Morning Star: Astrology for the week of August 2 through August 8, 2015

This morning we wake up to the Moon in Pisces moving in for a conjunction with Neptune (9:28 PM). Overnight, Saturn stationed direct in Scorpio just after midnight at 28 Scorpio 17. The Moon also meets the Sun by inconjunct at 10:49 AM as Mercury in Leo meets Uranus in Aries by trine at 10:51 AM.

By 4 PM, Mercury is inconjunct Chiron as the Moon creates a solid fortifying sextile with Pluto at 4:40 PM. Tonight, the Moon will conjunct Chiron while also holding an inconjunct to Mercury between 4:29 AM and 6:21 AM.

Today begins foggy. The fog may linger throughout our morning hours. However, as Mercury tightens in trine to Uranus, lightning shoots through that fog. Conversations pick up pace and ideas can be exchanged at a rapid pace. At its worst, this aspect can cause headaches or nervousness. At its best, it's simply brilliant in regard to fostering new ideologies and fresh perspectives. Either way, it helps to burn off the fog.

The waxing aspects to Chiron advises us not to speak too quickly. Be mindful of your words and selective of your thoughts. Also know, though, that the sextile from Pluto assists us in bearing the weight of any hardship.

As Saturn stations direct, his energy is heightened. This brings sobriety to the day along with a sense of responsibility. On a global level, Saturn's stationed energy may work much like a poultice drawing all kinds of consequence forward for past action. This means that if you have skeletons in your closet or bodies in your freezer, they are due to fall out or be discovered. Justice is swift and harsh these days and many will receive the licks of consequence.

It is, however, a solid day. The Moon is now waning and taking heightened emotions with it. Though, we may still feel a bit emotional under a Pisces Moon conjunct Neptune. Yet at this point we are to be surrendering and releasing those emotions instead of keeping them pent up. Today serves well for that while also giving us the power of endurance and the ability to foster hope and a fresh perspective.

Monday, August 3, 2015

This morning we wake up still under the influence of an active Pisces Moon. Plus, Jupiter perfects in square to Saturn at 6:35 AM. The stress of our workload and sense of responsibility is heightened. Jupiter square Saturn is heavy but it also brings benefit to hard work, integrity, responsibility, honesty and the ability to self-direct. Put your nose to the grindstone and keep busy. Meanwhile, Saturn in square to Jupiter can also begin the rectification of some Jupiter ruled entities giving hints of what we can expect to echo throughout Saturn's trip through Sagittarius. These entities include, organized sports, politicians/politics, news agencies/advertising firms, judicial bodies/policing entities, schools and their employees, religious organizations and their representatives. It certainly applies to squash absolutely anything that is over-inflated or overly selfish. It's heavy, folks. Like I said. Nose to the grindstone as all this gunk begins to be excoriated from our world. The purpose of this aspect is to level out the power held by some of these governing factions and continue the humbling of humankind agenda that Venus is pushing. The pressure of it, however, is felt across the entire globe. It's par for the course that the battle between the Scorpion and the Lion is not a kind and gentle one. And, when it involves two power houses like Jupiter and Saturn? Yeah. Heavy. Knowing the purpose does help a little.

Thankfully we do have an anchor to assist us through this brought forward by a nice water trine created between Moon in Pisces, Saturn in Scorpio and Mars in Cancer. Forcefulness is not going to fly. However, the ability to “tap into flow” is present. And, if you tap in, you could make a good deal of solid progress in this day. But, again, this is not achieved by force but gently and perhaps not even directly. Water flows over, around and through obstacles while slowly wearing away harder edges, not obliterating them.

Following this the Moon creates and inconjunct to both Jupiter and Venus Rx in Leo giving us an opportunity to check in with our own humility. Those gut checks are quite sobering and we are left with that feeling as the Moon becomes Void until entering Aries at 7:24 PM. If self-fault is found, use the water trine to foster self-forgiveness and acceptance. Let go of past mistakes and set your vow to learn from them so you can do better next time. Mars waxes into trine with Saturn until the perfection on August 6. Use this grounding and solid energy to help you make steady forward progress toward your goals. It really can give solid anchorage to your ambitions but you've got to be willing to flow instead of moving forward by force. Gently but diligently. Remember, we are dealing with the element of Water, here.

