The Moon enters Leo Mid-afternoon PDT, on its way to conjoin the Sun and begin a new Moon cycle–but that new start isn’t just yet. And while it’s still in that tense final degree or three of Cancer, Luna moves from a square to Chiron to a semi-sextile to the Sun, setting off a mini crisis in identity or purpose. Just know not to take this too seriously; the upset brews in hurt (Chiron) aimed at the ego (Leo), so is seated more in susceptibility to manipulation by others than it is in reality.
Also of note: a semi-square between Uranus and Jupiter, suggesting the above crisis may be ‘fed’ by exaggeration, applied to a disparity between the way we see ourselves as individuals and the way others see us. This is likely related to our own idea of our uniqueness, of who we think we are (Uranus in Gemini); we assess ourselves in the light of how we believe (Jupiter) others see us: avant garde or freak? Innovative or chaotic? acting erratically or guided by Higher Mind? doing and being in the interests of ourselves alone, or in the interests of the group? Even the most together of us may feel a tremble in our confidence–but don’t let it get to you. Again, what others say or think about us not only isn’t under our control, it’s irrelevant to our existence. Does it close doors to us? Sometimes, but isn’t it most important to be ‘right’ with ourselves, to fit our own idea of who we want to be? Yes, yes it is.
Comments on assessing the meaning of retrograde Chiron, Ceres, etc.: in my view, this hasn’t been observed thoroughly enough over a long enough period to have clear meaning. The mere appearance of a body moving ‘backward’ isn’t necessarily significant, anyway, especially when we consider that movement is apparent motion, appearing so only because of our point of observation. I’m not big on investing retrogrades with lots of deep meaning, as I think that can be a distraction, a kind of justification for negative effects. News flash: those negative components are present no matter what, and they don’t particularly become more prominent just because it appears the body is moving backward from our spot, here. And that brings up another point: one of the things I’ve noticed is that some negatives associated with a body may be removed when the body appears retrograde–and that alone suggests that counting on retro status to explain certain things doesn’t, at least for me, really hold up.
The Daily Word Image is the satisfaction of a job well done. That sounds both nebulous and a little smug, until we think about it: when was the last time you felt that sense of happy completion, of making an impact that was genuinely positive, no matter how small the stage on which it occurred? It’s telling that so few of our efforts result in that sense of accomplishment, and maybe that should prompt two questions: do I want more of that kind of satisfaction in my life, and if so, how do I get it?
Please see previous posts for mentions of ongoing astro effects, and have a great day!
‘The Angel Troubling the Pool’ By William Turner 1845 Photo By Didier Descouens
There’s attention on that cluster of Love and reward matters and opportunities (or, for a few, the striving prompted by overweening ambition) as the Moon conjoins both Jupiter and Venus (see the 18th for details) and we focus more and more on personal assets and relationships, and how to increase them. What sings today, if we’ll just still the cry of our own desires, is a Sun-Chiron Fire trine=this is the passion that ignites from our own singed egos (Sun in Leo) and the hurt we’ve experienced dished out by the egos or aggressions of others (Chiron in Aries); this is fuel, both to pursue those Venus-Jupiter possibilities and to lose our heads (Aries) and hearts (Leo) in righteous outrage over the wrongs done us–either is easy to do (the trine). There’s also, though, a Mars-Mercury sextile, Mars in Libra, Merc in Leo=the saving grace is found here, if we can just remember that others’ actions and aggressions (Mars) have everything to do with them, and nothing to do with us–we just happen to be an available screen on which to project. Centering thoughts on who we are and how we’d like to shine (Leo), minus any plans for vengeance, comeuppance, or celebration of our own wounds, is the way to go today, as anything else is so subject to distortion that we’d best let it lie, for now.
The Daily Word Image is a pair of headphones where the left side goes out. Are you too much of this world, distracted by the material and so missing the spiritual or unseen message? Or does it seem like spiritual communication has been cut off, and you’re missing the guidance or even the assurance that you’re not alone, no matter your circumstances? Or are you communicating, but just realizing you’re only getting half the story? Mercury’s direct now–don’t be afraid to go after what you need to know.
