Monday, June 22–28

Energy This Week

For a few weeks now, we’ve been experiencing a sort of transitional period, during which—especially last week—a lot of things came to a head. Last week ended with the summer solstice, the peak of light and energy. From this moment on, the days will slowly start to get shorter again.

The energy is high, intense, and unsettled; collectively, we’re going in all directions—up and down, as we say in the Netherlands. This excess of energy is trying to break free and can create a feeling of pressure and nervousness. You may experience this in different ways: racing thoughts, strange dreams, restlessness, impatience, fatigue, or, conversely, hyperactivity, irritability, annoyances, frustrations, and simply being unable to feel anything for a while. And with the heat on top of that, we’re truly challenged to take even better care of ourselves and connect with our bodies. Feel what your body needs right now: stillness, relaxation, or—precisely—release through movement. Every system is different. Grounding and natural water are always a good idea in these circumstances.

Although the most striking astrological developments will not reach their peak until the end of June and in July, this week feels like the lead-up to a new chapter. The energy is shifting, the undercurrent is changing, and many processes that will become apparent in the coming months are already beginning to emerge.

One of the most important themes is Chiron’s recent entry into Taurus (June 19). After years in which collective and personal healing centered on identity, independence, and the courage to be yourself, attention now shifts toward self-worth, safety, material security, and our relationship with our bodies and the earth. Questions such as “What truly grounds me?” and “What do I base my sense of worth on?” may become increasingly prominent in the time ahead.

At the same time, the Sun has been in Cancer since the solstice, bringing feelings, connectedness, home, family, and emotional safety more to the forefront. While recent weeks were mainly marked by information, communication, and movement, this period calls for depth, stillness, and listening to what lies beneath the surface. In the background, Mercury is also beginning to slow down in the lead-up to its retrograde motion. This makes this week an ideal time to look back, revise plans, and wrap up unfinished business before the energy turns even more inward.

And then there is the larger collective movement taking shape on the horizon. July brings several exceptional astrological shifts, including the rare harmonious connection between Uranus (the planet of revolution, transformation, and unexpected turns) and Pluto (the planet that touches the soul, the subconscious, and everything that is hidden and suppressed). This shift is a "once-in-a-lifetime" event.

We have seen notable alignments of Uranus and Pluto before, in the 1960s and in 2010, but those were more tense. In July of this year, we will see the opposite: a smooth, harmonious connection.

The signs of this are already being felt. Many people may find that their old certainties are beginning to shift and that a growing awareness is emerging that a new phase is unfolding—personally, socially, and collectively. We will explore this further in the next update.

This week, therefore, calls not for great leaps forward, but for attunement—for sensing what is truly valuable, for allowing new roots to grow, and for making room for the changes that will unfold in the coming months.

Lunar phase: waxing moon.

June 28: Mars in Gemini

When Mars, the planet of action, enters the mutable sign of Gemini, it gives a powerful boost to mental energy. Thoughts move faster, ideas come one after another at a rapid pace, and the need to communicate, learn, network, and exchange information increases sharply. While Mars normally symbolizes physical decisiveness, in Gemini it directs its fiery energy primarily toward the intellect, conversations, trade, media, study, and social contacts.

You may feel more motivated, focused, and determined in your work and daily activities. You’ll feel a desire to take on multiple projects at once, acquire new knowledge, and actively pursue opportunities. Discussions become more lively, and your words carry more weight. This is an excellent time to launch ideas, write, teach, negotiate, or make important connections.

At the same time, this energy presents a challenge. Mars in Gemini can cause restlessness, fragmentation, and mental overstimulation. There is so much information coming in that it can become difficult to stay focused. Impulsive remarks, arguments, or jumping to conclusions are also a risk. The key is to consciously choose where you spend your energy.

The timing of this shift makes it particularly interesting. The Sun has been in the sensitive and intuitive sign of Cancer since June 21, causing emotions, family, safety, and inner needs to demand more attention. While Mars in Gemini speeds up the mind, the Sun in Cancer invites you to stay in touch with your feelings. The challenge is to act not only with your head, but also to listen to what your heart needs.

A day later, on June 29, Mercury goes retrograde in Cancer. This shifts the focus from external communication to inner reflection. Old conversations, family matters, memories, and emotional patterns may resurface for us to reconsider. With Mars in Gemini, we may be tempted to react quickly, but Mercury retrograde calls for us to slow down, reconsider, and listen mindfully.

Yet another day later (June 30), there is a full moon in Capricorn, and Jupiter then moves into Leo. This gives the energy field a completely new tone. While Cancer focuses on protection and connection, Jupiter in Leo encourages us to step into the spotlight, express our creativity, and let our unique light shine through self-confidence.

"What new ideas are emerging, what desires keep resurfacing, and what old stories (that have truly served their purpose) need to be rewritten, in preparation for a more powerful, more authentic version of yourself?"

