Venus Rocks!

Tomorrow, June 5, there’s a rare astronomical event that won’t  happen again for 105 years, an alignment of the Earth, Venus and the sun. People in North America, Central America and the northern part of South America will be able to see the  transit – until the sun sets. Venus’ journey across the face of the sun takes six and a half hours and that means people in Europe, the Mideast and South Asia will be able to see the end of the transit shortly before dawn on June 6. You will probably need a telescope and if you don’t have one, you’ll be able to find webcasts on the events here and here.

The last time this alignment occurred was on June 8, 2004. What makes it so rare is that the one before that happened in December 1882. After this alignment, there won’t be another until 2117 and then again eight years later, in 2125. The weirdness in this alignment is that this alignment happens only in June or December. A pair of December transits follows a June pair after 105 years, while a June pair comes 121 and a half years after a December pair.

The alignment was discovered by Johannes Kepler in the 17^th century, but because no one had telescopes or knew where, exactly, to look, only six of these alignments have been recorded. The phenomenon gives astronomers an opportunity to study the atmosphere of Venus and hone their ability to hunt for planets orbiting distant stars.

There’s a metaphorical and an astrological importance to this alignment, too.  In astrology, Venus represents love and romance, creativity, art, the path of the heart; the sun symbolizes identity, ego, will, authority, the reasonable path. So when Venus intercepts the sun (at 15 degrees Gemini), we fall in love, dive into a creative project, are able to tap into undeveloped potential that we have.  For hints about how this may play out in your own life,  look back eight years. Around June 8, 2004, what was going on in your life?

I referred back to my pocket astrological calendar for 2004. Nothing special noted, except for a rather enigmatic  note on June 11- Maui. Huh? We never went to Maui. But this year, we were thinking about going in mid-May, but didn’t. Odd little synchro, particularly since I have no recollection of planning any trip to Maui in 2004.

I know that around the time of this last alignment, I was flying up to Atlanta every few months to see my dad, who was in an assisted living facility where my sister was in charge of nursing. I was learning a lot about heart-centered living then, watching as Parkinson’s destroyed his mobility piece by piece. Megan was 14, had just finished her freshman year in high school, my mother had been gone for four years.  Rob  and I were a year into writing the Sydney Omarr books. I was writing my novel, Category 5,  the fourth book in my Tango Key series. Other than the situation with my dad, life was good.

For this alignment, spend time with the ones you love. Or, as the song goes, love the one you’re with. Engage your muse. Invite magic into your life. Explore your potential. Believe in yourself. Do whatever your passions dictate. Be kind to yourself and the people around you. If you can, find a telescope. After all, most of us won’t be seeing the next alignment in 2117.

On a global scale, wouldn’t it be great if this alignment could result in a day without war and fighting everywhere in the world? What would that feel like? Can we humans live in a world where we aren’t always fighting about something?

There’s an event today worth noting: a lunar eclipse at 14 degrees Sagittarius. I encourage you to read Susan Miller’s take on this eclipse.