weekly astrology forecast | August 29 to September 4, 2022 - a chance to mine for old gold, big ideas, getting our ducks in a row while knowing they are going to wander off a bit

 

Let's jump right in!

 

THURSDAY - Mars sextiles Jupiter (!)

FRIDAY - Mercury opposes Jupiter

SATURDAY - First Quarter Moon in Sagittarius

SUNDAY - Mercury trines Mars (sort of)

 

On THURSDAY - Mars, at 6 degrees Gemini, sextiles Jupiter, retrograde in Aries

 

Mars in Gemini wants to think, talk, write, mentally MOVE and Jupiter in Aries wants to expand what we have started/adds fuel to the FIRE. Combine the two in an opportunistic sextile and we get action that creates "LUCK". The kind of luck that comes from being in the right place at the right time. The kind of luck that comes from sending the email/taking the ACTION. Taking the risk. Keep in mind Jupiter is retrograde, so there is some kind of OLD GOLD here. Old sales/deals that didn't go through can come back around. Calls that didn't get made, get made. Old commercial opportunities can come back around, too. This is good energy for starting or doing something that catches fire/a headwind. What are we passionate about? What do we need to do next? Mars/Jupiter gives us courage, strength, confidence, optimism. This is applying all week and should be very helpful to those who can take advantage of this. Jupiter is in Mars' sign giving this one some added FIRE POWER.

On FRIDAY - Mercury, at 6 degrees Libra, opposes Jupiter, retrograde in Aries

 

Jupiter expands/exaggerates what Mercury has to say/think. Thinking positively - because worry is really only negative goal setting - is helpful. Keep in mind Mercury is walking degrees he/she will repeat during his upcoming retrograde that begins next week, so even though oppositions can bring endings/culminations/peak energy - there is a revision likely to happen. Nothing is set in stone here. Also, keep in mind that Jupiter is retrograde, so we are working with OLD GOLD, maybe something we missed the first time through. With hard aspects to Jupiter we can sometimes see how we are projecting ideals onto something/someone or an opinion gets challenged by the facts. This is Libra/Aries so will likely involve our relationships or need for balance/fairness. Us vs me. Again, keep in mind, this is going to be a repeating aspect - the opposition, although challenging, but, because Jupiter is basically benevolent energy can bring a positive result or BIG idea. Keep going. Just don't over-promise, over-extend yourself too much.

NOTE - Thursday and Friday's big energies, especially with Mercury and Mars in trine with each other, are likely all part of the same thing and are all at 6 degrees. So we have 6 degrees Gemini, Aries and Libra activated. People with planets/points here will likely be feeling this energy strongest.

 

On SATURDAY - we have the First Quarter Moon at 11 degrees Sagittarius

Here is the first square/challenge/tension from last week's New Moon in Virgo. This Moon in Sagittarius squares the Sun in Virgo at 11 degrees. The Moon in Sag is optimistic/confident - wants to expand/go big and the Sun in Virgo is humble/wants our feet firmly planted on the ground. Squares bring forces into conflict. Each planet wants to block the energies of the other creating the need for ACTION. Quarter Moons are decision times. This is where we are taking action on our New Moon beginning and meet our first obstacles/crisis. So what we do with this? What we do here/now determines just how far we get by the time of next week's Full Moon in Pisces on September 10th. Keep in mind, the Moon, being the faster moving planet, and this is HER cycle we are talking about - signals the new change that wants to emerge. So, the Sun (as us) is diligently working his way through practical Virgo and the Moon (also us here) comes in like WHOOSH, here is the need to look up and see the forest as well as the trees!

On SUNDAY - Mercury trine Mars (doesn't quite perfect)

So, here is the Mercury/Mars trine we talked about in the New Moon post HERE. It doesn't quite perfect, but still we could get something 'falling into place' this week from this. 

Also the weekend's Moon in Sagittarius is going to end Sunday night with a lovely trine to Venus. With Pluto at the end of Capricorn, we don't get many Moons that don't end with us dealing with him/the grim reaper these days, so let's take advantage of this one. I will pop back in with a weekend post about this for those who are interested in ways to do this.

September is our month to prepare/harvest/rest when we can. Get organized. Clean your closets. Sweep your floors. Think about what smart people do going into hurricane season and DO THAT. Start things that need to start in a kind of 'prototype' mode because situations will change as soon as next week when Mercury stations retrograde (Mercury is going to have some nice repeating aspects retrograde - again, that OLD GOLD we missed the first time through could show up). October/November, and really continuing into early next year, is "hurricane season"- preparing us for the brand new energies of March 2023. Get your ducks in a row this month by taking care of your physical body and physical spaces. Know that with Mars in Gemini for this long slog, we are likely to have some anxiety around 'having enough time'. We might feel pressured to do too much. We could over-think things or scatter our energy in too many places (some scattering will be necessary and good through, think about feeding bread to those ducks). Take off your plate the things you can when it gets to be too much. Deep breaths. Build some kind of meditation, mindfulness, breathing and physical exertion practices into your day. 

 

Looks like a week with energies we can WORK with. Any week that includes the words "old gold" more than once must be a good thing!

It's Virgo season - our day/our daily habits is our life. How we do one thing is how we do everything (as the Buddhists say) - keep this in mind.

xo all

photography by the talented VertuDesign

the meaning of the astrology of The New Moon in Virgo | August 27, 2022 - practical magic, mars in gemini's long journey kicks off, pacing ourselves, beginning with the end in mind

Can everyone feel this Mars in Gemini? Whew! It is hard to miss. It is already intense and mostly, except for the times when it is too much, I AM LOVING IT

 

(except for the crazy drivers part, but I live in New Jersey, so it is probably more noticeable here).

