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

TODAY'S ASTROLOGY forecast | Thursday, August 18, 2022 - love, faith, optimism, freedom vs responsibilities, not perfect but good enough, limits can be helpful

 

The Moon is exalted in Taurus now. We are nourished/nurtured by more traditionally nurturing things - a warm bed, a soft touch, good food, security, time spent in nature, time spent with what/who we value/love, all the good stuff money can buy and all the good stuff it can't.

 

She meets Uranus at 10:19AM EDT and squares a retrograde Saturn at 3:33PM EDT pulling this month's theme of two steps forward/one step back into our day. Uranus brings change/freedom then Saturn reminds us of old responsibilities/commitments/limits/fears.

 

This is also the day, that Venus trines Jupiter and Mercury squares Pallas. 

Mercury in Virgo squares Pallas in Gemini (who is answering to Mercury). Squares are tension/frustration. Maybe we are over-thinking something. Seeking perfection that isn't needed/achievable. Trying to fix something that isn't broken. Or maybe we are afraid of making a mistake or overwhelmed with everything that has to be done. Communications can be challenging. Misunderstandings are possible. Words are tricky. Mercury in Virgo can be critical/too focused on GETTING IT PRECISELY RIGHT and Pallas in Gemini has two things on her plate or wants to try a little of this and a little of that. 

The way through the communication/thinking challenges is today's Venus trine Jupiter. Optimism. Enthusiasm. Faith. Allowing the fire to burn away our doubts/pessimism/blocks. 

 

We talked more about the Venus/Jupiter in the weekly:

This is a beautiful aspect. More love. More money. Can we be any shinier? Love any bigger? Well, maybe we can! Can we take something too far? Well, sure - so don't run off to Vegas and elope. Don't spend all your money. But, DO enjoy the connection of our two most benevolent planets. Give big. Accept with open arms. More money. More love. Great for socializing. It's summer, get out and have some FUN!

Pallas is also trining Saturn in Aquarius - exact tomorrow, so here's another way through any communication/information glitches. Stepping back from the situation a bit. Giving something some space/some air. Assistance can come from authority/a mentor/an older person. The trine to Saturn shows success by LIMITING OUR FOCUS, our words, our ideas - at least for right now. Pallas trining Saturn indicates support for long term strategies. It says that limits are helping us. Time is on our side.

A bit of a mixed bag day, but hopefully we will all get to experience the Venus/Jupiter fire (seek it out!).

 

Joy. Fun. Love. Attention. Passion. The Sun. This has been in play for a couple days and will spend a couple more days unwinding. Don't let it slip away before grabbing a couple BIG handfuls for yourself.

 

Back with the Mars in Gemini!

xo all

 

artwork by the talented NightSkunk

weekly astrology forecast | August 15 to 21, 2022 - new information, genius ideas, smart fixes, breakthrough thinking, love and money grows, Mars moves into Gemini for the long haul

 

 

We start the week with the uber powerful portal of our FUTURE, activated a couple weeks ago, (is that right - when was that? my brain is aging in dog years now), by the Mars/Uranus/North Node conjunction now GETTING GROUNDED in the mutable earth of Virgo through a strong "let's fix this thing" Mercury - new ideas, solutions, new information/conversations. Common sense AND brilliance. Our balanced brain AND access to the higher frequency/collective hive-mind. 

 

A change in our thinking or new information that sets us on a better and more stable path. 

 

Mid-week we have Venus in an uber amazing productive trine to Jupiter. Our two 'benevolent' planets working together - this is expansion, optimism, LOVE. This is Leo/Aries so red hot, folks.

At the end of the week, Mars enters Gemini until next March. Mars hasn't been in Gemini for two years, and because of his upcoming retrograde, instead of his usual few weeks we get a few months! This is going to be a HUGE mind-bending adjustment period for all of us. 

 

I have a BIG post coming about Mars transit of Gemini this week!

