Monthly Vedic Astrology Forecast

New Moon in Taurus June 4
Sun and Venus Conjunction June 6
Mercury Transits Taurus June 7 – 26
Venus Transits Gemini June 12 – July 6
Sun Transits Gemini June 14 – July 15
Mars Returns to Libra June 17 – July 12
Full Moon in Sagittarius June 20
Jupiter and Rahu Conjunction June 24Mercury Transits Gemini June 26 – July 10

New Moon in Taurus June 4

The moment of the new Moon of June comes around sunset, around 9pm Mountain US, on Saturday, June 4, 2016. The Sun, Moon and Venus will all be at 21° Taurus, Venus' earth sign, and in the nakshatra (lunar mansion) Rohini, the favorite of the Moon.

This will put all of the planets save Mercury in the fixed signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius, for the days surrounding the new Moon, from June 3-6. The nature of the fixed signs is just that: difficult to move, firmly established, long-term. We may be facing situations at this time that seem to be permanent and unchanging.

Of the planets, direct Mercury in Aries will be the voice of change and movement. While the force of immovability may be very strong at this time, Mercury is the one planet that can bootstrap from a standstill. This is reflected in Mercury's exaltation in its own sign of Virgo. One of the means of cancelling debilitation of a planet is for the planet to be conjunct or aspected by the planet that exalts it. For example, the Moon is exalted in Taurus, which is ruled by Venus, so a debilitated Moon associated strongly with Venus will be pushed into exaltation.

Mercury as ruler of its own exaltation sign has that ability and energy to pull itself up more easily than any other planet. During this first week of June, Mercury could be the only voice rallying for initiation, change and movement. Allow Mercury's enthusiasm and energy to keep the dream alive, even when it seems like everything else is stuck.

Retrograde Saturn at 19° Scorpio will be very tightly opposing this new Moon combination that includes Venus, which reinforces that sense of non-movement, stuckness, etc. Retrograde Mars is also positioned in Scorpio which brings more weight to Saturn's opposition to the new Moon; however the aspect from Mars is not as tight, with Mars at 4° Scorpio.

Sun and Venus Conjunction June 6

Those who follow the planetary movements for a few years will notice the interesting path of Venus as it dances around the Sun. Sometimes it appears in the west in the evening before sunset, sometimes it appears in the morning in the east, before sunrise. Sometimes Venus is transitioning between those two roles and we can't see it at all; this occurs when Venus enters the sphere of the Sun and into the state of combustion. As it is, Venus is currently approaching the Sun for a conjunction that occurs on June 6, after which time it will pull ahead of the Sun so that we will again be able to view Venus as "evening star" starting in early July.

Any planet in conjunction with the Sun has trouble making their voice heard due to the brilliant power of the Sun. This is called "combustion." Mercury and Venus are the two planets that most often come into this state as they are never far from the Sun from the earthly perspective due to Mercury and Venus orbiting closer to the Sun than the Earth. These planets will at most times not be placed more than two signs away from the Sun due to this proximity, so in a sense, they are accustomed to being drowned out by the light of the Sun.

This current exact conjunction of Sun and Venus occurs at 23° Taurus, Venus' own sign. As mentioned in discussion of the June 4 new Moon, Venus and Sun have already been very close for some time. This exact conjunction happens in the last pada (quarter) of the lunar mansion (nakshatra) called Rohini.

Because this conjunction (as well as the new Moon a couple of days prior) is occurring in the framework of the fixed signs and signaling a shift in Venus' role, we may be digging deep into the interface of relationships. We may be faced with confronting profound, longstanding issues that threaten individuality within relationship.

With Mars and Saturn opposing Taurus and the planets therein at this time, it may be tempting to react with anger, destruction or even dispassion. And in some cases, it may take that negativity to destroy what is holding us back from connecting through relationship. It may be easy to blame others for causing problems that are actually arising through our individual actions and emotions.

On the day of the conjunction, June 6, Moon and Mercury will be flanking Taurus on either side, giving us the opportunity for emotional perspective and objective analysis. This is our signal for beginning a new cycle in the way we approach relationship with others, accounting for our own faults and limitations so that we can learn and move forward.

Mercury Transits Taurus June 7 – 26

Just after Sun and Venus meet, Mercury joins in, entering Taurus for a quick transit. That means that for a brief period, between June 7 – 12, all planets except Moon will be positioned in fixed signs. And Moon enters Leo on June 9 for a couple of days, actually putting all planets in fixed signs from June 9-11.

