Welcome back to the Essential Astrocast.

I am your host, Veronica Perretti,
and this is the podcast you listen

to when you want to know what's going
on up in the heavens so that you can

dictate your fate down here on Earth.

Welcome back.

I am happy to be with you on July 2nd.

It is a heatwave here in New York.

I just got back from my best friend's
wedding, not the movie, but the reality.

And I have been busy campaigning for the
Democratic primary here in this district.

Unfortunately, my candidate lost,
but we march forward and move

toward general election day.

So it's been really full and busy over
in my neck of the woods, which is why you

haven't heard from me since June 10th.

So I am happy to be with you to chat about
everything that is going on in the sky.

But before we dive in, I just want to
set the scene of where we are right now.

So we are in Cancer season.

Happy birthday.

Happy solar return to all
my Cancer friends out there.

This is your time.

This is the season that kicks off summer,
and it is definitely feeling summery out

there with 100 degrees and the feels like
temperature of 110 today in New York.

Not surprising that this heatwave
kicked off right after Jupiter entered

Leo, which is the fixed fire sign.

That's a little tease.

We're gonna get to Leo.

We're gonna get to Leo and all
the Leoness happening in a minute.

So hold your horses to my Leos.

Okay.

So apologies if you hear
any background noise.

My son is having a playdate downstairs,
but I did not wanna wait any longer to

get this episode out to you because I
know it's a holiday weekend, and I know

some of you are probably sitting in
the car and looking for entertainment

or someone to be your companion on
a long train ride or plane ride.

So here I am.

We are in Cancer season, as I said, and
we just had the full moon in Capricorn.

So Monday, June 29th was a very big day.

We had a full moon in Capricorn
at eight degrees of Capricorn.

So all my friends with planets or
angles in Capricorn, Aries, Libra,

or Cancer, that full moon was
activating those cardinal signs.

So if you are one of those signs or
you have a rising or a moon that's

one of those signs, this full moon
probably activated your chart.

And the full moon was sort of heavy.

It was sort of a little
Ugh, kind of energy.

Had a lot of responsibility, had a lot
of obligation, had a lot of burdens to

it, and that was because this full moon
in Capricorn ruled by Saturn, Saturn

is the ruler of Capricorn, but it was
squaring Saturn currently in Aries.

So we were feeling the heaviness
of responsibility, the heaviness of

burden, the heaviness of obligation.

So we all have been really, um, wherever
our responsibilities in life are, those

were illuminated with this full moon.

So that was Monday.

But also on Monday was the day that
Mercury stationed to retrograde.

So Mercury stationed to retrograde
in the late degrees of Cancer.

Mercury is retrograde in Cancer.

Mercury generally retrogrades three
times a year Sometimes we eke in

a little bit of a fourth there.

But three times a year in this year,
all the retrogrades are in water signs.

So we had a Mercury retrograde in
Pisces earlier this year, and now we are

having a Mercury retrograde in Cancer.

This is a very intense Mercury retrograde.

It stationed to retrograde
in a conjunction to Jupiter.

So Jupiter was still in Cancer, late
degrees of Cancer, on Monday when Ju-

when Mercury stationed to retrograde.

Jupiter is a planet of amplification.

He amplifies whatever he touches.

So Jupiter at those late degrees of
Cancer was amplifying your emotions.

And then Mercury, which rules our mind
and our ability to understand information

and express ourselves, he stations, so
we're feeling Mercury more intensely,

and that's being amplified by Jupiter.

So if everything felt really intense
for you this weekend as we moved

into that full moon and as Mercury
stationed, it makes sense, because

we were feeling all the feels.

And Mercury th- rules our mind,
but it's in a sign of Cancer,

which is ruled by the moon, which
rules our emotions and our body.

So maybe you're thinking, how can I-- how
come I'm not moving as quickly mentally?

How come I'm not keeping
all of the facts straight?

How come I'm not keeping the
calendar or the schedule straight?

Well, Mercury's stationing
retrograde, of course, but also

Mercury is in a water sign.

Water is about emotion, so it's not
about keeping logistics straight.

It's not about the spreadsheets.

If Mercury's in an earth sign or an
air sign, it's going to have an easier

job keeping the logistics straight.

Mercury retrograde in Cancer is going
to have us delving into our feelings

and probably bringing up some old stuff.

