Home->Latest Forecast

Printable PDF

Past forecasts

by Terry Lamb, M.A., C.A.

For a free subscription, contact me.

TIP JAR
Leave any amount. Thanks!

New to astrology? Read on and ignore the technical bits. There's plenty here for you too! Why don’t I write horoscopes for each sign?

ON THURSDAY, JUNE 17, I got a new Android phone (the Motorola Cliq XT). I had been watching for a special, and it had manifested but wasn’t going to last forever. So I took the plunge that morning, not considering what that was going to do to my life.

I didn’t realize how much my previous mobile device had become a part of me — how I knew its every sound and nuance of activity like you know your own infant’s cries. So I got a new device — unwieldy in size, unyielding in usability. It was foreign to me, and I found myself unceremoniously thrown off a communication cliff at a time when it was particularly inconvenient, with an eventful weekend ahead. (The universe does have its sense of humor.)

Only now (June 28) is the dust settling. I have the ringtones I want, my contacts are all loaded (if not fully organized), and I can navigate my way through the basics. Oh yes, and when I get a text message, I can actually HEAR the notification tone.

No Loss Without Gain, No Departure Without Return
While this is not the entirety of my June 26 Lunar Eclipse experience, it is emblematic of what might arise. Before the eclipse, an opening for a desired action occurred, and I used the opening. That action “eclipsed” my ability to communicate in my normal pattern and fashion, the way others might expect me to. (Warning: Don’t try figuring out how your contact list works at midnight. Three of my friends got “chirps” in the wee hours when I placed a call by mistake.)

This is what we have learned to expect from eclipses. The street usage of the term reminds us that we anticipate loss and blockage when an eclipse shadow passes our way. This is true in one obvious sense. Certainly the Sun’s light is blocked by the Earth’s body from reaching the Moon (for a Lunar Eclipse); the Moon falls in the Earth’s shadow, so it is dimmed and sometimes blacked out.

What we observe in the heavens is indeed reflected in our own lives, physics mirroring metaphysics. However there is more to it than what the street meaning tells us “to be eclipsed” means. Although we see a physical blockage we also know that the Moon doesn’t disappear permanently. We know that the Sun, when it is eclipsed, returns to us in its full glory of blinding light. This reminds us that it is the nature of all things to be temporary — no loss without gain, no departure without return — at least when “viewed” in the visible world. However, in the invisible world, there is no loss, no gain, no departure so no return, no temporary but only the eternal ever-present now with all beings and consciousness available to us at all times.

It’s when we get hooked in the physical-visible world (the Tarot’s Emperor) in the short term that we see only the loss. What is actually happening when eclipses occur is a blessing of great magnificence. In the light of day, and even the light of the Moon at its fullest point, the light is bright. The shadows are dark and hard to see into. We are distracted by the brightness of the colors, the glitter of shiny objects. We are magpies of consciousness, going toward what is flashy and brilliant.

We forget that there is also shadow and that the shadow is moist, rejuvenative, and cozy. In shadow, colors are less vivid; our eyes can open wider. We are less dazzled by the surface brilliance of shiny objects, more able to see their inner qualities. When the eclipses occur, the light is dimmed if only for a few moments. This is enough to awaken our consciousness to the areas where we are off balance, and the natural sequitur is that we take whatever actions are necessary to return to balance. This frequently results in startling revelations that lead to astonishing and abrupt shifts in direction. Such actions are often initiated because we feel we have lost something, or we must eliminate something in order to re-create balance and get on with our lives (hence create the appearance of loss to another). The actions taken at the time of an eclipse open a new chapter of life, where we get the next 5½ months to integrate our new reality into our pre-existing circumstances.

Things Appear and Disappear.
As I have moved through this eclipse period, I have noticed subtle differences in the way I experience the “invisible” world, or the world of non-form, versus the (visible) world of form. Generally there is a clear distinction between waking and sleeping states, for instance. I can remember my dreams sometimes, and although I regularly see images from the world of non-form or get mind flashes from that realm, they arise as very distinct from the real world I inhabit (although they are related to it).