 

MONDAY - Mercury trines North Node of Fate

TUESDAY - Mercury trines Uranus

THURSDAY - Venus trines Jupiter

FRIDAY - Last Quarter Moon | 26 degrees Taurus

SATURDAY - Mars enters Gemini

SUNDAY - Vesta retrograde enters Aquarius, Mercury opposes Neptune

On MONDAY - Mercury, at 17 degrees Virgo trines the Taurus North Node

 

Here is a conversation/words, that smoothly connect us with our BEST FUTURE. Maybe our attention is drawn to a problem so it can be fixed. Mercury in Virgo is all about the details, so whatever this is - information/what we are noticing, can seem like a small thing, but it will lead to something valuable/more stable. Good news can come in. This is our self esteem, our resources, our money, our values, our natal Taurus house theme in smooth flow with our best/most stable path forward. Virgo will pull in our work, our day-to-day, our health and our pets. Keep your ears/eyes open. Talk to people. Listen. Our words/ideas are our fortune. Take notes. Be out and about. Make the call. Write the email.

On TUESDAY - Mercury, at 18 degrees Virgo trines Uranus in Taurus

This is easy-to-manage change via news/information conversations that are HELPFUL/healthful. A change in our thinking. A change in our words. A LIBERATING CONVERSATION. A genius idea. New answers are found easily. Something falls into place. Maybe we are making sense of recent changes, breaking things down into smaller pieces/taking things one step at a time is helpful. 

 

Keep in mind, Mercury is coming off his trine to the North Node - our best path forward - so this is likely all part of the same thing we talked about for Monday!

On WEDNESDAY - Venus, at 8 degrees Leo, trines Jupiter in Aries.

 

This is a beautiful aspect. More love. More money. Can we be any shinier? Love any bigger? Well, maybe we can! Can we take something too far? Well, sure - so don't run off to Vegas and elope. Don't spend all your money. But, DO enjoy the connection of our two most benevolent planets. Give big. Accept with open arms. More money. More love. Great for socializing. It's summer, get out and have some FUN!

 

FRIDAY - the Moon, at 26 degrees Taurus squares the Leo Sun, giving us this month's Last Quarter Square - the final challenge of last week's BIG Full Moon in Aquarius before next week's New Moon in Virgo. This is tension/frustration. The Moon in Taurus wants security/comfort. The Sun in Leo wants to shine. Does the bright, fun or dramatic thing we are giving our energy to have any REAL value? Situations will transpire for us to look at this. 

26 Taurus is the degree of fixed star Algol - so probably someone is going to publicly lose their head now or maybe some artificial intelligence information will come to light. Either way there is likely a soft connection now to the BIG Eclipse in Taurus last fall.

SATURDAY - Mars enters Gemini for the first time in two years, where due to his upcoming retrograde, he will be until next March 2023!

 

Our Gemini houses snap to attention.

 

Mars leaves Taurus, where he (as we) has been kind of grinding his/our heels, and been in a kind of warrior mode protecting what we value. Now, he moves into energetic/frenetic mental Gemini. Mars in Gemini will have us running here and there. We can walk and chew gum at the same time now. More than one move is possible/more than one direction at once. This is the energy that loves multi-tasking. Keep in mind, too many balls in the air, can be an exciting thing, until they are all in a pile at our feet. If everything is equally important than nothing is really important. 

 

Skills to prioritize and stay on track will come in handy. This is going to be a VERY LONG transit, so pace yourself.

Back with a BIG Mars in Gemini post this week!

SUNDAY  - A retrograde Vesta backs into Aquarius, now our re-look/re-invention/re-do of an old focus moves back into our Aquarius house. Collectively this will be about our groups, causes, group goals, our tech, the internet, our friendships. Personally this will also be about our Aquarius natal house theme. 