And I swear, every time we have this
Mercury retrograde in a water sign,

I have so many memories pouring in,
so many things coming up from the

subconscious that, from childhood that
I'm like, oh, gosh, wow, I'm still

feeling Shame or guilt or fear around
that, which is so weird that that

just came up into my consciousness.

And just notice how as you move
through the world with this Mercury

retrograde, things might pop up into
your field of consciousness, and you

might not realize why, but this is the
beauty of yoga and meditation, right?

It gives us the tools to learn
how to pause and sit with that

discomfort and have the curiosity
to dig a little bit deeper.

Why is that coming up right now?

You know, this is something
that you do in E- EMDR therapy.

You go…

You bring up something that's bothering
you, and then you kind of dig through

the layers, and you notice what your
subconscious brings to the surface.

And so Mercury retrograde in Cancer
is kind of like EMDR therapy.

Things are gonna come up to the surface,
and you're gonna be like, "What?

Why is that entering my
consciousness right now?"

And then it might be because you
felt a similar way at that moment

in time, and that same feeling is
coming up right now in your life.

So Mercury's retrograding Cancer,
but I have to say do not demonize it.

Mercury is not bad.

This is normal.

This is what happens.

Mercury retrograde along with eclipse
seasons, they are just these moments of

slowing us down to reflect and receive.

We have to reflect and
receive the information.

So what are you receiving?

What is showing up for you?

Today, I asked my Oracle deck a question,
didn't like the answer, but I received it.

I'm gonna sit with it.

I'm not gonna take action on it.

It's Mercury retrograde.

I'm not taking action on things
that I don't have to take action on.

But I asked a question.

I got an answer.

Didn't like it.

Noticed that.

Reflecting on it.

Sitting with it.

We're gonna unpack it.

So that's what Mercury
retrograde in Cancer is like.

But it also just slows us down.

So I noticed this weekend I was
dropping balls, and I said to myself,

"Wow, I've been moving really fast."

The sky has been moving fast.

I've been moving fast.

This Mercury retrograde is so
desperately needed right now.

We need to slow down.

We need to take a breath.

My friend Patty Patty
Morrissey, she's wonderful.

She's a KonMari consultant, and
she created a program which is now

KonMari Club, which you can join.

I'm a member.

I love it, and I've been absent
the past two months because my

life has been moving so fast.

And it is a wonderful group of women that
I love being a part of that community.

So in KonMari Club, you know, some-
she pops on the Zoom and shares her

words of wisdom, and something she
shared a couple months ago, I think,

was something from an author, and
I don't remember the author, so I

apologize for not giving proper credit.

But the idea was the faster you're
going, the more buffer you need.

So if you're driving a car at 100 miles
an hour, you're not gonna be driving up

the rear end of the car in front of you.

Because if that car unexpectedly
stops, you're gonna crash.

So the faster you're going,
the more buffer you need.

The big message of this Mercury
retrograde is slow down.

Give yourself a buffer.

Give yourself space.

You know that you have
a big week next week.

Give yourself space this weekend.

You know that you're running on empty
Give yourself space to recharge.

Don't put more things on the calendar.

You know that you've spent a weekend
being around a lot of people, doing a

lot of socializing, and you're feeling
like you need some alone time, don't put

another social engagement on the calendar.

You know, I think one of the things that
can happen when we have so much going on

is that there are a lot of opportunities
and exciting things that pop up for us,

and we say yes, and then we go, "Oh my
goodness, I've been running so fast,

I didn't realize how burnt out I am,"
or, "I didn't realize how many balls

I was dropping," or, "I didn't realize
how many things I was neglecting."

So this three weeks of Mercury
retrograde gives us an opportunity to

take stock, slow down, and as always,
review, reassess, revise, and hopefully

move forward with more clarity.

So give yourself the opportunity to
listen, mercury rules communication.

Communication is not only about speaking
and expressing yourself, but it's also

about listening to what others are saying.

So listen to what's coming up, and not
just from other people, but also from

yourself, from that whisper within.

Okay, Mercury retrograde, big thing.

That's happening.

Same day as the full
moon, that was Monday.

Last week, taking it back to Sunday on
June 28th, we had Mars enter Gemini.

So Mars is now in the sign of Gemini,
which means that Mars was in Taurus.

Hopefully he helped you put
some really good habits in

place when Mars was in Taurus.

I love that about Mars in Taurus.

He really helps us lock in, if you will.

