The Astrology of September 2019 | part 1 - this is the way the patriarchy ends

I need to take a blog break for a bit, so let's take a good, long look at September, with a 3-part post this week, before I go!

September is a HUGE month.

We have alot of Virgo energy for the first two weeks.

SMALL PICTURE - Virgo! We are, and have been, focused on the details of something (maybe on a health or work issue, maybe that Cancer real estate/home, home business/family business, mothering issue from Eclipse season, maybe on the Virgo house theme from our natal chart) - working hard, fixing, editing, being practical, grinding away at something. 

BIG PICTURE - Saturn! Saturn has been retrograde in Capricorn since April 29th where he has been traveling near the South Node (what we are releasing, what's time has past, old commitments and responsibilities, old work, our ancestral inheritance) - slowing everything down. We talked about Saturn's retrograde this year HERE. He stationed at 20 degrees Capricorn and will have moved back to 13 degrees when he stations direct on September 18th (this is the space Pluto was traveling back in 2014, so there could be connections now to what was happening then, and in particular, what is culminating, showing a result or ENDING now).

We are being asked to RELEASE a commitment, a karmic obligation, a story from an ancestor's life or one of our own past lives.

AND we have to do this in a responsible way.

We are asked to take BACK the responsibility for our own energy.

A load is coming off our back, but some of us are so used to carrying a load that we are hanging onto it for dear life or we run right out and pile another load on to weigh ourselves down. Let's try not to commit to anything too quickly right now. Commitments made with Saturn on the South Node - because remember he is OPPOSING the North Node of our future - will be written in cement. There is right timing with this culmination point. Nothing could have happened any faster, any differently than it is happening/ending. This is HOW it was going to happen. No regrets. OK? Endings bring new beginnings, always.

Saturn on the South Node brings up this karma (you can't stay here any longer, you must come unstuck, you can't keep avoiding this) - focuses us HERE - says 'DIG!". The opposition to the North Node has meant we could not move forward until this hole was dug - this job done, this commitment lived up to, this responsibility seen through to the end, this sh*t ended.

This is the patriarchal crap we are all here to play a role in SHIFTING.

This is about us being in charge of our own lives! Old roles/responsibilities are ending.

Saturn is in his home sign of Capricorn. Once he stations direct in mid September (the 18th, but we will feel him slowing to station sooner than that), he will be full-steam-ahead on his journey to meet Pluto in January 2020. There won't be any stopping him.

So, any unfinished business in our life needs to be taken care of NOW.

The first two weeks of September.

When Saturn stations direct mid-month the chickens come home to roost. Responsibilities can get heavier. Limits are felt. Deals sealed. People put a ring on it. Karma. Cause and effect. This can as easily be reward as punishment. Respect for a job well done. The Capricorn situation shifts gears.

Until then there is alot of energy to move through.

By the time Saturn meets the South Node (for his third and FINAL time) on September 28th - this thing FINALLY WRAPS UP.

This is what we are working toward in September.

(Also a heads up we can look ahead to November 8th when we get Saturn's third and final trine to Neptune - this year's BEST repeating aspect. Making the dream real. The sacrifice to build something more solid and lasting. There is a final move to be made here. A hand still to be played ....)

This is all a step on the road through the ending of the Age of Pisces and the beginning of the Age of Aquarius - this is the way the patriarchy ends, folks ...

BIGGER PICTURE - We are living through the transition from the Age of Pisces to the Age of Aquarius - this is unlike any time in our history. We cannot sleep through these important times. We are awake and if it takes a smack in the face or a rock to our head to wake us up that is what we will get. As painful as it is, it is a privilege to be alive now.

We are the people who are living through the ending of the Abrahamic religions - the story of a male God - a messiah, a son of God/holy prophet that forms the idea that God is a man. This shifted the balance of power so that the female had no God. The religions separated us. The religions taught us to get to God we had to go through man, they told us who we were, they told us who we were "better than".

This story of separation is crumbling.

Slowly and rapidly. And it is reshaping our world. Everything is changing. The nature of the masculine and the feminine. Our relationships. Our nationalities. The planet. Everyone is participating in this transition from one form of life to another. We are entering a Galactic Community where the idea of an earth-centered God doesn't exist - where God is an organic force.

We are going to get there, but how we get there depends on what we do now. Some things that look/feel like they are stabilizing us are actually keeping us stuck/holding us back, so they are falling apart. We've built our house on sand simply by doing what generations of other people have done. By doing what we've done before (past lives/ancestral story). By buying into a hierarchical world that is dying. This is all shifting and it can be some scary sh*t because it is nothing we have experienced before and our bodies are made to crave what is familiar. Also because many of us have lived through cataclysm and those memories, stored deep in our cells and soul, are awakened now. This isn't easy. Life on planet Earth is not for sissies.

Here are the transits for September (and I have surely missed some!).

Look at the patterns.

The story of September is told through the patterns (and archetypes).

We'll unpack the rest of the month in Part II later in the week when we look at some of these:

SEPTEMBER 1st - Mercury trines Uranus, Venus trines Saturn
SEPTEMBER 2nd - Mars conjuncts the Sun, Venus squares Jupiter
SEPTEMBER 3rd - Mercury conjuncts the Sun and Mars, Venus sextiles North Node
SEPTEMBER 4th - Venus opposes Neptune
SEPTEMBER 5th - Mercury trines Saturn
 SEPTEMBER 6th - 1st Quarter Moon Sagittarius, Sun trines Saturn, Mercury squares Jupiter and sextiles the North Node, Venus trines Pluto
SEPTEMBER 7th - Mercury opposes Neptune
SEPTEMBER 8th - Sun squares Jupiter and sextiles the North Node, Mercury trines Pluto
SEPTEMBER 9th - Mars trines Saturn
SEPTEMBER 10th - Jupiter inconjunct the North Node, Sun opposes Neptune
SEPTEMBER 11th - Mars sextiles the North Node
SEPTEMBER 12th - Mars squares Jupiter
SEPTEMBER 13th - Mercury conjunct Venus, Sun trines Pluto
SEPTEMBER 14th - Full Moon in Pisces, Mercury and Venus enter Libra, Mars opposes Neptune
SEPTEMBER 16th - Mercury opposes Chiron
SEPTEMBER 17th - Venus opposes Chiron, Mercury inconjunct Uranus
SEPTEMBER 18th - Saturn stations direct
SEPTEMBER 19th - Mars trines Pluto, Venus inconjunct Uranus
SEPTEMBER 21st - Jupiter squares Neptune
SEPTEMBER 22nd - Last Quarter Moon in Gemini, Mercury squares Saturn and the North Node & South Node
SEPTEMBER 23rd - Sun enters Libra
SEPTEMBER 24th  - Mercury inconjunct Neptune, Mercury sextiles Jupiter
SEPTEMBER 25th - Venus squares Saturn and the North Node & South Node
SEPTEMBER 26th - Mercury squares Pluto, Sun opposes Chiron
SEPTEMBER 27th - Venus inconjunct Neptune
SEPTEMBER 28th - New Moon in Libra, Saturn conjuncts the South Node, Venus sextiles Jupiter
SEPTEMBER 29th - Sun inconjunct Uranus

We looked at the first week in the weekly HERE. We'll look at some of the rest next post, later in the week. No dailies this week - need to rest my neck/shoulder/arm/hand AND somehow pack up thousands of pounds of metal which sounds like two things very much in disagreement with each other, but are actually both the untangling of some very old and very rusty knots. Yikes!

My job, as the world shifts this month - what is your job?

xo all

photo by the amazing Sea-of-Ice

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | week of September 2, 2019 - purpose, motivation, taking action, being sober, being practical, big girl/boy pants on, avoid over-doing it, some confusion and need to escape, get the sh*t done, get enough sleep, believe in yourself and your future because it's reaching back right now and pulling us forward

Let's unpack this week (looks like three suitcases at least) - 

SUNDAY - Mercury trines Uranus. Venus trines Saturn
MONDAY - Venus squares Jupiter, Sun conjuncts Mars
TUESDAY - Mercury conjuncts Mars, Sun conjuncts Mercury, Venus trines the South Node
WEDNESDAY - Venus opposes Neptune
THURSDAY - Mercury trines Saturn
FRIDAY - Sun trines Saturn, Venus trines Pluto, Mercury trines the South Node, Mercury squares Jupiter
SATURDAY - Mercury opposes Neptune
SUNDAY - Sun trines the South Node, Mercury trines Pluto, Sun squares Jupiter

This can't be right, can it? WWHHHAATTT?!

Remember in the New Moon post HERE we talked about how the Virgo planets (Mercury, the Sun, Venus and Mars) are going to do - this week and next - what the Moon did last Friday PLUS interact with each other!

So this is busy. This could feel overwhelming.

But we will be motivated and can get a heck of alot done.