I am writing this on Friday night. The dark Moon phase. The Moon has been void all day. This is a good time to turn inward/slow down (can we slow down? I am thinking this is part of the Mars in Gemini TEST). There is a HUGE theme here about adapting to change and how we go about changing things. Collectively this Moon is about Virgo themes - our work, our health, our day-to-day life, our pets, our habits, our service. 

 

We are going to unpack this New Moon a little differently this month. 

We will look at the event chart, but also follow Luna's progress through Virgo and see what we can learn about the micro of the next two days/weeks and the macro of the next 6 months as we build toward the Virgo Full Moon on March 7, 2023 - which also happens to be the day Saturn moves into Pisces. 

 

On Friday night, the Moon moves into Virgo. She will square Mars and then almost immediately meet the Sun (4:17AM EDT at 4 degrees) giving us this month's NEW MOON. Then she trines Uranus, opposes Neptune and goes void off a trine to Pluto. That's it for her time in Virgo. She will have moved on to Libra by Monday. But, the next two days are also our next two weeks as the Sun does what the Moon just did (through the Sun's trine to Pluto on September 18th). 

It's pretty cut and dry, but that kick-off square to Mars in GEMINI is going to influence EVERYTHING. It's agitating. It's aggravating. It's mentally energizing. And, also, I should mention all three of those outer planets - Uranus, Neptune and Pluto - are retrograde, because that part is VERY important. 

On the one hand we don't have the assistance from these outer planets' energies for new projects, etc, in normal ways - this is a NEW MOON after all, so something is starting - and on the other hand, and this part is important, too, we don't have the resistance either. 

This New Moon is kind of the kicking off point, although clearly this has already started, for Mars in Gemini - Part I of that post is HERE - which will last until March 2023. There's March 2023 again. That's also the month Pluto dips his big toe into Aquarius - plunging us into the Age of Aquarius in bigger ways. What does that mean? Well, there could be some clues RIGHT NOW.

And RIGHT NOW we have a New Moon in Virgo answering to Mercury and squaring Mars who is also answering to Mercury. AND Mercury is trining Mars. BUT, because Mercury is going to slow down to station retrograde, and although he/she will get very close to an exact trine on September 4th, the trine isn't going to actually happen. So, what does that mean? Well, let's take a look at some possibilities.

 

Because Mercury is very changeable and particularly here where he/she is stimulated by "going in two directions at once" through Mars in Gemini, one thing it can look like is wanting to bring about change and doing things that create change without really having a plan about what comes next (this is all nicely illustrated by Biden's student loan announcement - his NN (legacy) at 0 degrees Virgo squared by Mars in Gemini this past week). 

 

We are all probably doing something like this right now

 

(this square from the Mercury New Moon to a Gemini Mars can also pull in stress/anger over things not being done correctly or just scatter our focus/actions).

With Mercury, ruler of this lunation in indecisive Libra, decisions can be HARD, unreliable, even agonizing (I would suspect Biden lost sleep over the decisions he has been making lately and still isn't sure they make sense), because we are often coming from a space of trying to placate someone/some situation or to make other people happy and not from the space of what we really want. People pleasing can appear to be diplomatic, but it puts the onus of our decision on the OTHER PARTY. This, shirking of our responsibility thing, will be challenged because Venus, the ruler of Libra, is opposing 'reality check' Saturn. If we aren't stepping into our own authority/responsibility - working seriously with what really matters, buying what we can afford, tending to our harvest, etc - energies outside us HAVE to bring things back into balance/bring karmic results. AND, Venus is also squaring Uranus, so we are responding to some kind of shake-up with our relationships or finances or impatience with something happening here. 

One of Virgo's biggest challenges is the need to have things be a certain way and this can create a kind of self-induced pressure cooker. We want to be asking ourselves why we are doing the things we are doing. We want to be asking ourselves if what we are doing needs to be done. There are things that maybe should be pushed off until spring because they will be SO much easier then AND because in some cases they will no longer make any sense.

 

Now, after the Moon squares Mars and meets the Sun, she trines Uranus, retrograde in Taurus. She will do this the next morning. The trine to Uranus can make us more comfortable with change/the uncomfortable. Life is not supposed to be comfortable and we can't be/become the resilient people the world needs us to be by being comfortable all the time. The Sun, following Luna, will trine Uranus on September 11th. Click. Something falls into place then. By Sunday, the Moon will oppose Neptune. Keep in mind the Moon is doing in 2 days what it takes the Sun much longer to do - so, it's kind of like the Moon sends us the energy and we emotionally absorb the patterns and then the Sun allows us to 'live the energies out'. This opposition is about the dissolving of a delusion or addiction or path of escape. Or maybe an understanding that we can't make this thing perfect. Here is where we kind of 'let go and let God', and no, we can't skip right to this step although I will tell you that people who are truly detached from current irritants, will get here faster. The Sun will oppose Neptune on September 16th. The closing aspect though, is that smooth trine to powerful Pluto, so here is the final result. Looking beneath the problems (or our Venus in Leo's need for a shiny exterior) for what's real. This is a VIRGO New Moon after all. There will be a practical, orderly truth here about what is essential for us. The Pluto trine speaks of tools that are accessible to FIX THINGS/make things right. The Plutonian exposure or purge (pick your poison here) will be precise and highly effective. The reveal of the flaw won't be fun. but the fix will appear naturally, happen naturally. The Moon is in an exact trine to asteroid Pholus in Cappy, too, reinforcing that BIG results (Pluto trine!) come from small things.