And now Mars is in Gemini, and he's
talkative, and he wants to connect

with the community, and he wants to
be out and partying and doing a little

of this and doing a little of that.

So if you feel a little scattered,
Mars in Gemini, it's okay.

It is a time to taste all the things
and talk to all the people and do

all the things and maybe dabble in
this and dabble in that, and it's

okay if you're not so committed.

It's summer after all.

Like, it's okay to have
a little bit of fun.

Mars in Gemini, that's
what we're working with.

Now, he is answering to
Mercury retrograde in Cancer.

You might be feeling a little bit
sensitive in those conversations.

I'm noticing that I'm getting a text
here and an email there, and I'm reading

into things, and I have to check myself.

Like, hey, was that person being
sassy, or am I just being in my feels?

And yesterday I had that moment, so
I picked up the phone and I called

that person, and I just said, "Hey,
just wanna chat and just get clear,

make sure we're on the same page."

When in doubt, do the extra
step with Mercury retrograde.

Okay.

So finally, Venus is in Leo.

We have one more week of Venus in Leo.

Hopefully you've been
enjoying Venus in Leo.

She's having fun.

She really showed us the preview
of what's coming this summer.

So a few weeks ago, we had Cosmic
Conversation, which is my free

astrology gathering each month.

You can sign up on my
website, veronicapiretti.com,

under events.

Go there and sign up for the next one.

Once a month, we gather on Zoom.

We talk about astrology.

It's super fun.

It's such a wonderful
group of women that comes.

Highly recommend.

Even if you're newer to astrology, you
can sit back and just enjoy and listen.

If you're more of an astro-enthusiast,
or even if you're not, feel

free to come and ask questions.

It is a very easygoing,
open, curious space.

So Cosmic Conversation, we talked about
how Venus is really the pioneer leading

the way in the sky right now, and she's
having all these conversations with the

outer planets that J- Jupiter is gonna
come through and have this month in July.

And so you might remember from
the beginning of the year, I spoke

about how July was going to be
off the charts crazy astrology.

Like, this is where it's happening.

We have officially…

Remember back in January and February and
I'm like, "I know, we're in the new era.

It's coming.

It's coming"?

We had that Saturn-Neptune conjunction
February 20th, and I said, "This

is the beginning of the new era,
except you might not feel that way."

So now you feel it.

Now you've been feeling it.

Now you feel that the pace has
picked up, that shifts are happening.

We're feeling that in the news.

We're feeling that in our own lives.

Th- take a moment and s- look back at the
winter solstice right before Christmas.

Think about what was
going on in your life.

I bet that there are some pretty
big things that have shifted and

changed since six months ago.

We just had the summer solstice, which was
the day that the sun entered Cancer, so

we're, you know, halfway through the year.

So if you look back on the first half of
the year, I'm betting that there are a

few things that have come to pass that
have really been notable shifts in your

life, because this is once in a lifetime
astrology that we're living through.

So even if by some chance your chart
is not personally being aspected by

all of these outer planets coming
together it's pretty impossible for

you not to be experiencing these
big shifts in some way or another

just being part of the collective
consciousness at this time in history.

So we have this magic triangle
that ha- is now perfecting.

We've been talking about it all year.

We have Uranus in a trine to Pluto,
and both of them are sextiling Neptune.

Neptune is the planet of dreams and
fantasies, illusions and delusions.

Uranus is the planet
of unexpected changes.

He pushes us to experience the
breakdown so we can have the

breakthrough and be liberated.

Pluto is the planet of death
and rebirth, the life cycle, the

transformation, letting it all go so
you can be reborn into something new.

So these three outer planets are the
planets of what I call transcendence.

They transcend our mundane life.

They transcend the everyday reality.

These are generational planets.

They're-- move really slow from
our vantage point here on Earth.

So when we're working with these outer
planets, it means that we're being

challenged to transcend our current
day existence, our current reality.

And therefore, the fact that these three
planets are coming together on what

I'm calling a Magic Triangle, and we're
working with this from twenty twenty-five

all the way to twenty twenty-eight, and
the fact that we really haven't seen this

in human history, that means that we are
here for once in a lifetime astrology.

You and I, we signed up for this.

Our souls were like, "Hey,
that looks like a good time.

I wanna be a part of that ride."

So we're here.

The Magic Triangle's perfecting
as Jupiter enters Leo.

And what's going to happen, it's going
to take on another shape this month.

