Astrology Forecast For Creatives | Week of July 16th - rocks and hard places, hard to compromise, the scorned feminine/underdog bites, dealing with that thing AGAIN, karmic contracts torn up, the eye of the storm

(tribute to football 2 by ZNZtazmanijus) - viva la france!

We are fully in Eclipse season now, with this week looking like the eye of the storm, but eclipses are anything but predictable!

Some major aspects this week are:

MONDAY - Venus inconjunct Mars, Mercury inconjunct Pluto
THURSDAY - First Quarter Moon in Libra
FRIDAY - Mars retrograde conjunct the South Node, Eris stations retrograde, Sun opposes Black Moon Lilith
SUNDAY - Sun into Leo

MONDAY is a tricky day with multiple inconjuncts (rock vs hard place) - the good news here though is we can be sharp and focused and with the Moon still in practical and organized Virgo sextiling (opportunity) expansive Jupiter there is good energy for public relations and group activities - the day is just NOT so well suited for one on one dealings that require any kind of tactfulness or negotiation.

The Mars/Venus inconjunct could be a man/woman issue, a relationship issue - it could be what we want (Venus) and what we have to do to get what we want (Mars) is not so compatible right now or maybe we can't get along and get what we want, too!

Compromises - the only real way through an inconjunct - are not so likely when Venus clashes with Mars! Inconjuncts require adjustment and give and take - there aren't easy any real solutions.

Remember where these planets are - Mars is retrograde in detached Aquarius moving toward his second conjunction with the South Node later in the week. He (as us via our actions, passion, anger and initiative) is going back over something or meeting delays as we attempt to plow straight ahead and Venus has just stepped into practical, dot your i's and cross your t's productive Virgo.

EXAMPLE FOR Aquarius/Aquarius Rising (Mars in your 1st house, Venus in your 8th house) - that 8th house issue - other people's resources, other people's values, intimacy, other people's money, spouse's income, loans, debts, taxes, inheritance, sex, reproduction, the way you merge your resources/intimacies with other people - is the hard place and you (Mars in Aquarius) are the rock. You could be using a hammer with a situation that could benefit from a gentler touch or a hammer to hit a fly and miss your mark entirely. There could be something you have been avoiding that Venus in "sharp-eyed" Virgo isn't allowing you to just skim over this time. Inconjuncts don't offer the solution - there isn't a tidy solution to an inconjunct - instead they bring our attention to the problem and require us to adjust both sides or come to a standstill. With Mars retrograde and set to hit the South Node in your sign for the second time this week and last week's eclipse in your health/daily habits house Aquarius AND next week's eclipse in your sign (Mars/South Node's first conjunction was June 8th, so something could be related back to that time) you could be seeing the results of many years of action/inaction on your physical body, your physical situation/possessions, your brand, etc. Mars demands action (and that anger/passion/force be expressed). MOVE it or lose it.

On the same day Mercury (in Leo) is inconjunct Pluto (in Capricorn). Words are the rock and power is the hard place. We could get fixated on one particular idea - yes, there will probably be a song stuck in our head! We could feel paranoid or suspicious. We could speak way too LOUDLY or boastful or say things that are way too personal. On the flipside we might not be able to get a word in at all if someone else has taken the reins. Cross this date off your calendar for that important conversation with your boss - if you have one scheduled, feign a stomach ache and leave early #kidding, #notkidding. People could try to manipulate us with their words or we could be the one doing the verbal manipulation that will not be very effective - maybe nix that stomach ache story.

This is the day Trump is scheduled to meet with Putin. I don't think anyone is getting what they want with whatever is going on with that.

After I posted the eclipse blog the other day someone asked me if last week's eclipse related back to any previous date and the closest eclipse I found was one in mid July 2010 and I added a sentence at the end of the post about that.

Later when I googled for newspaper stories from around July 11, 2010 to look for any connections to current events I spied (!) a story back then in both the Washington Post and New York Times about a big spy swap (the largest in decades) between the U.S. and Russia that took place in Austria. One of the spies was the Russian who was poisoned last March (along with his daughter) in the U.K. and note that story is back in the news now because of further poisonings with that same chemical.

The swap also included a married couple living in the U.S. (the TV series 'the Americans' is loosely based on their story) and one of the most senior FBI agents working on that case for many years was FBI agent Peter Strzok who was up before Congress at this eclipse testifying about the Clinton/Trump election and Russia. Then the next day, last Friday, we had the indictments of a dozen more Russians in connection to meddling in the U.S. election. And last week's eclipse degree is almost exactly opposed to that UBER hot degree where Saturn and Pluto will meet in Capricorn in January 2020. Hmm.

