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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VENUS IN PISCES ♀♓︎

Venus enters Pisces, the sign of her exaltation from February 10 until March 6.

Venus is considered exalted in the sign of Pisces and Venusian matters like love, music, art, beauty, money, pleasure and attraction have an easier time expressing themselves when she travels here.

We might crave ease and comfort during her month-long transit in Pisces, and this is possible if we heed the lessons of Saturn currently in its home sign of Capricorn. Nothing is free in this world and pleasure is to be found in maturity and pragmatism this year. Venus in Pisces contemplates eternity while Saturn in Capricorn looks for a solid framework.

Venus also applies to square with Mars in Sagittarius for most of February; you might have to adjust your vision, and be prepared to have your faith tested while you reach for the gold.

Applying a stoic perspective to our longings can help us succeed. A healthy dose of desire and the willingness to put in a sincere effort can lead to the success of our endeavours.

This month-long transit of Venus through Pisces supports our ability to find joy and beauty, while the sextile from Saturn can teach us how to sustain these states in the long run.

NEW MOON IN LIBRA: A TENSE EQUILIBRIUM

The New Moon in Libra occurs on October 19 at 15:13 EDT in the very last degrees of the Scales just a few days before the Sun’s ingress into Scorpio.

THE TIPPING POINT

The New Moon at 26º Libra will be in a tight opposition to rebel planet Uranus which is at 26º Aries. Uranus is often associated with sudden breakthroughs and shocks that serves to jolt us out of complacency. Uranus in Aries is like an untamed, wild and defiant teenager who will do exactly the opposite of what you ask him to do. Uranus in the sign of Aries doesn’t have patience for conventions and niceties; it forges ahead without foresight straight into the eye of the storm to challenge the Gods. Uranus is that voice that says: ”just go for it, try it and see what happens”. Acting on impulse, following a crazy idea, a revelation that brings a revolution, it’s the lightning that strikes the genius and the mad ones. It’s that impetuous urge to move against the docile heard to find a new direction, a new way of doing things; a different way.

Then, we have this New Moon in Libra which is all about fairness and compromises or at least finding the balance between ”what you want” and ”what I want”. Venus just entered the sign of Libra on October 14 and is at home here. Venus rules over the New Moon and accentuates the  themes of partnerships and agreements. The focus is on finding a peaceful way to remediate the disequilibrium we might be experiencing in our lives. The desire for collaboration is strong, we want to get along and both parties are looking for ways to reconcile their difference. The idea of harmony and balance is held high like a precious gem that seems to be just out of reach. We stretch our arms towards it, trying to catch its rare glow only to find a molten piece of poisonous  lead.

This New Moon points its finger directly at what is out of synch an unbalance in our lives. It’s the trigger that urges us to find new and better ways to deal with it. We could feel a sense of urgency in regards to establishing some form of harmony that would rectify the chaos and disorder. Partnership are especially susceptible to this at the moment as we weigh the pros and cons of our agreements. The grass always seems greener somewhere else and Libra loves to keep her options open. Uranus opposing the Sun and Moon in Libra could bring a sudden desire to break free from something that feels too restrictive. With the Sun, the Moon and Venus in Libra we must bow down to our current agreements and fulfill our part of the contract. Even though peace seems to be a complicated and elusive notion at this time it must remain a guiding ideal.

It is in this paradoxical landscape that this new lunar cycle begins. We will soon enter the Fixed season of Scorpio and descend even further into our commitments but also the decisions we make towards transformation. Now is the time to use the power of reason to decide what we want so that our attention and focus can be well directed for the month ahead.

 

VENUS DAY

It’s Friday, which means it’s VENUS DAY. ✨

Venus is currently in the first decan of Leo and she is pretty much doing her own thing. Which also mean she is harder to access.  Most of the action is happening in the later part of Leo. On Sunday we have a Mercury/Mars conjunction at 28 Leo on the eclipse degree. This will most likely bring heated debates and bold conversations. Watch out for the big egos out there.

Today, the Moon is in the Earth sign of Capricorn and will join Pluto in a few hours and then square Jupiter in Libra. The Sun is in the sign of Virgo which is also an Earth sign.

