During eclipse season, I share my daily Astro Alerts to everyone. I offer a daily subscription to offer inspiration and guidance from the astrological movement of the planets sent to your email box every day. These detailed posts are delivered at 9:00pm Pacific Time the night before so you can plan your day with the astrological weather at your fingertips.
It’s only $8 per month and not only will you get a daily description, I also send out periodic Dream Alerts when the transits are ripe for petitioning wisdom from the dream state and other special notices that are reserved just for my subscribing readers. Just click the button below to subscribe. You can see an example of a typical report at the bottom of this page.
August 21, 2017
This is probably the biggest eclipse since the November 2003 Total Lunar eclipse accompanied by the Harmonic Concordance. That moment hearkened back to something known as the Harmonic Convergence in 1987. Each of these celestial happenings could be associated with the ending of the Age of Pisces and the beginning of the Age of Aquarius. Since there are no hard and fast rules about how the ages actually change, let’s say that, for the sake of the point I wish to make today, that these big events that took place over the last thirty years were the actual gear shifts that signaled the changing of the Ages.
Here we are, fourteen years later, at a Solar Eclipse, that is also a New Moon – so a new cyclic beginning – and we are being asked to step into a much bigger version of Leadership (think Leo) in our lives and for the future of the Planetary Being. Leo rules the Sun. The Sun is the Center of our consciousness. That Sun exists inside each one of us. We each ARE, in fact, the Sun of our own solar system. This is a reboot moment, where we each begin a new cycle in the Center of our Being. In the spirit of a three-act dramatic structure, it could be said that this is the final threshold that, once stepped across, puts us fully in the Age of Aquarius; and it begins today.
Perhaps I am over personalizing this, but in the late 80s, I was a young man being introduced to my spiritual path in earnest, but at the level of what I could handle at 24 years old. By the time we got to the second event in 2003, I was leading a retreat in Joshua Tree. Much happened between the first and second celestial alignment. And here we are, internet in full swing, the planet going mad, and my life is devoted to doing my part in assisting people to step into a more conscious experience of their individual lives with the promise that if (and when) enough people are doing this on the inside of their consciousness, there will be the possibility of Peace for Humanity on the outside.
Though indeed, this is my personal journey, I do believe that this is reflected in ALL OF US on some profound Universal level. If we do not step up to this, we are doomed. The good news is, I believe, with every fiber of my being, that this is what is happening. Do not look to the outside landscape for proof of this; you will be dismayed and frightened. But please, continue to do your mighty inner work and we will continue to change the consciousness of the Planetary Being. And one day, maybe generations from now, there will be Peace.
I don’t have a lot to say in today’s post, because so much has been said already. Don’t forget that beside the astrological mojo of the moment, there is also the power of the collective. Even if not all those people who are focused on this event are thinking in terms of consciousness and transformation, just the sheer number of bodies on the planet that are thinking about the eclipse has a profound effect on what is possible through our connection to the collective consciousness. Like a focused beam of thought, we get to take advantage of this.
As we go into meditation today, we join with millions of minds moving in the same direction. And as you open your Heart as you do this, you impact them, even if they are unaware of what is happening. In this way, there are individuals who will be shifted from today, just because they were thinking about, or looking up at, the eclipse. If it has not already occurred to you to do so, throw a little prayer in there about the future of our world, lifting it up in the direction of peace, harmony, and a unified consciousness that allows for human race to live together in Peace.
August 20, 2017
Please give yourself a wide berth of permission for today to just be off the rails energetically. The wave that we are in is just enormous and we are really feeling it. The Moon is inching toward the moment of eclipse tomorrow morning at 11:25am PDT. And if you are confused about the various times you are hearing, I am an astrologer, not an astronomer. What interests me is the moment that the Sun and the Moon are in the same place, which is not always the same time frame as when the shadow is generated. Tomorrow morning at 11:25am PDT is when the Sun and the Moon line up for the New Moon, and this is the time to honor the setting of intentions. The time of the shadow of the Moon passing over the surface of the Sun will differ from this, so be sure to look that time up on the internet if you wish to view it.
As for today, the planetary activity is really boisterous, and one of the reasons the way we plug into this day may be a bit challenging is that Mercury and Venus are in a Semi-Square to each other. While this is not a major angle in geometry, it is one that favors conflicts and obstacles, though minor ones. When the Mind and the Heart are not in a good working relationship with each other, we tend to be just a little uncomfortable. Now this is being directly countered by a beautiful Sextile between Mars and Jupiter, which is expansive, confident and truly positive. There is nothing we can’t do under this influence and I’m not quite sure how these two, somewhat conflicting transits are going to play out. Sometimes, just the right amount of friction is exactly what we need to create a spectacular day. I’m voting for that!
