Mercury backs into Leo and approaches Mars | RED ALERT for the next few days ... part l

haaam by TheNightSheDied

Now, a red alert isn't necessarily a bad thing. Think about those red light specials the department stores used to have when people actually shopped there. They were designed to get us to look over here. There is something over here we need to be paying attention to. Red lights (and alerts) are attention grabbers.

Whenever an event/situation/person is grabbing our attention we will react or respond. Now, many of us, have been training ourselves to respond to situations rather than react to them. To slow down, take a breath, think about what the most intelligent, compassionate response would be and most of the time this is exactly what we should do.

Sometimes we just need to react though. If we find ourselves in one of those situations hopefully we can turn the wheel into the slide and not screw things up even more by turning away. But we just don't know until we are in it what we are going to do.

And I once, with my car sliding on ice, instinctively turned my wheel away from the slide - exactly what they say not to do. I spun in a few complete circles and came to rest, without a scratch, precisely between two metal guideposts.

(Of course, this was years ago and just yesterday I was pushing Sully on the swing and Olive walked right in front of Sully's legs and almost got clobbered. My reaction was very slow, sloth-like actually and I pride myself on my good reflexes. I need more sleep. And to stop watching sloths on the internet. I'm serious.)

Anyway, this post is your red alert. Let's look at the astrology.

Today we have a retrograde Mercury backing from Virgo into Leo.

His journey through Virgo had us picking over the details of something; making revisions, dealing with criticism, determining if this thing is even possible.

Now we are back into the Sun's territory (Sun rules Leo). This could have us re-thinking what our heart (Leo) wants. Does something we thought we wanted still making us happy? Do we still want to do this? This could be about a creative project, romance, child, something recreational or involve the theme of our Leo natal house. With the retrograde tied so tightly into the Eclipse all of this has a much bigger importance than we can see from our current vantage point.

Saturn (in Sagittarius) is squaring Vesta and inconjunct Ceres. This could be about home/family issues or legal/educational/foreign issues - there is something happening here where we are being forced to take on greater responsibility, exercise more patience, shoulder a greater burden, etc. The inconjunct tells me there may be no way out of it. Devotion, service, nurturing and security will feature in our smoothest path forward.

In a few months Saturn will come home to Capricorn. It will be best to find a way to take on any increased responsibility with a welcoming heart because following our heart is what is moving all of us forward. Know that things falling apart now are setting us up to be in the right place at the right time later - and by this I am talking about the space we are most needed.

I am not advising we take on more than we have to take on. We are not victims or martyrs here. We are not here to carry other people's burdens. That said, there might be a responsibility here that cannot be shrugged off. And we can't see the whole picture. No point kicking and tossing a tantrum when we can just get on with it. 

Hurricane Harvey isn't just happening in Houston. And this isn't to minimize what is happening in Houston! In some way the energy represented by this Hurricane (forced loss, forced responsibility, dealing with something we don't want to deal with, under water, accepting nature, accepting authority, being homeless, loss of security, loss of solid ground beneath our feet, being all wet, etc) which is the physical manifestation of the Eclipse - the largest storm in the United States in 60 years in our 4th largest city, the ramifications of which can't be remotely seen yet - is playing out in everyone's lives. Our energy is all over the place right now.

OK, back to the RED ALERT. 

As we come into the weekend we have Mercury beginning to conjunct Mars (exact on Sunday) AND Mars hitting the Eclipse degree of 28 Leo. And this is all (once again) trining (brakes off) a rebellious, reactionary, "anything-can-happen" Uranus. And then on Tuesday Mercury will station direct at that same 28 degrees! You can't make this up. WTH, people.

We've seen all kinds of previous madness during recent Mercury retrogrades and now we have Mars - anger, initiative, passion, war - thrown into the mix at the exact degree the Solar Eclipse previously set up as an activation point.

We'll talk more about ways this can all play out tomorrow, but as we approach this energy - it will be important to keep a cool head since Mercury rules our thinking and Mars is a hot-head.

Know that angry (Mars) words (Mercury) or unexpected (Uranus) information (Mercury) that makes us mad (Mars) or requires action (Mars) will have consequences far beyond whatever situation we are dealing with because Eclipse energy is in the mix, too!

We'll talk about all of this tomorrow, but in case your personal RED ALERT allows you to respond and not react (please drive safely starting right now) - it will be good to be prepared, so you can choose the most intelligent and compassionate response. The words we use can wound other people mightily now, too - they can hit someone like a hurricane. Keep that in mind. 

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of August 27th - the eclipse PUSHES back, renewed energy for something from the past, hard work pays off

colourful and fragile like a peacock feather by wanderer in wonderland

As the Solar Eclipse in Leo energy continues to play out - this week and next are again times when direction changing events/information can seem to come out of nowhere.

This week it is all about Mars. He is hitting the North Node and then meeting up with unpredictable Uranus - our physical body, initiative, passion, action, courage, maybe anger, a fight, an argument, a push. Then next week it is all about Mercury. He is meeting up with Mars and stationing direct at the eclipse degree - our mind, communications, ideas, information, conversations, decisions.

After September 5th - the decision is made, the writing is on the wall. Something has been re-invented or put to bed.

On SUNDAY, Mars meets up with the North Node of our collective way forward. This is part of our eclipse story. Something, and this is Mars so we could be talking about an - action, initiative, anger, passion, courage, push, fight, argument, contest - forces our step in the right direction. 

Jupiter (luck, expansion) sextiles (opportunity) Saturn (time, responsibility, work, authority). Yes, the harder we work, the luckier we get.

Earlier work can pay off now with a LUCKY break. Work started now can pay off later. Hard work makes us lucky. Patience pays off. Long lasting and positive results can come from opportunities and responsibilities taken on now. This energy is exact now but will be in play for a while.

With Saturn in Sagittarius and answering to Jupiter - this is a double dose of Sagittarius positivity to resolve all that we need to resolve before Saturn moves into Capricorn at the end of December. With Jupiter in Libra - lucky breaks can also come through women and partnerships. Remember the rewards are Saturnian coming through hard work and over time BUT they are long-lasting.

On MONDAY, the Moon is void until 3:48PM EDT. It's not a good time to start anything new or launch something that you want something to come of. Feel free to sleep in. Stick to routine matters. The Moon is in Scorpio which is good energy for solitary research and problem solving. Shortly after the Moon moves into Sagittarius in the late afternoon she will square Mercury (retrograde in Virgo) - stress and tension come from needing to make the big picture and the fine details work together.

This is also a good time to put our foot in our mouth.

Hopefully the Moon's move late Monday from water into fire will aid the first eclipse victims in the Texas floodwaters.

On TUESDAY, the Moon is in Sagittarius. We are thinking BIG.

We have the first quarter Moon of the month with the Moon (in Sagittarius) squaring the Sun (in Virgo). This is similar to last night's energy - tension around the big picture and the fine details working together.

Maybe we need to finish one thing (be satisfied with it) before starting something else?

The Sun is in Virgo so planning, taking care of the details, using our resources wisely is the best use of our energy now.

By late afternoon that big thinking Sagittarius Moon will be squaring dreamy Neptune (strong in Pisces), so knowing where we start and another person/situation's energy leaves off will be tricky. People will be emotional and easily deceived. It will be hard to know what is real and what is fake. The rose colored glasses are on. Watch for the activation of addictive behaviors. The Sun is in earthy Virgo - stay grounded, do the Virgo practical thing.

