June 2015 horoscopes: What you need to know as we approach summer solstice

Date May 29, 2015

We’re halfway through Mercury Retrograde. I hope you have made space to slow down, to think, read, dream, write, clean, and nap as much as you can. If not, then don’t worry, because we’re only halfway. It might just feel like you are fighting an uphill battle, but this period ends on the 11th, so wait until after then to make any important decisions or begin any new projects you are ready to start.

Gemini season is a time for curiosity, exploration and fun. Our attention spans may be somewhat limited but the need to learn, to understand, to inquire, and to challenge outweigh the need to be stable and committed. The new moon on the 16th is a time to set intentions for new ways of relating and communicating with one another. Are you a clear communicator? Do you listen as well as you articulate? Do you make space for different perspectives without jumping to criticism? Do you think before you react?

On the 21st is the summer solstice. It is the brightest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, and the darkest in the southern. This is a time for celebration in either case because it marks a threshold in each of our respective journeys. This is a profound time to reconnect with the cycle of nature you are a part of, and to mirror these cycles and seasons in how you live your own life.

Horoscopes by Aerin Fogel. Illustrations by Stefanie Ayoub.

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Dear Aries,

As you come out the tail end of this Mercury retrograde period, slow down a bit. Take a walk around the neighbourhood and strike up a conversation with whoever’s out planting flowers in the garden. Maybe it’s time to learn a new language, either literally or symbolically. This might be as simple as having the confidence to speak what’s on your mind, especially after the 11th. Your style for June happens all in the details. Neckties, hair ties, cufflinks, belt buckles, and a whole lot of colour will keep you feeling inspired. And you do, especially in the first half of the month.

Be careful you don’t burn out all your energy by talking about everything you want to do before you actually go and do it. Give yourself a focus or a creative pursuit. From the 24th onward, spend time building your cozy home. This needs to be a space where you can let down your guard and admit to being as sensitive as you secretly are. If challenges arise in your family, instead of getting involved in the drama, see if you can channel the energy in a productive way. The key to unlocking the tension is compassion; if each person can have equal compassion for themselves and others, imagine how loving your family would be. It starts with you learning how to dissolve some of that anger, because underneath, your heart is so big it’s bursting at the seams.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

Dear Taurus,

You are not always known as the expressive one around here. Most of the time it’s pretty hard for the rest of us to figure out (let alone anticipate) what’s going on in there. This month, however, you are overwhelmed with the desire to feel recognized and appreciated. You might even feel angry, at times, when there is a lack of appreciation. Don’t stifle the need; it’s your own beautiful heart speaking up for itself. It wants to love and be loved with boundless passion. Consider how your family expresses (or doesn’t express) love with one another; you might be ready to let go of any unloving behaviours you learned from your clan.

Your style this month is dramatic, so don’t be afraid to attract attention with your ensembles. You are also going for a heavy dose of classic elegance here, from an older decade, or maybe even from your grandmother’s closet. If your budget has felt a little stretched recently, it will get easier after the 11th. Imagine you are opening all the windows to let the spring breeze, and a new wave of abundance, come rolling through. Consider the possibility that money has been tough because you don’t believe you’re worth more than what you’re already getting. This is of course untrue – it is a basic right of humanity to have your needs met, but you have to really know this at your very core. As the month closes you are bursting with inspiration, or maybe immersed in longing – in either case, give yourself a task, or all that creative energy is going to just spiral out into anxiety.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

Dear Gemini,

It’s hard enough as it is for you to make up your mind. Or at least, hard for you to stick to a decision once you’ve made it. So your task until mid-month is to stop making so many decisions, to at least have the temporary experience of not changing your mind. Ultimately this is about knowing stillness and inner peace. It’s not about silencing the mind (who are we kidding, there are probably about five people in the world who can actually do that, and they’re definitely not Geminis) it’s about taking a step back from your thoughts and not getting drawn into each and every one. This is mindfulness. Underneath the mind chatter you may discover a deeply calm and certain aspect of yourself.

While you are doing all that inner listening, clean out your closet. Purge anything that you haven’t worn in awhile or can’t imagine feeling excited to wear now. You don’t need to make up your mind yet about your summer wardrobe because you don’t need to make any new decisions. The new moon on the 16th is an important time for you to reset your personal clock for the time ahead. Consider who you have been this past year, and who you want to be in the coming year. After the solstice on the 21st, sit down and make a budget plan for yourself. If you need more income, now is a great time to set something new in motion that will help you meet your needs.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

Dear Cancer,

If this moment were a phase of the moon for you, it would be the balsamic moon, the very last fading sliver of a cycle almost complete. You are at the end of what has come before but not quite at the beginning of what’s yet to come. You will, however, cross that threshold later in the month. Until then, spend your time in quiet contemplation, seeking the lessons and the wisdom from the phase that is ending. There are still some things you need to learn before you cross the next threshold. Pay attention to any dreams you have, and try a stream of consciousness journaling exercise. If something unexpected shows up from your own unconscious, welcome it with open arms.