Toward the very end of the day here on the west coast, so building all day long, is the interaction that is perhaps the biggest thrust of energy making this eclipse so dynamic and potentially powerfully. This is the Trine to Uranus, the Great Awakener. Just 12 hours before the eclipse is upon us, the Sun and Uranus meet up in the most open, harmonious geometry there is. The Sun is consciousness itself and Uranus is designed to wake us up to the highest version of that consciousness that is conceivably possible. While such a Trine happens twice each other, the EXACT lineup to an eclipse is wildly rare and tremendously powerful. This Trine will reverberate all day today and tomorrow and encapsulate the eclipse into a slingshot of phenomenal proportions.
The Sun is also forming the Great Eliminator angle with Chiron, the Wounded Healer. We should be very aware of exactly what we are letting go of in order to move forward with more velocity. Chiron is the planet that helps us heal wounds of lack, unworthiness, shame, fear and all the troubles of being alive and in a body. We don’t heal from these wounds as if it were magic; they do not go away. The miracle is our shift in perspective or the sudden Grace with which we know how to detach from our old myths the moment they grab back onto us. This transit allows us to see what we are working with, with the light of the Sun to show us where the healing is.
August 19, 2017
Today is the day that the Moon moves into Leo and we are in the true buildup toward Monday’s eclipse. When the Moon enters the sign that the Sun is in, that time is known as the dark-of-the-moon. She will not catch up to her partner in crime till Monday morning PDT, but from 10:54am PDT this morning, she enters Leo and the momentum toward the eclipse is on fire. This is the fertile space just prior to the New Moon that is best for powerful intention setting. Because the lunation takes place in the latter degrees of Leo, this particular dark is long indeed. We have most of today, all of tomorrow and the first part of Monday to allow our thoughts to be planted like seeds in the fertile soil of the infinite field of possibility. Keep thinking big!
We don’t start this day in Leo, however. Before the ingress of the Moon into Leo mid-morning, there is the last stretch of the Cancer Moon. There is a short Void created by a Square to Uranus, just as I described would happen with most Void Moons in Thursday’s post. The few lunar aspects that occur in the hours leading up to the Void are agitated, and one of those is a Trine to Chiron, the Wounded Healer. Then, the Void is created by a hard aspect (Square) to the planet that can really shake things up. This may result in the early hours of this day being emotionally unstable and very tender. Whatever introverted sense of the day you start with, once we get past 11:00am PDT, the atmosphere will change fairly dramatically. So, if your day starts with some emotional difficulty, it is very likely to pass during the second half of the day.
The afternoon and evening is pretty quiet astrologically; only one lunar aspect and nothing at all with the planets. That is not the story tomorrow, so if the day does indeed turn out to be bit quiet, enjoy it because that’s not going to last.
August 20, 2017
Please give yourself a wide berth of permission for today to just be off the rails energetically. The wave that we are in is just enormous and we are really feeling it. The Moon is inching toward the moment of eclipse tomorrow morning at 11:25am PDT. And if you are confused about the various times you are hearing, I am an astrologer, not an astronomer. What interests me is the moment that the Sun and the Moon are in the same place, which is not always the same time frame as when the shadow is generated. Tomorrow morning at 11:25am PDT is when the Sun and the Moon line up for the New Moon, and this is the time to honor the setting of intentions. The time of the shadow of the Moon passing over the surface of the Sun will differ from this, so be sure to look that time up on the internet if you wish to view it.
As for today, the planetary activity is really boisterous, and one of the reasons the way we plug into this day may be a bit challenging is that Mercury and Venus are in a Semi-Square to each other. While this is not a major angle in geometry, it is one that favors conflicts and obstacles, though minor ones. When the Mind and the Heart are not in a good working relationship with each other, we tend to be just a little uncomfortable. Now this is being directly countered by a beautiful Sextile between Mars and Jupiter, which is expansive, confident and truly positive. There is nothing we can’t do under this influence and I’m not quite sure how these two, somewhat conflicting transits are going to play out. Sometimes, just the right amount of friction is exactly what we need to create a spectacular day. I’m voting for that!