The Virgo planets are trining Saturn (stability, sobriety, being responsible), squaring Jupiter (tension/frustration around expansion, overwhelm), trining the South Node (endings, wrap ups, results, what we have to do) opposing Neptune (confusion, rose-colored glasses, needing a rest) and trining Pluto (truth, power, our own authority or interactions with authority, intensity, intimacy, acting on our ambitions).

The reality of 2020 is setting in now folks, if it hadn't already. Can you feel it?

There is no point in writing a day-to-day here in the weekly because I would be saying the same things over and over just in slightly different ways (plus my body hurts, so I need to be concise and quick on the keyboard!). 

We are going to be in and out of a T-Square between the Virgo planets, Neptune in Pisces and Jupiter in Sagittarius for the next couple weeks.

With Jupiter at the apex, we are going to have to watch out for taking on too much, over-spending, over-counting on something, expanding too much, allowing ourselves to be pushed further than we want to go, over-promising, betting the farm, saying too much, basically being over-the top.

BUT with Jupiter at the apex (who better to have at the apex!), strong in his home sign and DIRECT - there are NEW opportunities here. We have to have faith, in ourselves and in something bigger than ourselves. We have to expand our reach and get out of our own way. We have to embrace what is foreign to us. We gotta believe!

All this Virgo will focus us in on a specific problem/situation. We will have the energy/motivation to take practical action to move things forward or fix what needs fixing. Don't ignore health matters now. No cutting corners. No more waiting.

Opportunities come in now. Some things fall into place. Yes, there will be times we are overwhelmed and have to take a deep breath and even a break now and then. The trines to Saturn keep things serious - our money, our relationships, our words - we need to be sober and wearing our big girl/boy pants.

The oppositions to Neptune create some confusion, things are hidden, we don't know what we don't know. Avoid jumping to conclusions or into things that seem too good to be true.

The trines to the South Node speak of karmic endings/releases. The things that are no longer working. Results can come in. The stuff we have been procrastinating will be biting us in the ass. Good thing we have been drinking these double chocolate chip frappuccinos and have some extra padding. We are strong, We were born to do this. We keep going. 

Every time things start moving too smoothly there will be a wrench tossed in the works. Every time things start looking too 'blue skies' a storm cloud will roll in. BUT every time we want to give up we will get a second wind or some encouragement or whatever it is we need to keep going.

The inner planets are going to roll through this pattern and it will be hard to separate one from the other. We won't need to. In general (you have to look at your natal chart for themes) with collective themes - we zero in a health or work problem. We will want to fix it/talk about it/take action on it/ clear things up. There could also be connections to the Cancer stuff we have been dealing with - home, family, mother, home business, family business, real estate. Stuff can feel bigger than it actually is (and yes, it can be pretty big for some people) or solutions/pending results can look easier/better than they actually are or will be. Don't over-do anything. Watch your Benjamins. Watch your language, especially around what you are committing to. Have faith. Know things are improving. Look for the opportunities. Stay positive. Some things will be hidden - we don't know what we don't know. Old work issues or results or issues with authority come up. Our stability/security comes through what we know/what we've already done or accomplished. We could be wrapping something up/ending something. There will be chances to take breathers and pit stops - take them. Our future is over there and over there looks pretty freakin' awesome and you might not be able to see this yet, but trust me it is.

If we are doing the shadow side of Virgo/Pisces we will be screwing this up by - criticism of ourselves and other people, nothing is good enough, trying to fix what can't be fixed, service to the point of exhaustion, too restrictive a diet, health obsession, enabling, playing a victim/martyr, escaping into drugs/alcohol/Netflix marathons. Check yourself on this stuff. Just stop. Do a little better.

If we are feeling too much Virgo - need to get something perfect, too much doing/helping/service, critical, exhausted  - we need to move toward Virgo's polarity sign of Pisces - take a breath, make some art, dance, listen to music, meditate, pray. If all this Virgo has us zoning out and moving too much toward Pisces, we will need to pull ourselves back to the Virgo - make something smaller, focus on the details, make a list, grow a backbone, do what is right in front of us, wash the dishes, skip the cake and eat the f'ng salad.

Do your job. Play your part. This can be a really productive week. We've got this thing. Things that we haven't been able to rush, because this is all a process with billions and billions of moving parts, will start to unfold.

xo all

Heads up all these planets bundled together means another week of long void moons, so stay flexible when things get wonky and have to be re-done (!) - MONDAY Moon is void from 4:30AM EDT to 7:35PM EDT, WEDNESDAY Moon is void 6:58AM to 11:08PM and Friday from around noon EDT through SATURDAY morning.

photo by the amazing ankazhuravleva

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 31, 2019 - triggered by words, the dangers of unsolicited advice, sitting with the information, some things aren't fixable, chill out

The Moon in Virgo's final aspect was a trine to Pluto at 4:46AM EDT (nice, solid manifestation energy). The Moon will be Void all day until she enters social Libra at 7:08PM EDT. I hope everyone will have some time to chill out today - all these planets in Virgo can be exhausting!

Mercury inconjuncts Chiron at 4 degrees Virgo/Aries. We talked about this in the New Moon post, but the exact aspect is today. Practical language or information (that Mercury in Virgo) triggers an old wound around our courage/ability to take care of ourselves/go it alone/our ability to initiate/our passion.

Not the best time to offer unsolicited advice.

Not the best time to try to "fix" something, probably with words, that isn't fixable.

This is the fly in the ointment of the New Moon chart playing out over the next month. Inconjuncts are the rock and the hard place and Chiron is already about the stuff we "just have to learn to live with".

We might have to respond to something that we can't make 100% better or stand up for ourselves or do something on our own now that isn't totally comfortable. We might be starting/working with something that isn't exactly the way we hoped it would be.

We can't find the right words because there aren't any. 

Or maybe the bottom line reality of our situation is shown to us via information/a conversation/ a sibling or transportation issue - and it hurts. Why weren't we braver when we needed to be? Why weren't we faster off the starting block? Why isn't anyone helping us? How did we get into this mess in the first place?

Keep in mind this moment - the Moon is Void off a trine to transformative Pluto. How do we want this thing to turn out? How do we want to feel? Let's use all this Virgo to make a plan (while we sit by the pool drinking our iced coffee, I hope).

Remember what the Moon has done in the last 24 hours the other planets are going to do over the next few weeks. If your Friday was especially stressful this might be the time (especially Sunday when Venus and the Moon are interacting with sober Saturn) to come up with a serious and practical game plan for September.

xo all

photo by the amazing sirbion

New Moon in Virgo | August 30, 2019 - a practical magic, one foot in front of the other, surprises, do it differently this time, make a move, seal the deal, prioritize health, that back burner thing we have been waiting on is moved to the front burner, time for a detox

On Friday, August 30th at 6:37AM EDT the Virgo Moon meets the Virgo Sun at 6 degrees giving us this month's New Moon. September is a HUGE month and here is our chance, right out of the gates, to set some intentions for how we would like this all to go.

Let's unpack the chart!

We can see a BIG pile-up of planets in earthy Virgo between 2 and 11 degrees with the Sun/Moon sandwiched in the middle. Six planets in earth signs, folks!

Earth is the new black and we can feel this in the collective headlines and in our hearts and heads now.

The New Moon is a time when the skies are dark. It is the time of beginning. The seed goes into the ground. The sperm goes into the egg. The nail meets the wood. The thought meets the paper. You get the idea. And you may actually have an idea now (or new information may come in, seeing something we didn't see before) because Mercury - the planet of ideas and the ruler of Virgo and so the ruler of this New Moon is moving toward a trine with the planet that rules genius (Uranus) on Sunday!

Virgo encourages us to prioritize our health, to value quality over quantity, to be of service to others (not at our own expense though and especially not at the expense of our health), to care for our pets, to take care of the day to day things that make our life our life. It also rules co-workers, employees, our daily activities and our work.

Virgo is the first sign that thinks about 'other people'. We spend the first five signs of the zodiac focused on ourselves - forming an identity, expressing who we are, yada yada. And then in just ONE SIGN we transition toward relating to other people.

That's why it feels like such a pressure cooker!

We move from "how can I be special?" (Leo) to "how can I be useful?". That's a pretty hard right turn! 

The best use of this New Moon energy is to do our Virgo this month!

Focus on the details. Use commonsense. Do one thing at a time. Do your best. Know that it won't be perfect. Nothing in nature is perfect. Know that perfect isn't the point. 

We might have to respond to something that we can't make 100% better (that inconjunct to Chiron) or stand up for ourselves or do something on our own now that isn't totally comfortable. We might be starting/working with something that isn't exactly the way we hoped it would be.

The trine to Uranus speaks of something unexpected.

SURPRISE! We thought this was going one way and now here's something else.

Trines are smooth flows of energy, so this isn't about chaos, but it is about CHANGE. Virgo likes a nice, solid plan, but Uranus here introduces a shot of something else, something INNOVATING. It's a couple small steps in a new direction or a big step broken down into small manageable pieces.

Many people could be dealing with health challenges. Some tweaks in a new, improved direction can create big changes down the line. Virgo also rules our work, co-workers, our pets, our day-to-day life - as well as the theme of your natal Virgo house. Here's a place to FOCUS your attention. What needs to change?