Choose light, ethereal fabrics this month. Take extra care of your health right now as well; eat whatever feels most digestible to you instead of trying to follow a diet someone else has told you is healthy. Find a type of exercise that feels more like fun than a chore, and get rid of any products you’re using that aren’t made with natural ingredients. Take extra rest if you need it. The solstice on the 21st is a powerful time for you to cross into a completely new phase of life and way of being in the world. Use this burst of energy to become the compassionate, nurturing person you were truly born to be.

Leo (July 23 – August 22)

Dear Leo,

There’s really no such thing as an ungenerous Leo. Somehow, at some point, Leo garnered a reputation for being self-oriented, but even this self-orientation is about expanding your heart big enough to love others even more. So while you may have spent the past few months focusing your energy on your own path, it was like building a foundation for the work that lies ahead. This month, use your strength in service. Consider the skills you have cultivated that can help around your community. When was the last time you volunteered some hours towards helping others? It doesn’t need to be a grand affair, you might even just have a friend who is struggling and could use some help with dishes and laundry.

Your style for June is all about embodying heavenly beauty. I’m picturing you wearing a lot of white with some extra gold hanging off your limbs. Or maybe your idea of heaven is a whole lot of black. No matter what you choose, you will be magnetic in whatever you are wearing. The trouble with this being a time of community service for you is that you are tempted to run away with your own sense of desire. You are longing for something, and though it may seem like everything will be fine if you could just attain that thing, in reality the longing itself is the issue. Let desire be as intense a feeling as it needs to be, without expecting to receive whatever that desire is being projected onto. You are lit up with fire but it’s up to you to direct it in a productive way and not let it burn you up inside.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22)

Dear Virgo,

I know a lot of Virgos who are very sensitive to authority. When I first started learning astrology it took me some time to understand why, but I eventually came to the understanding that people who stand in positions of authority take on, for you, the voice of your own self-criticism. You so often speak to yourself in a way that would be absolutely horrific and intolerable if it were coming from someone else. This is a very important time in your life to challenge your own inner voice of authority, and to stand up to it if it speaks with anything other than support and kindness. Criticism will only serve to tear you down, it will never lead you in any kind of positive direction. This isn’t about trying to silence any part of yourself, it’s about loving even the parts of you that don’t yet know how to love.

Your style this month is all about structure and angles. Go for simple, neutral colours and modify your use of accessories. Don’t make important decisions about your career path until after the 11th; there are some details that are still falling into place and if you try to jump ahead too many steps you’ll just end up backtracking later on. This is a one step at a time kind of process. If your love life seems confusing near the end of the month, don’t try too hard to figure the whole thing out. Breathe deeply, see deeply, and wait for clarity. You are learning how to love without idealizing someone, which is an immensely valuable but not necessarily easy (or quick) skill to learn.

Libra (September 23 – October 22)

Dear Libra,

You are no stranger to pondering the cosmic nature of our universe. No big deal. But you are called, right now, to commit to this inquiry in a deeper way. What would it look like for you to devote your whole journey to studying what it means to be a single drop in the universe’s ocean? What happens when you turn all statements into questions? What happens if you stop trying to answer all the questions and simply exist in the asking, the mystery, the unknown? What happens if you seek out a life-long mentor?

Your style this month, on the other hand, is a little less serious than all this. Have fun with your colours and patterns and don’t be shy of a little extra attention if you look a little extra glam. You may feel, at times in June, like you are pushing to break free in the world and there are strange forces that keep drawing you back. There is still some work to be done in the basement before are truly ready to meet the extravagant life goals you have set for yourself. This could be a symbolic basement, the basement of the soul, or it could actually be the piles of boxes you hid in the basement and haven’t slowed down enough since to properly sort through. Either way it needs your attention before you can push on to the greater homework of your reality. Good luck on your quest!

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)

Dear Scorpio,

Technically Scorpio season is your glorified time of the year. But in a sense, so is this time of the year during Gemini season. While everyone is frolicking around in the fresh flowers and spring air, you are secretly finding your own version of rebirth. And rebirth the Scorpio way is quite a powerful affair. Some of you might just be looking at your account books and re-evaluating where your resources are going. And some of you might be cleaning out your closet. Some of you might be coming to understand and let go of deep unconscious fears of intimacy. And some of you might be learning how to hold healthy boundaries with the people you are most intimate with, especially in those moments when you can’t tell who’s feeling what since you feel what everyone else feels so deeply. All of these processes are Scorpio in their nature, so when I say rebirth, I mean that you are constantly aware of what may not be working in your life, and for those of you who are brave enough, making the necessary changes until that thing is working and you turn to face the next challenge.

