New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings. — Lao Tzu
As the month opens, many of us are still reeling from the effects of the Mars, Uranus and Pluto contacts and the solar and lunar eclipses of last month. The chaotic, fiery, upsetting energy of Mars square Uranus continues as August begins.
Those energies came a little too close for comfort for me on July 4, when I had to evacuate from my home due to the fast-moving Lake Christine fire in my Colorado community. Luckily, due to some amazing, courageous firefighters, my home and neighborhood were saved and I am now happily back home.
Mars is retrograde and out of bounds, so the Martian energy is uncommonly strong right now. Tempers are short, aggression is rampant, fire danger is high and explosions and accidents of all kinds are likely. In addition, Mercury, the planet of communication, turned retrograde on July 27 at 24 degrees Leo (until August 11) bringing mix-ups, and misunderstandings in communication.
August 6, Sun at 14 degrees Leo square Jupiter at 15 degrees Scorpio. Sun square Jupiter can bring conflicts due to arrogance and disregard for other’s feelings (either by you or someone else). However, it can also be a very positive contact. It can bring advancement in life, recognition and material and spiritual success. Because Jupiter magnifies and enhances everything it touches, it is critically important to project the positive side of this planetary influence. You will be most affected if you have planets between 9 and 20 degrees of any of the fixed signs (Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius and Taurus).
August 7, Uranus turns Retrograde at 2 degrees Taurus. Uranus will remain in retrograde motion until January 6, 2019. Uranus retrograde in Taurus can disrupt your love life and/or finances. However, it can also bring innovative ideas and solutions to such problems. Because Uranus is the wild-card planet its exact manifestation can never be known for sure. Use this time to let your imagination and creativity flow and to stay open to new possibilities. You may be surprised at the breakthroughs that can occur.
August 9, Venus in Libra opposing Chiron in Aries, square Saturn in Capricorn. Use this energy to realistically assess (Saturn) whether any of your current relationships (Venus) are healing or detrimental (Chiron) to you.
August 11, New Moon Solar Eclipse at 19 degrees Leo.
The Sun and Moon are conjunct retrograde Mercury in Leo and all are square Jupiter in Scorpio, inconjunct Pluto in Capricorn and inconjunct Neptune in Pisces.
The major theme is communication of all kinds such as thinking, lecturing, discussion and debate. The inconjunct aspect relates to an issue that never seems to be resolved; it just keeps coming back to haunt you. Because of the hard aspects of the eclipse to Jupiter and Pluto, it can foster disagreements and arguments about ideas (Mercury), beliefs (Jupiter) and power (Pluto). I would advise you not to engage in political discussions around the time of this eclipse.
As part of Saros Series 2 New North, this eclipse can have far reaching effects on those with significant planets or points from 13 degrees to 23 degrees of Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius or Taurus. A disturbing, or exciting (depending on your viewpoint), feature of this Saros series is that it can cause a collapse of plans or life-styles and a change of life direction. However, the rebuilding afterwards can produce a beneficial new life-style that would never have been contemplated without the collapse. The energy of this eclipse is similar to that of the eclipse of July 31, 2000, which occurred at 8 degrees Leo.
August 19, Mercury Turns Direct at 11 Degrees Leo. Mercury turns direct with a lovely sextile aspect to Venus in Libra. This light-hearted aspect brings thoughts of love and a feeling of balance and graciousness. Use this friendly energy to heal any relationship tiffs that occurred during the preceding stressful weeks. Those of you who are artists, writers or sellers of beauty or beauty products can prosper under this auspicious aspect. Something may come to light that has been hidden.
August 19, Jupiter at 15 degrees Scorpio trine Neptune in Pisces. Jupiter trine Neptune is another lovely aspect that brings a feeling of optimism and generosity of spirit. It is exceptionally beneficial for taking part in a spiritual quest or truth-seeking mission of any kind. Pay attention to your dreams, visions and meditations for guidance from a higher power.
Because it brings a feeling of compassion and concern for others, taking part in charitable causes would be an excellent way to work with this energy.
August 25, Grand Trine of Sun trine Uranus and Saturn.
August 26, Full Moon at 3 degrees Pisces and Venus Square Pluto. The full Moon forms a kite aspect pattern with five easy aspects to the Venus/Pluto square. A kite is formed when planets form a Grand Trine, and two of them sextile a fourth point or point.
This kite configuration emphasizes earth signs, which brings a sense of a stable, secure energy movement. Use the Full Moon to move toward new personal and professional opportunities that can bring long-term improvements in your life.
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Hi Ruby: My email address has changed and I have been missing your monthly emails.
Hope you’re well and hope to see you at one of the markets soon! Leslie
I just added you to my newsletter mailing list. Hope the summer is going well for you.