Every detail is going to matter now.

I am not saying this to make all of us crazy.

But we need to know this going in.

There is the potential here to birth something significant, but Virgo rules work, so we know there is going to be work. Effort. And the work is going to have to be good (not perfect, but good). There isn't going to be a whole lot of middle ground.

It's time to make it real or get rid of it! 

In my own life, we are closing up hub's shop this month now that our landlord has sold the building. In my chart Virgo rules my 10th house (career, goals, business, work in the world) and Uranus is bringing change from my Taurus house (7th house of partners). So, dealing with spouse's career changes and changes to our public life, as local business owners, makes sense. Hub's chart has Virgo ruling his 1st house (himself) and Uranus bringing change from his 8th house (other people's resources, the stuff he has merged with other people). This is a big New Moon for him conjunct his natal Pluto (transformation, life/death) and he feels it. September is our clean out month for the building. The start of a new life for him, maybe without this business after 18 years (exactly to the day). Bittersweet and also slightly terrifying ...

The trine from Uranus makes me think of Earth changes - weather situations, climate change, the health of the planet as well as the health of our personal resources, what we value and hold dear.

Mercury (Virgo's ruler and so the ruler of this New Moon, and the co-ruler is likely Chiron) is strong in her/his home sign and conjunct Juno - this New Moon is focused on our relationships and commitments. Talking with other people and communicating about partnerships, relationships, commitments. Signing contracts. Doing a deal. Maybe something that comes in suddenly. With Jupiter and Neptune approaching another exact square maybe it takes all these planets in Earth signs to get our heads out of the clouds!

With Mars and Venus both conjunct the Sun/Moon - we are on the same page with ourselves. Venus isn't that happy in Virgo, so everything now will NOT be totally to her/our liking.

Bottom line - we just need to do our Virgo.

One foot in front of the other. Go over the details. Be precise. Exact. Make it smaller. Prioritize. Organize. Say what you really want then effort toward that. Be productive. This could be about something we have previously put on the back burner. Stuff we were kind of 'waiting it out' with and now we could be glad we waited. September offers us focus and quick change and stabilizing support ahead through those applying Capricorn trines.

It's go time (a great New Moon for back to school). Let's not get so caught up in things having to be a certain way that we don't get moving/started. Also let's not sell ourselves short or over-extend ourselves. Keep in mind Uranus through Taurus over the net few years is showing us what we really value and the ways our self-esteem (how we value ourselves) is connected to our pocketbooks and bank accounts.

This New Moon is a practical, fresh start with an emphasis on both the practical and the fresh.

Now all these Virgo planets (that have us focused on the details and day-to-day), as they continue to move through Virgo, are going to start interacting with the other planets (longer term outcomes/situations). The Moon (fastest moving) will get there within a  few hours, the other planets within days -

first up will be a trine to stabilizing Saturn. Here is clarity around a new commitment. Emotional security. Maybe rewards. Then a trine to the South Node (endings) at the same time squaring Jupiter (overwhelm/something feels too big to get done or maybe it expands too fast, too soon or it feels bigger than it really is - this could also be us questioning that Saturnian commitment - should we stick with it or go broader/bigger/have faith in something better?). Then an opposition to Neptune (release, rest, let go and let God). So, all those New Moon Virgo planets are going to move through these energies over the next few weeks.

Finally the planets will all trine (brakes off) transformational Pluto. Power/influence. Intimacy. Intensity. Merged money/resources/bodies. How badly do we want it? Who's in charge? Are we still standing? Yes!!

By mid-September when we get to the Sun trining Pluto, Saturn stationing direct and the Full Moon in Pisces - the energies will be huge and then we will all need a break (plus mini-breaks over the next couple weeks as the planets oppose Neptune). By the time Pluto stations direct in October (the death that was postponed/the mess that needed to be cleaned up) - we will be through it or ready for it. If anyone can ever be ready for Pluto!

For now it is important to keep plowing ahead while not working ourselves to death! We can get alot done over the next month.

In Virgo, health issues ALWAYS take precedence and can surface now.

I have been having (once again) neck/shoulder/arm/hand stuff and know it is the time to try something else and incorporate changes into my day-to-day life that I can continue once I get over this flare-up. I am thinking about recording these posts - the typing is uber challenging right now. Also our new pup Rosie has been diagnosed with an old, untreated femur fracture (from before we received her) and we are deciding our best options with this. Virgo is the sign of service and rules the stuff that is within our care - our physical bodies/health, our pets, our work. All this stuff make sense. It can feel overwhelming, but the beauty of astrology is we can look a bit ahead and see all the support and the good stuff that is coming. And it is!

New Moon Guidelines

Set your intentions and make your affirmations for Virgo themes (or your natal Virgo house theme!) for the best outcomes - health, quality over quantity, service to others, attention to details, work, co-workers, employees, day to day activities, cleaning, organizing, pets.

INTENTION TIPS: Let the earth guide you this month, plant your feet firmly on the ground, clear your head, write what your physical self, grounded by the earth, wants - not what you think you should write (do you see any air in this New Moon chart? no, there isn't any!). Write your intentions down by hand in script on a blank piece of paper, speak the words out loud, maybe burn the paper and give the ashes back to the earth - release your attention from these things knowing your intention is known.

Life has heard you. Know these things are already yours.  

What do you do next?

Hug a tree. That tree in your backyard is talking to that tree in my backyard and they are both talking to that tree in the Amazon - they need us.

xo all

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 29, 2019 - another long void moon, out of sorts, a light is shone on something different, finshing up what we've resisted, one step at a time, words matter, details matter, what's the matter?

The balsamic Moon, now at the end of fiery Leo, went void at 8:07PM EDT last night and stays void until tonight when she moves into practical Virgo at 7:57PM EDT leading us toward tomorrow morning's New Moon. She hooks up with ruler Mercury at 10:22PM EDT, putting our emotions and our head on the same page tonight.

A long dark void Moon in Leo can be uncomfortable. 

We could feel restless/lethargic today with the energies supporting twists and turns and do-overs. Practiced work is best or some last minute summer fun.

Mercury joined the Virgo party while we slept last night.

Now, all the personal planets are in Virgo (plus the Moon starting tonight!). Mercury (communication, thinking, ideas, local neighborhood, siblings, transportation, tech) is happy to be home to Virgo - a sign she/he rules.

In Virgo he will be moving fast, she is only in Virgo until September 14th, so we need to make the most of this!

In Virgo, our thinking, writing and communication will be more practical and commonsense. We will be all about the details. Nothing gets by Mercury in Virgo.  But lots of things get dismissed. If it's not real, if it doesn't work - it's gone. This is an excellent transit for organization, cleaning, paperwork, taking care of our health, the ins and outs of our work and daily routine, our pets. We will see all the little problems, but still need to avoid nitpicking. With so many planets in Virgo it may be hard to see the forest for the trees - so we look at the trees now. The details. One thing at a time. Lists are good. Ideas and solutions can pop right into our head (especially around the time Mercury trines Uranus on Sunday).

Pay attention to your language - we want to be precise now. We want to honor Mercury. Think about what you are thinking about. Watch what you are watching. What you are reading, talking about, hearing - will matter now. Notice how you verbally get in your own way - use unnecessary negative words (like saying something "isn't bad" when you mean it is good), double speak, babble, gas-lighting, lies. Avoid that "sorry" thing some people say moving through life. We aren't really sorry anyway right - so why are we saying it. Words are powerful. They are one of the most powerful tools we have to move through life on planet Earth - let's not hold ourselves back by tossing around stuff we don't mean/don't want to have/be.

Mercury immediately sextiles Pallas in Scorpio. The opportunity (sextile) comes by getting to the bottom of something. Intimacy. Merging resources and ideas. Our talk can't be superficial. This could get uncomfortable (maybe a conversation/plan around money, life/death issues, sex/reproduction, taxes/insurance, stuff we don't always like to talk about), let it get uncomfortable - talk about it anyway. We are going deep and staying practical. We have mega access to common sense/cents now. This is good energy for research. Take one thing and really go deep with it.

Hot off yesterday's exact Mars/Uranus trine (this is the step by step change we have been talking about all week) we have the Sun trining Uranus now.  Uranus change can mean chaos and disorder, but this time we can move smoothly with the changes if we stay practical and meet challenges one thing at a time. Excellent energy for changing health habits. Do it now. With Uranus retrograde we might feel pulled to change course and move back in an old direction - let's stay moving forward. The grass in our backyard is dead. The grass is greener over there. Small changes create HUGE shifts this week.

The Sun is inconjunct Chiron now - some things just can't be fixed. We know this already.

The trines to future-focused Uranus say 'try something else'.