OK, so that is one way to look at this New Moon in Virgo - we follow the Moon through Virgo. If you read my New Moon posts every month, you might know I don't usually do this on paper, but I do look at it. Do this in my head.

 

In this case, we have that starting square to Mars - the push. It's hectic, maybe we are doing/starting two things at once. Then we have that smooth trine to a retrograde Uranus. We want to be leaning into the future. Doing something NEW. With Uranus retrograde this will probably have some connection to the past. Then we get the opposition to Neptune - this might be the trickiest part of the whole thing, but is really about us releasing some kind of bullsh*t. The delusion, the escape, the addiction, the IDEA OF PERFECTION - this will go, how hard this is depends on how hard we are trying to hold onto it. Finally we get the smooth trine to powerful Pluto in Cappy - we step into our authority/our Cappy public power through our daily actions/doing quality work/doing our Virgo. Pluto requires our total commitment. We are in it to win it. We target the problem LIKE A LASER BEAM. We focus on what we can realistically do to make things better. Then we do it. LIKE A BOSS.

 

Now, I could stop there and the Moon is dark and I am tired and I probably should, but since I almost always prefer to set up an event chart, let's do that, too, and see where the common ground can be found.

The Moon and Sun meet at 4 degrees Virgo. The Moon is in an EXACT square to Mars in Gemini (answering to Mercury). The Moon is in an EXACT trine to asteroid Pholus in Capricorn. Mercury, as ruler of Virgo is the ruler of this lunation. Mercury is in Libra answering to Venus. Mercury is applying to a trine to Mars. He/she is opposing Jupiter, also applying. Venus is squaring Uranus and opposing Saturn - both aspects unwinding.

 

Here again, of course we have that tense/frustrating square to Mars in Gemini. We might have alot on our plate or two things to do at once. We want to or feel impelled to or likely even need to act, but don't really have a plan for what comes LATER. Or maybe the piece that is missing is why we are doing what we are doing - something here is out of whack.

The Moon is trining Pholus - a wise and peaceful centaur/friend of Heracles. He is most famous for uncorking the bottle of wine that started the carnage that wounded Chiron and thought in astrological interpretation to speak of 'small things that bring big results'; his death coming as he examined an arrow and marveled that such a tiny thing could kill a massive centaur. I was born with this asteroid exactly conjunct my Sun (so one degree from my Saturn, opposing my Mars and squaring my ascendant/Neptune) and once changed my entire life by starting a business on Etsy called Uncorked on the day he was transiting exact on my Sun. Of course, this happened naturally, and unknown to me at the time, because I wasn't tracking asteroids 15 years ago AT ALL and had no knowledge of a centaur named Pholus. There is much more to his story than 'small thing that brings big results', but that probably applies. Maybe what is started now can bring bigger changes than we anticipate - this can be good or challenging, so keep this in mind. Either way he provides us with a direct, freshly-paved route to Cappy energy. Since Virgo rules our work and Cappy rules our reputation/career this is mostly a good thing. Just keep in mind, the thing we are 'uncorking' will take on a life of its own.

Mercury, the ruler of the lunation is in Libra answering to Venus who is opposing Saturn and squaring Uranus, so the Saturn/Uranus square is pulled into this New Moon's chapter, too - the old vs the new, our responsibilities to the group vs our need for freedom/liberty - via Venusian or Leo situations - our relationships, money, values, resources, our need to shine/celebrate/receive love or appreciation or attention.

Mercury is also applying to that trine to Mars - the trine that never quite happens, although it gets close enough to maybe produce results as if it does happen, so it's hard to say how this will impact things. It gives the whole New Moon energy a kind of EDGE. Are we doing this all for nothing?! Now, of course, we can make sure THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN by understanding what we are learning which is the part we can never lose!

OK, so what can we take from this astrology to make us smarter? To make this whole thing easier?

 

We can see there is some kind of change/disorder in Venusian matters - resources, money, relationships, our wants, etc. This comes through Venus in Leo so something here about our need to shine, receive appreciation/attention is activated by that Uranus square. We are likely coming from a space of ego with whatever crazy-making we are getting up to. At the time of the New Moon we have probably already committed to doing something or multiple somethings. We have alot of mental activity going on. We can use the astrology to understand there is a kind of IMPATIENT energy here and make sure we are not contributing to the chaos by acting out of anger/impulsivity or DESPERATION. The skies are dark. Take a breath. Mars in Gemini will have us running in multiple directions at once and normally this is only for a few weeks and we can just kind of 'run with it', but this year it will be for months and unless you are some kind of long-distance runner I would be totally jealous to find out about, we have to PACE OURSELVES. 

 

Focus. What do you really want to get out of this? 

That square to Mars says "yes, this is a time for change, for something new", AND it will really pay off to know why we are doing this, so we can be doing the right/smart thing! Keep in mind Virgo is the great FIXER energy and much of the skies are retrograde or about to be. Keep in mind the Moon through Virgo's journey and that final trine to Pluto - does our goal here line up with THAT?