Monday, June 22–28

Energy This Week

For a few weeks now, we’ve been feeling a sort of transitional period, during which a lot came to the surface, especially last week. Last week ended with the summer solstice, the peak of daylight and a high point of energy. From this point on, the days will slowly start to get shorter again. 

The energy is high, intense, and volatile; we’re all going in every direction as a group. “Jantje cries, Jantje laughs,” as we say in the Netherlands. This energy overload wants to be released and can create a feeling of heaviness and nervousness. You might experience this in different ways: racing thoughts, strange dreams, restlessness, impatience, fatigue, or—on the other hand—hyperactivity, irritability, frustrations, and simply feeling disconnected for a moment. And with the heat on top of that, we’re really challenged to take even better care of ourselves and connect with our bodies. Feel what your body needs right now: silence, relaxation, or, on the contrary, release through movement. Every system is different. Grounding and natural water are always a good idea in these circumstances. 

Although the most notable astrological developments won’t reach their peak until late June and July, this week feels like the prelude to a new chapter. The energy is shifting, the undercurrent is changing, and many processes that will become apparent in the coming months are already beginning to emerge.

One of the most important themes is Cheiron’s recent transition into Taurus (June 19). After years in which collective and personal healing revolved around identity, independence, and the courage to be yourself, the focus is now shifting to self-worth, safety, material security, and our relationship with our bodies and the Earth. Questions such as “What truly gives me a sense of stability?” and “What do I base my sense of worth on?” may become increasingly prominent in the coming period.

At the same time, the Sun has been in Cancer since the solstice, bringing feelings, connection, home, family, and emotional security more to the forefront. Whereas the past few weeks were mainly focused on information, communication, and movement, this period calls for depth, stillness, and listening to what lies beneath the surface. In the background, Mercury is also beginning to slow down in the run-up to its retrograde motion. This makes this week an ideal time to look back, revise plans, and wrap up unfinished business before the energy turns further inward.

And then there is the larger collective movement looming on the horizon. July brings with it some exceptional astrological shifts, including the rare harmonic connection between Uranus (the planet of revolution, transformation, and unexpected twists) and Pluto (the planet that touches the soul, the subconscious, and everything that is hidden and repressed). This shift is a “once-in-a-lifetime” event. 

We’ve had special alignments of Uranus and Pluto before—in the 1960s and in 2010—but those were more tense. In July of this year, we’ll experience the opposite: a smooth, harmonious connection. 

The signs of this are already evident. Many people may feel that old certainties are beginning to shift and that there is a growing awareness that a new phase is dawning—on a personal, societal, and collective level. We’ll explore this further in the next update. 

This week, therefore, isn’t about taking giant leaps forward, but about finding harmony. It’s about sensing what is truly valuable, letting new roots grow, and making room for the changes that will unfold in the coming months.

Moon phase: waxing moon. 

June 28: Mars in Gemini 

When Mars, the planet of action, enters the sign of Gemini, it gives a powerful boost to mental energy. Thoughts race, ideas come thick and fast, and the need to communicate, learn, network, and exchange information increases significantly. While Mars normally symbolizes physical drive, in Gemini it focuses its fiery energy primarily on the intellect, conversation, commerce, media, study, and social interactions.

You may experience greater motivation, focus, and determination in your work and daily activities. You’ll feel a desire to take on multiple projects at once, acquire new knowledge, and actively pursue opportunities. Discussions will become more lively, and your words will carry more weight. This is an excellent time to launch ideas, write, teach, negotiate, or make important connections.

At the same time, this energy presents a challenge. Mars in Gemini can cause restlessness, fragmentation, and mental overstimulation. There is so much input available that it can be difficult to stay focused. Impulsive statements, arguments, or jumping to conclusions are also a risk. The trick is to consciously choose where you direct your energy.

The timing of this shift makes it particularly interesting. Since June 21, the Sun has been in the sensitive and intuitive sign of Cancer, causing emotions, family, security, and inner needs to demand more attention. While Mars in Gemini speeds up the mind, the Sun in Cancer invites you to stay in touch with your feelings. The challenge is not to act solely from the head, but also to listen to what your heart needs.

A day later, on June 29, Mercury will go retrograde in Cancer. As a result, the focus shifts from external communication to inner reflection. Old conversations, family issues, memories, and emotional patterns may resurface for review. With Mars in Gemini, there may be a tendency to react quickly, but Mercury retrograde calls for slowing down, reconsideration, and conscious listening.

Another day later (June 30), there will be a full moon in Capricorn, and Jupiter will move into Leo. This gives the energy field a completely new tone. Whereas Cancer focuses on protection and connection, Jupiter in Leo encourages us to step into the spotlight, showcase our creativity, and let our unique light shine with confidence. 

“What new ideas are emerging, what desires keep coming back, and which old stories (that have truly served their purpose) need to be rewritten, in preparation for a more powerful, authentic version of yourself?”