On WEDNESDAY, the Moon's contacts with Saturn and Jupiter have us all over the place. We could go from down to up in a New York minute. Then the Moon (still in Sagittarius) moves on to trine first Mars and then Uranus (Grand Fire Trine). Ambitious, inspirational - good socializing/fire starting energy as long as we let go of any preconceived notions about how this night is going to end up! This could bring us Luck with a capital L especially when it comes to being in the right place at the right time. Be out and about. Take action.

On THURSDAY, the Moon enters Capricorn. We slow down. We get serious. We get to work. We could be dealing with serious people/authority, serious situations or just knuckling down. Our survival instinct kicks in.

Mercury (moving backward now) travels from Virgo back into Leo. He'll be covering our old Leo ground through September 5th and be back in Virgo on September 11th. This is a do-over with our universal Leo themes - creative projects, romance, children, fun, recreation - or our personal Leo house theme. Where is late Leo in your natal chart? Yes, this is eclipse stuff.

Note the dates. Also add to your calendar a heads up for September 2nd and 3rd. This is all related to last week's Solar Eclipse. The new is emerging now AND it's emerging through the old.

On FRIDAY, the Moon (in Capricorn) conjuncts Pluto. This is good energy for our goals and ambitions. Rewards for hard work. We could be dealing with authority figures and stepping into our responsibility. Stuff that has been hidden could surface now to be dealt with.

On SATURDAY, Mars is trining (brakes off) Uranus. Try something new and take some new action. This energy will give us a strong need for independence. New opportunities come through taking new risks. Great energy to get new projects off the ground. This could bring something unexpected into our eclipse story and a renewed energy/passion for SOMETHING FROM THE PAST.

Remember I write about dates when aspects are exact. The aspects (not so much the Moon which just moves too fast) can often be experienced days before or after. Keep this in mind. Also the eclipse stuff is still playing out and eclipse events often hit one week or month before or after the dates here and then unwind over several months.

xo all

Trump's chart is hit rather bigly at the end of this week and into the weekend (exact on Saturday), part of his Mars eclipse story, so we will see what happens then - could also be the stuff that hit the end of this past week.

Saturn Stations Direct | forward motion toward our long term goals

time out by evivalarte

After five months retrograde, Saturn - the planet of time, goals, commitment, responsibility - stations to move direct. Check 21 degrees Sagittarius in your natal chart to see the house (area of life) where he has been re-tracing his steps. 

It could have felt, during this time, that we were getting further away from our goals or where we want to be in this area of our life. Maybe obligations weighed heavily. Walls and limitations had to be faced. Corners we had previously cut were noted to be missing. The bills came due. Maybe we were re-evaluating, re-assessing, re-affirming our responsibilities and commitments. Maybe we learned to say, "no". Maybe we learned to say "yes" to something we had been avoiding. 

Saturn always gives rewards, but they are Saturnian rewards - coming after we've put in the time and hard work to build something that lasts.

Our long range goals that have been stuck can start to move forward now.  

We have until right around the time of the winter solstice to finalize plans for our Sagittarian house before Saturn moves home to Capricorn. Sagittarius rules our big picture beliefs, what is foreign to us, foreign travel, higher education, religion, politics, the media, the Sagittarius house of our natal chart and the house that houses the planet Jupiter. Wrap that stuff up somehow - figure out what you want and set up a game plan. Get something done. Stabilize this stuff.

If you have planets or points very late into Sagittarius - 28-29 degrees, Saturn will hit them the first week of December. He will go about stabilizing whatever is happening there, but it might feel better if we do it ourselves first. He is heading straight home to Capricorn now and we don't really want to be standing in the way of that (says the person with the 28 degree Venus in Sagittarius in her 2nd house).

Consider this a clean slate. Mercury is still retrograde but this is a great time for planning and making small, stabilizing moves. In some ways we are right back where we were five months ago with our goals and commitments, except we are older and wiser now. 

If we have used this time wisely we should be clearer now. Maybe we've let go of a few things, maybe some things have been firmed up. Saturn doesn't rush, because Saturnian things (the things that last) are built over time. We don't have to rush either.

A heads up that after September 5th or 6th we will have two additional planets moving forward - Mercury and Pluto (plus of course Saturn as of today). This is as good as it is going to get this year for "full steam ahead" energy, wind at our back. We could probably postpone a week or so after these dates for things to calm down, but that will be it. We will need every minute of everyday to get where we need to be by the end of December - remember the solstice - winter is coming.

Use that Virgo Sun to do the cleaning, planning and legwork now - cross your t's and dot your i's - you don't have to know exactly what you are doing. Just clean up the mess. It will all pay off later.

xo all

Eclipse Hangover and Venus Square Uranus | pattern disruption, course correcting

mirror by kasiowata11

Monday's eclipse was a potent pattern interrupter.

It brings something to light or eclipses something out of our way. It closes off one path, one way forward, so we are nudged, pushed, dragged or drop kicked (boot meet ass) onto another path.

With so much retrograde energy there is alot of looking backward here (in the United States we are working through our collective energetic baggage regarding the Civil War and Nazism) as old cycles need to be finished up. We don't want to/need to be carrying this sh*t anymore. This energy will play out over the next six months.

The North Node in Leo assures me that we need to focus on the future and what we are creating rather than on the past and what we have lost. 

I had my own Oprah 'aha moment' the morning after the eclipse. I'd stilled my mind in meditation, drawn myself, once again, into the present moment when it hit me that since I believed my past thoughts had set into motion my present reality, my consistent focus on the present moment (pretty much a staple of New Age thinking, not that I consider myself New Agey, but it does impact me), which is great for focus and clarity was at least partly (and maybe significantly) responsible for my endless loop of creating the same things over and over again. New characters, same story line. New actions, same results.

So because what is, is a reflection of what was - focusing on what is has us focusing on the past, so we keep recreating our future as the past. Am I making sense?

I need to do ALOT more thinking/feeling about what I want and the future I want to create - with an emphasis on the feeling that is symbolized by the thing I want. I always think I do this, but I don't do it anywhere near as often as I am focusing on the present moment

which is really the past in disguise! That tricky bastard.

Our lives are never stagnant for long, our lives are always changing - how much of this change we are consciously participating in is up to us. I am pretty certain our unconsciousness will have its way with us IF we do not have a certain level of commitment to ourselves and are not in a vibratory state where we can handle the responsibility of captaining our own ship.

Are we unconsciously generating a life that mostly consists of everything we have gathered along the way that is not even ours?

Anyway, this is just something to think about, how too much emphasis on 'being in the moment' or not enough emphasis on 'creating the future' could unconsciously set us up for a loop. I don't think we need to do less meditation, mindful walking, etc - I know this stuff is helpful. But I do think we need a daily practice of thoughtful creation (thinking about and feeling what we want that at least equals, probably in both time and intensity, the present moment practice).

***

I've been feeling hungover since the eclipse. I wrote the Sun into Virgo, clean the closet post, but keep opening my closet, inbox, etc and closing them again. Everything seems like quite a mess. Like I am being asked to clean up after Katrina.

I've heard some people found the eclipse to be energizing. I've felt mostly drained with a few sporadic moments of motivation. Now that the Moon has gotten away from the Sun (Moon into Libra today after traveling through Leo, the Eclipse and Virgo being blasted by solar energy - enough already Sun leave the poor Moon alone!) it could be the cosmic coffee that wakes me up - I am hoping!

Today could be tricky. We have Venus (in Cancer) squaring Uranus (in Aries) and trining Chiron (in Pisces). This is break-up, break-through, break something energy. And, yes, if we break something, the glass will be sharp.

