Surf's Up

Astro Notes for Cancer Season (June 21-July 23, 2026)

The swell is starting to arrive.

Over the last 18 months, two extraordinarily rare astrological sequences have marked this period as a genuine historical inflection point for humanity. The first involved the unprecedented concentration of major planetary sign changes that took place between November 2024 and July 2025, when Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto all changed signs — as if humanity were being pushed out of a cosmic birth canal into a new era. The second was the conjunction of Saturn and Neptune at 0 degrees of Aries — the first degree of the entire zodiac — on February 20 this year, symbolizing a rare and profound global reset. The last time this alignment occurred was over 6,000 years ago, a time many associate with the dawn of human civilization itself.

This Cancer season brings a third configuration of similar historical significance.

Between July 7 and July 31, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto each occupy four degrees of their respective signs, forming an exact Minor Grand Trine. A Minor Grand Trine involves harmonious aspects between three planets: two planets linked by a trine, with each forming a sextile with a third planet. In this case, Uranus in Gemini forms a trine with Pluto in Aquarius, with both making a sextile to Neptune in Aries. The last time this particular configuration occurred (a Minor Grand Trine between the outer planets with Neptune at the apex) was toward the end of the 5th century A.D., around the time of the Fall of Rome.

This Minor Grand Trine pattern first formed during the northern hemisphere summer of 2025, and will remain in effect for much of the remainder of this decade. What is remarkable about this Cancer season is that, in addition to the three outer planets aligning at 4 degrees of their respective signs, Jupiter joins the configuration at precisely 4 degrees of Leo from July 19-22.

Jupiter magnifies and expands whatever planetary dynamics it touches. In 2020, when Jupiter formed a triple conjunction with Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn, it coincided with a global crisis of historic proportions. With Jupiter now poised to amplify this already exceptional outer-planet configuration, we should not be surprised if this period also brings world-shaking developments.

And for a few hours on July 19, the Moon completes the pattern, moving to 4 degrees of Libra, briefly producing a configuration of stunning celestial geometry.

Because of the rarity of this pattern, astrologers have been forced to be inventive in developing language to describe it. One popular term that has emerged is “Barbault’s Basket”, in honor of the late, widely respected French astrologer Andre Barbault who first brought attention to it. Barbault called this alignment “the most beautiful configuration of the 21st century” and predicted it would lead to “a splendid relaunch of civilization.”

In fact, the astrological world is divided as to its real world implications. Many believe, like Barbault, that the elegance of its geometry suggests it will have a mostly benevolent influence. Others argue that coherence is not always positive, and that it could just as easily correlate with the arrival of a global apparatus of digital surveillance and control — a different form of coherence.

My sense is that this period is likely to bring a wide range of dramatic developments, both creative and destructive.

The archetypes themselves are ethically neutral. How they manifest in the world depends very much on the level of consciousness with which we engage them.

There is a definite possibility for paradigm-shifting breakthroughs, especially in the realms of technology, consciousness, and the relationship between the two. There is also real potential for the expansion of global conflicts and divisions. This is an excellent time to pray, to invoke the highest levels of assistance, and to meet whatever you’re called to contribute with the most conscious version of yourself you can summon.

Things start to seriously rev up on June 29 when, on the same day as the Full Moon in Capricorn, Mars enters Gemini, Mercury turns retrograde in Cancer, and Jupiter moves into Leo.

Jupiter’s entry into Leo brings one of the more significant shifts of the year. This transit offers a twelve-month opportunity to step more fully into the light in a particular area in our lives and allow our gifts to be expressed on a bigger stage. The invitation of the Lion is always both exciting and scary, because if it’s real, it asks us to open to a level of visibility and power we haven’t experienced before.

When Jupiter in Leo aligns with the historic outer planet Minor Grand Trine in mid-July, it may feel like we’re paddling directly toward the most enormous evolutionary wave we’ve ever encountered.