This is also the day, Mercury, at 24 Virgo - he is flying this week! - makes his/her annual opposition to Neptune in Pisces. Oppositions bring culmination points. With Mercury in practical Virgo, our dreams might be brought down to earth. Maybe something can't be fixed and we just have to learn to live with it. Maybe our vacation is over and it is BACK TO WORK or the opposite is happening. Mercury in Virgo can be way too critical/perfectionist, and the opposition to Neptune can dissolve some of that, but also kind of fuzz out the details and make it hard to focus/get to the facts. Maybe you need to work - the Mercury in Virgo - but are tired/sick/burned out.

 

Take a breath.  

Back with Mars in Gemini!

xo all

 

artwork by the amazing thefirebomb

the astrology of the full moon in aquarius | August 11, 2022 - a karmic turning point, expecting the unexpected, help from the ancestors, words that change things, allowing the new world to be born

 

On Thursday, August 11, 2022, at 9:35PM EDT, the Aquarius Moon opposes the Leo Sun, giving us this month's Full Moon - our annual Full Moon in Aquarius. 

 

Full Moons brings things to light, to a conclusion or to a peak point of fullness. 

2022 has continued the "bridge" year of 2021. With the Age of Pisces at our backs and the Age of Aquarius barreling toward us like a freight train, with Aquarius' old and modern rulers - Saturn and Uranus - battling it out through multiple challenging squares - we are like the sand in that squishy part of the hourglass. The crease in the book between the chapters. The people living through the 'in-between' times between ages. Our collective and personal miracles and traumas somehow necessary for the people we are BECOMING - and the people who come after us - to survive and thrive.

Last year we had TWO Full Moons in Aquarius, one at the very beginning of the sign and one at the end. This year we are dealing with the middle part of this fixed air sign - the stickiest of the sticky.

 

Let's unpack the chart!

The Moon, at 19 degrees Aquarius, opposes the Sun, at 19 degrees Leo. The Moon is conjunct a retrograde Saturn (the ancient ruler of Aquarius) and square Uranus (the modern ruler). The Moon and Sun are square the Nodes of Fate forming a Grand Fixed Cross. The Full Moon is sextile Chiron in Aries. The Full Moon trines Pallas in Gemini and Hera in Libra, forming a Grand Air Trine. The Moon is conjunct EXACT asteroid Siva and the Sun is conjunct EXACT asteroids, Apollo and Amor. The ruler of this lunation, Uranus, is conjunct the North Node in Taurus, answering to Venus who has moved into Leo just a few hours before the Full Moon. The lunation's other ruler, Saturn, is retrograde in Aquarius.

The Moon is conjunct a retrograde Saturn - which almost makes this like a Capricorn Full Moon. Serious peaks and culminations. Sober reality checks. A light on important stuff. Endings. Saturn can feel depressing. We feel pressured. But, Saturn is also stopping things from moving too fast. Changing too quickly. We don't want to dive into an empty pool.

Aquarius deals with our groups, causes, the goals that bring us into connection with other people, collective rules, technology, the future - we are re-thinking, re-looking at all of this. Saturn will pull in our career, work goals, our reputation, public life, our fathers, paternal inheritances. What we have earned. This is all being illuminated now.

The Moon is square, her other Aquarian ruler, Uranus - planet of change, chaos, the future. And Uranus is conjunct the North Node of Fate. This speaks of CROSS-ROADS, important changes, karmic turning points. Squares are tension, frustration - this is a PUSH into the future with our back against the wall, likely influenced by Taurean themes - our money, our values, our resources, our self-esteem, our natal/progressed Taurus house themes. The Full Moon's conjunction to Saturn while squaring Uranus pulls in last year's (and this year's) BIG Saturn/Uranus square - the battle for the ruler of the Age of Aquarius, the old vs the new. 

We talked in an earlier post about how changes/decisions were going to get sticky, well, can you smell the glue? (but not too much ok?)

The Full Moon forms a Grand Fixed Cross with the Moon, Sun, North and South Nodes (with Uranus on that North Node). All the fixed signs - the spaces that hold our lives/the world together - are getting a cosmic BOOST/reprogrammed. 