The Moon is balsamic - a time for rest and reflection. Don't push too hard now. If there is something you have resisted wrapping up - get it wrapped. Tomorrow is a brand new day!

xo all

Back tonight with the big New Moon post - you will love this one!

photo by the talented anyaanti

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 27, 2019 - long void moon, practiced and practical work, expect some do-overs, when faith is healing, getting our ducks in a row, change is good

The Moon in Cancer went void off an opposition to Pluto at 4:55AM EDT.

In her home sign of Cancer, she continues to perform, but will be void until 7:53PM EDT. Good for deep emotional healing, research, financial organization, journaling, a focus on those home/family/real estate situations - good for routine, go with the flow. We can get alot done during void moons, but expect some do-overs. Expect some wonk. The void could allow us some time to process any big changes we have going on.

Chiron (in Aries) is trining Ceres (in Sagittarius).

This is a repeating aspect that takes us back to early June - maybe something from that time is back on the table. Our faith in a better future is healing. The way something went in the past doesn't have to be the way it goes now. Remember Chiron in Aries is activating our masculine wounding (doing it all alone, having to push through and be born, having to stand up for ourselves, having to fight), now this energy is smoothly working with Ceres (a mothering issue or issue involving a child or important pet or a season of life issue or issue around something that feels outside our control) - when Ceres was grieving the loss of her daughter she was FURIOUS. And Chiron in Aries is about getting in touch with anger issues, so we could be dealing with something like this. This could also be us NOT allowing the fear that we can't do something, because we aren't supported, to stop us. Some times we do have to do/start things alone.

BIGGER PICTURE - we have a stellium of planets in Virgo now bringing a kind of stability and practicality to whatever we have going on.

We need to do this and then we need to do that.

It could have us focused on a health matter, service to others, a work situation, an organization project or a situation with a pet. This might sound random - but Virgo is really about our daily activities, the things we have to care for everyday. We are being deliberate, discerning and focused on the details. 

We've just been through a month of fiery Leo and this stellium takes everything down a notch.

Maybe the situation isn't resolved (or maybe it is) but we are facing up to it in a different way. We are getting a handle on it. We know where we stand. We can make plans and take action.

Now- almost as soon as we get all these energies in Virgo wanting us to get our ducks in a row the Virgo planets start interacting with change-maker Uranus (in Taurus).

Surprise!

Changes happen quickly and unexpectedly. Breakthroughs.

Uranus is retrograde, so this might not be a totally new thing, but maybe now we see the changes and HERE THEY ARE.

The trines speak of POSITIVE changes. Forward leaning. Evolution. Innovation.

This week's trines to Uranus will shake up any stagnant energies in our Virgo house (so the collective themes mentioned above and also the theme of our natal Virgo house). 

So, this week tosses some changes at us that lead to breakthroughs. Change is good. Unusual people can come into our lives now. New healers. Fresh ideas and insights. Money changes hands. Relationships become more practical and reliable. New deals are sealed. Contracts signed. These are changes we will WELCOME.

These are Earth signs - this is physical stuff. Small changes with our daily activities (and with our physical self) can make BIG changes in our life (and health) over time. Uranus will speed things up and make everything happen faster.

Far out ideas come down to earth and become real things under these skies.

We have a New Moon in Virgo at the end of this week, kicking off all these energies and then in two weeks we have the Full Moon in Pisces (mid-September is BIG - we get to clearly see what this year is about) after which we will want to rest/take a breather/have some peace - plan some downtime after mid-September.

Between now and then we have work to do.

For now an appreciation of BOTH fast change and slow and steady progress - is helpful.


xo all

photo by the talented Frozen-photo

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 26, 2019 - small moves that create big changes, innovating with love and money, attracted to something else, hitting the wall again, the plot thickens

The Moon is in her home sign of Cancer today - we are nurtured through home, family, mom and apple pie. By 4:37AM EDT she will have sextiled Venus, Mars and Uranus. She has her monthly opposition to Saturn (authority/boundary issue) at 5:45PM EDT and trines Neptune at 11:27PM EDT.

Venus (in Virgo) trines a retrograde Uranus (in Taurus) at 6 degrees. Mercury squares Vesta. Pallas moves into the deep, dark water of Scorpio (until early November).

Venus/Uranus indicates change with our money, love, self-esteem, resources, values, women or beauty. Expect the unexpected this week. Doing something differently pays off. We are leaning into the future. Be out and about. Meet new people.

Venus is in Virgo and wants organization and practicality. Uranus in Taurus (Venus's sign, but I see Taurus at least co-ruled by Ceres) is showing us the ways our self-esteem is connected to our pocketbook/to our resources/to the things we can attract based on how loved and valued WE feel.

Focus on the small things now. Small changes. Take action.

What isn't working within your relationships? With your finances? With your health or work? With your pets or daily activities? What change is needed? Small changes can move us quickly forward now.

Earth trines allow things (that are already lined up on another plane) to happen. The brakes are off. Impediments removed. Uranus speeds this whole thing up and adds innovation and liberation. Virgo makes small things into big things (which can be good, but not always, right?).

Small problems/mistakes can create big issues and then sometimes we just put up with them/learn to live with them. We think the thing that needs to be fixed is some big thing, and maybe it is, but some tiny step in a new direction makes big changes possible. The error (maybe in our thinking) that started the ball rolling was tiny.

The solution can start tiny, too.

(Think about when you put together an Ikea bookcase and maybe early on you notice some peg is not quite in there right or screw not exactly straight. Maybe it doesn't seem to matter so you keep working. Maybe you don't even notice it because you are so focused on all the things this bookcase will hold and how nice it will look next to your new red sofa. Then before you know it, you are stuck. Something isn't fitting. The whole thing is crooked. Or maybe you manage to get it put together, but it's not quite right and so you can never really trust it with the potted plants you bought it for in the first place. Sure it would have been easier if you had fixed that faulty peg or crooked screw three hours ago, or three years or thirty years but you didn't and here you are. We can only be here now. So what do we do now? Are we the kind of person who shrugs and puts up with it, and some things are not so important and a shrug is a good thing and maybe this bookcase is a shrug. But maybe it gives us a pit in your stomach every time we see our plants all scrunched up on that table and we need to fix this. One screw at a time.)

Pallas into complicated Scorpio changes our strategy. We can see the stuff that was covered up all pretty when she was in lovely Libra - like that crooked bookshelf, except the stuff that is unbalanced may be more important than a bookshelf. To solve problems we are going to need to look under the hood. We are going to have to delve into the details and get our hands dirty and know things more intimately.

With Pallas out of Libra there goes our air (thinking)! And with Mercury (at the end of fiery Leo and hurrying to get home to Virgo) at odds with Vesta (what we hold dear) - let's be careful we don't say the wrong thing and damage something we care about. Stay intentional. Less talk. More action.

Avoid over-thinking today.

The Moon opposing Saturn could add stress around a home, family, real estate, home business, mothering, career, goals, authority situation. Depending on what else we have going on this could overshadow the good energy, so let's not let that happen. Something is falling into place here for all of us. Know THAT.

Trust your instincts. The Moon is waning - what can you release? What needs to be finished up?

xo all


photo by the amazing anyaanti

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of August 26, 2019 - change is good, new ways to make money, new love, changing the conversation, sudden insights, new solutions, something stabilizes, a new way forward

Here's some of the aspects for the week ahead:

MONDAY - Venus trines Uranus
WEDNESDAY - Mars trines Uranus
THURSDAY - Mercury into Virgo (now ALL the personal planets are in Virgo), Sun trines Uranus
FRIDAY - New Moon in Virgo (6 degrees)
SUNDAY - Mercury trines Uranus, Venus trines Saturn

Look at all those trines (brakes off) - something has to fall into place for everyone this week!

MONDAY and WEDNESDAY (in play all week really) we have Venus (our love, money, resources, values, self-esteem, women) and Mars (action, passion, what we do to get what we want, initiative, anger, men) moving very closely together through practical and grounded Virgo now trining (brakes off) change-maker Uranus (in Taurus, so answering to Venus).

CHANGE is the buzzword this week, and it's the kind of change that moves us step-by-step toward something BETTER.

This isn't the tornado that lands us on our ass in a field somewhere. Promise.

It's the time to try something NEW. We are attracted to unusual people and things now. Our values are changing. We want different things. We have the courage to try new things.

Get out and meet new people. Moves with money could pay off now. Action will lead to liberation.

Improved health, advancements with our work, with our daily activities, our pets - all of this is possible - it will take action and movement on our part though, we don't want to be idle this week, unless this idleness is within some healthy space of "taking care of ourselves", since Virgo rules our health - trines ALLOW things to happen and with Uranus this active now, change is good!

It could also be a bit anxiety-producing as Virgo increases the pressure to do things "right". If you feel a tension build-up TAKE A BREAK. There is nothing perfect about perfect. Ask for help if you need it.

What are the themes of your 6 degree Virgo and Taurus houses? How can they work together now? What can you do to get the most from these energies?

On THURSDAY - now the Sun trines Uranus - this is POSITIVE CHANGE. A light is thrown on something different. Innovation. Time to take advantage of unusual/unique opportunities. Try something else. Uranus starts a new cycle with the Sun - start something different!