As we have entered the energy zone of the Lunar Eclipse, I noticed that the boundary between waking and sleeping, or between physical reality and the image world, was blurring. I have been getting stronger and more continuous images from the world of non-form when I am open to receiving them. I have been particularly fascinated by the fact that the boundary between the sleeping/dream state and the waking state is less noticeable. There is a state between sleeping and waking that has been more available.

People often report more vivid and significant dreams during eclipse periods, another effect of this thinning of the veil between the two worlds. These phenomena are evidence of what really goes on during the eclipses: During eclipses, the visible and invisible worlds interpenetrate each other more readily. This permits things in our lives to dissolve (slip from form into non-form) or manifest (slip from non-form into form). This is especially true where we have been working toward a goal through a process of inner transformation, rather than (or in addition to) external action.

In our own lives, we may find that some aspects of our life are suddenly removed; they have slipped from the world of form into non-form. Although they were on their way out of our lives for some time, we could not yet detect it. Other things appear in their place as soon as our consciousness opens to them, but often after an uncomfortable interval. These have come into form in the physical world from the invisible realm, where they had already been in development.

What Is an Eclipse Anyway?
To recap the physical facts of eclipses, they occur in twos (occasionally with a third weak one) 5½ months apart, one lunar (where the Moon falls in the Earth’s shadow) and one solar (where the Earth falls in the Moon’s shadow). Sometimes the Lunar Eclipse (also a Full Moon) occurs first, sometimes the Solar. In this sequence, the Lunar Eclipse occurred on June 26, with the Solar Eclipse to come on July 11.

The eclipse process began in mid-June and will continue through the end of July. As we enter this “eclipse zone”, the shadows brighten and the veil between dark and light thins; our consciousness opens. At the beginning of July, we are in the space between realities that occurs between two eclipses, when we’re ending one life chapter and starting the next. Events occur that result from the transformations between the worlds of form and non-form — some direct actions we take, other actions taken by others that affect us.

Pluto is Full in Our Consciousness.
If any eclipses are momentous in our lives, then the Lunar Eclipse we just experienced on June 26 will stand near the top of the list for many, many people, and also for the planet/humanity. Even as some of us experience this through manageable effects in our lives — an awakening process that we can absorb and respond to with equanimity if not delight — for others there is an experience of unbelievable, heart-rending suffering that deserves our compassion and support.

One of the things that makes this such a powerful eclipse is the fact that Pluto is involved. This planet of transformation (deep, long-term inner change) was at the peak of its yearly interaction with the Sun — a “Full Pluto”. When this event occurs every year, it brings a peak realization with respect to the Plutonian transformation that we have taken on for the year. This is enough by itself to absorb into our consciousness and make the shifts in our lives that bring us closer to Cosmic Harmony. When an eclipse is added to it at the same time, the effect is roughly quadrupled because the vehicles of conscious awareness (Moon and Mercury) are also critically involved.

Throw into the mix Jupiter and Uranus, the planets of SURPRISE!!, and you get a spicy stew of energies that brings sudden shifts in consciousness and (because they are in Aries) swift action. If you are comfortable with personal transformation, this is less challenging than for those who have never before seen the layers of illusion peeled away.

To bring this back to the very mundane situation surrounding the Android phone, the purchase of the phone at this time does partake of a larger process that involves Pluto. At the time that the Pluto cycle was still in development, I was discussing with a friend how I could transition into the “new technology”, which I need to do as I live more of my life on the road. We discussed canceling my cable TV, transferring the money I saved to pay for increased mobile services, and using my mobile device as my primary center for communication.

As Pluto turned retrograde (April 6), I canceled the cable TV. All that was left was to get the Android phone, but the right deal didn’t come along until Pluto was activated again.

Although these are small changes of little apparent consequence, the transformations are frequently larger, more personal, more emotional. However, they exist within a context of a direction for each of us and a direction for humanity. Pain is reduced when we reduce our attachment to situations, people, objects, values, etc. Without attachment, we can let the energy of events flow through our lives without it getting caught on rough spots in our consciousness.

