Today's Astrology Forecast | August 13, 2019 - the seasons of our life, moving forward, encouraging words, the time for a course correction if we aren't liking where we are headed, smart moves

Yesterday got away from me - weekly coming tonight!

For today, the Moon is void until 11:35AM EDT when she moves into humanitarian Aquarius moving toward her opposition to the Sun (Full Moon) on Thursday.

With the Moon in Aquarius we are nurtured by allowing ourselves a little air/distance. She will oppose Mercury (in Leo and walking degrees for the third time, so not a brand new situation) at 4:32PM EDT - our independent feelings (forward leaning and detached as they might be) in conflict with our mind/thinking/loud words or bold ideas.

At the same time Mercury is trining (brakes off) Ceres (in Sagittarius) - this is also a repeating aspect (due to Mercury's recent retrograde) from June 18th and June 29th. Leo/Sag is bold and hopeful. Now that both planets are direct it would be time to move forward. Ceres themes include seasons of life issues, issues around an important pet, nurturing, mother issues, situations where we might feel out of control. Mercury rules communication, so we could reach a decision, receive more information, have a conversation, etc - that moves things forward.

Mercury's opposition to the Aquarian Moon this afternoon could put us at odds with ourselves - our thinking/feeling out of balance or with another person. Aquarius wants cool headed logic and Leo needs a heartfelt desire.

For some people Mercury shows up as sibling situation, local community issues, writing/learning, transportation or tech issues.

Venus is building toward her meeting with the Sun - in play now - in fiery Leo. A light is shined on what we want - love, money, our resources, values, self-esteem, women, beauty. A reward could come in now (opportunity) or we get a clear view of what isn't working - we talked about this yesterday. We win or we "lose", but if we have to lose, this is exactly when we want to "lose" because we can MOST EASILY change direction at the start of a new cycle. We have had since Venus went retrograde last fall to figure out what we want - here's where we have it/get it/can see we will have it or know why we don't and still have time to CHANGE COURSE.

Stay conscious. The detached Aquarius Moon should dial things back just enough to get a better view and clear our head. We can act and think smartly.

Back with the weekly tonight. The Moon is waxing (growing) - it's a time of action.

xo all





photo by the talented psychiatrique

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 12, 2019 - get to work, what have we manifested, pregnant with creative potential, an intense night

Today's Moon is in ambitious Capricorn (work, career, responsibilities), Mercury is freshly minted back in Leo (children, romance, creativity, recreation, following our heart) and Jupiter is direct (in his home sign - travel, legal issues, foreign issues, our beliefs, wedding, media, religion) - no sleeping in!

We can get alot done today.

A good day to deal with authority/step into our own. Clarify goals, be productive, creative.

The Moon meets a retrograde Saturn at 5:53AM EDT (endings, reality check), sextiles a retrograde Neptune at 11:58am EDT (opportunities to use our imagination, spirituality, healing) and finally goes void until late tomorrow morning off a most-likely uncomfortably intense connection with a retrograde Pluto at 6:11PM EDT.

The waxing Cappy Moon also makes a couple important inconjuncts (rocks and hard places) - the Moon and Venus and the Moon and the Sun (both in Leo). This is about us remembering our responsibilities - and with that Cappy Moon, both answering to and meeting a retrograde Saturn today - probably old responsibilities - reality check time.

We move toward Venus's meeting with the Sun mid week when a light is shined on a fresh Venusian opportunity (love, money, beauty, women, self-esteem) and we start a new eight year Sun/Venus cycle in bold and creative Leo. We are pregnant with creative potential.

As Venus meets the Sun the situations we find ourselves in now are showing us the ways our past investments of love/resources/time/money have manifested. 

Do we like what we are seeing? 

Rewards can come to light this week as well as disappointments. 

If we seem to be holding the short end of the stick - there is good news for us, too - because a NEW cycle is kicking off and now we know what doesn't work!

How long it took us to figure this out is just how long it took us to figure this out. We are infinite. The Moon in Capricorn can be cold without alot of soft places to fall. Everything, EVERYTHING is a transit (ie transitory, in flux) - keep this in mind if things feel overwhelming now.

This powerful retrograde energy in Cappy this summer is determined to part us from the stuff that has outgrown its usefulness. Old emotional blocks. For some people this will be the ingrained patriarchy stuff around hard work and commitments. What old commitments are no longer working? How are we depleting ourselves? As the Moon moves into detached Aquarius tomorrow morning - time to step back and take a breath.

For today - TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS. We are moving forward. 

Get it done before 6:11PM EDT. Expect an intense evening.

The weekly got delayed by Sunday's amazing weather. It will be up tonight or tomorrow morning.

xo all

photo by the amazing alltelleringet

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 11, 2019 - changing direction, moving forward, creative ideas, bold words, mining for missed gold, learning more, expanding our reach, some changes put on hold

Today we have a MAJOR re-alignment of energies.

Uranus (in Taurus) stations retrograde (through January 2020), Jupiter stations direct (in Sagittarius through December 2019) and Mercury returns to Leo (our third time at zero degrees Leo).

Let's unpack this and start with Mercury.

Mercury first entered Leo back on June 26th then she/he turned around a few days later (stationed retrograde) moved back through the early degrees of Leo and then back into Cancer then stopped again (stationed direct). We are back at 0 degrees Leo late this afternoon. We won't be covering totally new ground for a few more days - but back into Leo means our Leo story - our creative projects/ideas, bold/courageous words, Leo themed situation (or the theme of your Leo or Sun house in your natal chart) moves forward - children, romance, love, creativity, recreation, the space of our natural spotlight, our heart, what our heart wants. Something will pick up where it came to a stop/pivot back in late June.  

It's time to be moving forward.

Jupiter, in his home sign of Sagittarius for ONLY a few more months (through December 2nd), has been retrograde since April 10th. He now stations direct (starts moving forward) from 14 degrees Sag. That Sag theme (what is foreign, high education, media, weddings, our beliefs, legal issues religion, travel) - or maybe more likely the theme of the Sag house in your natal chart or the theme of the house ruled by Jupiter in your natal chart - changes course. Interacting with Mercury just before Mercury changes signs - this could be the time we get an unexpected/sudden piece of information we need to move forward. Maybe we see (Mercury) an opportunity to expand (Jupiter). If we have been wronged, here is the energy to get us justice (just don't spend too much energy looking for it because other people's justice may not be visible to us - an example would be Epstein's suicide which will likely, coming at this time, expand this story in ways it couldn't if it stayed focused on him). If an area of expansion shut down last spring here is where the wheels start spinning again. An opportunity, that seemed lost, can come back around. There could be an opportunity to learn more/connect with something that expands our reach/get lucky. Jupiter in his home sign only happens once every 12 years - there is alot of other stuff greedy for our attention, but we don't want to miss THIS.

Stuck stuff gets going. It's time to be moving forward.

Uranus, from 6 degrees Taurus, stations retrograde until January 2020. What is the theme of your Taurus ruled house? What is the theme of the house Uranus rules in your natal chart? If you don't know,  ask me and I will check your chart. Collectively Taurus rules our money, our resources, what we have earned, our values, our self-esteem, the planet Earth. There is a change of direction here. Uranus is unpredictable - any unexpected lightning strike could take us in a bold new direction or remove all the excitement/energy from a forward-leaning project/situation. For some people changes that hit unexpectedly over the last few months will slow down or be put on hold. If we are directly impacted by Uranus's back and forth over a sensitive planet or point in our natal chart - changes could intensify. For most people changes move from the outer to the inner realms.

The Moon moved into serious and goal-oriented Capricorn last night. She will trine (brakes off) a strong and still Uranus today at 1:36PM EDT - expect the unexpected. This is practical creative energy and will help us ground these changes in the real world. This is a good time to re-launch something or move something into a NEW PHASE.

We have an amazing week ahead with Venus meeting the Sun and a Full Moon in Aquarius! Expect a post tonight or Monday morning.

xo all

photo by the firebomb

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 9, 2019 - nourished by a sense of adventure, date night, an emotional gamble, reality check, transformed by what we hold sacred, shaping the energies of our quest

The Moon, in high-flying Sag, will hook up with a retrograde Jupiter at 7:24PM EDT

(mountains out of molehills, self-righteous feelings, feeling optimistic or maybe nourished by a Sag themes - travel, something or someone foreign, the media, our beliefs, religion, education), maybe it's time for an emotional (Moon) gamble (Jupiter),

and then trine loving and social Venus (in creative Leo) at 10:18PM EDT. The Moon is feeling good today!