Mercury (communication, thinking, ideas, local neighborhood, siblings, transportation) joins the other inner planets in Virgo. She/he is quite happy to be back in Virgo - a sign he rules.

In Virgo, our thinking, writing and communication will be more practical and commonsense. We will be all about the details. Nothing gets by Mercury in Virgo. But lots of things get dismissed. If it's not real, if it doesn't work - it's gone.

This is an excellent transit (Mercury will be in Virgo until September 14th) for organization, cleaning, paperwork, working on the tedious trivia we have overlooked during Mercury's days in star-studded Leo.

The curtain gets drawn, the crowds go home, the star of the stage (us!) hones his craft without an audience, without applause. This is the work that gets done right because it needs to be done right. This is also excellent service energy - for taking care of our health, for taking care of other people, for taking care of our animals.

The Virgo house in your natal chart gets a visit from active Mercury - this is where the solutions will be. This is where we can drill down the details and become more efficient.

This is where we will be walking our talk.

The shadow side of Mercury during this transit is that we can't always see the forest for the trees. We might get so caught up in the details the big picture gets away from us. We could forget/lose sight of why we are doing the thing we are doing in the first place. Or we get so caught up in something being so perfect, that it never gets finished. Or maybe we pare something down so much that in the end we end up with nothing .... keep an eye (yes, we need three eyes now!) out for this stuff.

On FRIDAY we have a super-powerful New Moon in Virgo that encompasses all these energies and propels us through the next two weeks as the inner planets move through some powerful and supportive trines to Saturn and Pluto. I am loving this Moon. Expect a post!

On SUNDAY - Mercury trines Uranus - yes he/she is that quick! New ideas. Fast thinking. Shocking, unexpected news. Sudden insights. Maybe our siblings surprise us. Our words (and the words of other people) can be erratic, unexpected and spontaneous. Our brains and tongues will be restless.

The information we need or our next great idea could literally drop right into our lap.

AND THEN we have to do SOMETHING WITH IT. Remember this is Virgo, we don't have to do some huge something with it. We get to the huge something by working the step-by-step process.

New solutions come in now. To get the most out of this transit - talk to different people. Change the conversation.

On the same day, Venus trines Saturn. Here is our money/love/resources getting stabilized. Maybe the work we have previously done pays off now. Good for dealing with authority. Investing for the long-haul. Here is where facing reality pays off.

We could make a commitment (Saturn) within a relationship (Venus) now. We could make a commitment with our money. We could make a commitment to valuing ourselves. We could commit to the hard work of being more beautiful (ie Venusian) or birthing something beautiful. We could beautify (Venus) our career (Saturn). This would be a great time for cosmetic changes within a business. Spruce ups now will pay off over time.

What a week!

We will flesh the whole thing out daily when we factor in the Moons, which other than some challenges on Tuesday (with authority/limits, etc) and Friday (with escape or rose-colored glasses), look pretty good, too.

This week is a HUGE kick off to what will be a very productive Virgo season. Don't let it stress you out - change is good and we are easing into it!

xo all

photo by the amazing sea-of-ice

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 24, 2019 - doing things together, taking care of the stuff we care about, starting that new diet/health routine, coming together through service, love is a verb

The Moon is in busy and communicative Gemini now. We are nurtured through information, through humor, through words, teaching and story-telling through commerce, our local community and our siblings. 

She will oppose Jupiter at 1:53PM EDT (watch that urge to splurge) and square a retrograde Neptune at 7:17PM EDT, finally going void off an opportunistic sextile to ruler Mercury at 2:58AM EDT. Not the best Saturday-socializing energy.

The big news today is we have Venus meeting Mars at 4 degrees Virgo while squaring Ceres in Sagittarius.

Mars (action, passion, anger, our dynamic masculine energy) and Venus (attraction, love, money, balance, our receptive feminine energy) meet about every two years and start a new cycle together.

Does this new cycle in fussy Virgo mean men and women (really our masculine and feminine energies, but this sometimes does play out as men and women) will be picking each other apart for the next couple years? Or coming together to find practical solutions? Fixing what is fixable?

We love each other (and ourselves) - through taking care of business/a beloved pet/the bottom line/sweeping the floor/fixing the place up. We do the work together. We come together through service. The one who has our back will be the one who picks up the drying cloth and takes care of the dishes. We have our own back by doing the same thing.

For the next two years LOVE IS A VERB.

When the God of War and the Goddess of Love meet - the warring factions inside of us and outside of us (what we want and what we have to do to get what we want) come into HARMONY. This cycle, and it kicks off now, will be about taking care of the details, tending to the quality of something, the stuff we take care of on a daily basis, our health.

Excellent energy to start a new health regime.

To get organized. To clean up our mess and keep it cleaned up.

I see the potential for more people to fall in love with co-workers (the people you spend your day-to-day time with)!

That square to Ceres makes me think there is still tension/frustration here that is outside our control. This could be a season of life situation (something ending/something starting), disagreements over how to nurture/grow something, maybe some authority over us that ties our hands somehow.

Virgo is practical and realistic energy. It does what needs to be done. If we focus on THIS now, on this thing that is right in front of us - we can move mountains over the next few weeks.

For today - doing it together is the way to go. We will be able to see the ways we undermine ourselves, maybe by thinking "we can do this better" or "this is the way it should be done". Let that go. Also let's try weeding out any thinking/feeling that makes "the authority, or something outside our control" an enemy/adversary - this is the surest path to never getting our own hands on the steering wheel.

xo all

Heads up the Moon will be void most of the day tomorrow. 

photo by the talented Indie Child 19

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 22, 2019 - coming out of the closet, commitments, what our heart needs, let's stop blaming/regretting the past or what we don't have, choices, decisions, iron your shirt, showing up ready or not

The Moon continues her journey through Taurus (a space she LOVES)

- she will trine Saturn at 4:57AM EDT (our resources and goals in sync, flow with authority, mastering our emotions), square Mercury at 9:22AM EDT (stressful conversations around money/resources, frustration), sextile Neptune at 11:22AM EDT (dreams, spirituality, that behind the scenes agenda, healing, hospitals, art, escape) and finally go VOID at 5:32PM EDT off a trine to Pluto (solid manifestation energy, transformation, power). Other than that testy square with Mercury early in the day, the Moon does pretty well today in Taurus.

The big news today is the Yod (finger of God - so we'll pay attention) between the South Node, Neptune and Mercury - pointing at Mercury with Mercury inconjunct Neptune exact. At the same time the Sun, at the very end of Leo and so very powerful in his home sign, meets Juno (relationships, partnerships, commitment).

The Sun meeting Juno in fiery Leo speaks of a time when maybe we are bringing a relationship/commitment out into the light.  

Maybe what our heart wants/needs from other people has become clear to us.

On the other hand Juno, philandering Jupiter's long suffering wife (not that she always sat idly by and let him do whatever he wanted, but she almost certainly looked the other way at times to preserve the relationship and her position), meeting the light could force us to acknowledge - maybe publicly in Leo, but at least to our own egos - a space in our lives where we are avoiding dealing with something (maybe our own heart) in order to preserve a relationship/position.

Coming at the same time as the Yod from Neptune/South Node to Mercury (in Leo) might suggest confusion, blaming something in the past for keeping us stuck now, wanting to avoid the truth - whatever this is, Mercury is the focal point - we see the problems, we see our options, we have creative ideas. We see the ways our avoidance of looking at /dealing with something back THEN has brought us to THIS PUBLIC MOMENT.

Taking responsibility for where we find ourselves NOW will open up an incredible flow of opportunities/choices.

Blaming/shaming/regretting the past will keep us stuck in this endless loop.

We may have to show up when we aren't ready to show up and that's OK!

Let's iron our shirt and show the f*ck up!

This is the last day of the Sun in Leo (his home sign) - we have the Moon exalted in Taurus, Saturn in his home sign, Jupiter in his home sign (and direct!) and Neptune in his home sign. Mars and Venus are in Virgo encouraging us to make hay by focusing on the nitty-gritty details.

Sometimes we think we are waiting for life to make a move when life has already tossed the ball to us. The Moon will move into Gemini tonight - more choices, more chatter, more BUSY - life is complicated and messy and that's part of the fun of it all or at least part of the point of it all. Keep in mind that Finger of God pointed to Mercury in loud and proud Leo - what needs to be SAID/decided? How is the past or maybe our exhaustion/need to escape/an addiction fueling the conversation? What needs to change?

Can we learn from the past AND move on from it?

Of course we can!

We aren't the people we were a few years or even a few minutes ago.

By tomorrow the only planet left in Leo will be Mercury - courageous thinking, believing in ourselves, knowing what is in our hearts. By tomorrow, with oodles of Virgo energy encouraging practical action - Mercury will be all the Leo we need.

xo

Let's use this last day of the Sun in Leo to love a little harder and shine a little brighter!

photo by the talented Jalmelbarra

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 21, 2019 - wanting what makes the most sense/cents, an afternoon shocker, optimistic thinking, good news, always that fly in the ointment

The Moon is in Taurus now - the sign of her exaltation.

