The Mystic Dream

Lunations in July: The New Moon on July 8^th falls in the home-loving and sentimental sign of Cancer. Since Mercury is retrograde at the time of this New Moon, the best advice is to avoid brand new beginnings even during the waxing phase, but you can certainly put renewed energy into something already underway, or long-delayed. This New Moon energizes the next day's Sun/Mercury conjunction. Pay attention the 8^th through the 10^th since big ideas, seeming strokes of genius, and “eureka” moments of discovery are highly likely occurrences for most everybody with a brain. Once Mercury stations direct on the 20^th of July, you will need to re-examine your brilliant brainchild for defects. By making some adjustments, applying intermediary steps, fact-checking and reality-testing, you will be able to “ground” your castle(s) in the sky. Shoot for the periods around July 20^th and August 24^th for initiatory manifestation of your schemes and dreams.

The Full Moon in Aquarius brightens the night sky on the days surrounding July 22^nd . This lunation is exact just a couple hours after the Sun enters Leo, setting the stage for a passionate and fiery finish to the month. Along with Luna's alignment with the Sun, she forms the apex of a triangular configuration in the sky called a “yod”, also known as “the finger of God” or “finger of fate”. The connection between the Full Moon with both planet Venus and asteroid Pallas suggests that practical wisdom is needed, along with a harmonious and healthy balancing between head and heart. Sullen Saturn registers in the mix as well, arms folded, ready to judge and condemn, just in case we do not sustain the delicate head/heart balancing act by failing to think ahead to possible consequences of passionate acts fueled by the “lunacy” of this Full Moon.

Mercury, moving slowly direct now, should be finished monkeying around with our minds, schedules and commutes a day or so after the July 22nd Full Moon - just in time for folks to take full advantage of the glorious con-joining of Mighty Mars with Bountiful Jupiter, climaxing the full glory of the Grant Trine of 2013 (see General Forecast below).

General Forecast: Ah, good tidings – finally! How long have people been asking your friendly, neighborhood astrologer “When will there be some good news from the stars?” Peaking, right along with the Full Moon in Aquarius (see Lunations above), will be the high- frequency harmonies of the Jupiter/Saturn/Neptune grand trine, which make July a very special month during 2013.

A grand trine is an equilateral triangular configuration surrounding the Earth, featuring one or more planets at each of the vertices. In birth charts, the grand trine is traditionally considered one of the best multi-planet configurations possible. Modern, humanistic astrologers have associated the grand trine with tremendous potential talent, along with easy access to qualities and attributes that potentially make a “winning combination” for the native personality. Note the double use of the word 'potential' in the previous sentence. Many contemporary astrologers express concern that the harmony and stability indicated by the presence of the grand trine in a natal horoscope can lead to lassitude, laziness and a tendency to take things as they come, thereby missing out on the possible benefits suggested by the combination of planets in the lovely triangle pattern. In my own practice, sometimes I'll notice the grand trine in the chart, but hear it as a “stuck” place – tendencies to repetitive behavior without the will to break free or grow from the experiences that occur again and again. For example, I have witnessed grand trine-wielding clients with shockingly fortunate “karma” when it comes to inheritances and legacies, who squander and waste their assets, ending up struggling to make ends meet, never confronting their issues, and virtually relying on the grace indicated in their charts to make it all happen again, hopefully! Thus, my experiences condition me to align with current views about the nature of grand trines in general; they can be glorious indeed, but some consciousness and effort needs to come into play to fully activate the promise of the symmetrical planetary combination.

Fortunately, the grand trine in the sky during July comes with some “fuses” and “triggers” that should help us engage the energies proactively and opportunistically, rather than just laying back and enjoying the temporary reduction in tension and stress. Like a wave machine at a water park, I predict that the cresting of the best will happen during the span from the 17^th to the 25^th of July.

However, I fear being caught up in the cultural paradigm of “go, do, achieve and succeed” so I say also that those people that can best benefit simply by taking a break, getting some “down time” and withdrawing from the pace and demands of the world should take the opportunity presented and, for awhile at least, float, flow and lie fallow, eschewing productivity and opting for the relative peace and tranquility that July can offer.