EXAMPLE FOR CANCER/Cancer Rising (Mercury in your 2nd house, Pluto in your 7th house) the rock is your money/values/resources/self esteem and the hard place is a partner/partnership. This speaks of power struggles within a relationship over money or something you own or the value you place of yourself. An argument/disagreement is possible. Keep in mind you just had a big eclipse in your own house Cancer (the first of multiple coming next year and the next) - if big decisions are not forced on you now, give yourself a break and some time to catch your breath. Next week's eclipse will be in your 8th house of other people's money/taxes/debt/sex/reproduction and will bring a square with unpredictable Uranus in your career/public life house so there are more surprises ahead.

The Moon makes a nice trine to Pluto at 10:29PM EDT favoring deep emotional connections.

On TUESDAY, the Moon is Void until 3:42PM when she moves into sociable Libra likely turning our focus to Libra themes over the next couple days - our relationships, cooperation, beauty, women, diplomacy, partners and social activities.

On THURSDAY, we have the Moon's first quarter square with the Moon finishing up in Libra and the Sun finishing up in Cancer.

This is the halfway point between last week's eclipse and next week's eclipse and will probably focus us on a relationship/balance/diplomacy tension. Our relationships with other people are important things to care for now. And any Cancer square could make us emotional and have us feeling that our security is threatened. It will also be important to keep in mind though, especially if it feels like someone lets us down now or does not have our back that with wounded healer Chiron in independent Aries, some things will just be up to us. We don't want to lose ourselves in another person any more than we should lose ourselves in our work or in our fantasies or in a bowl of spaghetti. Although if the spaghetti is homemade with a homemade sauce and a crusty loaf of bread on the side ... well, I don't know ...

The Quarter Moon will form a T-Square with Eris, who has exactly squared the Sun on TUESDAY. This could bring a pissed off woman (the one who was NOT invited to the party and also reminding me of the 30,000 plus women burned at the stake as witches during the Inquisition) or an issue regarding women into the LIGHT.

Maybe Trump will have another woman issue come to light this week since he could be playing the Sun for us collectively here. We'll have to see how big a collective news week this eclipse midpoint turns out to be.

The Moon goes Void at 3:52PM EDT until 9:13PM EDT when she moves into Scorpio turning our focus for the next couple days to finances, intimacy issues, life/death issues, reproduction, sex, power dynamics, issues around the resources we share with other people.

On FRIDAY we have a retrograde Mars meet up with the South Node (again! the last meeting was June 8th) - this could be  a repeat "Groundhog Day" style situation, the movie I mean, not the 'seeing his shadow' thing (the final conjunction is on September 27th) where we are dealing with something again and again in order to wrap the damn thing up or this could be various karmic situations designed to release us from old contracts - ours and our ancestors. With Mars long summer journey there could be some lessons, too, about learning to express anger, passion, aggression and force in healthy, positive ways.

EXAMPLE FOR PISCES/Pisces Rising (Mars retrograding through your 12th house) - this is happening in your 12th house of what is hidden or put away or done behind the scenes, secrets, the ethereal realms, imagination, hospitals, spirituality, addiction, healing. This could take you back over something you thought you had already put behind you - likely related to something near that June 8th date and/or connected to when Mars first went into Aquarius on May 16th. Something here is ready to be released - it might not be quite as easy as simply opening your hand, but some part of your load is surely and sorely wanting to be lightened.

Also on Friday we have Eris stationing retrograde - yes, another energy retrograde in Capricorn! - and the Sun opposing Black Moon Lilith - our other pissed off feminine energy.

We'll take a look at Friday in the weekend forecast - it's too much for me to unpack on a Sunday night!

In the meantime - we are in between eclipses now folks AND we are going to be saying this again in two weeks because we have three eclipses instead of two this summer. Next week's Aquarius Lunar Eclipse is a biggie hooking into Mars sitting on the South Node and squaring "anything-can-happen" Uranus.

Get some extra sleep. Stay hydrated and limber. Don't over-schedule yourself.

xo all

Weekend Astrology Forecast for Creatives | July 13th thru July 15th - volatility, impulsiveness, a need for attention, then things begin to settle down a bit, material gains over time, practical love, mentors and muses show up, cleaning things up

like stars on your skin by quadratiges

On FRIDAY we start the day with a Void Moon until the Moon moves into Leo at 1:31PM EDT. The Leo Moon will direct a focus on Leo themes - romance, children, recreation, sports, risk, creative projects - over the next couple days.

The Moon is going to make a series of strained aspects as she gets triggered by the Mars/Uranus square. Leo is a fixed sign and seeks the spotlight - people will be headstrong, less likely to bend, wanting attention, assertive and even possibly aggressive.

