As incarnated beings, we live within cycles of experience. Our life begins at birth and ends at the transition called death. Our lives become an encapsulation of all our experiences during those two transitions. During our life cycle we integrate our experiences through the lens of the Sun in our astrological chart. The Sun, the central star of our solar system, is the point of gravity. It is the ‘self-consciousness ‘ of the solar system, emanating it’s life giving force while magnetically attracting the objects that orbit it on their appointed course.

The path of the Sun within the cycle of the year has been watched closely for as long as man became conscious of it’s movement. All of nature responds to the Sun, in its abundance or in its lack. The Ancients built monuments to track the movement of the Sun, such as Stonehenge and many of the Mayan Pyramids.

During the summer solstice (in the Northern Hemisphere) the sun reaches it’s highest northern most latitude at the Tropic of Cancer. This gives those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere the longest day of the year. The word Solstice (as pointed out in my Winter Solstice article) means “still sun” and for the moment, which occurs at 1:18 PM EDT (5:18 PM GMT)The Sun reaches it’s highest place in the sky. Once it has reached this point, it slowly moves back towards the equator and the time of daylight begins to shorten.

During the Spring Equinox, the day and nights were equal. Spring is the beginning of the life cycle of nature. It is during the spring that the new shoots push there way out of the frozen ground (Aries), grow roots and strengthen stems (Taurus) and grow branches, leaves and flowers (Gemini). Now as the Sun moves into Cancer and summer starts, it is the time of the growing fruit. A time to nurture and tend the seeds/plants so that we can grow the ideas that were planted during the Spring.

It is interesting that the day the Sun reaches its zenith, the height of it’s power, occurs in the sign of Cancer. The Sign of Cancer is a water sign, ruled by the Moon. Reminding us of the interconnectedness of the Male (Sun) and Female (Moon) within the cycle of life. The Sun representing the Yang or outward flow of energy and the Moon the Yin or inward pull towards the center.

Whenever the Sun moves into the Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn) it is always a time of initiation. The Spring Equinox, when the Sun moved into the sign of Aries, was an initiation into Fire or Spirit. The summer Solstice is an initiation into Water or Soul. It is our feeling nature that comes to the forefront during this time.

This Solstice is a particularly sensitive time for a number of reasons. The ruler of the Cancer Sun, the Moon, is in the sign of Pisces. Pisces is also a water sign. It is the sign of oneness and compassion, of the dissolution of boundaries. There is also a flowing trine aspect (geometrical relationships between two planets) to Neptune which is currently occupying the first degree of Pisces. Neptune is the natural ruler of Pisces, so it is in its own sign, making it a powerful influence over whatever it touches. Neptune puts us in touch with our inner worlds, so this Summer Solstice has a decidedly Piscean flavor to it.

The Chart for the Solstice influences the entire season, which promises to abound with opportunities for healing. Healing promotes wholeness, so all separating desires will be highlighted. All wounds that divide us will be laid bare. Themes of victimization will present themselves as we are asked to come to terms with our capacity to create our reality.

Pisces is the sign of the martyr/savior. Where do we martyr ourselves in our relationships? Are we trying to save someone? Are some of the questions we may be asking ourselves.

Chiron, an asteroid discovered in 1977 is also in the sign of Pisces in a harmonious trine to the Solstice Sun. Chiron was last in Pisces during the social revolution of the 60’s. Chiron is the archetypical “wounded healer”. In Pisces the wound of abandonment by God is the wound that cannot be healed, the wound of ultimate separation. The wound, we as souls suffer ,when we choose to incarnate. The wound of separation from Source Energy. This separation is an illusion (Neptune rules illusion) however, because we are always able to access Source. We access it through our connection to the inner self through our feeling nature.

If we are in love, we connect with source energy, if we are in fear, we disconnect. Those are our choices this summer season.

The Sun in Cancer asks us to integrate our experiences through our feeling nature. In the Chart for the Solstice, the Cancer Sun has some challenging aspects. Uranus in Aries squares the Sun. Squares are experienced as incidents that we do not see coming, which force us to act. These actions are different than what we’ve ever done and push us out of our comfort zones. With the explosive Uranus in the equally explosive sign of Aries, the sense of surprise is heightened. Even with the less stressful aspects, Uranus cannot be prepared for or ignored and the square is the most stressful and action oriented aspect. Something will happen and you will act as you “feel” you must. Going with your instincts should serve you well through this. There is also an opposition to Pluto of the Sun in Cancer. Oppositions are points of awareness, a time when something is staring you straight in the face. Pluto is about transformation and it is about Power. We will become aware of our relationship to power. Are we empowered or are we victims of the structures of power?

We will be tested, again and again through the summer. A solar eclipse on July 1st will ratchet up the energy even further.

Change is here, change is now. Cancer connects us to our inner compass. We will need this compass to navigate the wild waters of this summer season.

There is no need to fear however. In fact fear will only heighten our distress in these times of crisis. And these times of crisis will surely come to test us. It is best to count your blessings and reside, as best you can, surrounded by those you love, doing the things you love and being willing to let go of what gets in the way of you inner peace.

We are giving birth to a New Earth, one based on Love. One based on an appreciation of what unites us and letting go of what keeps us separate. A world of Conscious Co-creation, where we recognize our innate ability to create our own reality. We are just going through the labor pains at this time so bear down…and push!