Toward the very end of the day here on the west coast, so building all day long, is the interaction that is perhaps the biggest thrust of energy making this eclipse so dynamic and potentially powerfully. This is the Trine to Uranus, the Great Awakener. Just 12 hours before the eclipse is upon us, the Sun and Uranus meet up in the most open, harmonious geometry there is. The Sun is consciousness itself and Uranus is designed to wake us up to the highest version of that consciousness that is conceivably possible. While such a Trine happens twice each other, the EXACT lineup to an eclipse is wildly rare and tremendously powerful. This Trine will reverberate all day today and tomorrow and encapsulate the eclipse into a slingshot of phenomenal proportions.
The Sun is also forming the Great Eliminator angle with Chiron, the Wounded Healer. We should be very aware of exactly what we are letting go of in order to move forward with more velocity. Chiron is the planet that helps us heal wounds of lack, unworthiness, shame, fear and all the troubles of being alive and in a body. We don’t heal from these wounds as if it were magic; they do not go away. The miracle is our shift in perspective or the sudden Grace with which we know how to detach from our old myths the moment they grab back onto us. This transit allows us to see what we are working with, with the light of the Sun to show us where the healing is.
August 18, 2017
There hasn’t been much to say about Venus during this wormhole as her important moments are few and far between. But don’t let that fool you, she is also a major player during this very powerful month. In fact, just that she is in the sign of Cancer is a great boon to us, for she operates in important territory in this sign. Cancer is the mansion where we learn to take care of ourselves and recharge when the outside world becomes too much to bare. Venus is the planetary reflection of the Heart Center. In this territory, the planet of Love is herself recharged and nourished, and we, in turn, heal on a deeper level. The Moon will Conjunct Venus today and that will put a bit of emphasis on the aspect she is making today with Saturn, the Great Teacher.
Venus and Saturn will meet in the angle known as the Great Eliminator, the 150-degree angle known as the Inconjunct. This is an unstable geometry between two forces, in this case Love and Structure. Saturn is the Lord of Kharma, and through his movement we experience lessons and challenges that help us build our lives through responsibility, restriction and long-term thinking. Venus passing through the Great Eliminator angle is going to show us things we must release and let go of in order to be ready to move forward in the manner that the eclipse is preparing us for. If the Leo eclipse promises more power, leadership, creative expression and passion, what must you let go of in your Heart in order to receive such blessings? Is there any part of you that remains undeserving or unworthy? It must go. Now. Today just may reflect back to you some element of how you feel about yourself and the life around you that falls into the category of better-left-on-the-side-of-the-road as you move powerfully into a the future that you are creating.
The Cancer Moon is very active today, making nine lunar aspects in all. The last one of the day is a Conjunction with Venus, so the entire day is building toward this emphasis on loving interactions. And since Venus is Inconjuncting Saturn, so is the Moon. Any choice we make to put ourselves first is integrated directly into our unconscious mind courtesy of the Moon. The day could be quite full in the feeling department, so just allow any emotionality of the day to feel cleansings and purifying. There’s a Semi-Square to the Sun today, which means there will be a few obstacles along the way, but a Trine to Neptune increases our intuition and a Sextile to Mercury makes conversations and thought processes go smoothly.
August 17, 2017
Uranus is the planet that is at the highest degree point of any of the slow-moving bodies. At 28-degrees of Aries, no one is further along in their movement through any sign but the Great Awakener and his flash of lightning. Remember, the Void Moon, which happens every two and a half days, is created by the Moon making her last major geometrical connection to some planet, after which she goes into the “inner space” of the Divine Feminine before changing signs. This weaving in and out of masculine and feminine energy is a crucial way the Planetary Being creates consciousness itself. Right now, Uranus is always the last planet the Moon connects with before she changes signs. And at a time when there is such a need to balance out our experience by increasing our connection to the feminine, it is a blessing that all of the Void Moons since May of this year have been generated in this way. We are waking up to a stronger presence in the Divine Feminine than ever before, since modern civilization took over the First Nations of the globe.
As the world continues to go mad around us, it becomes more and more important to do our mighty work. And that work is to recognize that everything is either an expression of Love, or a call for it, even when that comes in the form of violence, hatred or enmity. What would the Divine Mother do in the face of such strife? She would send her prayers in the direction of the wound, and that is what we must all do. In a form that suits each of our individual sense of vision (some through activism, others through silent prayerfulness, and everything in between), we are here at this time to bring the transformational power of Love, by healing judgment, fear and shame within ourselves.
