Afleveringen
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Mars forms an exact conjunction with Uranus in Taurus while squaring the South Node in Leo and the North Node in Aquarius by July 4. As we have already seen with the earthquakes in Venezuela, this configuration tends to rattle the world.
With Venus slipping from Cancer into Leo on the same day, many layers point to an event or tide shift that impacts the world in a big way from here on out. Watch for signals and more unexpected disruptions. These may bring a pleasant change for some, but also more extreme highs and lows, regardless.
With Mercury, Saturn, and Neptune all retrograde in July, there are likely no clear answers to the questions as yet. As Neptune retrogrades along with Pluto, they both move into an exact alignment with Uranus in Taurus and Jupiter in Cancer, the idealised “Barbault basket”, named after the French astrologer, André Barbault, who pointed out the potentials of this alignment, many of today’s astrologers have pinned their hopes on for a “new humanity.” I’ll simply stick with my take, which is that it’s about a subtle yet powerful shift as the outer planets align.
Another important piece of the pattern is when Jupiter opposes Pluto, while both planets are trine Uranus and Neptune. As these outer planets form this potent alignment, a ‘minor grand trine’, it shows a subtle yet powerful shift in perspective. This may bring major change across the political spectrum, strengthening the revolutionary atmosphere and the potential for more profound transformation in societies.
Jupiter's exaltation alone reflects a need for something better than the plutocracies of the world are doing, as Pluto’s transit through Capricorn continues to show the breakdown of world structures.
As Saturn turns retrograde by the end of July alongside Neptune, they remain in a supportive trine to Jupiter, as many sectors of society require further revision and restructuring due to the uprisings that are possible.
All of this unfolds while the planets remain clustered on one side of the lunar nodes in July, creating a sense that events are somehow disjointed, exaggerated, and imbalanced. Yet Venus' conjunction with the South Node offers a corrective influence after its conjunction by July 11. Venus may help break the spell by revealing where imbalances have developed, encouraging a slow but necessary return to a clearer perspective.
This may mean an economic correction, of course. Whatever appears to be happening in the world or in your life, the simplest answer is probably the correct one. Venus-South Node conjunctions typically demand we cut out the noise to get clear, of course.
July is likely a month where truths are revealed, which, in hindsight, seem obvious all along.
Nonetheless, there are likely some surprising turns of events in July to keep us on the edge of our seats.
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The Full Moon occurs on June 30 at 00:56 BST/June 29 at 7:56 pm on June 29 EDT in sidereal Sagittarius, shining a light on Jupiter in Cancer, with the Moon and Jupiter exchanging signs. This can be a particularly rewarding Full Moon, especially after you have worked through something mentally or emotionally.
Aries, Gemini, Virgo, Scorpio, and Pisces are likely to experience this exchange more smoothly, while the remaining signs may need to make some adjustments. This is due to the houses involved in the exchange. Even so, every exchange carries the potential for growth and benefit, regardless of any initial challenges.
The Full Moon occurs in Pūrvāṣaḍhā, meaning “former invincible.” It is one of a pair of lunar mansions, along with Uttarāṣāḍhā (”latter invincible”), associated with purification, upliftment, and eventual victory.
A Full Moon in Sagittarius is naturally optimistic and buoyant, but this one offers even greater support. It can help those who feel overwhelmed stay afloat while lifting those already doing well to heights beyond their expectations.
Water imagery is especially fitting, as Pūrvāṣaḍhā is ruled by the water goddess, Apas. Yet while this Full Moon brings opportunities for growth, healing, and inspiration, it is important not to go overboard. The approaching Mars-Uranus conjunction is already beginning to make its presence felt and could encourage excess or impulsiveness.
With Mercury stationing retrograde on the day of the Full Moon, there may be some things resolved, but the details must be reviewed in the coming weeks.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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In the latest episode of our Maps of Consciousness series, Kishori and I explore the next two lunar mansions, carrying us from sidereal Taurus into Gemini through the rich symbolism and stories of Mṛgaśirṣā and Ārdrā. Along the way, we examine the qualities of what I call the Curious One and the Clarifying One—two nakṣatras that invite us to seek, question, discover, and ultimately arrive at a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
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When everything becomes more flexible
Not all periods are heavy or intense. Some are lighter, more adaptable.
Mercury brings movement through thought, communication, and exchange. Life becomes more changeable, sometimes more scattered - but also more open and curious.
During a Mercury period, you may find yourself learning, upskilling, connecting, adjusting, and rethinking your direction.
In this week’s episode, I explore how Mercury periods operate and why they can feel both dynamic and changeable.
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Some periods slow things down
Saturn is often associated with difficulty, and not without reason. It brings pressure, responsibility, and the need to face what cannot be avoided.