I've had many experiences with Fixed Grand Crosses (four squares, two oppositions) being the lucky owner of an extremely tight (tighter than this one) Fixed T-Square involving my Sun, Saturn, Mars, Ascendant and Neptune that will occasionally form a Grand Cross when a planet/point fills in that missing leg. 

In this case, think about a table with all four legs glued to the floor and the table MUST be moved. Staying stuck to the floor is no longer an option for this table. You can kind of imagine how the leg that stays stuck the longest is going to get broken.

We can hurt ourselves by continuing to stand still.

 

For most fixed situations, people know something has to change, they just don't know what to do. We might feel TRAPPED. The problems/the 'stuckness' feels TOO BIG and the Grand Cross is simply illustrating what is happening. The Fixed Grand Cross is saying, 

"YES, YES, THIS WHOLE STUCK THING HAS GOTTEN TOO DAMN BIG". 

 

Look at the world. Look at our collective problems. Too damn big. The same thing is happening somewhere in our own lives. And Saturn/Moon will certainly have us feeling the depressing nature of the situation (the limited amount of water in the Full Moon chart might prove helpful here if we can go into the Aqua zone and detach from the emotions of it all). 

 

Look at the four legs of the Cross in this chart - the South Node/the past/our experience/where we are now/what we BRING to the table (pun intended). The second leg is the Moon conjunct Saturn - the reality, our sobriety, collective limits and rules, our place in the group. Saturn is retrograde so will pull in old responsibilities, old group situations, old careers, old goals, old authority, our karma. The Sun (strong in his home sign of Leo) is the third leg - our ego, what our heart wants, the way we shine, fun, love, JOY.  And finally that fourth leg is the North Node/Uranus conjunction - the UNEXPECTED FUTURE. All these areas of our lives are connected via these tense aspects. THEY ALL HAVE TO MOVE and they have to move in balance with each other! This is your Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius houses. People with planets/points near 19 degrees will feel this Full Moon the most.

 

The Full Moon's Grand Air Trine can help with a WAY THROUGH THIS THING. 

The Moon's trine to Pallas in Gemini is especially important because Mars is about to spend eight months, instead of his usual eight weeks in Gemini! The Moon trines Pallas just before opposing the Sun - we can see this as the Moon taking some INFORMATION from Pallas with her as she opposes the Sun and then meets Saturn. With Pallas - our wise, strategic, warrior woman - in Gemini, this might be speaking of facts/information that has come to light (Pallas is also sextiling the Sun), an important conversation, a sibling issue, a local community issue, a transportation issue. Gemini is about duality, so maybe this is about a choice between two things or the need to do two different things. Pallas in Gemini is SMART (and I see her as another ruler of Aquarius, so she can be uber helpful here) - able to wheel and deal, do commerce, be flexible, lighten situations with humor, recognize patterns we might usually miss. We can pick/communicate the best strategy for our future. We can pull skills/smarts/street-smarts we already have (remember the South Node is involved in the Grand Cross) out of our back pocket as needed. This is a trine, so will happen easily/unfold smoothly.

The other end of the Grand Air Trine is Hera in Libra - Rome's Juno - Goddess of marriage and partnerships in the sign of relationships and balance. Hera can stir up issues of abandonment, jealousy, the things we do to keep "the king's favor"/to keep our place in society. The Full Moon in Aquarius is in another SMOOTH relationship with the Libran 'balance, beauty, relationship' energy through the archetype of Hera. More good news for us. Another way through the tense squares will be through balancing imbalanced relationships or the situations the squares stir up will act as a pumice stone to smooth things here out. Again, this is a trine so things happen easily, unfold naturally.

The Grand Air Trine amplifies our intelligence, communication. Information comes our way. We are called to balance things out mentally. This 'mental life preserver' is echoed by Mercury.

This chart also has a strong Mercury, home in LET'S FIX THIS Virgo, moving into a productive trine - arguably the best aspect in astrology - with Uranus, the ruler of this Full Moon, NEXT WEEK. 