I offer this to you today for two reasons; I live in the United States and we are grappling with an overt displace of chaos at the moment that is just the tip of the ice berg. All of us will need to become more adept at responding to such moments in a way that brings about healing. Also, the day is astrologically pretty quiet, so there was time to express this notion. And, of course, the Moon will go Void after a Sextile to Uranus, creating another one of those vibrant Void (Divine Feminine) Moon phases that will last from 6:28am to 9:12 am PDT, when she will move out of Gemini into Cancer.
The Cancer Moon will be pretty emotional and tender, and over the next two days, we may be moved to make some changes because of how we are feeling (more about that tomorrow). For today, just let yourself get used to a very different dynamic. With so much fire in the air, the Moon in this sign will highlight the fact that Venus is moving in a fairly solitary way in this sensitive and self-protective territory. You may want to up the ante with regard to self-care and rest. We’re going to need a lot of energy just up ahead.
August 16, 2017
The Gemini Moon is very active today, making nine lunar aspects, and not a Void in sight. The day is chatty, spirited and most of the big-hitting connections she makes are harmonious and productive. The hard aspects include a Square to Mercury and an Opposition to Saturn, and while those are “difficult” in theory, they offer the kind of raw materials for powerful mental stimulation, significant conversations, and the kind of structure and sense of responsibility needed to make something important of the intellectually oriented energy of the day.
The Sun meets up with the North Node today and this is like an official meet and greet between the center of our conscious awareness and the geometrical point in space that is responsible for breaking the beam of light in five days. The Nodes are created by the intersecting path of the Moon’s orbit and the Earth’s orbit, and it is their spatial relationship to each other that every six months creates the moment of eclipse. The North Node is the one of these oppositions that points into the future (the South Node is the past), and this particular eclipse is in alignment with where we are going. That is why this upcoming New Moon is such an important intention setting opportunity. In some ways, the guidance – or awareness – that we need to be most effective with how we approach this process is given a boost today under the influence of this transit. It is as if we are being treated with an enhanced (and prescient) sense of where we are headed, and how we are to get there.
Not that there aren’t still major bumps along the way. Yesterday’s Opposition between Venus and Pluto gets the added influence of Jupiter, creating a T-Square between these three planets. A T-Square is two simultaneously occurring conflict/obstacle transits that combine together to help us work something out in order to grow. You can re-read yesterday’s post for how Venus and Pluto are operating together, and go back again to the post on August 4th for a reminder of what Pluto and Jupiter are doing. When Venus and Jupiter Square, we are confronting love in all its iterations with our sense of expansion and feeling big, but in a way that can be challenging in the area of excess, or overvaluing something that later proves to be unworthy. Fear not, this entire pattern is important for our process because we learn and grow from these sorts of conflicts. Just don’t expect to come through unscathed as this pattern peaks today, especially given the lunar Square to Mercury. Jupiter can add the ingredient to push something over the top, so just have at it. We can clean up any mess we make in the days to come.
And to add good measure to an already complicated day, there is an Inconjunct between the planet of action, Mars, and the Lord of the Underworld, Pluto. Mars and his movements are a reflection of the choices we make and the actions we take. An Inconjunct implies a fork in the road, where we choose a new path, or at the very least, to leave an old path behind us. This is an unstable geometry that forces us to take some sort of action or adjustment, hence the interpretation that a choice is likely being presented when this transit appears. When Pluto is in the house, as he is very much during this wormhole, we are working with great depth, intensity of feeling, and powerful drives that may have only recently been revealed. This transit allows us to peer into the shadow where we are usually afraid to look, and choose to take the road less traveled. When in doubt, take a risk today; it may pay off big dividends in the long run.
August 15, 2017
The Taurus Moon is ruled by Venus, and because of this, any time Venus is doing something when the Moon is in one of her signs (she rules Libra as well), then that activity is raised in stakes and takes on more weight than it otherwise might. Today, Venus and Pluto will Oppose each other, and this intense planetary transit, through brief, will be deeply felt by us all.
You may want to go back to August 4th, when I wrote about the final Square between Jupiter and Pluto that first hit last November, a second time this past March, and the final one completed this cycle just ten days ago. Venus passes by from her perch in Cancer and activates this pattern, first by Opposing Pluto which she does today. She Squares Jupiter at the end of the day tomorrow. Venus governs our experience of Love at the personal level. Pluto holds the shadow and all the hidden demons that challenge our sense of how Love lives in and through us. When they Oppose like this, we may be triggered by things that we weren’t aware of, or perhaps thought we had completed. Pluto has a tendency to reveal things that we thought we had a lid on.