But Saturn isn’t there to punish. It’s there to stabilise.
It asks for patience, discipline, and a willingness to work with what is, rather than what you wish it to be.
Over time, Saturn periods can build something lasting - if you stay with them.
In this week’s episode, I explore how Saturn shapes experience, often through challenge, but ultimately through structure and endurance.
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We have another New Moon in Taurus, following the New Moon at the very beginning of the sign in mid-May. This one occurs at the final degree of Taurus, in the lunar mansion of Mṛgaśirṣā.
Mṛgaśirṣā is generally a playful and sociable lunar mansion. Spanning both Taurus and Gemini, it takes the pleasures and comforts of Taurus and seeks to share them through exploration, conversation, and connection with others.
Ruled by Soma, it is also associated with intoxication, whether through substances such as alcohol or through experiences that captivate and enchant us. Anything that draws us into a state of absorption falls within its domain.
A New Moon, however, is not usually the ideal time for indulgence. The Moon’s light and vitality are at their lowest, and excessive stimulation can leave us feeling even more depleted.
That said, this is an important month to make space for enjoyment. The key is to approach it mindfully during the New Moon itself. With the Sun also poised between signs, energy levels may feel lower than usual, even as the desire for new experiences grows.
Rather than rushing into action, the New Moon may be best used to plan something enjoyable for the weeks ahead. Once the Moon begins to wax, the atmosphere becomes far more supportive.
As the Moon moves forward, it joins Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter, gathering all of the benefic planets in the same region of the zodiac. This combination suggests a period that can be especially enjoyable, meaningful, uplifting, and rewarding.
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When life begins to make sense
There are periods where things begin to open. Understanding deepens. Opportunities arise. There’s a sense that life is moving in a meaningful direction.
This is often the domain of Jupiter. But Jupiter doesn’t just bring growth; it brings perspective. It helps you see the larger pattern behind your experiences.
At its best, it offers guidance, support, and expansion that feels aligned.
But even here, there can be excess, too much of a good thing, or a tendency to rely on what feels easy.
In this week’s episode, I explore how Jupiter periods unfold and why they are often remembered as times of growth, learning, and possibility.
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The period that pulls you into the unknown
Some periods expand your life in ways you didn’t expect.
Rāhu, the North Node, does this more than any other.
Where Ketu, the South Node, tends to remove, Rāhu amplifies. It draws you toward new experiences, new desires, and often into territory you’ve never explored before.
There can be a sense of urgency, a need to grasp something just out of reach.
At times, this leads to growth and opportunity. At others, it can bring confusion, overextension, or a feeling of chasing something that never quite satisfies.
In this week’s episode, I explore how Rāhu activates the chart through desire, disruption, and expansion beyond familiar boundaries.
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The Full Moon occurs at 9.45 am BST/4.45 EDT on May 31 in the depths of Scorpio, in stark contrast to the Taurus New Moon in the middle of the month. Unlike the exalted Taurus New Moon, the Moon has fallen in Scorpio. What began with high expectations may now feel heavy when things do not unfold as imagined, or when something changes. Yet everything serves a purpose. This Full Moon illuminates the darker corners of the psyche, bringing awareness to what needs to be surrendered.
Surrender is not a mental choice, but a process, and one that may feel especially intense leading up to this Full Moon in Scorpio. This is not just about surrender, it’s about devotion: surrendering to how you think things should be, giving up your need to control outcomes.
Anurādhā refers to Kṛṣṇa’s devoted lover and the loyalty reflected in this lunar mansion. It is ruled by Mitra, the god of friendship, highlighting the potential for agreement, co-operation, and support from others, but only once you have committed yourself.
Despite the Moon’s weakness and strong feelings of vulnerability, Mars is powerful in Aries and casts an exact 8th house aspect onto the Moon, bringing the courage to confront and remove what this Full Moon reveals, and protect what needs protecting.
Jupiter changes signs the following day, suggesting a shift in atmosphere and perspective. Once you surrender to life’s changes, something lighter and more hopeful can emerge. The symbol of Anurādhā is the lotus flower, which rises from the mud. Without the mud, without your darker thoughts and feelings, you cannot blossom. These are the soil from which your true devotion arises.
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When life demands action
Some periods in life don’t wait for you to be ready. They push you into action.
Mars is one of those periods.
It brings heat, urgency, and the need to do something. Things that have been building beneath the surface suddenly require expression.
At its best, Mars gives courage, initiative, and the strength to cut through what’s been holding you back.
At its worst, it can bring conflict, frustration, and actions taken too quickly or not at all.
Much depends on the position and strength of Mars in your birth chart.
In this week’s episode, I explore how Mars periods activate the need for effort, challenge, and decisive change.