This all lands with that Cappy trine to Pluto from Virgo and makes me think about:

• Laser focused efforts that pay off in big ways (although, yes, Mars in Gemini will have us tossing alot of mud at walls to see what sticks, at some point we will need to focus on what is working or what needs to be working)
  
• Going deep, cutting to the chase, zeroing in on the TRUTH, and purging everything else.
• This is not the usual Virgo humble service, but about working for someone/something to further OUR agenda.
• Empowering fixes
• Not suffering fools 
• Regenerating dead aspects of ourselves
• Finding deep/healing resources within ourselves
• Recognizing our shadow as part of us instead of tossing it onto other people
  

 

If what you are doing seems to fit into any of these general statements - KEEP GOING/START. Just remember to keep checking in with yourself/ 'check yourself before you wreck yourself ' because Sun/Pluto can burn itself up/out, so keep that in mind, too.

As this New Moon grows into the Full Moon in Virgo, from now until March 2023 - anxiety is going to be something we need to figure out how to deal with - coming from too much to do or too much information, ie that Mars/Gemini square coupled with the over-thinking Virgo energy that kicks this whole time period off. We can use things like mindfulness exercises, tapping, coloring, meditation, physical exertion, etc. We are going to want to figure out ways to manage this energy within ourselves, because it will not be possible outside of ourselves to get a grip on things! We want to be responding and not reacting, but with so much of the skies retrograde, our natural instincts will tend to kick in. Forgive yourself when you screw up.

 

PACE YOURSELF.

Toss some things you can actually finish onto your to-do list. Small projects are helpful. Add things to your to-do list you have already done and cross them off. NOTICE WHAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED and not just what you have left to do. Prioritize. Don't waste time attending to the wrong details, but also know some of this is going to happen now. We are going to be doing some things TWICE. Give yourself, and other people, because we are all in this TOGETHER, a break when this happens. Virgo energy loves to be organized, so how can you get more organized? I recently turned a coffee table in my studio into a higher counter with some plastic storage tubs and a tabletop and it is so much more useful and I am loving it. Small things create BIG significance.

Note this chart also has a retrograde Chiron trining Ceres. 15 degrees Aries/Leo is another way through. This is healing/help. Ceres in Leo is encouraging our shininess - this could show up as a person/situation or we could be playing Ceres here. Our special-ness recognized is healing. Our healing comes through our heart. What we are starting at this New Moon allows our heart/our creativity to heal some very old wounds. This is love. Powerful mothering. Our wounds/our history is enabling us to shine.

We will talk more about this over the next couple weeks as these lunar energies play out through solar aspects. I hope something here is helpful.

New Moon Guidelines

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

INTENTION TIPS: Let the earth guide you this month, plant your feet firmly on the ground, clear your head, write what your physical self, grounded by the earth, wants - not what you think you should write. Write your intentions down by hand in script on a blank piece of paper, speak the words out loud, maybe burn the paper and give the ashes back to the earth - release your attention from these things knowing your intention is known.

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

What do you do next?

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

xo all

weekly astrology forecast | August 22 - 28, 2022 - Venus, Venus, Venus, a change of direction, doing everything twice, big New Moon fresh start in Virgo plus conclusions, results

 

 

Expect CHANGE this week as two personal planets change signs, Uranus stations retrograde ('change' backs up) and we have a New Moon in Virgo offering/urging (maybe with our back against the wall) new and more options and actions.

 

We have a couple days with the Sun in 'organizing/fixing' Virgo with Virgo's ruler Mercury in Virgo, too, then Mercury moves on to Libra, in a way, merging Virgo/Libra season pulling the personal planets and our personal lives forward. At the same time, know, this 'forward thing' won't be anything even slightly resembling a straight line. Mercury is already walking degrees he/she will walk two more times (back and forth) during his retrograde that begins in a couple weeks. Pretty much everything is subject to REVISION. With Mars in Gemini now, until March 2023, it will be normal to do things twice and two things at once - knowing this going in should help us avoid frustration. 

In the middle of the week Uranus will station retrograde, so now all the outer planets are moving backward. Uranus will take us back to May 7th, so changes that have happened since then - and there have been alot - will be subject to the "re's". Changes could ease up or intensify depending on our natal and progressed chart's interaction with the retrograde. Uranus will be retrograde for the rest of the year.

The New Moon in Virgo, late Saturday night EDT, will square Mars (our action, initiative, passion, anger), who lays low most of the week, and kick off Mars in Gemini - which we talked about HERE - in a BIG way. With Venus in the powerful middle of Leo conjunct Ceres and squaring that stationing and uber powerful Uranus at the same time, expect our preconceived notions of love, money, creativity, our values and self esteem to be challenged. A sudden attraction can be lit, a new source of income can show up, etc.

 

Venus is very active in Leo this week, so lots of changes/choices with a focus on love, money, our relationships, children and creative projects. She will face off with sober Saturn (a reality check/ending) at the end of the week, so keep that in mind.

Let's unpack the week!

 

MONDAY - Mercury trines Pluto, Sun enters Virgo, Venus conjuncts Ceres

WEDNESDAY - Venus trines Chiron, Uranus stations retrograde

THURSDAY - Venus squares the Nodes of Fate, Mercury enters Libra

SATURDAY - Venus squares Uranus retrograde, Sun squares Mars, NEW MOON IN VIRGO

SUNDAY - Venus opposes Saturn retrograde

 

On MONDAY, Mercury, at 26 degrees Virgo trines Pluto, retrograde in Capricorn while Venus, at 13 degrees Leo meets Ceres, Sun enters Virgo

 

With Venus conjunct Ceres in Leo - love and nurturing are joined. Venus and Ceres start a new cycle  in the sign of romance, love, our creative projects, children, fun, recreation. Happening with Venus and Ceres applying to squares to Uranus and the Nodes of Fate and a trine to Chiron gives this one added firepower. Encourages change and fresh starts.