Mercury is at the end of emotional Cancer - for the third time - some might be feeling the melancholy of this. The past. That home/family/real estate situation. Mothering regrets or regrets around mothering. The ball and chain we can't slip off ... just yet.

At the same time we have Venus inconjunct Saturn (rock and a hard place) and Pluto trining Vesta.

The Venus/Saturn requires us to make some kind of adjustment to what we want.

Saturn aka "the reality police" dulls our shine just a bit now. Retrograde, he is holding our feet to the fire via an old obligation/commitment/contract. Enforcing a limit/boundary/requirement. Delays.

Pluto/Vesta is an intense focus on what we hold sacred. In earthy Taurus, Vesta is bringing our attention to our resources, our money, our values or self-esteem. Pluto brings powerful change. Transformation (Pluto) of sacred cows (Vesta). Powerful (Pluto) commitments (Vesta). The brakes are off something now.

In a couple days Jupiter is going to station direct and Uranus is going to station retrograde and Mercury will be back in Leo. Something is turning around. Are we ready? probably not!

Leo is a proud and fixed sign, so we need to stay flexible. The Sun (Leo's ruler) is mirrored in our physical bodies through our heart and our solar plexis. Priority should be given to both now. Heart health - diet, exercise, opening our heart to love, compassion, empathy, moving out of our ego, being easier on ourselves and others - more loving. Our solar plexis (our gut) - diet, exercise, breath work, are we feeling empowered? can we trust our gut? or are we more often feeling bloated, "butterflies in our stomach" or "kicked in the gut" - maybe this area needs strengthening.

The midpoint of the Sun's journey through Leo (the sign he rules) is sometimes called the Lion's Gate. This annual portal opening - around 8/8 - is a time of increased consciousness about our soul mission/the ways and spaces we are intended to have confidence and courage and shine in this lifetime. Sirius (the dog star), a fixed star located at 14 degrees Cancer is associated with the Lion's Gate. The brightest star in our sky when visible, Sirius is 25 times brighter and double the size of our Sun. This is the time of year (the time of harvest/abundance - the "dog" days of August is a reference to more than the temperature) the ancient Egyptians could view Sirius rising above their pyramids and they believed there was a special maternal link between Sirius and life on Earth.

This year the North Node (our collective way forward) will conjunct Sirius from late August until late September for the first time in more than 18 years. This will support our North Node in Cancer agenda - clearing out expired maternal contracts/patterns, moving toward what feels like home/nurturing, a need to mother and be mothered, an increased ability to show vulnerability and not see this as a weakness, but instead as a crucial piece of our journey toward a more authentic state of person-hood.

We'll talk more about this as we move through it.

For today, it's Friday, the Moon is in optimistic (and sometimes preachy and bombastic) Sag and supported by Sag's ruler (Jupiter) and Venus - our two most beneficial planets. Find something to enjoy about today.

We are shaping the energies for the quest ahead of us.

Share something. Get outdoors. Embrace the magic.

Where could our life use a little more adventure?!

xo all

photo by the talented la-child

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 8, 2019 - attracting what we want, an opportunity comes back around, that thing you thought about and didn't do maybe needs a second look, how lucky can we get, follow up, wanting something that wants us right back, buy a lottery ticket

Our Scorpio Moon goes void at 10:58AM EDT off a trine with Mercury. She flies into Sagittarius at 4:35PM EDT (so void for most of the work-day, most likely nothing will come of any kerfuffles that come up, not the time to launch something you want 'something to come of') where she hooks up with Jupiter at 7:24PM EDT (!) and finally trines Venus at 10:19PM EDT (!).

This is the day Venus (in Leo) trines a retrograde Jupiter at 4:27PM EDT - just what the Sun did yesterday, except Venus's inconjunct with Saturn (fly in the ointment) isn't exact until tomorrow.

For TODAY - we have the Moon (in Sagittarius so answering to Jupiter) conjuncting Jupiter and trining Venus AND Venus (in Leo, so answering to the Sun, who did this two-step yesterday) trining Jupiter. Mars is also sextile Pallas in Libra, so we get some air.

With Jupiter retrograde this could be an old opportunity that comes back around, some gold we missed the first time through (Jupiter will station direct on Sunday, so this could kick off closer to that time). This could also be something we previously thought about/heard about, but didn't act on.

Smart action (Mars/Pallas) expands our reach. Gets us more. This is all easy energy. We just need to grab on to what is offered to us. Take some action. We don't have to push and pull. A little spit and elbow grease is all it will take.

There is always the possibility, if we are un-grounded or ignore all boundaries, to take something too far because there isn't anything stopping these energies. Watch for over-spending. Jupiter is still squaring Neptune so alot of stuff is still hidden.

Watch that we aren't (with Venus approaching the inconjunct to Saturn and the South Node) trying to hold onto something that is over/dead. We DO have to keep taking care of old business for a while longer though - there will be a cleaner break-up point in a few months. A more final point. We aren't rushing out the door and leaving our mess behind. Staying the course will pay off come October.

But NOW is a time of very important choices.

If we don't love something we used to love THIS IS THE TIME to make changes. Venus in Leo is the Queen. She is trining - brakes off - Jupiter (the King) today. She is going to met the Sun on the 14th and kick off a whole new Venus cycle in Leo - what our heart wants, getting what we want, what we want wanting us right back. We are on the road to that. The reason there isn't much air in the skies these days is we aren't supposed to be in our heads now. What does our heart want?

Venus rules love, our relationships, our money, our resources, beauty, women, our values and self-esteem.

Life wants to give us love and money! Get out and about now. Talk to people. Take some action on what you want. If you don't know what you want, you probably know what you don't want - withdraw your attention from that. Have some fun. Be kind. With luck (Jupiter) meeting our money (Venus) - buy a lottery ticket. Even if we don't win, we win, because we have stated our desire of greater financial abundance and EASE. Go out with friends. What are the themes of your Leo and Sag houses? The time just after 4:35PM EDT could be especially potent.

xo all

photo by the talented thillyLiv

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 7, 2019 - turning our attention to what we want to expand, confidence, focus, playing by the rules, seeing the gold, seeing what lies between us and the gold, moving forward

The Moon is in powerful Scorpio. She squares Venus at 10:01AM EDT and then the Sun at 1:30PM EDT. This could be tension/frustration around joint resources, someone not feeling seen/heard, who's got the upper hand/the bigger thingamajig.

Half-assed measures won't cut it.

The rest of the lunar day fares much smoother as the Scorpio Moon sextiles a retrograde Saturn at 2:01PM EDT (good for working with authority, handling responsibilities), then trines Neptune at 7:15PM EDT (escape, peace, spirituality, dreaming, healing) and finally sextiles Pluto at 12:52AM EDT.

The big news today is we have the Sun trining Jupiter while inconjunct Saturn. Sun trine Jupiter is very shiny. Confidence, optimism - this is what gives Jupiter his "lucky" reputation. Jupiter is going to station direct on this same degree on Sunday.

The Sun will have moved on, but a super-charged Jupiter will be just getting started!

Turn your attention to what you would like to EXPAND.

There is an opportunity in here somewhere. More gold to be mined. We could be in the middle of the gold mine right now or just beginning to sense its presence OUT THERE. Grab opportunities that come along now with both hands.

The fly in the ointment here (obstacle) is the Sun's inconjunct (rock and a hard place) with sober Saturn. There is an old responsibility that must be lived up to or put to bed, an old limit we need to work with, some kind of shackle we need to figure our way around or credentials we need to obtain before we can claim our bounty.

With the Sun in Leo maybe this is a stop sign to our EGO. Authority/the rules/the guy with the bigger thingamajig saying "not so fast" buddy.

If this is our inner authority ("you are not ready! you are not good enough!") we can hear it out, adjust what needs adjusting and keep moving forward.

Remember the Scorpio Moon is sextiling (opportunity) Saturn!

So we know this limit/stop sign is needed somehow. It can stabilize a situation that has leaned too far in one direction. Maybe it creates focus. Shows us what we need to do next.

This is a day to move ahead with whatever is requiring our confidence and focus (we will have access to BOTH!).

And buy a lottery ticket! Then buy another one tomorrow.

xo all

photo by the talented Natalia Drepina

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 6, 2019 - our rough edges, avoid compulsions and manipulations, power struggles, not pushing stuff under the rug, not trying to control the universe

The Moon in Libra went void while we slept off a square with Mercury (tension/disagreements/worries/those home and family situations we've been talking about) in moody and emotional Cancer - walking 25 degrees for the third time. Maybe we are offered a choice, but it's not the one we really wanted!

