The astrology transits for June 2023, explained

There are three main transit events happening in the astrology realm in June of 2023. Most notably, they are:

Saturn in Pisces goes into retrograde
Venus enters the sign of Leo, and is conjunct Mars
The kickoff of Summer - the Solstice

So let's break down what all of that means.

When Saturn, the planet of discipline, karma, lessons, and boundaries enters the zodiac sign of Pisces, we can dream up a few different ways this might play out. Some of us may get serious about putting in the work to achieve our dreams, while others become more devoted in their spirituality - and focused on healing. (I know the latter has been the case for me.) Saturn in Pisces could play out all kinds of ways, like taking time to zone out everyday and just let your brain rest, or doing more things that nourish your soul, like getting back into that hobby that you've been meaning to.

When a planet goes into retrograde, we relearn the lessons it originally gave us. Sometimes in a different form. Sometimes not. Retrogrades are generally regarded as times of reflection, pondering, and acting on intuition or gut feeling. They are much more inward than their direct counterparts. Retrograde planets can feel like everything is falling apart - only to fall into place. If you're looking on a good article on how to understand retrogrades, especially in the birth chart, this one by Gregory Rozek is good, if not a bit long. This one by Alabe is very helpful, if you're curious what everyone means by "pre-shadow periods" or "post-shadow periods".

So when Saturn, the planet of discipline, structure, and lessons goes into retrograde, we are forced to ponder the nature of things, and the nature of ourselves. What can we build to make our lives better? In our wondering, we may sometimes lean more towards the existential. That's okay! Just don't get too deep in that rabbit hole, it'll get ya.

I'm reminded of this quote from Brianna Wiest that goes,

True self-care is not salt baths and chocolate cake, it is making the choice to build a life you don’t need to regularly escape from.

And it's so funny, because while Saturn is drudging up all that we need to be healing from, and giving us the ways to do it, Venus enters Leo. Venus is the planet that represents relationships and money, but can also dip it's toes a little too far into the excess. Leo is a sign that represents the self and self expression, but also royalty and indulgence. Which brings us back to an aspect that's commonly ignored - the inconjunct / quincunx.

Inconjuncts are typically seen as a sign that two zodiac signs are incompatible, and don't understand each other. Inconjuncts are often seen as two signs needing adjustments or compromise in order to understand one another. But in my work with clients, and something I notice in natal charts - I see the inconjunct as more of an outlet. I do see individuals with hard inconjuncts make it their superpower. Tight Mercury inconjunct Saturn? They give speeches. People often wear these aspects with a badge of pride - they have really managed to make that aspect work for them, and I, for one, am really proud of them. I don't see it as a hangup, but more so as something that needs to be adopted.

So Saturn in Pisces inconjunct Venus in Leo encourages a deeper look at ourselves. Where have we been too hard on ourselves, and where can we ease up? Where have we slacked off a bit too much (and no, I'm not talking about that chore list that needs to get done. But whatever is keeping you from living up to your potential and being who and what you need to be)? How can we treat ourselves better? How can we be better for those around us? What are dreams (Pisces) without the self (Leo) to accomplish them? It's a time for us to dig deep in our relationships, and not just the ones we have with ourselves, but with others.

We then move on to the Solstice! The longest day of the year, and the official beginning of a new season. It nearly always falls around June 20-22, and this year is on June 21. As we begin this new season, we are called to meditate on connection. The Sun enters Cancer, the sign of the Moon, so we are asked to focus on all the ways we can get into the nitty gritty of our love, nurture, and relationships.

Some questions to meditate on:

What are some lessons I'm relearning? How can I approach them in a different way?
What are some ways I can get back in touch with myself and what I love?
How can I put. the. phone. down.
What is my superpower that I never acknowledge?
How can I be more kind during this time?