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Busy ambition is the word of the day with the Moon in Aries. We move from the water trine of yesterday, directly into a fire trine between the Sun and Moon that waxes in at 3:24 AM. Plus, Venus perfects her second conjunction with Jupiter at 5:47 PM which means she is also waxing back into square with Saturn in Scorpio. The great humbling continues. Bubbles burst and folks are made aware that regardless of their social status or feelings of personal greatness we all put our britches on one leg at a time. Budget strings are pulled tight. Relationships are tested. And, in times of depression, we have a tendency to expose who we really are. Can you be generous when you feel like you are lacking? Are you humble enough to reach out for help when you need it? Can you deliver kind words when you are experiencing personal turmoil or do you selfishly asses only your own needs without concern for the needs of anyone else? That gut check waxes in under this sky and continues as Venus waxes toward Saturn perfecting tomorrow morning. Humility is something best taken voluntarily. Trust me, it is no fun having this type of medicine force fed to you.

We are busy and ambitious but reward for effort could be lacking. That makes the incoming square from Moon to Pluto in Capricorn at 5:50 PM rather interesting. Lack of reward and comfort could catalyze feelings of greed under this square. Temptation may come in an effort to get us to make a proverbial “deal with the Devil” in an effort to get what we want. But, the true purpose of this square is to draw attention to the true emotional motivation behind our goals to start with. Are we helping the homeless because we really want to help? Or are we expecting a hero badge for it? Are you working merely for reward or do you really believe in what you are doing and would do so without the promise of acclaim, recognition or reward. Who are you when no one's looking? There is opportunity to get a personal bird's eye view of that today. Check yourself. Thoroughly.

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Last night's sleep could have been fairly fitful as the Moon in Aries waxed toward a conjunction with Uranus all night. This perfects in our early morning (5:22 AM). This with the waxing pressure of Venus square Saturn (11:08 AM) could have folks waking up rather agitated, nervous, anxious or just plain pissed off. As joy and comfort continues to be restricted, I encourage you to not look at what you lack but instead pay homage and gratitude for the blessings that are solidly present. Don't overlook the value of what can be considered mundane or seen as a “given” because truthfully, there are no “givens.” You are lucky to have what you have. Period. No matter how little that seems to be right now. However, expect some to rebel because they feel the doling out of things like money and resources is not fair. This is because it largely isn't fair and a great leavening needs to occur in that regard. However, we, collectively, need to work to find a solution for this as there is no quick or one size fits all solution. It's taken us a long time to create hole that makes this great divide. It will take a long time to fill it back it in. There is no guarantee that everyone will feel efforts to do this are fair; because, fair is based on a personal assessment of such which varies from person to person.

it had better be....

In this instance, I encourage you to focus on what it is you can do to help yourself or the situation rather than sitting back saying, “Someone needs to do something.” Ok, yeah. I agree. Someone does need to do something but we are all someone. So, what are you going to do? Can you be a more conscientious consumer? Can you be more responsible and conservative of the resources you use? Everyone holds a card of accountability here and individual efforts matter. Being steady and responsible in regard to matters of Venus is highly called for under this sky.

At the same time, some folks will experience heart break and loneliness under this sky. Some will stand up strong in protest or by shouting demands that their needs be met and some could be subsequently and harshly sat down on their rears in their attempts to do so. It can be quite a discouraging sky. Venus square Saturn is hard enough. Venus RX square Saturn blown out of proportion by Jupiter and under a catalytic and impulsive Moon is even harder. Hold your rudder true. Be gentle with yourself and realize we are all in this together. You can make a difference. You do matter. Be prepared to find out where your true and solid support lies. If you find that support tank empty, start re-thinking how you foster connections with others in the first place.

The eclipses of September put relationships under the microscope very harshly. This sky could very well provide some set-up for that. So, keep your radar up.

At 3:26 PM the Moon meets Mercury in Leo while also waxing into square with Mars in Cancer (6:07 PM). Ideas and communication are flying about but no one is really sure what to do about it. Mars trine Saturn is still delivering an air of accountability under a feeling of “No Joy” created by Venus square Saturn. By 6:22 PM the Moon is in trine to Venus Rx in Leo and at an inconjunct to Saturn in Scorpio. In case you have not guessed, just about everything in our sky is answering to Saturn this week. So, no matter what you do, do it with integrity, responsibility and diligence.