She is void until 11:31AM EDT (if you take the morning off you won't miss much that will amount to anything) when she dives into murky Scorpio. The compromise and social niceties of Libra are lost in the need to get to the bottom of things. To reach the bottom line. She opposes change-maker Uranus at 10:55PM EDT. Surprise. Changing emotional waters. Unexpected developments. Upset. Revelation.

Stay frosty and AWAKE today when dealing with relationship, money, resources, value, self-esteem issues (Taurus) and other people's money, spouse's income, loans, inheritances, debts, insurance, taxes, sex, reproduction, life/death issues, control and power issues (Scorpio).

Maybe something needs to get worked with here and NOT pushed under the rug. At the same time we can't be focused on it to the exclusion of everything else or to the exclusion of our mental/emotional health. Maybe we need to be the one to call uncle. The Moon in Scorpio can easily get us fixated on things we can't control anyway. Do what you can. Release your attention from what you can't.

The Sun is beginning to trine Jupiter - we aren't going to have this aspect again (in play for a few days) with both planets in their home signs for 12 YEARS! We need to stay focused on what we want and not something that didn't work before and we think is suddenly going to work now. What do we want? What feels comfortable? What feels like home?

See the weekly HERE for more on that and we will talk about it tomorrow when aspects are exact.

xo all

photo by the talented peterix

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 5, 2019 - creativity and cooperation, pressure and tension, dealing with what needs to be dealt with

The Moon in Libra is uber busy. By 9:30AM EDT she has sextiled Venus, Jupiter and the Sun (lots of creativity and collaboration).

If this month's waxing sextile between the Leo Sun and the Libra Moon were a conversation it would go something like "Here, you take the bigger piece", "No! I wouldn't dream of it. You take it!".

If there is anything we need/want to get done with other people early in the day - let's do it! 

The Moon squares Saturn at 10:46AM EDT (tension with authority, time pressures, limits, stress around goals and career, maybe we don't feel heard, we don't feel seen)

then squares Pluto (power struggles, abuse of power, we don't feel safe, pressures that feel like life and death, endings, purging) at 8:50PM EDT

and finally sextiles Mars at 10:26PM EDT (the instinct to take action, the boys and girls are getting along, taking action to get what we want).

Hopefully this pressure in the middle of the day is just us getting alot of stuff done, so we can relax tonight!

The Sun/Moon contact should have the most oomph (waxing sextile) - since it continues our New Moon in Leo story-line - here's the part where the other people come in and they've brought cookies and cold brews and they laugh at our jokes and share their wifi.

xo all

photo by the amazing aufzehengehen

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of August 5, 2019 - counting our blessings, getting a lucky break, divine timing, turning points, having faith, going for it, our possibilities expand

WEDNESDAY - Sun trines Jupiter and inconjuncts Saturn
THURSDAY - Venus trines Jupiter and inconjuncts Saturn
SATURDAY - Sun inconjunct Neptune
SUNDAY - Jupiter stations direct, Uranus stations retrograde and Mercury returns to Leo (!)

What a week for soothing our Eclipse weary summer souls! 

Two of the best astrological aspects are happening in the same week WITH Jupiter (a big part of why the aspects are so positive) stationing direct!

On WEDNESDAY the Sun trines a retrograde Jupiter (one of the best aspects in astrology) AND this is happening with Jupiter in his home sign and strong and still - ready to turn direct in just 4 days - AND the Sun in his home sign of Leo.

This is protection, guidance, luck and the more we use our natural gifts and talents - work from the space we are meant to SHINE/be BRAVE/use our HEART, put ourselves OUT THERE - the luckier we get.

The fly in the ointment here

(yes, I know, there is always a freakin' fly, but keep in mind smooth aspects in astrology are easy to miss because we just kind of glide through them, it's the more difficult aspects that push us/challenge us and actually create the stress/tension the smoother aspects need!)

is the Sun inconjunct Saturn. There are many ways this could play out and it will pay to be aware of them. Maybe a pessimistic or critical attitude is holding us back. Or maybe with Saturn retrograde a commitment from the past is holding us back. We might need to be economical without being miserly. We might need to be patient with what is delaying us.

On the same day the Scorpio Moon squares the Leo Sun giving us this month's First Quarter Square - here is where the first glitches and problems from the fiery Leo New Moon last week may hit. Leo always wants to play and have fun, but with Scorpio we need to go deep. Things get more serious. We research. We narrow our focus. We merge important stuff with other people. Issues could be complex and with Scorpio be aware there is always the chance we could be dealing with power plays/manipulations.

FOCUS ON THE TRINE - what is naturally falling into space? Believe in yourself.

Say YES.

On THURSDAY/FRIDAY, Venus trines a retrograde Jupiter and then inconjuncts a retrograde Saturn. Venus is following in the Sun's footsteps and doing exactly what the Sun did yesterday!

If yesterday's Sun trine Jupiter is ONE of the best aspects in astrology, Venus trine Jupiter might be THE BEST aspect.

And remember although I am listing the days aspects are most exact - this is pretty much all happening at the same time - we have this energy all week!

This is ease, comfort, prosperity, love, luck, protection. Again this is followed by an inconjunct (rock and hard place) to a retrograde Saturn a few hours later - this could be where any lack of self-esteem holds us back. Or maybe we are caught between the need to be liked and the need to be respected. Cost vs quality. Maybe we feel too old to do something. Or flip it and maybe we think we don't have the credentials. Social passivity/awkwardness can hold us back - we need to balance responsibilities with a need to relax and enjoy life. Maybe Venus/Jupiter wants to GO and sober Saturn is like, hold on a minutes, there is something over here you haven't finished.

Again FOCUS ON THE TRINE - what is naturally falling into place? Believe in yourself.

Say YES.

We are going to need to work with and respect Saturn this week WITHOUT MISSING our superpower trine benefits (the growth of something we want).

It is important to keep things honest and above-board now because we don't want to get bit in the ass later when Saturn stations direct! There are likely defined rights and wrongs here, responsibilities and commitments, limits that MUST be attended to, also.

SATURDAY - the Sun inconjuncts Neptune. Maybe we are reassessing our dreams. We could face confusion/doubt. Our confidence could be undermined now. Maybe we need to balance the need to escape/dream with the need to show up and PERFORM. If we are seeing something through rose-colored glasses here is where some clear light is thrown on the matter. Elevating something from 'all about me' to something that serves a higher purpose would be a good way to balance this energy. Release the need for applause. Do we really need another thumbs up?

SUNDAY - this is a big day as Jupiter stations direct!

We have just a few more months of Jupiter home in Sagittarius folks, not to be back here for twelve years - what are we going to do with them?!

After a narrow, more inner-directed focus when our faith is tested (what do we believe? can we still believe in a benevolent universe when things don't appear to be going our way? can we still believe in ourselves?) we turn outside ourselves again. Expansion. Optimism.

This is the same day a recently direct Mercury gets back into Leo - so a push forward for that New Moon Leo agenda, too! We were last at 0 degrees Leo on June 26th, so something from that time period that stalled/slowed should get moving.

Here is a TURNING POINT for our hopes/the expansion of our reach. Time to use our voice. The review of going back over what we previously learned, a legal issue, the truth of the matter (the truth about something can come out now), revisiting an old opportunity (still in play because Jupiter is re-walking old degrees for the 3rd time), our beliefs - is ending.

None of our stories, lies, beliefs that are no longer needed, options that are just distracting us from what we really need to do - none of these paradigms are moving forward with us. Ideas, conversations, who we used to be, who we never were - whatever doesn't work anymore has to go. We are done with it.

It's time to STOP grieving for whatever it is we haven't done/didn't get.

From this space we move forward with confidence.

Now remember what Jupiter's retrograde has looked like - he stopped, he moved backward, now he stops, he moves forward - he is covering this ground for the THIRD time.

And you know what they say about third times! Are you feeling third time lucky or three strikes you're out?

Look at the rest of this week's energy - we are lucky dammit!

If we are going back to something that didn't work before and thinking we can make it work now - we probably CAN'T. We might find this out now or in the fall and by then certain timelines won't be available anymore. Some trains will have left the station.

Faith (and confidence - Leo!)  moves mountains. Look AHEAD. Step Up.

Also on SUNDAY - Uranus stations retrograde. Change is intensified or something changes course/slows. If we have been hit by a curve-ball recently things may smooth out a bit. For people being directly hit the changes may intensify. Life is electric.