Venus rules partnership, money, love, our self-esteem and our values. In Cancer, she is sensitive, moody and family/home oriented. She is squaring off with rebel/awakener Uranus in independent Aries. The trine to wounded healer Chiron means if something hurts here - the hurt is very old and very deep. And we'll know how old and how deep by how much aspirin or red wine we have consumed by the end of the night.

This square could make relationship and/or financial issues unpredictable. Maybe a change we should have made a long time ago now closes in on us. Maybe we make some kind of impulsive move or break toward freedom that just leaves us more unstable. There could be an unpleasant surprise here. It could feel like our safety/security is threatened. Slow down. Take a deep breath. We can love ourselves through this thing.

If we are the one feeling restless it doesn't mean we need to take drastic action - this close to the eclipses and with both Mars and Mercury set to hit the eclipse degrees within the next two weeks - maybe small moves would be best. Mercury is retrograde, along with four other planets including Saturn set to station direct TOMORROW. Let's not make any moves that set our course in cement, if we were a GPS we would still be course correcting.

xo all

Sun into Virgo | clean the closet

Still holding myself by little-moonshine

The astrology wheel is the hero's journey of self discovery. When the sun moves into Virgo today, it is the hero's (our) first encounter with service.

We are learning when to help and when helping isn't really helping. Virgo is the modest healer with the critical eye that takes care of the details. Meaningful work and competence are key now.

Virgo knows we are not here to do the work we love - we are here to love the work we do. There is a difference. This is the difference that changes the world. This is the difference that changes us.

Every sign has something to learn from the sign that follows it.

Leo learns from Virgo (and we all have Leo and Virgo in our charts somewhere - its placement will affect how this activates in your own journey) - to do the work. Virgo teaches Leo to let go of the need for the spotlight and recognition and to just focus on the work.

The king gets humbled (and we might, too, now!).

It is no coincidence that Virgo comes in autumn; the time of the harvest - the time we separate the wheat from the chaff.

The Sun in Virgo needs to do good work. In order to do this, we need to figure out what isn't working. We need to be able to see the flaws and problems.

When Mercury meets up with the Sun at the end of the week (and kicks off a new Mercury cycle) an idea, conversation, information, news, detail will come to our attention that tells us what we need to know to move forward (even though we are still looking backward). With the Sun's big old light we won't have to worry about missing it. It won't be a subtle thing. It will be obvious. It could be - the fly in our ointment, the flaw in our plans, the new idea, the crucial detail - that tells us what we need to know now.

Coming so close to Venus's move into heart centered Leo at the end of week (and with Venus now answering to Leo's ruler the Sun) we could use whatever comes to light now to determine if what we want (Venus) is at all practical or even actually possible now or it could provide us with the info we need to get it/make it happen.

Virgo's shadow is perfection. Perfection is a ferocious teacher and many people with strong Virgo have the battle scars to prove it. There must be self acceptance here  If a Virgo is unhappy with what she sees in the mirror, she will be unhappy with what she sees everywhere else.

Self-esteem is the key to avoiding self-destruction. Despite Virgo's need for careful planning (a well planned job is half done is certainly one of her mantras) she must learn to live in the moment and to live there with compassion (for herself and everyone else).

This is everyone's lesson now. We are all burning Virgo fuel for the next 30 days. Until September 5th, Mercury, the ruler of Virgo, is retrograde. We are looking backward. We are revising, redoing, renovating, rethinking, etc.

If major decisions or major moves can be put off until after this date, since we won't have all the facts and all our ducks beginning to line up until then - put it off. If it can't be put off, then make the decision, etc knowing things will work out a little differently than you think they will and there are still some tweaks and details that will need to be adjusted.

It's a good time to focus on our health - eat better, move our bodies more - Virgo rules the 6th house of health and work and there are reasons these two things go together

So let's get to work (can't you feel that "back-to-school, sharpen your pencils" energy even if no one in your life is heading back to school?). Let's get organized. Let's make our bed and sweep the floor. 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.

Evaluate what is and what isn't working - what is worth doing/trying and what isn't. The North Node is still in fiery Leo, but Virgo energy is practical. It is time to deal with all the little background noise that makes it impossible to hear what our heart is saying to us.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of August 21st - confronting our shadow, here comes the light, Virgo season begins, daddy's home

My playful friends by msRainie

This is a big week. I know I say, "this is a big week" alot, so maybe I should say THIS IS A BIG WEEK. And when I shout, remember I am from New Jersey - my hands fly out, Olive runs under the bed and the glasses in my neighbor's cupboard hit the floor.

On MONDAY, we have the Solar Eclipse New Moon in Leo - the Sun and Moon meet up at 28 degrees Leo at 2:45PM EDT. I wrote about this HERE and HERE - keep in mind this is something none of us have ever experienced before and it will impact us over the next few months, so let's go into this with a light and open heart and a gentle prayer for peace. Choose your mood now. Don't be afraid to look into the dark, but stay focused on the moment the light comes back on.

The Leo house in your natal chart is ripe for a fresh start. This could come through a powerful ending or result being delivered. Ceres (in Cancer) opposing Pluto (in Capricorn) at this crucial moment in time could signal a permanent change in a power dynamic within a family, home or nurturing/protective/mothering situation. The Moon goes void from 2:30PM EDT to 4:30PM EDT.

*My personal belief is that the Great American Eclipse is opening the portal that will push the United States to the end of the American empire and ultimately toward the creation of something more inclusive and more equal and more creative than "empire"; something actually managed by the people for the people instead of by and for corporations. And something where "created equal" are more than words on a piece of paper. This is big energy as we move toward the date in January 2020 when Pluto and Saturn meet up in Capricorn and since that is the month we will inaugurate our next President, maybe instead of a new President we figure out a whole new system of government that doesn't divide us into two bickering groups who, at the end of the day, really want the same things anyway. Maybe instead of the patriarchal system of winners and losers, we figure out how to work together in a space where everyone wins. Truly. We can't see how to get there yet, because we don't know what we don't know. But we will.*

On TUESDAY, the Sun moves into Virgo. Since Virgo's ruler Mercury is retrograde there is still something we are reviewing or re-doing here. Over the next 30 days with the Sun in Virgo we are focused on the work that is right in front of us, planning, dotting our i's and crossing our t's, providing service to other people, quality over quantity and Virgo ruled themes - work, health, our pets, paperwork, organization, co-workers and employees.

On WEDNESDAY, Saturn (in Sagittarius) is squaring the Moon (in Virgo) so there could be some tension with any of those Virgo themes I wrote about yesterday or Saturn ruled goals, career, authority, responsibility, time issues or a Sagittarian themed issue - legal, political, travel, foreign, educational, wedding, religious, media, publishing, etc. Then the Moon moves into a sextile (opportunity) with Venus - situations with women, money, self-esteem, things we value - will be looking up.

On THURSDAY, Venus squares Uranus so there could be something unexpected or sudden or liberating happen with a woman or a financial issue or since Venus is still in Cancer with a home situation, real estate, family, parent, mother, renovation, etc. People will be wanting to stand out and be unique in some way. Maybe something we started around June 3rd (when these planets met up) hits some kind of test or tension now. In the long term, stuff started then, especially new relationships, are not meant to last - they are that rebound guy who gets us from A to B but is gone by the time we get to C. Stress can come to older and more seasoned relationships through us wanting change (maybe just for the sake of change) or maybe an unexpected argument happens around expectations about freedom within the relationship. It something is really stagnant and draining our energy this transit can help us break free from the situation. The Moon goes Void at 4:00PM EDT.

On Friday, the Moon in Libra is making nice all over the place providing a good day for partnerships and business - for fairness and justice.

