CATCH AND RELEASE

We clasp the hands of those that go before us,

And the hands of those who come after us.

We enter the little circle of each other’s arms

And the larger circle of lovers,

Whose hands are joined in a dance

And the larger circle of all creatures

Passing in and out of life

Who move also in a dance

To a music so subtle and vast that no ear hears it

Except in fragments.

The Larger Circle, Wendell Berry

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We begin the week on the other side of a potent Full Moon that took place on Sunday evening in the sign of Aries. The Sun is now in the last decan of Libra and we are moving deeper into the obscurity of the Fall season. With the obscurity also comes a special kind of interiority and the ability to shine a light in dark. What was hidden is revealed not through the five senses but through the ability we have of reading between the lines.

The Sun is separating from a square with Pluto and Mercury in Scorpio is slowing down while walking in its shadows, preparing to move retrograde at the end of the month. Revelations could feel potent at this time, like you are on the threshold of a new understanding. The skies are regenerative, and your experience will be reflected by your ability to look into the under layers that regulates your life, and being honest about your findings.

This relational time of the year highlights our connections and alliances. With Venus in Scorpio ruling the Sun in Libra, we might be inclined to go for authentic connections with little time left for superficial exchanges. Exchanging becomes the means of understanding ourselves and our motivations, and this could feel both painful and cathartic depending on our ability to step into intimacy with others. Conversations with others could feel open, honest, and edgy while an underlying tension promises to throw everything off balance at any moment. A delicate little dance we dance while moving between seasons, balancing the old and the new, holding and releasing, revealing and concealing just enough to be seen, but not enough to be hurt. A finger on the trigger while the other hand waves a white flag, juggling the vulgar and the ethereal, looking for peace and change simultaneously. There is a certain obsessive edge to our mental pursuits right now and the ability to look at a situation and its complexities from many different angles.

LUNAR RYTHMS

Monday, the Moon enters Taurus at 12:24pm triggering the recent opposition of Venus in Scorpio with Uranus in Taurus; catch and release is your best approach right now. Live and let live will save you a lot of trouble. The Moon in Taurus ruled by Venus in Scorpio is sensual yet the nerves are frazzled. The Moon enters Gemini on Wednesday night at 10:31pm and will be traveling here until early Saturday morning. The Moon in Gemini ruled by Mercury in Scorpio could bring out more information into the light, obsession and gossip, but her opposition with Jupiter in Sagittarius on Friday, could be asking us to separate the wheat from the chaff and reset our stance before we get too deep into a situation. The Moon enters Cancer early Saturday morning at 6:44am.  The weekend under the auspice of Watery aspects could see us move between sensations and intuitions without a definite hold. We might gravitate towards familiarity in order to find our footing while also extending a hand towards the future. Fears and vulnerabilities can be utilized as a creative stepping stone but you must be willing to step into the dance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Recalibration of our Scales

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If you want to shrink something,
you must first allow it to expand.
If you want to get rid of something,
you must first allow it to flourish.
If you want to take something,
you must first allow it to be given.
This is called the subtle perception
of the way things are.

The soft overcomes the hard.
The slow overcomes the fast.
Let your workings remain a mystery.
Just show people the results

Tao Te Ching – Lao Tzu – chapter 36

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LUNAR RYTHMS FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 7

The Moon is waxing towards full and the scales are oscillating between light and darkness. This week brings us halfway through Libra season as we move towards the Full Moon in Aries next Sunday. The week begins with the Moon in Aquarius until Wednesday afternoon allowing for a brief period of stabilization and equalization. Wednesday afternoon the Moon enters the Water sign of Pisces (13:35 NDT) plunging us far down into the mysterious realms of our senses and imagination. Mid-week contains a strange mixture of bewilderment and inspiration and it’s an excellent opportunity for unbounded creative projects. Saturday morning, the Moon enters the Fire sign of Aries at 2:15am NDT as we move towards the Full Moon exact on Sunday evening (18:37NDT). The Full Moon shines her light on our contrasts, contracts and alliances, what sustains and strains us, and the recalibration needed within and without.