The best way to work with Uranus is to loosen our grip on things. Stay open to changing our mind and direction. Expect the unexpected. Maybe what seems totally crazy right now, will make sense later on.

Keep in mind Uranus is retrograde for five months of every year and for most people it is like background noise. We don't really notice unless he is touching our charts directly or he is an uber important part of our natal chart (I'm taking to you Aquarius/Aquarius rising). And if he is, this retrograde might amp things up (appear to get worse or more urgent), but what is really happening is we are being FREED UP for better and newer opportunities.  

Collaborate with the inevitable.

If his station hits your chart directly (planets/points in the early degrees of Taurus, Scorpio, Aquarius and Leo) creating chaos and disorder - this might seem to overwhelm the other stuff that is happening. We STILL have the positive Jupiter aspects though which can make the changes easier to deal with or provide creative outlets in another area of life and assures us of better, more positive outcomes whichever way the wind blows!

Uranus stationing retrograde could put some major changes (that hit unexpectedly) in our life on hold until next January.

So, how are we going to use this week??

Time to start something NEW. Show up. Put yourself out there. If you are work-weary exhausted - have some fun. The benefits of whatever we do will be MAGNIFIED. What house does Leo rule in your natal chart? What is the theme of that house? Contact me if you don't know.

THAT is where you want to put your energy now (plus that Sag house!).

Collectively Leo rules - creative projects, children, romance, risk, recreation, games, our heart, following our heart, our natural "stage", the space we are meant to shine, confidence, ego, charisma. Collectively Sag rules travel, foreign people and issues, legal issues, weddings, religion, the media, higher education, publishing, our big-picture beliefs, expansion.

xo all

photo by the talented eulalievarenne

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 4, 2019 - something's gonna blow, focus like a laser beam, when push comes to shove, who's the boss

The Moon is void until 9:30AM EDT when she moves into "can't we all just get along" Libra focusing us on our relationships, balance, women and beauty for the next couple days.

Harmony could be hard to find with Mars (in Leo) inconjunct Pluto (in Capricorn).

Yesterday, we had Mars (passionate action) meet Juno (relationship contracts/agreements/commitments) at 20 degrees Leo. Today, he's between a rock and a hard place with a powerful, retrograde Pluto at 21 degrees.

This is compulsion/manipulation/power struggles - likely within relationships since he is coming off that connection with Juno (still in play). Mars/Pluto can be harsh. Even dangerous. Pluto's LONG transit through Capricorn is bringing death to power - our unbalanced and outdated relationship dynamics are changing and often uncomfortable.

Mars/Pluto can show up as an obsession with winning. Resistance to change. Anger and intimidation can become tools for asserting dominance. We could feel a need to prove our mettle making us easy prey to manipulation through challenge. It's not surprising at a time when Mercury has just stationed direct, Mars is interacting with Pluto, Jupiter is preparing to station direct and Uranus is strong and still and preparing to station retrograde - the United States sees another large scale shooting/massacre.

Save important encounters for another day. Stay safe. This one will be all about who has the bigger whatchamacallit. Give Mars something physical to do or something he can intensely focus on and he is less likely to want to blow something up.

We have alot of wonderful energy coming over the next couple weeks - let's get through today in one piece.

xo all

photo by the talented Christine Muraton

New Moon in Leo | July 31, 2019 - BLAST OFF!

On Wednesday, July 31, at 11:10PM EDT the Leo Moon meets the Leo Sun (8 degrees) giving us this month's NEW MOON.

The Leo New Moon is a time that IGNITES a new passion/confidence. Happening within minutes of Mercury's direct station in Leo will give it an even greater boost at take-off.

Turbo fuel in this baby!

Let's unpack the chart.

The Sun and Moon are just past (the Sun within a couple days, the Moon a couple hours) their square to Uranus - still in play. Surprises/disruptions are part of the process with this one. They are conjunct loving and generous (in Leo) Venus. They have moved past the trine to Chiron (the ego smackdown we talked about in the weekly, the hurting/healing around how we shine and show up in the world) - still in play - and are moving TOWARD a trine to expansive Jupiter (very positive) - the Moon will get there on Thursday morning, the Sun will get there on August 7th. The Sun/Moon are inconjunct (rock and hard place) 'the outsider energy - ignore at our peril' Black Moon Lilith.

The squares to Uranus suggest the fresh start from this fiery New Moon comes after a shock or surprise or disruption. With Uranus in Taurus it could change our values - what really matters to us, no longer really matters. What we were luke-warm to earlier is suddenly IMPORTANT. Our physical space/resources could be impacted somehow.

The trine to Chiron (in independent Aries) suggests what we have to do on our own, or the way we express passion/anger, our wounding/vulnerability will factor into what starts over the next couple weeks.

The trine to Jupiter - and we will get a glimpse of this on Thursday morning and then the direct hit around August 7th - speaks of expansion/growth. So what better than a New Moon in passionate Leo (conjunct Venus - we haven't talked about that yet!) that will move us into a smooth flow of expansion and growth. Uranus pushes us outside our comfort zone, but Jupiter tells us the way to the tastiest fruit is out on the limb AND that's where we are headed!

The connection to Venus (Sun/Venus will be exact on August 14th at 21 degrees, will inconjunct Pluto at the same time) reinforces the New Moon in Leo's mission - igniting a new passion and tells us our relationships. money and self-esteem are along for the ride!

With Mercury stationing direct within the hour - the home/family/home business/real estate/family business/mothering situation starts moving forward - our New Moon fresh start will gain even more momentum. And when Mercury gets back into Leo on August 11th - our Leo fresh start gets another push forward.

Mercury direct will bring clarity. Answers. Decisions.

So the Uranian chaos/surprise gets things started - this might have already happened. Mercury brings information and greater certainty. Communications/conversations energize us and clear things up. We know where we stand. The stuck stuff starts moving forward. Chiron gives us the courage to face the pain of whatever we are giving up/losing or the risk we are facing as we stand on our own two feet. The Sun/Moon/Venus are offering a fresh start toward our heart's desire and Jupiter will expand this fresh start beyond our current reach, maybe beyond our wildest dreams.

So what do we do now?

First, we survive the storm. Whatever is tossed at us and yes, it could poke our eye out (but likely won't), and yes, it will trigger other times our eyes have been poked out (how many eyes do we have anyway?) - the change is GOOD. Disruptive, but good. Maybe seeing with only one eye means we can't be looking backward all the time - GOOD. Maybe seeing with one eye means we get eyeglasses are half price for life - GOOD. You get the idea here. We can trust that the change is to our benefit.

We have to take action in the two weeks after this Moon as the Moon is waxing. Start quickly because this Moon is fast acting. SET YOUR NEW MOON INTENTIONS. Never miss a fire Moon - we only get three a year! Take physical action - maybe Thursday morning when the Moon trines Jupiter (keep in mind we still have Friday's Venus/Uranus square, so maybe more unexpected tension). Some things we will have to do on our own with this. We will have to have courage.

We need to keep a clear head because Mercury will be very strong at station. This isn't a Full Moon - no howling!

Keep in mind Venus (conjunct the Moon/Sun) is heading toward a square to Uranus at the end of the week, so some unexpected tension is likely still ahead of us. That's OK. Squares are uber useful. Nothing gets done without them.

Leo goes big and those trines to Jupiter will require some risk, so in some part of our life, in some way we will have to GO BIG.

August looks way better than July. And this eclipse closes out a stressful Eclipse season.

This New Moon is a GO. So what are we going to do with it?

If you need help figuring out what area of life this is activating for you just give me an email or leave a comment with your birth date, time and birthplace. Collective Leo themes include creative projects, children, games, romance, sport, hobbies, pleasure, our heart, our heart's desire, the space we are meant to shine, our center stage.

This is a fiery new beginning.

INTENTION TIPS:

Let your heart guide you, forget logic with this one, clear your head, write what your heart wants not what you think you should write, write your intentions down by hand in script on a blank piece of paper, speak the words out loud, burn the paper - release your attention from these things knowing your intention is known.

Life has heard you. 

Know these things are already yours.

xo all

Today's Astrology Forecast | July 30, 2019 - emotional stress, getting some extra rest, going with the flow, lying low, miscommunications more likely, a devotion to the dream

Today the dark Moon in emotional Cancer is kind of stressed out and challenged as she (as us) faces that Cappy line-up.