It’s a great day to roll up our sleeves and attend to the nitty gritty details of our lives. We could feel the pressure of deadlines and all that still needs to be accomplished to get where we want to be. ♌︎

The Sun in Virgo and the Moon in Capricorn (both Earth signs) are looking for tangible results and practicalities. Don’t let status anxiety or the fear of not being good enough override this productive period. Return to basics and be grateful for what you CAN accomplish. Let go of the desire to have everything done immediately and be patient with the process.

Since it’s Venus day and Venus is all about pleasure and beauty, make some time to indulge and have fun today.

Venus loves beauty and ease; she is not interested in getting her hands dirty.

Stop and smell the flowers, create space for harmony, tranquility and peace to enter your sphere. Visit an art gallery, take pictures, listen to music, get a massage, eat delicious foods, and most importantly, indulge in what makes you feel beautiful and content.

MERCURY RETROGRADE: Ordinary & Extraordinary

Small minds are concerned with the extraordinary, great minds with the ordinary
-Blaise Pascal

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Mercury retrograde always brings some form of revision either willingly or imposed on us by unforeseen circumstances. There is no reason to hop on the Mercury-Retro-Freak-Out-Train as this occurs approximately 3 times a year.

Mercury will be retrograde in the sign of Virgo and then Leo from August 12th to September 5th, 2017.

One of the striking aspect of this particular retrograde is the Mercury/Neptune opposition mere days before the beginning of the retrograde.

This means that the week leading up to the retrograde is somewhat foggy or tinted by wishful thinking and clarity is already lost. There could be confusion between facts and fiction. It could be that a situation is not seen for what it is and we are getting lost in glamorous thinking. Venus is also trine to Neptune and the Sun is in Leo after all!

Mercury/Neptune is not a terrible aspect in itself but decision making might not be anchored in reality. If you know this already, work it to your advantage and take into account that your perception will shift considerably by the time this retrograde is all said and done.

The Full Moon in Aquarius on August 7th was the first of 2 Eclipses happening this month and this also has to be taken into account. The liminal space between Eclipses can be thought of as a transitional period. Often the time surrounding Eclipses bring unforeseen circumstances which shake the foundations in our lives. Events pushes us to take a leap of faith or break with the old ways. Sometimes these events are forced upon us and the path we were until then walking on vanishes aligning us on a totally new and unforeseen trajectory.

Mercury retrogrades are best spent re-evaluating, sorting out, and revising what is already in place. Mercury retrogrades are not so great for launching major new projects and ideas. Since this retrograde begins in the Mercury ruled sign of Virgo, there is no better time to get down to the nitty-gritty details of your life and put them in order. Mercury will retrograde back into the sign of Leo on August 31st. The subject of self-esteem, pride, the desire for recognition, following one’s heart, dreams and passions will all be added to the mix.

*If the eclipses are already bringing major changes in your life, embrace them and apply a good strategy to insure your success.

Here are a few more tips to help you navigate the upcoming retrograde in Virgo & Leo:

☿-Don’t sweat the small stuff: Virgos can be hyper critical and self-loathing since they have such unreachable high standards for themselves. Give yourself a break and pay attention to your internal dialogues; keep it positive and guilt free.

☿-Sweat the small stuff: Mercury retrograde in Virgo is a great time to revise and organize. A great time to tackle all the menial jobs that you have been putting off. Paper work, writing, editing and organizing could really put you ahead of the game. Re-evaluate the processes in your life and find solutions that will help you be more efficient.

☿-Find activities that help alleviate anxiety: Over-thinking and the endless quest for perfection is a modern diseases. Step-away from it all with activities that help you disconnect from the over-achieving mind. Go pet a goat.

☿-Find healing

☿-Be easy on yourself: You are where you are suppose to be. Trust the process.

☿-Get in touch with your procrastination: The more you put things off the tighter the grip will get. Maybe your to-do list is to big? What can you do to alleviate the pressure?

☿-With Mercury going back into the sign of Leo, issues of pride and self-esteem could come up. Following our heart is always a work in progress. Practice asking for what you need directly and without shame. Allow your heart’s desires to express themselves in a healthy way.