You’ve so distracted me,
your absence fans my love.
Don’t ask how.
Then you come near
“Do not…” I say, and
“Do not…,” you answer.
Don’t ask why
this delights me.
-Rumi

VENUS IN SCORPIO

Venus enters Scorpio on Tuesday at 13:06pm EDT and will travel here until the end of October. Venus in Scorpio will relatively change the tone of this Libra season which until now had been ruled by a much gentler Venus in her home sign of Libra. With Venus entering Scorpio, we begin our exploration into the underbelly of our desire nature, confronted with the unholy sight of our attractions and obsessions and what remains un-satiated. Mars ruling over this Venus, has just entered its place of detriment in Libra, and will stay in Libra until mid-November. It could be difficult to find lasting satisfaction right now, and it will be easier to purge than to take in even though we might be magnetized by intense situations, people or experiences.

Venus in Scorpio opposes Uranus in Taurus on Saturday evening, breaking some taboos and freeing up the space needed within our relationships, while the Sun in Libra is being supported by Jupiter in Sagittarius;

The opportunity to redefine our alliances is here but it will take some shaking up and truth serum. Finding the equilibrium between our desire nature and what must be done to keep the peace, we are prompt towards honesty but it could create more problems than solutions. Decisions could feel difficult right now and the correct way to proceed elusive. Still, progress is being made. Pluto recently direct will exasperates or revitalize depending on how close you sit with power.

 

FULL MOON IN ARIES

The Full Moon in Aries rises on Sunday evening at 18:37NDT illuminated by the Sun in Libra. Mars in Libra rules over the Moon in Aries while Venus in Scorpio rules the Sun in Libra and both are indisposed and in aversion (they do not see each other). Jupiter in Sagittarius will trine the Moon and sextile the Sun at this time.

The push and pull of instinct versus reason, containment and release, darkness and light culminates with the Full Moon. There are two very distinct sound tracks playing at the moment and no easy ways to harmonize them, unless we are to simply move beyond them. Look to where Jupiter in Sagittarius is transiting in your chart for where to invest your energies pro-actively and make progress right now.

The Full Moon in Aries shines a dramatic light on our emotional and relational landscape and the imbalances found here, what lies between the raw and unbounded aspects of our vitality which crave direct experience with life, versus the polite and stable facades of the established order which allows us to function in the world.  Passion and prescribed codes of behaviour do not make good bed fellows and we could feel torn between revealing and concealing, between creation and destruction, between our impertinent impulses and the inherent balance born out of experience.

 

 

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 30th: Mystery Reflected

1924 Georgia O’Keeffe, Dark Abstraction

 

“At no other time then autumn does the earth let itself be inhaled in one smell, the ripe earth; in a smell that is in no way inferior to the smell of the sea, bitter where it borders on taste, and more honeysweet where you feel it touching the first sounds. Containing depth within itself, darkness, something of the grave almost.”

― Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters on Cézanne

 

The week begins with the Moon in Scorpio until Wednesday morning when she enters Sagittarius at 7:44am EDT. The Moon is in Sagittarius Wednesday and Thursday and will enter Capricorn Friday afternoon at 13:43. Moon is in Capricorn all weekend until Sunday night when she enters Aquarius Sunday night at 23:41. The New Moon in Libra on Saturday brought forth a new understanding in regards to ourselves and what we are capable of doing when we are supported and lifted by others. This week we take this renewed confidence born out of our connections and move forward with our own agendas.

There is an underlying relentless momentum which allows for the pushing and shaping of our desires and the manifestations of what laid hidden until now. We move forward to the steady rhythm of our heart as if the very next chapter of our existence depended on it. Eyes piercing the horizon for clues that will confirm our choices, Fall season forces us to sink deeper into the mystery. We have to let ourselves be possessed by shadows. The creative gold that arises from our exchanges gives us the strength to show up in the world.

Mid-week, Pluto turns direct after being retrograde since the end of April. A lot of the process we have been undergoing this past Summer has been about identifying where we invest our power and our time, and where we are losing it. Anything unsustainable, especially in regards to your own energy input is being clarified.  On Thursday, a few hours after Pluto turns direct, Mercury enters Scorpio. There could be an underlying obsessive thread running through the week. No stones are left unturned and this could be especially obvious when interacting with others.

The Sun and Venus are still in Libra and our connections with other people reflect parts of us that seemed inaccessible on our own. The solidity we need for our ideas and projects is renewed once we receive positive feedback. There could be a dependency on other people right now that seems out of balance and the willingness to sacrifice some of your own integrity or needs for the sake of keeping the peace.