It is going to perfect on July nineteenth.

When Jupiter, newly in Leo, opposes
Pluto in Aquarius on July nineteenth,

we will create what they are calling…

It's the Barbault Bas- Basket,
the Basket of Barbault.

He was an astrologer who saw this coming
and predicted it and noted it, and we've

been waiting for it as astrologers.

I am calling this, as many astrologers
are, the Basket of Hope Because

all of these planets are working
together in harmonious conversations.

So the planets, as you know from
listening to this podcast, if you've

listened before, and if you haven't,
welcome, I'm so happy you're here.

The planets have hard conversations,
and they have harmonious,

easygoing conversations.

All of these planets are
having easygoing conversations.

They're working together, which
means we have an incredible

opportunity to make something happen.

The thing is, uh, astrological
energy, this cosmic energy we're

working with, it's neutral.

It's not good or bad.

It just is.

So when the planets are flowing
together as they are in this

basket, one might call it the basket
of hope, we have to engage it.

And this makes me think about Jane
Fonda, who is obviously a famous

actress, but she's also a famous
social activist, and she has this

rallying cry of, "Hope is a muscle."

Hope is a muscle

And I love that because

It means that you have to engage it.

You have to work it.

It's not gonna grow stronger on its own.

It has to be tended to.

So we are in a moment that I
think is very hopeful, but we

have to engage that energy.

We have to work on that energy.

We have to show up in our communities and
do the work to make the change happen.

We have to knock the doors
for the political candidates

that we want to see in office.

We have to go out and do the work to feed
the people who Are lacking the assistance

that they should have from our government.

We have to do all of the things
that we say are important to us.

We have to put the
action behind our values.

So for me, that is immigrant rights.

That's the most important thing
in the world to me right now.

That is the most important issue
of our time here in this country,

and really all around the world.

The other person, the person being
othered, is being demonized all

around the world, not just in the US.

And to me being welcoming to
immigrants and immigrant rights

that's a part of the values of
this country, of being an American.

Welcoming the neighbor, that
is part of being an American.

So for me, those are the
things that I'm engaging in.

Those are the things that
I'm staying current on.

Those are the people in my community
that I'm doing outreach to.

Those are the organizations
that I'm giving money to.

So you find the places in your
life where you wanna engage and

work on that muscle of hope.

So for me, that is, working with someone
in my community who's at threat of

being deported and trying to help them.

For you, it might be something else,
but finding the ways that you can engage

and work that muscle of hope, because
action is the antidote to anxiety.

We feel anxious and depressed
when we are not taking action

because we feel helpless.

So the antidote is taking the action.

The antidote is working
the muscle of hope.

Okay.

So Jupiter in Leo, it's
gonna give us the confidence.

It's going to give us the passion.

It's going to give us the belief.

It's going to help us reconnect
with what's in our heart.

It's going to inspire creativity
and optimism and give you the

courage to express yourself fully.

It is a source of pride.

Of course the shadow side of
Jupiter in Leo is arrogance or

needing external validation.

So wherever Leo is in your chart,
you're gonna have an opportunity to work

with some of these themes this year.

Jupiter takes 12 years to go around the
zodiac, so he has been on his journey.

He just wrapped up his time in Cancer,
and now Jupiter has entered Leo, and

we are working with Jupiter in the
part of our chart that houses Leo for

the next year The last time Jupiter
was in Leo was in the summer of

2014 through the early part of 2015.

So think back to, you know,
summer of 2014, fall of 2014,

winter of 2015, spring of 2015.

What was going on for you?

For me, that was when I started my job
a corporate management job for a big

yoga corporation, and it was so fun.

I was having so much fun.

That was such a amazing time in my life.

I felt an immense amount of freedom
in that period of time in my life.

So for you, think back to 2014,
2015, what was happening for

you and how were you feeling?

And similar themes are gonna come up now,
not the same, but similar feelings are

gonna come up now with Jupiter in Leo.

Jupiter in Leo is also associated
with youth and royalty and celebrity.

So I find it funny that we are all,
um, watching Madison Square Garden

right now and seeing if Taylor
Swift indeed is getting married

there this weekend to Travis Kelce.

And in a way, that is the royalty
of our time, Taylor and Travis.

It's very Jupiter in Leo totally
perfect that they are getting married

this weekend, if they are getting
married this weekend, as we just

experienced Jupiter moving into Leo.