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Why does everything feel more intense sometimes?
Not all life changes are visible.
Something happens beneath the surface, in mood, perception, and feeling.
The Moon governs your inner landscape and instinct for what feels good, pushing away what feels bad.
During a Moon period, life can feel more immediate, more personal. What we experience isn’t just what happens, but how deeply we feel it.
In this week’s episode, I explore how these periods shape our inner world.
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The New Moon occurs in Taurus at 9.00 pm BST/4.00 pm EDT on May 16. While the Sun’s recent exaltation brought fresh energy and new beginnings, the Moon’s exaltation in Taurus offers stability, nourishment, and a deeper appreciation of life.
Taurus grounds the mind, drawing scattered thoughts into something tangible, calming, and enjoyable. With the planets currently gathered on one side of the lunar nodes, emotions and experiences can feel more extreme, making it especially important to embrace moments of peace, pleasure, and connection when they arise.
This may come through enjoyable activities, meaningful company, or ideally both. Without grounding sensual experiences, the mind can drift too far into the unreal and restless pull of Rāhu, even while Ketu opens the door to deeper spiritual insight.
This exalted New Moon takes place in Kṛttikā lunar mansion, which brings stability through purification and discernment. Kṛttikā cuts away what is unnecessary or unhealthy, helping restore clarity and mental balance.
Even something as simple as spending more time in sunlight can help uplift the mind at this time. The Sun is strongly connected with Kṛttikā, illuminating and energising the mental sphere.
There is a particular relief in returning to the senses after becoming lost in thought. As the planets gradually move toward Ketu in the coming months, there is a growing call to simplify, release excess, and recover inner poise.
Use this exalted New Moon to begin the clearing process.
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The period that defines who you are
The Sun represents identity, purpose, and direction. When it becomes active, life has a way of bringing you into focus.
There’s less room for negotiating (Venus) and more pressure to stand in your own authority.
This week’s episode explores how Sun periods shape your path forward.
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When the beauty of existence reveals itself
After the uncertainty of Ketu, Venus brings you back into the world of sensual pleasure, happiness, and appreciation.
I once heard from a client who had entered their Venus period, who said it was like "a soft landing, after being in freefall."
After the shadows come connection, beauty, desire, and relationship. But Venus isn’t just about love—it’s about what you value. And what or who you attract into your life.
During a Venus period, life often becomes fuller. An experience of pleasure in itself is quite nice. Having experienced a period of Ketu previously, i.e., a period of loss, those pleasures are something altogether more enjoyable.
If you were immortal, pleasures would soon lose their sheen.
In this week’s episode, I explore how Venus periods unfold.
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May could feel like a mixed bag, bringing both a sense of ease and challenges. You may seek pleasure where you can, especially amid turbulence in the world. There can be a tendency to overindulge as a way to cope or reward yourself, so it’s worth being mindful of excess.
Mars will move out of the uncertainty of Pisces by May 11 and step into Aries for a more energised period. Until then, the Sun helps out in Aries through the first half of the month, supporting confidence, even if things are unclear. By the time Mars moves in, it adds a renewed sense of courage and initiative, but also more impulsivity.
In the world at large, we could see more fighting. With Mars, the planet of war, in Aries, the sign of war, we’re building into a more volatile period, which, by the time Mars meets with Uranus in July, sets things off in a more dramatic way, especially as it squares the lunar nodes.No transit exists in a void, so we must factor Mars’ transit through Aries into what’s going to happen in July. Typically, this means wars (Aries) leading to issues with recourses (Taurus), which later impacts those in leadership roles, as Mars in Taurus squares Leo.
As Mercury enters Taurus on May 14, Venus enters Gemini, which means they are exchanging signs. This bodes well for negotiating the best terms for all concerned, even if Mars wants what it wants, regardless. For some, this may express itself as being able to do the necessary while being able to compromise.
We’re heading into a more positive period by the end of May, as Mercury, Venus, and Mars line up in strength, and Jupiter makes its way towards exaltation. When planets are in a stronger position, even a ‘cruel’ planet like Mars, we tend to see them at their best.By the time Jupiter enters Cancer by June 1, making May the last month Jupiter transits Gemini, we're in a better place, even if it’s initially only in our expectations.
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The Full Moon, which occurs at 18:23 BST/ 13:23 EDT on May 1, is in Svātī, a lunar mansion known for scattering energy. Its symbol, a sprout blowing in the wind, reflects movement and change, and its ruler, Vāyu—the god of wind—speaks to strength developed through instability. Libra itself is about balance and discernment. What appears as indecision is often a careful weighing of options before committing.