Mars enters Libra at 12:22 am EDT Friday and the Moon enters Capricorn Friday afternoon signalling the first quarter Moon. The Moon in Capricorn squares the Sun in Libra, and we are confronted with the tangible realities of our emerging desires. Situations that have been initiated since the arrival of Fall are now being tested against structures that are already well established. Relationship tangles could be magnified as we come to a crossroad and weigh our collaborative efforts against our personal plans. Compromise and concessions might be necessary and the weekend has a sobering and realistic tone as the last rays of light give themselves to the arising darkness.

Some bargaining is necessary in order to balance our personal agenda with the needs and requirements of our alliances. We exchange and trade, we take some and leave some while flipping a coin to choose what seems like equal options. What we take with us and what we leave behind won’t matter in the end, but right now we are held captive by our need for others and the contracts that comes with them.

‘Autumn’ by Rainer Maria Rilke

The leaves are falling, falling as if from far up,

as if orchards were dying high in space.

Each leaf falls as if it were motioning “no.”

And tonight the heavy earth is falling

away from all other stars in the loneliness.

We’re all falling. This hand here is falling.

And look at the other one. It’s in them all.

And yet there is Someone, whose hands

infinitely calm, holding up all this falling.

 

 

 

Knowing what to Love

Love in Autumn by Simeon Solomon, 1866

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“The art of love is largely the art of persistence.”– Albert Ellis

 

THE FIRST ACT: VENUS SQUARE SATURN
Once you know exactly what you don’t want in life, it is much easier to invoke what you want.  It is getting to that point of clarity that takes time. Illusion must be shed and desires understood in order for wisdom to inform our decisions. Libra season is the season of the Scales. When the perfect balance between light and darkness is reached for a brief moment before we plunge deeper into the darkness of Fall in the Northern Hemisphere. Things are weighed and measured to see if they are really worth their while. The decisions we make carry responsibilities and burdens that will have to be assumed down the road. Commitments made out of Love are lighter to carry, but first we must know what we love. This week, as we enter Libra season, we are facing the responsibility of our choices. The opportunity is here for us to carry them with grace and to assume the roles we have chosen. Grace, Beauty and Stoicism CAN co-exist.

THE SCALES
Libra being an Air sign, supports an even and rational approach when facing difficulties. The problem is that everyone has their own set of Scales, their own Truth. What is Justice and Fairness if everyone has their own personal system of measurements? What is right and what is wrong? What is objective Truth? Who establishes the Law? Expect social media and the news at large to be filled with righteous condemnations and vigorous convictions in the next few weeks as we move deeper into the season of the Scales. What is fair and what is just will be measured on the public arena with cries of indignations and a call for Justice.

LIBRA NEW MOON: THE PROMISE OF BEAUTY
Once the square of Venus and Saturn is done by Thursday, we are ready to move along towards the juicier parts of the week. After a stern look from Saturn, Venus moves towards a supportive aspect with Jupiter in Sagittarius, which will be exact just as the Moon renews herself in the light of the Sun. The New Moon in Libra is on September 28 at 14:26 EDT at 5 degrees of Libra. Look to where this New Moon is taking place in your chart and invoke pleasure, beauty and ease in these areas of your life. Jupiter supporting Venus at the time of the New Moon is a call to connect with pleasure and what makes your heart sing.

It’s a hopeful weekend over all and a good time to reset your stance in regards to what you value, what brings you joy and pleasure. Now that you have gained the wisdom of experience, trust that you deserve Beauty and Love not in a naive or childish way, but in a way that is closest to your own personal truth.

“Elegance is a glowing inner peace.
Grace is an ability to give as well as to receive and be thankful.
Mystery is a hidden laugh always ready to surface!
Glamour only radiates if there is a sublime courage & bravery within:
glamour is like the moon; it only shines because the sun is there.”

–C. JoyBell C.

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 16: DREAMING REALITIES

“…disbelief in magic can force a poor soul
into believing in government and business….”
― Tom Robbins, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

VIRGO SEASON SO FAR
We are slowly emerging from Virgo season with two planets (Venus and Mercury) having moved into Libra, giving us a small respite from the caffeine-induced, anxiety-driven ”hustling” of the last few weeks. I’m not sure that Virgo season is more productive than any other seasons, but it surely is a time that brings attention to all the work that must be done which in turn creates a frazzled vortex of to-do lists and reminders.