Mercury moves FAST, so this is already in play. This is about NEW IDEAS, new conversations, new information. A shift in our thinking. A BREAKTHROUGH. Quick, even genius, fixes ARE COMING. Also, smart Pallas in Gemini and in that Grand Air Trine with the Full Moon is answering to Mercury.

Access to common sense, as well as brilliance (Uranus) is how we will make smart decisions/moves. It seems pretty clear whatever this Full Moon shows us, will, in the long term, because this is fixed energy, be to our BENEFIT. Knowledge is power. 

The Moon and Sun are also making conjunctions with asteroids that we can add to connect some dots. The Full Moon is conjunct EXACT asteroid Siva - named for Hindu God Shiva, partner of Kaali. Siva is a powerful masculine creative force. Not the competitive masculine acting alone, but a masculine consciously and deeply entwined with the feminine. And, of course, here is Siva completely enmeshed with the Full Moon! Yin and yang working together.

 

What does Siva so tightly conjunct the Full Moon tell us? Well, if we allow ourselves to be carried forward by fear or adrenaline, terrified that things won’t change or work out unless we do THIS THING RIGHT NOW, well, that’s the active yang energy without it’s more receptive yin partner. In this case, Siva without the Moon. On the other hand, if we stand still out of fear that things will change and we’ll be trapped in crappy circumstances or make a mistake, well, that is the FROZEN yin, not able to access the active yang it needs to create from the formless void (the Moon without Siva). 

Instead of fight or flight or freeze, our goal here can be to calmly allow change to carry us along, and take action when called to. This process will create a natural completion and new beginning. The Moon's conjunction to Siva says - don’t apply too much pressure/effort. Get out of your own way! Also, don't sit still and freeze/break a leg. If we move WITH the energy of change - WORK WITH WHAT IS SHOWING UP - we will find ourselves building up our resources, moving beyond our habits/boundaries and into the future. 

 

Reinforcing the necessity of combining the active and the responsive is the fact we have Mars making an EXACT sextile to Neptune. A creative opportunity to make things more stable/secure through Neptune - getting enough rest, relaxation, meditation, prayer, music, art, sleep, water, GOING WITH THE FLOW. 

 

Mars connection with Neptune pulls MAGIC into the Aquarius Full Moon's story, when we attune to a higher power. When we are grateful for what we have, because Saturn/Moon will be showing us what is missing. When we practice forgiveness. We are helped by our ancestors, our past lives, everything that has come before us. 

The Full Moon's sextile to healing Chiron in active Aries speaks of opportunities for healing. Our wounds/ancestral wounds - very old, very deep woundings around our identity are being given, if we take ACTION (because Chiron is in Aries) opportunities to heal.

Bottom line - this Full Moon's squares and oppositions look stressful. The square to Uranus looks JARRING. We want to be going with the flow (Mars/Neptune). Talking, thinking, maybe doing two things at once (Pallas in Gemini). Balancing our need for relationship (Hera in Libra) or our need for balance within our relationships. We want to be smart, practical, using existing resources and skills. This is a fast-moving Full Moon and whatever we need to do here we are going to need to do, there won't be time to reinvent the wheel (because a reinvented wheel isn't needed - we know this because Saturn is retrograde). The 'change' somehow has its roots in the past. The final dispositor for the Full Moon is the Sun in Leo and with Venus, ruler of the North Node of our collective destiny, having moved into Leo just before the lunation we know we want to be following our heart, having fun, SHINING. 

I hope something here is helpful. I feel a bit scattered today, hopefully, you, dear reader can pull what you need from this. 

This Full Moon is a culmination of the past couple weeks and really the last six and eighteen months. A karmic turning point.

 

Get outside and walk in this one, if you dare. 

Tonight is also one of the last big nights of the Perseid meteor showers until fall, so hopefully we get clear skies! Set your alarm for the middle of the night and go outside with blankets and lay on the ground where you can see the broadest range of sky. The Full Moon might make them harder to see, but meteor showers are always worth losing a little sleep over.

xo all

weekly astrology forecast | August 8 - 14, 2022 - one more code red week as we figure out what really matters and how we want to spend our precious and finite time on this beautiful planet

 

 

Another BIG week!