The Moon is in Cancer today, just over a day from entering the Dark period, and as time passes we may find the emotional life front-and-center. Luna will move to conjoin first Jupiter and then Venus over the coming day+, and our awareness grows around the ‘caring component’–that is, we’ll keenly observe what moves the social order and our own relationships. We’ll notice what they invest in, what they value, what they are willing to pay for, sacrifice, or support–and we’ll have our emotional reactions to this. We may think our responses arise out of approval or outrage, but they’ll actually have origins in our own ideas of what kind of opportunities they might bring for us personally. We’re hoping for Love and reward, of course, but if we’re too eager to gain (if we leap at the chance without looking at all the circumstances) we could suffer a loss that will deliver a bigger emotional impact than we might expect. It’s a day to keep our heads even as we scan the horizon for our chance to bring good things our way. With Jupiter involved in a Water Grand Trine with the Black Moon Lilith point and the North Node, being honest with ourselves and keeping one eye on the future are the ways to measure those potential opportunities, and assess them for what they really are, and what they really offer.
Please see yesterday’s post for other influences still in effect.
Today’s Daily Word Image is making a ‘clean sweep’. Is there some part of your life that needs a fresh start, one where you know a refresh is needed, where you can also be sure that you won’t be sweeping away anything still important or useful? We all have an area or three that we know holds only the outmoded or the useless, at least to us; what we need to ask, just before we take up that broom, is why we held on so long. There might be something in that answer to help us move forward in other ways, as well.
‘Cupping the Bees’ By George Mulready c1830 {{PD}}
I think for a while I’m going to offer very short daily commentary on current astro conditions. That does mean no long New and Full Moon analyses to chew on–just a little once-a-day nectar to sip.Seems like time to change it up.
Three situations stand out to me today, and all of them have that sting of facing someone or something and catching a glimpse of ourselves in the encounter/ experience. Venus is just out of maximum range of Jupiter, so that’s not going to save us; instead, it removes emotion (Cancer) and the unspoken hope of reward and puts them where they belong, out in the open and at the forefront of our thinking (Moon in Gemini). Refusing to keep secrets from ourselves is the way to avoid conflict and any nasty surprises. The Sun Fire trine to Chiron over the coming few days says it’s easy to feel hurt, and easy to wound others through our actions–so the question becomes, how much responsibility do we bear for others’ responses?
Two oppositions describe the kinds of issues we may be faced with: Mercury in Leo opposed Pluto in Aquarius, the latter of which is trine Uranus in Gemini=ego based or Self-glorifying thinking will definitely draw out those who want to bring us down a peg or maybe even wipe us out–that’s where the shocks and surprises originate, especially as we may see our own insistence on flexing our muscles in those who oppose us–if you get that kind of reaction to Self-assertion, it might be time to check yourself for hidden motives and the taint of vanity. Honest and sincere motivations (those not focused on Self-promotion or the ‘humble brag’) can put you ahead of the crowd, lead to inspired and innovative ideas, and foster Higher Mind understanding. There’s also a loose Air Grand Trine (Mars, Pluto, Uranus) that features a still-barely-there opposition of Mars to Saturn-Neptune across the Libra-Aries axis. This suggests that power and innovation balances can be thrown off by actions and choices that don’t take into account the gap between reality and what we want it to be, and the gap between the possible and the delusional. Framing issues as ‘Us vs. Them’ doesn’t lead to answers, or harmony. Staying grounded in the real and its potentials to manifest the ideal should be a priority today, as that will help us avoid 99% of possible missteps.
Today’s word image is a bee. Are you busy as one, and if so, how does that make you feel? Like a Queen, calling the shots, like a worker plugging away and forever putting off fulfillment (or even simple enjoyment) into the future, or like a drone, desperate to take things off automatic?
‘Boys Flying Kites’ Attributed to Nicolaes Maes c1670 {{PD}}
The Full Moon peaks at 00:54 AM PDT of the 9th at 16 Aquarius 59, and the most striking thing might be the tidy Kite configuration that doesn’t involve the Moon, though Luna does share a sign with one of the components, and another of the components rules the sign the Moon is in. That’s a tenuous connection but not an insignificant one; it suggests oblique links where Full Moon emotional outcomes may funnel through the shared-sign factor (a sign being an expression attitude), which just so happens to hold Pluto. That’s a naturally intense planetary energy ripe for projection or overreaction even in its most positive forms, and so all the more susceptible to being swept up in prevailing emotion. The fact that ruler of Aquarius, Uranus, is also part of the Kite only reinforces the prominence of the Waterbearer’s energy, which can surprise, shock, or show us something completely new.
So if there’s a Lunar wind behind that Kite, of what does it consist? A Full Moon is a culmination of feelings and perceptions that cohere into an event, realization, or completion related to the sign in which the Full Moon occurs; this may also engage matters of the House in the personal nativity where this falls, and/ or in the House or other placements ruled by the Moon or matters related to the sign ruler, in this case, Uranus, so potentially the House where natal Uranus sits or aspects it makes or other energies it rules. That’s a lot of places the Lunar energy can touch and the Moon moves fast; that’s why tight aspect orbs and a clear picture of what it involves, and what it leaves out, is so important. You’ll notice many of those factors are personal ones, dependent on the Full Moon’s interaction with your chart. Here the focus is on what’s consistent for everyone, as far as possible.