Here are some ways that I see the July 2013 Grand Trine making planetary waves.

Manifestation of dreams and wishes into physical plane reality.

I think the main thing that the combination of planetary forces symbolize is that people will feel 'optimistic expectancy' and thus allow themselves to plug desire into imaging, creative visualization, and plain old prayers. This sounds a lot like a page from Shakti Gawain, and by all means use her methods – they work! Either for personal needs or better yet, wishing together as a group or organization, aim high and even ask for miracles. As Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh said, “Be practical, expect a miracle.”

The supportive interaction of Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune are also great for...

Gathering together for mutual and common good.

This promising pattern uplifts collectives and supports the formation of communities and organizations who seek to work together to achieve positive results, reform society or culture, and hope to make a difference in their world. My friend and colleague, Stephen Poplin, wrote and inspiring online article about the Grand Trine. Find it at www.transpersonal.us/grand-trine2013.html

Receiving the benefits and rewards from hard work.

This water trine will especially signify results and attainments achieved by the hard work already done, especially at the emotional, attitudinal and psychological levels. For those who have been slogging it out, trying to maintain a positive outlook, who have been struggling at the threshold of despair, who have slipped into hopelessness, who wonder if it is all worth it, this heavenly occurrence offers not just a respite, but a renewal of hope, a new vision forward and the bolstering of faith in oneself, life, the universe, and the Divine. This benefits people who have been dealing with difficulties in relationship, breakthroughs are possible, nay – probable!

Steps for dancing with the stars:

Take time for gratitude and appreciation. Gratitude begins and ends the cycles of creation, just ask the Hindu deity Ganesha. Offer direct and sincere appreciation to those around you, it lubricates the flow of loving, positive energy.

Give. One crucial action that invites magic, as well as makes room for the new, is to offer up for recirculation within the community that which is no longer of great value to you, but might be of value to someone else. Make a real effort to be generous and see that what goes around, comes around, in a wonderful, sometimes wacky and unexpected way.

Do the work. Excavate the inner self for the garbage, baggage and nasty attitudes that arise from the wounds that have been neglected, ignored, and left unhealed. This is a moment to turn the proverbial lead into gold in the true alchemical sense.

Don't worry, be happy. Allow yourself the freedom to soar, feel magnificent, laugh and play. In the midst of powerful, tension-and- transformation-inducing cosmic forces since 2007 and going strong into 2020, this brief phase can give us what we need to recharge, regroup and mobilize our inner resources for the next phase, but we must be willing to see the positive, feel the love and smile and laugh in order to feel The Force sustaining and uplifting us.

Heal. This magical alignment promotes healing, especially in the area of the heart, helping with barriers to intimacy and promoting deeper bonding. “For one human being to love another is perhaps the most difficult task of all...” according to Rainer Maria Rilke. Take time to delve into the shadow, confront unhelpful stubbornness within and the fear of feeling too much. Much can be gained by attending to our blocks to giving and receiving the love we desire.

This healing can also mend the separation we feel from Nature. Spend time in your heart-space, feeling the living world and creatures around you – even if city-bound, listen for birdsong and enjoy the changing colors of the sky each day.

Some folks are going to experience tragedy, be utterly miserable and find no good coming this month. Do not fret, feel that you have missed the boat, or have done something wrong. The universe is calling upon you to do a very special thing, a difficult and challenging task since you are chosen for the hardest of roles to bear at times like these – the one who asks for help. Even if you do not believe it can come, ask, appeal, pray, even beg; but this is as important as any other approach that others may endeavor to take during this phase. You must show compassion to yourself, reach out to others and allow yourself to break free of guilt, shame or blame. This too activates the potential of the Grand Trine of 2013.

Blessings to you. Send along your responses and reports, the 'comments' section (www.astro-counselor.com) awaits your input! Sign-by-sign horoscopes return next month.

I am taking new students for beginning-level astrology starting in July. The evening class will be held Tues., Wed, or Thurs. at the Mystic Dream in Walnut Creek. Contact Paul Bogle at (925) 956-2110 or via the website link above.