We are nurtured through security and comfort for the next couple days. She will trine Mars (in let's get this thing organized Virgo) at 4:32AM EDT and hook up with a retrograde Uranus at 1:33PM EDT, so expect the unexpected this afternoon.

Venus, ruler of Taurus, moves into grounded and practical Virgo. While Mercury, ruler of Virgo trines Jupiter and inconjuncts Saturn.

Mercury's trine to Jupiter (newly direct and encouraging us toward new opportunities) encourages optimistic thinking. Probably we are thinking BIG. Good news could come in or just the right information. That inconjunct to a retrograde Saturn keeps us grounded in reality/our feet to the fire with something - maybe an old responsibility/commitment that needs to be wrapped up.

Venus into Virgo - she will meet Mars here later in the week - means Virgos and Virgo Risings get more attractive - both easier on the eye and it becomes easier for them to attract what they want/need. ALL of our natal Virgo houses get more attractive, too. Our natal Venuses become more practical. 

Venus isn't buying the flashy stuff she was into in Leo. Now she wants quality. Now she wants it to last and she wants it to make sense/cents.

Here's where we put the time into fixing what isn't working IF it's worth the effort. 

Over the next few weeks - she will be in Virgo until September 14th - we will be going over what we love/want/have with a more critical eye. What gets to stay and what has to go. Keep in mind that critical eye can become just plain critical - everyone's standards can get over the top. Perfectionism is one of Virgo's calling cards, so let's watch for it and not expect too much from other people, and from ourselves.

We will love (Venus) having things organized and efficient (Virgo) and having Mars, here, too, means we will take the actions needed to make this happen. Loving (Venus) and caring for our precious pets (Virgo) can play a bigger role in our lives now, too, as well as service to other people and our daily work. Venus in Virgo wants us to love the stuff we do everyday. What part of our daily routine needs an upgrade?

It's the little things now that count the most now. Focus on the details. One step in front of the other.

Make a list of what needs to be done and start crossing things off - sometimes I put things on the list I have already done, so I can start out with some things already crossed off. Virgo rules service, so helping others is helping ourselves - just don't take this too far either. Door mats are not needed in the Age of Aquarius (selfish jerks aren't needed either).

The Sun is at the end of Leo - this is where it was two years ago when we had that big Eclipse. Something is ending/evolving. Leo brings the drama, but the other energies will keep things more down-to-earth. Move toward what makes the most sense/cents (Venus in Virgo) and what feels good (Moon in Taurus) AND enjoy the end of summer (Leo season) - have some fun, too!

xo all

photo by the amazing ankazhuravleva

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 20, 2019 - if at first we don't succeed ....

Our Aries Moon squares powerful Pluto early this morning EDT

(anger, power plays, tension or frustration with authority, focused tunnel-vision type efforting)

then moves into her monthly Waxing Trine with the Sun - this month Aries/Leo - a few hours later. This one will be more to our liking - our actions/passions maybe involving a creative project/children/romance/recreation move along more smoothly.

It looks like those early struggles/focus pays off later in the day!

The Moon goes Void shortly after midnight EDT off a lovely trine to Venus and then moves into Venus-ruled Taurus (the sign of the Moon's exaltation) at 12:37AM EDT where we will find ourselves seeking nourishment through mother nature, our money and resources, the human touch that feels like love and connecting with what is around us for the next couple days.

The Moon is in "let's get moving" Aries. The Sun and Venus are about to pull up stakes and exit big-hearted and fun-loving Leo. Mercury is moving toward her inconjunct with Saturn and trine to Jupiter - lots of choices, but one giant sticking point, too. Venus is moving toward Mars (note they won't join forces in fiery and passionate Leo, but in more earthy and practical Virgo - that says alot).

Big picture - we are shedding the stuff that no longer serves us living a truly authentic life. Jupiter is in Sag testing our faith and Saturn is in Capricorn holding our feet to the fire. The karmic chickens are coming home to roost. Slightly smaller picture - we are heading into Virgo season, a time for "check ups" - our health, habits, work, service, pets, to-do lists. When Saturn moves forward next month, the stuff we are doing now - not cutting any corners, being responsible, taking care of what we missed - is going to pay off for us.

Today's motto - keep trying. Move this thing forward. And have some fun - Leo season (sniffle) is nearly over ....

xo all

photo by the amazing oprisco

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 19, 2019 - showy displays of connection, two hands are better than one, nourished by action, beginner's luck, that brick wall, seeing the way forward

The Moon moved into fiery Aries last night, so now we are emotionally nurtured through what we are starting, our actions, physical movement, our passion, our courage, our initiatives, through the company of men - for the next couple days.

She will trine Mercury at 11:41AM EDT (this is new understandings, a light on new information, be brave/say what is on your mind) and square Saturn - the brick wall - at 5:55PM EDT (frustration./tension between the old and the new, the rules and what we want to start, probably not a totally new situation) and finally just three minutes later she trines Jupiter (expansion/optimism gets us past the frustration, focus on something new, we are pushing through that resistance). We could be very persuasive. Have some beginner's luck.

We (or other people) could anger easily or get frustrated easily or give up easily with the Aries Moon squaring Saturn. Saturn wants his say and will have it. But Jupiter is direct and Saturn is still retrograde. There is something new here when we get past this block. The blue skies are up THERE.

Now the Moon is in her 3rd quarter (waning) so for best results we are finishing something up, releasing, letting go of things in preparation for next week's New Moon.

Venus (finishing up in Leo) is going to trine Pallas (finishing up in Libra) and then hook up with partnership-focused Juno. This is VERY GOOD relationship energy. In fiery Leo, she brings the fire/enthusiasm/passion to Pallas's balanced and diplomatic strategies - then meets Juno for a solid agreement. We can do more TOGETHER now. Alliances/contracts are made public.

For BIG PICTURE stuff - there is also a semi-square (building challenge) between Jupiter and Saturn, both strong in their home signs, but only one, Jupiter, is direct. This is the last aspect they will make before they meet in Capricorn at the end of 2020.

This is us, looking toward that bigger/bolder story (Jupiter), but Saturn is still holding our feet to the fire with this old commitment/old rules/maybe something we don't have that is limiting our future/maybe the thing that needs to end.

I see this as the necessary energy that keeps us from going too far-too fast, prevents us from jumping from the frying pan into the fire. From getting the opportunity and then blowing it because we don't know what we are doing or don't have enough resources to keep it going. We have to trust a greater power's divine timing with this situation. We need time to get our ducks in a row.

While Saturn is still retrograde (one more month) we have to do what needs to be done. Don't let dad get home and find the house trashed and the dog starving in the backyard. We have to keep things above-board - walking a straight line/playing by the rules. We have to live up to our commitments/responsibilities. We don't have to kill ourselves with this. Some commitments need to go. We have done enough. Which is which? Follow your heart. Find your way home.

What do we need for this bigger/bolder life? More money? How are we spending our money? More knowledge/credentials? How do you get that? Figure out what you need to do. Then get on with doing it. That is your job.

xo all

photo by the talented bittersweetvenom

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | week of August 19, 2019 - VIRGO!, coming back to Earth, get to work, get healthy, get organized, it doesn't have to be perfect but it does have to be done well, no corner cutting, one step at a time

SUNDAY - Mars into Virgo
WEDNESDAY - Venus into Virgo, Mercury trine Jupiter, Mercury inconjunct Saturn
FRIDAY -Sun into Virgo
SATURDAY - Venus conjunct Mars, both inconjunct Chiron

On SUNDAY, Mars exits fiery Leo for grounded and practical Virgo. Our movement forward is best done in a Virgo manner. This means practical, precise steps focused on what is right in front of us.

Mars in Virgo can be excellent for productivity (by the time of the Pisces Full Moon on September 14th we are not going to believe how much we have accomplished and THEN  we can rest!) and it can also run entirely off course with perfectionism.

The good things about Mars in Virgo is our ability to organize, to be productive, to focus on the details and what needs doing right now; the next step. Since Virgo is a service sign, the actions we take that help us will most naturally help other people. Mars in Virgo can really clean up the mess and improve the situation. The wheat is separated from the chaff - yes maybe rather ruthlessly, this is Mars we are talking about. But in the end we are left with the wheat or whatever it is we need to grow the wheat. Either way the superfluous sh*t is gone.

On the other hand if we let fiery Mars get out of control in pious Virgo territory we could have a bigger mess on our hands even though everything looks all clean and sparkly. Mars can get very pissed off here if everything doesn't meet his exacting standards of perfection. So let's not go there. We could find ourselves taking action toward some quite impossible something or other. If everything has to fall precisely into place for something to work out - well, Mars in Virgo is the man for the job - on the other hand he doesn't see the big picture - just the details right in front of him - and can toil rather tirelessly with not much to show

(of course this 'not much to show' thing isn't taking into account the muscles we are building and experience for next time, let's not discount it, sometimes without the things that don't work out we would never get to the things that do).