She will have to oppose Saturn (external limits, authority) this morning and oppose Pluto this evening (power struggles. compulsions, manipulations). Both retrograde, so old storylines. Not great energy for important meetings or negotiations. She does get a nice trine to a retrograde Neptune (imagination, dreams, creativity, healing, spirituality) around lunchtime EDT and goes void after meeting up with a retrograde Mercury (strong and still and preparing to turn direct tomorrow night) at 11:32PM EDT. She will then be void until 9:18AM EDT tomorrow when she moves into Leo and heads toward our fiery Sun and tomorrow's New Moon.

So we have the Moon preparing the leave her home sign and meet the Sun and Mercury preparing to go direct. If you are tired/emotional/frazzled - this is why!

July was exhausting and challenging and she goes out with a bang.

The Moon is in her closing cycle.

The tide is out. We are going to have to go with the flow today.

The Sun square Uranus is still in play and Uranus is very active this week. Expect disruptions and wake-up calls. Comfort zones are not so comfortable.

The North Node is in Cancer (plus the Moon today) - prioritize self-care. Give yourself (and other people) a break. Current circumstances are not an indicator of future circumstances. We are evolving.

Keep in mind the Moon's trine to Neptune - strong in Pisces - pray, meditate, listen to music, paint, dance, get into some water.

Mars will be inconjunct Neptune at the same time, so our actions are kind of dissolved now. Or our ambitions need to adjust to our dreams and vice-versa. Neptune is sextile (opportunity) Vesta in Taurus at 18 degrees, so there is an opportunity here to ground (Taurus) the dream (Neptune/Pisces) with our devotion/focus (Vesta). Remember this is the year of Neptune sextile Saturn - the dream being made real.

Sometimes we might find these planetary interactions represented by specific people in our lives. A person with a strong Taurus energy or a particularly active Taurus energy stabilizing a Pisces person or the Pisces person (or strong Neptunian energy) elevating the Taurus now.

With yesterday's (still in play) Sun/Uranus square, I had tension (Aquarius Sun, Aquarius ruled by Uranus) with a strong Leo Moon person (Leo ruled by the Sun and the transiting Moon at home in Cancer activating everyone's natal Moon energy). It felt, to me, like she wanted me to "mother" her, my natal Moon is in Cancer and I'm sure to her my Aquarius energy felt detached and dispassionate since I wasn't giving her what she wanted.

Anyhoo, for today I would give my "lie low" advice again and with Neptune so active shore up your boundaries and bullshit detector. Avoid confrontations if possible. Sometimes we need a big blow up to clear the air, but things are going to look and feel very different, very soon anyway. The Moon is dark - there is stuff we can't see. Slow down, so you don't stub your toes (or something worse). Mars is rowing against the tide. Mercury is liable to mouth off and feel misunderstood. Nobody wins.

Focus on the dream/the healing. Double check before you hit "send". Use the energy around lunchtime/mid-day EDT for best results.

Take care of yourself.


xo all

photo by the talented empreinte

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of July 29, 2019 - shake, rattle and roll, disruption, changes, clarity and answers, changing our mind, no more looking backward we turn our attention to something new and innovative and near and dear to our heart

Some disruptions, shake-ups and surprises this week as change-maker/revolutionary Uranus squares the Sun, Moon and Venus!

We also have a BOLD New Moon in Leo - here's where we start moving toward what our heart wants (even as Uranus is shaking us these very things!) AND Mercury stations direct (YAY!) bringing CLARITY and ANSWERS. We know. We decide.

MONDAY - Sun squares Uranus and trines Chiron, Mercury squares Eris
WEDNESDAY - Super New Moon in Leo (8 degrees), Mercury stations direct
FRIDAY - Venus squares Uranus

On MONDAY - the Sun (in Leo) squares Uranus (in Taurus) and trines Chiron. Mars is inconjunct the South Node. Our ego/pride could take a sudden hit. This hit could touch on a very old, very sore spot and trigger other times our ego/pride has been walloped. The best way to use this energy is we adjust (the square) our ego AWAY from old choices toward something that offers greater freedom. The Mars/South Node inconjunct is a second indication the old ways are not working and we don't really want to go back there.

On WEDNESDAY - the Leo Moon meets the Leo Sun at 8 degrees giving us this month's fiery New Moon. There is alot of other action around this Moon. It is re-activating the July 16th eclipse, so issues now will connect to then. Maybe some unfinished business with that home/family situation. A Grand Fire Trine means mega-creativity. I will get the post up tomorrow. At the same time Mercury - strong and unstable right now - stations direct. Leo themes (and the theme of your natal Leo house) could dominate - children, creative projects, romance, recreation, heart issues, our heart's desire, our need for attention and with Mercury direct in Cancer that home/family/home business/family business/mothering situation will start moving forward. Sudden new beginnings. Fresh endeavors will start FAST.

We have the New Moon's fresh start coupled with Mercury's clarity. I will link to the post HERE when it is up. The Leo New Moon wraps up eclipse season - don't let the door hit ya' eclipse season!

On FRIDAY - Venus, following the Sun, will square Uranus and trine Chiron. This might all factor in with the energy earlier in the week and not be some other thing, but with Uranus you never know! The ego/pride/way we shine "hit" impacts our relationships, our wallet, our values, our self-esteem. Maybe our "security" is somehow disrupted. There is tension/frustration. Again there is a trine to Chiron (life will never let us down folks)  - something old and deep is being healed.

Back with the dailies - where we factor in the Moon (the Moon looks pretty good) and get into the juicy stuff! And check out the shooting stars this week - Mercury is the magician and very powerful at station - make that wish!

xo all

photo by the talented Metiu

Today's Astrology Forecast | July 29, 2019 - our pride takes an unexpected hit, the hit lands on an already sore spot which is somehow healing if we own up to it, freak flags fly, how far will we go to get attention, is it time for a radical solution to a chronic problem

There is LOTS of Uranus action this week which means - change, disruptions, surprises.

Today we have the Moon (in lunar-ruled home and family and roots oriented Cancer) sextiling Uranus at 6:35PM EDT - here is an opportunity for something new - maybe a change to that home/family/home business/family business/mothering/real estate situation - to feel comfortable. Maybe breaking free from family conditioning makes us feel more at home. Unexpected familial (or familiar feeling) connections - smooth flow.

The big news today and we'll talk about this in the weekly after I finish it up - we have the Sun (in Leo) squaring Uranus (in Taurus) while trining Chiron.

The Sun square Uranus could be some tension/frustration around being ourselves/liberation. Our Leo pride could get trampled somehow. Our ego might take an unexpected hit. A spotlight is tossed on how we are different/how our place on center stage isn't what we thought it was.

Squares to Uranus push us toward sudden change/burning bridges.

Trining healing/hurting Chiron there is a method to life's madness now. We are healing something very old and very deep. This is a good time to find new/radical solutions to chronic problems.

Maybe the Uranian "surprise" is actually the door being blown open to healing. To being able to live a more authentic life. Nothing is shining for long these days that isn't "real", because THAT is what we are all craving.

Some people will go pretty far this week to get attention.

And keep in mind Venus is following the Sun, so we are going to do this again with our money, relationships, values, self-esteem, women issues.

Step back. Think about where we are now. Both powerhouse planets in Capricorn are retrograde as well as Jupiter and Neptune. Some areas of our life are moving slowly. Pluto and Saturn are holding our feet to the fire with old obligations/responsibilities. Jupiter retrograde in Sag is testing our faith. Neptune is keeping certain stuff under wraps until fall. We HAVE to believe in ourselves, stand on our own two feet, KNOW we will have justice.

This week's disruptive Uranian energy is right on time.

We also have a bold New Moon (Supermoon) in Leo with Mercury stationing direct at almost the exact same time - we are about to be alot more clear about something!

Back with the weekly after I take care of the pup and get some orders out.

xo all

photo by the talented NightSkunk

Today's Astrology Forecast | July 26, 2019 - feeling nurtured by our resources, good for business, socializing, nice date night, an instinctual knowing, meeting some kind of reality check

The Moon continues through Taurus - we are nurtured through, and likely focused on - what we own, our money, how we love, what we value.

Exalted in Taurus, she trined Saturn while we slept and then moved on to sextile (opportunity) Neptune at 4:58AM EDT, trines (brakes off) a retrograde Pluto at 10:57AM EDT, sextiles Mercury at 5:43PM EDT and finally goes void at 12:28AM EDT tonight off a sextile with Venus (Venus rules Taurus, so this is very nice - good date night, good for socializing).