At 5:10PM EDT she squares Uranus, so we might be dealing with some kind of disruption - a pull toward something outside our comfort zone. With Uranus in Taurus whatever is happening could make us more aware of what we don't/can't have. By 1:12AM EDT the Moon will be opposing a retrograde Mars in Aquarius. Our emotions will be more volatile, we (and other people) more impulsive and easier to anger.

At 2:44AM EDT on SATURDAY, Venus (in Virgo) trines Saturn (in Capricorn). This is very practical, very grounded energy offering self discipline, financial maturity - positive changes made this weekend can last a long time (especially changes, even small things, involving Venus themes - love, money, our resources, our values and self-esteem). This is good energy for dealing with authority and stepping into responsibilities - good for 'cleaning things up'.

This is part of the Grand Trine in Earth we talked about for the eclipse and good for material gain. This has been within orb for a couple days and will continue to be within orb for a couple more when Venus finally pulls away from the old slow poke.

Venus rules love, money, our values, women, beauty, our self-esteem (Libra and Taurus) and in Virgo, ruler of our 6th house house is currently concerned with our day-to-day activities, our routine, work, co-workers, pets and our health. Saturn rules structure and things that are real and have weight, time, goals, hard work, discipline, fathers, older men and responsibility (Capricorn).

Trines create smooth energy - the brakes are off - the vitality will flow and work together naturally.

This trine will apply to our natal Virgo and Capricorn houses and their themes.

Now these houses are always in trine, but today, inhabited by attractive Venus and hard-working Saturn, the vibes are particularly useful.

If Venus and Saturn were people they would be a young, loving, attractive woman and a serious, responsible older man. You can see how these two people could bring out the best in each other

(not in a sugar-daddy kind of way - Saturn ain't nobody's free ride).

We carry both these archetypes within us - what can we do now to cement their merger?

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.

Venus/Saturn is not going to be about developing some trendy thingamajig because with Saturn the payoff comes over time and our trendy thingamajig will be gathering cobwebs in the corner.

For creators this isn't so much about new styles as new methods. Both form (Venus) AND function (Saturn) will matter here. People will be drawn to more traditional, quality items that will last. Venus/Saturn will only be together for a couple more days, but this is the card to play now.

Our existing relationships can grow stronger. There is a mutual respect here. Relationships between people of different ages started now would likely be long-lasting.

Mentors (Saturn) and muses (Venus) can show up.

The Moon will go Void at 7:12PM EDT off a 'rock and a hard place' aspect with Pluto, so maybe something between our emotions and our ego is out of whack here. Maybe we are coerced into doing something we don't want to do (or someone around us is) and our/their behavior is more and more forced. The Moon is void for the rest of the night.

On SUNDAY the Moon is Void in the A.M. so a good day to sleep in. She moves into practical, steady Virgo at 1:31PM EDT.

With the Moon finally in an earth sign now, any emotional Eclipse drama can start to slow down and unwind a bit.

With the Moon is Virgo for the next couple days - and we know she will meet up with lovely Venus at some point and also trine powerful Uranus and Saturn - our focus will be naturally directed to Virgo themes (and the theme of your natal Virgo house - which is why it pays to have your chart handy!) - the details, our daily activities, our pets, our work and co-workers, our HEALTH.

At 5:21PM EDT she will trine (brakes off) eccentric, unpredictable Uranus (in Taurus) to add a bit of brilliance and the unexpected to our Sunday night. We get the trine from Saturn at 8:55PM EDT - this is good for organization, following through with responsibilities, dealing with older people or authority and building something lasting. At 12:35AM EDT we get the conjunction to Venus and a lovely mood for anyone who has stayed up for it.

This is a great aspect to end this important week.

We are in the eclipse spin cycle now folks - in between eclipses. Have a good weekend.

xo all

* Some insight about this "settling down" Venus/Saturn thing we talked about for Saturday from a post last year-

I have a friend who lived with a man for 12 years. They didn't want children, but she wanted to marry. He was always firm that he would never marry. Then one summer during responsible Saturn's transit of his 7th house (partnership) and her 2nd (values, self-esteem) she drew an equally firm line in the sand. They married within weeks.

All was well for about a New York minute and then ... everything changed, it all felt like work (her words here). He started to feel like her father even though they were close in age.

She couldn't figure out what the hell had happened.

Saturn transits grow us up. And the things we commit to during Saturn transits will not be easily discarded. She needed to draw a line in the sand. And he needed to commit. They loved each other, but had suddenly become each other's ball and chain (Saturn!). Ack!