Aquarius tells us the Lunar event delivers revelation or revolution, and with Pluto a conduit for the Moon energy to the Kite, that may consist of ‘the Truth’, of secrets dug up and revealed, or the dawning of the need for change (along with its commencement), not to mention the possibility of an event that removes something or someone from our world, abruptly, and we are left to pick up the pieces and sort out what it all means. Things may be ‘in the wind’, that is gone, beyond our control. What Aquarius/ Uranus offers will always be something that expands our sense of understanding or our mind, that is future-oriented and signals ‘the coming thing’. That’s the wind that propels the Kite–but what is the Kite?
The Kite energies are set to work very smoothly together, though they are offshoots of a difficult central theme, in this case, an opposition between Saturn-Neptune in Aries and Mars in Libra. That’s the fulcrum across which we try to balance the individual needs and wants and those demanded by partners and all others, whether we are in a cooperative relationship with them or not. Saturn-Neptune can suppress the dream or give it concrete manifestation, warts and all, and the Aries placement says each of us is dealing with defining what and who we are, the ‘I Am’ attempting to sort our potentials from our pipe dreams, and learning just what we must do to make those dreams happen. This is faced, so to speak, by Mars, ruler of Aries and so of the individual Will and ‘I Am’, specifically as this quest to define and pursue the expression of the individuality relates to the Arts, and to others: do we need their cooperation to make ‘it’ happen? will fulfillment of our dreams change our interaction or relationships? is our Art, whatever that may be, and our expression of it more important than our connection to others, or is it dependent on it, in the sense that we may need ‘an audience’ or others’ participation to complete the dream’s existence?
So, the ‘spine’ of the Kite is this broad question; now we look at the other influences. Saturn-Neptune is at the midpoint of a trine between Pluto and Uranus, with these trine Mars. That means each Kite holds a Grand Trine, this one in Air, suggesting that if we can find the balance within the I vs. Them equation, we can activate an equilibrium among the need for change/ discovery of Truth, our understanding of the new, and our own efforts and drives.
The Moon offers its influence more directly through a sesquiquadrate to Mars, and a square to the Black Moon Lilith point. These are difficult aspects and will probably be the first energies we encounter in this process, as we find the problems and inadequacies of our current methods and approaches (sesq. Mars) and how our buried, denied, or angry feelings are causing conflict, and realize we must deal with these before we can move forward.
Mercury is still retrograde, so despite the way the feelings are front and center, we need to remember that revisions to Higher Mind and Uranian understanding may still need review, even after this Full Moon. Also note that Venus and Jupiter meet in mid-Cancer from the 9th through the 15th, and offer a lovely, feeling-centered energy that implies if we always keep in mind what it is we genuinely care about, we won’t stray too far off our goals, or take a misstep, something I think all this Lunar energy can be overly fearful of.
The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘A Watchdog Stands Guard, Protecting His Master And His Possessions’. I think this is a little of that Martian energy, the watchdog that wants to guard what we already have–but recall that Pluto is in the mix, and that could mean the loss of things, no matter what. The best approach may be to embrace the impermanence of all things–and put our energy not in fretting over the present state of things and their potential loss, but in efforts to give the future the shape we desire, no matter what is delivered to or taken out of our grasp. The Sabian for the Sun, the ‘triggering’ energy that makes our waxing and waning Moon possible, is, ‘A Volunteer Church Choir Singing Religious Hymns’. This is a symbol of unity, of like-minded faith that unites people. It may speak to those Mars in Libra energies–for don’t we all seek our place in the larger community?
The Sun and Moon meet at 12:10 PM of the 24th at 2 Leo 08–which puts the New Moon in close opposition to Pluto in Aquarius, trine Saturn and Neptune in Aries, and sextile Uranus in Gemini. That sounds like the recipe for a bomb. The question becomes: is the bomb one of unanticipated revelation, one that removes restriction (especially around what we think) or acts as impetus for individual initiative, or does this destroy our understanding, our capacity for change and embrace of the new, instilling fear of authority as well as eliminating our own trust of ourselves? That may be an individual matter, depending on how the Lunar event contacts your natal chart, but in either case, the presence of Neptune in the equation suggests that the basis of any effects rests in whether we know ourselves, or find our own workings a mystery; whether we’re honest with ourselves, deceive others, or hold to our highest ideals. That’s the nub of it: our energy surges, born anew with the combining of Solar and Lunar power, and so will take a creative direction; it’s up to us whether that creativity is of the productive or the destructive kind.