VENUS IN LIBRA: IN LOVE WITH LOVE
With Venus now transiting in Libra until October 8th, the time has come to take your social grace out for a stroll. A good time to mend the broken pieces of your mirror with sugar and vanilla while sending peace signals into the air. Beauty and pleasurable things should get a boost while vulgarities are put aside (until Venus enters Scorpio in October). Venus in Libra’s pleasurable things are soft, delicate, agreeable and graceful. Venus contains potent charm here in Libra, but unlike the sensual physicality of Venus in Taurus her other home sign, Venus in Libra is a joyful romantic. Venus in Libra is like the sweetness of dimples on rosy cheeks, the intoxicating fragrance of a blooming rose, a young couple innocently holding hands while taking a romantic stroll. It’s not that Venus in Libra is innocent really, but innocence is deliberately utilized to enthral a potential admirer and soothe the enemies. Those are the charms of Venus in Libra.

SATURN IN CAPRICORN: THE GRIND
Saturn in Capricorn stations direct this Wednesday next to the South Node of the Moon after being retrograde since the end of April. The last 4 months have been a period of powerful Saturninan recalibration, going to the roots of what discipline, structures, sobriety, mortality, ancestral baggages/family patterns, society and it’s crumbling structures means to us. We have become lucid and perhaps even stoic in regards to the efforts needed to reshape our realities on a small and big scale. With Saturn turning direct the work and lessons continues but we also integrate the revelations of the last few months.

MERCURY IN LIBRA SQUARE SATURN IN CAPRICON: LEFT OR RIGHT
Mercury having also entered Libra will square Saturn in Capricorn next Sunday highlighting the difficult compromises that must be made if we are to achieve our aims. Next weekend could be somewhat stressful, as we try to reconcile our own agenda with the agenda of a partner or a friend. Our scales could be working overtime or we could feel blocked by circumstances while weighing difficult options.

JUPITER SQUARE NEPTUNE: MAGIC SQUARES
The ”pièce de résistance” this week is surely the last of three squares between Jupiter and Neptune exact Saturday afternoon. Jupiter in Sagittarius square Neptune in Pisces is innovative but it’s also deluded. The ability to dream up a crazy idea and have the faith and the optimism to do it. Jupiter square Neptune is why everyone is talking about and fascinated with magic right now. Jupiter square Neptune is the ability to believe without seeing, but its also the delusion of seeing something that isn’t there. You have to be a Fool to let this pass, but you also have to be a Fool to believe it. Jupiter square Neptune gives us the ability to watch Netflix series ad nauseam, or to have revelations about your past-present-future while lucid dreaming. It’s the desire to get totally wrapped up in fantasy, to be taken for a ride. Jupiter square Neptune is also the ability to manifest, to follow a vision, an intuition, and to trust that it will work out. Faith leading you directly to your goal. Where the mind goes, energy flows.

 

Goals & Daily Life

“I see that I’ve become a really bad correspondent. It’s not that I don’t think of you.
You come into my thoughts often. But when you do it appears to me that I owe you a particularly grand letter. And so you end in the “warehouse of good intentions”:
“Can’t do it now.” “Then put it on hold.” This is one’s strategy for coping with old age,
and with death–because one can’t die with so many obligations in storage.
Our clever species, so fertile and resourceful in denying its weaknesses.”
― Saul Bellow

 

The week begins with the Sun in Virgo and the Moon void of course in Libra until it enters Scorpio late Monday evening. Monday is a (parenthesis) before the week officially begins and an opportunity to sharpen our tools for the work that lays ahead of us. A necessary period of inner refinement, adjusting our compass and vision as we find ourselves oscillating between our instinctual-desire-nature and our rational-pragmatic-intellect.

Constructive actions in tandem with inspired insights permeates this week. There is a lot of juicy momentum and it could even feel as if things are moving waaaay too fast for you to catch a break. Productivity is high on the list right now, and as a result procrastination hangs like a shadow over our game plan.

The soul craves synthesis while the mind dissects every aspects of existence.