The biggest news, Saturn stations direct after more than four months retrograde. Even with Mercury and three other planets still retrograde, things will slowly but surely start to move forward now.

Saturn has been retrograde at the Galactic Center (28 degrees Sagittarius, the black hole at the center of the Milky Way) since April 6th. This has had us going back over rules, structure, security issues,  and obligations. Since Saturn moved into Sagittarius in 2015 (through the end of 2017) our beliefs and commitment to our dreams have been tested.

If we no longer fit in the space we are occupying or are holding on where our heart is no longer invested or if we are truly needed elsewhere - situations have arisen over the last few months to make this clear to us.

Coming on the heels of our bold New Moon Solar Eclipse means changes now will be long lasting. What is going on in our lives over the last and next few days will tell us alot about what this Saturn retrograde period has been about for us, where we need to make our final tweaks and the areas we need to be more Saturnian.

Dad's home. Have we been goofing off? Staying out late? Run up the electric bill? Worn out his favorite chair or left his tools out in the rain to rust?

Karmic books are being balanced. Remember, karma isn't about punishment - we are just being served what we ordered. Most of us do alot of this "ordering" unconsciously. But we can choose to do things differently today. Right now.

Please make any course corrections BEFORE December 21st-22nd when the Sun and then Saturn shift into Capricorn. After this date there will be increased responsibilities, deadlines, walls, boundaries, structure, patience needed, authority to deal with, tradition (winter is coming!) - so let's get our sh*t together NOW. Be where you want to be. Be who you want to be. Because things are going to get poured into concrete.

And please no shortcuts - they will just come back to bite us later.

Remember when any planet meets the Sun a new cycle begins. So in late December we will have Saturn starting a new solar cycle and a new Capricorn cycle - the sign he rules!! - at the same time!

(we will have a Fire Trine then with Uranus so one final chance to free ourselves from something limiting before the snow starts to fall)

You want your act as together as your act can be by this date. If you need to make a major change make it before this date. 

THE WINTER SOLSTICE IS YOUR FIRM DEADLINE.

The way we go into this period of time will impact our Capricorn house theme and the stuff Capricorn rules - goals, career, all the Saturnian responsibility, security and time issues thru March 2020 AND will very much set up the results we get. Saturn in Capricorn can produce some very incredible results. It pretty much guarantees success, folks, oh yes, it does.

But the success will be Saturn's success - earned through hard work. If we are not "doing our Saturn" ie stepping into our responsibility, walking our talk, doing the work, being dependable, being honest - we will be screwed.

Someone else - some situation or authority figure outside of us - will step in and be the boss of us. Do we want to be the boss of us or do we want a boss? Some people need a boss. If you need a boss you are going to love Saturn in Capricorn because you will find one. If you are ready to be your own boss you are going to love Saturn in Capricorn. If you are not ready to be your own boss and you do not want anyone else to be the boss of you either - you are screwed.

Please take this seriously. Claim it. I was born with Saturn one degree from my Sun - in the same way Trump is unpredictable Uranus, I am responsible Saturn. I am your Saturn telling you to get your sh*t together. :)

(except Saturn wouldn't smile at you and I will - hell, I'll even wink ;)

On SATURDAY, Venus moves into Leo (I will do a post) making Leo Suns and ascendants more attractive (both easier on the eye and able to attract what they want/need). All our Leo houses become more attractive, too.

The Sun and Mercury will meet up in Virgo. This is called an inferior conjunction and kicks off a new cycle with our Mercury story. An answer, information or conversation could bring something to light now. Maybe it's a fact or visible weakness that will allow us to proceed with the remaining Mercury retrograde period  (through September 5th) - reworking, revising, etc - with better information. Coming so close to Venus's move into heart centered Leo (and with Venus now answering to Leo's ruler the Sun) we might be able to use whatever comes to light now to determine if what we want is even actually possible or it could provide us with the info we need to get it/make it happen.

xo all

New Moon Solar Eclipse in Leo | August 21st - the heart of a lion, creating our brave new future, part II

89-LIon by Lucky978

See Part I focused on the U.S. situation HERE

Monday's Solar Eclipse in Leo is a super-charged New Moon! Hooked up with the North Node of our collective way forward, conjunct the powerful degree of the royal star and king-maker Regulus and it's the second New Moon in Leo this year and it is trining (brakes off) "anything can happen" Uranus (ruler of the South Node of Aquarius) -

this is a potent fresh start

focused on the theme of our Leo natal house (what house holds 28 degrees Leo in your natal and progressed charts - what are those house themes?) and Leo ruled creativity, children, romance, fun, games, our heart's desire, generosity, pride, confidence, courage and love.

August 6th's Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius may have eclipsed something out or brought something hidden into the light. We talked about this eclipse HERE and HERE - this stuff is factoring into the next eclipse, but now we are focusing on moving forward.

Big energy moving through the collective fields means there is big energy moving through us!

This is the time we release our detachment (Aquarius) and we move into our heart (Leo). This is the time we take the thing that has alienated and set us apart (Aquarius) and bring it front and center onto the stage (Leo). It will be the thing we are proud of. It will be the thing that makes our heart happy. It will be the thing that when we think about moving toward it - we feel a little lighter, life feels a little easier. It won't be the big complicated thing we get a headache just thinking about actually doing.

This is the time we step away from the crowd and back into ourselves. We put the oxygen mask on our own face first. We stop revolting against what we don't want and start creating what we do want. We put away the phone and go play with the kids. We turn off the internet and use our computer to write that book we have been wanting to write. We turn our attention away from the masses - our pseudo family who agree with us - and toward the people we love who are right in front of us - who probably do NOT always agree with us. We are connected to the people we are physically connected to for a reason!

We have gotten ourselves into quite a bit of trouble by only looking at the stuff we agree with and talking to and interacting with people we agree with. We have lost sight of the fact we can get along with all kinds of people we don't agree with and the fact that lots of people out there do not agree with us and probably never will - and that's OK.

The trine (brakes off) to unpredictable Uranus (in fiery, independent and action oriented Aries) is a good indicator that we don't have to figure out how to get where we want to be. The universe can use whatever action we take to get us on the path toward our heart's desire. The Leo space in our natal chart shows what we are here to give and the world is hungry for it!

Things fall into place when we get clear on how we want to feel (happy, joyous, lighter) and do more things that make us feel like that. Do fun stuff and the universe will respond by offering us more fun stuff to do.

Things fall into place when we do the things we are already doing - 5 planets are retrograde folks - with more joy and an open heart.

This eclipse is connected to Mercury's retrograde journey AND this year's Venus story AND this year's Jupiter/Pluto story. The new beginning offered up by this potent New Moon could take some time to shake out. We have Mars hitting the eclipse degree on September 2nd (courage, anger, action), Mars conjuncting a retrograde Mercury (maybe an argument, maybe news that requires action) on September 3rd and Mercury stationing direct on the eclipse degree (28 degrees Leo) on September 5th (final decision, some kind of culmination point or results via information or communication). This is all going to take some time to unwind.

We also have Ceres opposing a retrograde Pluto on August 21st. This will play into the eclipse story, too, likely dredging up issues of dependency and control. There could be power struggles around nurturing  - maybe something like "if you want me to take care of you or give you this thing you need, then you must do this thing for me that I want" - maybe something that needs to be given freely comes with a few strings attached. On the other hand nurturing given freely can transform the situation. We'll talk about this more as we move through it.

So start thinking about your New Moon intentions for after Monday's eclipse. We had a New Moon in Leo on June 23rd so we might get another crack at something we started then.