A few things of note: Mercury is retrograde and will meet the Sun in Inferior Conjunction on 1 August–we know this meeting, much like a New Moon, as an inception point, a new start to something, and considering the players, we’ll either see the beginning of whatever is conceived at the NM, or we’ll see a ‘new’ idea emerge from the mix of events and influences occurring now; Saturn and Neptune both retrograded earlier in July; Uranus just entered Gemini for the first time since 1949–so will be ruled for some time by Mercury (and Uranian energies then may have more ‘swing’ when under the sway of the oft-retro Mercury–like they need more instability). All this suggests there is a newness, a rawness, to so many energies involved with the New Moon, both from their locations in early degrees of a sign, and because of the several recent turnarounds, symbolic of a pulling back, a hesitation, a need to reassess territory one has already traversed. The subtle involvement of Mercury through rulerships and its own retro cycle emphasizes the messages we send others, and what we tell ourselves, at the heart of all that happens, with this Lunar event setting off a kind of ‘Truth Bomb’, a situation, gift of information, or realization that we meet with our current level of ‘truthiness’, that allows us to discover something more about ourselves and where we stand, about who we are at core and where we can ‘shine’ (Leo).
Also sextile the New Moon and conjoined Uranus are asteroids Psyche and Sappho, and object Sedna*; these bring to mind passionate relationships (and these can be relationships to groups or to a vocation or life subject/ path) where some knowledge or denial/ lack of acknowledgment (for a variety of reasons) may be involved. Too, with Sedna there’s the potential for this attraction/ interaction to sit in one’s ‘blind spot’, suggesting we may feel strongly but not be completely aware of our feelings, which may read like instincts or suppressed knowledge (as in, Psyche sensed there was something different about her lover Eros, but wasn’t conscious of it until she finally made the decision to light a candle so she could observe him at last). This New Moon is ‘lighting the candle’, about something we might already be knowledgeable of to some degree, but not have in the forefront of awareness. Linked to Uranus, this may contain Higher Mind knowing, or may have the purpose of disruption to the current order; in any case, our relationship to it is unique to us, original in the way we see, approach, and interact with it.
Hekate in Scorpio is square the New Moon=the Lunar event is a ‘way shower’, but either the way is difficult or seeing the direction we must go causes conflict. Lilith in Pisces is quincunx the New Moon=are we seeking to wield our power simply to express ourselves, or are we seeking vengeance? An important issue to sort before proceeding. And finally Dionysus is conjoined the New Moon but out-of-sign, from 29 degrees of Cancer=the stress response to all this might be to go wild, party like it’s 1999, or try to escape in whatever way will let us hide from our feelings (Cancer placement)–and we all know that’s never a good move.
The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘A Middle-Aged Woman, Her Long Hair Flowing Over Her Shoulders And In A Braless Youthful Garment’. I firmly believe that everyone should dress the way they want; this description, however, hovers close to judgment, simply by the details it chooses to include, details that suggest, with use of the designation ‘youthful’, that how this woman has chosen to present herself is inappropriate, because the first thing mentioned is that she is not, in the estimation of the image assessor, youthful. Is she dressed inappropriately? No, she’s not, and make sure you hear that: just because someone else thinks they get to judge you, doesn’t mean they actually have any business doing so. That kind of thing is the opposite of the ‘Truth Bomb’ the New Moon will set off.
The Truth, rather than ‘out there’, is ‘in here’, in our own hearts and minds. This New Moon brings something that helps us discover it, and no matter how stunning, shattering, or powerful the event or idea (or how subtle–we can’t forget the porousness of the unconscious, or the influence we tacitly accept without realizing it)–we do best to welcome it. And if the ‘bang’ doesn’t come with the New Moon, keep an eye on the Inferior Conjunction on 1 August.
Have a wonderful New Moon, my friends!
*Sedna is an SDO (Scattered Disk Object). These are small bodies located beyond Neptune’s orbital path that have eccentric orbits themselves, which is what distinguishes them from Kuiper Belt Objects.