 

Keep in mind, it's summer and we only get so many of them, rest/enjoy when you can. 

 

As we start the week, Venus's trine to Neptune (and both Uranus and the North Node are answering to Venus) is waning now, but still in play. Mars is in Taurus, also answering to Venus. Jupiter is retrograde in Aries and answering to Mars. We don't have to make huge moves to create magic. When we hold our energy intact until the right moment and then release it in small amounts, we find the connection to a larger universe that is constantly growing/bringing abundance. 

 

The magic (Mercury) is in the details (Virgo). 

 

In the background of EVERYTHING is our childhood woundings. The huge efforts we had to make as a child to try to have our needs met have created an illusion of struggle and effort. Black Moon Lilith in Cancer this spring/summer (the womb wound, woman who chooses herself) is finally moving out of the orb of her square to Jupiter, beginning to move within orb of a healing trine to Chiron. 

 

We are putting old ghosts to bed. 

 

The Full Moon in Aquarius on Thursday - highly active on Wednesday, too - will be illuminating/bring situations to a head or to a conclusion. Can be JARRING. This one is challenged by Saturn, squaring the Nodes of Fate and Uranus and ruled by Uranus and Saturn, so again expecting the unexpected/keeping a cool head/having back up plans looks like a good idea. The Saturn/Uranus square of old vs new, battle for rulership of the Age of Aquarius, is AGAIN pulled into the mix - collectively and personally.

Once we get past this week, if we are happy with recent changes we can keep moving forward. If life has tossed a curveball at our head, our ability to adjust/move with the changes will help us get a footing in this new territory. Next week, for most people, we get a chance to catch our breath. 

 

Let's unpack the week!

MONDAY - Sun trine Chiron, Lion's Gate 8/8

TUESDAY - Venus opposes Pluto, Mercury inconjunct Jupiter

WEDNESDAY - the Sun squares North Node/South Node, Sun squares Uranus 

THURSDAY - Full Moon in Aquarius, Venus enters Leo, Mars sextiles Neptune

SUNDAY - Sun opposes Saturn, Mars trines Pluto, Mercury inconjuncts Chiron

 

MONDAY - Sun trine Chiron, Lion's Gate 8/8

The Sun's trine to Chiron at 16 degrees Leo and Aries is all about healing. Physical healing. Forgiveness. We step onto the center-stage of our own life/follow our heart/do our Leo and very old, very deep wounds are healed. The king knights the wounded hero. The wounded hero brings humility/humanity to the king.

 

Happening at the Sirius infused 8/8 energy portal (although I think the significance of the actual date itself is questionable and maybe more about the power of 8's?), which is believed by some to be an intense activation period for higher timelines, could speak about what is needed to bring greater consciousness to us personally and to the collective. Sirius is a fixed star, the brightest star in the sky, located at 16 degrees Cancer, so exactly semi-sextile the Sun in Leo today and squaring Chiron. This year the "Lion's Gate" date makes a little more sense to me as it pulls in/amplifies that trine from the Sun to Chiron. We don't have to hide our vulnerabilities/weak spots. Our scars are shiny, too.

TUESDAY - Venus opposes Pluto, Mercury inconjunct Jupiter

 

On her way out of Cancer, Venus needs to get past this opposition to Pluto, exact today. More relationship DYNAMITE. Power struggles. Our needs vs their power. It's uncomfortable/intense. Manipulation, Jealousy. Secrets. Maybe we want something too much. Plutonian power is a double edged sword/can bring curses, because as we get fixated on having something and maybe we get it, maybe we don't, but either way - there is a high price to pay for the obsession. If we are not walking our talk with our values or clinging to something - a relationship, source of income, family/home situation - that we aren't lining up with anymore/that is dead, well here is where Pluto can pull the rug out from under us.

