The Sun moves into Leo today, and I think that might be good for all of us; it will trine Uranus and sextile Saturn, drawing some of the tension off the opposition. Leo is an energy of grace and enthusiasm, and this aspect can help align the individuality urges with the need for structure, focus, and containment, a dissonance that has been bothering everyone for some time now. Notice that natural channels appear for your expression, and embrace and use those that resonate for you at the deepest levels. This is a time for excellent progress in areas where you are both gifted and able to concentrate–make sure both elements are present to insure best use of this influence.

Mercury is closely square Sedna and still within trine to Ceres; this suggests we just don’t know what we’re communicating, especially about ourselves (Leo placement). The trine, however, does allow us to do this with authority! The result may be that we are revealing ourselves to others (and this is not a bad thing, just perhaps more real than we’re actually bargaining for), but that what we’re pushing/ promoting, consciously and unconsciously, is accepted as having worth, and that we have some clout or knowledge behind our assertions. Great for getting our message across and accepted, but we can end up having others give us credit or responsibility we didn’t earn (or aren’t prepared for).

3 PM-ish PDT we see the Moon quincunx Juno and square Mars; our personal effectiveness and power become an issue, in the realm of what’s important to us, on the home front, and in intimate relationships. We may wonder why this is coming up, as it seems we’ve done nothing to warrant it, but the reality is we’ve been asserting our emotions, reaching out with them (Sagittarius), and we’re letting our wants be known–and not everyone cares to hear about our demands! It’s not that we’re so adamant, it’s just that others are easily irritated, just as we’ll be with them. Giving everyone a lot of slack (we have to remember that part of the tension is related to the coming Full Moon), and not responding too quickly, will keep us from wasting our energy on trivial sparring–because what’s sure about this is that not much will change–everyone’s too Willful!

Sextiles to Neptune and then Chiron finish out the Sag Moon, either uniting creativity and skills and backing them with the emotions, or pulling the emotions (because this is easy, with a sextile) into a round of hurtful brooding and fantasizing–your choice.

Void begins 1:25 AM PDT on the 23rd, and it’s notable that the Sun, of course, has already moved on, causing the Moon to miss forming an aspect with it during its transit of Sagittarius. This symbolically suggests a little more disconnect than we might otherwise anticipate between the emotions and the sense of identity–just something to keep in mind.

Moon enters Capricorn 1:38 AM PDT, immediately creating a T-square with Saturn/ Uranus and quincunxing the Sun. The emotions are challenged: to stay on track, to not be caught suffering between the clamp-down of Saturn and the anarchy of Uranus–and of course the inclination is to clamp down, with the Moon too ready to retreat to its quiet little box. If you want to keep from shutting down from contradictory emotional overload, make the box you put your emotions in a take-out box, maybe one with easy-open flaps and a little metal handle for carrying. Choose a place and take the emotions somewhere you actually want them to go. Have an emotional picnic, shaking them out of the box, letting them feel the sunlight, and giving them room to breathe without making them feel a departure from a straightjacket means instant chaos.

Next up: the Full Moon report! ‘Till then, have a great one!

Today’s Link: on eclipses and cycles http://lunarreflections.blogspot.com/ and for the investors among us http://astrologymundo.wordpress.com/2010/07/21/stay-out-of-stocks-after-july-22/ So far today the market’s up; take your winnings and skedaddle!