TRANSCRIPT Ep. 295 | Mars enters Virgo: To the Editor!

TRANSCRIPT Episode 295 (6.16.25)
Mars enters Virgo: To the Editor!

Hello invisible friend, April here, and the date today is June 16th, 2025. Welcome to Episode 295 of the Big Sky Astrology Podcast. This week, Mars enters hardworking but perfectionistic, Virgo, and then gets an energizing boost from Jupiter. Jupiter and Neptune debate the differences between knowledge and faith. The Sun welcomes its Cancer Solstice, then gets a bit of a reality check from Saturn in Aries. The Pisces Last Quarter Moon helps us “Marie Kondo” our Gemini New Moon plans. And I answer a listener question about whether Astrology’s recent popularity is a trend or a belief system.

Mars enters Virgo (June 17, 2025, 1:35 am PDT)

Mars enters Virgo this week on June 17th at 1:35 AM Pacific Time. It’ll be in this sign through August 6th all year. Mars has been dancing between Cancer and Leo, including a lengthy retrograde period from December of last year to late February of this year, and now it is entering Virgo.

Now, this is honestly a little bit of an uncomfortable sign for Mars, because Mars is the planet that wants to move straight ahead and reach a goal, preferably first. And this is difficult for Mars in Virgo because Virgo is a sign that doesn’t really care about going fast or getting there first. It just wants to do things right. It’s a perfectionistic sign. And when Mars is here, we might be a little more apt to second guess ourselves and to obsess about details.

That can slow us down from even starting something new for fear that we won’t do it perfectly. On the other hand, wanting to do a good job is not the worst motivation in the world. And if you spent the months of Mars in Leo engaging in some really creative projects, putting a lot of heart and soul into some things, well now is when you get the opportunity to take a little bit of a closer look at what you have done and what you have going on and make some necessary changes. It’s as though you were writing a book and just writing and putting it all out there, and then you pass it off to an editor who will kind of tighten things up for you. So that is kind of what Mars in Virgo is going to be about. It’s taking things that we have done and sending them to the editor for refinement.

Pisces Last Quarter Moon (June 18, 2025, 12:19 pm PDT)

And now for the Moon report. And we begin with the week’s major lunation, which is the Pisces Last Quarter Moon on June 18th at 12:19 PM Pacific Time, at 27 degrees, 47 minutes Pisces and Gemini. The Sabian symbol for the Moon is 28 Pisces, A fertile garden under the Full Moon, and the symbol for 28 Gemini is A man declared bankrupt.

I actually really like the contrast of these very different Sabian symbols. I’ve always thought when I see that symbol for the Sun, while it must be terrible to be bankrupt, on the other hand, you’ve got nothing left to lose. There’s a bit of a freedom to it, and maybe that’s what the fertile garden under the Full Moon is referring to.

This is the final action point in the Gemini New Moon cycle that began on May 26th, and any goals or intentions that you set at that time. Generally Last Quarter Moons are action oriented, but this Last Quarter is in Pisces. So, part of the action that we take here is retreat, rest, contemplation, and the emphasis is very much on what to let go, especially coming from a Gemini New Moon when we have so many ideas.

There are so many alternatives, so much information coming our way. And this Last Quarter Moon is the point of figuring out which of these things we will keep and pursue and which ones are really never going to amount to anything. So how do we decide which is which? Well, you can take a page from home organizer Marie Kondo’s book and contemplate whether the projects or ideas or information that have come your way, bring you joy. Does an idea resonate with your unchanging spirit? Remember that you really can’t go wrong if you let your final decisions be guided by a sense of what is meaningful.

Lunar Phase Family Cycle

This is the Last Quarter in a lunar phase family cycle that began way back on March 21st, 2023 with a New Moon at 0 degrees 49 Aries.