‘The Cobbler’s Apprentice’ By Frank Duveneck 1877 {{PD}}
The Moon’s opposition to the Sun perfects at 1:37 PM PDT of the 10th at 18 Capricorn 50–which, of course, is conjoined the Earth in the flat chart. The first thing that jumps out is the way within a few hours the Sun will trine the North Node point (and even more quickly, the Moon will sextile the South Node), casting current events as both echoes of past emotional experiences and direct precursors to our futures, suggesting we may need to be as conscious as possible about where we put our attention (the Sun). The Lunar opposition could tempt us to bury or shut off input from the emotional or intuitive realities we’re feeling (Capricorn), especially those things we find restrictive or that deny us what we need, or that ask us to show restraint or to comply with structure or rules; in response we may be tempted to substitute what we claim to care about. I say ‘claim’ because we need to remain aware that what receives the Sun’s spotlight at any one time is what garners our attention; we tend to accept that as reality, no matter what else is going on or what other perceptions we’re having.
In this case, the Sun in Cancer makes us feel that the whole world is taking note of what we’re nurturing, what we care for, or are sensitive to–and that may make us feel so vulnerable that we reflexively push down our real concerns in order to present a caring scenario/ picture we believe is more presentable. Our genuine Lunar concerns are Capricornian in nature, and we may feel that hard-nosed examination of emotional territory for its actual effects on the structure of our life and relationships doesn’t play as well as the stereotypical sentimental soft touch of Cancer–which is a shame, as giving our emotions a stable and controlled arena in which to express is actually very important to our health and relationships, and should be honored.
Luna forms a wide sesquiquadrate to Venus in Gemini, but I count it because the Moon is moving toward perfection of the aspect (and that’s why with a Full or New Moon portrait I don’t count an aspect that is significantly past perfection, such as the trine the Moon made to Mars before the Full Moon occurred). Other than that, providing we keep to our relatively tight aspect requirements for a Lunar event, there are no other contacts–but we do see some interesting asteroid involvement.
There are so many asteroids that one can find a placement in almost any degree in the sky, at any time–and that means that we must be discriminating in which asteroids we incorporate in any picture. First thing is that we need to understand they’re not a substitute for major planet contact; they refine the story, adding nuance, rather than new plot. Second, we should only work with energies that we’ve either studied over time, and/ or that contribute clear meaning that coalesces with the other energies via the stories associated with their names. Either can be helpful, though again, not a replacement for the major planet Big Picture.
So, we have a sesquiquadrate between the significator of emotion and intuition, the Moon, and Venus, planet of Love, relationships, assets, talents, and values, suggesting that what we’re feeling around our relationships or earning/ asset situation isn’t what we think we should be feeling (Venus in Gemini). Our mind wants to see the scenario in question one way, but Luna’s Cappy energy says, ‘Wait a second, this doesn’t follow the emotional rules, or this treatment or use of assets doesn’t mesh with the things that would support me, make me feel safe, or help me contain feelings in productive channels.’ We may be left at an impasse, not knowing whether to believe the feeling nature, or the mental assessment of the situation.
We have potential, though, for an illuminating Cardinal Grand Cross, if we use relevant asteroids: Moon-Earth is conjoined Sphinx in Capricorn, Eros and Kassandra are square and together in Aries, Nemesis is in hard aspect from Libra, and the Sun is conjoined Hera in Cancer–plus Amor in Virgo trines Luna-Earth. We note that Love is the easy (trine) conduit for conveying and receiving emotion, which suggests a certain amount of vulnerability via relationships–and that’s definitely where we’ll see the Full Moon activity (and this is so even if we look around and think, ‘Hey, I’m not having a relationship tussle’, to which I would answer, ‘That’s because you’re in the emotional box provided by the Capricorn Moon–you’re shut out of the current emotional reality, perhaps deliberately, though not necessarily consciously’.
The Cross paints the conflict picture (or really, the multi-directional pull of simultaneous energies all activated at once): the feelings, and the physical setting, are an enigma (Moon-Earth-Sphinx)–we can’t read ourselves, or maybe that’s our response to the Capricorn Moon, to isolate the feelings, so they don’t distract us from all the other things we’ve got to deal with; the sense of individuality, of relying only on the Self, is strong, as is the desire nature and the idea that communication isn’t working–no one believes us, and we don’t believe them! (the Aries setting for Eros and Kassandra); partners seem like (or maybe feel like) enemies, no matter the surface interactions (Nemesis in Libra); and our attention is on how much we care, and how much we’ve been wronged, disregarded, or stymied in using our position and power (Sun and Hera, the much disrespected sister-wife of Zeus, in Cancer–and this placement adds the frustration of the unappreciated nurturer, the carer who’s also a caregiver, who receives no caring themselves).
So, we may experience a number of emotional perceptions that our brains or our social arena or what we expect our relationships to provide and be directly contradict–and the Full Moon energy is the point when those come to a head, must be exposed, explored, expressed, and recognized. We shouldn’t expect to immediately understand what we feel–remember the Sphinx?–and sorting feelings from the real world circumstances may be challenging, at the very least.
