wear moonstone or pearl jewelry today to add a lunar and magical shimmer to your outfit. Be mysterious and subtle and wear moon-associated colors such as white, silver, and blue.

*Working spells for safe travel with a simple moonstone

*Gathering bluebells, jasmine, gardenias, or white roses to create a little garden witchery with the flowers that are associated with the moon

*Setting up a lunar Tarot spell today to increase your psychic powers

*Eating a lunar fruit such as a melon to be healthy, serene, and at peace

*Brewing up a cup of chamomile or mint tea and enchanting it for sweet dreams and restful sleep

The Energy of the Moon

 

Planet: Moon

Day: Monday

Color: Silver, white, light blue, purple

Metal: Silver

Associations: Childbearing and family life, purity and virginity, healing, wisdom, intuition

Magickal Applications for Mondays

 

Monday is named after the moon. The Latin term for Monday is Dies Lunae (“moon’s day”); in the Old English language, this day was Monandaeg; in Greek, it was Hermera Selenes. All of these different names and languages translate to the same thing: the “day of the moon.”

Working with the different phases of the moon is an important skill that takes a bit of time for Witches to learn. So why not cut to the chase and experiment with the day of the week that is dedicated to the moon in all of its magickal energies and aspects?

Magickally, Monday encourages the lunar energies of inspiration, illusion, prophetic dreams, emotions, psychic abilities, travel, women’s mysteries, and fertility.

Source

Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan

Monday & The Perfect Corresponding Spell: Selene’s Ritual

Try working this spell on a Monday while both the moon and the sun are in the sky at the same time. During certain phases of the waning moon, the moon can be seen in the morning sky (or in the new to waxing moon phase, in the evening sky just before the sun sets). This time-when both the sun and the moon are visible in the sky-is believed to be a time of incredible magickal power. Should also mention this is a great spell to work on a Full Moon night, just adjust the opening line.

Selene’s Ritual

• 1 white taper candle
• 1 silver taper candle
• 2 candle holders
• A white rose in a vase
• Matches or a lighter
• Sandalwood incense and an incense holder

Set up this ritual on a safe, flat surface. Arrange your work area so that you can see the moon, no matter what phase she is in. When you are ready to begin, light the candles and the incense. Center yourself, and repeat the spell below three times:

Monday is the magickal day of the Moon
In this enchanted time, hear this Witch’s tune
See the white and silver candles burning so bright
I call the Goddess Selene for her help this night
Practical solutions are her shining gifts, you see
Lady, show me the way; as I will, so mote it be.

Lift up your face to the moon and take nice deep, even breaths. Concentrate on the moon, and let your mind drift. Allow your eyes to blink naturally as you meditate on Selene, Lady of the Moon, and what messages she may have for you. If it helps, close your eyes; just keep your face tipped so the light of the moon shines down on you.

Close by saying:

Selene, I thank you for your time and care
I close this spell now by the powers of earth, water, fire and air.

Snuff out your illumination candles. You may save these candles to use on the full moon or anytime you call on Selene. Enjoy the rose until it starts to fade, then carefully fully gather the petals and spread them out to dry in a single layer. After they have dried, store them in an airtight, nonporous container (old glass canning jars are ideal for this purpose). Then use those enchanted petals in lunar philter and potion recipes or in any spell where you need to speed things up. Keep your eyes open, and see how Selene’s power and your moon magick go to work in your life.

 

Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan

The Witch’s Tip for the Day – A Quick Grounding Exercise

This is a quick and simple exercise, and after you practice it a few times, you can apply it to every situation and place, even in crowded public places, by means of your visualization ability.

 

Stand or sit comfortably. Take several deep breaths and relax your body slightly if it is tense. If it is more comfortable for you, close your eyes. Concentrate on the region of your root chakra – the area between the anus and the genitals. See the root chakra as a spinning red wheel. From the chakra, see a thick red ray of light that splits into two thick, stable stripes of red light, each one flowing through one of your legs. The red light flows along your legs to your feet, penetrates the earth, and enters the bowels of the earth. Focus on this sight and on the feeling of the red light that has penetrated the bowels of the earth for a few minutes and say aloud or mentally: “All the energies I no longer need are descending to the bowels of the earth and are turning into positive energies.”

 

When we say “are turning,” we mean the earth’s transformational ability to convert one form of energy into another, just as it is able to convert one substance into another – substances that are compounded and rot in it subsequently turn into nourishing substances for various plants and organisms. At the end of the meditation, it is also possible to see in the mind’s eye a tall, strong tree coming out of the earth somewhere. Incidentally, the understanding of the earth’s transformational ability and the tremendous importance of this ability will evoke in every aware person sincere concern for the children of the earth – the trees and the plants – which, regrettably, totally obtuse and unaware people tend to disregard. Awareness of Mother Earth and her children is an inseparable part of conscious awakening, and an important tool for any person who is involved in the occult and the supernatural. When you take care of the earth and its children, they will teach you marvelous secrets of the universe, if only you listen to them. Therefore, it is every enlightened person’s cosmic duty to make sure, as far as possible, to raise other people’s consciousness and actively fight against the obtuse and ugly exploitation and destruction that are occurring on earth. The very fact of your cerebral objection to the continuation of this exploitation, and your personal prayer for the welfare of the earth, will increase the critical mass that can stop the terrible destruction before it is too late (the destruction of the rainforests of Brazil is a clear example of how the greed for mammon leads to the devastation of our planet; let’s hope that the rape of the forests will stop for the sake of Mother Earth’s and our own health).

Source

Day-by-Day Wicca: A complete guide to Wicca from Beliefs and Rituals to Magic and Witchcraft
Tabatha Jennings

 

Moon Stuff!

 

The unconscious mind

The feminine principle

Receiving, negative polarity (as opposed to the Sun – projective, positive polarity)

Water (and sometimes Air) Element

High Priestess Tarot Card

Ajna (3rd Eye) Chakra

aka Luna or Diana

Willow & Magnolia Trees

 

Source

The Path of Witchcraft

The Witches Astronomy Digest for Monday, July 2

“Magic is not a practice. It is a living, breathing web of energy that, with our permission, can encase our every action.”

— Dorothy Morrison

 

Custom Planetary Positions for July 2
July 02, 2018
Zodiac: Tropical (Standard Western)

Sun: 10 Cancer 31
Moon: 26 Aquarius 43
Mercury: 04 Leo 43
Venus: 21 Leo 22
Mars: 09 Aquarius 01 Rx
Jupiter: 13 Scorpio 27 Rx
Saturn: 05 Capricorn 30 Rx
Uranus: 02 Taurus 02
Neptune: 16 Pisces 27 Rx
Pluto: 20 Capricorn 16 Rx

Your Daily Sun & Moon Data for Monday, July 2

The Sun
Sun Direction: ↑ 61.59° ENE
Sun Altitude: 1.45°
Sun Distance: 94.504 million mi
Next Equinox: Sep 22, 2018 8:54 pm (Autumnal)
Sunrise Today: 5:38 am↑ 60° Northeast
Sunset Today: 8:18 pm↑ 300° Northwest
Length of Daylight: 14 hours, 39 minutes

 

The Moon
Moon Direction: ↑ 209.55° SSW
Moon Altitude: 32.62°
Moon Distance: 250923 mi
Next New Moon: Jul 12, 20189:47 pm
Next Full Moon: Jul 27, 20183:20 pm
Next Moonset: Today9:34 am
Current Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 84.7%

Source

timeanddate.com

Astrology of Today – Monday, July 2, 2018

The Moon is in Aquarius until 1:30 PM, after which the Moon is in Pisces.
The Moon is void until 1:30 PM (since yesterday at 6:55 PM).
The Moon is waning and in its Full phase until 4:15 AM, after which the Moon is in its Waning Gibbous phase.
The Full Moon occurred on the 28th in the sign of Capricorn, and the Last Quarter Moon will happen on July 6th.
Mars is retrograde (Mars is retrograde from June 26th to August 27th).

What does it mean when the Moon is Void of Course

 

We all have the late and brilliant astrologer, Al H. Morrison to thank for his ground breaking work and promotion of the Void of Course Moon. Al spent well over 40 years of his life researching, writing and teaching this astrological technique. According to Al: “Every couple of days there comes a time which is best used to subjective, spiritual non-material concerns, like prayer, yoga, play, psychotherapy, or passive experience, sleep or meditation.

This period may last a few seconds, or it may be three days and nights in a single session. It begins when the Moon in transit makes the last major aspect it will make before it changes from one sign of the Zodiac to the next. It ends when the Moon enters the next sign. The name of this period is Void of Course Moon. You may call it a silly season, or vacation from normal living.

Decision-making in such periods turns out later to be unrealistic. Creativity diverges into unplanned directions, improvisions, false starts, error. If you buy any object you never use it fully. Enterprises founded while the Moon is Void of Course do fail after long and costly effort. Human judgment is more fallible than usual during the time the Moon is Void of Course. This is the principle factor in all observed experience thus far.

Routine proceeds readily, but often requires an adjustment later. Defects or shortages come to light. Delay and frustration are commonly experienced while the Moon is Void of Course.” The Moon is the fastest moving body in astrology. She spends about two and a half days in a sign. After she forms her last aspect she is void until she enters the next sign.

Visualize any endeavor begun with it being stamped VOID in bold capital letters and you can grasp the importance of following the Void of Course Moon. Having great aspects going on in your chart at the same time won’t save you either or bring success. Success or failure can result from the Moon being void or not.