Changes in Sign, Changes in Perception and Priority
The context of the eclipses is a continuing huge shift in our perceptions of what the world is and how we best can contribute to it. Two sign changes occur, indicating such a shift in perception and priority. After a 3½-month break when it revisited Virgo, Saturn returns to Libra on July 21 and the directive that we establish “right relationship” in our lives. During its final weeks in Virgo, we got into “hurry-up” mode to complete the processes we started in September 2007. This often involved reorganizing, taking care of niggling health concerns, and getting rid of possessions, activities, or behaviors that impede our ability to serve.

Now we’re back into the thick of our interpersonal balancing act. Is s/he really the right person for me? As I unfold, are we in tune on the deepest, truest level? As much as possible, during Saturn’s sojourn through Libra, we are meant to establish our relationships are a foundation to the rest of our lives, so that we can fulfill our ability to serve to the utmost. Not only should our relationships not detract from our path, in the best-case scenario our partnerships can augment our service. We may discover ways to serve that would not have emerged without the synergy of the right relationship.

Healing the Great Wound — Again
The second major sign change is Chiron’s, when it moves back into intellectual Aquarius after 3 months in visionary Pisces (April 20 – July 20). In Aquarius, the emphasis of our healing is on community, and on group processes. It also operates on the “community of energies”. In other words, when one of our energy systems is balanced, it spreads to the other systems (for example, meridians to chakras to aura). There is also an emphasis on the mind as the easiest access point for the healing process to start. So, a thought may be the wellspring for a healing release, even though the obstruction exists in other areas as well, such as the physical body or emotional field.

We have until February 8 (2011) to complete the mental healing process. It’s a good thing too, because once Chiron returns to Aquarius, it re-engages with Neptune to revisit the great healing process we are partaking in as a species. This I have called the healing of the Great Wound, which is the wound of separation — the belief that we are separate, can live separately and do what we want without having an impact on anyone else including the planet. This is rapidly being proven false through some unfortunate events.

The Next Eclipse
The total Solar Eclipse that occurs on the 11th exists within the context of these just-about-to-happen planetary shifts, and we all know it on some instinctual level — and respond to it. We feel rushed to complete our clear-out process. We feel hesitant to move fully forward on an aspect of our healing journey, as if we know that our priorities are about to be pushed back into a realm of growth we thought we’d left behind.

The Solar Eclipse continues the theme that has been expressed through the eclipses in the signs Cancer and Capricorn, that of recognizing and gathering together in the smaller Cosmic family groups that we are to be a part of for at least the next 9 years. Through Capricorn we also recognize that we are one big Cosmic family of humanity.

After this eclipse we step slowly back into the world of “ordinary consciousness”, whatever that means to us now. We have five more months to fulfill what we have learned before we turn our focus to a new area of growth through the next set of eclipses.

A Search for Our Inner Truth
I haven’t said much about one of the biggest energy patterns we’re working with right now, the conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus in late Pisces-early Aries. When these planets come together, they shake us loose from old ways of thinking and open us to new inventions, innovations, and some very lively Cosmic energies. It has the potential to shock us back into alignment with the path that is in harmony with our true self.

That’s what we are all searching for through these planets, even though our quest may look like something quite different. We are looking for the feeling of truth deep in our core that tells us that we are in touch with our authentic self. This planetary conjunction opens the doors wide to this possibility.

While this energy is in Aries, we feel called to take direct action instead of avoiding an issue and hoping it will go away. In fact, we may just feel like we can’t take it any more and have to “do something”. This will never be more evident than on/around the 5th, when Uranus makes its station (standstill) before turning retrograde (apparently moving backward) for 5 months. If there is anything left of the ego in the way we approach our issues, it will be blasted out of our system at that time. It’s as if Uranus sends a beam of the deepest truth to us. While we can turn away, we benefit greatly if we absorb the truth and allow it to carry us forward.

It’s Complicated.
Jupiter does its own retrograde grandstanding on the 23rd, the drop of the other shoe of awareness. Jupiter is more about the assimilation of awareness into our social interactions and into society as a whole. However, another factor enters the picture at this time that we had not considered a possibility before — two seemingly unrelated areas of our lives are suddenly linked, and a new layer of complication is introduced into both situations.