The trine from Mercury to Pluto speaks of a smooth and powerful flow between our Virgo and Capricorn houses. Earth trines are practical. Changes will be about real-world things we can touch and see. Situations started now/agreements made will require a total commitment. INFORMATION CAN BE INTENSE. Intimate. Words will be powerful/cut to the core of the issue in a way that is absorbed - we can say just the right thing. There could be an uncomplicated (that trine) uncovering of something hidden/Scorpian (financial, sexual, etc, and this was happening last week, too as this aspect applied) or a smooth fix to an old problem. Our thinking could get fixated - so, it's good energy for work requiring deep focus, speaking our truth, dealing verbally with complicated situations.

 

This is also the day the Sun leaves his home sign of Leo and moves into "let's get to work" Virgo. 

 

The astrology wheel is the hero's journey of self discovery. When the Sun moves into Virgo, it is our hero's first encounter with service. In Virgo 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 says maybe we are not here to do the work we love - maybe 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 - their placements 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, during Virgo season). Virgo is the first sign that takes OTHER PEOPLE into consideration.

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. It isn't a coincidence Virgo season is the time of the harvest - the time the farmer/gardener separates the wheat from the chaff/the good tomatoes from the yucky ones the squirrels have gotten into (aarrgh!). This is where Virgo's well-known tendency toward critical nitpicking and fault finding comes in. What Virgo is really about though is - making life BETTER.

 

Having the ruler of Virgo, Mercury, in his/her home signs and in a smooth trine to powerful Pluto at kick-off is a VERY GOOD SIGN for an empowering Virgo season which lasts until the Sun moves into Libra on September 22nd. We are all burning Virgo fuel now - we will feel this even more strongly after the Virgo New Moon at the end of the week.
 

On WEDNESDAY, Venus, at 15 degrees Leo, trines Chiron in Aries and Uranus stations retrograde at 18 degrees Taurus

 

Venus/Chiron is a nice healing energy where by shining/standing out/loving/being generous we find confidence in our ability to take care of ourselves and be ourselves. Things fall into place and happen smoothly with this. Leo and Aries are both brave fire signs, so confidence/courage will pay off here/be healing very old wounds.

This is also the day Uranus stations retrograde in Taurus. Collectively, Taurus rules our money, our resources, what we have earned, our values, our self-esteem, the planet Earth. There is a change of direction now. Maybe a pause on radical change/liberation or maybe an intensification. Uranus is unpredictable - any unexpected lightning strike could take us in a bold new direction or remove all the excitement/energy from a forward-leaning project/situation.

For some people changes that hit unexpectedly over the last few months will slow down or be put on hold. If we are directly impacted by Uranus's back and forth over a sensitive planet or point in our natal chart - changes could intensify. Outer changes can be pulled into the inner realms to re-align, re-consider, re-work things. Remember, Uranus (ruler of Aquarius) is all about detaching us from what we no longer need/what is no longer working by the fastest means possible. If we can't get there from here, Uranus will get us to where we need to be so we can. Uranus will be retrograde for the rest of the year. His station takes us back to May 7th, so anything started/changed since that time is subject to revision.

On THURSDAY, Venus, at 16 degrees Leo, squares the Nodes of Fate, Mercury enters Libra

Mercury leaves his home sign of logical Virgo for diplomatic, but indecisive (the problem with being able to see both sides of the story!) Libra.
 

So, to be successful, our words are going to need to be more polite now. We need to listen. If we want our communications to hit their target we need to make the other person feel heard/understood/loved. 

Conversations become kind of a dance here. We smile. We talk about the things everyone can agree on. With the floor spinning beneath our feet we still manage to find common ground. That is the energy that moves communications, ideas and conversations forward now. 

 

Mercury is going to station retrograde in Libra in a couple weeks, and we are already walking degrees he will walk two more times. People/relationships from the past can come back around. This is unlikely to be a permanent re-connection, but there will be something to be learned from the encounters. Due to his upcoming retrograde, Mercury won't be out of Libra and into Scorpio until October 29th, which is a very pivotal time frame between Eclipses and with Mars stationing retrograde (answering to Mercury). That will be a kind of ending of the first part of the three-part journey of Mars in Gemini, which takes us through next March and Mercury as the ruler of Gemini is playing a critical role, so 'part 1', through the end of October, happens with Mercury in Libra - so, will involve a strong focus on our relationships, partners, BALANCE and fairness.

Now, Venus, following in the footsteps of Mercury and the Sun with this, squares the Nodes of Fate. These are choices to be made. Crossroads. Are we moving toward the NEW GROWTH or holding tight to the complicated/comfortable (because it is familiar) drama? Our money, our relationships, our values, self-esteem - how can we move in a new/creative direction? Venus in Leo likes things attention-getting, shiny, bright, dramatic and here's where we need to know WHAT WE REALLY VALUE because Taurus only wants shiny if it's diamonds. Keep in mind Venus rules that North Node in Taurus  - our best direction forward - and Mercury is answering to her starting today, this square probably doesn't have to be a hard right turn. Lean toward your Taurus house. Something there is GROWING. We will talk more about this in the New Moon post. 