The Moon rules our subconscious, emotions and feelings. When she goes “void” this is experienced on a mass global level. People are not tuned into reality 100%. Often they are prone to be detached from reality, spacey, and feel unanchored.

Some Examples of Don’ts during a Void of Course Moon:
1. Submit your resume for a new job, either by e-mail or snail mail.
2. Be interviewed for a new job or do a business presentation.
3. Start a new job.
4. Hold company meetings.
5. Make purchases.
6. Do not negotiate prices, test drive a vehicle or drive it for the first time.
7. Make an investment or open a new bank account.
8. Call on clients.
9. Start legal proceedings against someone.
10. Go on a first date.
11. Get engaged or married.
12. Have elective surgery.
13. Open a business.
14. Host a party or social affair.
15. Gamble or start a trip to a gaming facility.

Some Examples of Do’s during a Void of Course Moon:
1. Prayer and meditation.
2. Sleep and dream.
3. Non-material matters.
4. Let someone start proceedings AGAINST you in court.
5. End a relationship or get divorced.
6. Close doors to end business.

To achieve greater success in all your endeavors please consider using this beneficial astrological tool in timing things in your life. The advantages of knowing when the Moon is Void of Course or not will help you on the road to the realization of your dreams.

Author

JUDITH AUORA RYAN, ASTROLOGER, CLAIRVOYANT & FENG SHUI MASTER
Astrology by Judith Ryan

Moon in Aquarius

The Moon is traveling through Aquarius today. Go against the grain. Fight for a cause. Stand up for the underdog.

Attraction to all that is new and unusual, and an instinctive need for improvement, characterize the Moon in Aquarius. Reactions are more intellectual than emotional, and interactions are more impersonal than personal, under this influence. This is a time that promotes social gatherings, dealing with group ideals and goals for the future, brainstorming, new ideas, and progressive changes. We are open to new methods of doing things and we have our eye on the future. It can be hard to stick to schedules now, as personal freedom is most important to us.

The Moon in Aquarius generally favors the following activities: Unusual or radical undertakings, social pursuits, group projects, trying something new, joining a group.

Daily Overview of Your Stars and Planets for Monday, July 2

The Moon continues void and in the sign of Aquarius until 1:32 PM EDT, after which the Moon is in Pisces. While a Pisces Moon encourages us to break down barriers, a Mercury-Saturn quincunx today can have us worried about same. This influence can point to communication challenges that make it hard to get the point across, or to get from one place to the next without hassle. It can also lead to mental blocks or difficult decisions as we tend to doubt ourselves (and others) and whether we have all the details we need to make good, practical choices. Sensitivity to what’s said or not communicated can run high today.

The Moon is void until 1:32 PM EDT when it enters Pisces.

The sky this week for July 2 to July 8

Mercury and Venus and Mars, Oh My! Planets abound in the sky this week.
By Richard Talcott

Monday, July 2

Skygazers can catch a peek of Mercury in this week’s early evening sky. The innermost planet stands 10° high in the west-northwest a half-hour after sunset. Although Mercury glows brightly this evening, at magnitude 0.0, you might need binoculars to spot it initially against the twilight glow. Through a telescope, Mercury shows a disk that spans 6.8″ and appears slightly more than half-lit.

Tuesday, July 3

If ever there was a good time to track down Pluto, this is the night. The distant world appears a mere 3.5″ west of the 6th-magnitude star 50 Sagittarii in northeastern Sagittarius, making the task of finding the dwarf planet much easier than usual. Pluto glows dimly at 14th magnitude, however, so you’ll need an 8-inch or larger telescope to spot it visually.

Wednesday, July 4

No holiday better epitomizes summer in the United States than Independence Day. And the season’s namesake asterism — the Summer Triangle — will be on prominent display as fireworks ring out across the land. The trio’s brightest member, Vega in the constellation Lyra the Harp, stands nearly overhead in late evening. The asterism’s second-brightest star, Altair in Aquila the Eagle, then lies about halfway from the southeastern horizon to the zenith. Deneb, the luminary of Cygnus the Swan, marks the Summer Triangle’s third corner. Although it is this asterism’s dimmest star, it’s the brightest point of light in the northeastern sky.

Thursday, July 5

Neptune rises around midnight local daylight time and appears nearly halfway from the southeastern horizon to the zenith as morning twilight commences. The magnitude 7.9 planet lies in Aquarius, 1.0° west-southwest of 4th-magnitude Phi (f) Aquarii. You can confirm your sighting of Neptune through a telescope, which reveals the planet’s 2.3″-diameter disk and blue-gray color.

Friday, July 6

Last Quarter Moon arrives at 3:51 a.m. EDT. It rises in the east around 1 a.m. local daylight time and climbs higher in the southeast as dawn approaches. During this period, our half-lit satellite lies among the background stars of northern Cetus the Whale.

If you ever thought the Sun’s distance controlled temperatures here on Earth, today should convince you otherwise. Earth reaches its most distant point from the Sun at 1 p.m. EDT. At this so-called aphelion, the two lie 94.5 million miles (152.1 million kilometers) apart, some 3.1 million miles (5.0 million km) farther away than they were at perihelion in early January. The Northern Hemisphere’s warm temperatures at this time of year arise because the Sun passes nearly overhead at noon; during winter, the Sun hangs low in the sky.

Saturday, July 7

Observers of the outer solar system can get a good view of Uranus before dawn. The best time to look for it is shortly before twilight begins around 3:30 a.m. local daylight time. Uranus then lies 25° above the eastern horizon among the background stars of southwestern Aries the Ram. This morning, use binoculars to find the magnitude 5.8 planet 4.3° northeast of the 4th-magnitude star Omicron (o) Piscium. A telescope reveals Uranus’ blue-green disk, which spans 3.5″.

Sunday, July 8

Although Jupiter reached opposition and peak visibility two months ago, it remains a stunning sight from evening twilight until it sets around 2 a.m. local daylight time. Jupiter shines at magnitude –2.3 and is essentially tied with Mars as the night sky’s brightest point of light once Venus sets by 11 p.m. The gas giant resides among the background stars of Libra the Scales, 2.1° northwest of Zubenelgenubi (Alpha [a] Librae). If you view the planet through a telescope tonight, its disk spans 41″ and displays spectacular cloud-top detail.

Source

Astronomy Magazine

In the Sky This Month

Although July offers warm, dry conditions for skywatching, it also provides some of the shortest nights of the year in the northern hemisphere, limiting the hours under the stars. Fortunately, some of the best skywatching sights are visible in the early evening, not long after sunset. Venus reigns as the Evening Star all month, slowly climbing the western sky. Mercury peeks into view below Venus for much of the month, with the star Regulus close to both of them.

July 2: Tarazed
Aquila, the eagle, is in the eastern sky at nightfall. Its brightest star, Altair, is at the lower right corner of the Summer Triangle. A star named Tarazed is just above Altair. Tarazed is a giant star that is nearing the end of its life.

July 3: 16 Cygni
The binary system known as 16 Cygni is about 70 light-years away, in the constellation Cygnus, which is in the east and northeast in early evening. Both stars are nearly identical to the Sun, and one of them is orbited by a giant planet.

July 4: Northern Crown
A small semicircle of stars crowns the evening sky: Corona Borealis. It appears high overhead around 10 or 11 p.m. The crown’s brightest star is Alphecca, which means “bright one of the dish” – a reference to the constellation’s bowl shape.

July 5: Mercury in the Evening
The planet Mercury is putting in a decent appearance in the early evening sky. It’s quite low as twilight fades, to the north of due west. It looks like a moderately bright star, far to the lower right of Venus, the “evening star.”

July 6: Far from the Sun
With the Sun beating down on the northern hemisphere, it’s hard to realize that we’re farthest from the Sun for the entire year today. We’re about a million and a half miles farther than the average distance of 93 million miles.

July 7: Venus and Regulus
The evening star has a date with the lion the next couple of nights. They are due west at nightfall. The “evening star” is Venus, our closest planetary neighbor. It will snuggle close to the star Regulus, the heart of Leo, the lion.

July 8: Summer Milky Way
Moon-free summer evenings are the best times of year to catch the splendor of the Milky Way. This hazy band of light represents the combined glow of millions of stars. They outline the disk of the Milky Way galaxy.

Source

StarDate

The Cosmic Calendar for July 2

With the lunar orb void in Aquarius until the monthly shift into Pisces occurs at 10:32am, there is no need to dash out of the starting gate with alacrity this morning. Once the moon does enter the watery realm of the last sign of the zodiac, be compassionate to the truly needy. Reach out a helping hand to partners, associates and dear ones under duress since Mercury is battling with Saturn via an off-kilter, 150-degree link (4:50pm) while the sun and the red planet Mars pummel one another in a dicey contra-parallel formation (5:45pm). With these two discordant sky configurations happening less than an hour apart, keep your cool in social settings and on the home front. Steer clear of temperamental souls who might subconsciously pull you into stress-producing emotional dramas. Dance away the moody blues tonight as the lunar orb in Pisces can give you happy feet.

[Note to readers: All times are now calculated for Pacific Daylight Time. Be sure to adjust all times according to your own local time so the alignments noted above will be exact for your location.]

Source

Copyright 2018 Mark Lerner & Great Bear Enterprises, Ltd.
Astrology.com

Cosmic Weather Horoscope for July 2018

Jane Lyle, Astrologer
From The Astrology Room

July 2018 is a moon dance. But we’ll be dancing backwards, wearing high heels.