The Moon will travel in Scorpio until late Wednesday night/early Thursday morning when it enters Sagittarius. The Moon in Sagittarius all day Thursday (Jupiter’s day) applies to a conjunction with Jupiter. The First Quarter Moon happens at 13º Sagittarius this month when it squares the Sun at 13º Virgo.

The First Quarter Moon is a time of action or crisis when the plans that were laid at the New Moon in Virgo on the 30th of August are being challenged or are starting to gain traction. This First Quarter Moon brings attention to our big idea or vision and the execution of this particular vision or idea. We have to trust that we will get there but we also have to put in the efforts required to get there.

Perspective gets lost when we spend too much time on the details (Virgo). However it can also be hard to execute a big idea if we don’t delineate a practical way to get there (Sagittarius). You could feel overwhelmed by the amount of preparation necessary for the execution of your idea/goal, losing perspective on where you were going it in the first place. Or it could be that you are so taken by your big project that you totally brush over the details and neglect some important steps in the process.

The Moon in Sagittarius will be next to Jupiter at the time of the First Quarter Moon on Friday September 7th – giving us a huge boost of confidence and faith that ”everything will turn alright”. We KNOW what we have to do, but it doesn’t mean we have the discipline to do it. It’s one thing to know, it’s another thing entirely to repeat the process day after day to install a new routine, a new program that will lead us to a new helpful habit. There is a conflict between knowing and executing, between an idea and the implementation of that idea into a tangible process. Time and patience is required as nothing is born overnight and it’s a good idea to keep that in mind as you navigate Virgo season and find yourself going over everything that remains to be done. Be patient and be happy for the process, because every step of the process is what eventually leads you to the desired result.

The Moon enters Capricorn Saturday morning, and here we are again, back at the working bench, at the drawing table with our plans and our to-do lists, and the burden of all that remains to be done. Time is slipping away so fast, and there are still too many details to deal with. We are not quite as healthy, productive, efficient, and successful as we could be, and it could all be too obvious next weekend. The Moon travels in Capricorn next Saturday and Sunday, convincing us that there are vegetables to harvest and preserve, fire wood to split, renovations to do, and all kinds of work left to be done. Not the most relaxing weekend but a productive one I hope.

Most planets traveling in the Earth element (Taurus – Virgo – Capricorn)  means it’s a great time to get stuff done, but terrible for anxiety around status, work, income, discipline, and habits. Don’t compare yourself too much. You are exactly where you are suppose to be; trust your process.

“You have to believe. Otherwise, it will never happen.”
― Neil Gaiman

WEEK OF AUGUST 26, 2019

JON KOKO – KARESANSUI

 

Out of perfection nothing can be made.
Every process involves breaking something up.
Joseph Campbell

And just like that, Virgo season is here, and this is definitely one of the most grounding time of the year when we can see the results and the reasons of the past. Not only do we have a stellium in Virgo (stellium: 4 or more planets in the same sign), the New Moon on Friday August 30th is positively supported by Uranus in Taurus. It is a time of traction and implementation for what is being birthed in your life. The new structures that are emerging on the horizon are starting to make sense and you can begin to see the tangible manifestations of your long held visions, the birth of a new awareness, a new reality.

The wish you whispered half consciously under your breath while sleeping is surrounding you. The faint light that guided you through the storm is now your illumination. There is a clarity about the events in your life and a reason for everything. Nothing is perfect but you might be able to accept that all the imperfect decisions has led you exactly where you are.

Witness your powers of manifestation for better or for worst.

Pixelated wood sculptures by Hsu Tung Han

Until the new moon in Virgo on Friday, we stand in the liminal darkness of the waning Moon, the dark of the Moon. Slowdown your pace, reflect, contemplate, clean, cleanse, purge, stretch, create space for the wisdom to enter, collect the strength from the Earth, lay low.