The awkward inconjunct between Mercury and Jupiter doesn't help, is uncomfortable, too. It's a struggle to say the right thing/be heard. Virgo/Aries is a challenging blend. Virgo is precise and detailed, but also generous with criticism for all kinds of inconsistencies and Aries just wants to go and has no patience with the tedious details. Plus Mercury and Jupiter rule opposing signs to boot. The common ground is there isn't any, so know we will have to adjust. Things will be imperfect/in-flux. When making decisions now, take some extra time to weigh the pros and cons because our thinking can tend to be off. Things looking worse or better than they actually are is likely. Disagreements can turn into arguments and get out of hand, so know that going in. Take the high road.

 

WEDNESDAY - the Sun squares North Node/South Node, Sun squares Uranus

 

The Sun in Leo's square to the Nodes of Fate - and this is all part of tomorrow's Full Moon - can illuminate via situations or choice points our ties to complicated story-lines, third party situations, jealousies, power struggles, secrets, tax/inheritance issues, deaths (South Node in Scorpio) vs the more simple, practical, stable and less sexy way forward (North Node in Taurus). With the Sun in egoic Leo, it can be hard to remove ourselves from the drama, but we have to put our need for stability/simplicity first. This is about what really matters. This is about what we already have. What are our resources, talents? Where is our money going? Are we taking care of ourselves? Are we spending our precious/finite time on this beautiful planet in the best possible ways? Step away from the manipulative yuck (that is comfortable because it is familiar) and into something more simple, and a little scary because it is NEW. 

 

This is all complicated by Uranus, step in step with the North Node, so the Sun is squaring him, too. This can indicate a jarring disruption. The Sun's need to shine/have fun vs Uranus's need to change things up/liberate us from the restrictive nature of our ego. More change or 'be changed' energy folks. The Moon will be in Aquarius, so detaching a bit, using our head instead of our heart here can be helpful. Although the Moon is answering to and squaring Uranus also, so there won't be easy answers if this is hitting our chart.

 

THURSDAY - Full Moon in Aquarius, Venus enters Leo, Mars sextiles Neptune

 

This Full Moon looks challenging, is conjunct a retrograde Saturn and squaring the Nodes of Fate. The modern ruler of this lunation, Uranus, is also squaring the Sun and the Moon. Fixed T-Squares are tricky. Saturn can make things too serious/depressing. We will find a way through when we unpack the Full Moon in its own post!

Venus enters fiery Leo. Our Leo house, a space we have intended to SHINE in this lifetime, becomes more attractive. Leo Suns and rising signs are more naturally attractive (ie easy on the eye and able to attract what they want). We attract what we want and need (Venus) through Leo now - so by standing out, standing up, being passionate, taking center stage - you get the idea. Wallflowers will wilt (although everything is wilting in this heat anyway!).

 

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

 

Wanting to be adored will make being ignored all that much harder to handle.

 

SUNDAY - Sun opposes Saturn, Mars trines Pluto, Mercury inconjuncts Chiron

As if the Sun hasn't had enough challenges this week, now it's his turn to deal with that retrograde Saturn in Aquarius. We are blocked. Reality checked. This is not the time to ask for a raise or go up against authority. This aspect, accompanied by Mercury inconjunct Chiron, can make interactions painful/make it hard to express ourselves. Maybe in practical terms, we want to play and we have to work. We want our center stage and we have to take a seat in the audience. The Sun is in his home sign and Saturn is in his home sign (ancient), both powerful. Bruised egos are possible now. Old daddy issues show up. Saturn is retrograde, so this likely won't be a brand new situation.

 

This is another "low-energy" Sunday, so take it easy. 

The good news, and the way through this, is Mars' trine to a retrograde Pluto. Taurus/Capricorn. Be stable/practical/responsible. Take care of your body, your resources. Do things that make sense/cents. Step into your power/ambitions. I know I sound like a broken record with some of this stuff, and by next spring I won't be saying it, but for now, stability/quality/knowing our value, knowing what we value, keeping an eye on our valuables WILL ALL PAY OFF!!

