H a p p y 4 th J u l y

June 26, 2015

Hello Everyone

Summer is finally here!

I hope you are basking

in some well deserved

sunny weather, where you are!

We had a really fun

Solstice celebration in Sedona. Wish I had taken some photos of all of us pretty ladies decked out in our flowery tiaras. Next time!

Dogs have their bones and cats have their toys, but our cat, Sassy, just goes gaga over fresh flowers. Not only does she love to smell the roses, but she likes to eat them, too!

In the photo here, she

has her eye on the closest rose, which she's just about to pull down to and munch on! Beats

trying to her give her vitamins in a pill! For the cat lovers out there, you know cats have their own mind about being forced to do anything!

Wishing you a really fun and relaxing 4th of July!

Happy Birthday

Cancer

Cancers !

Ready for

some fun?

Discover where to

place your energy

and attention

this birthday year

for optimum

results!

If your Sun Sign is

in Cancer, email me

with your name and SOLAR RETURN

in the subject line.

ENTER your name

to win a free

15 minute

Solar Return

Reading

on MP3

Click on email address below:

margaret@margaretsweet.com

Quan Yin

Darshan of

Your Own Heart

The sanskrit word 'darshan' means: being in the presence of a revered person, sacred image, or sacred place. The heart is a most sacred place!

This summer is the perfect time to hone in on matters of the heart. In an atmosphere of intimacy, we can explore in depth, what our heart is seeking, what our heart longs for, what our heart holds.

In the heavens, Venus - a planet most connected to the desires of our heart, is being courted by Jupiter and Saturn.

When Jupiter conjuncts Venus (June 20 - Aug 11), it supports the process of uncovering our deepest longings, nurturing them, trusting in them, giving them a foundation, so they can be further established.

When Saturn (Scorpio) squares Venus (July 4 - August 13), it can help bring into focus, that which is blocking us from being open and trusting, and believing in our own happiness.

When it comes to 'honoring' and 'expanding' our heart energy, here are a few helpful practices:

1) Contemplation: Turn off all electronic distractions. Sit with yourself in a quiet place, where you can feel physically and emotionally comfortable and relaxed. Light a candle, put on some soft music. Quieten the mind and close your eyes. Place your hands gently over your heart chakra. Ask your heart what it would like to share with you. Do this often!

2) Appreciation: It's so important to give thanks for all that we have and who we are. It's amazing how the mind tends to focus more on what we don't have...but this is not the path of the heart. The heart path involves giving thanks for everything we have, all of the time.

3) Generosity: Cultivating a spirit of generosity helps the heart blossom. There are many ways in which we can be generous, in accordance with our own nature. We can give our love and support, our resources, our expertise, our advice, our patience, and on and on. There's always a way to be generous.

4) Kindness: When we can be kind to others, it softens the energy exchange of our heart, with another. It helps others feel welcomed into an intimate and safe 'space'.

Mars transiting Cancer

June 24 - August 7

What might we expect of the transit of Mars through the sign of Cancer?

Mars is an aggressive planet by nature, so when it is in the emotionally oriented sign of Cancer, it tends to bring to the surface, nagging concerns and worries.

Day to day concerns, especially on the domestic front, can all of a sudden get amplified, taking on a greater sense of urgency. That's when we have to remember to breath deeply, roll our body around, and release tension. This transit can definitely be anxiety producing.

Mars likes to face things head on. Maybe if we can see more clearly what is emotionally 'pulling on us', or 'draining us', we have a better chance of 'clearing' the energy, making a dent in the 'build up' so to speak, just like the process of spring cleaning.

These are the areas of life ruled by the
sign of Cancer:

1) Domestic situations. Family relationships / family dynamics, and that includes emotionally challenged relationships, which tend to push our buttons.

2) Illness, Aging and Loss: Vulnerability, which is associated with illness, aging and maneuvering our way through the loss of a loved one, beloved pet, or aspect of freedom which we enjoyed, but which may no longer be available to us.

3) Concerns about financial security/stability, including
concern over wills, trusts, heirlooms, retirement funds, distribution of family funds and capacity to adjust to less income, if and when we need to.

4) Concerns over security and continuity about our home, our living circumstances.

The positive aspect of this transit, is that it helps us get clear and present with our emotional needs, so that we can create an action plan for moving forward.

Be sure to check out the 'Lunar Activity' below, for July 15th. The the emotions can become quite volatile, so it is a good idea to be armed with hands-on tools, which we can use to navigate the ups and downs.

to the winner of the Solar Return reading for June

Mya Kramer

Visit Mya's website:
Mya Kramer

Thanks to all who entered. If you'd like to win a Solar Return reading, please enter during your birthday month - see details in the left hand column of each newsletter!

Astro Tips

Artwork by Rita Lloyd

Please note: All times given are PST

July 1: Lots of different 'energies' around this Full Moon in Capricorn. A most expansive influence comes into place in the wee hours, setting the day off with a good vibration. While there are great communication aspects for social activity and outreach, we may notice some nostalgia present. See Lunar Activity for further info about the Full Moon.