Now this guy has a very challenged 7th house - multiple tense aspects and a very beneficial 5th house. So when my friend moved from 5th house (girlfriend, romance, fun) to 7th house (partner) she stepped right into all these strained spaces he was learning about through his dealings with equal partners. And he stepped into her equally tricky 2nd house self-esteem issues.

She now says she thinks all she really wanted was, "the respect of not being someone's girlfriend" and she wishes things were back as they were before. Saturn rules time and Saturnian commitments often have a "before and after" feel to them. There is no going back. They both stepped up to the plate to play a bigger game. They moved from the minors into the majors and will need some time to find a new rhythm.

The good news with Saturn is that time is always on our side ....

New Moon Solar Eclipse in Cancer | we can look back but remember - we're not going THAT way

New Moon July 11, 2018

Sorry I didn't get this up sooner.

I wrote the post on Monday night and then accidentally highlighted the whole post to delete one sentence at the same time Blogger did an auto-save, so managed to lose the whole damn thing! As anyone who has ever had to rewrite something you were finished with knows (the dog ate my homework) it is hard to re-do, plus it took me a couple days to stop banging my head on the table.

Anyhoo, here we go again -

This is the chart for Thursday's New Moon.

At 10:47PM EDT the Moon meets the Sun at 20 degrees Cancer. At the same time we have Pluto at 20 degrees Capricorn - exactly opposed.

The Nodes are still in Leo/Aquarius - but at 5 degrees they are close enough to this New Moon (Sun and Moon conjunction) for a Solar Eclipse, although a partial one. The Moon partially blocks the Sun and the flow of energy to planet Earth is interrupted - focusing our attention on that point. We get a cosmic reset, much like a computer being turned off and back on and the program that uploads at restart is a little bit (or quite a lot) different than the one we ran on before.

Eclipses change us, and we, (vibrating differently), change our circumstances by attracting or repelling what our new self lines up with.

This summer we have THREE eclipses and this one is the first. The next one on July 27th (Lunar Eclipse) looks like the biggie and then we have another Solar Eclipse on August 11th - the next two will be the final eclipses of the Leo/Aquarius polarity before the nodes move into Cancer/Capricorn.

Cancer New Moons - and this one is powered up by this partial Solar Eclipse - are about collective Cancer themes (so, this theme is applicable to all of us both individually and collectively and then the theme of our personal natal Cancer house will come into play, too - see the themes by sign below).

Cancer rules home, family, our roots, mother, mothering, our ancestry, real estate, country, patriotism, the root of the matter - our emotional security - this is where we get the new beginning,  
and with Pluto opposing plus the eclipsing of the Sun it will come with a powerful ending. 

The Pluto opposition can also be about facing a fear and finding our strength through that, but more likely a powerful ending. 

And the two things will be connected even when we can't see the connection - even when they look like two totally unrelated things. Releasing something in one area - and yes, it can be pulled away from us - creates a more extreme focus for that Cancer house. For some people this could be about work/life balance issues, the shifting of parenting roles or relocation/renovation issues.

Eclipses (similar to a super charged full moon) will eclipse something out or bring something to light or alternately cover it up and then the New Moon seeding will activate the promise of any slow moving transit currently present in our life.

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 or weeks before the physical Sun is overtaken by the Moon. Often almost exactly one week or one month before (or after).

You can see in this chart for Washington D.C. at the time of the Eclipse - the Sun and Moon are meeting in the 5th house which rules children. In the United States we have the heartbreaking stories of the immigrant children taken/hidden from their mothers (Cancer) by the government (Pluto in Capricorn). We have also had the story of the boys in Thailand (Aries rules young men and Chiron in early Aries was strong and still and stationing retrograde last week) taken from their mothers and hidden in a dark, wet cave - very Plutonian (God of the underworld) and finally rescued as Jupiter (deep in watery, Pluto-ruled Scorpio) woke up on Tuesday. Jupiter also rules foreigners and what is foreign to us and sits strong and still in the 8th house of death and rebirth (Pluto's house) of Thursday's solar eclipse chart. We've got Neptune - fog, scandal, behind the scenes machinations, deceit, faith, imagination, healing - in the 1st house. Mars, retrograde and out-of-bounds and - again stuff happening behind the scenes - in the 12th house of self-undoing heading toward the South Node in Aquarius again.

(hidden children also makes me think about how all year I have written about that North Node in Leo - our creativity, our passion, taking center stage in our lives, giving birth to something we can be proud of - and I am certain I did not say often enough that Leo also rules CHILDREN!! where are the children? are the children in your life OK? is your inner child OK?)