Prepare, anyway, for a few shifts in focus and a change of pace during July and August. There’s plenty of heat, passion, and jaw-dropping twists and turns, alongside much rewinding.

Vibrant Mars is closer to Earth than at any time since 2003, while summer’s eclipse season shakes up the status quo for many of us. We’ll learn a lot from the past this summer if we take the time to look closely at what’s been under our noses all along. A saying to bear in mind during this time might be ‘More haste, less speed’.

Happy July!

Tuesday 10th July:

Today, lovely Venus enters stylish Virgo, and mighty Jupiter turns direct at 13 degrees Scorpio. There’s an atmosphere of restrained exuberance, extravagance, and earthly delights in one corner of the universe when Venus sextiles Jupiter over the weekend of July 20th – 22nd.

If you’ve got personal horoscope planets or points at around 14 degrees of Virgo, Taurus, Capricorn, Scorpio, Pisces or Cancer – this one’s for you, so do look out for it.

So much is bubbling away in the cosmic cauldron, you might miss this little bit of magic if you’re distracted. It would be a lovely time for creative projects, lucky encounters, loving feelings, attracting money – and spending money like its going out of fashion.

Friday 13th July:

The Power of Love? : New Moon and Partial Solar Eclipse at 20 degrees Cancer the Crab

It’s a big sporting weekend, with the FIFA World Cup Final and Wimbledon Men’s Finals both taking place on Sunday. This solar eclipse presides over the weekend, and beyond – as always with any eclipse, we should expect turning points and surprises.

Lunar vibrations are extra potent as we greet this new Moon and partial solar eclipse in Cancer. This is a supermoon – at the closest point to Earth in its monthly cycle. It’s emotional impact could be intense, with both Sun and Moon in Cancer, the Moon’s own astrology sign, opposing powerful, secretive Pluto in Capricorn.

Intuition and instincts are on high alert, and making cool, calm, rational decisions will be a real challenge – particularly in the volatile days around this eclipse. Much is fluctuating, so wait a few days if you can. Cancer is a loving, deeply sensitive sign – we will also be very much aware of the power of love, and loving feelings.

The Moon rules the public, the general population – so that’s all of us. This new Moon in Cancer will highlight news, secrets, or events about women, fertility, and the oceans. There may be dramatic rainfall, flooding, or storms at sea.

The Sun is at 20 Cancer in the national horoscopes for Bulgaria, Montenegro, Romania, and Serbia. The eclipse brings up questions around leadership, bosses, and perhaps dealing with dramatic weather conditions in these locations.

The Moon is at 19 Cancer in the horoscope for the UK Union, 1801 – women, and prominent or famous women in particular – are very much in the eclipse spotlight. Events could highlight a need for reform, regeneration, or signal an important, even chaotic, public event.

Mars is at 20 Capricorn in the national horoscope for New Zealand (1907). Mars sits on the Dragon’s Tail or fateful, karmic South Node of the Moon. The Dragon’s Head, or North Node, aligns with the eclipse at 20 Cancer.

An eclipse question New Zealand might ask is “what’s been learned from past actions, and where do we go next?”

This partial solar eclipse is visible, in part, in Adelaide and Melbourne, South Australia. It is visible over the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

This eclipse is important for you if you have planets or points at around 20 degrees of Cancer and Capricorn. People with 20 degrees of Aries or Libra in their personal horoscopes could notice some eclipse effects too.

Sunday 22nd July:

Here comes the Sun!

The Sun enters fiery Leo the Lion (and Lioness) – its radiant home sign today. The Sun in Leo is warm, loving, generous, creative and playful. The qualities of the Sun in astrology are magnified here in the Sun’s home sign.

Leo rules the fifth house of the natural zodiac – the house of children, creativity, speculation, and romance. Lurking in Leo’s shadows are bossiness, vanity, and brashness. But Leo rules the heart, and that’s what Sun in Leo asks us all to focus on.

‘Tonight the Super Trouper lights are gonna find me
Shining like the sun
Smiling, having fun
Feeling like a number one’

From Abba’s ’Super Trouper’ lyrics (1980) by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus

Current planet patterns mean that the Sun is crackling with surprises, and the urge for freedom. Between 22nd and 25th July Uranus in early Taurus squares off with the Sun in Leo, symbolising sudden insights, unlikely infatuations, liberation, and brand-new circumstances.

By Friday, 27th July, there’s yet more electrifying energy as the Sun opposes Mars at the spectacular total lunar eclipse. It’s competitive, physical, and potentially aggressive.

So roll with the punches, and hold off on any binding decisions. What July and August’s events and news reveal could mean we need to make important adjustments, or feel free to change our minds more than once.

Thursday 26th July:

Slow Down for Summer

Mercury turns retrograde today at 23 degrees Leo. The planet of media, travel, communications and languages is backtracking until 19th August.

There’ll be more slow-downs and snarl-ups to negotiate during 2018’s summer holidays. Do leave extra time for travel, check everything twice, and – as always – take care of your cards and cash, especially when using online services.

At this point, Mercury, Mars, Saturn, Neptune and Pluto are all retrograde. In August, once Uranus turns back on the 7th, there will be six planets out of the classical ten used in traditional astrology travelling in retrograde motion. Most of us will feel this slow down, and experience a few blasts from the past.

The big cosmic message for this phase is – try not rush, and aim to deal with – or park – any frustrations before they erupt into messy tantrums. Looking back over the year, or your ongoing dreams and projects, will be fulfilling and productive in the end.

Slowing down can be a beautiful, life-affirming thing to do. It allows us to be in the moment, to notice precious, fleeting details, to connect with the source of life, love, and creativity – and each other. This big retrograde season has a purpose beyond being annoying – ‘busyness’ doesn’t always bring happiness, or the results we’re aiming for.

Friday 27th July:

A Dramatic Weekend

Between Friday 27th and Tuesday 31st July the mighty Red Planet, Mars, is at its closest approach to Earth until 2020. It’s visible in the night sky, all night long.

Veteran astrologer Richard Nolle calls this close approach Mars Max – a time when Mars is just, well, more Martian.

He writes – “..all things pertaining to Mars loom larger and larger in human experience during this period: haste, heat, fire, danger, belligerence and conflict…..Not all of this happens with malice of forethought mind you. Recklessness, haste, and inattention can easily cause just as many fires, crashes, clashes and explosions.”

Mars has been drawing ever closer to us here on Earth this spring and early summer. Once it reaches its closest approach, it gradually begins to fade in our skies as it moves away. However, Mars doesn’t leave the battlefield swiftly and we can expect this edgy phase to resonate on into September.

Meanwhile, as the July temperature rises – literally or metaphorically – Mars could noticeably impact on your own horoscope if you have planets in the fixed signs of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius at around 4 degrees. There’s high, hot energy – it’s punchy.

There’s more about Mars retrograde in the Cosmic Weather for June. Basically, it can be a terrible time to confront others, but a positive time to review your actions or projects.

We’ll all be more aware of the energy of Mars this summer, and many people will be inclined to act on impulse, or be on a rather short fuse.

The astrology is:

Mars in Aquarius opposes the Sun in Leo on 26th-27th July

Mars in Aquarius, and late Capricorn, squares Uranus in Taurus 24th July – 25th September – do take it easy everyone.

And then, to round off the month, there’s this little firecracker…..

Friday, 27th July – Saturday 28th July:

Moon Madness: Full Moon and Total Lunar Eclipse at 4 degrees Aquarius

The Blood Moon of July’s total lunar eclipse in Aquarius is widely visible, weather permitting.

We can watch it in Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe and South America. Totality is a whopping 103 minutes. The whole show, from the first shadowy ‘bite’ out of the Moon’s silver disc, goes on much longer. This eclipse will have a real, lasting impact on our collective emotions. It is volatile, for it’s aligned with warrior Mars.

The eclipse and its themes are re-energised towards the end of September, when Mars returns to this degree of Aquarius, a degree that is now super-sensitive.

Aquarian themes illuminated by this energetic eclipse include technology, electricity, humanitarian organisations and groups, inventive epiphanies, rebellions and upheavals. There may be spectacular electrical storms or outages. People could be in the mood to call a strike or join a mass protest.

The Witches Current Moon Phase for July 2

Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 84%

The Moon today is in a Waning Gibbous Phase. This is the first phase after the Full Moon occurs. It lasts roughly 7 days with the Moon’s illumination growing smaller each day until the Moon becomes a Last Quarter Moon with a illumination of 50%. The average Moon rise for this phase is between 9am and Midnight depending on the age of the phase. The moon rises later and later each night setting after sunrise in the morning. During this phase the Moon can also be seen in the early morning daylight hours on the western horizon.

PHASE DETAILS FOR – MONDAY, JULY 2, 2018
Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 84%
Moon Age: 18.61 days
Moon Angle: 0.50
Moon Distance: 402,288.03 km
Sun Angle: 0.52
Sun Distance: 152,097,844.80 km

Source

MoonGiant

Supermoon Coming July 12

What Is a Supermoon and When Is the Next One?
When the Full Moon occurs during the Moon’s closest approach to Earth, its perigee, it appears larger and brighter in the sky. This phenomenon is often called a supermoon.

A New Moon at perigee is also often referred to as a supermoon. However, this event usually garners less attention because a New Moon is invisible from Earth.