On SATURDAY, Venus, at 18 degrees Leo squares Uranus retrograde in Taurus while the Sun, at 3 degrees Virgo squares Mars in Gemini, NEW MOON IN VIRGO

This will have its own post. This New Moon will bring all of us 'back to work' in a powerful way. I will be starting two new lines over this New Moon cycle (two weeks following Moon) to see what sticks. Note - this 'seeing what sticks' thing may take awhile.

On SUNDAY, Venus at 20 degrees Leo, opposes Saturn in Aquarius

 

Venus has been through the wringer this week and now she must face-off with Saturn retrograde in his ancient sign of Aquarius. Oppositions bring peak energy, culminations, conclusions. With Saturn in Aquarius old limits, rules, maybe especially involving group situations, can pull us up short. With Venus/Saturn we might hear a "no", be forced to deal with a time/financial constraint, feel rejected/not loved/not enough. The bottom line with Saturnian challenges is - they are alot harder when we are projecting our authority onto someone else. So, we need to be stepping into our responsibilities, taking care of ourselves. Venus in Leo wants to play, but we've known this 'pay the piper' thing was coming. Saturn is retrograde, this isn't something we couldn't see coming. 

 

Saturn brings karmic results, so what we get now is the maturing of a situation (through Venus, so likely connected to relationships, money, our values, self-esteem, beauty) to the point where it is time for things to be brought into balance. It can feel heavy if things are too out of whack, but with Saturn it takes what it takes.

As for Luna, we start the week with the Moon in Cancer, this will bring our focus to home, family, mother situations. That Moon has a nice closing aspect, so all's well that ends well there and then the Moon will move into Leo on Wednesday, hits some hiccups on Thursday and Friday, go void off a challenging opposition to Saturn, so the Moon is mirroring Venus from Wednesday to Friday, pulling our emotions and emotional history into the mix. Long all-day void Moon on Friday, so not a good day to start something we want something to 'come of'. Then the Moon moves into Virgo and we start our build-up to the New Moon on Saturday night.  

xo all

I hope something here is helpful. Back with that New Moon post. 

 

Photography by the talented raetselleben

the astrology of mars into gemini | August 2022 - March 2023 - part I - the long and winding road

 

On August 20th at 3:56AM EDT, Mars leaves the fertile (but muddy) ground of Taurus for the changeable air of Gemini. Due to his upcoming retrograde - late October thru early January - instead of Mars usual few weeks in Gemini (every two years), he will be in Gemini for several MONTHS. Usually we kind of skim the surface of things with Mars in Gemini, but this time, we will be back and forth over things and charged with taking a more thorough look!

Let's back up for a second and regroup. Mars was in his home sign of Aries from late May until early July. Things we had going on then, maybe especially things we were starting will move ahead full blast, ALL SYSTEM GO, in the early part of 2023 when Jupiter gets back into Aries and reaches the degree he met Mars the first time (sometime around the end of January 2023). 

On July 5th, Mars moved into Taurus. Maybe we were moving ahead with our earlier startings. Things might have slowed down a bit or maybe the chaos of the earlier months began to stabilize as Mars got his footings over the past few weeks. Then at the end of July/beginning of August, Mars met up with Uranus and the North Node - BIG changes. We talked about that HERE. Projects begun with Mars in Taurus will expand, ALL SYSTEMS GO, when Jupiter gets into Taurus in mid-May 2023. 

Now Mars - our initiative, our passion, our anger, how we go about getting what we want, how we take ACTION - moves into the Mercury ruled sign of Gemini. 

Prepare for BUSY. We are about to get alot done or at least alot started or maybe just be running in a whole lot of different directions or at least TWO. Once Mars goes retrograde at the end of October we will be re-tracing our steps, re-thinking our actions until the end of January when Mars stations direct and we travel this path one final time - hopefully both older and wiser.

Some word salads to give you some idea of what this combination of Mars in Gemini might look like are : walking our talk, doing two things at once, passionate/angry/brave words, a sharp tongue/mind, arguments, arguments, did I say arguments?, putting energy into siblings/transportation/the local community, being a teacher, being a student, used car salesmen, competitive word games, lots of errands, lots of short-distance travel, active or over-active minds, more frequent sex, more sexual partners, transsexual activity, putting energy into language/writing/thinking, putting energy into commerce, seeing double, living with questions, new ideas, new thoughts, new conversations, new information.

How well any of this works out for us will depend on how Mars is interacting with our natal and progressed charts AND what Mercury is doing (since Mars will be answering to him/her). 

 

If you have planets between 8-23 degrees of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius or Pisces, you will likely feel this retrograde strongest. We are counting on you mutable signs to mutate!

 

Planets in Gemini get the conjunction - they will merge with an action-oriented, restless, maybe anxious Mars. Planets in Gemini are restless anyway, so now they get really fired up (keep in mind the energy will ebb and flow over the next few months depending on what Mars - and Mercury - are doing). Sagittarius planets will be opposed by Mars - oppositions bring things to a head/culmination or to an ending/result. The repeating nature of the Mars retrograde cycle could indicate multiple conclusions, of the same thing or multiple things. Mars oppositions can also bring in situations that oppose our actions. People who are angry with us, etc. Virgo and Pisces planets/points get the tense squares. Squares require action, often with our back against the wall. The cardinal and fixed signs have been smashed. Pushed to start. Pushed to change. Now, the world is counting on our mutable placements to do what they were designed to do.