If we find ourselves, or someone else, demanding an impossible to meet goal or impossibly high standards of perfection we will know we have veered off course here. Mars has run amok.

Mostly Mars in Virgo is an excellent transit for reality based progress and with Virgo trining that Cappy pile-up - things should really move forward.

The stuff we have been sitting on and didn't know which way to go with will become clearer day by day as we move through the rest of this month and into mid-September.

On TUESDAY, Venus follows her man Mars into Virgo (they meet on Saturday, so we are really starting to move toward a time when what we want and what we do to get what we want are working together BIG time).

Our Virgo house get a visit from the lovely Venus. Virgo Suns and Ascendants get more attractive - both easier on the eye and able to attract what they want. Our natal Virgo houses get more attractive, too.

Venus rules our love, money, self-esteem, values, relationships, women, beauty, our resources, attracting what we want - all areas are subjected to Virgo's keen focus and attention to detail now.

We will be analyzing what we want and what we have. We will be analyzing our relationships. Venus in Virgo works.

The problems will stand out. We won't be able to miss them. And since what we focus on grows, sometimes things get worse before they get better during this transit. But this is excellent energy to fix what needs fixing and accept (or eliminate) what just isn't fixable. Venus in Virgo is about loving the details of something, enjoying the work, appreciating the craftsmanship and complexity of something or someone or some situation - Virgo can't miss those, and choosing not to dwell on them.

Relationships are challenging right now anyway. Mega. The male/female dynamics playing out and re-balancing themselves in the collective are playing out in our own homes/lives, too. This isn't a man/woman thing, it's impacting ALL our relationships.

Also on Tuesday, Mercury trines lucky Jupiter. This is good news. Optimistic conversations and expansive ideas and thinking. At the same time she/he is inconjuncting Saturn, so we need to stay realistic (Virgo will help) the rules/limits/responsibilities/or thing that is ending is STILL part of the conversation - and that's OK.

There is something better out there and we KNOW it.

On FRIDAY, the Sun moves into Virgo - now we have three of the four inner planets in Virgo. We are all burning Virgo fuel. Virgos and Virgo risings are on fire. Stuff is getting done. Virgo rules our daily activities, our work, our health, our pets - we are focused on our routine/on cleaning up the mess/on getting our lives organized. Any space in our life where we get to decide what stays and what goes is a good space to be working in now. Think closets and inboxes. And then use that trine to Jupiter  (remember Mercury RULES Virgo) and think EVEN BIGGER.

On SATURDAY, Venus meets Mars - what we want and what we have to do to get it are working together now. This is good news - a new Mars/Venus cycle in grounded "let's build this thing" Virgo - where stuff actually gets done! Here is where putting one foot in front of the other and doing the RIGHT thing will move us on a new path toward what we want!

Since they are both inconjunct (rock and hard place) to hurting/healing Chiron - maybe something isn't quite fixable/do-able exactly as we want it. Let's not get so focused on getting it perfect we never get it off the ground or finished.

This is an excellent week to get healthy. To get organized. To get alot done. Next week's stellium in Virgo during a New Moon is really going to help us take practical action and it's going to support and be supported by all the Capricorn stuff the next couple years is circling around.

Make a list. Take things one at a time. Don't get distracted by overwhelm or perfectionism. Just let one step follow another. Get up early. Get it done.

Mars, Venus and the Sun will all trine (brakes off) the Galactic Center (seat of creation/center of our Milky Way Galaxy) at the end of last week/beginning of this week as they exit Leo. These are "lightbulb" moments/breakthroughs (after all the wth are we going to do - we get it!) that put us on our path to our highest good/our natural spotlight/what our heart wants.

Before Saturn moves direct in the middle of September we want to have our ducks in a row! This week and especially after the New Moon next week are primo duck-lining-up times.

Back with the dailies where we look at the Moon and some big-picture stuff.

xo all

photo by the talented quadratiges

Today's Astrology Forecast | August 16, 2019 - shocking words, disruptive information, a silver lining, dissolving tension, just shrugging the whole thing off, talk to new people, read new information, write down your ideas for later

The Moon moved into Pisces at 11:49PM EDT last night making us especially imaginative, intuitive and sensitive for the next couple days. She sextiles change-maker Uranus at 1:11PM EDT (sounds wonderfully kismet, right?) - sextiles create opportunities that are more 'situation-oriented'. They don't push us into a corner to get our attention the way squares do - the coax us. The degree to which we are willing to participate with the energies will determine the extent of its benefit.

Sudden (Uranus) intuition (Pisces Moon). Comfort (Moon) with chaos (Uranus).

There are as many ways this energy can play out as people on our planet - think of it as your Pisces house (what's the theme?) receiving change from your Taurus house (what's the theme). In my chart this is a partner/partnership situation (7th house) creating change/disruption in my 5th house (creative projects, children, recreation). Moon transits are FAST though and today's other aspect is a bit more nerve-jangling.

We also have Mercury (still in loud and proud Leo) squaring (tension/frustration) that same change-making Uranus (in Taurus - our money, resources, values, self-esteem). Mercury is coming off that supportive trine to Chiron (healing/triggering language).

Mercury squares Uranus at 1:06PM EDT and then we have the lunar sextile to Uranus just five minutes later - so if this is impacting our chart, maybe we get the shocking/frustrating news/information and then see/feel the opportunity! Or maybe that "go with the flow" Pisces Moon just shrugs the whole thing off!

This is a wild card mental energy. Good for thinking outside the box, but our thinking could be all over the place, too. It might be challenging (that square) to know (Mercury) what we value (Uranus in Taurus). Uranus is retrograde, so this won't be a totally new situation. Surprising information could come in now. Something could even be made public (that Mercury in Leo).

Fresh information could suddenly pop things into place.

For some people Mercury aspects often bring up sibling situations, issues involving their local community or transportation/tech issues.

We (and other people) will want to be heard - Mercury in Leo, in this chaotic/disruptive interaction - and this will somehow clash with whatever is changing. Let's try not to make a crazy scene we will regret later, but it can be hard to tell where the crazy ends and the genius begins now, so this might be easier said than done.

Maybe a better day for contemplation (absorbing those genius/cray cray, future-leaning downloads) than a day for action which could quickly turn into re-action. 

The Moon should keep the square from becoming too much, but any square to Mercury amps up the potential for an argument.

Talk to different people. Expose yourself to new ideas. Write down your thoughts.

xo all

Note - times are unlikely to be exact as we feel things as energies are ramping up and unwinding sometimes more acutely - I would still use that 1:11PM EDT portal to clear our heads and see what comes in!

photo by the talented Pati Makowska

Full Moon in Aquarius | August 15, 2019 - focus on what matters, expect the unexpected, help from the ancestors, words that change things, releasing our death-grip on the old world so a new one can be born, pregnant with possibilities

On THURSDAY, August 15th at 8:29AM EDT - the Aquarius Moon will oppose the Leo Sun, giving us this year's Full Moon in Aquarius.

Aquarius is our rational, detached and objective air sign. The sign of equality and community - fixed and "knows-it-all" Aquarius does not like compromise, but Aquarius does love collaboration. Aquarius wants everybody to win. Following Capricorn this is the space where we have already reached the top of the mountain, so what's left to do, but lower a hand and pull someone else up.

Aquarius is the sign of genius, the sign of the revolutionary, the scientist (sometimes of the madder variety) and the exile.

Let's unpack the chart!

The Sun is exactly conjunct Venus (we talked about this yesterday when they were both at 21 degrees Leo), so we have both the Sun AND Venus opposing our Full Moon and we can see they are forming a fixed T-Square to Vesta in Taurus. Uranus (ruler of the lunation) is squaring Mercury - exact on Friday (surprising news, disruptive communication or tech/transportation disruptions) and trining Chiron. Sun/Venus are inconjunct a retrograde Pluto and the Moon is semi-sextile. Neptune is trining the North Node. The Moon is trining Pallas.

Full Moons brings things to light, to a conclusion or to a peak point of fullness. They are emotional times - even in detached Aquarius - just look at all that Leo energy! Full Moons are oppositions and focus us on our relationships with other people (our projections).

The Sun, strong in his home sign of Leo, conjunct Venus (and note all the other energies in Leo right now - whatever we have going on is going to be BIG!) and inconjunct a retrograde Pluto we talked about yesterday HERE. Venus is love, beauty, abundance, the power of attraction and hooking up with the Sun illuminates what we want (whether or not we get it) and material results and offers us a potent, creative fresh start.

The inconjunct requires us to adjust to a retrograde Pluto in Capricorn - the dying rules and limits and the way the world sees us that is evolving/being reborn. This inconjunct is the energy of what we have already achieved/our mastery/our power vs the space of our heart and what we are creating next (the Venus Star Point in Leo). Maybe it is our fear of losing control attempting to hijack our Venus/Sun beginning. Whatever it is, don't attempt to smother it. Inconjuncts require giving both energies their due.