The rest of the lunations in this lunar phase cycle have actually been in Pisces, including the First Quarter Moon on December 19th, 2023, at 27 degrees, 35 minutes Pisces. And the First Quarter phase is always when we make some definitive step towards working with something that we envisioned at the New Moon.

Then the Full Moon in this cycle was on September 17th, 2024 at 25 degrees, 40 minutes, Pisces. That is when all is illuminated and we begin to see what’s really taken shape from those New Moon intentions. And now we are at the Last Quarter, and the Last Quarter is generally when we take some kind of final action based on what we have learned during the cycle up to then. I find more and more it’s about how we frame the experiences that we’ve had during this, at this point, two-and-a-half year period.

I remember looking at the lunar phase family cycle that included the timeframe where I met my husband, I believe we met near the New Moon and got serious with each other at the First Quarter, got married at the Full Moon, and then at the Last Quarter in that family phase cycle, I had a hard time remembering what had happened and then I recalled, that’s when I published an article in the Mountain Astrologer magazine about meeting and marrying my husband.

So sometimes the Last Quarter is when we take stock. We review and we put together the whole story of what has been happening during a cycle.

Void-of-Course Moon periods

Let’s look at the Void-of-Course Moon periods for this week.

On June 16th, the Moon in Aquarius opposes Mars and Leo at 10:31 AM Pacific time. It’s Void-of-Course for 38 minutes, and then enters Pisces at 11:09 AM. When the Moon opposes another planet as it turns Void-of-Course, we see that during this period we have an opportunity for greater awareness. And this is a particular aspect, the Moon with Mars, where tempers can flare and it can be easy to fall into arguments without even trying.

I usually say when Mars is involved, try to get some additional exercise, really blow off some steam. And in fact, Void-of-Course Moon times can be excellent times to initiate new routines that you want to continue with, so this is a really good day to start a new exercise regimen. Just getting a little more exercise on this day, you’ll be physically stronger, mentally calmer, and then you won’t have to deal with that regret that comes after you’ve lost your temper and gotten into an argument with someone.

On June 18th, the Moon in Pisces sextiles Uranus at 2:34 PM Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for one hour 34 minutes, and then enters Aries at 4:08 PM.

Here is an opportunity aspect. The sextile and both the Moon in Pisces and the planet Uranus are symbols of going off the established trail. So today, change up your routine or maybe even just disregard routines altogether. And in particular, if you’ve been feeling stagnant or bored, here is a Void-of-Course Moon to play a little hooky.

Go out for coffee, sneak off to a movie in the middle of the afternoon because what you need now is inspiration, and that can be really hard to come by if you have been stuck in the same old place and doing the same old things.

On June 20th, the Moon in Aries sextiles the Sun at 6:49 PM Pacific Time. This is a fast Void-of-Course, only four minutes. And then the Moon enters Taurus at 6:53 PM. So there’s not a lot of time with such a short Void-of-Course Moon to change or establish routines or any of the things I would normally recommend.

But the Sun is associated with vitality and it gives us hints about how to feel healthy. Gemini rules breathing. So if you find yourself getting a little bit stressed out on this day with the Moon in Aries, which tends to be running around doing lots of things, remind yourself to breathe. Aries is great for Gemini because it lends some focused energy to Gemini’s many and scattered ideas, but it can get a little bit overwhelming. So, set a timer, and then at 6:49 PM Pacific for four minutes, do a breathing exercise.

And on June 22nd, the Moon in Taurus makes a conjunction with Uranus at 6:50 PM Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for one hour, seven minutes, and then enters Gemini at 7:57 PM.

This conjunction takes place on what we call the anaretic degree of Taurus, 29 degrees 18 minutes. It means that it is at the very end of its sign. We’ve been experiencing a lot of transits lately on the anaretic degrees of different signs because a lot of planets have been changing signs. So as they’re sitting at that very last degree, there’s a sense of tension of things getting ready to change. Some astrologers refer to these degrees as the degrees of chaos and decay.