Perigee and Apogee
The Moon’s orbit around Earth is not a perfect circle, but elliptical, with one side closer to Earth than the other. As a result, the distance between the Moon and Earth varies throughout the month and the year. On average, the distance is about 382,900 kilometers (238,000 miles).

The point on the Moon’s orbit closest to Earth is called the perigee and the point farthest away is the apogee.

Super Full Moon and Super New Moon
When a Full Moon takes place when the Moon is near its closest approach to Earth, it is called a Super Full Moon. When there is a New Moon around the closest point to Earth, it is known as a Super New Moon.

A Micromoon, on the other hand, is when a Full or a New Moon is near its farthest point from Earth, around apogee. It’s also known as a Minimoon, Mini Full Moon, or a Mini New Moon.

Not an Official Name
Supermoon is not an official astronomical term. It was first coined by an astrologer, Richard Nolle, in 1979. He defined it as ‘a New or a Full Moon that occurs when the Moon is at or near (within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth in its orbit’. It is not clear why he chose the 90% cut off in his definition.

Supermoon Definition
There are no official rules as to how close or far the Moon must be to qualify as a Supermoon or a Micro Moon. Different outlets use different definitions. Due to this, a Full Moon classified as a Supermoon by one source may not qualify as a Super Full Moon by another.

The following definitions are used at timeanddate.com:
Supermoon: A Full or New Moon that occurs when the center of the Moon is less than 360,000 kilometers (ca. 223,694 miles) from the center of Earth.
Micromoon: A Full Moon or New Moon that takes place when the center of the Moon is farther than 405,000 kilometers (ca. 251,655 miles) from the center of Earth.
A Super Full Moon’s angular size is 12.5%–14.1% bigger than a Micro Full Moon, and 5.9%–6.9% bigger than an average Full Moon (in years 1550–2650).

Technical Name: Perigee-syzygy
The technical term for a Supermoon is perigee-syzygy of the Earth-Moon-Sun system. In astronomy, the term syzygy refers to the straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies. Another name is perigee Full Moon.

When the Moon is close to the lunar nodes of its path during a syzygy, it causes a total solar eclipse or a total lunar eclipse

Looks Bigger and Brighter
Because it’s so close to Earth, a Super Full Moon also looks about 30% brighter than a Micro Full Moon and about 16% brighter than an average Full Moon.

The Supermoon on November 14, 2016, was the closest since January 26, 1948. The next time a Full Moon will come even closer to Earth is on November 25, 2034 (dates based on UTC time).

Moon Illusion: Best at Moonrise and Moonset
The best time to enjoy a Super Full Moon, or any other Full Moon, is just after moonrise, when the Moon is close to the horizon. Just before moonset is also a good time.

When the Full Moon is low, it looks bigger and brighter than when it’s higher up in the sky. This is called the Moon illusion, and actually makes more of a difference to what it looks like than the real boost you get from it being a bit closer to Earth.

Higher Tides at Supermoon
The greatest difference between high and low tide is around Full Moon and New Moon. During these Moon phases, the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun combine to pull the ocean’s water in the same direction. These tides are known as spring tides or king tides.

Supermoons lead to around 5 cm (2 inches) larger variation than regular spring tides, called perigean spring tides.

The tidal range is smallest during the two Quarter Moons, known as neaps or neap tide.

Natural Disaster Trigger?
Although the Sun and the Moon’s alignment cause a small increase in tectonic activity, the effects of the Supermoon on Earth are minor. Many scientists have conducted studies, and they haven’t found anything significant that can link the Super Moon to natural disasters.

According to NASA, the combination of the Moon being at its closest and at Full Moon, should not affect the internal energy balance of the Earth since there are lunar tides every day.

Source

timeanddate.com

We will be bright and fierce
Like the flame that burns
In the candle hot
We will be strong and grounded
Like the tumbled stone
That once was earth
We will be flexible and resilient
Like the water that flows
Always to return
We will be the essence of potential
Like the seed that waits
And grows when needed
We will endure
We will survive
We will triumph
And rise like the Phoenix
At the dawn of another day
With the help of the Gods
And our own determination
We will endure
And rise like the Phoenix.

 

 

—Everyday Witch A to Z Spellbook: Wonderfully Witchy Blessings, Charms & Spells
Deborah Blake

It has took us longer today to do our normal daily posts because of several severe storms we had come through here. The storms started around 6:00 p.m. last night. The winds were gusting from 60 to 85 mph. We had one storm right after another. They took down trees, telephone poles, cable lines, just basically tore this area up. There were several huge oaks across the road on the way out here to the office. We have several trees down in the field behind us. One of the trees fell on our neighbor’s house out here. The neighbors said a transformer caught fire and then a light meter got knocked off the side of a house and caught fire. They don’t know if the transformer blowing had anything to do with the fire. Another neighbor had their roof blown off and our shed’s roof blew off.

They have worked all day putting back up lines and cutting up trees. They were picking up debris when we came out here and still are. They don’t know if a tornado came through or it was straight line winds. Our building wasn’t hurt or effected but our power and internet has been coming and going because of the wires and lines being put back up. It got so bad that the local TV station was using their cellphones to show the radar as the storms moved through. But that is the reason we have been hit and miss today.

I apologize for this and hopefully tomorrow things will be getting back to normal. The heat is absolutely miserable and right now I can’t take the heat. The heat index is 114 and they say that is in the shade. It is hot, I know that much. So we are calling it a day. I am hoping and praying the power lines will be back up tomorrow and the internet fully restored. Till then, my sweets,

I love ya,

Lady A

The Witches Magickal Journal for Friday, June 29th

“Accept the universe
As the gods gave it to you.
If the gods wanted to give you something else
They’d have done it.

― Alberto Caeiro, The Collected Poems of Alberto Caeiro

 

Today is Friday, June 29th

Friday is the day of Venus. It takes it name from Frigg, the Goddess of love and transformation. She rules the spiritual side of a person that manifests in the physical. Because of this, Friday is often thought of as dangerously unpredictable. This is expressed in an old East Anglian adage:

Friday’s day will have its trick
The fairest or foulest day of the week.

Deity: Frigg

Zodiac Sign: Taurus/Libra

Planet: Venus

Tree: Apple

Herb: Vervain

Stone: Sapphire/Chrsolite

Animal: Bull/Serpent

Element: Earth

Color: Yellow/Violet

Number: 7

Rune: Peorth(P)

 

The Celtic Tree Month of Duir (Oak) (June 10 – July 7)

 

Runic Half Month of Feoh (June 29 – July 3)

 

Goddess of the Month of Rosea (June 13 – July 10)

 

Source

The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

The Goddess Book of Days for June 29th

Ambarvalia in Rome, dedicated to Ceres, Juno and the Family Goddesses, the Lares. (Demeter, Hera, Tonantzin, Isis, Ishtar, Copper Woman, Spider Woman, Mawu.) The twenty-ninth day of the Moon/month, the dark Moon belongs to Hecate Prosymna, the Egyptian Holy Apes, and is Women’s Day, the Sabbat in Ibo Africa.

The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein

Goddesses Associated with Friday

For Freya: Astarte, Aphrodite, Erzulie, Aida Wooo, Eve, Venus, Diana, Isis, the Witch of Gaeta, Chalchiuhtlique

Source

The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein

On Friday, We Honor Venus, Goddess of Love and Beauty

The Roman equivalent of Aphrodite, Venus was a goddess of love and beauty. Originally, she was believed to be associated with gardens and fruitfulness, but later took on all the aspects of Aphrodite from the Greek traditions. She is considered by many to be the ancestor of the Roman people, and was the lover of the god Vulcan, as well as of the warrior god Mars.

Worship and Celebration

The earliest known temple to Venus was dedicated on the Aventine hill in Rome, around 295 b.c.e. However, her cult was based in the city of Lavinium, and her temple there became the home of a festival known as the Vinalia Rustica. A later temple was dedicated after the defeat of the Roman army near Lake Trasimine during the Second Punic War.

Venus appears to have been very popular amongst the plebian class of Roman society, as evidenced by the existence of temples in areas of the city which were traditionally plebian rather than patrician. A cult to her aspect of Venus Erycina existed near Rome’s Colline gate; in this guise, Venus was a goddess primarily of fertility.

Another cult honoring Venus Verticordia also existed between the Aventine hill and Circus Maximus.

As often found in Roman gods and goddesses, Venus existed in many different incarnations. As Venus Victrix, she took on the aspect of warrior, and as Venus Genetrix, she was known as the mother of the Roman civilization. During the reign of Julius Caesar, a number of cults were started on her behalf, since Caesar claimed that the family of the Julii were directly descended from Venus. She is also recognized as a goddess of fortune, as Venus Felix.

Brittany Garcia of Ancient History Encyclopedia says, “Venus’ month was April (the beginning of spring and fertility) when most of her festivals were held. On the first of April a festival was held in honor of Venus Verticordia called Veneralia. On the 23rd, Vinalia Urbana was held which was a wine festival belonging to both Venus (goddess of profane wine) and Jupiter. Vinalia Rusticia was held on August 10th. It was Venus’ oldest festival and associated with her form as Venus Obsequens. September 26th was the date for the festival of Venus Genetrix, the mother and protector of Rome.”