Venus opposing the Moon is uncomfortable. And it's "the other person/those other people" at fault -  making us uncomfortable! :) This energy is about how comfortable and comforted we feel with feminine roles. Maybe it shows up as a "need" to be in love, be peaceful, have more money, be more attractive.

The Sun/Venus and Moon's T-Square to Vesta in Taurus speaks of tension/frustrations around what (maybe our resources) we hold sacred, are focused on, value, are devoted to. Probably something here we don't want to lose and are intensely determined to hold onto. Aquarian need for liberation always squares Taurus's need to stay put and keep things solid and stable (not working out so well for Taurus these days with Aquarius's ruler Uranus crashing and burning his way through their sign).

This Moon is trining Pallas - near the end of her journey through Libra. Speaking again of this Full Moon's focus on our relationships. Aquarius wants to go her own way, but Pallas here also speaks of strategies that incorporate cooperation and diplomacy.

Moon's ruler Uranus squares Mercury (exact on Friday) who also starts covering new ground in Leo TODAY. Another turning point. The conversation changes. New information comes in. Maybe whatever we have been going back and forth over is decided in a bold and sudden way. Mercury trines hurting/healing Chiron - we can say/hear just the right thing. Words can be disruptive, but healing, too.

I love that magical/mystical Neptune is trining the North Node (in Cancer). This is intuitive insight into our future/path forward. Again help from behind the scenes/from our ancestors, spirit guides and past lives. Meditate. Pray.

So, how would we wrap this all up?! Can anything ever be tightly rolled into one little thing anymore? I don't think so! We left black and white behind with the invention of the color TV.

Full Moons bring something to a conclusion or culmination (peak energy). The Moon opposes a stellium of planets in Leo including an exact conjunction of the Sun and Venus - which is a Venus Star Point kicking off a new Venus cycle. Both the Moon and Sun square Vesta which makes what we are focused on/what we think we want/need THE FOCAL POINT. Keep in mind this is a FIXED Full Moon answering to Uranus in a FIXED sign. Let's not spread ourselves too thin now. We will focus here (deal with what is right in front of us and what is most important) AND we'll stay open to surprising situations/solutions as life makes its unexpected gyrations in its determination to bring us something BETTER. With Mercury squaring Uranus and trining Chiron - we are thinking outside the box. Unexpected information/news could come in as well as triggering/healing words and conversations. We are releasing ourselves from lifetimes of obligations and rules and limits that have been keeping us safe (sort of) but have also been keeping us stuck. Life is tricky. Relationships, probably trickiest of all, as we struggle to maintain our balance through outdated paradigms that are out of balance.

Stay focused on what matters most - don't dilute your energy with a scattered focus. Stay open to other possibilities. Release what isn't really yours ...

Keep in mind when Saturn (co-ruler of Aquarius) stations direct in the middle of September - and he will start to slow down even earlier and gather his strength - DADDY'S HOME. Between now and then we want to be sure we are going in the right direction because things will get more FIXED after that. Releasing fears, commitments that have outgrown their usefulness, limiting rules that don't even make any sense anymore, our list of "shoulds" and "have to's" - now is the time. What we are moving forward with come mid-September we are going to be stuck with for awhile.

With Uranus and Saturn co-ruling this Full Moon from their retrograde positions we might find someone/something/some situation from our past resurfacing -

this could also be a familiar ego or archetype energy in the form of a new or unexpected person or situation, with a resonance to something from the past. 

This would be something we need to release or reclaim that has to do with the Aquarius Full Moon's collective themes of self-expression, freedom and individuality. 

This could relate to change we are resisting or some responsibility we are resisting.

Focus on what matters most. A light is shining on what we love/want. Give everything and everyone a little extra air. Expect this Full Moon to deliver something a little or a lot unexpected. Change is here. Lighten your load. Loosen your grip.

Nothing is set in stone just yet. We are pregnant with possibilities!

xo all

This is a good time for a symbolic release. I always give things away to Goodwill during the Full Moon, signaling to myself (and my painfully fixed nature) that I will always have as much as I need and creating space for something new to come into my life. Don't forget to get outside and walk in it, too!

Venus Star Point | Venus meets the Sun - fresh starts with love and money, knowing what we really value, seeing how our self-esteem is connected to our hearts and wallets, letting go of that dead thing and following our inner spark, vision boards and starting a manifesting practice

On Thursday, August 14th, Venus

(love, money, our resources, our values, women, beauty and self esteem, also the themes of the houses ruled by Libra and Taurus in your natal chart)

meets the Sun at 21 degrees Leo. 

Venus meets the Sun every nine and a half months in a beautiful pattern/rhythm that, over the course of eight years, forms a nearly perfect five pointed star in the heavens.

She always meets the Sun in the same five signs - Aries, Gemini, Leo, Scorpio and Capricorn (notice none of these are the signs she rules or is exalted or is even very comfortable!). She last met the Sun in Scorpio back in October during Venus's stormy retrograde. She will next meet the Sun when she retrogrades in Gemini in May 2020. Because she won't meet the Sun in Leo again (while direct) for eight years - this week's energy both concludes AND kicks off a new eight year cycle.

HERE and HERE are a couple posts from the time of her previous star point - back in October. In Scorpio something was transformed - maybe something we used to greatly value. Maybe we could see the ways we had given our power away or didn't honor our own hearts. Maybe we were too focused on what wasn't really ours. Scorpian transformation comes through loss and is permanent.

Now, that story from October (but also from 8 years ago) is reaching a culmination/conclusion point. With Venus, something truly beautiful and loving can be revealed now. At the same time we are able to start a new, fresh chapter - we should see some physical manifestations of what we start now when Venus gets into Aquarius at the end of the year (during the eclipses!) and beginning of 2020.

Coming just one day before our Aquarius Full Moon - Aquarius ruled by Uranus and Uranus in Taurus answering to Venus - adds to the oomph and the mega-creative potential!

Today's energy is excellent for stating what we want. Make a vision board. Tell someone you love them - hopefully a whole lot of someones. Socialize. Connect with other people. Put your focus on what you want to grow over the coming eight years. Start something new. Get this energy into its DNA. Try something new and heart-felt. Spend time with children or on a creative project.

There is also an inconjunct (rock and a hard place) with a retrograde Pluto

(that death that has been postponed/public space or mastery we hold in the world that is evolving/mess that needs to be cleaned up),

so there could be some kind of compulsion or jealousy or manipulation energy activated. Maybe time to go high when they go low?

Moving through Capricorn, Pluto here represents the dying rules and limits and the way the world sees us that is evolving. This is the space where we have already achieved mastery/power vs the space of our heart and what we are creating next (the Venus Star Point in Leo).  

An inconjunct requires we somehow work both sides.
  
By the end of August ALL the personal planets will be in Virgo (in positive alignment with change-maker Uranus) - the path forward will be much clearer and we will be making practical plans and taking decisive action.

For today - make a vision board. Focus on what you want.

Give your muses something to work with.

Fresh avenues are opening for our innate talents to announce themselves and to growth and thrive.

xo all

NOTE (from a previous post about money since Venus rules our personal finances, values and resources) - I have seen many, many makers' charts and often artists and healers come into this lifetime with a disconnect from money - from lives where they didn't need to deal with that energy and so have never learned to - lives where they were taken care of or unhealthy or lived in communal situations or have taken vows of poverty in previous lives - note - if this sounds like something you might resonate with it can never hurt to ask your higher self to seek release from this vow - a friend told me it felt like a rock rolled off her back after meditating on release.

When we raise our vibration; everything raises with us (the only one of us here thing). The tide isn't carrying us, we are the tide.

an old one of mine - got the camper, not the pony

We develop a manifesting practice - and yes, it is called a practice because it is something we need to practice!

1. We practice compassion

(non-judgment with others and ourselves, holding a safe space, creating home)

2. We don't have to know what we want (thinking we have to know this is what gets so many of us stuck) - we just have to know how we want to feel. We focus on the things we already have that make us feel this way. We set our intention - verbally, through the written word and visually.

Vision Board TIP - I used to be very big on vision boards and have had a lot of success with them - I always start my vision board with pictures of what I already have in my life - things I am grateful for and am already in vibration with, so for example if I wanted more recognition I would start the board with images of ways I have been recognized - cards from my daughter, thank you notes, awards, articles, blah-blah - I would get myself into the vibration of that and then add images of this in bigger ways to my board.

3. We sit with the idea that we don't have to make things happen (that what we seek IS seeking us) , we just have to release the stuff we carry that is standing in the way of what we want/need - see how that feels.

(this isn't about laziness or inaction - this is about getting to a place of compassion and alignment with the vibration we want and using the law of attraction to bring to us what we need; what we are here to manifest, what is truly ours).

4. We release our attachment to the outcome.
5. We meditate to still our monkey mind and connect with our inner wisdom
6. We take action on the things that come into our life.


photo by the talented hip-possible