Leo is ruled by the Sun and with the Sun ruling this New Moon - and the North Node of our collective way forward now in Leo also - this is all about following our HEART. Whatever new thing/situation/person/belief/action we choose to work with needs to be something we are excited about, it needs to stir us. It needs to not have any self-sacrifice or victim mentality connected to it. It needs to come with a certain ease. This doesn't mean there won't be work involved, but it can't be only work involved.

With the North Node in Leo now if we really don't want to do something and we do it anyway, it isn't going to work. What we want, what is calling to our heart, is the only thing that will work now. Choices get easier. I will do a post by sign when I do the weekly next weekend.

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.

If you are lucky enough to get to watch this beautiful eclipse, be sure to have the proper glasses and understand exactly when it will happen in your area. It will only last a maximum of 2 minutes for the totality, so you don't want to miss it by misunderstanding the correct time - Mercury is retrograde and crazy crowds are expected so prepare for travel delays and get there early! Please, please bring your highest, most peaceful and joyous energy with you. Don't be afraid to look into the dark, but carry forward the energy of that moment the light comes back on.

And let's bring our pets indoors - they can get eye damage, too.

xo all

New Moon Solar Eclipse in Leo | August 21st - birthing a new nation, midwifery, the heart of a lion, Trump and the United States, part I

midwifery quote

Monday's total Solar Eclipse (New Moon) falls at 28 degrees Leo.

In mundane astrology (the branch of astrology connected with nations and global events) the Sun represents the ruler of a country; the king. The Moon represents the people. Our ancestors thought solar eclipses brought the death of the king as the Moon (the people) blocked out the Sun's rays (the king). Eclipses created panic because they were blamed for every single misfortune that followed them, and also because astrologers who tracked patterns often linked them to actual stressful events related to their perfection degrees.

I am not saying we should be panicking about this one, although I am not so sure millions of us should be trucking our butts into eclipse totality zones to give our attention (unconscious intention) to this powerful energy either.

Of course, if it was possible for me to view it from where I live, I would almost certainly get myself into the lightest, brightest state of being I could muster up (I mean people would need those glasses to look at me!) and watch it, too.

I am hoping people do not bring their most stressed out energies (from crowds, traffic, staying up all night before to get a space to sit?!, current events, etc) into this change-making vortex. Please take a few deep breaths and send out prayers for peace and happiness into this one, eclipse watchers. Hopefully this moment of "coming together" will result in all different people with all different views and backgrounds coming together in bigger ways, too!

Eclipses have also been known to be harbingers of bad weather - earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, fires - and I will admit that U.S. eclipse zone map all over social media with the crack across the U.S. makes me a little nervous

(also makes me think of civil unrest and the way our country is so politically divided - I am not loving that map being burned into so many brains).

I would take seriously any sober weather preparations over the next few days, weeks and months. We should all have at least a couple weeks worth of food on hand.

This particular eclipse is the first total Solar Eclipse visible only across the entire United States since the eclipse of 1776 - the year of this country's birth. Many astrologers think that the physical location where an eclipse is visible increases its impact on that location. At its peak, 90% of the Sun in Washington DC - the seat of power in the world - will be eclipsed out. 

AND we have a President whose natal ascendant (many astrologers believe this to be the most important point in a natal chart) AND Mars are both conjunct 28 degrees Leo so the solar eclipse next week impacts Donald Trump's ascendant (his physical self) and natal Mars (war, action, violence, anger). This is bigly people. BIGLY.

The eclipse is also trining (brakes off) rebellious, chaotic and unpredictable Uranus (I have said before that Trump IS Uranus with the planet conjunct his natal Sun).

It literally feels to me like he can do anything he wants to do with this energetic line up

(or whatever is holding back his power from being eclipsed out is removed and he will be, too - impossible to know which is which).

For certain though the brakes are off something!

At the same time transitting Mars (war, violence) is conjuncting his natal Mars AND Trump was born on an eclipse making eclipses in general more impactful for him!

You can't make this stuff up folks.

The chance of this particular eclipse (total solar across the entire country) occurring at a time in our country's history (Pluto's impending return to its 1776 position) when it can so strongly influence the country's leader (via planets and points in his natal chart) would surely give it odds no Vegas bet maker would touch. And yet, here it is.

He is the catalyst for something here. Our avatar for this watershed moment in United States history. This is the entire reason he was elected. This is the entire reason he was even born.

The United States will be a different United States after Donald Trump and after this eclipse energy plays itself out (probably over the next 2-3 years).

He is here to do the thing he is going to do, even if we (the people) do not like it.

Let's hope he and we get this thing right this time

(it could be his action here that leads to his demise as we "the people - represented by the Moon that eclipses him" decide this is not the way we define America, since America is approaching its Pluto return and in the midst of re-birthing itself and the last time we had an eclipse like this was when our country was born in 1776 - he could be the catalyst that brings us back together or finally breaks us apart AND he could just as easily be ruling the United States at this pivotal time to make the right decision as he could the wrong one). 

It is the karma of the United States itself playing out here - and how well or how poorly we have lived up to the promises of our July 4th, 1776 birth chart.


If Trump has some kind of personal demise, and I am not saying he will, it could be his demise has prevented a larger United States demise (although I think the United States as ruler of the world winds down fully one way or the other by the mid 2020's).

His soul could have agreed to take one 'for the team' in the way a beloved pet can be our avatar for a health situation. When I tell you he is the only person on the planet who could be withstanding the pressure he is feeling right now, and it doesn't look like he is handling it all that well, I am not exaggerating! If we, and maybe he, get through the rest of his term unscathed I can assure you he has done, something right even though it may appear he is doing everything wrong - the challenges are that great.

(I know everyone is worried about North Korea and I did look at Kim Jong-un's chart, but it is hard to work with, since his birth year is uncertain)

The eclipse is happening in Trump's twelfth house ruled by Pisces - secrets, secret alliances, hidden enemies, self-undoing, leaks, lies, illness, germs, lack of boundaries, things put away, hospitals, prisons, poisons, memory, confinement, slavery, water, the Navy - too many possibilities that involve things currently in the news to see what is happening here. Plus the twelfth house is all about what is hidden!

There are surely big changes ahead for him and since he is the leader of the United States for all Americans and since the United States is leading the world, most likely for everyone. 

One tricky thing with eclipse energy that I have found from personal experience as well as other people's charts is they often work backward. The thing the eclipse is "eclipsing out" or "bringing to light" can happen days, weeks or months before the physical Sun is overtaken by the Moon.

And remember within two hours of the North Node moving into Leo Trump fired Comey.  And the day the North Node (the point in space that sets up the eclipse) hit 28 degrees Leo - Mueller was appointed special counsel. And this is an uber powerful degree of the zodiac since it historically houses the royal star Regulus - which promises kingly glory if revenge is avoided. Whether or not Trump sees his firing of Comey as revenge will probably impact the outcome here. Other stuff happening now in the news has its roots in May, too, though, and eclipses can portend many different events within the same chart.

And I would say we are already a very different country than we were before Trump, so I think some of this eclipse energy has already played out. Let's hope. With five planets retrograde the eclipse events are certainly already in play. And, yes, I realize this isn't particularly reassuring because lots of crap within various degrees of "scaring the hell out of us" is already in play. With Uranus trining the eclipse - whatever it is, we won't see it coming. But we didn't see Comey's firing coming .... so it's possible that event is the shocker and what we have ahead are the repercussions.