Coming after the new Moon and Venus/Sun conjunction, we may especially feel very ready for things to be different from what they are, but patience is advised. Rather than trying to escape, instead surrender to the sticky situations and get your bearings. Movement will start feeling possible when Venus and Sun move to Gemini.

Mercury's ability to get things going may feel a bit compressed as it passes through Taurus, remembering Saturn's aspect from Scorpio which is slowing everything down when it comes to the signs Scorpio, Taurus and Leo, where Saturn is positioned and aspecting. All of the great plans and ideas hatched during the first week of June will face a rigorous process of deliberation, which may feel frustrating.

Venus Transits Gemini June 12 – July 6

Venus moves into Gemini on June 12, still combust with Sun, although they will be slowly separating. Venus' combustion ends on July 12, which also signals the time that we will be able to start seeing Venus in the western sky after sunset.

With Venus entering Gemini, we may begin to feel energized to make changes. For two weeks between June 12 -26, Venus and Mercury will be positioned in one another's signs, creating a relationship called parivartana between these two planets. This type of relationship will strengthen and energize both planets, bringing good energy for communication and relationship, which could be important as we begin to pull ourselves out of situations that may be stuck or difficult.

This could also be a productive time for working on creative projects that require speaking or writing skills. Even after the parivartana (exchange) between Venus and Mercury ends, we still enjoy the benefit of Mercury's entrance into Gemini, which will continue to carry us forward.

Venus moving into Gemini is a beginning to some shifts that we may feel. What has been stuck and held may begin to move. After Venus moves, Sun joins in Gemini and retrograde Mars leaves Scorpio temporarily for Libra. This period between mid-June and mid-July may allow us to at least see some openings and move forward tentatively, especially after the Jupiter-Rahu conjunction on June 24.

Many people have been asking, "When is this going to end?!" It is evident that these difficult conjunctions and transits are affecting almost everyone in some domain of life. It is our instinct to find a way out of difficulty, so naturally we want to know when the difficulty will subside. But life is generally a series of up and down, success and failure, good and bad. This too will pass; if we wish away the difficulty, we are wishing our life away. Discomfort is often the greatest teacher.

Sun Transits Gemini June 14 – July 15

The great power of the Sun moves into the constellation of Gemini on June 14 for its month transit there. This breaks the opposition between Sun and Saturn, who have a very tense relationship, traditionally. Additionally, the energy of Mercury comes through strongly in Gemini and we may start feeling like its time to move, learn and make changes.

For the first three and last three days of the Sun transiting Gemini, it will receive the aspect of Mars from Scorpio. Other than that, the only influence on the Sun comes from Mercury and Venus who will be joining the Sun. Both Mercury and Venus are naturally benefic and well-situated in Gemini. This could put a positive spin on the difficulties showing up in other corners. Creative solutions, positive communication, willingness to make changes from the heart, enthusiasm, unconditional love; these are our allies as we continue forward.

Mars Returns to Libra June 17 – July 12

For just over three weeks, we will get a small respite from the very heavy Saturn-Mars conjunction that has been weighing on each one of us in the sign of Scorpio. If anything, we may get some perspective and a little help from our friends. Mars, currently retrograde, moves backward into the sign of Libra on June 17, giving back some of the control to Venus, who is the planetary ruler of Libra.

This brings the energy of Venus from Gemini to bear on Mars. We could feel ourselves soften and flex a bit in areas where we have been pushing and struggling. Again, just a small moment of perspective before Mars turns around again and heads back to Scorpio and Saturn.

Mars stations direct on June 29 at 29° Libra. After that, Mars re-enters Scorpio on July 12 and heads toward retrograde Saturn. Here are the notable days for the upcoming Mars-Saturn exact conjunction:

June 17: Retrograde Mars enters Libra
June 29: Mars resumes direct motion
July 12: Mars returns to Scorpio
August 13: Retrograde Saturn resumes direct motion (he sees Mars coming at him!)
August 24: Mars – Saturn exact conjunction
September 17: Mars exits Scorpio, ending the long conjunction with Saturn

Mars resuming direct motion at month's end may help us to feel even more capable of moving forward after the many retrograde planets that marked the spring season. For a couple of more months, only Saturn will remain in retrograde motion. That said, the next Mercury retrograde cycle starts on August 30 in Virgo and ends on September 21 in Leo.