This time, the Sabians hold the keys to ultimate meaning. For the Moon: ‘A Five-Year-Old Child Carrying A Bag Filled With Groceries’. We aren’t ready to undertake the ‘job’ (task, role, function, responsibility) we’re currently trying to perform. Yes, the advice is that blunt: we’re not ready, not mature enough, or just not physically (or in some other way) capable–and all this clash between the surrounding scenario and our emotional perceptions has been about avoiding seeing and acknowledging this. Though we can be helpful (all hands, no matter how young or small, can help carry groceries) no one in our position should be expected to perform this particular task or live this particular role (no five-year-old should have the burden of providing sustenance for themselves or others)–it’s that simple.
The Sabian for the Sun is: ‘A Priest Performing A Marriage Ceremony’. Aha! This is about discovering, acknowledging, accepting, and then incorporating or otherwise uniting with a necessary Other (which can be anything needed, from assets to learning skills to ‘maturing’ in some way to actually partnering with others). Something else is needed; we’re getting ahead of ourselves–and in that way, we’re being unkind to ourselves, judging and not extending the understanding we would almost certainly offer someone else in the process of developing their abilities and trying new things. Expecting ourselves to be completely formed, completely knowledgeable, completely ready for anything, is to forget that life is a process, one long experience of learning and re-learning and shaping and re-shaping who we are and what we can do. It may be a long time since some of us were beginners–but it’s the right time to be new at something, all over again.
By ‘us’ I mean each of us, individually, as the upcoming Mercury retrograde is contained entirely within Leo, focusing our thoughts, concerns, communications, judgments, conclusions, and revelations, whether we want them to or not, firmly on ourselves and our roles, socially, with our families, and within the greater scheme of the Cosmos. Leo intends to show whatever passes through it how to ‘shine’, but that useful reveal could be thwarted by our own reluctance to appear selfish, out of fear if we take our eye off our duties we might fail our relationships or those who rely on us, or from simple modesty–it’s not uncommon to want to inspect ourselves and our Soul’s work privately, and the Leo spotlight may feel not just too revealing, but as if we’re seeking attention–but you need to know, that’s not what’s happening, at all.
Personal enlightenment is one goal during this retro cycle, while gaining a better understanding of ourselves within the current parameters of our lives is another. One mistake easily made is to believe during the cycle we’ll sufficiently understand what we learn and what it means, that we can immediately charge forward (which is something, of course, that saucy Fire sign Leo will encourage us to do). We’ll need both processing time and the perspective that automatically comes when we are a step or two past the retro season. For instance, just as Merc retrogrades it’ll sextile Venus in Gemini–which almost certainly will persuade us we know and understand the ‘lay of the land’ in terms of both relationships and asset earning and usage; we may quite literally believe ‘we know what we think’ (Gemini). The problem is that, just as our capacity to handle things with the mind is withdrawn, we’ll get the impression that we’ve hit on what we need to know about Venusian matters; that’s when we’ve got to remember that feeling, sensation, intuition, sentiment, Love are how we gather knowledge during Merc retro–all else is misinterpreted or incomplete, lacking a full picture, or crucial details, of situations or events.
The moment of retrograde comes on the 18th at 9:45 AM PDT at 15 Leo 34, during a last quarter Moon on its way to the Dark period, suggesting a kind of ‘winding down’, energetically speaking. Merc will turn around sesquiquadrate Saturn, which will go retrograde itself just 5 days before; this suggests that understanding what’s concrete or solid, and what a barrier, rule, or prohibition actually means, may be a significant challenge during this period. Rules may not be clear, and the smartest option may, consistently, be to wait for direction to make a choice, decide, or to inspect circumstances again in a new light. At the time Neptune, which retros on the 4th, will still be conjoined Saturn; use the influence to make dreams a reality, and to give the imagined goal physical form, rather than succumbing to misleading or confusing detritus that only clouds the picture.
And, in less than a day, the Moon in Taurus will move into position to create a brief T-square with Mercury and the Black Moon Lilith point in Scorpio. This may bring feelings and intuitions about stability, security, and resources to the fore, and encourage us to believe this is the whole picture; not only will we be missing the details, we may also be ignoring those things we find less than positive, those things that threaten to destroy our emotional or mental balance, or which through neglect or refusal to acknowledge we have buried like a ticking time bomb somewhere out of sight.