The best news with this New Moon is, at the same time, we have a beautiful Grand Trine in Earth as Venus (in Virgo), Saturn (in Capricorn) and Uranus (in Taurus) all line up for us in a smooth energetic flow with Saturn, strong at home in Capricorn, solidly anchoring the whole thing. Uranus brings CHANGE and Venus (critical in Virgo, yes, but also discriminating) brings our love/money/resources/values and self esteem into the mix.

Saturn demands whatever is seeded at this New Moon be a real thing - something solid and lasting.

Let's look at some potential themes by sign. Please remember "by sign" is kind of a guideline. We are all under the energetic of the Aries themes - because Aries rising, Aries in his natural 1st house, in a whole sign house system is a collective theme. Sometimes we find the theme of our Sun sign - regardless of house - at play and other times our Rising sign theme fits better. Of course, just because you are a Taurus rising, doesn't mean you have Cancer ruling your 3rd house, so if you know the actual house check that, too.

Depending on your individual chart (if you have planets or points near 20 degrees of the cardinal signs this will be stronger for you) you may feel this Eclipse to a greater or lesser degree, but all of us get eclipsed. The energy we carry for the collective - the energetic lineup when we drew our first breath - shifts.

We change and then we attract changing circumstances - and because there is no time and eclipses somehow work backwards, too - these changing circumstances can precede the actual eclipse!

ARIES/Aries Rising - (Cancer 4th house/Capricorn 10th house) the Sun and Moon are meeting in your 4th house of home, family, your roots, mother, mothering, your ancestry, real estate or a home business, so something here is BEGINNING/new. Pluto is opposing from your 10th house of your career, your calling, your achievements, your achievement goals, dad, business, authority, responsibility, so something here is ENDING/transforming.

TAURUS/Taurus Rising (Cancer 3rd house/Capricorn 9th house) the Sun and Moon are meeting in your 3rd house of communication, information, ideas, writing, siblings, transportation or your local neighborhood, so something here is BEGINNING/new. Pluto is opposing from your 9th house of travel, higher education, weddings, politics, legal issues, the media, publishing, foreigners, everything outside your comfort zone, exploration, your beliefs and higher thinking, so something here is ENDING/transforming.

GEMINI/Gemini Rising (Cancer 2nd house/Capricorn 8th house) the Sun and Moon are meeting in your 2nd house of your money, your values, your resources and self-esteem, so something here is BEGINNING/new. Pluto is opposing from your 8th house of other people's resources, other people's values, intimacy, other people's money, spouse's income, loans, debts, taxes, inheritance, sex, reproduction, the resources you share with other people so something here is ENDING/transforming.

CANCER/Cancer Rising (Cancer 1st house/Capricorn 7th house) the Sun and Moon are meeting in your 1st house of yourself, so a new chapter is kicking off for you. Pluto is opposing from your 7th house of your relationships so something here is ENDING/transforming.

LEO/Leo Rising (Cancer 12th house, Capricorn 6th house) the Sun and Moon are meeting in your 12th house of what is hidden or put away or done behind the scenes, secrets, the ethereal realms, imagination, hospitals, spirituality, addiction, healing, so something here is BEGINNING/new. Pluto is opposing from your 6th house of your day-to-day activities, your routine, work, co-workers, pets and your health, so something here is ENDING/transforming.

VIRGO/Virgo Rising (Cancer 11th house, Capricorn 5th house) the Sun and Moon are meeting in your 11th house of your friendships, groups, causes, the internet, the public, the goals that bring you into relationship with other people, your advancement, technology, so something here is BEGINNING/new. Pluto is opposing from your 5th house of creative projects, your self-expression, what you give birth to, children, romance and recreation, so something here is ENDING/transforming.

LIBRA/Libra Rising (Cancer 10th house, Capricorn 4th house) the Sun and Moon are meeting in your 10th house of your career, your calling, your achievements, your achievement goals, dad, business, authority, responsibility, so something here is BEGINNING/new. Pluto is opposing from your 4th house of home, family, your roots, mother, mothering, your ancestry, real estate or a home business, so something here is ENDING/transforming.

SCORPIO/Scorpio Rising (Cancer 9th house, Capricorn 3rd house) the Sun and Moon are meeting in your 9th house of travel, higher education, weddings, politics, legal issues, the media, publishing, foreigners, everything outside your comfort zone, exploration, your beliefs and higher thinking, so something here is BEGINNING/new. Pluto is opposing from your 3rd house of communication, information, ideas, writing, siblings, transportation or your local neighborhood, so something here is ENDING/transforming.

SAGITTARIUS/Sag Rising (Cancer 8th house, Capricorn 2nd house) the Sun and Moon are meeting in your 8th house of other people's resources, other people's values, intimacy, other people's money, spouse's income, loans, debts, taxes, death, inheritance, sex, reproduction, the resources you share with other people, so something here is BEGINNING/new. Pluto is opposing from your 2nd house of your money, your values, your resources and self-esteem, so something here is ENDING/transforming.