These two days feature our Heart’s alignment – and possible challenges with – hidden fears coming out of the Shadow, and ways in which we bump up against not feeling quite deserving of the abundance that is just waiting to be received by us, if we are ready for it. Any of the ways where you are still being driven by lack and limitation are likely to come screeching up from below decks early this week. Fortunately, for anything that does need your attention, Venus in Cancer has the capacity to turn us in the direction of nurturance and self-care. Just be on guard for the tendency to simply hide out from a painful emotion, for that is also the way of Cancer. This T-Square with Venus, Pluto and Jupiter is not something you want to shy away from, even if it means some messy interactions with those you love.
Several hours after this planetary aspect (which takes place in the wee hours of the morning PDT), the Moon will leave Taurus and enter Gemini. Once there, she will make three lunar aspects today to all three of these planetary players. All three connections are agitated, and the day is likely to really drive home anything that is out of alignment where love, intimacy and power are concerned. Be mindful of racing, resentful thoughts in the latter part of this day. The Moon’s activity always points to how we are working with the unconscious. In this case, the unconscious mind is likely o be very agitated and reactive. As you move forward into any conflicts that come up, move slow enough to ask yourself the question, “What would Love do?”
August 14, 2017
The Taurus Moon, ruled by Venus, does two very interesting things today, and they are essentially simultaneous. The planets are quiet, so there is nothing to interfere with the energy behind these two lunar aspects. Also, and perhaps more importantly, this simple day is made more significant by being inside of both the eclipse wormhole and arguably the most important Mercury retrograde of recent experience. Today is a day to make high choices and be aware of what we’re bringing to the world. And here’s why.
Every lunar cycle, there are two Quarter Moons that take place hallway between the New Moon and Full Moon. It is the geometry of the Sun and the Moon at a 90-degree Square with each other, a decidedly difficult angle. A Square presents us with a conflict or an obstacle that must be faced with complete willingness to see both sides, without forcing one over the other; like the wall and floor, they must always stay true to their desires, or the room will collapse. With the Sun and Moon, the conflict is between our conscious awareness and the unconscious mind. In each of these Quarter Moons, there is a demand on us. In the Three-Quarter Moon, which hits today, we are held responsible for operating in the world based on the new wisdom we have recently gained. Known as the Disseminating Moon, we are quite literally expected to disseminate what we have received, even if the world doesn’t appear ready for what we have to offer. Like the wall or the floor, today is a moment to stand in your truth no matter what.
This does not mean, however, that you are to be inflexible today. There is an important choice to be made today, and that is created by a Finger of God being created by the Moon on the other side of the sky to Saturn, the Great Teacher, and Jupiter, the Great Expander. Saturn and Jupiter are the social planets, and hold sway over what happens in the world around us. Saturn contracts, and Jupiter expands, and between them, every experience is created as a function of those two different forces in varying proportions.
When they are operating in a 60-degree relationship as they are right now, then we are treated to a relatively rare opportunity to enjoy being able to call upon whichever construct we need at any given moment. When we need structure, Saturn provides the restraint and delays needed to create something lasting. For his part, Jupiter responds to that structure with the promise of great abundance. The last time they operated in this geometry was thirteen years ago and it will be seven years hence when they meet up like this again. These is part of the setup that makes the intentions we set during the upcoming eclipse so powerful. They will have legs.
Though this is a very brief, passing lunar aspect, any choices we make today could, in fact, have long range implications for the future. Most of us will not have anything truly important looming large on this Monday, but if you do, consider it a boon and a good omen. If it’s just another ordinary day for you, at the very least, strive to do your highest walk, dig deep into your spiritual practice, and make it the best day you can with what you’re working with. It will be money in the bank for the long-term expansion of your consciousness, even if it passes unnoticed by virtue of the events of the day. The Third Quarter Moon thanks you for what you disseminate.
August 13, 2017
The Sun and Saturn Trine each other today, bringing in some conscious awareness to the ongoing Grand Fire Trine that has been with us for several months now. Saturn is creating structure, and enforcing responsibility through both transparency and highest spiritual truths; both concepts invented by the sign of Sagittarius. Uranus, the Great Awakener, is using his lightning bolts to shake things up with sudden shifts and new experiences out of the blue. These two planets have been working together all year to make what is turning out to be one of the most surprise-filled, outrageous years in our lifetime.