I started looking at the royal star Regulus while studying Princess Diana's chart many, many years ago - her natal chart and important events in her life have amazing connections to Regulus and 28 degrees Leo (her North Node of destiny is here in her 5th house of romance, children and fun - all things that played a huge part in her life story). Maybe something will "come to light" now about her, too. It has been proven our chart points continue to be activated after our death. The chart of Great Britain and Prince Charles also have connections to this point and to next week's eclipse.

(Regulus has since moved into Virgo, the sign of the common man and service to others, one of the reasons both Princess Diana and Donald Trump have a connection with the "common man" - although Trump's life reads more like 'service to self' than others, maybe the eclipse will change that! I wrote about Regulus HERE last summer and HERE)

We can't tell what will happen because the future is still being written - by the energy all of us are bringing to our own situations - which are playing out within different story lines in varying degrees!

This time in history also has interesting connections to the astrology of not only the founding of the United States but also to the French Revolution's Reign of Terror - as noted by vedic astrologer, Sam Geppi HERE  - a time when after the citizens rose up and toppled the monarchy, the ones doing the toppling turned out to be equally or even more authoritarian and ruthless than the aristocracy/clergy, etc, they had deposed. So, is Trump's administration like the revolutionaries - are they "draining the swamp" only to be providing us with even more dangerous crocodiles? Or are they the "monarchy" - Trump does rule like a King and has installed his family in the White House - that the people will toss out? Either way, it feels like particularly challenging times for us. It is important to remember that big challenges present big opportunities though.

Eclipses are part of cycles called Saros Cycles and repeat every 18 years. Solar eclipses are super charged New Moons. They can 'eclipse something out' or 'bring something to light'. And, of course, every ending ushers in a NEW beginning. What was happening in your life in 1999?

This particular Saros cycle (in king of the jungle Leo) is known for eclipsing out kings or attempts at eclipsing out kings - 1999 Bill Clinton impeachment (I think we might have found ourselves enmeshed in a Hillary Clinton impeachment trial before the end of the year if she had been elected), 1981 Reagan assassination attempt, 1963 JFK assassination, 1945 death of Hitler and the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, 1927 death of FDR, 1909 Taft assassination attempt - astrologer Marjorie Orr has catalogued some others HERE.  

The last two eclipses that metaphorically "cut the country in half" were in 1918 and 1869.

In 1869 Grant was sworn in as President succeeding Andrew Johnson who became President when Lincoln was assassinated. Johnson's "restoration" policies aimed at bringing the southern states back into the fold after the Civil War did little, if anything, to protect the rights of newly freed slaves and he even vetoed the Civil Rights Bill (Congress overturned his veto). He was impeached but managed to serve out his term.

By the time Grant came into office and passed the Ku Klux Klan Act and established the Department of Justice to enforce it, the KKK (formed on Christmas Eve 1865 with a monster natal chart connecting to the U.S. birth chart in a way that hurts my heart to look at) had already established covert political power.

So, 1869 was the beginning of a time when laws and real political pressure began to reel that monster (the KKK) in. In 1918, the year WWI ended with fewer jobs and increased immigration - the KKK resurfaced under the guise of "nationalism, protectionism, America first" and within a few years, the klan claimed that 15% of the eligible population (I guess that would be white men? or white protestant men? or white protestant men and women?) were members.

It was during this revival period of nationalistic insanity that statues, like the controversial one of General Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville were erected. We can see how this energy is playing out today and how Trump's Presidency is a lightning rod. Moving into the Age of Aquarius (equality) this behemoth darkness needs to come up and be healed. Let's hope we can get this right this time.

With Mars (war, violence) heading toward the eclipse point (he gets there on September 2nd, conjuncts Mercury on September 3rd and Mercury stations direct at the 28 degrees Leo on September 5th) we can pretty much be assured of lots of ego-centered aggression between the eclipse and Labor Day. 

With Mercury retrograde there is the potential for lots of misunderstandings, bad decisions (and possibly more violence involving transportation) now and especially around the first week of September. 

I'm not going to sugar coat it - this is dangerous energy. Especially the last few days of August and the first few days of September. There can also be information "coming to light" that connects to Trump's and/or the United States twelfth house secrets. 

Eclipse events do not happen exactly on the date of the eclipse. The eclipse sets up an event chart - a kind of marker in the heavens and as planets hit that point - or the exact opposite polarity point - via transit THAT is when events happen. And somehow with an eclipse prior events factor in, too.

Whatever has happened, is happening and will happen - everything feels like it is falling into place for some big changes over the next few weeks and months.

I think this post has posed more questions than answers because during eclipse season when the lights go out and we are being quite literally "reset" - anything is possible. I hope it hasn't been too negative, but those who know me know it is easier for me to see the dragons than the daisies - I am working on this! Note to self - plant more flowers ....

We are in the process of birthing a brand new nation (our exact Pluto return is in 2022 when Pluto returns to its exact position of our country's birth) - gentle hands, strong hearts and mad-crazy midwifery skills are needed now!

Part II is HERE

xo all

Sun Conjunct the North Node | breadcrumbs ...

Ease by Hengki24

The Sun meets up with the North Node (our collective way forward) at 24 degrees Leo today.

A light (Sun) is thrown on our best path forward (North Node).

It could be a bright spotlight we can't miss or maybe it's a tiny flicker that catches our eye and pulls us over to investigate a new direction.

We might receive some confirmation we are on the right path now. Or a gentle shove in a direction we hadn't before considered.

The thing to keep in mind during the 18 months the North Node is in Leo: the best way forward will be heart-centered. It will require we be proud of what we have created. It will require us to take the center stage of our own life. It will require us to have some fun. It will require courage.

Leo is ruled by the Sun, so think about where the Sun sits in your natal chart. That sign is how you will shine in this lifetime. That's your sweet spot. So what's your Sun sign and how can you be a better version of that.

xo all

The Moon is in conversational and multi-tasking Gemini today answering to a retrograde Mercury. This would be a good time to follow up with communications/ideas from before July 25th. Maybe something that didn't work out then, can work out now. Maybe someone who couldn't help us then, can help us now.

Venus in Cancer Opposite Pluto in Capricorn | hot potato ...

rzecz tajemna by Anna-O Photography

Venus is uber active this week putting some finishing touches on a story that started around last Thanksgiving.

Today, in Cancer, she opposes Pluto (in Capricorn). This highlights power imbalances.

There could be control issues, compulsion, manipulation, competition, vulnerability and jealousy situations - they might seem to hit without warning but for those who are really paying attention this dance started in late November 2016 when these two planets conjuncted and intensified Venus issues - love, money, self-esteem, our values.

This transit can make things that are dark and secretive and even destructive (Pluto) attractive (Venus) to us. We could be drawn to things and people and situations we would normally steer clear of.

In Cancer and Capricorn issues around home/family vs. work could come up. This year's familiar storyline - "what would we do to succeed? what are we willing to sacrifice?" could worm its way into this chapter, too.

Or maybe we are embroiled in our chapter about "losing the thing we can't live without" or "losing control of something we want/need to control" - the things that makes us feel safe. Giving too much power to the stuff outside ourselves that we can't control is just begging for someone/some situation to come along and take it away from us during a Pluto transit!

With Pluto (passion) opposing Venus (attraction) the pull/seduction of whatever it is we are wanting can be so great we can't see clearly what is really going on.

With Venus in Cancer probably something that is rooted in our basic need for safety and security is challenged. 

Pluto rules karma, transformation, death and rebirth. Pluto lessons come through loss. 

Multiple people I know in long term housing situations were forced to move in the last few months. Many women I know whose power (and safety) came through their husband's income/position are working with losses there. The lesson is often that what we really want/need (Venus) is something we can only find within ourselves (Pluto).