CAPRICORN/Capricorn Rising (Cancer 7th house, Capricorn 1st house) the Sun and Moon are meeting in your 7th house of partners and partnerships so something here is BEGINNING/new. Pluto is opposing from your 1st house of yourself so something within you is ENDING/transforming.

AQUARIUS/Aquarius Rising (Cancer 6th house, Capricorn 12th house) the Sun and Moon are meeting in your 6th house of your day-to-day activities, your routine, work, co-workers, pets and your health, so something here is BEGINNING/new. Pluto is opposing from your 12th house of what is hidden or put away or done behind the scenes, secrets, the ethereal realms, imagination, hospitals, spirituality, addiction, healing, so something here is, so something here is ENDING/transforming.

PISCES/Pisces Rising (Cancer 5th house, Capricorn 11th house) the Sun and Moon are meeting in your 5th house of creative projects, your self-expression, what you give birth to, children, romance and recreation, so something here is BEGINNING/new. Pluto is opposing from your 11 house of your friendships, groups, causes, the internet, the public, the goals that bring you into relationship with other people, your advancement, technology, so something here is ENDING/transforming.

Remember 2018 is the bridge year to 2019 and 2020 which will be life changing for all of us. With Saturn in Capricorn we can't skip steps anymore without falling on our ass. The crazy leaps were for last year. This year we have to work for what we want - this doesn't mean we won't get it though and it will last longer when we do! It's winter -yes, even when it is 100 degrees outside - we have to be practical, stow some canned goods - which could take the form of our relationships and connections with other people - and wear snow shoes.

We are literally holding space while the structures disintegrate. It can be depressing because we are under pressure. We are deleting worn out patterns, generations of physical and emotional wounding and ancestral inheritances that have kept us stuck. Inflexible entanglements that we have outgrown have already crumbled into a pile at out feet (Saturn hasn't really ruled the universe since the discovery of the telescope!)- we just can't totally see/feel that yet. AND this sounds all well and good and empowering when we see the words on a screen, but can actually feel like shit as it is happening. Our connections to other people can weaken along with the ties that bind us, our bodies can weaken - be sure you are getting enough sleep, eating well, moving! - from trying to maintain our balance on fast-shifting soil, our minds may seem to weaken as our intuition increases - this can also happen from just trying to absorb too much information, remember that South Node in Aquarius - step away from toxic technology. This shit is not for sissies.

We have alot going on this summer and alot of changes ahead - hold on loosely, keep moving forward - Cancer rules nurturing and sustenance - take care of yourself!

SETTING AFFIRMATIONS

This is a powerful energy to focus our intentions and make affirmations on Cancer stuff : mothers, motherhood, self-care, nurturing, home, family, real estate, home business, food, breast health, stomach and digestive health, gut health, SECURITY ...

AFFIRMATION TIPS: get into a positive frame of mind - always make affirmations from a positive place (positive meaning both happy and certain) - write your affirmations down by hand in script, speak them out loud - then release your attention from them knowing that your intention is known.  

Know these things are already yours.

xo all

let's all include an affirmation for the immigrant children and all children everywhere who are lost and hidden - that they are safely reunited with their families, with their mothers .... also note we had an eclipse very near this degree in July 2010, so there could be a connection to that time or a similar theme, but this one now with the Pluto opposition is more powerful

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of July 9th - love gets practical, let's pay attention to what we are talking and thinking about, big news, tension, partnership potentials and decisions, whatever got gummed up in March starts to move forward, grounded assistance, life and death, the eclipses are HERE

gaia by ezorenier

This is a very important week and kicks off our summer eclipse season - three eclipses this time, instead of the usual two! Keep in mind eclipse events don't usually happen at the exact date of the eclipse and can start weeks before and unravel for months after the actual events. I often see events one week or one month, usually almost to the day, before or after the eclipse date.

The biggest aspects this week are:

MONDAY - Venus enters Virgo, Mercury squares Jupiter enters shadow
TUESDAY - Jupiter stations DIRECT
WEDNESDAY - Venus trines Uranus and Juno
THURSDAY - NEW MOON SOLAR ECLIPSE IN CANCER opposing Pluto
FRIDAY - Venus trines Saturn

Let's unpack this massive suitcase!

I am not going to write all the Moon aspects because we have enough to cover with the planets. Note there are multiple long Void Moons this week.

