SATURN SQUARE NePTUNE:
waking up
Phytoplankton on the shores of the Vaadhoo Island in the Maldives, National Geographic
All things are one thing and that one thing is all things—plankton, a shimmering phosphorescence on the sea and the spinning planets and an expanding universe, all bound together by the elastic string of time. It is advisable to look from the tide pool to the stars and then back to the tide pool again.
— John Steinbeck
June 17, 2016 — We are awakening from deep slumber, slowly opening our eyes, stretching our claws, feeling the shock of daylight pouring in through the windows. It was there all along, but we didn't even notice as we lay sleeping in the dream realm. Saturn is squaring Neptune, exact for the second of three times (the third will be September), and we might be feeling groggy or confused as our illusions chafe against Saturn’s harsh reality. Our dance is not only between illusion and reality; we are also waking to the notion that heaven and earth, spirituality and matter are inseparable. As we blend spiritual reflection with practical reality, we are finally moving into action, doing our parts to leave behind the dark ages and begin a new era.
These planetary energies have been echoing through the aftermath of the Orlando shooting, which occurred just a few days ago, serving as a harsh wake up call to the reality of our country’s problems. With Mars still retrograding through Scorpio, we are examining the underbelly of American aggression, bigotry, and gun problems. We are rising from our stupor of ignorance and non-action, realizing that something needs to be done to return our society to wisdom and compassion, and if we don’t do it, who will?
The good news is that Saturn and Neptune work together not only to awaken us, but to manifest our dreams. Saturn instills discipline of mind in order for us to see things clearly, to work hard towards realizing our visions, and to help us take a cold, realistic look at what is actually happening—not just politically, but also personally. What have we been avoiding seeing in ourselves, our relationships, or the structures of our lives? Could we muster the courage to consider what scraps of illusion we've been holding onto, hoping they will magically morph into something tangible?
With Gemini in command, now is the time to act rather than dwelling on what could be or ignoring our issues altogether. We are nearing the start of a new paradigm, and it is up to each of us to tell the truth fearlessly, to do our parts with genuineness. With Mars preparing to station direct for the first time in months, now we must contemplate how we will begin to show up for our fellow sentient beings, fully acknowledging that we are in this together—each of us part of a singular tapestry. We can hear each other out, set aside our fundamentalist perspectives, and align with the frequency of Universal Love.
As chaotic as these times feel, we will soon rise from the ashes and usher in a new era that acknowledges the blurred edges between spirit and matter, you and me. Our divisiveness is exploding on the surface so we can return to the understanding that all that we see and experience is bound together and inseparable. Saturn and Neptune are here to remind us, and to show us how to combine practical reality with the deep understanding that we are all One.
To book a personal Astrology Reading with Juliana, write: juliana@etherealculture.com.