**Times where noted are Pacific Daylight Time; degrees where noted are rounded to the nearest whole degree.
We’re ten days away from the exact conjunction of Mars and Saturn and its effect can already be felt. This is great for Olympians who successfully combine the extremes of athletic prowess, focus and discipline. It is also an aspect that will aid the Mars rover landing during its “seven minutes of terror,” the ridiculously short time frame it has to switch from traveling at a rate of 13,200 miles per hour to a dead stop just above the surface of the red planet. Now that’s a Mars/Saturn story! – the archetypes of “go” and “stop” joining forces to perform a herculean task. Let’s hope the scientists at JPL have checked everything thrice to overcome the always-possible Mercury retrograde effects of communication and technology delays and/or breakdowns.
August 7th brings two significant energy shifts. At 6:43 a.m. Venus moves from colloidal Gemini into sensing Cancer changing the emphasis of our activities from extending outwards to create a diverse network of relationships, to a more internal focalization of those relationships that are closest to us. Venus in Cancer will use her inherent psychic feelers to deepen bonds of loyalty and operate with grace and harmony in familiar and safe environments. Before the day is out, Mercury goes direct at 1 Leo. After 24 days of information overload, Mercury’s change to forward direction has the effect of removing a logjam. Communications can flow more freely but in Leo’s space he will need to remember to listen once in a while to keep a circular pattern to the give and take of ideas. From the beginning of the year the planets that relate to the activities and pace of our daily lives – Mercury to Saturn – have been retrograde, which correlated into a seemingly endless review period without much forward movement. Now that this period has passed the pace of daily life will seem to pick up as new projects or beginnings finally launch.
Romance, poetry, dreams and mystical unions will intrigue and inspire us to live and love at a sublime level when Venus trines Neptune in the afternoon of August 9th at 2 Pisces/Cancer. If not in a relationship, we can channel this energy into our imagination and create beautiful works of art. With Venus in Cancer that art could be culinary in nature or in some other form of creative expression that brings comfort and nurtures the soul.
August 15th is the apex of the supercharged energies playing out in the heavens during this time period. Mars exactly conjuncts Saturn at 24 Libra 49 making this aspect now at its most potent. Approached with consciousness, the aptitudes of these two planets in relationship-oriented Libra can join together in a common cause to bring long-term solutions to that which we want to achieve. But if Martian impatience dismisses Saturnian self-control, frustration can abound, as Saturn will always find a way to put obstacles in the path of forward movement if it is not well thought out. Adding even more potency to the day, Venus finally gets her chance to intervene in the battle between the titans of the sky when she aspects Uranus and Pluto creating a highly pressurized T-square configuration. Following in the star steps of Mars just a couple of weeks ago, Venus will give a distinctly feminine voice to this astral troika. Integrity and trust in relationships will be paramount. If they are on less than solid ground, power plays or surprising revelations that dramatically change the dynamic may dominate. Fury could be unleashed if this feminine icon is scorned. Sex could be used as a weapon. The ego will use anything to ensure its survival. On the other hand, if we choose to tune in at a higher vibration, this energy could facilitate transformation at the deepest level. If fear is put aside, even the fear of death, and if we are willing to look at all taboos and take the risk of getting them out in the open, we may see a major turning point in our lives. This is not a time to be timid or conventional. The question is, can we be a willing agent of change? If we resist the wave and take refuge in our ruts, the churning energies will pound upon the shore until the rut is destroyed. Why not ride the wave into a new dimension of existence instead?
The New Moon at 25 Leo on August 17th will fuel this lunar cycle with creativity and bravado. Inspiration is ignited when our hearts are open and generous. At its highest expression, the mark of Leo is characterized by unfiltered joy, which is perhaps its greatest gift of all because everyone is elevated in its wake. Leo radiates the light of its ruling planet, the Sun, but inherent in this fixed sign is the challenge to allow anything in. When laden with ego, the King’s primal sense of self-importance won’t allow input from anyone. To be truly radiant, gratitude for the Source must be acknowledged. Only with humbleness can we become the conduit for that sacred energy which then becomes the eternal flame lighting up our lives. This New Moon is sextile the ongoing Mars/Saturn conjunction in Libra which adds a sustained and balanced drive to our efforts.
Brilliant and detached, Mercury trine Uranus on August 18th will bring objective intuitive flashes to whatever it is we are working on. This energy elevates conceptual awareness to the level of innovation. Communications have the potential to be crystal clear and definitely outside the box. Any new ideas that form around this time will be worth developing!
With the inner planets now direct and the entire heavens in a “splash” pattern we’ll be cooking on all burners. The splash means that the planets are occupying all quadrants of the zodiac, spreading their influence in many different arenas of life. Our interests will be many and opportunities abound. The only difficulty will be prioritizing and making sure whatever gets our attention gets our full attention. This is what being in the moment is all about: when we talk with someone, we really listen and respond appropriately. We don’t allow ourselves to be distracted, thinking about our next step or where ever else we could be. That person in that moment is all that matters.
Thanks for the Mars/Saturn comments on “Curiosity’s” potential landing. Perhaps Mercury retrograde will bring success. It is a redo after all.
Because I don’t have the belief that Mercury retro “causes” breakdowns, this Gemini always finds it a great time of insight. Let’s let that idea go. What about Uranus retrograde? Seems nobody attributes breakdowns to this higher vibration of Mercury.
I have never had Mercury retro breakdowns or delays-ever- because I think of it as a positive.