Monday: Moon in Cancer
Tuesday: Moon in Cancer – Moon enters Leo at 21:23 NDT
Wednesday: Moon in Leo
Thursday: Moon in Leo – Moon enters Virgo at 21:27 NDT
Friday: New Moon in Virgo 8:07am NDT
Saturday: Moon in Virgo – Moon enters Libra at 20:37 NDT
Sunday: Moon in Libra

The New Moon in Virgo takes place on Friday August 30th at 8:07am NDT/6:37am EDT. The New Moon signals the beginning of the work, a time of creation and implementation, of ”to-do” lists, of tangibility and manifestation, a time of taking advantage of the resources available to you, utilizing your space and body properly and efficiently. All the small actions that leads to the whole, it’s happening now. Your breath, the way you chew your food, your digestion, your posture. The superfluous will seem extra superfluous while you find a purpose for everything. Each little things in their place, there is a place for everything, and no space wasted.

The New Moon is linked to the revolutionary ways in which you approach the ordinary. Set your intentions, but don’t set them to high as to be discouraged. Plant your intentions in the realm of the possible, the tangible, the practical, something that will yield a satisfactory result down the road, every step counts, every action has meaning.

Wood sculpture by Yoshitoshi Kanemaki

“Your thoughts, become your words;
your words, become actions;
your actions, become habits;
your habits, become your character;
your character,  becomes your destiny.”

WEEK OF AUGUST 19, 2019

He, who every morning plans the transactions of the day, and follows that plan,
carries a thread that will guide him through a labyrinth of the most busy life.
Victor Hugo

The week begins with the Moon in Aires. The Moon enters Taurus Wednesday at 00:38 EDT and will travel though Taurus until Friday morning when the Moon enters Gemini at 10:34am. The last quarter Moon happens at 0º Gemini, officially initiating the mutable Earth season with the Sun having just entered Virgo. The Moon travels through Gemini until late Sunday afternoon when it enters Cancer at 17:05 EDT.

This week, with 3 planets moving from Leo to Virgo we are getting a good glimpse of what the next month has in store for us. Mars left the sign of Leo for Virgo early Sunday morning and Venus follows suit on August 21st, leaving the brazen fires of Leo for the humbling pastures of Virgo. On August 23rd, the Sun leaves its domicile of Leo to enter Virgo, officiating the Mutable Earth season. However, with Mercury (ruling planet of Virgo) still in Leo, we are holding onto the golden rays and royal ways, and not entirely dedicated to the practical applications of our vision until Mercury enters Virgo on August 29th.

Mars →Virgo: August 18 – 1:17am EDT
Venus →Virgo: August 21 – 5:06am EDT
Sun →Virgo: August 23 – 6:01am EDT

THE PROCESS
With the Sun’s ingress into the Earth sign of Virgo, we begin the process of sorting out what needs tending. Virgo season brings our attention and focus on the many task that lays ahead of us, illuminating what needs to be organized, smoothed, resolved and eliminated for us to find proper footing. With the heavy influence of the Earth element in the next few weeks, our attention will be on the practical and tangible ways in which we can establish order in our daily lives and in our bodies. Simplifying, streamlining, and putting back the tools in their proper place, becoming aware of all the little ways in which we are not yet fully efficient, proficient and perfect. Anxiety is a shadow that looms large over Virgoan-type people, for there is always ways in which one can improve themselves, and this process is never done. Quality resides in the critical eye for better or for worst. Perfection is not a burden for the artisan, but a guiding principle informing his repetitive actions which over time becomes the perfect object. Practice makes perfect as they say.

THE MATERIAL
This year, we have a tight alignment of planets in the sign of Virgo which does not happen every year. This should greatly intensify the influence of the sign on our daily lives. Virgo is one of the three Earth signs considered in astrology to be primarily focused on the tangible and the practical necessities of material reality, the other two being Taurus and Capricorn.

Since we already have Uranus transiting in Taurus and Saturn/Pluto/South Node in Capricorn, the ingress of Mars, Venus and the Sun into the sign of Virgo this week will saturate the skies with planets in Earth signs. During the next few weeks, our attention will turn towards our material reality and how to improve it. We could find ourselves busy creating order out of the chaotic and disparate parts of our lives in order to improve it and be more productive. Productivity will be high on the priority list and you could find yourself overwhelmed with the work load while juggling all of your responsibilities. Procrastination will create more anxiety and I have seen many Virgo-type characters driving themselves mad with anxiety and stress while procrastinating. Don’t shy away from the work you have to do as this will surely release some of the inner tension.

