“I used to want to save the world. To end war and bring peace to mankind. But then I glimpsed the darkness that lives within their light. I learned that inside every one of them there will always be both. The choice each must make for themselves – something no hero will ever defeat. I’ve touched the darkness that lives in between the light. Seen the worst of the world, and the best. Seen the terrible things men do to each other in the name of hatred, and the lengths they’ll go to for love. And now I know… that only Love can truly save the world.”
– Diana in Wonder Woman (2017)
There is a reason Wonder Woman has the strongest sustained box office legs in superhero history, and it isn’t simply because she is a stunning beauty. It is because of what she stands for: LOVE. This mold-breaking film is a manifestation of the imperative of our time – to answer the call of destiny and be the hero in our lives, to be the Love in action that saves the world. Wonder Woman’s arrival at this time is a cinematic correlation to the total Solar Eclipse in Leo on August 21 with its clear representation of the united heart (Sun) and soul (Moon) of the hero of the zodiac (Leo). Dubbed the “Great American Eclipse” because the shadow of totality runs across the continental U.S., this widely anticipated spectacle is hitting at the heart of what America stands for. As Jim Sher wrote in his recent article on the August eclipses, eclipses can be “100 times stronger than a regular New Moon” and events that happen “are often due to something in our lives we are not allowing to be fully real for us.” For America, which for so long has been the world’s hero, this means we collectively need to address the severe societal divisions brought to light for all to see by such events as the violent demonstrations in Charlottesville. As an “inertia destroyer,” this eclipse, amped up by a trine to groundbreaking Uranus in Aries, is forcing us to see the reality of the deep-rooted existence of prejudice and how it is severely eroding the very foundation of what this country is about. Within each of us there is the potential for an iconic hero to emerge who chooses love over hate, compassion over cruelty, a hero who has the wisdom to use love as a force capable of destroying all that separates in the name of creating a future that sees humanity unified. But that requires being honest with ourselves about the nature of our own resistance to those who are different from us. As Diana said in Wonder Woman, “What one does when faced with truth is more difficult than you think.” If we can handle the truth, the eclipse could bring about a revelation that leads to an heroic shift in our life.
Nearly every day this week, the planetary movements symbolically support efforts to live in our truth. Mars in Leo trine Saturn in Sagittarius on August 22 is a stabilizing force that instills discipline and high-minded purpose into the actions of the warrior planet operating in heroic Leo. Regular, focused practice leads to mastery in any endeavor. Fighting the darkness that prevents the light of our heart from shining is the place to begin. Saturn, at its strongest having been at 21° for more than a month, turns direct on August 25. If something we’ve been doing doesn’t pass the Saturn integrity test, we’ll find out about it, perhaps from others who put up stern blocks to our dysfunctional behavior. We may ultimately see this as a great opportunity when Jupiter in Libra forms a stimulating sextile to Saturn on August 27. With Saturn in the sign that Jupiter rules and Jupiter in the sign of Saturn’s exaltation, this positive and resilient alignment can manifest as simple truths finally taking hold in our consciousness. Jupiter’s archetypal optimism will enthusiastically manage the needed behavioral change called out by Saturnian forces and also open us to the reason why it is necessary. Strong resistance to change is quite normal, which is what makes it so difficult, but when true clarity is achieved that resistance melts away. That can lead to an experience of one of those game-changing moments where a necessary change becomes so obvious we are suddenly able to veer back on the course of our purpose line. It could be something as simple as a change in diet to become healthier or something as big as a new job or status change in a relationship.
On August 22, the Sun moves into the grounded, practical earth sign of Virgo. After the creative fire of Leo, the Sun in Virgo is ready to quietly serve the greater good. According to Dane Rudhyar compassion and charity are great virtues of Virgo and “Tolerance” is its gift. “To be tolerant,” he writes, “is to bear the responsibility of an incessant quest for broader knowledge, less constricted feelings, and a more adjustable behavior. It means the ability to stand up in readiness and with open heart when God knocks at the door and summons the individual – and the nation – to their greater destinies. It is the ability to grow by becoming ever more inclusive.” Riding on the wave of the Leo solar eclipse may be a surprising change of heart that leads us to this state of openhearted readiness.
After pulling away from the intense T-square with Jupiter and Pluto that amplified relationship issues last week, Venus in Cancer segues into a square with Uranus in Aries on August 24. This aspect challenges us to move into new territory in our manner of relating with others as well as what we value. As we gain clarity on the reality of What Is, the need to break free from old dysfunctional patterns with others may hit critical mass. This could manifest as some kind of confrontation within a family or family-like group with shared values (Venus in Cancer) because suddenly following its rule set becomes unacceptably compromising to one’s individual truth. The challenge is to remain in a state of Love when the friction starts. The higher expression of any Venus/Uranus interaction would be an utmost respect for and celebration of one’s individuality as free from all need to adhere to the truth of another.
Further correlating to a move away from the bonds of family, Venus departs Cancer’s comfort zone on August 25 and enters the fire sign of Leo. In the sign where each individual is seen as a radiant, creative star, Venus here can bring about a desire to collaborate on fun, artistic endeavors. Often expressing as warm and generous, Venus in Leo can also bring a dramatic flair to affairs of the heart, focusing not just romantic love but also the love of creativity. For inspiration to get the creative juices flowing, go to a play or listen to live music. Collectively experiencing the performing arts in the moment they are happening can have a profound and sacred effect of connecting us to our inner stress-free joy. It is this state that is perhaps most representative of a true expression of lion-hearted Love.
The midpoint of the current Mercury retrograde cycle in Virgo unfolds this week with the Inferior Conjunction between Mercury and the Sun on August 26. Externally, our manner of communicating came under review when Mercury went retrograde on August 12. With talking, writing and gesturing being the only way we have to express our experiences to the outside world, this review also relates to how we think and perceive what we experience. Mercury and the Sun’s energetic mind melding in Virgo, the sign Mercury rules, makes for a lightning-quick mentality with a highly refined sense of analysis and efficiency. The review process, therefore, could result in a streamlined re-organization of where and what we focus on, including the thoughts from which all actions flow. With the exciting planetary activity leading up to this beginning of the next Mercury cycle, it is likely the seeds of new thoughts planted now, either through our own inquiry or someone expressing to us, will germinate into a powerful attitude adjustment that moves us into our own superhero truth.
Here’s the data (Pacific Time and rounded to the nearest whole degree unless otherwise noted):
August 21 – Moon conjunct Sun (New Moon Total Solar Eclipse) at 29° Leo at 11:30 a.m.
August 22 – Mars trine Saturn at 21° Leo/Sagittarius at 6:20 a.m.
August 22 – Sun at 0° Virgo at 3:21 p.m.
August 24 – Venus square Uranus at 28° Cancer/Aries at 12:00 p.m.
August 25 – Saturn station direct at 21° Sagittarius at 5:09 a.m.
August 25 – Venus at 0° Leo at 9:30 p.m.
August 26 – Sun conjunct Mercury at 4° Virgo at 1:43 p.m.
August 27 – Jupiter sextile Saturn at 21° Libra/Sagittarius at 5:16 a.m.
LOVE to your Mom and You!!
to wonder woman, kimberly: wishing you heroic inceptions!