The Lovers of Venus

Similar to Aphrodite, Venus took a number of lovers, both mortal and divine. She bore children with Mars, the god of war, but doesn’t seem to have been particularly maternal in nature. In addition to Mars, Venus had children with her husband, Vulcan, and when conflated with Aphrodite, is commonly believed to be the mother of Priapus, conceived during a fling with the god Bacchus (or one of Venus’ other lovers).

Scholars have noted that Venus doesn’t have many myths of her own, and that many of her stories are borrowed from the tales of Aphrodite.

Venus in Art and Literature

Venus is nearly always portrayed as young and lovely. Throughout the Classical period, a number of statues of Venus were produced by different artists. The statue Aphrodite of Milos, better known as the Venus de Milo, depicts the goddess as classically beautiful, with womanly curves and a knowing smile. This statue is believed to have been done by Alexandros of Antioch, around 100 b.c.e.

During the European Renaissance period and beyond, it became fashionable for upper class ladies to pose as Venus for paintings or sculptures. One of the best known is that of Pauline Bonaparte Borghese, younger sister of Napoleon. Antonio Canova sculpted her as Venus Victrix, reclined on a lounge, and although Canova wanted to sculpt her in a robe, Pauline apparently insisted on being portrayed nude.

Chaucer wrote regularly of Venus, and she appears in a number of his poems, as well as in The Knight’s Tale, in which Palamon compares his lover, Emily, to the goddess. In fact, Chaucer uses the turbulent relationship between Mars and Venus to represent Palamon, the warrior, and Emily, the lovely maiden in the flower garden.

Author

Patti Wigington, Paganism/Wicca Expert
Originally published on & owned by ThoughtCo

Friday

Friday: Is associated with Venus and the colors of – Green, Pink and White

Friday is the best time to deal with such matters as: Affection, Alliances, Architects, Artistic Ability, Artists, Balance, Beauticians, Beauty, Change, Chiropractors, Cosmetics, Courage, Courtship, Dancers, Dating, Decorating, Designers, Engineers, Entertainers, Fashion, Fertility, Friendship, Gardening, Gifts, Grace, Harmony, Herbal Magick, Household Improvements, Income, Luck, Luxury, Marriage, Material Things, Music, Painting, Partners, Peace, Physical Healing, Planning Parties, Poetry, Prosperity, Relationships, Romantic Love, Shopping, Social Activity, Soul-mates, Success

Source

Practical Magick for the Penny Pinching Witch
Carol Moyer

Ritual Influences for Friday, June 29tth

Friday Venus

 

Perfumes: Stephanotis, Apple Blossom, Musk, Ambergris

 

Incense: Saffron, Verbena

 

Wood: Myrtle

 

Color: Light Blue, Pale Green

 

Influences: All Love Matters, Friendships, Affection, Partnerships, Money, Sex

 

Reference

A Book of Pagan Rituals
Herman Slater

Magickal Days of the Week: Friday

 

Friday falls at the end of the work week for many of us, and that means we get a chance to relax for a little bit! Mark your Fridays with colors like pink and aqua, and metals such as copper. This is a day ruled by the planet Venus, so it should be no surprise that Venus and Aphrodite – goddesses of love and beauty – are associated with Fridays. This is a day named for the Norse goddess Freyja, so be sure to take a moment to honor her as well.

Gemstones associated with Friday include coral, emerald and rose quartz, and plants like strawberries, apple blossoms and feverfew are also related. This is a good day to do spellwork associated with family life and fertility, sexuality, harmony, friendship, growth. Take advantage of Friday’s correspondences and plant a seed, make something grow, and enjoy your blessings

*Note: There are a lot of disputes as to the origins of the word Friday, because there is still a great deal of discussion as to whether it was named for Freyja or Frigga, and whether they were the same deity or two separate ones. Some scholars believe that while they may have eventually become two distinctly different goddesses, they could have had their origins in a single, common Proto-Germanic deity.

Author

Patti Wigington, Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article published on & owned by ThoughtCo

Freya’s Day

 

Ruler: Freya, Venus

Colors: Emerald green or pink

Power Hours: Sunrise and the 8th, 16th, and 24th hours following.

Key Words: Love, money, health

It is easy to spot the ruler of this day by its name. In the word Friday, we see the roots of the name of the Norse goddess Freya, a goddess of love and fertility, and the most beautiful and propitious of the goddesses thus the verse “Friday’s child is loving and giving.”

In Spanish this day of the week is called Viernes and is derived from the goddess Venus. Matters of love, human interaction, the fluidity of communication, sewing and the creation of artistic garments, household improvement, shopping, and party planning all fall under the aspects of Friday and its ruling planet, Venus.

Friday’s angels are Ariel/Uriel, Rachiel, and Sachiel. Rachiel also concerns himself with human sexuality and is a presiding spirit of the planet Venus.

On Fridays, the hour of sunrise and every eight hours after that are also ruled by Venus, and that makes these times of the day doubly blessed. These four hours are the strongest four hours for conducting ritual.
Check the local newspaper, astrological calendar, or almanac to determine your local sunrise.

Source

Gypsy Magic

Friday’s Witchery

On Friday’s Love magick is a perennial popular topic. However, there is more to this topic than meets the eye. There are many enchanting layers here for us to explore on this day of the week. What about creating a loving home, or producing a loving and nurturing ing family? What about keeping your intimate relationships vital and on track? How about promoting happy, healthy, and enduring friendships? See, there is more to be considered than just the “You shall be mine…” type of fictional love spell. Don’t forget that many of the deities associated with Fridays are also parents. So, yes while this is the day to work on romance, sex, and love spells, there is additional magick to be considered here, which makes Fridays a more well-rounded and bigger opportunity for witchery than many folks ever truly realize. The truest, strongest magick always comes from the heart.

Source

Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan

 

The Witches Almanac for Friday, June 29th

Haro Wine Battle (Spain)

Waning Moon

Moon phase: Third Quarter

Moon Sign: Capricorn

Incense: Yarrow

Color: Pink

 

FRIDAY CORRESPONDENCES

Venus/Water/East/West/South/Dawn/Female/Libra/Taurus

 

Magickal Intentions: Love, Romance, Marriage, Sexual Matters, Physical Beauty, Friendship and Partnerships, Strangers, Heart

Color: aqua, blue, light blue, brown, green, pale green, magenta, peach, pink, rose, white, all pastels

Number: 5, 6

Metal: copper

Charm: green or white garments, scepter

Stone: alexandrite, amethyst, coral, diamond, emerald, jade, jet, black moonstone, peridot, smoky quartz, tiger’s-eye, pink tourmaline

Animal: camel, dove, elephant, goat, horse, pigeon, sparrow

Plant: apple, birch, cherry, clematis, clove, coriander, heather, hemlock, hibiscus, ivy, lotus, moss, myrtle, oats, pepperwort, peppermint, pinecone, quince, raspberry, rose, pink rose, red rose, rose hips, saffron, sage, savin, stephanotis, strawberry, thyme, vanilla, verbena, violet, water lily, yarrow, and all flowers

Incense: ambergris, camphor, mace, musk, myrrh, rose, saffron, sage, sandalwood, sweetgrass, vanilla, violet, all floral scents

Goddess: Aphrodite, Asherah, Baalith, Brigid, Erzulie, Freya (Passionate Queen), Frigg, Gefion, Harbor (Beautiful One), Hestia, Inanna, Ishtar (Lady of Passion and Desire), Lakshmi, Lilith, Mokosh, Nehalennia, Nerthus, Ostara, Pombagira, Sarasvati, Shakti, Shekinah, Sirtur, Al Uzza, Venus (Queen of Pleasure), Vesta

God: Allah, Bacchus, Bes, Cupid, the Dagda, Dionysus, El, Eros (God of Love), Freyr, Frit Ailek, Shukra

Evocation: Agrat Bat Mahalat, Anael, Hagiel, Mokosba, Rasbid, Sachiel, Uriel, Velas

Courtesy of Moonlight Musings

Friday Is Ruled by Venus

Archangel: Anael

Candle colour: Green or pink

Incenses: Rose or geranium

Crystals: Jade or rose quartz

Use Fridays for spells for love, fidelity, healing, for anything to do with beauty, the arts and crafts and for all spells concerning the environment.

Where possible, work in any enclosed beautiful place outdoors, for example a botanical garden, a field, park or your own garden – even in a circle of plants indoors.

Friday & The Perfect Corresponding Spell

For many, Friday is the last work day of the week. It’s considered the fifth day of the work week and, also, the “cut loose” day. By Friday night, people are out having a party. That makes Friday the perfect day for lust, banish, fast-grant, and find spells . This day is so powerful (energy wise). That’s why whatever you do on this day will, usually, have a strong effect. If you want things out of your life, the darkness and power, associated with this day, bring the energy you need for that. If you need strong, immediate results, this is your day, as well.

 

Spell to Find Your Soul Mate

This ritual is intended to draw a partner who is best suited to you at this time in your life, or one who is “meant” for you. It is supposedly “fail-safe”, but remember, you must take responsibility for any results and consequences.
components Needed:
A clear mind and focused goal
Special paper, such as hemp, cotton, real parchment, whatever you deem special
A ritual writing instrument (the pen is mightier than the Athame) such as quill, fountain pen,
favorite ball-point, etc. In whatever color ink desired.
Moon incense
Charcoal or a small ritual fire

Timing: any time, preferably after dark during the waxing moon. The timing is more flexible with this working for many reasons; the nature of the work, and the full moon energy contained in the moon incense which is an incense of Increase or drawing.
Reinforce your personal circle/aura and prepare for workings in your usual manner. Using the ritual pen and special paper, write words of power that will call the most perfect partner to you at this time. Do not include specific names, and avoid thinking of a specific person. If you can’t find quite the right words, use the following:

“If there be a perfect match, this work tonight will surely catch. the perfect one who is meant to be,
shall find his/her way home to me.
In perfect love and perfect trust,
I send this out, but not from lust,
This spell will guide us to unite,
free will remains with us tonight.”