Back with that BIG Full Moon post! I hope something here is helpful.

xo all

artwork by the amazing Martin Stranka

Today's astrology forecast | Sunday, August 7, 2022 - the reality check, the path of least resistance or need for rest, playing the long game

 

 

The Moon is in Sagittarius - we are nourished/nurtured through adventure, through our big picture beliefs, our faith, by what is foreign to us, by making something bigger/taking something further. She trined her retrograde ruler Jupiter at 3:11 AM EDT (waking me up) and goes on to trine the Leo Sun at 2:21PM EDT.

The trine is this month's Waxing Trine (brakes off) - a fire trine, Sagittarius/Leo. Here is where we take our New Moon in Leo story FURTHER. The energies are smooth/productive. The Sag Moon expands, brings us closer to what is farther away from us. The Leo Sun shines, rules our heart, our creative passion, our children, the way we take the center-stage in our own life. We are moving something forward, feeling proud, hopeful. We hunger for life (the Sun, Leo), life hungers for GROWTH (Jupiter, Sagittarius).

Keep in mind the North Node in Taurus, South Node in Scorpio. Life takes one path (Taurus), death and decay (Scorpio) the other. And it's tricky because the death/decay is somehow more comfortable/familiar and the "life" more uncomfortable with Uranus in Taurus making mischief. This is NOT a one-time "invitation only" event, but more like a series of choice points. We are only at the beginning, and so, it just doesn’t feel so great for all of us quite yet!

This is also the day Venus, at 25 degrees Cancer is trining Neptune at 25 degrees Pisces. A water trine. A smooth flow of healing, forgiveness (the Sun trines Chiron tomorrow amplifying the healing/forgiving energy), unconditional love and compassion.

So, there is quite a bit of smooth flow to the day to balance out the more challenging Mars/Saturn square that reaches exactness at 22 degrees - Taurus/Aquarius. 

 

A fixed square. Coming on the heels of this past week's Mars/Uranus/North Node change of fortune/circumstances, etc, so the reality check/stop sign follows the change, chaos, liberation. Maybe this just shows the work we have to put in to make the changes real. Saturn is retrograde so old rules, limits are pulled into the new chapter. 

 

This might also show us running out of steam/tired. The trine to Neptune speaks of re-energizing through rest, sleep, art, music, time spent in or near water. Unloading old baggage through forgiveness/compassion.  

Mars/Saturn requires patience, elbow grease. Creates delays. Is activating last year's (and this year's) Saturn/Uranus square. With Mars in slow-moving, steady-as-she-goes Taurus, and Saturn in high-minded Aquarius, this is kind of a work harder and smarter energy. 

 

Two steps forward, one step back. 

We take action then we hit a wall. We have to make things smarter. Make things stronger. Know that none of this time will be wasted and certain delays won't be avoided. This is a long game. Whatever the New Moon in Leo last week started/is building is designed to be around for a long time. 

 

With the Venus/Neptune trine happening at the same time, maybe the Mars/Uranus/North Node forward movement is halted through something like a vacation. We are all revved up with something and now it's time for the vacation we penciled into our calendar last winter. The vacation might seem poorly timed and in some ways it is, but still needed/necessary. Or maybe the Venus/Neptune is some slippery slope - we are over-spending, over-indulging and the Saturnian reality check/stop-sign puts an end to that.

 

Use the smooth trines - the course of least resistance. It's Sunday. Get some rest. If we are tired/unbalanced, feeling as if we can’t hold onto the old structures of our life any longer, we’re probably right. 

 

What isn’t supporting the life in our life? How do we need to invest our life energy more consciously?

 

Anyhoo, I thought I'd pop up a daily although I'd said alot of this last week. Hopefully this fine-tuned it a bit. I will be back with the weekly tonight. I am working on a new line and will have less time for blogging this month (usual for me in August anyway), but will get up the weekly and BIG Full Moon in Aquarius post this week!

xo all

photography by the amazing Marion Volant