Void for two hours she moves into busy Gemini and our focus turns to communications, conversations, errands, our local community, our siblings, our transportation and electronics (for the next couple days).

All good aspects for our Taurean themes today - our resources, what we value (ie put our time, energy and money into), our money, the stuff that makes us stable.

The Moon in Taurus is answering to Venus and she is sextiling Sedna now. We talked about Sedna a couple months ago. In Sedna's story there was stuff that looked too good to be true and she wanted it to be true (and easy) and didn't look too closely and it was the end of her. With the sextile now looking more fortuitous it could be something along the lines of "what we know, but don't know" that aids us somehow. An instinct.

We also have Mars (in Leo's) inconjunct to a retrograde Saturn (this one is in play for a day or so on either side of today also, after today it starts unwinding itself).

We talked about this "reality check" yesterday and in the weekly. This is activity influenced by a burdensome responsibility, in this case likely an old responsibility. With Mars in Leo, maybe we want acknowledgement for our efforts. We need to be taken seriously, so we act with more discipline and restraint than Mars in Leo is usually capable of. That's the upside of Mars/Saturn. We have to watch that we don't bog ourselves down with other people's responsibilities now - that's a downside. Also the boss/authority taking credit for our work - another downside. Responsibility can also straight-jacket us into acting against our own desires.

Most likely this aspect creates a delay/limit - some kind of bad timing.

Inconjuncts are tricky. With this one we might have to balance between jumping into something prematurely and sitting on our ass watching it grow wider.

Keep this in mind.

Tonight looks lovely with that Venus/Moon. Friday night looks like a Friday night!

xo all

photo by the talented ant0n

Today's Astrology Forecast | July 25, 2019 - that gold nugget we missed the first time through, bold action expands our reach and makes us more optimistic, cleaning up the mess, finishing something, getting lucky

We had a storm blow through here on Monday night knocking down trees (four of our trees dropped major branches - one on our front porch, and two others on our fence, and yes, a couple of these are trees I am trying to save from hub's hope to clear the backyard for his "garage", so double ugh) and knocking out our electric and cable - finally back on this morning - YAY!

So, let's see where we are - the Moon is in comfy cozy (Mother Nature!) Taurus. She will connect with Uranus at 6:16AM EDT (surprise, we have internet!) and go on to square Mars at 1:11 (!) PM EDT.

We also have the best aspect of the week perfecting today.

Mars (in Leo) trining a retrograde Jupiter (in Sagittarius). Now, I said in the weekly he'd be inconjunct Saturn (exact tomorrow) at the same time and now we can see he is also squaring the Moon today. So, there will be some rules that have to be followed and Mars square the Moon could bring some frustration and challenges BUT could also help us power through whatever we have to get through now.

Mars in Leo gives all of us courage and confidence (yes, everyone!).

Jupiter is retrograde, so we are either taking action on something from the past (with the Moon waning and Mercury retrograde this could be a good time to finish something and the finishing of it expands our reach somehow or our vision of our future will be more optimistic once this thing is finished), an opportunity from the past is coming back around or with Jupiter retrograde our moves are very concentrated - normally Jupiter goes wide and big-picture, but retrograde he is more like a laser beam, a "lucky" laser beam.

Saturn could create delays or some hoops we have to jump through (also the ability to see the dragons and pitfalls ahead for this journey) - these can't be avoided and also connect to the past somehow, but they ARE NOT stop signs - bold action (Mars in Leo) EXPANDS our reach/makes us more optimistic.

The Sun is home in Leo. The Moon is exalted in Taurus.

We are making our own luck here!

Better sign off and get my shipping labels printed, in case this cable blinks off again!

xo all

photo by the talented u-n-s-e-e-n

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of July 22, 2019 - the pressure starts to ease up, we all get a little more shiny, another look at that home/family/real estate situation, fortune favors the bold

Eclipse season continues (until the New Moon in Leo at the end of the month) BUT unless your chart is directly challenged, the dust starts to settle now. Hang in there folks, August (and easier energies for most people) is coming.

We should feel the pressure start to ease up as the Sun and Venus move into generous and big-hearted Leo. This week offers some fresh, fiery energy, some eye-openers and lucky and expansive opportunities if we are willing to work for them, wait for them AND play by the rules!

Heads up there could be some challenges mid-week (we will talk about these in the dailies) as the Moon moves through Aries and early Taurus.

MONDAY - Sun moves home to Leo
WEDNESDAY - Venus conjuncts a retrograde Mercury
THURSDAY - Mars trines a retrograde Jupiter and inconjuncts a retrograde Saturn
SATURDAY - Venus moves into Leo

On MONDAY - the Sun (ruler of Leo) moves into fiery, proud and performance-focused Leo. This offers multiple layers of good news. The Sun (our life force) gets out of the firing range of that Capricorn opposition. He exits lunar ruled Cancer and moves into the sign he rules. In Leo, we focus on what our heart wants, children (our inner child), romance, fun, creative projects - we (and everyone else) want attention. Your Leo house (like the house of your natal Sun) is the space you are meant to SHINE. Prepare to get very shiny.

On WEDNESDAY - Venus meets a retrograde Mercury in Cancer. Mercury is taking another look at that home/family situation/mothering/home business/family business/real estate situation via conversations, information, contracts, etc - when he/she meets up with Venus we toss relationships/money/our self-esteem and values into the mix. What we want and what we are talking/communicating about are working together. This would be a good time for negotiations. Our feelings could be re-kindled for something/someone we used to love/want. It's a good time to give someone a compliment. Offer words of appreciation and love. If you need to make peace with someone, especially over an old family issue that needs to be put to bed - this would be good energy to reach out.

On THURSDAY (and this kind of starts Wednesday night and runs into Friday) - Mars in brave and proud and look-at-me Leo trines (brakes off) lucky Jupiter (retrograde in Sagittarius) and inconjuncts (rock and hard place) Saturn (retrograde in Capricorn).

These planets are all pretty happy in these signs. Saturn rules Capricorn, Jupiter rules Sag and Mars loves Leo. Everyone is functioning as they should be - keep in mind both Jupiter and Saturn are retrograde, so this could be about an old opportunity/old restrictions.

So we are taking action that makes us lucky/expands our reach BUT there are rules that have to be followed at the same time. The rules/limits/authority could mean a delay, extra work or the needfor us to jump through a few hoops to get what we want here. This isn't a stop sign, but it isn't something we can just ignore either. Keep in mind we are playing the long game and want to be building things that are going to last. Mars inconjunct Saturn could also show up as us feeling guilty about our actions or ambitions. This would maybe need to be worked through/taken into consideration, but it's not a stop sign. Also keep in mind - what Mars is doing now with Saturn - adjusting to the rules - he is going to do next week with Pluto in a Plutonian way- adjusting through power struggles or to what is ending/purging/cleaning up the mess.

The trine to expansive/optimistic Jupiter might be the BEST NEWS this week. This is an excellent aspect for success (keep in mind Saturn will require us to play by the rules and live up to our responsibilities).

Good for decisive action/decisions/TAKING A RISK.

On FRIDAY - Venus leaves Cancer (now we just have Mercury reworking that home/family issue) and moves into passionate Leo.

Venus (love, money, values) had been somewhat comfy, although quite restrained, in Cancer for the last few weeks. She prioritized security over all else and this kept her safe, but also a wee bit bored.

Cancer rules the Moon and a Venus/Moon natal opposition is considered the Madonna/Whore complex in a man's chart - so Venus has probably felt like she was living with her mother-in-law!

With her move into Leo she gets to spread her wings a little (maybe a lot, maybe a whole lot and we do, too!).

She leaves her mother-in-law's safe little house with the shuttered windows, central air conditioning, and alarm system where her mother-in-law was paying the rent. What more could Venus want, Cancer asks as Venus heads for the door?

"Quite a bit MORE", Venus answers.

She moves into a noisy apartment on the other side of town with curtain-less windows, a fan that wakes the neighbors when their fan isn't waking her, a deadbolt that doesn't quite latch properly and the rent only gets paid if she pays it.

Standing on her own two feet (and what lovely feet they are - this is Venus we are talking about!), Venus is more confident. She is also more competitive. She has to be to make it on her own (cue Mary Tyler Moore tossing that damn hat).

We will be, too.

So, what does this mean to us? First, our Leo house, hosting the lovely Venus, becomes more attractive. Leo Suns and rising signs are more naturally attractive (ie easy on the eye and able to attract). We attract what we want and need (Venus) through Leo - so by standing out, standing up, being passionate, taking the world by storm - you get the idea.