The 29th retro Merc will semi-sextile Jupiter in Cancer, bringing enormous optimism into play. Remember, using the intuition and feeling nature at this time is the way to gain information, with the caveat being that we may accept that as the whole picture–which it definitely is not. This may feel like a high, and could urge us to put things in motion too soon–and the feeling carries over to the Inferior Conjunction, where it just might take on an exaggerated sense of urgency.
The Inferior Conjunction, the meeting of the Sun and Mercury during Mercury’s apparent retrograde phase, occurs on 1 August at 9 Leo. Within the past week both bodies will have opposed Pluto in Aquarius, suggesting interludes of despair, the threat of obliteration, an awareness of mortality or the inevitability of change, or realization of the power to transform–so it’s not like we’re hitting the Conjunction free of shadows, fears, or insecure in some way. With this as background, the Inferior point could see us vowing to overcome, to meet the challenge, or to give up and release ourselves to the flow of events.
For once this Conjunction doesn’t really serve us taking a new perspective or beginning anew; we’d do better to tell ourselves there’s no need to start over, that all that has happened was necessary to deliver us to our current position. Reminding ourselves of the eternal nature of the Soul (Leo) is needed–and if that’s not true, if instead we wink out of existence when it’s all over, that should be in its own way reassuring as well, because in either case, there’s nothing to fear.
Mercury’s direction occurs on 11 August at 4 Leo 14, and there’s an unusual amount of harmony among bodies, even as some of these combos are potent and possibly a little threatening. Mercury turns around at the rough midpoint of the Mars-Uranus trine, is opposed Pluto, and is trine the still extant Neptune-Saturn conjunction–and of course all these other entities make their own contacts to one another, as well. This forms a Mystic Rectangle among Mercury, Mars, Pluto, and Saturn-Neptune. Mystic Rectangles allow the four or more involved energies to function in a way that makes for a larger positive whole than we could’ve assembled from the pieces singly. In this case, we should expect the Truth, how to apply this to what we think and what we do, making areas to transform clear and the path to implement the dream obvious. The one energy left out of this equation, but which still contacts Mercury, is the sextile to Uranus–so the fact of surprise, revelation, innovation, or unexpected upheaval may be the trigger that sets off fate-shaping events.
Don’t expect it all to be revealed at once, despite the big impact the direction might deliver. The Pisces Moon passes over its own North Nodal point on that day, suggesting we become aware of our life direction in a big, Universal way, as Luna heads toward the upcoming eclipses of September. Don’t expect to enter autumn without having undergone a summer of change, and a reinvigorating of, and reinvestment in, your life.
Your Word Image for this week: ‘Mistaken Identity’
In this case, the lenses are in the upper left corner. Trompe-l’oeil By Charles Bouillon 1704 {{PD}}
The New Moon perfects at 3:31 AM PDT at 4 Cancer 07, and our immediate reaction to events will be big, exaggerated, but the reaction will be based in facts and/ or our beliefs (Moon-Sun conjoined Jupiter) centered on what we care about or are responsible to care for (Cancer) as this applies to our individual position within the real-world situation (square to Saturn in Aries)–or at least, our reaction and actions taken will be based on what we BELIEVE the real-world situation is (Neptune conjoined Saturn). The thing we need to be cognizant of, more acutely than anything else, is that our illusions, prejudices, ideals, and beliefs, along with any deceptions perpetrated by or aimed at us, will be our lens–and that means we’ll be reacting to what we tell ourselves is so, rather than what’s really there.
That doesn’t mean our perceptions and experience of the moment are wrong; it means we’re bringing ourselves to the event and filtering what happens through ourselves–and we can’t help but add our interpretations to the mix. Awareness of these perceptual conditions is vital to being able to translate what we conclude into the most fact and reality-based version possible–because accuracy in terms of the reality picture is necessary for our presence to be heard and the impact of our actions felt–otherwise, we’re just waving out arms and shouting into an empty room.
A clear interpretation is important because a New Moon is a new start, a seed moment, when new conditions, ideas, perceptions, germinate and will be with us in one form or another at least through the Full Moon in two weeks, and possibly considerably longer, depending where in our own natal chart the New Moon falls and what natal placements it contacts.
The Moon-Sun-Jupiter meeting sextiles Mars in Virgo and so forms a base for a Finger of God, apex Pluto in Aquarius=this suggests that New Moon actions born out of critical assessment, harvest-sharing, or attempts focused on efficiency and accountability will result in significant change, that may be permanent, or potentially could go beyond helpful to outright destructive. The success of transforming some element of your world, then, is relative to one’s fairness in dealing with others (giving them their rightful due) and one’s processing of and understanding of critique. The change may be purely intellectual or may catapult us into the future, maybe even thrust us into the avant garde in some area where we hold experience or expertise–but it’s definitely a double-edged sword, as capable of harming as it is of clearing an avenue for progress.