Like the characters in the Wizard of Oz we learn we had the power, ie "core of the thing we were seeking/ thing we can't live without" within us all the time. We just projected that power onto someone or something else, so they could toss it back to us like a hot potato when the time was right ... and ripe ... for us to develop it.

With this story playing out in a big way over a long length of time, the lesson will not come cheap (or painless). 

In two days, Venus will be squaring Jupiter and even though squares bring tension and stress there could be enough benevolent energy here to bring about a successful transformation/conclusion. Venus's inconjunct with Saturn on Friday though makes me think there is some part of this we are not loving but we are just going to have to live with ...

For now - avoid power games, avoid manipulation. Don't be afraid to own up to the thing you are most afraid of losing. Bringing this stuff out of the shadows and into the light is the entire point of this transit. Remember that North Node in heart-centered Leo. We can love our way through anything now ...

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of August 14th - reality checks are imminent, updated post

the deepening twilight by Natalia Drepina

OK, we kick off this week with a newly retrograde Mercury (we are revising and revisiting and he is backing up over the degrees he walked last week via our conversations, communications, news, siblings, transportation issues). In the U.S. we had another violent action/news story involving transportation on or near a Mercury station day - we have seen that pattern in world events for a while now. Mercury is still moving very slowly this week ... and backward!

We are in between eclipses AND approaching the BIG Solar Eclipse of August 21st. We haven't had a total Solar Eclipse cross the entire continental United States since 1776 and with the U.S. Pluto return fast approaching - I'd say multiple reality checks are imminent. Expect BIG news when Mercury stations direct on the eclipse degree on September 5th and lots of confusion in the meantime. We will talk about this eclipse in detail this week but in the meantime let's look more closely at the next few days.

On Monday, the Moon is in Taurus. Our attention will on our finances, our resources - the things we value. We will be busy and this is good energy to get stuff done, even though we could be feeling the pressure as well as stronger emotions around unstable situations. Know that life probably isn't stable right now in the way you are wanting it to be - we are in between eclipses! 

The Moon makes several aspects today - first squaring Mars (could be an argument about money). Then (within minutes) sextiling (opportunity) Venus and giving us pretty much the opposite energy - money flows in, relationship issues move more smoothly. It's a mixed bag - whichever aspect is more closely hitting your planets and points is the one you will be feeling most strongly. Neither is long lasting although Venus is very active this week.

By mid-morning the Moon is trining (brakes off) Pluto making our interactions, especially with women and family members, more dramatic and profound. We want emotional depth. We uncover secrets. There could be monetary gains through female relatives. Trust your 'gut' instincts, especially regarding situations where you sense 'danger'.

The Moon is squaring the Sun (in Leo) bringing us to this month's Third Quarter Square of the Moon - the results come in. If this week's developments/outcomes are not what we had been hoping for - remember the upcoming Solar Eclipse is an uber-potent New Moon. And it's in Leo, the sign of our heart's desire! Start thinking about those New Moon intentions now.

Squares are tension and with the Moon is Taurus we could be feeling any lack of resources (money, time, etc) standing between us and what we want to create or any obstacles to something started around the New Moon on June 23rd. The Moon goes void at 9:15PM EDT.

On Tuesday, Venus (in Cancer) opposes a retrograde Pluto (in Capricorn). Whatever it is we want, the feeling is intense. We want it bad. There could be control issues now and subconscious desires bubbling up. We could be projecting (maybe power?) what we have hidden or need to find within ourselves onto other people. With Jupiter (in Libra and answering to Venus) set to square Venus on Wednesday/Thursday and inconjunct Saturn on Friday- something connected here could conclude then or some results be delivered.

The Moon is void until 10:05AM EDT then moves into Gemini. Good for multi-tasking and moving quickly from one thing to the other. Expect lots of communication. This is good energy to catch up on emails, etc. A good day for a road trip. We will be restless. 

On Wednesday the Moon in Gemini sextiles Mars giving us extra physical energy. Opportunities come through action. Keep communications focused and to the point. The Moon moves on trine (brakes off) Jupiter - this is great energy for being social. We could get news now or information that expands the situation. By dinnertime, the Moon is opposing Saturn and people become less flexible and more judgemental. There could be roadblocks or revisions.

Venus will be squaring Jupiter. Usually squares bring tension but with Venus in Cancer (answering to the Moon) and Jupiter in Libra (answering to Venus) - the feminine, receptive energy should keep everything moving a bit more smoothly. This is good energy for business and money - especially involving women - and for legal issues to get settled in a fair manner. Be out and about - bring your best self to all situations. The impulse could be there to spend money you can't afford to spend - especially on luxury items and in this case, luxury means whatever you can do without if it is outside your budget -  leave the credit cards at home. Have I said winter is coming?

Remember I am writing about these aspects when they are exact. Their influences can be felt when they first move into or out of aspect, too, so may not be felt precisely on the day indicated although the Moon's aspects pass quickly and will be very close/exact to when I write them. The other planets aspects influence us for longer periods.

I will finish out the week later today.

I had an early morning/middle of the night run to Newark airport to drop off my sister (sniffle) and ended up back in bed! We had a great visit AND with Mercury retrograde more than our fair share of mix ups.

Here is the rest of the week.

On Thursday and Friday the Moon is in Cancer. We are focused on home, family, real estate, safety, security, country, patriotism issues. An inconjunct between Venus and Saturn says that whether we get that thing we are really, really wanting or we don't, there is some kind of restriction or something here that just isn't fixable ... rock meet hard place. xo all

Mercury Stations Retrograde | a return to something started before July 25th - if your heart's still in it, fix it

without roots I grow and to light backwards by anna-o photography

Yesterday we had Neptune (in Pisces) exactly trining (brakes off) Venus (in Cancer). Both these planets are cozy and powerful in these signs and trines can normally be counted on to remove roadblocks and provide smooth sailing. Yes, if you are perched on the edge of a cliff, trines can remove that wooden cross bar keeping you from tumbling over, but in this particular case I think you would somehow manage to land on a nice patch of soft grass.

Today, Venus (still trining Neptune) will conjunct Ceres and Neptune will trine Ceres. This will bring Ceres energy into whatever story-line we are working with and maybe even into our Mercury retrograde journey.

Ceres is the mother/child energy of unconditional love.

This brings our awareness to maternal issues, childhood issues, security issues. Ceres rules the seasons and carries the energy of "impermanence" - nature's promise of security through the death and rebirth cycle. All this compassionate Neptune, Pisces, Venus, Cancer, Ceres energy has me thinking that whatever is dissolving or being washed out, lost at sea here - won't be as bad as we are afraid it will be. We have to trust the divine timing of life here. Summer can't be spring and autumn can't be winter.  But there is always more joy, more tenderness, more of whatever we are seeking - even though it might come in a different form depending on the "season".

At 9PM EDT tonight Mercury (communication, ideas, thinking, fast moving gizmos, transportation, siblings, our local neighborhood) stations retrograde in his/her home sign of Virgo.

The usual Mercury retrograde disclaimers will apply for the next few weeks It's time to think "re".

Rethink, redo, re-examine, research, repeat, reunion, reminisce, revise, remove (clutter ie the stuff that gets in the way of our life moving efficiently), revisit, relax.

This is not the best time to plow full steam ahead with new things. It's not the best time to sign a contract because things will come to light later that require revision or our thinking (Mercury) can change after Mercury moves direct (September 5th).

It's a good time to READ THE FINE PRINT. Use clear language - we need to be doubly sure people are understanding what we are saying and that we are understanding other people, because wires get crossed now. Double check the email before hitting 'send'. Mercury, the fleet footed messenger, rules things that are fast moving from our computers to our cars. BACK UP FILES.