Use this aspect and this Void-of-Course time to contemplate the spirit of Uranus in Taurus, which is coming to a close on July 7th when it moves into Gemini. What are the physical, aesthetic financial themes that have changed for you since Uranus entered Taurus in 2018? I’m sure it’s been a mix of challenges and change and evolution. Here is a moment to just sort of think about it all. Practice some gratitude for what you’ve learned during this time.

Jupiter square Neptune (June 18, 2025, 8:16 pm PDT)

On June 18th at 8:16 PM Pacific Time, Jupiter squares Neptune at 2 degrees, 6 minutes, Cancer and Aries. This is not a very common transit. It happens about every six to seven years. The last time was on September 21st, 2019, and we won’t have it again until January 11th, 2032.

Jupiter and Neptune actually have quite a bit in common. Both of them are associated with beliefs, but there are fundamental differences between them that can make Jupiter-Neptune transits a little awkward, all the way to really disastrous.

Jupiter is a fan of theology and its beliefs tend to be based in doctrine, in research, or in philosophy. It is a planet that describes a feeling of knowing, not just believing. Neptune, on the other hand, is a planet of faith, of understanding that there is more to the universe than can be explained in conventional ways. And that while Jupiter is a planet that says, here is the rule book, follow it – Neptune believes that the path to knowing really is not a straight one, that you have to be willing to be flexible, and to be willing to go off course and outside the boundaries of what is expected.

So during this week, as we approach this exact aspect on the 18th, don’t be surprised if you find a moment where you are doubting your beliefs and where you are forced to rely instead on faith, trusting that things happen for a reason.

It’s also a time to face our fears and our secrets and disappointments. These are all things that are symbolized by Neptune, and Jupiter brings a certain confidence and optimism that actually can really help us heal and overcome some of those fears.

Sun enters Cancer (June 20, 2025, 7:42 pm PDT)

The Sun enters Cancer on June 20th at 7:42 PM Pacific Time, and it will be in this sign through July 22nd when it goes into Leo. Happy summer or winter solstice, depending on where you are. Cancer is a cardinal sign, one of the four signs that initiates a new season of the year. The Cancer solstice marks the official start of summer in the northern hemisphere and the start of winter in the southern hemisphere. Solstices mark the sun’s most northerly or southerly point relative to the celestial equator, so it is at its most extreme points. And these are the longest and shortest days of the year.

Cancer is the archetypal mother of the Zodiac. It symbolizes extreme protectiveness of those that we feel are part of our clan, family, community, country. This is the season for gestating ideas and plans; so during the Gemini season, maybe you came up with a lot of ideas, and you take a couple of them into the nest with you and you sit on ’em for a while.

It’s a quiet time of year. The Sun appears to stand still in its journey across the sky and the height that it reaches at midday. It is a popular time for vacations, to take a little time off to do nothing.

Cancer symbol is the crab, and that’s very illustrative. It has a hard exterior to protect its very vulnerable interior. This vulnerability causes Cancer to withdraw into their shell and their home if they feel threatened. Generally, it’s a lovely season of the year to spend a little more time close to home with your family, with your loved ones, and to just sort of let yourself be for a while.

Mars sextile Jupiter (June 22, 2025, 3:32 am PDT)

Mars sextiles Jupiter on June 22nd at 3:32 AM Pacific Time at two degrees 51 minutes Virgo and Cancer. For the several days that this aspect is in effect, say June 21st through the 23rd, we have this peak of confidence, physical vitality, initiative, and we can really make great strides towards specific goals.

This is an excellent time, again, to initiate a serious exercise program because the urge is to push ourselves to become stronger and faster. This is also a good aspect for taking action toward achieving your goals. Mars is in Virgo, and as I said, we can tend to hesitate a bit under Virgos influence to take action, for fear that we will make mistakes. But Jupiter gives support, encouragement, courage, and protection.