☿-Understand that success is a state of mind.

☿-Do not let your pride get in the way of the hard work needed to succeed.

☿-If you know your chart, look at where Virgo and Pisces are located. Do you have important planets or is your Ascendant in Virgo or Pisces? Perhaps some organizing is called for in those areas of your life.

☿-Since this Mercury retrograde is weaved in with the 2 eclipses in August, look at where Leo and Aquarius fall in your chart. Do you have any important planets or is your Ascendant either in Leo or Aquarius? Events surrounding the next two months will bring opportunities to break away from an old way of being. This could be subtle or dramatic depending on your natal dispositons.

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                              Jack Kerouac (Virgo rising and Moon in Virgo) on Self-Loathing
                                                          

“The rucksack sits hopefully in a strewn mess of bottles all empty, empty poorboys of white port, butts, junk, horror … ‘One fast move or I’m gone,’ I realize, gone the way of the last three years of drunken hopelessness which is a physical and spiritual and metaphysical hopelessness you can’t learn in school no matter how many books on existentialism or pessimism you read, or how many jugs of vision-producing Ayahuasca you drink, or Mescaline take, or Peyote goop up with – that feeling when you wake up with the delirium tremens, with the fear of eerie death dripping from your ears like those special heavy cobwebs spiders weave in the hot countries, the feeling of being a bentback mudman monster groaning underground in hot steaming mud pulling a long hot burden nowhere, the feeling of standing ankle deep in hot boiled pork blood, ugh, of being up to your waist in a giant pan of greasy brown dishwater not a trace of suds left in it – the face of yourself you see in the mirror with its expression of unbearable anguish so haggard and awful with sorrow you can’t even cry for a thing so ugly, so lost, no connection whatever with early perfection, and therefore nothing to connect with tears or anything.”

 

 

 

Uprooting beauty

DARA SCULLY

”The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.” 
-The Bible, King James Version, Song of Songs 7:12–13

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The upcoming trine between Venus and Pluto will be exact right after the New Moon in Cancer on June 24th. This aspect conjures up the rich scent of the earth exuding from freshly pulled roots. The hands are dirty and have been working hard.

On a table laying in broad day light is a collection of various treasures dug out of the ground; buried objects carrying with them long forgotten stories. To keep or to discard?

Destruction and beauty are an odd pair. 

Craving more ease, you might get excited at the sight of the decaying past – hypnotized by the promises and possibilities of new beginnings. Suddenly the forbidden becomes alluring; desiring something that is denied to you.  Can it be yours? 

Be warned that the price is steeped but it’s already too late.

What was unearthed is taking hold.

The distant lure of beauty animates you and you keep digging in the hopes of finding more.

The process is difficult but you cannot back down. You know how important this is for your well-being. Feeling good might even sting a little but you keep digging. The sight of beauty hurts your eyes. Your heart is pounding in your chest.

Don’t stop now.

Tectonic shifts are happening.

Your heart wants more, aching for new intensity.

Renovations are well underway and you must get rid of some things to make space for what you have discovered.

Introducing more beauty, more love, more pleasure is an arduous task and things will need to be destroyed.

Be willing to leave the comfort of your garden and trade-in all of your jewels for that gut feeling.

 

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Venus @ 18 Taurus 30 trine Pluto @ 18 Capricorn 30 on June 24, 2017  @ 3:59 AM EST    

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“Sorrow prepares you for joy. It violently sweeps everything out of your house, so that new joy can find space to enter. It shakes the yellow leaves from the bough of your heart, so that fresh, green leaves can grow in their place. It pulls up the rotten roots, so that new roots hidden beneath have room to grow. Whatever sorrow shakes from your heart, far better things will take their place.” ― Jalaluddin Rumi

 

Venus returns to Pisces

We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
-Joseph Campbell

The Moon just entered the water sign of Cancer for the next few days and Venus is about to move back into Pisces as part of its retrograde motion.

Even though Venus is considered exalted in Pisces, it will square Saturn almost immediately upon re-entering Pisces. Venus was here at the beginning of February and perhaps something from 2 months ago could be echoed back to us.