We could, of course, go overboard with all of this. Leo (ruled by the Sun) doesn't really like others blocking their light. Competition can get ugly. We could become downright diva-like. Being in love with being in love fits here, too.

Wanting to be adored will make being ignored harder to handle.

We are more likely to gamble with our resources (even risk our reputation or relationships) for the next few weeks. We'll look to other influences to see how that will go!

In Leo, Venus wants FUN (she meets all her new neighbors and is invited to all the best parties) and romance (there is surely some renewed passion without her mother-in-law in the next room) and creativity (she has a new apartment to decorate!) and passion. 

Our passion and confidence will be what attracts others to us and what we are attracted to in others now.

xo all

It's Eclipse season which is mentally/physically/psychically exhausting - get some extra sleep, rest, hydrate and have some (it's Leo season!) FUN.

photo by the talented monster donut

Today's Astrology Forecast | July 19, 2019 - one more time with feeling, back into that home/family situation now older and wiser, making time for rejuvenation and relaxation

The Moon is void until 5:19PM EDT when she moves into imaginative and elusive Pisces. This is a good day for group activities, causes, tech/online stuff - just don't launch anything brand new you want something to "come of". If you start the weekend early or take the early part of the day off - you shouldn't miss much that amounts to anything.

A retrograde Mercury backs into emotional and home/family oriented Cancer bringing us back to an issue from the past here (or our natal Cancer house theme). With the Moon in detached and intellectual Aquarius maybe we can step back a little bit and re-look at the situation - something has changed since we were here before; maybe some new information has come in - and get into the re-do, re-vise, re-view mode.

Mercury will station direct at the same time (July 31st) as the bold, New Moon in Leo that officially closes out this July Eclipse cycle. And we will be right back where we are now on August 11th.

What needs to happen (the re's) between now and then?

With the Moon in Pisces and Mercury back into Cancer for the weekend - time to pencil in some serious self-care and re-laxation!

xo all

photo by the talented nine9nine9

Today's Astrology Forecast | July 18, 2019 - accepting what we can't change, letting go gracefully, taking a break, tuning into our instincts and intuition, forgiving and connecting, re-thinking how and what we are nurturing, long void begins

The waning Moon continues her journey through Aquarius - opposing Mars (in  Leo) at 1:49AM EDT and going void off an opportunistic sextile to a retrograde Jupiter at 11:53AM EDT.

She is void for the rest of the day and through 5:19PM EDT tomorrow. 

Get things done early. The long void Moon says expect some twists and turns and do-overs. Don't start anything important. Best for practiced work or even rest. Time gets stretchy.

Venus trines Neptune (today/tomorrow) - both in emotional, compassionate and empathetic water signs.

This is an artistic/spiritual/healing flow. Lots of water/movement. We are more easily tuned into our instincts/intuition now. Meditate. Pray.

Venus (our love. relationships, money,. values, resources, beauty. women, self-esteem) is working a complicated story-line this week. This is the part where we get to cut loose a little bit (one glass of wine only please). We want (Venus) an escape (Neptune).

If there is some kind of slippery way around (be careful of this one Venus is still on path to oppose Pluto) or positive side to the Venus/Saturn ending/limit  HERE is where we will find it - in our heart, in our ability to know what we don't know. We can relax. We let go. We accept what we cannot change. We forgive. We connect.

The caveats here would be something like watching that money doesn't slip through our fingers, hold onto your phone/keys/wallet/valueables, fantasies around love, escapes with drugs and alcohol.

Venus/Neptune moves us closer to our ideal.

xo all

Backing again into my puppy saga (Mercury IS retrograde after all), I noted yesterday since I had somehow lost track of Ceres (!) that on the day I got Rosie (the name Rosie seems to be sticking for day two) Ceres moved into Sagittarius. So she came up from the depths of Scorpio (Pluto's realm) and into the bluer skies of Sag. My solar return chart - such a conundrum with so much focused on the 8th house that I considered traveling to change it, but noting Jupiter and Venus in my 6th house in Sagittarius and thinking this looked fortuitous for a new and important pet, decided to stay put. Today as Mercury (collective ruler of pets and our 6th house) returns to 0 degrees Leo on his/her way back into Cancer she trines (brakes off) Ceres. Just as I am re-thinking/re-doing nurturing (maybe you are re-thinking a Ceres theme, too now - nurturing, the seasons of life, things that feel outside your control, grief).

My memory of my last dog Olive was that she didn't bite (wishful thinking or swiss-cheesy memory)  - and that although I called my studio Olive Bites, that was just a catchy name, not an actual situation. This morning I went back and re-read my very first post on this blog 11 years ago when I wrote I was re-naming my studio "for a fresh start, a new year, a new adventure and a new puppy named Olive ... who ... you guessed it ... tends to BITE ...".

There was a comment on that post that included the advice to YIPE! loudly and ignore her for 30 seconds after a bite - that seems to be helping ... :)

Today is Venus (in Cancer - mothering)/Neptune and Mercury/Ceres (mothering) - mega creative energy - what are you nurturing? 

photo by the talented Deliszja

Today's Astrology Forecast | July 17, 2019 - we feel the weight of it all and then we keep going, moving on, fated meetings, saying yes to something new

The Moon moves into detached Aquarius at 5:19AM EDT. We might find ourselves focused on and nurtured through Aquarius themes for the next couple days (or the theme of our natal Aquarius house) - groups, friendships, the internet, astrology, technology, the goals that bring us into connection with other people, our causes.

She will oppose Mercury retrograde (12:38PM EDT) and square Aquarius's ruling planet Uranus (10:44PM EDT) and then move on to oppose Mars. People, including us, could start arguments just to see what is going to happen! Expect change and disruptions. Unless the people around you are Aquarians/Aquarian-types, this would be a better day for solitary work. This is good energy to step back and get a little distance from something.

We could have an emotional (Moon) breakthrough (Aquarius) about how to proceed because we also have - Venus meeting the North Node of destiny.

She gets past her opposition to Saturn - maybe we get serious about something, are really feeling the pressure of an old (or new) responsibility or commitment, hear a "no", reach a completion/culmination - this is the reality bites thing with the responsibilities we talked about in the Eclipse post.

Limits/boundaries can be a good thing, but they probably won't feel good. At least we know where we stand. Keep in mind the Plutonian eclipse is bringing up alot of fears that our body is carrying, so our emotions (and the Aquarius Moon will help cool this down) could be more intense than the situation calls for.

(I got a new puppy last weekend and am feeling like I opened a kennel and am responsible for 100 new puppies - the weight of this responsibility/commitment added to what I already have on my plate is overwhelming me right now - this is where astro wisdom can help us to know we aren't losing our mind, of course with Pluto sitting on my natal Mercury, I could be, and that transit are transitory)

As Venus meets and crosses the North Node we are moving on.

With Mercury retrograde we might not be clear on exactly what that means and that's ok - something will be illuminated within the next couple days - but the Venus/Saturn reality check (we do or do not have the resources to do this thing, we do or do not still love this person/situation, we do or do not get what we want, etc) gives us some kind of solid ground. It may or may not be exactly where we hoped to be standing, but it's where we are standing (and, yes, the solid ground could include a nipping puppy with teeth like sewing needles attached to our ankle).

Her contact with the North Node tells us this is unfolding exactly as it should be. Venus is in Cancer - so yes, we could be a little more needy than usual, but Venus in Cancer is also where we merge what we want (Venus) with what we need (Cancer). And happening opposite that Capricorn karmic line-up we are required to take responsibility for it.

Watch for synchronicities around Venus themes - love, relationships, balance, money, resources, our values, our self-esteem, beauty and women. Fated meetings. Fated encounters. Fated investments. Fated choices are being made about what we really value.

More in the weekly HERE

xo all

A couple weeks before Christmas, our beautiful pup Olive died. Her loss hit us (hubs also lost his mother shortly after) like a freight train. It's been overwhelming. I have lost both parents, had multiple miscarriages and lost several other pets, but have never experienced this kind of grief. This continued throughout the time Mercury was back and forth through Pisces in the spring - I knew this grief was very old and very deep. I felt literally empty. When Olive died, transiting Ceres (mothering, loss) was sitting exactly conjunct my natal Neptune (which conjuncts my Ascendant) and transiting Pluto was exactly conjunct my husband's natal Ceres. I had also had a near death experience in May 2018 (exactly as Pluto conjuncted my natal Mercury, Mercury rules pets - I will have to see what Ceres was doing then, I just realized I never looked) which immediately preceded the onset of Olive's illness.