This Full Moon is aspected by the North Node (Rahu), closely tied to Svātī, and Jupiter in Gemini, which adds to a sense of mental and energetic dispersion. Yet Venus, ruler of Libra, is strong and more grounded in Taurus, showing the potential to stabilise and direct this energy productively.
As the Moon moves into Scorpio, passing through Viśākhā, the tone shifts from diffusion to decision. Once a direction is chosen, momentum builds quickly. The Full Moon reminds us that release is part of progress. Letting go of what is no longer needed creates space for what comes next.
The Sun is strong during this phase, exalted in Aries, amplifying vitality and confidence. This strength is reflected in the Moon, lending an overall positive tone. Even so, emotions may run high, with a sense of excitement and movement in the air.
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When Everything Starts to Fall Away
There are times in life when things don’t just change; they dissolve. Plans fall away. Identity loosens its grip. What once felt solid no longer holds its ground.
In astrology, this is often the domain of Ketu, the South Lunar Node.
Ketu doesn’t build (usually), it strips things back to their essence. It removes what you’ve outgrown, whether you’re ready to let go or not. It can feel disorienting. But it also opens something deeper.
This week, I’ve begun a new series on the planetary periods (daśās), starting with Ketu—the most misunderstood of them all.
If you’ve ever felt like life was pulling you inward, away from external focus, this may explain why.
This is one of the planetary periods in my book, Daśā Vidyā. The book explores how these periods unfold over time, not just as external events, but as lived experiences that shape your inner world.
Ketu’s periods, in particular, reveal how loss and uncertainty can quietly redirect you toward something more essential.
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Kishori joins me in the next episode of our Maps of Consciousness series as we explore the lunar mansion of Rohiṇī. Often described as the most alluring of the nakṣatras, Rohiṇī is what I like to call the comfortable one. It carries a passionate and fertile quality, radiating warmth, beauty, and sensual pleasure.
This is a creative and nourishing space in the zodiac — a place where life seeks to grow, flourish, and take form. Its symbol, the chariot, evokes movement toward prosperity, comfort, and abundance, reflecting Rohiṇī’s natural capacity to cultivate something both beautiful and enduring.
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The New Moon in Aries makes it feel as though the year is finally getting underway. Although the Lunar New Year begins with the New Moon in Pisces, Aries transits often feel more decisive, bringing a stronger impulse for new beginnings.
This lunation encourages you to start something new in your life—especially as the days following lead into Akṣaya Tritiya, traditionally one of the most auspicious times of the year for initiating important actions.
The New Moon occurs in Aśvinī, the lunar mansion I call “the swift one.” True to its nature, it supports fresh starts after the endings that typically accompany the previous Pisces cycle.
There is an important lesson embedded in this time of year: every new beginning requires letting go of an old way of being. As one part of the zodiac closes, another opens. While earlier in the year we are often completing what was previously begun, this period brings new opportunities we are eager to engage with.
That said, there are still several caveats to keep in mind. Mercury, Mars, Saturn, and Neptune are all gathered closely together in Pisces, forming a dense cluster that may make it feel as though the past is lingering. Even as new beginnings appear, some endings may still be unfolding, leaving us feeling temporarily stuck.
Despite this, the Sun’s exaltation in Aries is something to celebrate. Whatever is still resolving behind the scenes, you may at least feel a growing sense of confidence about your next step.
One final caution: a New Moon in Aśvinī can encourage impulsive action. If you feel eager to move forward—perhaps because you’ve felt held back for too long—it may be wise to pause before rushing ahead.
By all means, begin something as this new energy enters your life again, but consider waiting until April 19, when both the Sun and Moon are exalted, and the Moon has begun waxing once more. Until then, the dark phase of the Moon—the New Moon itself—is better suited to planting seeds rather than acting too quickly.
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The Full Moon in Hasta, the ‘hand’ in sidereal Virgo, brings focus, clarity, and precision. It’s an excellent time to be productive and attend to practical tasks. With so much uncertainty in Pisces, use this energy to focus on small, manageable details you can get to grips with.
Virgo balances the Piscean influence of the Sun, Saturn, Neptune, and Mars, which can bring both inspiration and confusion—all at once. The remedy is simple: get organised and take practical steps for this Full Moon phase. This might be as small as tidying your desk, or as significant as putting parts of your life back in order.
Hasta sits in the middle of Virgo, where Mercury is exalted, making it one of the most skilful and dexterous lunar mansions. However, Mercury moves into Pisces by April 10, so it’s wise to organise things now, before delays or confusion set in. A helpful exchange between Mercury in Pisces and Jupiter in Gemini will offer some support, but clarity may still elude you.
The solution is both simple and complex: bring things into order first, then let go. Yet balance isn’t about constant surrender, but about accepting what cannot be improved. A little organisation now will make the coming weeks much easier to navigate.
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