Dark colours suit you this month, even more than usual. Do you need new glasses? A more conservative wardrobe? People associate certain aesthetics with intelligence, and while I can’t say I agree with this social norm, I will say that you probably hide your intelligence for the most part. Dress as smart as you are! Near the end of the month you are itching to travel, and if it doesn’t work for you financially, it might suit you just fine to escape into a good fantasy novel or daydream about an alternate reality. The key is to spark your imagination into some type of journey either way.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)

Dear Sagittarius,

Sometimes people go see an astrologer when they want to be told that everything is going to be just fine in the end. So, everything is going to be just fine, beautiful Sagittarius! This phase is one where you might feel like you are being asked to jump through a lot of hoops, live up to a lot of expectations, and work a lot harder than you might like to. But you are going to come out the other side of this with a magnificent amount of maturity.

You will no longer feel tempted to run from a challenge, to evade real intimacy, or to quit a job before you’ve even started. Instead you will meet each threshold with true commitment, but since you’re a Sagittarius, you’ll know how to have fun while you’re doing it.

Your style this month is about classic beauty and elegance. Remember what Hollywood stars looked like back in the ’50s and ’60s? Refined, distinguished and decadent while still being tasteful. There may be some pieces that fit this profile passed down through your family like heirlooms. It may even be helpful for you to learn some of the family stories behind them, or some of the family stories in general, since this phase of your life is also a time where you are healing the stories of your family’s past whether or not you realize it. Meanwhile, communication in your love life gets easier after the 11th. Any challenge that’s gone on here is part of you learning that joy is not mutually exclusive to depth and commitment.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)

Dear Capricorn,

There’s a fine line for Capricorns between secrecy and what many of you consider ‘composure.’ The irony is that you are one of the signs most committed to the truth, and yet because of your ideas of what is or isn’t an acceptable way to present yourself to the world, you end up keeping a great deal to yourself. I’m going to tell you something that might make you uncomfortable – there’s no such thing as a secret. We humans have a collective mind, and whether or not something gets spoken out loud, it goes into the collective bank and gets filed away somewhere.

It seems like you are particularly interested in seeking out and exposing some of the darker secrets of humanity right now, like what is really going on in positions of power. I would encourage you to continue this work while also considering anything you think might be ‘hidden’ in yourself, and whether that’s even something that’s possible.

Your style this month comes alive in the details. Bring symmetry to your outfits by matching your bracelets to your necklace, your socks to your belt, and your shirt to your shoes. Work with small patterns and muted colours. If you feel like your life is lacking routine right now (or even if there is a routine you’ve been in for awhile), this is a good time for you to build a new one. Consider how you can best serve yourself and others through the simple choices that you make for yourself, especially in the first two hours of the day. If it’s not helpful, don’t keep doing it.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

Dear Aquarius,

You are the great thinker of the zodiac. Philosophers, most of you. But sometimes all that thinking can get in the way of connecting with the other side of your brain, the creative side. The desire to ‘know’ everything can limit the ability to dive into a sense of mystery and let something tangible emerge from not knowing. This is art – at least it is for you. It is being curious enough to explore and express what is beyond comprehensibility, and this takes great courage for an Aquarian.

June is all about making space for your creative nature, and being brave enough to make the journey into the unknown mysteries of the universe and pull out a song, a painting, a story, or maybe a delicious meal. Creativity is different from innovation in your case. Let your style be part of your creative expression too. Consider your body a canvas for now, and reflect your experience of reality through your outfits. It can be as bold or as simple as you like but the key here is authenticity – it’s not about adapting a trend.

June is also about finding new ways to communicate. Don’t be shy about expressing your wild and passionate nature that is brewing somewhere under that cool, stoic exterior. Express love and you will be shown love, especially by those that are dearest to you. There’s really no sense in trying to hold back the flood of warmth that is running through you; it is calling you into your passionate, loving heart. Fall in love with life, and fall in love again with those you already hold close.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

Dear Pisces,

There are a lot of famous Pisceans. We all carry in us a universal spark, the plug that links us back into the rest of humanity, but this spark lives strongest in your sign. You are able, if you want to, to don the perfect skin that appeals to the masses of people out there, which is why so many of you have reached the heights of fame. Some of you are drooling over this idea. You are capable of it, but consider what gets sacrificed in the process; if you are wearing a skin that is meant to please as many people as possible, what happens to your uniqueness, your individuality, and your autonomy?

In the ongoing process of self-discovery you’ve been in for a few years, June brings you to a crossroads. You could go to the left and dissolve into social safety, and not rock any boats, or you could go to the right and admit that the idea of a personality is, at times, a mystery to you, and that you are in a lifelong process of exploring what it even means. Rock your own boat, Pisces.

I would call your style this month ‘elegantly conservative.’ Give length to your skirts, and comfort to your shoes without sacrificing your tasteful style. Stay simple in your outfits while you figure out the bigger picture questions in life. On the solstice on the 21st, come back home to your creativity. This part of your life has missed you dearly, and your heart is calling out with longing to make something beautiful. Some of you might even hear the call to parenthood, though be sure to approach this with intention or you may find yourself with a happy accident.