Take extra care driving. Slow down. We need to give ourselves extra time to get where we are going. There will be delays - bring a book. This is not a good time to make a major decision and even small decisions will go wonky. THINK THINGS THROUGH. Be clear about the consequences.  

Rushing, while Mercury is moving backward, can trip us up.

The space of the sky (and YOUR natal and progressed mid Virgo/late Leo house themes) Mercury is backing over rules our work, health, paperwork, our pets, organization, people we hire, people we work with, our day to day activities - situations in these areas could slow down so we can "re"visit, "re"vise and "re"vamp.

We can catch mistakes and catch up with MISSED OPPORTUNITIES. 

Someone could leave or someone/something from the past could reappear. There could be miscommunications. Stuff could break down. Delays are likely. Plans will change. We can't prepare for everything, but we can slow down and double check what we are doing.

Maybe something from the past needs a second look - most likely something started before Mercury hit his/her retrograde degrees on July 25th. Go back over it. Is it still worth fixing/finishing? Does it stand out (remember this whole journey ends in the limelight of LEO)? Is it still special? Is your heart still in it?

Until September 5th, when Mercury stations direct, it would be best not to focus too much on future situations, 'what ifs' and final conclusions - let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. Let's take care of what needs taking care of in the present and the stuff from the past that has "re"appeared or "re"mains unfinished.

With so much energy moving backward in the middle of eclipse season - that's more than enough.

We are straddling two worlds now, sitting in the space between the two eclipses AND Mercury will station direct next month at the exact same degree of the upcoming Solar Eclipse in Leo - this stuff is all working together in ways we can't quite see yet!

This weekend, Mars will reach the same degree the Sun (15 degrees Leo) held during last week's Full Moon Lunar Eclipse - remember how this works - the initial activity, in this case the Lunar Eclipse, creates a kind of checkpoint and events transpire later as other celestial bodies reach that same checkpoint (our births are checkpoints, too - although checkpoint isn't the word I am looking for, but my brain is foggy this morning!).

Mars is about action, initiative and anger. And he's in Leo where he's loud and bossy. Trump has Mars in Leo and, after I breathed a sigh of relief at hearing he would be on vacation during this transitional time period, was very Mars in Leo with his brash posturing on Twitter about North Korea last week (we'll talk more about this next week when we talk about the next eclipse).

The same energy is available now to us to say/do things we could regret later or respond to drama in a way that escalates angry situations. Keep this in mind, too, now. Of course, worked in a positive manner, Mars in Leo provides the courage and confidence we need now.

xo all

Mercury Conjunct Vesta | an important detail catches our attention ... again

wind by thefirebomb

The thing that stands out most to me today is Mercury's contact with Vesta at 11 degrees Virgo.

Vesta gives us a certain reverence and attachment to what we hold sacred. Mercury (stationing retrograde tomorrow, folks!) in Virgo is about attention to details; caring about something enough to take our time with it.

Surely this combination (Mercury and Vesta) is about seeing/working with/communicating about 'the details' of something. This is excellent for stilling the monkey-mind, but isn't good energy for seeing the big picture, so keep that in mind if you are making a decision now.

I've said before to postpone important decisions until mid September, if you can, but I realize this isn't always possible! If you must make a decision now, just know you haven't seen the last of whatever information you are working with. There will be adjustments.

Using these energies poorly will have us fixated on something we don't need to be fixated on or overly critical of something or obsessing about some news or information or what someone has said to us (or about us).

It could be that someone else is being overly critical of us and that gives us something to think about!

But here is something really interesting.

This isn't the first time this month Mercury connected with Vesta. They met up at 7 degrees Virgo last Wednesday, August 2nd. Did some detail come to your attention around that time? Are there any planets or points between 7 and 11 degrees Virgo in your natal chart? If there are, Mercury's retrograde will be sure our attention is focused THERE (on those themes).

With Mercury stationing retrograde tomorrow there is probably something here trying to catch our attention.

(where is your attention now? what are you devoting your time and attention to? what are you talking about? writing about? thinking about?)

There is unlikely to be a resolution right now with these energies indicating a long'ish' review of whatever this is, but it could be helpful to think about what we are thinking about today. If it relates to something that came to our attention around last Wednesday, know that it matters and will likely figure in to Mercury's retrograde journey and likely the eclipse story for us ....

Don't take it as a sign that you are 'meant to do something', etc - we are in the middle of two powerful eclipses and a Mercury retrograde - we can't see what we can't see now.

There is also a lovely trine (brakes off) between Venus (in Cancer) and Neptune (in Pisces). This is perfect energy to practice loving compassion - especially within family groups or groups that feel like family - and praying for peace.

The Moon is in bossy Aries so working/dealing with others can be challenging. Solo work can be very productive though. xo all

Mixed Bag Today, Mostly Good | energized through alliances

long dream by thefirebomb

Lots of aspects today plus an all day Void Moon!

The 'shiniest' aspect of the day (since it involves our Sun) is the Sun (in Leo) sextiling (opportunity) expansive Jupiter (in Libra) - 18 degrees

This is a good aspect for attracting (Libra) attention (Leo). This is a good aspect for joining together (Libra) for creative, fun, romantic, risky or altruistic activities (Leo).

Opportunities come through the king/star of the show/father archetype (Leo) and his/her allies/partners/collaborators (Libra) working together. Be fair - other people must be taken into consideration now.

Mercury (in Virgo) sextiles (opportunity) Venus (in Cancer) - 11 degrees.

Sensible and caring words are what is needed. Opportunities come when we present practical advice or critical information in the form of a 'pat on the back'. This isn't about being "fake", this is about making the other person feel secure and cared for. Words that make us feel safe and nurtured create the opportunities now.

Vesta (in Virgo) trines (brakes off) Pallas (in Taurus). This is probably my favorite aspect today and it involves our female 'drawf planets' or 'asteroids' or whatever the astronomers are calling these two right now.

Remember we are living within thousands of years of a patriarchal system that is dissolving. We would expect small celestial bodies to carry feminine archetypes because they were unconsciously named during patriarchy - we can't really imagine all the ways we serve patriarchy because it is all we have known (in many lifetimes) - small, doesn't mean limited. It doesn't mean weak. The stories of these powerful archetypes may have been dismissed and dis-empowered, but they become more and more alive as we notice them.

Vesta in precise Virgo focuses us on a specific idea or detail in a practical, caring way (remember Vesta is about devotion to home and hearth and safety). Pallas is in grounded "Earth Mother" Taurus. There isn't an overnight quick fix here because this situation/problem hasn't happened overnight and these energies don't rush, but mending one specific part of this thing with a solid and durable solution shores up the important stuff. What is the most targeted, least complex thing to do? Think long term and strategic. That's the move where the healing starts. Release the brakes on that.

And of course, today's opportunities (sextiles, trine) are not without their obstacles and come with a caution - and yes, it has flashing RED lights and is playing the theme song from JAWS.

Mars (initiative, action, anger, war) in fiery Leo is inconjunct dreamy, drifty Neptune.

We could take a foolish or delusional action now (especially in haste or anger) that wipes out the opportunities.

Keep this in mind. Please.

The Moon was in Pisces last night (do you remember your dreams last night?), and is void all day before its move into Aries (1:20AM tomorrow morning). That space after Pisces makes today a good day for HEALING and imaginative, spiritual work. The void means it's not a good day to launch a brand new project. Aries means it may be hard to fall asleep tonight if we get home too late!

xo all