Full Moon in Sagittarius June 20

The Moon moves into its monthly opposition with the Sun at 5:00 am MST on June 20. The Sun and Moon will occupy 6° of Gemini and Sagittarius, respectively. The Moon will be in occupation of the nakshatra Mula as it becomes full, ruled by Ketu and the goddess of poverty, Nirriti.

By this time, the "stuck" patterns will have broken up a bit, with Sun and Venus in Gemini, Mars back in Libra and the Moon itself at its most powerful point in Sagittarius, a dual sign that supports learning, growth and progress.

The only negative influence on this full Moon is the aspect of Rahu, which is also matched by the positive aspect of Jupiter. Jupiter and Rahu are both currently in the sign of Leo and have the ability to aspect signs of the same element, in this case the fire signs: Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.

The mixed aspect of Jupiter and Rahu has created the condition of questioning "what is really true?" On this day, with both planets aspecting the powerful full Moon, listen to the Moon. Get quiet and still and allow the light to come from within rather than trying to discern which messages from the outside world are correct.

Jupiter and Rahu Conjunction June 24

The big moment when Jupiter steps forward to conjoin with Rahu occurs on June 24 at at 22°13' Leo in Purva Phalguni nakshatra. These two entities are finally meeting after nearly six months of sharing space in the sign of Leo. The last 2 weeks of June will be marked by this close conjunction.

Rahu entered Leo in January and depending on if we are taking the mean node or true node, it would have been either the beginning or end of January. (This is a good article by Steven Forrest about True vs. Mean node. ) Either way, Jupiter turned retrograde in Leo on January 8, 2016, making their connection in Leo a game of avoidance in the sense that Jupiter was actually moving away from Rahu for the first four months of their co-occupation of Leo.

Since May 9, Jupiter has gone direct and is approaching Rahu with the climax of the conjunction coming at the end of June. This meeting of Jupiter and Rahu since January has been simmering and pending, demanding from Jupiter an extreme amount of effort to express the sattvic (light and clean) tendencies that we expect.

Rahu's ability to masquerade, confuse and obfuscate has made it difficult to know what is the righteous way. With Jupiter's direct motion we have perhaps had an easier time discerning which guidance is divine and which is worldly. As Jupiter approaches Rahu this month, we may feel challenged to keep on the right path and the crux of our difficult decision making processes or attempts at creating a good environment for growth may come toward the end of June.

On this day, June 24, the Moon joins Ketu in Aquarius, confirming that something must be lost and let go in order to move forward and regain clarity. Moon rules Cancer, which is the 12th sign from this Jupiter and Rahu combination. The 12th sign from any position in a chart gives a clue to what must be spent, sacrificed or let go in order to move on.

It may be fruitful to dwell for a moment on Ketu after so much talk about the Rahu/Jupiter combination and the Saturn/Mars combination that have been successfully affecting multiple corners of our lives. Ketu's one desire is for liberation from the suffering of the world. Ketu is the co-ruler of Scorpio and Saturn is the co-ruler of Aquarius, so these two planets that force us toward the experience of difficulties in life are in an exchange of signs. This gives strength to both of these planets who are demanding detachment and conscious loss.

The obvious events and difficulties that are occurring on the surface of our lives are designed to drive us toward the deep project of understanding the real purpose of our birth and existence. Get still and quiet with the help of the Saturn-Ketu exchange to meditate on the depths of what life is offering at this time.

Mercury Transits Gemini June 26 – July 10

On the evening of June 26, Mercury enters his own sign of Gemini for a rapid transit, joining and overtaking Sun on July 6-7 and keeping in pursuit of Venus, who moves into Cancer at that same time (July 7.)

This Mercury transit could really help us get things moving. Mercury is strong in its own sign, although he will be very close to the Sun, which is not unusual or rare for Mercury. Mars will be in Libra, which puts him out of range of aspecting any other planets with his 4/7/8 aspect. Mars resumes direct motion on June 29 and returns to Scorpio on July 12.

Additionally, Mercury's energy, enthusiasm and youthful perspective could allow us to see new possibilities that open after Jupiter and Rahu begin to separate at the end of June.

Overall during June, we may feel a shift from being stuck and mired by difficult or challenging situations toward gaining new perspectives and higher ground that give us encouragement and hope. Sparks of joy, passion and energy may be generated from what we thought was a cold, lifeless environment.