There is only one real option: Take a deep breath, gather your courage, and ride that sucker to glory.

Yet Jupiter is not the only planet activating the Minor Grand Trine this Cancer season. Earlier, on July 4, Mars forms a conjunction with Uranus in Gemini.

Mars transits often serve to ignite the potential of outer planet configurations, triggering events that bring the zeitgeist into concrete form. Mars-Uranus aspects can be electrifying — or explosive — activating a deep hunger for liberation from oppressive dynamics. Taking place in Gemini, the sign of the communicator, this may manifest as an urgent need to express a truth we’ve previously suppressed. Yet with Mercury retrograde at the same time, it may be wise to review any emotionally-charged communications before hitting the send button.

The symbolism of the Mars-Uranus conjunction perfecting on July 4 is striking, since this transit may involve fireworks in more ways than one. The challenge, both individually and collectively, will be to speak our truth with courage and vulnerability, rather than light a spark that becomes a wildfire.

All of this is taking place against the backdrop of Cancer season, an annual time associated with greater emotional sensitivity, inwardness, and self-care. With Mercury moving retrograde in Cancer, we may feel called to review recent events, revisit any unprocessed grief, and be honest about our deeper emotional truth, especially regarding familial roles and patterns.

It’s an epic time to be alive. As history accelerates around us, we are being asked to meet it with as much emotional courage and honesty as we can muster. The invitation is not simply to witness history but to participate consciously in shaping it.

A Change in the Air

Astro Notes for Gemini Season (May 20-June 21, 2026)

After months of compression and intensity, Gemini season brings movement, circulation, and a welcome shift of mood. 

Gemini is Mutable Air, and, as such, is associated with the free play of ideas. Gemini energy is inherently light and agile, playful and curious, open to possibilities. It’s associated with the stage of human development in which children are continuously asking questions and playing with language. Gemini season, therefore, typically entails movement and a sense that ‘a change is in the air.’

This year that theme is amplified by several factors. 

Since the beginning of 2026, there has been an unusual concentration of planets moving together through one sector of the zodiac. This stellium first formed in Capricorn in January, then moved more or less as one through Aquarius, Pisces, and Aries. Capricorn season was thus quintessentially ‘Capricornian’, Aquarius season was especially Aquarian, and so on. 

With Gemini season, it’s finally dispersing. Rather than being compressed inside a singular archetypal reality, the energy is now free to move through a variety of channels, opening up more pathways and possibilities of expression.  

Additionally, in the days immediately prior to the Sun’s ingress into Gemini, we experienced a number of transits that noticeably shifted the zeitgeist. On May 16 we had a New Moon in Taurus, setting a slower, steadier, and more grounded tone for the monthly cycle ahead. On May 17, Mercury entered its home sign of Gemini — where it is happiest — and then on May 18, Mars moved into Taurus and Venus into Cancer on the same day. Mars in Taurus and Venus in Cancer introduced a calmer, sweeter, and more home-oriented vibe that will be with us for most of Gemini season — especially at the beginning when Mars and Venus form a harmonious sextile with each other. 

And then there’s Uranus in Gemini. 

Uranus entered Gemini last month, where it will stay for the next seven years. During this time, we can expect revolutionary developments (Uranus) in Gemini-related fields: communications technology, education and learning, transportation, and social and news media. 

This is the first Gemini season for 77 years to occur while Uranus is in the sign. With both Mercury and the Sun forming conjunctions with Uranus in Gemini, this may be when the first sparks of inspiration begin to arise in relation to innovative forms of communication, media, or learning. 

If you have an idea for a new podcast series, app, or writing project (for example), this Gemini season could be when the vision starts to crystallize. 

These projects are unlikely, however, to be merely clever or whimsical. 

With Uranus forming a trine to Pluto in Aquarius, many of the downloads now arriving carry the power to transform society. And with Uranus forming a sextile to Neptune in Aries, these visions may also be idealistic, profound, and unitive. 