If you have air sign (Libra, Aquarius) planets/points between 8-23 degrees, they will be getting the smooth trines from Mars. Smooth flow. Things falling into place. They can be a way through for you when your actions/passions are challenged. Keep in mind, even the smooth aspects will be subject to the ebb and flow of the Mars retrograde period.

Starting this transit with Mercury home in Virgo (Mars in Gemini is answering to Mercury) gives us a good start. It will also make the transition from Taurus much easier. In a couple weeks, Mars will start walking the degrees of Gemini he will repeat two more times, so if you are finishing up something and don't want it dragging out for months, get it done before early September. 

 

Mercury is going to station retrograde twice during Mars time in Gemini, once while Mars is retrograde, too. These time periods will be tricky. By the middle of September, Mercury will be retrograde in Libra challenging our relationships/need for fairness or balance. Mercury's second retro, with Mars retrograde, too, will likely be even gnarlier with Mercury in Capricorn backing over 'time runs out' at the end of 2022. No need to focus on that now. We have enough to think about!

For now, we need to know Mercury in Gemini is going to PICK UP THE PACE. We will be busier. The rate of communications, ideas and information will pick up and we will be charged with doing something with what we learn/think. 

 

Mars is following, almost in lockstep, Venus's retrograde in Gemini, back in the summer of 2020. He is also clearing a path/setting down lottery tickets and landmines, for Uranus's entry into Gemini in 2025.

 

The following are the major aspects Mars will make in Gemini:

 

8/20 - Mars enters Gemini,

9/1 - Mars sextiles Jupiter

9/4 - Mercury trines Mars - doesn't perfect, but should give us something

9/17 - Mars sextiles Chiron

9/28 - Mars trines Saturn

10/12 - Mars squares Neptune while Mercury opposes Jupiter

10/30 - Mars stations retrograde at 25 degrees Virgo during the Scorpio/Taurus eclipse cycle w/Mercury in Scorpio, so mutual reception with Mars

11/11 - Venus inconjuncts Mars

11/13 - Mercury inconjuncts Mars

11/20 - Mars squares Neptune (will repeat on 3/14 - watch your health, your energy level, rest)

12/8 - Sun opposes Mars - here is the midpoint of the cycle, illuminating what this retrograde period has been/is about for us, can also bring a result/conclusion

1/9 - Venus trines Mars

1/12 - Mars stations direct 8 degrees (same degree as Venus trine) 

1/17 - Mercury inconjuncts Mars

1/29 - Sun trines Mars

2/22 - Mercury (in Aquarius now) trines Mars

3/14 - Mars squares Neptune, repeating aspect from 11/20

3/16 - Sun squares Mars

3/17 - Mercury (in Pisces now) squares Mars

3/26 - Mars enters Cancer

4/2 - Mars in Cancer 4 sextiles North Node Taurus - opportunity

I wanted to get this up this morning, but I will go back and fill in some forecasting for those particular dates. The last time Mars made a complete retrograde cycle in the sign of Gemini was in the 1940's and collectively this is tricky energy. Angry words can come of out nowhere (so can new ideas). Mercury rules early childhood education and Mars rules violence, obviously that isn't good, but maybe this can also speak of conversations/new ideas about prevention and dealing with anger and angry young men since Mars rules young men. 

 

There are surely as many rainbows as dragons. Let's stay positive with our thinking - with Mars in Gemini, our THINKING IS VERY POWERFUL. 

The retrograde period will be especially tricky and starts mid-way between two powerful Eclipses (at least we have Mars and Mercury in mutual reception here, so Mars can get to Scorpio through Mercury and Mercury can get to Gemini through Mars, that's good news). We can't look too far ahead with Mars in Gemini. Just know we have to be flexible. Our minds will change, so will other people's. Ideas/information is influx. Sibling situations, local community issues, our transportation and tech will be featured. Our Gemini natal house is getting a wake up call and a thorough going over. 

This all ends on April 2nd when Mars in Cancer sextiles the North Node of Fate - an opportunity to move into the future. It's a long and winding road between now and then. We are not alone on this road even when it looks like we are. We are all in this muddle together. The sand in the squishy part of the hourglass, the crack between the pages. We are living in the in-between time where the old world is falling down and the new world barely has its footings built! We are the ones who get to decide how this is going to work. Let's get excited instead of worried!

This truly is a time of great opportunity, but it requires our presence and attention to the natural forces at work in our lives. It's not about taking control and forcing things into the shapes we want them to be anymore.

 

When Mars moves into Gemini he will be exactly squaring a retrograde Vesta in Pisces and opposing asteroid Pandora at 0 degrees Sagittarius. This will have myriad meanings as this stuff is apt to do. 

 

That square to a retrograde Vesta pulls Vesta's questioning /re-working of old dreams, an old focus/what kept us up at night/what was sacred to us, our ancestors into the mix via tension or frustration - something here will require our action. Vesta is showing us what needs keeping and what needs dissolving. 

 

Pandora opposes Mars as he (as we) starts his Gemini journey.  In our natal chart Pandora is a space where we are extremely gifted, but have somehow come to accept/believe these gifts are curses. 

 

The North Node is still in Taurus. This is about a humble recognition of the gifts we have been given and a willingness to apply ourselves through all kinds of circumstances (Mars in Gemini) to making good use of them.