There is a trine with Jupiter that occurs just prior to the Moon going Void at 7:30 PM which is a good note to go out on. If you've held yourself on center under all this pressure, you may feel pretty good about yourself. This aspect encourages us to take the long view and foster a sense of benevolence and gratitude. Again. You may not have what you want but you have what you have. Don't overlook the blessing in that. The Moon remains Void until entering Taurus at 9:30 PM.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

I love Taurus Moon days. I don't think that is a big secret since I drive the point home once a month. However, this Moon's ruler, Venus, is under great stress right now. There is a feeling of lack and restriction. Meaning, there could be some pretty grumpy cows roaming around out there.

Imagine having a group of folks who are heavily laden with Taurean energy. Now, imagine telling them they all have to go on a very strict diet for a long period of time while living in a plain white walled sterile room. The only thing in that room is a plain wooden chair. No pillows. No cushy bed. No plush blanket. No sneaking to the refrigerator for a sweet midnight snack. No chocolate.

No pleasant aroma of goodies cooking in the next room. No scented candles. Nothing. A wooden chair in a white room and a diet of only the bare, spiceless, unadorned necessities. Bland. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be around ANY group of Taureans who have just been delivered THAT news. Sweet merciful heavens. Are you trying to start a stampede? But, yet, under this Moon with Venus' current condition things could feel just this barren. No joy.

Folks are determined, though. Perhaps bordering on the edge of stubbornness due both the condition of the fixed Moon and the perfection of Mars in Cancer trine Saturn in Scorpio (4:30 AM). There is plenty of chatter flying about in regard to matters of Venus as Mercury meets up with her by conjunction at 10:25 AM. Which means that Mercury is also headed for his own square with Saturn. This perfects at 4:20 PM. So, before you shoot your mouth off in the morning remember that Saturn will be waiting for you early this evening. Keep your mouth and mind in check. Realize your personal responsibility in regard to the messages you deliver and expect to get smacked around for it if you don't. Speak the truth. No fluffling. No glittering it up. Solid fact-checked humble truth.

Expect some of this truth to be fairly ugly, too. Mercury makes a sesquisquare with Pluto (which is sneakily forceful) just as the Moon finds the same by trine (8:44 PM). Talk about a potential expulsion of demons. Keep your ears open because some of the confessions you hear may not have exactly been planned. Words can fall out of person's mouth giving away their true motivations before they ever have a chance to filter what they are saying.

The confessional and the potential for over-thinking and blowing stuff waaaaaaay out of proportion continues into our overnight hours under our Last Quarter Moon that perfects just prior to Mercury's conjunction with Jupiter in Leo at 3:09 AM. Interrogation in regard to your confession could go on All. Night. Long. Keep pouring out the truth (or digging for it, depending on what side of the fence you are on). You are already knee deep in the reality of it. Might as well just dive straight in and get it all out.

However, if your conscious is clear, then relief may find you restfully sleeping while those that have steadily worked to build weak construct around their untruths feel the heat of the spotlight. This is a busy, eventful, uncomfortable, awkward and, yet, dynamic day for most to say the least. I do expect that folks with a lot of fixed energy will feel this pressure the most. My apologies in advance Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. Do what you do best and hold steady under the pressure while remembering the main agenda of Saturn in Scorpio---to pull all this yuck out in an effort to make room for healing and rectification...the leavening of power and resource. Also be mindful of Venus' agenda, the humbling of mankind; because, that is definitely a factor here. This too shall pass. But not tonight. We've still got a Lunar opposition to Saturn to deal with coming in tomorrow. A No Joy Taurus Moon, though...blech. I could tell you it isn't personal but with a focus on Leo it's going to feel personal. Just remember there is bigger work at play here.

Friday, August 7, 2015

This morning we wake up still under the umbrella of a joyless Taurus Moon. Things are still quite uncomfortable and many are none too happy about it. However, there is a shift brought forward in regard to our mental bodies as Mercury moves into his home position of Virgo at 3:15 PM. It's time to get real. Practical. It's time to line up all the options and put them in order of priority and potential. It's time to slice through the BS and get to the root of the problem while weeding out anything that doesn't really apply to the situation we are dealing with. Let the pruning, reaping and separating the wheat from the chaff in regard to information begin.