The Moon goes VOID on Tuesday at 4:01PM EDT until Wednesday at 1:59PM EDT (into Cancer after the void) AND on Thursday at 10:48PM EDT until Friday at 1:31PM EDT (into Leo after the void) AND on Saturday at 7:12PM EDT until Sunday at 1:31PM EDT (into Virgo after the void).

On MONDAY, Venus moves into Virgo until August 6th. She puts away her queen of the jungle Leo crown, ties her hair back in a neat little bun and gets to work (it's not a surprise Virgo is not her favorite place to be!). On her way out of town she hits that still-hot degree from last August's eclipse - so if that eclipse triggered something for you it will likely be re-activated now.

The bad news for us - Venus is in her detriment in Virgo (not able to function as her best, most attractive Venusian self), the good news - during her stay in Virgo she will trine (brakes off) the other planets in Earth signs and we get two of those trines this week, so a Grand Earth Trine which will really help ground us during this week's de-stabilizing solar eclipse!

Since Venus collectively rules our 2nd and 7th houses (Libra and Taurus) the themes of these houses - love, money, self-esteem, values, relationships, women, beauty, our resources - are subjected to Virgo's keen focus and attention to detail over the next month.

We will be analyzing what we want and what we have. We will be analyzing our relationships.

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.

Our Virgo natal houses get a visit from 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.

We could also use this energy to criticize the people we love. But please let's not do that. Constructive criticism is not possible. It's still criticism. Nothing constructive there.

Things could get bitchy and people could get hurt.

It's always best to work on ourselves and not try to change others. We will then attract from others something different as they mirror the something different we project onto them. We can't change people. So we allow Venus (love) to soften Virgo (critical thinking, seeing what is wrong).

Note Mercury has started walking the degrees (as of Sunday) he will walk during his upcoming retrograde - yes, Mercury retrograde is coming - BACK UP YOUR FILES.

This means whatever we have going on now is stuff we will be going back over, so pay attention,  and, YES, we are already doing this with Mars retrograde and Mercury is opposing Mars (Mercury in Leo, Mars in Aquarius) so that polarity is what we are all going back over. These are the areas of life we have been talking about all year!

Also on MONDAY, Mercury (in Leo) squares Jupiter (in Scorpio). With Mercury going retrograde - we will have this same aspect three times between now and the end of August. Monday is the first hit.

This is BIG News or information or a conversation. Good or bad the square indicates tension. Jupiter will make everything bigger, but also 'appear bigger' than it actually is. So keep this in mind.

Mercury also rules sibling issues, local issues, childhood issues and transportation. Know that things here are going to change over the summer as we go through the retrogrades and two more squares, so whatever is happening now will be in play for awhile and won't be the end of the story.

EXAMPLE FOR TAURUS/ Taurus Rising - Mercury is moving through your 4th house of home and family (your Leo house) and squaring Jupiter in your 7th house of partners/partnerships (your Scorpio house). Conversations/news - possibly tense - could be happening now within these themes. Because Jupiter is going to move direct later this week - whatever your partner has been sitting on/waiting for/re-imagining will begin to move forward (something expansive). Keep in mind we have two more squares this summer and they could change their mind/thinking/opinion, maybe multiple times! That's OK. That is what this retrograde period is for! We are not wasting time, we are GETTING IT RIGHT. So don't jump too far too fast. By Labor Day issues regarding partnership and home/family or home business will be on more solid footing. You will have worked through alot of the crap and know (Mercury) what to do.

On TUESDAY, Jupiter stations direct at 13 degrees Scorpio. I wrote about his retrograde HERE. It is very hopeful that he moves forward now - we need him awake! We had the Sun trine Jupiter last Thursday as part of that "feel-good" Grand Water Trine (the one where I warned you not to feel TOO good, because well, that's just how I am - Pluto on my Mercury for months and months folks, you will thank me for this later).

Jupiter moved into Scorpio last October, expanded the hidden stuff in our Scorpio (power) houses (one big example is #metoo) until it couldn't be ignored. Then stationed retrograde in early March. Jupiter tends to rush and the details can get overlooked. He (as we) needed to slow down  - stop adding more pieces to the Scorpio puzzle and look closer at what we had uncovered since October. So now we've had four months to go back and look at the pieces already on the table. And remember he was going back over an area of our chart that Mars retrograded through in 2016. So the re-evaluation (or the re-re-evaluation!) was likely very Martian in nature (and Mars co-rules Scorpio) based around our past actions or in-actions, initiative or lack of, anger or repressed anger, sexuality or repressed sexuality, etc. Anyway, now he (as us) moves forward. Our natal Scorpio house - and collective themes of the way we share resources, collective money, banking,debt, sex, fertility, reproduction, power, death and rebirth - WAKES UP. Jupiter will continue expanding Scorpio, for better or worse, until November 8th.