(Venus-Jupiter conjunction in Leo at 12:51 am; Cancer Sun trines Neptune in Pisces, exact at 2:10 pm)

July 2: There's such a creative, expansive communication aspect in place all day today. We may not be too keen to jump tracks (early afternoon), preferring to keep our focus on one task and complete it.

(Mercury in Gemini sextiles Uranus in Aries, xact at 11:45 am; Capricorn Moon squares Uranus, exact at 1:00 pm)

July 3: Another fabulously creative influence, inspires the mind with philosophical, expansive thinking.

(Mercury in Gemini sextiles Jupiter in Leo, exact at 6:00 [pm)

July 4: Great day for getting together with friends. Lends itself to being social, communicative, Idealistic. Note, a tendency to over eat and over drink.

(Aquarius Moon sextiles Uranus in Aries, exact at 3:15 pm; Moon opposes Jupiter in Leo, at 6:30 pm and opposes Venus in Leo at 9:30 pm. Moon trines Mercury in Gemini, exact at 9:15 pm)

July 5: A slight emotional dip this morning can represent the desire for some reflection time. We can also be feeling the energies of the Pluto-Sun opposition, which is exact tomorrow. A late evening influence lends itself to good 'dreaming'.

(Pisces Moon squares Saturn in Scorpio, exact at 5:30 am; Moon conjuncts Neptune in Pisces, exact at 11:30 pm)

July 6: The energies lean toward sadness today, which if left unattended, can spill into a full on emotional funk, which may be in place through part of tomorrow, too.

(Pisces Moon trines Cancer Sun, exact at 7:00 am; Cancer Sun opposes Pluto in Capricorn, exact at 8:30 am)

July 7: A shift of signs can move the energies from being very mentally scattered and unsure of what our needs are, to feeling more focused and aware.

(Pisces Moon squares Mercury in Gemini, exact at 6:00 am. Moon moves into the early degrees of Aries, and trines Saturn, in Scorpio, exact at 7:30 am)

July 8: We may not feel that well rested upon rising this morning, and will be faced with needing to make extra effort to settle ourselves down (stopping all mental activity early in the evening), in order to sleep well tonight. Don't be surprised to find yourself just a tad grumpy as mid-morning rolls around.

(Aries Moon squares Mars in Cancer, exact at 1:15 am and squares Pluto (Capricorn), at 9:45 am; Moon conjuncts Uranus in Aries, exact at 8:15 pm)

July 9: Softer, lighter, fun influences in place this morning assures we start the day off on a great note. The early evening lends itself to a heart to heart chat.

(Aries Moon trines Jupiter in Leo, at 1:00 am and trines Venus in Leo, at 6:45 am. Taurus Moon sextiles Mercury in Cancer, exact at 4:30 pm)

July 11: Laid back, lazy kind of aspects can mean we get going with our day, a little later. Be aware of mid-afternoon potential emotional funk coming out of nowhere! We can also begin to experience some of the discordant energies of the Sun-Uranus square, which is exact Sunday evening.

(Taurus Moon squares Jupiter in Leo, at 6:00 am, and squares Venus in Leo, at 1:00 pm. Moon opposes Saturn in Scorpio, exact at 2:45 pm)

July 12: We may find ourselves resistant to 'doing' for others, having to accommodate others today, for we need to have some emotional space. There can be underlying passive-aggressive tendencies, in close relationship activity, which can continue to be in place, given the influences tomorrow evening.

(Cancer Sun in square to Uranus in Aries, exact at 7:45 pm)

July 13: The energies of the day are mentally creative, imaginative, philosophical and compassionate. As we come into late evening, with an emotionally sensitive Moon in Cancer as a backdrop, and further challenging relationship influences, we may begin to feel emotional restriction.

(Gemini Moon sextiles Uranus in Aries, at 5:45 am; Mercury in Cancer trines Neptune in Pisces, exact at 12:15 pm; Moon sextiles Jupiter in Leo, at 12:30 pm and sextiles Venus in Leo, at 8:30 pm. Venus in Leo squares Saturn in Scorpio, at 11:45 pm)

July 14: With emotional and psychically sensitive energies in place today, we do better if we have control over our time and space.

(Cancer Moon trines Neptune in Pisces, exact at 4:45 pm; Moon conjuncts Mercury, exact at 10:00 pm)

July 15: New Moon in Cancer. Be sure to check out 'Lunar Activity' for more information about this New Moon - because it's mighty intense!.

July 16: A balancing influence comes into place early in the morning, having a settling effect from yesterdays powerful aspects.

(Cancer Moon trines Saturn in Scorpio, exact at 4:30 am)

July 18: There's a potpourri of influences today. The morning begins on an expansive note, but mid-afternoon can bring a lack of energy, and emotional restriction. Early evening 'sensitivities' lean toward choosing to eat a light meal. Another early evening aspect, which is actually influential from late morning through late evening, can compromise our mental agility, more so if circumstances require us to 'switch' gears. Not great for making important decisions or doing lots of work of a technical nature.