Mercury in Virgo is smart. But, it's not an Airy Smart. It's an Earthy Smart. Common sense is mixed with practicality and intelligence. This is a great place for Mercury to be...for now. There will be a washout imminent (complete with confusion, untruths, possible illness/drunkenness/lethargy/forgetfulness and emotionality) as Mercury waxes into opposition with Neptune in Pisces. This occurs on August 12 but waxes and builds in prominence until then. This calls for Virgo to soften the edge on some of her criticisms and realize that sometimes the lines are not clearly defined. There are gray areas. No matter how well you categorize stuff, some things are able to jump from one pile to another. But, for now, Mercury is sharp. I encourage you to take advantage of that.

Meanwhile, the sense of discomfort gains prominence as the Moon squares off with Venus Rx in Leo at 8:39 PM. The Moon meets Saturn by opposition a few hours later (10:40 PM). This set up creates a very heavy and uncomfortable fixed t-square. Jupiter and Mercury are both still within orb of it, as well. So, you know, it's kind of like the fixed t-square from Hell...to be blunt and many will be blunt today. So, why not. The outlet for this t-square (what evens out the pressure) is found in Aquarius. The higher mind. The ability to look past the right now and peer into the possibility of the future. Inventiveness. Ingenuity. Inspiration. Emotional detachment and forward progressive thinking...an acceptance and expectation of change, evolution and revolution. Experimentation. Personal Freedom. Independence and interdependence. Collaboration. Hope. Friends. Consulting an expert for advice. Reach out for these elements for assistance. If the path you are on isn't favorable to you anymore, start pioneering a new one. Just don't blow everything up in an effort to relieve the pressure. There are better ways to go about it. Blowing stuff up just causes a big mess. Things are messy enough already.

Saturday, August 8, 2015

This morning the Moon has shifted gears into Gemini. She was Void from midnight until 1:40 AM following a sextile with Mars in Cancer. Now, she hangs in square to her current ruler, Mercury in Virgo. Now, while this aspect can create headaches, miscommunication and a clash of ideas, it can also be helpful. Mercury rules both Gemini and Virgo. But, Virgo is holding the trump right now. The message she has for our Gemini Moon is to pick a directive. You can't entertain all the ideas and theories. You are going to have to whittle that down and figure out how to put this information to practical use. No flitting about from concept to concept. Pick one and use it. At the same time, though, obtaining a clearly defined edge is difficult due the Moon's waxing square to Neptune which perfects at 5:49 PM. We attempt to make sense of things only to feel that become all confused and blurred.

Emotionality potentially creeps in threatening to cloud our ability to make logical sense of our emotions which is perplexing to both Virgo and Gemini. In that instance, let the pot simmer for awhile. Realize not everything makes sense and, again, don't disregard the gray areas and the fact that a person's emotional state certainly affect decision making. So, deal with your emotional body before you decide anything. Stir the potentials in a simmering pot in the meantime.

More shifting is in store as Mars exits the watery world of Cancer and leapfrogs into the fiery territory of Leo at 7:32 PM. Actions carry a dramatic flair and become more direct as opposed to the flowy indirect energy we received from Cancer. Mars is more “at home” here and he is providing us “oomph” to be able to begin exerting our true selves. This will be a factor under the New Moon in Leo which will ask us, “Ok, after all of this, who have you discovered you are? For better or worse, richer or poorer, can you accept that? Are you willing to improve on it? Are you humble enough to admit to your past mistakes but strong enough to aim to do better next time due the lessons you've learned. Can you be you without trying to roar over everyone else; but, instead, by standing next folks who may be different from you while fostering mutual appreciation for who they are too? Has Venus humbled you enough yet? Has she streamlined everything down to the bare bones long enough for you to catch a glimpse of what is really important?” These are matters we should be considering now and under next weeks sky of the darkening Moon. Let go. Release. Surrender. Accept. Watch the truth rise to the surface. Listen closely to what is going on around you and hold yourself steady and accountable. It's all about Saturn this week which is not the least bit fun or fluffy. Hang in there.