In the past week, the headlines have been packed with shocking news—in higher proportions than usual. Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon and (WTF?!) Michael Jackson died suddenly this week. Splitsville for Jon & Kate and Nick Lachey. Baby news for SJP, Matthew McConaughey and Gisele. A political uprising in Iran. What in the world is going on?

Expansive Jupiter is exactly conjunct (joined) with Neptune, planet of addiction, illusion, and hidden information. When two planets link up, they combine and expand their powers. Jupiter and Neptune are in Aquarius, the sign of rebellion, shock, and unexpected news. While Neptune is secretive, Jupiter lays it all on the table.

All manner of secrets and scandal will be exposed during this cycle.

To top it off, both Jupiter and Neptune turned retrograde (backward) this month, causing unresolved matters from the past to resurface publicly (Farrah’s cancer, Michael’s painkillers, Jon Gosselin’s adulterous weekend). Global politics are affected, too: Jupiter rules international issues, and Neptune rules secret agendas. No surprise Iran has exploded with civilian protests and allegations of electoral fraud. Heck, it might even explain the weather. Neptune is the watery planet and Aquarius is the water-bearer. Can we blame the torrential rain on this cycle, too?

Fasten yours seatbelts, people, because this will be going on for a while. Make no assumptions, but watch a strong tendency toward both denial and exaggeration. Things are not necessarily as they seem on the surface, so get the facts before you react. While we may feel a strong pull to gloss things over—for example, to glorify Michael Jackson rather than see him as a gifted artist with a shadow side—rose-colored glasses are not the hot summer accessory.

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Aries-Aries tabloid faves Jon and Kate Gosselin announced their divorce at the Cancer new moon yesterday. This new moon falls in their home and family sector, indicating a new start for Aries in their domestic lives. Divine timing indeed. Will there be any surprises in store? The next month will tell. On July 21st, there will be a total solar eclipse in Cancer, which could bring shocking news. Jon or Kate may move a new love interest into the house, or might even announce how they’ll divide up time with the kids. The show could begin focusing on the kids’ life in separate homes — though whether viewers will want to watch the painful impact of divorce on 8 kids is unlikely. TLC may be shuttering the Gosselins’ cash cow by the end of the year, when a December 31st Cancer lunar eclipse brings these events to a peak.

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Taurus singer Billy Joel, 60, has filed for divorce from his third wife Katie Lee Joel, a 27-year-old Virgo. Despite their eyebrow-raising 33-year age difference, the two are  compatible Earth signs. What went wrong?

Rumblings of unrest were in the stars earlier this month. On June 7th, a full moon in Billy’s eighth house of marriage and joint property may have pushed him off the fence and into divorce-land. The eighth house rules secrets and scandals, and Katie is rumored to be creeping around with Israeli fashion designer Yigal Azrouel. Scand’lous! That same full moon fell in Katie’s fourth house of home and family. It’s possible they may have disagreed over her desire to have children, or the domestic rift created by her “New York state of mind” (she preferred their West Village townhouse to his suburban Long Island spread).

We’ve been hearing of many Virgos going solo since Saturn, the planet of maturity and tough lessons, went direct in Virgo on May 16th. Since September 2007, Virgos have been on a quest to define themselves and find their place in the world. While Katie married Billy as a naive 23-year-old, Saturn helped her build an identity as a cookbook author and celebrity chef (a common career path for many Virgos, like Rachael Ray and Mario Batali). No doubt Billy’s connections played a wee part in her success, too.

Will it still be rock ‘n roll for Katie Lee? Saturn remains in Virgo until November, so she’ll need to battle hard to keep her reputation when she drops the Joel surname. She could be in for a rude awakening if she thinks that her Southern-fried chicken recipe can stand up to Billy’s “Piano Man.”

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From June 15-October 12th, Jupiter, the planet of expansion and growth, will be retrograde (backward). When a planet goes retrograde, we’re forced to tap the brakes, slow down and reassess.

Jupiter is in Aquarius, the sign of groups, teamwork and humanitarian efforts. Indeed, the pinched economy has forced many of us to cobble together our resources with other people. While a collective approach is great, do you have the right teammates? During the retrograde, make sure everyone is pulling his fair share.

Aquarius is also the zodiac’s rebel — with or without a cause. During this retrograde, make sure you’re not throwing out the baby with the bathwater, or cutting ties with people unnecessarily. Watch for sudden flareups of anger and impulsiveness.

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Romantic relief is here. Venus, the planet of love and harmony, has entered Taurus. This is a home sweet homecoming, as Venus is the natural ruler of Taurus, and quite comfortable in this sign. A gentle, loving energy should sweep over us all…and it’s about time.

Prior to this, Venus spent a challenging four months in independent Aries. Normally, Venus lasts only a month (or less) in a sign, so the quadruple-lengh visit was even more difficult. Why? While Venus promotes cooperation, Aries is the “me-first” sign. Since February, many couples have been locked in a battle of wills, each party fighting to get his/her way. (No surprise Aries-Aries couple Jon and Kate Gosselin have dominated the tabloids with their feud!) Aries also brings a restless, even nervous, energy—not exactly prime conditions for relaxing couple time.

Now that Venus is in Taurus, we can all slow down, tune into our sensual natures, and just “be” with each other. Massages, pampering, scented candles, decadent dinners, dancing—that’s Venus in Taurus. There’s no agenda, nothing to do…just savor each other’s company and enjoy.

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What are your wildest dreams and visions? Today’s Sagittarius full moon helps you think big. Although some things may be exaggerated, others will reach their full potential. Think back to November 27, 2008, when the Sagittarius new moon helped you plant seeds that are manifesting tonight.

The  challenge? This full moon wil form a tense square with the Sun and strict Saturn. You may find yourself battling ego issues, or chafing under rules and structures that no longer serve you. Overconfidence can get you in trouble as well, so guard against that. Use this moment to break through barriers into an expanded playing field. Remember: you can’t play major league baseball on a little league diamond. Surrender to growth in every part of your life.

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You made it! The Mercury retrograde cycle has ended after a challenging three weeks. From May 8-31, communication planet Mercury was retrograde (backward), effectively SNAFU-ing communication, technology and plans for everyone in the world. For the greater part of this cycle, Mercury was retrograde in stubborn Taurus, causing people to dig in their heels and refuse to budge. You may have found yourself in  no-win arguments, or unable to make headway on a project. Clear thinking isn’t common during Mercury retrograde, so even if you got face-time with someone important, your message didn’t quite get through.

Now that Mercury is direct, conversations should flow better (though beware—there can be a couple days of fallout). If you held off on buying new gadgets or computer equipment, it’s safe to shop. We regrettably bought a new printer during this retrograde, only to find it had a faulty track wheel and needs to be exchanged. Apparently, being astrologers doesn’t make us immune to this stuff!

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