This is because as Jupiter makes its station (on the 23rd), it comes into contact with Pluto (on the 24th), essentially combining two contacts (one forward and one retrograde) into one concentrated trigger. We are sure to see how unrelated events and situations are tied together in our own lives as well as in the world around us — how for instance the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster is linked to events or phenomena on the other side of the globe.

Whatever arises on/around the 23rd will not be completely resolved until February 2011, so take notes. It will have to do with social change on a large scale. In our personal lives it will have to do with what we decide to invest our time and energy into in order to expand our world.

Raise a Glass . . .
. . . to all of us! On July 26, we experience the last of five Saturn oppositions to Uranus. When this contact first occurred in Fall 2008, it produced an incredible juxtaposition of tradition and innovation, bringing up dilemmas that had never occurred before, or had never been considered by those that were forced to deal with them. Tied into this was the shift in politics that brought President Obama into office (the first opposition occurred on that Election Day), as well as the financial crash that changed the economic dynamics for every American, and for most others around the world. We had to start thinking about our future in new ways. Even though we have learned to deal (at least partially) with the unpredictability that was introduced into our lives in the Fall of 2008, we are still integrating the effects into our lives and will continue to do so as Jupiter makes two more oppositions to Saturn through March 2011.

Mars Ups the Ante.
When on July 29 Mars enters Libra, it further fires up the planets that were already cooking from the June 26 eclipse — Jupiter-Uranus in Aries, Saturn in Libra, and Pluto in Capricorn. Over a period of six days (extending through August 3), Mars contacts each of these planets and brings out one central situation that develops over those days and is emblematic of what has gone before. One such phenomenon would be a severe weather pattern (such as a hurricane) in the Atlantic. Whether or not it reaches the Gulf, there would be a close and careful observation of what occurs with that event.

Situations that peaked in our .lives at/around the time of the June 26 eclipse will receive focus at this time. In world events, this includes the firing of General McChrystal, the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster, and the arrest of several deep-cover Russian spies, to name a few. In our own lives, it helps to take note of what we experienced in the last half of June, because this the stuff of which our life will be made at a critical turning point in human evolution.

Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster Update
The chart cast for the time of the disaster involves a number of planetary interactions, which initially told me that the situation was much more complex and long-term than anyone dared consider when it first occurred. British Petroleum’s (BP) dismissive attitude has turned into criminal neglect, and there’s a lot more blame to go around if you consider how BP and other oil companies paid off politicians over 40+ years to gain legislation that permitted such dereliction of responsibility. Because of the involvement of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto as this event occurred, it will be the trademark event of these planets’ interaction in 2010-11. Because they do not shift away from a pattern of interaction until March 2011, it may take that long for the oil to be completely capped (to the extent that is possible). Of course, we will be dealing with the poor handling of the spill itself for decades, a constant reminder of what human greed and folly can do to injure the planet and all its inhabitants. If this stimulates a critical shift in the direction of human development (which must occur), then it has served a purpose, even as there is no excuse for the amount of suffering that this event has caused.

****************

July’s planets foster an acceleration in the incredible expanding of awareness that began in January this year, a tsunami of consciousness. They create a greater awareness of where we’re headed and why, as well as a sense of urgency about clearing the path to get there. As conditions in our lives dissolve and new ones appear, it helps to know that we are feeling the pulse of a caring universe in our lives, nudging us forward based on factors that we may not yet be able to see. Yet if we trust the process and live each moment as it arises without a strategy, we will respond in harmony with the flow.

July In Depth

July 1-6
Actually starting on June 21, we are in a period of focus on Uranus’s capacity to awaken us to our authentic self and what we have to do to live in its truth. Events that occur now carry a deeper message tied to a situation that developed starting in mid-January – mid-March particularly on/around March 16. There are many possible sidebar circumstances that complicate it, but those complications disappear if we tap the authentic self consciousness. We can then rise above the concerns of the ego about short-term difficulties and focus on the real purpose behind what we’re experiencing now.