When you are finished, read over what you wrote and confirm that everything you want tosay is included. When you are certain it is as you wish, spend some time meditating on yourgoal while you light your ritual fire or the charcoal. When you get “that feeling” (the one when you know everything is right, your will is focused, you know it is certain, you know the feeling…)

Prepare to begin the physical aspect of the ritual. When the fire has become coals, or the charcoal is glowing happily, read aloud your writing, repeating it 3X. As you read, or as you come to the end of each repetition, sprinkle a small handful (about a Tablespoon) of the incense on the fire.

You will want to be practiced at this for the best effect as well as safety, so make up a full recipe of it and accustom yourself to its nature prior to the rite.

Fold the paper and keep it near you for three days. Keep it under your pillow, mattress, or pinned to your night clothes (if you aren’t sky/star clad) while you sleep. After three days, light another ritual fire, repeat the C.O.P., reading and incense procedure and this time, burn the paper when you are done. OR you can keep the paper in a special spell box if you use this method.

Many Witches have special containers to keep finished workings in. These are usually decorative and personalized with engravings or painting on them that echo their contents. For example, a heart shaped heartwood box with runes and magical symbols of love on it for this spell. Usually only similar spells are kept together, or each spell is kept in its own box.

Household Magick for Friday, June 29

Use Friday to cast for love, luxury, pleasure, and entertainment.

Planetary Influence: Venus

Household Symbols: A seashell, a fountain, fresh flowers, your wedding ring or wedding photo, red or pink paper hearts, apples and cherries.

Colors: Pink and aqua green

Kitchen Spices: Thyme and sugar

 

Celebrating Other Spirituality 365 Days A Year for June 28 -29 – St. Peter’s Eve and Rushbearing

28 and 29 June

St. Peter’s Eve and Rushbearing

St. Peter’s day, has been a day of foundations since the Middle Ages, when the rushes that covered the stone floors of homes and churches were replaced. The actual strewing days developed into ceremonial occasions, centering on the rushbearing procession to the local church.

In northern England, Lancashire, Cheshire, and adjacent Yorkshire, rushbearings were the high points of the year, reaching a pinnacle of splendor in the early 19th century. The focal point of the festivities was on the rushcart, with its towering ing load of green rushes skillfully piled in a pyramid shape. It was secured with flower-woven rush rope, topped by oak boughs, and often hung with glittering silverware and other adornments that showed off the wealth of the community and reflected away ill luck. The great festivals and ceremonies that surrounded rushbearing went into a sharp decline in the late Victorian period. Even in the most remote villages, rushbearing is but a memory of times gone by.

 

“Every spell is a journey.”

― Lawren Leo, Love’s Shadow: Nine Crooked Paths

The Witches Astronomy Journal for Friday, June 29th

The Pentagram

I invoke Ancient Powers of The Star
The Powers of Five
The Spiral Powers
The Powers of Earth
I invoke the Ancient Powers of Life
Star in the Circle
In the Iron Circle
Quaint, ancient symbol
So ancient, primordial and timeless
Dark symbol of life
On planets bearing life
Deep in DNA
Deeply branded in the Heart of our Earth
Touchstone of Wisdom
Of Ancient Knowledge, NOW,
Living in the stars
I call out through the Circled Iron Star
For my Star Power
Out through the Galaxies.

—Similodon, Author
Originally published Pagan Library

Custom Planetary Positions

June 29, 2018
Zodiac: Tropical (Standard Western)

 

Sun: 07 Cancer 46
Moon: 22 Capricorn 31
Mercury: 00 Leo 31
Venus: 18 Leo 04
Mars: 09 Aquarius 10 Rx
Jupiter: 13 Scorpio 32 Rx
Saturn: 05 Capricorn 42 Rx
Uranus: 01 Taurus 57
Neptune: 16 Pisces 28 Rx
Pluto: 20 Capricorn 20 Rx

True Lunar Node: 05 Leo 59 Rx
Mean Lunar Node: 07 Leo 23 Rx

Chiron: 02 Aries 25
Ceres: 00 Virgo 28
Pallas: 22 Cancer 53
Juno: 29 Aries 11
Vesta: 26 Sagittarius 13 Rx

Eris: 24 Aries 04

Fire: 8
Earth: 5
Air: 1
Water: 4
Cardinal: 8
Fixed: 7
Mutable: 3

Your Daily Sun & Moon Data for Friday, June 29

The Sun
Sun Direction: ↑ 81.52° E
Sun Altitude: 28.89°
Sun Distance: 94.498 million mi
Next Equinox: Sep 22, 2018 8:54 pm (Autumnal)
Sunrise Today: 5:37 am↑ 60° Northeast
Sunset Today: 8:18 pm↑ 300° Northwest
Length of Daylight: 14 hours, 40 minutes

The Moon
Moon Direction: ↑ 255.96° WSW
Moon Altitude: -16.38°
Moon Distance: 252243 mi
Next New Moon: Jul 12, 20189:47 pm
Next Full Moon: Jul 27, 20183:20 pm
Next Moonrise: Today9:29 pm
Current Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous
Moon Illumination: 98.4%

Source

timeanddate.com

Astrology of Today – Friday, June 29, 2018

The Moon is in Capricorn.
The Moon is void from 4:57 AM forward (until the Moon enters Aquarius tomorrow at 12:36 AM).
The Moon is waning and in its Full phase.
The Full Moon occurred yesterday in the sign of Capricorn.
Mars is retrograde (Mars is retrograde from June 26th to August 27th).
Mercury enters Leo today (Mercury is in Leo from June 29th to September 5th).

Moon in Capricorn

The Moon is traveling through Capricorn today. Make a list of goals. Work overtime. Climb higher. Don’t sulk.

We become aware of the need for structure and planning ahead with a Capricorn Moon. We are instinctively aware of the limitations of time and motivated by a desire for success. Achievement and manifestation are more important to us now. We are resourceful and don’t want to waste time, energy, or resources. This can be a somewhat sober influence, but it can also be a productive time when we look reality in the eye.

The Moon in Capricorn generally favors the following activities: Long-term activities that yield slow but steady results, practical undertakings, career issues, making a business plan, practical investments.

 

A Look At Your Planets And Stars for Friday, June 29

Mercury enters the sign of Leo today and will transit the sign for longer than usual – until September 5th. The length of this stay is due to the upcoming retrograde of Mercury from July 26th to August 19th spent entirely in Leo, which serves to extend the visit. When Mercury is in Leo, our thinking is more confident and grand. The focus is now on the goal–and the more magnificent the goal, the better! The details may not be quite as important to us now. We are more expressive, even theatrical, and given to speech-giving and story-telling under this influence. We are also more convincing and persuasive, as we exude confidence when we speak or write. We may not listen as well as we usually do, however.

The Moon spends the day in productive Capricorn. However, Mercury is moving into a minor challenging aspect with Neptune, which can serve to diffuse our concentration or focus.

The Moon is void from 4:58 AM EDT, with the Moon’s last aspect before changing signs (a conjunction to Pluto), until the Moon enters Aquarius the next day, Saturday, June 30th, at 12:37 AM EDT.

The sky this week for June 29 to July 1

Mercury, Mars, Venus, Uranus — a slew of brilliant planets will grace the sky this week.
By Richard Talcott

Friday, June 29

Venus dominates the western sky after sunset. The dazzling object shines at magnitude –4.1 among the background stars of western Leo, having crossed the border from Cancer earlier in the day. The planet appears 15° high an hour after sundown and sets around 11 p.m. local daylight time. When viewed through a telescope, Venus appears 16″ across and 70 percent lit.

The Moon reaches apogee, the farthest point in its orbit around Earth, at 10:43 p.m. EDT. It then lies 252,315 miles (406,061 kilometers) from Earth’s center.

Saturday, June 30

The waning gibbous Moon rises in the east-southeast just as the last vestiges of twilight fade away. About 15 minutes later, ruddy Mars joins our satellite. The two stand about 5° apart as they cross the sky tonight.

For people who live near 30° north latitude, today marks the latest sunset of the year. Although Earth’s summer solstice and the Northern Hemisphere’s longest day occurred more than a week ago (on the 21st), latest sunset happens several days after and earliest sunrise several days before. The specific dates depend on your latitude, however — latest sunset at 40° north took place June 27. In general, latest sunset occurs closer to the solstice the farther north you live.

Sunday, July 1

Now that the Moon is exiting the evening sky, this is a good opportunity for binocular users to track down one of summer’s finest open star clusters. NGC 6231 lies in the tail of Scorpius the Scorpion, just 0.5° north of the double star Zeta (ζ) Scorpii (which is another fine binocular sight). NGC 6231 shines at magnitude 2.6 and packs more than 100 stars into a region about half the width of the Full Moon. This part of Scorpius lies nearly due south after darkness falls, though it doesn’t climb high from mid-northern latitudes.