This week, the transition of three planets from Leo to Virgo will be quite obvious as we find ourselves moving from the Fixed Fire season to the Mutable Earth season. In the Northern Hemisphere, Virgo season announces the end of Summer and the transition towards Fall. The preparation required for the return of the cold and the waning of the light prompts us to organize ourselves, and it is a time of movement and busy-ness. The structures in our lives will be vitalized and it’s a great time to organize your space and make it more functional. In the next couple of weeks, the emphasis is on our physical reality and tending to the smaller details of our existence like our body and our environment. However, the possibility of scattering ourselves through too many projects/avenues or being overly critical and preoccupied with perfection is a tendency to watch for during the next few weeks. It’s a good idea to temper the critical voice within you, and use this time to get ahead.

The Zodiac 1925 Ernest Procter 1886-1935

“If death meant just leaving the stage long enough to change costume and come back as a new character… Would you slow down? Or speed up?”
–Chuck Palahniuk

WEEK OF AUGUST 12: COMBUSTION

Shimmering reflections
hearts on Fire
feedback in the eye
the centre of being
lightning strikes
pouring out
an eternal dance
hypnotizing
feedback loops
a cacophony of voices
alienates
the original spark
feasting on the ONE
revealed in the absent
promise of the impossible
elevated
and consumed
by echoes of
self-union
holding
the ideal
vision

LUNAR RYTHMS

The week begins with the Moon in Capricorn prompting us to roll up our sleeves, and get to work before the Moon goes VOC (void of course) at 18:12 Monday evening leaving the books open for debate and casting some doubts and worries on our current situation.

The Moon enters Aquarius Tuesday at 11:35am EDT. The Moon remains in Aquarius Wednesday, waxing towards Full. The Full Moon in Aquarius will be exact early Thursday morning at 8:29am EDT. A good amount of effort is necessary right now if we are to fulfill our vision. The status-quo is not good enough and the future remains unseen. The Full Moon in Aquarius could illuminate important information, allowing you to plan a course of action.

Thursday evening, the Moon enters Pisces, exact at 23:49 EDT and travels here until Sunday when she enters Aries at 12:32pm. The end of the week casts a dreamy glow on our reality as we release our grip and trust that everything is happening as it should. Take advantage of Friday and Saturday when the Moon is in Pisces to let yourself be inspired, playful and accept what is.

The Moon enters action-oriented Aries Sunday afternoon, less than 12 hours after Mars enters Virgo (exact Sunday at 1:18am). Sunday afternoon could see us planning and organizing with little patience left for Summer pleasures. We could feel extremely ambitious, perhaps a little bit scattered or nit-picky, but motivated to get moving.

JUPITER DIRECT: THE IMPOSSIBLE WISH

A rich amount of hope is available at the moment, and the sweetness of Summer is keeping us in a good mood. Jupiter rising high after sunset is the promise of wish granted as we aim for the prize. Jupiter in Sagittarius until late November is allowing far reaching vision and current setbacks should not deter you from your path. Faith is the fuel that powers the engine so keep your eyes on the far reaching horizon and the potential hidden in your original idea. Trust that opportunities are waiting to be discovered.

FULL MOON IN AQUARIUS: BLINDED BY THE LIGHT

Venus in Leo conjunct the Sun on Wednesday at 2:07am EDT only a few hours before the Full Moon in Aquarius. The Sun and Venus significations mingle as they meet, revealing how we might reach what our heart most desire. The union of Venus with the Sun in Leo is the peak expression of the self – reflected. We see ourselves special, everywhere translated through the reflections of the happenings that surrounds us. Validation ignites the egoic fires as we dance our special little dance. We are in love with ourselves, seeking only to be declared the one and only one, the incomparable and immeasurable best. Our reign supreme will not last as we quickly are confronted by the Full Moon in Aquarius shining a bright light on the selfish and childish nature of our desires. Realizing that the Earth continues turning even when we sleep, the Full Moon in Aquarius illuminates the spectacle for what it is; a demanding and monstrous little child. In the process of wanting the best of the best for ourselves, we must also understand the repercussions of our self-involvement on others and the world at large.

By putting ourselves out there, our reasons and motivations become crystalline and onlookers who cannot do the same, are filled with disdain for the brave and regal displays. It is up to us to differentiate between narcissism and self-expression as everyone secretly long for the golden rays of Love to reach them. Are we mere consumers or are we creators?