And I know this is alot of astro babble, but I know many people who read this blog study astrology and might be interested. Also for the astro babble people - I am a Capricorn South Node/ Cancer North Node. It would create less anxiety in me to help you start a business than to help you watch your toddler.

Last week- exactly one week prior to the Eclipse - after registering with five local rescues in mid-May and never getting a call back, although two people I knew registered and had dogs within a couple weeks - I got a call about a puppy coming up from Georgia.

She, and her two siblings, had been abandoned at a construction site. She was found dragging a hurt leg, fifty feet from the other puppies. A recent x-ray had shown two possible pelvic fractures. The fractures, which might or might not even be fractures, might or might not require surgery at some point. I was told she was probably about nine weeks old and a Beagle-mix. The woman at the rescue told me she wouldn't be going on any long hikes, but if I was looking for a pup to cuddle in my lap and love she might be my girl.

I told her I would call her back the next morning. She asked if I could call her at 10AM precisely because she had a busy day packing pups for her trip up to New Jersey. Tossing and turning all night I decided to go and meet this pup at a local Pet Smart on Saturday. I called the woman at 10AM, but got a recording and she didn't call me back until 12:30PM - at exactly the start of a Grand Water Trine in effect for just a couple hours - that spoke of fast change that created a big commitment/work, and had some magical/spiritual support. I knew as soon as the phone rang I would be getting this dog.

Anyhoo, she sits, although I am not sure we would call this squirming thing where I try to protect my belly from becoming her second breakfast "sitting",  in my lap right now trying to bite my shirt - not the loving little lap cuddler I had envisioned, but her pelvis injury doesn't seem to stop her from running around like a maniac and I can't imagine it not healing up just fine. Her name has been Belle, Ellie, Nellie, Lily, Ripley and Rosie, maybe the Rosie will stick, we'll see .... maybe she'll settle a bit once we settle on her name. And I settle down a bit from this Eclipse energy ....

photo by the talented beyond impression

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of July 15, 2019 - the past is over but that home/family situation isn't, trusting in what is difficult, letting go of what we built, feeling the fear and knowing you will survive it, aligning ourselves with our values

"Most people have (with the help of conventions) turned their solutions toward what is easy and toward the easiest side of the easy; but it is clear that we must trust in what is difficult; everything alive trusts in it, everything in Nature grows and defends itself any way it can and is spontaneously itself, tries to be itself at all costs and against all opposition. We know little, but that we must trust in what is difficult is a certainty that will never abandon us; it is good to be solitary, for solitude is difficult; that something is difficult must be one more reason for us to do it." -
                                                                                                                                 Rainer Maria Rilke

HUGE WEEK ahead including the Lunar Eclipse Full Moon conjunct Pluto - another strong harbinger of the January 2020 mega-energy shifts.

TUESDAY - Lunar Eclipse Full Moon conjunct Pluto, Venus opposes Saturn
THURSDAY - Venus trines Neptune and conjuncts North Node
FRIDAY - Mercury retrograde moves back into Cancer
SATURDAY - Mercury (retrograde) conjuncts the Sun
SUNDAY - Venus opposes Pluto

We talked about TUESDAY and the Eclipse energy HERE and HERE

On WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY, we have lots of Venus (love, money, our resources, values, self-esteem, beauty, women) action. She will inconjunct Jupiter, oppose Saturn, meet the North Node and finally trine Neptune.

Her inconjunct with a retrograde Jupiter could have us wanting more of something or maybe wanting for something to be a little further along - this will connect to the past. Venus/Jupiter can be too much of a good thing - is this possible? Yes.  And with the opposition to Saturn maybe it is our timing that is off. It's good for us or looks like it is, but it's not good for us right now. Maybe we haven't earned it yet. Venus still has work to do.

We talked about her opposition to a retrograde Saturn in the Eclipse post - this is part of the Full Moon's "result". The reality check part with the significant responsibilities.

(You will find when you have an aspect in your natal chart and that same aspect happens by transit - not touching your natal chart, but just the same aspect - your natal aspect flares up. Kind of like an old ankle injury in wet weather. 

Trump was born with a Saturn/Venus conjunction in Cancer activated by this Eclipse by degree AND aspect. And he has a Sag Moon in Venus's natural house. His tweets and speeches this week about "Congresswomen needing to go back where they come from" have been explosive. We talked about this part of his chart HERE.)

Venus moves into a conjunction with the North Node (8:45PM EDT Wednesday) - we align with our values, so whatever we are doing - this is where we know we are on the right path. Fated meetings. Say "YES". Reboot. Then she trines magical, dissolving Neptune.

Maybe we have brought something from the past - probably something we once worked really freaking hard on - to a completion and we let go and move on now.

On FRIDAY, Mercury retrogrades back into Cancer - pulling us back into the home, family, mother, mothering, family business, home business story-line to do the "re's" before we wrap this thing up.

On SATURDAY, a retrograde Mercury meets the Sun in Cancer - information comes to light (maybe old information), a conversation enlightens us (maybe one we've had before) - this might connect back to around May 21st when we were here before. Take another look. Say it again. Re-read the fine print. Re-think it.

On SUNDAY - Venus opposes Pluto. Here's the big aspect of the week. Bigger than the Eclipse? I don't know. Maybe. The Lord of the Underworld doesn't play.

If we keep in mind Venus in Cancer's tendency to be kind of needy we can feel how this might play out. Pluto amplifies this. Maybe we have the feeling of "this is what I MUST have" with the added caveat since this is an opposition - "from YOU". This could be a person/situation, etc. Oppositions are projections. What we want isn't really OUT THERE. But it could feel like life or death that we get it. Or life and death that something plays out in a certain way.

Will we get what we want?

It depends what our previous use of this Plutonian 'power' has drawn to us. We already had the Mercury/Mars oppositions - what did we learn? Some people will get the corner office. Others will get the pink slip. Power is tricky and projecting it outside ourselves is dangerous. We are kind of asking for someone to come along and yank what we want/need away from us.

Pluto/Venus can bring an obsessive fixation and the willingness to manipulate to get what we want. Just keep in mind the karmic ramifications of everything in play now. The bounce back, if not now, come January can be FIERCE.

Pluto is truth and truth is what is needed here. Are we being honest with ourselves about what we want and why we want it?

We'll flesh all this out in the dailies.

xo all

photo by the talented Sylvia15

Today's Astrology Forecast | July 16, 2019 - karmic lessons

Today's Capricorn Moon moves toward her exact opposition to the Cancer Sun happening at 5:38PM EDT - bringing us a Full Moon Lunar Eclipse.

This is a time of karmic LESSONS. Endings. Beginnings. There are commitments/responsibilities that we have outgrown. There are new commitments/responsibilities we have grown into. Happening conjunct Pluto will make our feelings more intense (life and death - watch your language around what is "killing" you) and situations more likely to involve power struggles.

Does anything transform without a struggle? Yes, says Neptune who is active, too, but we have to let go with love/forgive/take time to grieve/bring empathy and compassion to the situation, and often hardest of all, bring it home to ourselves!

With minimal air (only one planet in an air sign) in today's chart - the atmosphere could feel heavy and stifled. And Mercury (as well as almost everything else) is retrograde. We can't think our way out of this. It's a time to release anything that starts with "if only...".

Consider any new commitments (investments of time, money, resources, your emotions) before taking them on now, because they will involve work, time, patience, taking on the man/the old guard. They could pay off in big, unexpected ways, but don't say I didn't warn you about the WORK.

There are collective themes of home/work balance issues and power struggles within relationships in the Full Moon chart. I spell it all out HERE (grab a cup of coffee, this is all happening in my third house of communication and  I like to write).

The Eclipse is intended to bring a culmination/ending to some situation - some way we interact with the world, some goal, commitment, sense of priority - in our Capricorn house. Keep in mind Eclipses come in a series and this is a process. We have two more at the end of December/beginning of January 2020.

We might think we have to "fake it til we make it" - a very Capricornian thing, but then there are times - and this is more and more true as we move into and through the Age of Aquarius - when we have to realize we are just faking it - there is no "making it" because we are faking it. We might have the corner office (maybe we do/maybe we don't) but if we aren't feeling emotionally satisfied, our cup will never be full enough/our view will never be good enough, because this is not who we really are. 

It's time to be honest with ourselves.

Lots to think about as we move through this week and close out this Eclipse season.

xo all - back with the weekly

The ECLIPSE Post is HERE

photo by the talented Rona-Keller