Source

Astronomy Magazine

In the Sky This Month

The planets seem especially busy this month, highlighting both morning and evening skies. Venus reigns as the Evening Star, and points out some interesting sights in Gemini and Cancer during the month. Saturn puts in its best showing of the year, with Jupiter just past its best. And Mars climbs inexorably across the sky, toward its best appearance next month.

June 29: Moon and Mars
The planet Mars is growing brighter by the day. It’s in good view in the southeast by midnight, and looks like a bright orange star. Tonight, it stands to the lower left of the Moon.

June 30: More Moon and Mars
The gibbous Moon has a famous companion tonight: the planet Mars. It is to the lower right of the Moon as they climb into good view, around midnight, and almost directly below the Moon at first light tomorrow. Mars looks like a bright orange star.

July 1: Summer Triangle
The Summer Triangle is well up in the eastern sky at nightfall, and passes directly overhead after midnight. Vega, its brightest point, is at the top of the triangle in early evening. Deneb is the left point, with Altair to the lower right.

July 2: Tarazed
Aquila, the eagle, is in the eastern sky at nightfall. Its brightest star, Altair, is at the lower right corner of the Summer Triangle. A star named Tarazed is just above Altair. Tarazed is a giant star that is nearing the end of its life.

July 3: 16 Cygni
The binary system known as 16 Cygni is about 70 light-years away, in the constellation Cygnus, which is in the east and northeast in early evening. Both stars are nearly identical to the Sun, and one of them is orbited by a giant planet.

July 4: Northern Crown
A small semicircle of stars crowns the evening sky: Corona Borealis. It appears high overhead around 10 or 11 p.m. The crown’s brightest star is Alphecca, which means “bright one of the dish” – a reference to the constellation’s bowl shape.

July 5: Mercury in the Evening
The planet Mercury is putting in a decent appearance in the early evening sky. It’s quite low as twilight fades, to the north of due west. It looks like a moderately bright star, far to the lower right of Venus, the “evening star.”

Source

StarDate

Your Cosmic Calendar for Friday, June 29

 

Another long void lunar cycle — this one beginning with the moon making its monthly union with Pluto in Capricorn (1:59am) — continues for most of today. While this lunar placement can promote career and professional ambitions, the void component acts as a reminder to complete old business before beginning any bold, new plans. Two minutes before the moon enters airy Aquarius (9:38pm), Mercury connects with Neptune via a tense, 135-degree aspect (9:36pm). Be crystal clear in discussions with loved ones as Friday night morphs into Saturday morning. Anticipate a rekindling of the recent Mars station tomorrow as the moon in Aquarius makes a forceful conjunction with the red planet.

[Note to readers: All times are now calculated for Pacific Daylight Time. Be sure to adjust all times according to your own local time so the alignments noted above will be exact for your location.]

 

Copyright 2018 Mark Lerner & Great Bear Enterprises, Ltd
Astrology.com

The Witches Current Moon Phase for Friday, June 29

Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 98%

Tomorow the Moon will be in a Waning Gibbous Phase. This is the first phase after the Full Moon occurs. It lasts roughly 7 days with the Moon’s illumination growing smaller each day until the Moon becomes a Last Quarter Moon with a illumination of 50%. The average Moon rise for this phase is between 9am and Midnight depending on the age of the phase. The moon rises later and later each night setting after sunrise in the morning. During this phase the Moon can also be seen in the early morning daylight hours on the western horizon.

PHASE DETAILS FOR – FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018

Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 98%
Moon Age: 15.92 days
Moon Angle: 0.49
Moon Distance: 405,438.95 km
Sun Angle: 0.52
Sun Distance: 152,090,026.51 km

Source

MoonGiant.com

HOW MARS RETROGRADE 2018 WILL AFFECT YOUR HOROSCOPE (AND SEX LIFE)

Even though Mars retrograde 2018 officially begins on June 26, 2018 (at 9°13′ Aquarius) and ends on August 27 (at 28°36′ Capricorn), those Mars retrograde dates can be misleading.

The planet of passion actually entered its shadow period on May 12, 2018, and that’s when the funkiness really starts creeping in. And, Mars doesn’t exit his retrograde shadow until October 8, 2018… which is when we can all officially say we are in the clear.

In astrology, Mars is the ruler of Aries and co-ruler of Scorpio as the planet of action, assertion, energy, and sexual desire. Named after the God of War, Mars is a celestial anomaly when it comes to retrograde patterns, only moving backward every two years.

The last time Mars was retrograde was during the late summer of 2016. This year, Mars will retrograde between Aquarius and Capricorn, spending time in both signs before ambling forward again. Mars’ retrograde will activate two houses within the natal chart, trampling on the delicate tissues connecting two areas of life and psyche, but most of the action will unfurl in Aquarius. Potentially, this transit will be most intense for Aquarius and Capricorn, most beneficial for Gemini and Virgo, and most stressful for Cancer and Leo.

Normally hot-headed Mars is due to become altogether more cool and cerebral in Aquarius, transforming into a sure-footed, persistent warrior in Capricorn. Between these two celestial playgrounds, Mars will toe the line between the future (Aquarius) and the past (Capricorn), the newfangled opportunity (Aquarius) and the tried and true (Capricorn).

Globally, this could create skirmishes between left and right-wing ideologies, which are perfectly exemplified by the polarized Aquarius-Capricorn binary; on the personal level, we are likely to grapple with a similarly gnawing sense that we must find a balance between alteration and convention.

Key aspects made during the Mars retrograde in Aquarius and Capricorn will stoke the fires of Mars’ antipathy, forcing reactions and a growing sense of urgency to change. Squares between Mars in Aquarius and Uranus in Taurus will add a restless, itchy wish to break from restraints, while conjunctions between Mars and the South Node in Aquarius will help offload past anger and frustrations. This combination seems to imply that by letting go of what was, we’ll be plumped to fight towards a vision of what may be.

Mars squares Uranus May 16, August 1, and September 18, 2018; Mars conjoins the South Node June 7, July 20, and September 25, 2018.

_____________________________

ARIES (AND ARIES RISING)
Rams have been in an intense phase of career responsibility and advancement since Saturn entered Capricorn in late 2017. To top it off, Pluto has been a longtime resident of this part of your chart, eviscerating any hopes you may have held about squeaking by half-heartedly in your career.

Now, you’ll be contending with the Mars retrograde as it trots across the parts of your chart connecting your career and reputation to your aspirations. Some of you may be weighing up new forays into group spaces or reconsidering existing collective work, while others may find themselves called wondering how to align their day job with profound new daydreams.

Part of the work here is to study your motivations to ensure they’ll go the distance; the Mars-Uranus squares will serve to highlight how new financial needs may play into this budding picture.

TAURUS (AND TAURUS RISING)
Taureans have already been in a process of accelerated transformation since Uranus entered your sign mid-May 2018.

The Mars retrograde will serve to amplify the necessity of these changes by spurring you to consider how matters of foreign travel, higher education, and spirituality intersect with your career. Big shifts are afoot: some may think about returning to university or investing in a new course of study, while others may seek to integrate mystical methods into their vocational path. A choice few may gestate grand plans to work or live abroad.

Count on the Mars-Uranus squares to help you feel increasingly comfortable with striking out on a new path, one that will better reflect your shifting sense of self.

GEMINI (AND GEMINI RISING)
It’s time to empty your energetic bin, dear Gemini: this Mars retrograde may have you seeking out alternative methods for ditching some of your demons. You may choose to ‘let go and let God,’ or, just let go altogether; an emanating sense of wisdom may lead you to relinquish your need for control in preference of peace. Others yet may find themselves exiting unsustainable joint ventures or weighing up how well certain spiritual edicts and teachers are at replenishing your soul’s coffers.

Any ideas circulating about an investment in continuing education or foreign fancies could suddenly go off the boil. Though some of these postponements may be frustrating at first, there also seems to be a potent opportunity to discharge your vessel of what is no longer needed and refill it with something higher-minded.

As part of this, the Mars-Uranus squares will help you identify with laser-precision what parts of your psyche (and even, your clan) are working for or against your betterment.

CANCER (AND CANCER RISING)
There are truly some things money cannot buy, Cancer, and chief among these is love. ‘Money talks’ is an oft-used axiom because it’s true: where we most want to play, we’ll happily pay, and if we won’t cough up the cash, it’s a likely indication that our heart lies elsewhere.

Be prepared for conversations about joint resources, pooled efforts, and serious partnerships, as Mars’ retrograde in Aquarius and Capricorn provokes the delicate balance between you, your partners, and the bank. Although this is most likely to crop up in romantic partnerships, the same scenarios could arise in business alliances, too. Possible areas of conflict and subsequent compromise will include divorce settlements, investments, inheritances, and the no-longer-hidden emotions underpinning these arrangements. Included in that may be considering the all-too-important loans you hand out of your time and energy – priceless assets deserving of a fair ROI.

To that end, the Mars-Uranus squares will have you hopefully chasing after new aspirations with intensity, a helpful fix for breaking out of stifling arrangements.

LEO (AND LEO RISING)
Leo is in the hot seat for much of the Mars retrograde; it will be nigh on impossible to escape some levels of confrontation during this time, even if that happens primarily within yourself. While that may seem like sour news, the Mars retrograde will also helpfully flush out long-held resentments that have been bubbling below the surface for far too long.

In particular, you could find yourself in a contentious stand-off with colleagues and subordinates at work; similar showdowns could just as easily transpire with your better half. As you begin to release yourself from old hurts, new spaces will open within, enabling you to redirect your energy to far worthier purposes.

