cornucopia

So much can change in a month. To think that my last post was about my last day's with Margo and now in the heart of summer everything's shifted. The ache and grief has sunk to the bottom like gravel in an aquarium, sitting undisturbed. All Holmes' reside at Granny Sue's on the Vineyard (for a few more days!) and I've been drinking in the birdsong frequencies, receiving their healing magic with every trill and chirp. The cohabitating sparks joy even in the chaos of having only 1 and a half "classic cars" for the five of us, the unfamiliar but well remembered endless pile up of laundry and the shocking realization that the 3-6 cases of seltzer I buy at the store always seems to disappear in 3 days.

My heart sings in the simple moments of our togetherness, be it driving Elsa to the Chilmark Communty Center for her summer counselor job, walking with Harry to 7a for a scone, staying awake to finish Traitors with Hugh at 10:30, figuring out the pangram for the NYT Spelling Bee with Dave on the summer porch. Even though I keep searching for Margo on the sofa, running by me on the field, at my feet by the dinner table "cleaning" up the scraps, a rhythm has settled in and time moves on.

A week in Italy also has a way of shifting perspective. When I'd signed up to go with a friend in March to help her with a building project in Le Marché, I had no idea what exactly I was signing up for or that I'd be leaving my entire family on MV (I thought it was just Elsa and Dave I'd be parting from). I just knew I wanted to see my friend's property before she started construction and give words to her vision. I wanted to witness her thought and construction process. I wanted to see what attracted her to this region and explore. A farm property with land and multiple buildings in Montelparo, my friend's intention is to create a chic gathering spot for retreats and large groups in one of Italy's best kept secrets, a region due east of Tuscany and Umbria, north of Abruzzo and south of Emiglia Romana.

Hot days unfolded as we drove through yellow fields of girasoles (sunflowers) bowing their heads towards the shining sun, silvery green swaths of olive trees and rolling hills of just cut wheat fields revealing artistic swirls of golden umber littered with magnificently round and stacked square hay bales. With the Sibillini mountains to our west and the Adriatic to our east, we traveled through small fortressed towns like Montegiorgio, Monte Giberto and Fermo. We made stops along the way at Google starred trattorias when we got hungry, tasting wine at local vineyards, filling bottles of the season's oil, discovering the factory store of a fabulous Italian knitwear company. Needless to say, following our noses paid off and my friend now has a trove of local spots for her visitors. What was fascinating, beyond the awesome beauty of the countryside, impressive churches, clean streets and clanging church bells, was that we were some of the only people traveling through these towns. No buses or lines, no problem parking, no reservations needed- the doors were open and we walked right on in.

These feelings of good fortune were not taken for granted. As girls do when traipsing through the countryside in a Mini Cooper, listening to playlists, looking out the window, acting out our own versions of Eat Pray Love, of course, astrology came up. And in case you're not part of the population that reads newsletters about the stars or listens to astrology podcasts, there's been a buzz filtering through the airwaves regarding Barbault's basket or the cradle effect that's occurring in the sky.

I'm not going to get too technical, but starting last week a line up of all the distant planets (Pluto, Neptune and Uranus) along with Jupiter are positioned at 4° in their respective signs, connecting through harmonious sextiles (60°) and trines (90°) as well as one opposition. It's kind of like these planets' are all playing a game of Operator with each other, coming to the party with their own personalities and language, but sharing a common goal of getting a positive message out into the world. The planets are communicating with each other and you might say are asking us humans, individually and collectively, to consider what's driving, stopping, urging and inspiring us and what do we need to let go of, compost or remove so we can move forward in life, for time never stops and never goes backwards. Right now, in short, the outer planets are supporting humankind's potential to improve, whatever that looks like.

How this basket /cradle registers in my birth chart, the planets are encouraging my creativity, to pay attention to what feels fertile (5th house) and linking it with 1:1 relationships (7th house), philosophy & spirituality (9th house) and possible collaborations/interfaces within my social network (11th house). For example, right now I'm working on getting my manuscript ready for an editor this fall, looking to my relationships and community for assistance in helping me once I'm finished, as well as being spiritually inspired/tested by what's been revealed and healed in the writing process. And for another example, there's the duality of being together with my family (5th house) and traveling with friends (11th house) all the while being inspired to savor and take stock of how both feed me spiritually.

Depending on your ASC / rising sign, you will find what houses in your birth chart being effected, but universally these outer planets are in air and fire signs; Aquarius (air), Aries (fire), Gemini (air) and Leo (fire) respectively. Air symbolizes intellectual inspired movement, while fire indicates action oriented movement, meaning that these planets will impact everyone in a thoughtful, inspired, somewhat consuming kind of way. Think how fire needs oxygen (air) to grow, sustain, endure. Thoughts, beliefs and ideas have the potential to be sparked and/or ignited. Action, attention and fortitude are needed to keep ideas alive. And whatever comes out of these alignments has the capacity to spread and be shared like an overflowing cornucopia post mid-summer harvest.

I'm curious how these astrological placements might be effecting you. Perhaps you are noticing new people coming into your life or following your curiosity a bit more. Maybe you're getting some delightful invitations, considering a move or wanting to reorganize your furniture... And there's also the chance that things feel abundant, fast moving and even a bit frenetic. Whatever it is, notice what's inspiring you, refreshing your spirit and lighting you up. Ask yourself what dreams might be ready for implementation or need some more organization. Listen to what might be pulling you down and needs to be tabled for a bit. Take time to be, time to sit in the quiet and look at the stars (and planets). Feel the hum of activity within and around you and allow time to catch your breath. Try to be buoyant in the both/and of this abundant, auspicious time.

Wishing you all moments of introspection and celebration for what is here and now in this apex of summer.

With love,

St. Sunshine