(Moon-Jupiter conjunction in Leo, exact at 7:45 am; Leo Moon squares Saturn in Scorpio, exact at 2:45 pm; Moon goes into the sign of Virgo and conjuncts Venus, exact at 5:45 pm; Mercury in Cancer squares Uranus in Aries, exact at 6:00 pm)

July 21: The day lends itself to emotional stability.

(Cancer Sun trines Uranus in Scorpio, exact at 4:00 am)

July 22: There can be a temporary emotional fluctuation around mid-morning, but there's a good mental aspect, which helps us focus and evaluate, before making decisions.

(Libra Moon squares Pluto in Capricorn, exact at 10:30 am; Mercury in Cancer trines Saturn in Scorpio, exact at 11:00 am)

July 23: Creative, magical thinking is in the air today.

(Libra Moon sextiles Jupiter in Leo, exact at 11:15 am; Sun-Mercury conjunction in Leo, exact at 12:30 pm)

July 24: Dreamy and imaginative energies in place Friday afternoon, but be aware of emotionally intense undercurrents, which are the in the process of building.

(Scorpio Moon trines Neptune in Pisces, exact at 1:45 pm)

July 25: Inner emotional conflicts can magnify greatly, requiring our careful attention. If left unattended or unexpressed, emotions can become extremely explosive. There's a heightened tendency to 'project' anger onto others.

(Mars in Cancer squares Uranus in Aries, while felt all day, are exact at 2:45 am; Scorpio Moon trines Mars in Cancer, exact at 11:45 am)

July 26: A potpourri of influences today. We may start the day off feeling emotionally vulnerable, requiring a little extra TLC. Late morning and early evening influences move us into a more confident and expressive place.

(Moon-Saturn conjunction takes place at 2:15 am; When Moon moves into Sagittarius, it also squares Venus in Virgo, exact at 6:45 am; Sagittarius Moon trines Sun in Leo at 12:00 noon and trines Mercury in Leo, exact at 7:30 pm)

July 27: Energy shifts for the better, bring in a proactive, confident and creative influence.

(Sagittarius Moon trines Uranus in Aries, exact at 7 pm)

July 28: Light hearted influences in place today. The first, is great for creative thinking, and the second, for attention to detail.

(Sagittarius Moon trines Jupiter in Leo, exact at 6:45 am; Moon changes sign, into Capricorn, and trines Venus in Virgo, exact at 12:45 pm)

July 29: Late morning influence intensifies focus and productivity. Techies beware of late evening influence, which can create havoc with your computer projects! And for getting a good night's sleep - you may have to finish all mentally active tasks in the early evening hours.

(Capricorn Moon conjuncts Pluto, exact at 11:15 am; Moon squares Uranus in Aries, exact at 10:45 pm)

July 30: The 'Moody-blues' can visit us first thing this morning.

(Capricorn Moon opposes Mars in Cancer, exact at 4:30 am)

July 31: Full Moon in Aquarius. See Lunar Activity.

Lunar Activity

This Full Moon and New Moon activity takes place in signs which are focused on domestic activity, family relationships and financial security issues.

July 1: Full Moon 9 deg. Capricorn 7:20 pm

Expansive, creative energies of the heart, come in in the wee hours of the morning, creating a soft cloud for which to enter our waking hours. Mid morning brings a fast moving, maybe too fast for our comfort, influence, which can temporarily create an 'out of sorts' feeling, but that 'dreamy' feeling returns in the mid afternoon - all of this taking place before the practical, grounded Full Moon in Capricorn comes into place, in early evening.

July 15: New Moon 23 deg. Cancer 6:24 pm

A far stretch from the practical Full Moon In Capricorn, there's lots of volatility surrounding this Full Moon. Be aware of the argumentative, fist fighting, influences in place today. May be a roller coaster ride!

We could easily start the day off feeling emotionally exhausted, given the intensive aspects taking place in the night, (Moon conjunct Mars in Cancer, Moon opposite Pluto - between 1:00 and 2:00 am) but then, as soon as we're ready for our day, we're hit with another wave of angry, volatile aspect (Mars opposite Pluto - exact at 7:00 am).

This Cancer Moon squares Uranus in Aries at 1:00 pm, which doesn't make us happy with having to navigate such emotional fluctuations. When Mercury in Cancer opposes Pluto, in place all afternoon, but exact at 4:30 pm, it's difficult to maintain a good state of mind. Just when we need to be thinking of getting to bed, for some well deserved rest, Mercury conjuncts Mars in Cancer, which can result in tremendous verbal outbursts of negativity and another go around!

Thanks for joining me this month. I look forward to connecting with you soon! I hope you enjoy the 4th July celebrations!

much love,

Margaret