The Mars-Uranus squares will provide the needed get-up-and-go to help power you forward into meaningful and much-needed career changes, which will benefit you long after this Mars retrograde ends.

VIRGO (AND VIRGO RISING)
Nothing passes under your keen eye easily: separating the wheat from the chaff is your full-time job as a Virgo. Fortunately, or unfortunately, this is the way you approach all areas of life, even leisure. During the Mars retrograde in Aquarius and Capricorn, you may surmise that all work and no play is making you a very dull maiden.

After ticking a box or two regarding your health (which you have a natural tendency to safeguard), you’ll be in fine position to remind yourself that enjoyment, health, and work are not such strange bedfellows; perhaps they can even be considered a complementary set.

The Mars-Uranus squares will drive you to reach beyond the mundane, and even the entertaining, for higher-minded wisdom that’s sure to enrich your daily beat.

LIBRA (AND LIBRA RISING)
Trying to get people-pleasing behaviors out of socially canny Librans is like trying to get eggs out of a baked cake, but with varying aspects coming your way during the Mars retrograde in Aquarius and Capricorn, you may decide for once to shove your diplomacy to the side in favor of decidedly more direct tactics.

The start of the Mars retrograde is more likely to bring positive adaptations to circumstances involving children, creativity, and sex; the second phase of the retrograde, however, may demand you to step up and face challenges regarding family and home. Both periods are likely to push your buttons as it becomes necessary to examine what you’re busily creating or nurturing, and who is (or is not) chipping in to help.

Use the Mars-Uranus squares to assert your needs, highlighting where and when the time, energy, or cash of others is required.

SCORPIO (AND SCORPIO RISING)
Home is where the heart is, Scorpio, but it’s where the mind resides, too. So much of our inner peace depends on the home we were raised in, as well as the one that we make for ourselves later in life.

This Mars retrograde, you may be weighing up how home, community, and even siblings, contribute to your sense of wellbeing. Necessary course corrections will become clear as you navigate through the muck, noting when it’s time to leave certain scars behind in favor of reconciliation. Writing or journaling could be just the ticket to aid you in this release.

The Mars-Uranus squares unfolding between one part of your chart involving family and home, and another part involving significant others might manifest as dramatic showdowns, but only if you let your infamous talents for impalement do their worst. Attempt to find a middle path, somewhere between antipathy and apathy, allowing you to focus on manifesting change with parents and paramours.

SAGITTARIUS (AND SAGITTARIUS RISING)
This Mars retrograde you’re likely to have your mind on your money, and your money on your mind, Sagittarius.

The effects of the Mars retrograde in Aquarius and Capricorn are likely to be mild, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be meaningful: use the messages you intercept about money to make necessary adjustments in your communications and thoughts about the same. If your work involves writing or speaking, there is an even greater likelihood that you need to rethink your rate or fine-tune what you’re saying and why (perhaps an all too common predicament for Sagittarians).

Your mantra for the series of Mars-Uranus squares is to pray for a pause button before you click send on anything that may be divisive or extraneously contentious. Use that extra energy to discover ways that you can serve your community, a win-win for both body and mind.

CAPRICORN (AND CAPRICORN RISING)
It would be entirely reasonable for Capricorns to wince before, during, and after reading their horoscopes these days: with Pluto and Saturn already in your sign, providing pressures on all fronts, you may have gotten used, or even resigned yourself, to be the personal punching bag of astrology.

Although the Mars retrograde is happening in your sign, and thus portends a certain level of intensity, the news is not all bad. Essentially, the Mars retrograde in Aquarius and Capricorn is coming for your money, honey: what it means to you, and what you do with it. You may also take off on tangents related to your self-worth and the tie that binds internal and external value.

The Mars-Uranus squares are likely to have you chomping at the bit to spend it like it’s hot; perhaps the trick may be to find a healthy, happy medium for financial indulgences – investing in your creativity, for example, or developing a system of incremental rewards tied to achieving your saving goals. Don’t be too harsh on yourself though; Goats, like girls, just wanna have fun.

AQUARIUS (AND AQUARIUS RISING)
In times like these, I’m often reminded of an old joke: ‘Just when I thought I hit rock bottom, I heard knocking from below.’ You’ll be hearing plenty of knocking from below this Mars retrograde, as Mars sets off spelunking into some mighty dark caverns, poking and prodding you in the most sensitive of places. Things will have been turbulent as of late, as you’ve had eclipses occurring in your sign for the last eighteen months; while the average Aquarian can handle more than its fair share of shifting, you may be suffering from change fatigue.

The Mars retrograde in your sign, as well as Capricorn, is here to dredge up something awfully important: with your permission, he intends to reconnect you with who you are, and why you do – or undo, as it were – the things you do, the implication being that these proclivities could do with an edit.

The Mars-Uranus squares may prompt swift adjustments in matters of home and family, or help you break free of the same.

PISCES (AND PISCES RISING)
The Mars retrograde in Aquarius and Capricorn is a mental exam in the making for Pisces. Akin to having a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other, you may find yourself betwixt and between two very different impulses, one of which is anchored in optimism, and the other which seeks to leave you unmoored in a sea of doubt.

Wavering between these two states may feel tiring, and indeed, you may need to schedule some downtime during the Mars retrograde to refresh, allowing you more perspective to reassess your social circle. Some members of your entourage may be revealed as more frenemy than friend; with Mars around, you may decide to send them packing.

The Mars-Uranus squares will quicken your mind, electrifying your thoughts with sudden bursts of intuitive knowing about your deepest pains. As part of this, a new urge may arise to form a community with other like-minded folks, who share similar wounds and wisdom

by Lee Coleman
Published on Astrology.com

 

If You Were Born Today, June 27

You are a wonderful conversationalist and idea-person. You have a way with words, and others tend to appreciate your sense of fun. You are very able to make sacrifices for others, and sometimes do so to the detriment of your own progress. This is particularly true in your love life. You are highly creative. Possibly the most impressive of your many abilities is your empathic qualities that allow you to put yourself into virtually anyone’s shoes and understand. Famous people born today: Tobey Maguire, J. J. Abrams, Julia Duffy, Lionel Richie, Helen Keller.

Your Birthday Year Forecast

A Full Moon in your Solar Return chart marks this as a year of great personal significance, when major new beginnings, endings, and activities occur. This period is the culmination of a stage of personal growth and development. Events occurring this year may bring various developments in your emotional, psychological, or spiritual life over the past several years to a head. Relationships are especially important. There can be increased activity in your professional and public life, causing a conflict with your domestic and personal goals. There is little moderation in your life this year. Connections are made or ended, or your job focus may change as one focus fades to make way for a new direction. The year ahead is certain to be a very busy, dynamic, and significant period in your life.

Saturn forms an opposition to your Sun until November (since February). Saturn calls upon you to identify the weaker areas of your life and to fix or strengthen them. Take the time to sort out details, improve your work, and become more efficient. Taking a slow and steady approach to life is necessary during this period. Pushing too hard will likely lead to frustration and setbacks. Take it easy and work on self-improvement. Results are not immediate, but will eventually come and bring healthy rewards. Relationships may be (or seem) more challenging than usual while Saturn opposes your Sun.

You might often get frustrated if results of your actions are not instant, but it’s best to cultivate some patience when it comes to realizing your goals. As well, if you are not getting the results you crave, consider that you might be aiming too high or too wide.

Venus in hard aspect to Jupiter in your Solar Return chart brings love and romance into your life, but you could encounter problems due to overblown expectations or excessive behavior. You may overindulge and would do well to strike a balance between pleasures and the obligations of daily life.

If there are health issues this year, look for blockages or constrictions since Saturn is involved with the Node.

This can be an excellent period for opening up communications with others, as you are more sensitive than usual and more willing to listen. Getting your point across is easier — it’s not only about what specific words you choose to communicate, you intuitively express the meaning and intention behind the words. You can effectively use words to soothe, heal, and teach this year. You are also more open to new ways of looking at problems, thus it’s considerably easier to find solutions.

Idealistic and humanitarian goals or impulses surface this year. Making connections with others from different backgrounds may figure strongly. Widening your mind through unusual or different experiences can be part of the picture. You more easily make personal sacrifices for what you believe to be the greater good this year.

You’re firming up some areas of your life until October, and this can be a period of harder work and discipline and perhaps some challenges. However, as the year advances, you’re sure to feel freer and attract more positivity into your life. Some relationships may be feisty or complicated and there can be a significant break in your social life, but improvements are possible. With work, you’re expanding your interests in satisfying ways.

2018 is a Number Eight year for you. Ruled by Saturn. This is a year of power and accomplishment. Actively seeking to expand, taking educated risks, and moving forward are highlighted. This is a year of opportunity, particularly in the material and business world, and opportunities need to be seized. It’s generally not a year to find a new love partner, simply because the focus is on the material world and your place in the world. This is a problem-solving year in which you can expect real, tangible results. Advice – take action, plan ahead, seize opportunities.

2019 will be a Number Nine year for you. Ruled by Mars. This is a year of completion and transition. It is a time when we need to let go of things that no longer serve their purpose, and hold on to things that have a future. It is a time of cleaning out dead wood, not necessarily for new beginnings. It can be a time when a burden has been taken off your shoulders, and it can be a year of giving of yourself. Advice – let go of things that are holding you back, give of yourself and express your sympathetic, compassionate side.

 

Source

Cafe Astrology