Because expansive Jupiter naturally rules our collective 9th house of foreigners, what is foreign to us, our higher beliefs, the stuff we have to reach for - travel, higher education, weddings - politics, legal issues, the media, publishing, stuff outside our comfort zone, exploration, our beliefs and higher thinking - things here will pick up where they left off in March, too. Maybe a vision/project we put on hold in early March can begin to move forward now!

Keep in mind the series of Mercury squares this summer along with Mercury's retrograde - this situation will be in flux over the summer as we re-think, re-do, re-vise, yadda-yadda. Multiple tensions, or the same thing again and again, between our Scorpio and Leo houses (and these are both fixed energy and not so inclined to want to change - fixed signs I feel your pain!) will push things forward - as we move BACKWARD!

EXAMPLE FOR SCORPIO/Scorpio Rising - Jupiter is in your 1st house of yourself (Yay that he will be moving forward for you now Scorpios - keep in mind your ruling planet Mars is still retrograde, so if you do not feel the forward movement right now that is why - you will have something shift though - the squares with Mercury will wind down right around the same time as Mars stations direct so by the very end of August/early September all systems will be GO!) so something about your physical self, your body, your brand moves forward now. Note the square this week and two more in August with your 10th house of career and public life. Career moves and plans will be subject to change as you move through the summer!

On WEDNESDAY Venus trines Uranus (and Juno) - she will exactly trine Saturn on FRIDAY - this is ALL IN PLAY now and through the middle of the month. This is the solid ground (yes, there is solid ground available) we need to get through this week's eclipse. This is our Capricorn, Taurus and Virgo houses - they work well together naturally - supercharged with Venus, Saturn and Uranus.

Collectively (Virgo ruling 6th house, Capricorn 10th, Taurus 2nd) - this is good for work and money. An organized, healthy daily approach attracts new ways to make money or get the most from existing or new resources, support from those in charge and the ability to reach our long term goals - something like that - there are many ways this can play out. With Juno conjunct Uranus now, partnership agreements, even sudden or unexpected alliances or good stuff for a partner could bring us greater money and stability. Where are Virgo, Capricorn and Taurus in YOUR chart? How can you make use of this trine? Trines create smooth flow, but can also make us lazy and we miss the good stuff.

Saturn is in Capricorn - it's winter even when the temperature is hitting 100, folks - don't miss the good stuff.

We will talk more about this energy, too, in the New Moon Solar Eclipse post.

On THURSDAY the Cancer Sun meets the Cancer Moon at 20 degrees - exactly opposing Pluto at 20 degrees Capricorn and although the Moon's nodes have not quite reached the Cancer/Capricorn polarity - where they will be in November - they are close enough to trigger our first Solar Eclipse on the Cancer/Capricorn axis, so a kind of preview of where these things are heading in 2019.

We are are like computers being turned off and on when the skies go dark and the program that uploads at restart is a little bit (or quite a lot) different than the one we ran on before.

Eclipses change us, and we, (vibrating differently), change our circumstances by attracting or repelling what our new self lines up with.

Solar eclipses are New Moons and have themes of newness and beginnings. With this one opposing Pluto (ruler of death), the beginning requires an ending that is very much an ENDING (yes, I am running my finger across my jugular - ouch).

What are we willing to give up to get this fresh new beginning? Not that Pluto is asking - ha!

As we move through the early years of the Age of Aquarius we are holding space while the structures disintegrate. This is what we came to do, but this work is #notforsissies.

We will talk about this in the next post, but for example if you are an ARIES/Aries rising with Cancer in your 4th house and Capricorn in your 10th house - something in your 4th house (home, family, real estate, renovation, mother, ancestry, your roots, possibly home business) is BEGINNING and something in your 10th house (career, your calling, your achievements, your achievement goals, dad, business, authority, stepping into your responsibility) is ENDING.

These things may or may not be connected. There are as many ways this can play out as there are Aries people and this will be more important for people with planets or points on or near 20 degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn).

For LIBRA/Libra rising the same houses are activated but in the opposite way, so the 4th house has the ending and the 10th the new beginning. This will be as complicated or as simple as it needs to be for us.

We'll talk this all out in the Eclipse post, but remember Eclipse energy is wild card energy so we won't be able to see or prepare for everything!

This is the first eclipse of the season - the second eclipse at the end of the month is really a whopper - with even greater potential for a blow-up. For now let's concentrate on this first one on Thursday - start thinking about our New Moon wishes - plantings at a Cancer New Moon (Cancer is ruled by the Moon) are especially fast growing and potent.

xo all

We will also take a look at where we are in the collective/world news with the Solar Eclipse post, too.