When the Minor Grand Trine linking Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto reaches full power in July, we may see world-changing developments that unfold for the remainder of this decade. 

Gemini season opens a door that allows us to touch this brilliant light. 

We are not, though, completely out of the woods in terms of intensity and conflict. 

On May 25, Mars in Taurus forms a tense square with Pluto in Aquarius. When the God of War squares off against the God of Death, it’s a highly charged power test. Venus will also form a series of difficult aspects throughout the season, requiring us to grow relationally through encounters with limitations, vulnerability, and shadow. 

Yet, overall, this Gemini season offers a welcome lift of mood, along with opportunities for more enjoyment and pleasure than we’ve experienced for some time. These themes are best encapsulated by a conjunction between Venus and Jupiter – the two traditional benefics of the zodiac – in Cancer on June 9. This is an exceptionally sweet, caring, and heart-expanding transit that brings a blessing in an otherwise intense year of relentless transformation. 

For the first time in many months, the future may begin to feel open again. 

Hurry Up and Calm Down

Astro Notes for Taurus Season (April 19-May 20, 2026)

Let’s begin by revisiting the central themes of the year to provide a larger context for this Taurus season. (You can watch my presentation of these themes HERE.) 

This is one of the most consequential astrological years of our lifetimes, a threshold moment marking the emergence of a new era for humanity, with no turning back. It appears to be a fiery initiation, with multiple signals indicating the potential for escalating tension and discord in the collective throughout the year. 

Yet these same symbols also reveal an exceptional opportunity for individuals to take action at the grassroots level to bring their long-held dreams and visions into form. 

Meanwhile, the three outer planets move this year into an extraordinary configuration of harmony, suggesting that at a deeper level of consciousness and culture, a new pattern of coherence is developing beneath the chaos on the surface. 

Taken together, this year resembles a complex system undergoing a phase change, holding the potential for the collapse of old structures alongside the rapid emergence of new ones. At the heart of the shift is the rise of a more Aquarian world, in which decentralized, peer-to-peer networks of sovereign individuals begin to replace centralized institutions as the primary drivers of cultural creativity and change. 

Aries season involved an eye-catching concentration of planets in the sign of the Ram — the faster moving planets of Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars joining longer-term residents Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, and Eris.  That’s a tremendous amount of firepower, fueling both aggressive actions and ambitions at the global level and the beginning of bold new endeavors at the grassroots.

As we enter Taurus season, we are surfacing from one of the more sensitive periods of the year. The New Moon in Aries on Friday, April 17 formed a conjunction with Chiron (the archetype of the wound). Then over the weekend, Mars, Mercury, and Saturn moved into a rare triple conjunction in Aries. This may have coincided with the surfacing of a core wound that resists immediate resolution. 

At least, that’s how it unfolded for me. I was fortunate to be on a spiritual retreat last week, so I had a conscious container to support my process at this time. The material we worked with indeed opened a deeply painful layer, and over the weekend all I could do was stay present as best I could while different parts of my psyche pulled me into a pretzel. (And yet, there is something profoundly liberating to allow such deep material to surface and be witnessed, despite how hard it is to go through at the time.)

Mars conjunct Saturn has been likened to having one foot on the accelerator while the other is on the brake — intense effort meeting complete resistance. It is striking, then, that over the weekend Iran effectively re-closed the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most critical choke points in the global energy system. 

Another recent occasion when Mars made a conjunction with Saturn was March 2020, coinciding with the onset of global lockdowns and the stalling of the global economy as Covid began to spread. 

It’s not unreasonable, then, to consider the possibility of a significant contraction in the global economy as the downstream effects of a severe disruption to the flow of roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply begin to unfold. 