BETWEEN THE OLD AND THE NEW

SATURN, the traditional ruler of Aquarius and by extension the Full Moon on Thursday morning, is retrograde in Capricorn, 3 degrees away from the South Node of the Moon and sextile Neptune in Pisces: This period of time, highlights the unstable structures in which we seek comfort but that are totally crumbling. We are somewhat still stuck in our old habits perhaps even deluding ourselves about the solidity of their foundations. We are living in a hologram of what WAS, migrating reluctantly towards what will BE.

URANUS, the modern ruler of Aquarius,  is also retrograde at the time of the Full Moon in the sign of Taurus and squaring Mercury in Leo. Mercury is sitting at 4 degrees Leo, the exact degree where it stationed retrograde on July 8th: These aspects suggest that there are totally new elements being integrated in our lives and we need to completely re-think the ways in which we operate. Novelty and innovations are favoured and we must make the effort to step outside of our comfort zone if we are to make progress.

The fact that both traditional and modern rulers of this Full Moon in Aquarius are retrograde suggest that nothing is given right now as we stand between the old ways and the new ways not yet birthed. Things will take some time and we are not out of the woods quite yet.

WEEK OF AUGUST 5th, 2019: OUR PRIDE AND AFFECTIONS

 Artwork by Jasper Goodall 

Stand straight, walk proud, have a little faith
-Garth Brooks

The week begins with the Moon in Libra until it enters Scorpio on Tuesday signalling the First Quarter Moon. The Moon enters Sagittarius on Thursday, and remains on the archer’s territory until early Sunday morning when it enters Capricorn. The First Quarter Moon is a time of action and momentum when we are challenged to implement what was seeded at the New Moon and push forward.

SPIRIT
Passion burns hot this week as we move deeper into Leo season and straight into the heart of summer. The Sun in the second decan of Leo is bright indeed and Venus blinded by the rays inches closer and closer to the royal throne. By August 14, Venus will disappear completely into the Sun purifying herself in a baptism of light, rebirthing as an evening ”star”. The Sun and Venus in Leo will set the mood this week with loud and colourful roars and regal displays. Pride and affection for what we have created, what we have become, what we value and love is sure to be a theme. We might be moved to expose the content of our heart’s joys for all to see while other folks might dowse themselves in just-a-little-bit too much perfume.

FAITH
The Sun in Leo is moving towards a trine with Jupiter in Sagittarius (exact on Wednesday) and this should give us the ability to say YES more. This easy going and joyful sky is giving us plenty of reasons to celebrate life and make the difficult things a little bit easier to bare. Jupiter stations direct on August 11 after moving retrograde since April 10, 2019. On the same day, Mercury enters Leo and Uranus stations retrograde in Taurus creating a lot of momentum which culminates on Sunday. The Moon entering Sagittarius on Thursday (Jupiter’s day) gives the signal to launch the fireworks, release the helium balloons, cut the red ribbon, and trust that it will all work out. There is a hopeful quality that permeates the week and it is an excellent time to gain perspective on what remains to be accomplished while elevating your standards. Fill your engine to the brim with the potentiality latent in your dreams and aim higher. This is a time of joy, faith and courage; send your prayers and show gratitude accordingly.

THE SALES PITCH
Mercury re-enters the Lion’s den on Sunday at 15:45 EDT after having turned retrograde here in Leo before moving back into the sign of Cancer for most of July. If there is still a faint tinged of longing permeating our minds this week, it will definitely subside by Sunday. The radio stations which until now played a series of nostalgic and sappy songs will now be showcasing ”The Greatest Hits of all Time”. Mercury can be persuasive in the sign of Leo especially when supported by Jupiter. If you have to sell your salad ( convince someone), now and in the next few weeks is a good time to do so. You can expect however that everyone at the market will also have the best salad to sell; you could find yourself shouting in order to be heard.

The Fixed season of Leo is a time of conviction and this year Jupiter in Sagittarius is boosting the signal. Depending on natal disposition some folks might be totally blinded by their beliefs, their pride, and their ideas. Moderate the enthusiasm with healthy dose of reflection before launching headfirst into a debate or a venture. Measured risk and optimism will be rewarded while hubris and arrogance could alienate others but overall, it’s an excellent week.