JULY THEME: A NEW BALANCE OF POWER
by Simone Butler

When I was growing up in the 60s and 70s, the Holy Grail was "thin and tan." My friends and I adored the sun. All summer, we bodysurfed and baked in our bikinis at South Mission beach in San Diego. Slathered in Bain de Soleil, I'd melt into the sand and drift off into another world. If it took a while to recover from a blistering day, that was just the price you paid.

Later, wary of sun damage, I stopped lying in the sun altogether. Only recently have I begun luxuriating in its radiance again. The 15 minutes I spend each afternoon on my redwood deck, inhaling the sun's full-spectrum light and warmth, is the most restorative part of my day. The sun (along with its feminine counterpart, the moon) is our primary connection to the cosmos, and a source of great healing. Sometimes I draw its energy into my power center, or solar plexus, which Egyptian alchemy calls our own miniature sun. Or, I'll magnetize the sun's subtle energies into my Ka body, or auric field, and feel myself tingling with life force.

We're in high summer now, as the sun's power reaches its peak. Moving through the sign of Cancer, it brings ripeness, fruition and a heightening of the feminine powers. Great Mother Cancer heaves a sigh of relief on July 16 as Saturn, the lesson-giver, leaves her sign after two-and-a-half years. It’s been an intense period of healing family patterns and karma, in which the powers of intuition and compassion have taken on greater importance. The cardinal signs in particular, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn and Aries, have been learning how to mother our selves and others. In fact, my own mother passed away on the day Saturn crossed my Cancer sun.

Now, with Saturn entering Leo on July 16 and the sun doing the same on July 22, we learn how to father ourselves. Positive father qualities include strength tempered with gentleness, loving protection of the young, confidence, self-discipline and worldly success. The next two-and-a-half years will be an especially potent opportunity for the fixed signs of Leo, Aquarius, Scorpio and Taurus to overcome insecurities and claim their power. And, it should facilitate a rapid expansion for Aries, Sagittarius, Gemini, Libra and Aquarius folks.

If you were born between 1940 and 1958, this will be a particularly meaningful period. The Me Generation arrived when Pluto was in the sign of Leo. We seek our power (Pluto) through playful creativity and self-exploration (Leo). We’re noted for having the longest adolescence in history--like Mick Jagger, many of us still "can’t get no satisfaction." Since Saturn brings maturity, though, it's time for us to grow up. Cut back on certain indulgences. Build smaller, more sustainable homes, drive fuel-efficient cars. Be more committed in relationships. Discipline our creative muse or inner child and make our dreams come true. He who accumulates the most toys will definitely not win under this transit. Those in your sixties, get ready: Saturn arrives at your doorstep first. This is your chance to become a wise elder, and use your power in new ways.

As Saturn moves into Leo mid-July, it opposes Chiron in Aquarius, which represents the balance of masculine and feminine that will become the dominant consciousness on the planet over the next six years. During the reign of Saturn in Leo, we'll see the powers that be (authority figures, government, church leaders, IRS) make a last-ditch effort to consolidate power and exert greater control. This grab for more power is doomed to fail, though it may wreak havoc temporarily. Fasten your seat belts for a bumpy ride, but don’t give up hope. The masculine and feminine will come into balance. It is inevitable, as the collective consciousness evolves.

Use the ripening energies of summer to stoke your inner fire and find new forms to contain your soul's passion. As you relax in the sunshine and inhale its healing qualities, let your internal Mother and Father unite in pure pleasure. I'll see you at the beach!

© 2005 Simone Butler.

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