June 21 Solstice Arrives Today: Turning Up The Heat

... On The Summer Solstice ..."Whatever is dreamed on this night, will come to pass." 
William Shakespeare - Acknowledging the Magic of This Time...A Mid-Summer Night's Dream 

The Solstice arrives on June 21, 2011 as the Sun enters the Cardinal astrological sign of Cancer. In Hawaii, Solstice is at 7:16 am; 10:16 am on the Pacific Coast; 5:16 pm Greenwich Mean Time (GMT); and on the 22nd starting at 12:16 am over Vietnam, east to the International Date Line. 

I was interviewed this morning by Hawaii Public Radio about the Solstice and its significance. That interview will be broadcast on the Solstice, sometime between 8 and 9 am in Hawaii on Public Radio Station 89.3 (KIPO) “Hawaii Conversation”. For those unable to listen to the live feed, an archive version is now available. You can listen here.
 
In the northern hemisphere, the June solstice is the longest day of the year, marking the first day of Summer. This rich, abundant season expresses the ripeness and fullness of life. Here, the raw, seemingly boundless energy of

Sagittarius Full Moon June 15: The Courageous Quest

"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.” Galileo Galilei (1564 - 1642)

“Before God we are equally wise and equally foolish.”
Albert Einstein

"Based on the laws of physics, the effect on temperature of man's contribution to atmospheric CO2 levels is minuscule and indiscernible from the natural variability caused in large part by changes in solar energy output."

Robert Scotto, Atmospheric Scientist
  

Breaking News!!!! Just yesterday, astrophysicist revealed potential life changing information (how timely for the eclipse) about the current and next Solar cycle. In true out of the blue Uranian fashion, the anticipated increase in Sunspot activity in the coming Solar 25 cycle is now considered incorrect. Solar data now shows the Sun's internal activity moving in the opposite direction, towards hibernation. This has come as quite a surprise (and significant at that) to the astronomical community.

A very similar scenario played out in the mid 17th Century. Then, a very quiet Sun (less energy output) led to a "Little Ice Age" during the period 1645 - 1715. During those 70 years, planet Earth experienced very harsh and longer winters. Uncertain in this newly unfolding solar scenario is whether excessive carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (global warming) is sufficient to temporarily offset any potential global temperature drop over the coming decades. Given the Uranian nature of the announcement, I'd say there are a number of wild cards yet to be revealed.

June 2011 Eclipses: Dancing with the Shadows

"Oh dark, dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon,
Irrecoverably dark, total Eclipse
Without all hope of day!"
John Milton, English poet (1608-74)

"Roses have thorns, and silver fountains mud.
Clouds and eclipses stain both moon and sun,
And loathsome canker lives in sweetest bud.
All men make faults, and even I in this."
William Shakespeare, English poet and playwright (1564-1616)

This Astrology blog looks at the potent Eclipse dynamics unfolding in the month of June into July. With the Gemini New Moon behind us, and a total lunar eclipse in Sagittarius less than a week away, I examine in broad detail how these celestial events point to events of the past, present and future, and how this may influence the life choices you make in the coming 6 months.

Our human relationship with Eclipses: the above quotes underscore how solar or lunar eclipses once evoked great fear, depressing thoughts, or dread in people.The “unexpected” and misunderstood darkening of the Sun or Moon was seen as a sign of great trouble, or some ominous omen of heavenly wrath. By contrast, today’s astronomers understand the physical mechanics of these extraordinary celestial movements, and mark their future occurrences with uncanny precision.

Yet, there remains the unmeasurable quality of an eclipse; one that evokes awe, wonder, and a connection to something much bigger than ourselves. Herein lies the mystical, archetypal