I love the Sabian symbol for Jupiter here, 3 Cancer, A man all bundled up in fur, leading a shaggy deer. He is warm and protected, and I like to think that he’s leading the deer to warmth and security. That’s the kind of help we can expect to see from Jupiter in Cancer.

Sun square Saturn (June 22, 2025, 11:36 am PDT)

And on June 22nd at 11:36 AM Pacific Time, the Sun in Cancer squares Saturn in Aries at 1 degree, 35 minutes. This can be a productive and character-building transit, but it usually is not a very cheerful one. Because the Sun is like a big spotlight that is shining on our deepest insecurities and wounds with Saturn.

And we might find ourselves feeling kind of bound up, very restricted, hard to really let ourselves be expressive, and it’s hard to feel that we’re making forward motion.

The Sun in Cancer symbolizes the need to protect ourselves and also to deepen our compassion for ourselves. This is a brief transit, but it can be very frustrating, but it’s also one of the best for building strength and endurance and for proving to ourselves that we can stick it out when times get tough.

The strength and character that we develop at an aspect like this one will last because it has truly been earned. So, this week, show up. Put your behind in the seat, keep your head down, and do your best work

Listener Question: Is astrology’s popularity a trend or a belief system?

in this week’s listener question, listener, Angeline writes: “Astrology certainly seems to have been enjoying a cultural moment in recent years, gaining a lot of popularity. Do you think this rise in astrology’s popularity is a trend or a legitimate belief system?”

That’s a great question. Angeline. The rise in astrology’s popularity is a trend, and it’s by no means the first time that astrology has enjoyed such mainstream popularity. I jumped on the astrology train myself as a young teenager during the last major trend in the late 1960s and early 1970s. That’s when Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs was published and it made at least sun sign astrology a hot topic at cocktail parties for a while. Astrology’s popularity comes and goes of course, but astrology itself seems to endure.

I’d like to briefly address this idea of astrology as a belief system. Because there was a time when if somebody asked me whether I believed in astrology, I would’ve just answered that astrology was a language, a symbolic system for describing the world, and one didn’t need to believe in a language.

But I have come to appreciate that astrology actually is a belief system, and that belief is a simple one – that through whatever mechanism, there is some connection between what happens in the heavens and what happens on earth. That’s actually a pretty big leap, belief-wise. Whenever astrology is trending as a popular subject, there isn’t usually a lot of thought about that mechanism, why it works, how it works, or the relationship between the heavens and the earth. Unless, of course, you find yourself cornered at a 2025 cocktail party in a conversation with a scientist. And scientists who deride astrology, it seemed to do it on the basis that astrology makes causal claims that the planets make things happen.

And this is not what any astrologers that I know believe at all. But then you do get well-meaning people who are advocates for astrology and they’ll say something about the Moon’s effect on tides and we are 90% water and so forth. Or talk about astrology being a science, and I can see why a scientist would kind of roll their eyes.

Because astrology is not a science in the sense of seeking truth through the replication of results and things like that. We base our work on mathematical calculations and geometry. Some astrologers do work in statistical research, but the way most astrologers work with astrology, it doesn’t need to be a science, any more than an artist’s portrait needs to be a science in order to reflect something about that person.

Now, all of that said, yes. Astrology is a powerful belief system that has sustained astrology and astrologers for millennia. Some astrologers have ideas about why it works, but for many of us, myself included, the proof is simply in the pudding. That we find in our work that in some way people reflect the world that we are born into, like a wine reflects the earth that the grapes are grown in, and astrologers are just people who believe there’s some connection between us and the sky that we are born under.

Angeline, I hope that that helps.

If you are a listener who would like to have a question answered on a future episode of the podcast. Leave a voicemail of one minute or less at speakpipe.com/bigskyastrology podcast or just drop me a line at april@bigskyastrology.com and be sure you put podcast question in the subject line.

Donor Thanks

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That’s it for this episode. Join me again, bright and early next Monday, and until then, keep your feet on the ground and your eyes on the stars!