What is interesting about this Jupiter
in Leo is that Jupiter is opposing Pluto.

So I think that we collectively will be
working with, how do we see celebrity?

How do we see royalty?

How do we see influencers?

How do we view billionaires
and people that are sitting

on a pedestal of some sort?

We already see that shifting.

One of the reasons it's so powerful
is because this is also where the

nodes of fate are in the US chart.

So we're working with that, and we'll talk
about that more over the next few weeks.

This whole thing that's happening
with all these outer planets and then

Jupiter coming in and amplifying it all,
that is all playing into the US chart.

And this week in particular,
something very important is happening.

We have Mars now in Gemini joining with
Uranus, and they are Whenever Mars and

Uranus come together for a conjunction,
this is a time of upheaval, of unexpected

occurrences, of turmoil and chaos.

My neighbor unexpectedly cut herself
yesterday and had to go to the urgent

care to get stitches, and I thought,
"Oh my gosh, Mars and Uranus."

'Cause Mars is often associated with
sharp objects that cut, like swords.

Mars-Uranus, be careful
of having accidents.

Mars-Uranus, not the best time to
have a fireworks show, but it's

July 4th and we will be having
that conjunction, so watch out.

This is a great July 4th, between the
heat and the Mars-Uranus conjunction,

it is a great July 4th to stay home.

It is a great weekend to be under
the covers and safe and sound.

Go binge-watch Dallas Cowboys
Cheerleader documentary, which I love.

I just watched it last week.

That is, to me, so Leo.

The big hair, the glitz, the
glamour, the boots, the, you know-

Whole dynasty of it all,
very Jupiter in Leo.

Go binge watch that safely in your
air-conditioned home and don't be

out in the world, and certainly
avoid any conflicts, any fights.

Avoid people that, get to you.

And certainly avoid explosives, avoid
barbecuing, avoid doing all those things.

And I don't wanna be fear-based.

I'm not a fear-based astrologer,
but Mars-Uranus conjunction with

all of this going on, it is intense,
and we are gonna see explosive

stuff, whether that is figurative,
metaphorical, literal, whatever.

So just be wary and be careful and don't
take risks that you don't need to take.

Now, with that, we saw something really
interesting yesterday, which was we saw

this couple, this Russian couple, go to
the top of the Empire State Building,

which was absolutely insane, and wave
this flag about the power of love.

And I was like, oh my goodness.

This is Jupiter in Leo,
opposite Pluto in Aquarius.

If there ever was a sign, this is it.

They got engaged.

Whether that … I mean, that, apparently,
that was fake 'cause they're already

married, but all of that said, this idea
of this overwhelming, big expression

of love in this dangerous act and also
making it a message of social activism

and ending war, it just was quintessential
Jupiter in Leo opposite Pluto in Aquarius.

So we're seeing it all over.

We're seeing the astrology play out.

This is one of those moments in
life where I know there's so many

horrible things happening, and we're
really in a, we're really in a very

treacherous moment in human history.

But it's also a moment that you
have things like that happen,

and you go, oh my goodness.

This is … Astrology is real.

Like, look at this.

Look at this happening right now.

So enjoy those moments, and enjoy
that you get to appreciate that

added layer of knowing the cosmic,
energetic pull on those moments of

influence that we all get to enjoy.

And I apologize for any background noise.

Okay.

So be careful.

Slow it down.

Those are the two big things I will tell
you this week and for the next few weeks.

Be careful.

Slow it down.

Take a breath.

Take a pause.

It's Mercury retrograde.

You're gonna probably have to
redo it anyway, so just give

yourself the extra bit of time.

Jupiter will be in an opposition to Pluto.

It won't be exact until J- July
19th, which is really the day

that all of this comes to a head.

So we are in the gear up, but we
are certainly feeling the intensity.

So be kind to yourself.

Give yourself lots of time
to get where you need to get.

Don't be rushing.

Don't be road raging.

Don't be starting any fires, whether
that's, literal or figurative.

And, um, and that's it.

Have a happy July 4th.

Stay cool.

Be really, really safe out there.

The heat is no joke, and the best thing
you can do is to keep yourself and your

family safe so other people don't have to
put themselves in harm's way to help you.

And yeah, we'll get through it.

We'll get through it together, and
hopefully I'll be back next week to share

more about what's going on in the sky.

All right, I'll talk to you soon.

Bye.