On the 1st-2nd, we can put mental resolve into action with ease and grace, after assimilating the lessons of last weekend’s eclipse. Saturday’s energies are more vibrant but also potentially abrasive. We see what’s really going on and what needs to happen next as the hours pass, as we Moon to Pluto brings us a “Deep Day” (where we look into the hidden realms to see what’s really going on). This culminates in revelations stimulated by the Last Quarter Moon on the 4th, and we see what needs to be completed in the coming week before the New Moon (Solar Eclipse) on the 11th. The planetary connections on the 6th permit us to smoothly integrate our new insights into the next steps on our journey.

July 7–9
As Venus nears the end of Leo, it brings us illumination regarding what has previously mystified us about our most significant relationship. Her opposition to Neptune helps us see into the image world to discover what is authentic, and we experience a refreshing clarity about it all. We have the opportunity on the 8th to finish up some of that Saturn-in-Virgo work that keeps hanging on. Completions are good.

July 10-11
As the Moon enters Cancer at 4:38 am on the 10th, we increasingly feel the eclipse alignment in our consciousness. It’s time for change! With the Moon in contact with Pluto again (an opposition), we gain a peak of insight into what transpired two weeks ago on the Lunar Eclipse. It’s another Deep Day. The Solar Eclipse occurs at 12:40 pm/19°24' Cancer on the 11th (Sunday). Although the totality of the eclipse is most visible in the southern hemisphere, the light will be dimmed in the daylight zones in the northern hemisphere as well. Since this is a New Moon, we are planting seeds now, but they will grow far into the future due to the eclipse. Listen.

July 12–15
Enjoy this period! Although July has its harmonies, these four days are characterized by pleasant energies. Venus trines Pluto to bring ease and flow to the transformative process we are activating in our relationship life at this time. Other harmonies contribute smooth communications and easy access to the inner realms of awareness.

July 16–20
The ease of the previous days this week prepares us for the depth we experience starting on the 16th. This is another Deep Day, and one where the energies are more strident — bringing greater awareness of the challenges — than the ones on the 3rd and 10th.

The 17th-20th give us time to integrate the latest experiences into current situations. On the 20th, Chiron re-enters Aquarius going backward, giving us a chance to complete healing processes that we left behind on April 19 when Chiron went into Pisces. We may notice a shift in energy.

July 21–August 3
Time’s up on the reorganization/clean-up process that was so important during Saturn’s last bit of time in Virgo. It’s not that we might not still need to do this, but that Saturn has eased off the pressure on us. Well, sort of, because Saturn is just moving it to another place. It re-enters Libra today, where it was October 30 – April 6. Look back at your experiences during those months for a clue as to your direction now.

On the 22nd, the Sun enters Leo and makes harmonious trines to Uranus (the 23rd) and Jupiter (the 26th). This revisits the energies of harmonious release that we incorporated into our experiences of the third week of June and July 9–11. We will have the next stage in this harmonious release process now, but with a punch, because Jupiter is also stationary and square to Pluto through the 24th. The Full Moon on the 25th picks up Jupiter’s energy in a good way to augment the benefits. There are plenty of other energies to challenge us, but this tells us that a way out is available if we need it. It may not be perfect, but it will work.

On the 26th, we also get Saturn’s fifth and final opposition to Uranus, an energy we have been working with since Fall 2008. It’s been activated since the 21st, but today is the culmination and release of the energy. It’s a good time to look back at how far we’ve come since the beginning of their interaction two years ago.

On the 29th, Mars enters Libra and re-activates Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Pluto. Mars essentially carries one planet’s energies to the next until they are all connected. This can produce peak events, both personal and collective. Such events create opportunities.

Although I wrote this last month, it applies just as much now. Since I needed to read it again, perhaps it bears repeating: Miracles don’t always feel like miracles when we experience them, especially when we are too close to them to see the benefits that they are bringing. It helps to remember that the universe is conscious and knows more than we do about what is right for us at any given moment. The more we can surrender to the process, the less the energies have to “snag” on as they pass by and through us.

Significant Planetary Events

Chiron, Neptune, and Pluto are retrograde.

All dates are based on Pacific Time.
Blue = harmonious/Red or orange = challenging/intense/black = neutral
Events in bold are more significant.

Note: If you enjoy the forecast, please make a donation and take advantage of some of our services.

© Terry Lamb