This brings us to Taurus season proper. When the Sun moves through Taurus, it’s our annual invitation to slow down, take a breath, and honor the simple needs and rhythms of the body. Taurus sustains and consolidates what was initiated during Aries season, allowing the new energies to take shape in a stable form. Coinciding with the peak of Spring in the northern hemisphere, Taurus season is also a time to allow ourselves to be nourished by the serene beauty of Nature.

Yet this year, it’s a little different. The Taurean call for embodiment and grounding takes place against a backdrop of acceleration, intensity, and continued Aries activations. Our bodies may want to rest while our nervous systems remain alert. This makes it all the more important to take advantage of whatever opportunities for relaxation and enjoyment may present themselves. 

The most significant astrological event during Taurus season is the ingress of Uranus into Gemini on April 25. Uranus has been moving through Taurus since 2018. We had a preview of this new pattern when Uranus first entered Gemini from July to November last year, before moving back into Taurus for one final pass. When Uranus re-enters Gemini on April 25, it will remain there until 2033. 

This marks the completion of a rare sequence of major planetary sign changes. Pluto entered Aquarius “for good” in November 2024, and will remain there until 2044. Neptune moved into Aries in January this year, and will stay there until 2039. With Uranus entering Gemini, the basic contours of a new pattern of reality are now established for the next seven years. 

The new era is here. 

Uranus in Taurus is an awkward combination of energies. Uranus brings unforeseen, abrupt, disruptive change, but Taurus — fixed Earth —  is perhaps the sign most resistant to change, preferring to stay in its comfort zone. I think we can all agree that the last seven years have not been comfortable! During this time, many of us have been pushed to develop new ways of relating to our material security and sources of income, our bodies and physical health, and our overall foundations. Uranus in Taurus has been breaking up a lot of dense, crusty, resistant structures — in ourselves and our world — to prepare us for the acceleration ahead.

With Uranus now entering Gemini, we move into a slipstream of rapid change. Uranus is sudden illumination — like a flash of lightning — while Gemini moves at the speed of thought. We may see a surge of technological and scientific breakthroughs, especially in the realms of communication and learning, as inventive Gemini takes Uranian insights and runs with them, in multiple directions at once. What has been slowly destabilized over the past seven years may now begin to move much more quickly. 

Yet whether this acceleration unfolds creatively or destructively will depend, in large part, on the quality of consciousness we bring to it.

This acceleration during Taurus season is accompanied by significant intensity. 

The Full Moon in Scorpio on May 1 forms a t-square to Pluto in Aquarius, suggesting the potential for a deep emotional revelation, involving the surfacing of shadow material that may not be easy to immediately resolve. A few days later, on May 6, Pluto stations retrograde, deepening the process, drawing our attention once again beneath the surface, particularly to issues of power, compulsion, and control.  A series of challenging Mars transits from early to mid-May then carries this energy forward, raising the question of right action: how do we respond to what has been revealed? 

There’s a shift in tone around the New Moon in Taurus on May 16, inviting us into our bodies and into a new cycle of living at a slower, more grounded pace. Yet we’re still not fully in the clear, as Mars conjoins Chiron on the same day, re-activating the core wounds stirred up by last month’s New Moon, calling on us to meet our vulnerability with courage. 

In the final days of Taurus season, Mercury moves into its home sign of Gemini, Venus into sweet and sensitive Cancer, and Mars into peace-loving Taurus — a cascade of energy shifts that may come as welcome relief after the intensity of the preceding weeks. 

Yet just a few days later, on May 25th, Mars in Taurus forms a tense square with Pluto in Aquarius, bringing another spike of intensity and challenge.

One of the defining features of this year is the relative absence of long, uninterrupted periods of ease and flow. Instead, we are moving through successive waves of intense activation, each followed by relatively short windows of integration.

One way to understand this pattern is that it doesn’t give the familiar self much time to fully reassemble. Instead, we are asked to stretch — and then stretch again. While this may feel demanding, it may also create the precise conditions necessary for deep, enduring transformation.