The New Moon also makes a semi-square to Venus in Taurus=the Moon in its own sign and Venus in her own sign with an uncomfortable angle between them suggests feelings are strong, and relationships and/ or material assets and the situation generating them are firmly in place–and neither will budge willingly–so we look again to the required change demanded by our own actions and choices (Mars) and the new spark of the New Moon and see that the change to the asset picture or relationships comes about because of the Lunar new start and in spite of the way we’re dug in with both our feelings and our prosperity efforts. We know this because Plutonian outcomes are the result of the mix, and that they’ll take an Aquarian form (the Finger).
Also of note: Uranus at 29 stressed degrees of Taurus sextiles Mercury in Cancer=what shocks or surprises in the material world or conditions under which we operate can be anticipated–but it’s an individual matter how willing each of us is to acknowledge what we care about, what we see potentially occurring, to formulate ideas on how to handle it (Mercury), and then decide what we are willing to do (Cancer is a Cardinal sign) about the impending crisis. With a 29 degree placement, the wave will break, but it’s up to us whether we’ll position ourselves well or just get swept away by it.
The New Moon Sabian symbol is, ‘At A Railroad Crossing, An Automobile is Wrecked By A Train’. This emphasizes the need for awareness, especially of current surroundings, and whose or what’s path you may be in the way of. Too, it requires acknowledgment that there are forces larger than all of us capable of harm, often simply because the objectives it holds don’t take us into account–and at this moment in time, getting out of the way of Plutonian (focused on obliteration, change-by-force) and Uranian (anarchic, wanting to shock and surprise above anything else, all the energy in the act, and so not caring about the outcome) actors may be the best strategy for coping and staying safe.
Wishing you all a lovely, and above all, safe, New Moon–
‘Three Women on a Hilltop’ By Charles Courtney Curran {{PD}}
The longest day of the year deserves our attention, not least because at the Solstice point, 7:42 PM PDT, the Moon has just entered Taurus and is still sextile the 29 degree Sun, with Uranus caught at the 29 degree Taurus midpoint. It’s a portrait of emotional rawness, of extreme shock, surprise, stunning revelation, or higher mind understanding illuminated–and it may present in the actual physical atmosphere or with circumstances related to our comfort or security (Taurus), and hints at large themes we’ll deal with for the entire summer.
There’s a Finger of God in place that may point out at least part of what’s coming: Pluto sextile Saturn-Neptune as the base, apex Mars=big, transformative (and possibly unwelcome or unwilling) change to the real-world picture, to established methods, structures, rules, and to the things we do or, crucially, don’t see clearly–or change to the ways we’ve so far implemented our dreams and incorporated or manifested them within our reality. The formula is something like Time plus the Powers-That-Be acting on our world, either bringing it closer to the ideal or dragging it farther away by exposing what had been obscured before. So, we find out the Truth, but we might not be happy about it–and from there we make our choices and take action.
Jupiter in Cancer is conjoined the Sun and sextile, to either side, Mars in Virgo and the Moon new in Taurus. In this Solstice snapshot that places Jupiter-Sun at the rough midpoint of Luna and Mars=feelings drive both actions and perceptions of identity and place within the social arena; we care more about how society perceives us when Jupiter is in Cancer, and we want to do something about it, and what we care about expands, as well. Who we are and how we’re perceived seems to matter so much more, right now; just remember, with everyone feeling that way, we can’t possibly be under as much scrutiny as we think we are. Living up to our own standards is the most important thing–and know that anyone who tries to make you feel badly about yourself is likely suffering deeply (and behaving insufferably, natch) themselves. It has, literally, nothing to do with you.
This also means that Saturn-Neptune sextile Uranus catches the Moon at their midpoint=emotional perceptions will definitely be filtered through our reaction to the Uranian unanticipated–and to what this shows us about our manifestation so far of the dream or ideal. How close have we come to what we really wanted? And how does the Uranian revelation change our perceptions of, and our feelings about, that dream? All good questions, that it will likely take the whole summer (or winter, for our Southern Hemisphere friends) to answer.
Note too that Mercury is trine the North Node=thinking, planning, communicating are shaping the life direction/ future right now. That means awareness of the power of your words and thoughts is paramount to knowing consciously just exactly what you’re creating/ drawing to yourself in the moment. It’s no time to sling words, insults, or criticisms casually–all will have an oversized effect on tomorrow.
Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY 
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