 

This version of the Pandora story we are most familiar with is - the first woman on Earth, made by the Gods, she wasn't satisfied and wanted more, more, more, had to open that damn box and it unleashed untold agony on the world. This isn't actually the original story, but this version is very powerful because so many people have heard this story and carry the energy of this. She is the ancient Greek's version of the Eve story and a key foundational block of the patriarchy paradigm we've been living.
 

One of the keys to working with the altered Pandora story is the "hope left in the box" part.

I used to make a locket that included the dictionary definition of the word 'hope'. Every time I sold one the person would ask me to switch out the word 'hope' for something "more positive". I think 'hope' felt passive as if we were just sitting around 'hoping' instead of taking that bull by his horns and making stuff happen. Well 'hope' isn't passive - what hope really is, is receptive. It's a feminine quality. Hope isn't the opposite of making stuff happen, it's actually the opposite of despair. 

 

Her story (and that of Eve), through the shaming/blaming of the feminine energy (the yin/the Earth) is the story of the shift from a life of natural ease and abundance provided by nature to a reality where we must toil to survive. 

 

As we shift into the Age of Aquarius the energy on the planet is different now (more different in some places than others since physical space carries karma and memories, too - some places are denser). The reason people are so exhausted is the constant expending of energy forcing stuff to happen is depleting. People used to be able to work hard at work they hated, come home, pour themselves a beer/glass of wine and feel good they were taking care of their families. This took a toll on us body and soul but we could do it. 

 

The new paradigm is less supportive of this. It isn't because people are lazy or spoiled or want things to come easy, it's because this ease is the way life actually works best now.
 

Stuff is moving too fast. If we push, the thing we are pushing against has moved before we can even get a foothold! We will know we are doing this when it feels like it's one thing after another, like we can never slow down or catch a break. To work with this new paradigm we need to be flowing with what is happening and not pushing or forcing against stuff that will move and drop us on our ass.

 

Something I am thinking with Mars in Gemini opposing Pandora is that we could be running all over the place FOR MONTHS, without alot to show for it at the end of the day. We need to think about this. Also since Pandora can connect to 'shame' and we've just been through a lengthy Black Moon Lilith in Cancer squaring Jupiter transit, and the possibly frenetic pace/this doing too much thing and scattering our energy/resources could be connected to not feeling good enough, not feeling worthy. 

 

The way work is supposed to work now, because life is an energetic exchange (and it always has been, but wearing out some people for the ease of other people isn't working anymore) is we want to be doing something we care about around others that are equally invested in what we are trying to accomplish, then there is less energy expended because it is a natural flow, and it regenerates itself within the process. Because less is being expended this allows for balance rather than using willpower to force the constant expending of energy. So, it isn't about getting ahead so much as coming back to center. We will keep our eye on Pandora as we move through this long transit.

 

And, of course, Pandora was active during Covid (and is exactly conjunct asteroid Wuhan on Algol in the U.S. birth chart, connects to pandemics), so certainly our actions and thinking will be changing around this and maybe alot of what we are doing we wouldn't be doing without the 'pandemic' coming in as opposition to our actions.

Mars in Gemini is going to really kick off during the New Moon next week which will be at 4 degrees Virgo and EXACTLY squaring Mars in Gemini. The push that gets us back to work.

In your natal chart, your Gemini house will require additional energy/more will be happening, your natal Mars will be influenced by having Mars in a mutable air sign (this will work out better for some natal Mars than others). Also look at the house Mars rules in your natal chart - houses with Aries and Scorpio (ancient ruler) on the cusps for more info:

 

ARIES/Aries rising - this is happening in your 3rd house of communication, information, writing, siblings, transportation or your local neighborhood. 

TAURUS/Taurus rising - this is happening in your 2nd house of your money, your values, your resources and self-esteem. 

GEMINI/Gemini rising -  this is happening in your first house of yourself dear Gemini! This could be about reinventing yourself or taking another look at a relationship/relationship issue as Mars opposing your 7th house of partners.

CANCER/Cancer rising - 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, dreams, endings, how we end things, what we do last, your ancestors, your past.

LEO/Leo rising - this is happening 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. 

VIRGO/Virgo rising - this is happening in your 10th house of your career, your calling, your achievements, your achievement goals, dad, business, authority, responsibility.

LIBRA/Libra rising - this is happening 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

SCORPIO/Scorpio rising - this is happening in your 8th house of other people's resources, other people's values, intimacy, other people's money, spouse's income, loans, debts, taxes, inheritance, death, rebirth, sex, reproduction

SAGITTARIUS/Sagittarius rising - this is happening in your 7th house of partners and partnerships. 

CAPRICORN/Capricorn rising  - this is happening in your 6th house of your day-to-day activities, your routine, work, co-workers, pets and your HEALTH (make time for rest and fun). 

AQUARIUS/Aquarius rising -  this is happening in your 5th house of creative projects, your self-expression, what you give birth to, children, romance and recreation.

PISCES/Pisces rising - this is happening in your 4th house of home, family, your roots, mother, mothering, your ancestry, real estate, renovation or a home business/family business.

 

As always I hope something here is helpful. 

 

We are going to have to be flexible, rest when we can, because things are going to get BUSY. 

 

Back with the weekly and the New Moon in Virgo post. Then in Part II, we'll look at the Mars retrograde part of the Mars in Gemini story.

xo all