By Madame Dana Zia
Tonight, June 20, 2021, as the Sun sets on the West Coast, it will move into the sign of Cancer and start its journey back south across the horizon. With it, the nights will start to become a wee bit longer every night till on Autumn Equinox, we will feel the chill of summer past. But today is a glorious day to celebrate the Sun in all its immense glory!
Summer Solstice is an enchanted time here in the Northern Hemisphere that marks the beginning of the Cancer season, the sign of nurturing and feeling. During this season, magically things happen where babies grow bigger and fruits and vegetables grow from the nurturing of both the Earth and Sun. Play is also an abundant emotion that is nurtured during this time.
There are a few planetary transits happening at this Solstice that makes it especially noteworthy this year. Jupiter, the year star, that orbits around the Sun every 12 years, has gone into its once-yearly retrograde today. Jupiter is the planet of new horizons, possibilities and growth. When he goes retrograde, the desire to expand and push our limits, takes a breath. In our culture, we are rewarded for being all things Jupiter, so this retrograde is always welcomed for me. It slows down that relentless drive and opens up space for stillness. He will be retrograde till October 8th.
Mercury is also woven into the Summer Solstice as he will be going direct on the 22nd. Mercury retrograde is a window of time slowing down and the opportunities to be patient with life and its process. He’s been resting in Gemini this last 3 weeks, which has been about changing our minds on something that is bothering us. We get to choose what we think about anything! What are you choosing to think? As he puts on his winged shoes and gets ready for action, what have you learned during this retrograde about that? Mark it so that you can check it off your to do list!
So dear Earthlings, now is the season of the Sun and fruitfulness. Make an effort with Jupiter retrograde to slow down for just a bit, even 10 minutes a day, to be grateful for life and being able to hug again. Get out and watch the sunsets or sunrises in the next few days and drink in that nectar of our central heating system that keeps Earth growing.