Venus square Saturn is bittersweet (like dark chocolate?! 😉 ) and in the next week, we might have to face the difficult choices we made. A sobering moment awaits as we realize the costs of our decisions. (Dark chocolate is generally preferred by adults?) What I’m getting at is that we might be looking for something sweet but we might need to be adults and settle for something less sweet.

Our experience of ease and beauty could feel limited or restrained by something outside of our control. It could feel harder than usual to ”go with the flow”. Age and experience through hardship could figure strongly. The stance is one of mature sobriety.

Mid-April, Venus goes direct as Mercury turns retrograde in Taurus (a Venus ruled sign). This particular series of aspect makes me think that some compromise or revision of priorities will need to be reached in order for us to find the comfort, support and ease we long for.

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”Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.
Only through experience of trial and suffering
can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired,
and success achieved.”
– Helen Keller

Moon in Taurus – Sun in Pisces: Sweet Indulgence

The Moon is in Taurus for the next few days with almost nothing in its way except for a sextile from the planets in Pisces and a trine from Pluto.

It’s a good time to take a breather and rest from the intensity of the last few weeks. A good opportunity to reset, take care of your body and relax your mind. Slow down your pace and indulge a little. A good meal, a nice massage and a walk in nature can work miracles.

The Moon in Taurus will sextile Mercury, the Sun and Neptune in the sign of Pisces later today. This is a nice imaginative aspect that can help us find concrete ways to realize our visions.

Self-indulgence is very likely under theses aspects and we could be tempted to completely surrender to our cravings. Since Venus (the planet of pleasures) is just about ready to turn retrograde it is best to find a balance approach.

To work the next few days to your advantage, make sure your indulgence are restorative. Release stress with bodywork and nourishing meals and make the pleasure last.

Sun in Pisces/Moon in Capricorn: Inspired Discipline

The Sun is in Pisces conjunct the Tail of the Dragon and the Moon is in the sign of Capricorn. We might be revisiting time-tested ideas that prove to be better than their modern versions. Something from the past could come back for revision or be revived. We could also find ourselves appreciating the craftsmanship of our ancestors and be inspired by the quality of objects from the past.

With the Moon in Capricorn, it’s a good day to get work done and find some discipline. Since the Sun in Pisces and Neptune will receive a sextile from the Moon in Capricorn, work that requires a certain amount of creativity and inspiration should benefit.

February’s Fire

Hey everyone,

We’re almost done with January which has been a good example of what is to come. We also have entered the Chinese Year of the Fire Rooster. Even if the Chinese Zodiac has nothing to do with the Tropical Zodiac (the one we use) there is one thing in common for 2017 and that is: there is a LOT of planets in FIRE signs all year.

Uranus is in Aries and Saturn in Sagittarius plus we have an upcoming Venus retrograde (beginning March 4) in the sign of Aries.

There is also a series of eclipses on the Leo/Aquarius axis beginning this month with the Full Moon in Leo (a Fire sign) on February 10. Eclipses generally comes in sets of 4 over the course of the year.

So what does it mean? Well, If you have important planets in the late degrees of the Fixed signs (Scorpio, Taurus, Aquarius, Leo) this year eclipses will highlight that part of your chart.
Eclipses in astrology are considered triggers that brings fundamental changes. These changes can be sudden or they can be more of a gradual shift towards something completely new over a period of time. Of course it’s easier to pinpoint the area affected by studying the natal chart.

The New Moon in Pisces at the end of February is also a Solar eclipse and it is the last one in the Pisces/Virgo series that has happened over the course of the last 2 years. There was a lot of changes for these guys (Virgo and Pisces) and an evolution towards something that is either being born now or on the last stretch of its journey.

The Sun is in Aquarius and will move into the water sign of Pisces on February 18.

Saturn in Sagittarius (a fire sign) continues to fuel dogmatic beliefs and wars on ideologies and Jupiter goes retrograde later this month which will bring the second Jupiter/Uranus opposition.

Mars in Aries (fire sign) all month is excellent for pushing ahead with your own ideas and
projects. If you feel tense, go sweat it out.

Stay noble, stay bold.