The Leo side of the cosmos is the fire sign that creates the Grand Trine, and the Sun is, with this transit today, activating this pattern in a huge way that is bringing it all the way home with the upcoming eclipse. All of the changes and sudden course corrections we experienced in May and June are being folded into one big reboot that is taking place now. The Sun is the center of our conscious awareness, and by entering this Leo territory today, we officially begin the ramp-up to next Monday’s eclipse.
The Moon is in Taurus today, a grounded and stable earth sign. Interestingly, she doesn’t do much in this sign today, making only one major transit at the very end of the day here on the west coast. A Trine to the newly retrograde Mercury, who is in the earth sign of Virgo. Typically, this transit brings clarity, ease of communication and a mental connection that goes beyond words. The same will be true of this transit, but the posture of Mercury in the inner landscape could bring about some startling revelations from some strange and interesting places. The process begins in earnest, so keep your eyes and ears wide open for guidance along the way.
August 12, 2017
At 6:00pm PDT today, Mercury goes retrograde at 11 degrees of Virgo. The next twenty-one days is going to feature the typical challenges of any Mercury retrograde, but they are likely to be intensified by the background of the eclipse wormhole, as well as the reverse journey taking place inside a sign that is ruled by Mercury, so he’s more at home with what he’s up to.
Here’s why Mercury retrogrades are so bumpy. The planet that rules the Mind is how we navigate through life. Mercury helps us watch where we’re going, telling us along the way to turn right or left, put on a sweater because it’s cold, wait before crossing the street till after that truck speeds by. We move well because we can see where we’re going. Every three months, he gets overwhelmed with all of the data he’s been collecting and needs a break – a process really – to turn within, go through all that stuff and clear things out. He incorporates all the information that’s important and discards the irrelevant. And while he’s doing that, he is turning away from the road in front of us in order to attend to this important procedure. We still have to move forward, but now our navigating mechanism is turned the other way and we, quite naturally, bump into all the furniture. And though it can get kind of messy, it is one of the most valuable and important parts of our ongoing development.
Between now and September 5th, Mercury will be backtracking over territory that he has already covered during the past three weeks. Everything that has recently emerged will be up for review: conversations, negotiations, intentions, ideas, thought processes. There will be delays and course corrections galore. Uranus in the sky with the eclipse will ensure that there will be all sorts of surprising developments.
And the eclipse is key; Mercury will be going back to the exact degree that the Total Eclipse is taking place at later this month. He is in Virgo now, but will retrace his steps and finish his journey at 28 degrees of Leo. That takes two separate but important integrative processes and knits them together as if they were one. This alignment of two cycles is very rare. Truly, you can’t make this stuff up! Be mindful every step of the way during this accelerated time and be sure not to miss a message. They will come from the most unexpected of places.
Today’s Aries Moon will trigger the fire Trines in the sky. The Grand Fire Trine was the dominant pattern during May and June, and now the eclipse brings it all home for us. Today is a bit of a microcosm of this. Not only will the Moon be creating a momentary Grand Fire Trine, by Opposing Jupiter in Libra, she makes a Kite Formation with the Great Expander. It will be an interesting day as a result. The lunar aspects create a tremendous surge forward (Kites fly, after all), just as Mercury is slamming on the breaks. Some of us will get caught between these impulses, so be prepared to feel conflicted, or at least mired in contradicting forces.
There is tremendous value to the day, for certain. Think about what you have been experiencing the past few months. How have things changed, or changing in your life? This applies to both circumstances and perceptions. When Mercury turns around, the day he shifts perspective can be very illuminating, if you can get past how cranky it can feel. With the Moon activating Saturn, the North Node, the Sun and Mars in such powerful way, today may just offer important information to you on your journey. Consider everything that you encounter today as if it has a message for you. Because it does.August 11, 2017
It is an interesting fire/water day, where both of these elements which have been dominating the atmosphere in the past few months are activated simultaneously. I have written about this in terms of the image of the craftsman working in the fires, pounding something out in hot, molten metal, (May/June) then thrusting it into water (July) and then back into the fires again (August). However, Neptune, the Great Spirit and Chiron, the Great Healer, are both still in Pisces, the deepest water of the zodiac. It may seem like ages ago that I mentioned this, but Venus entered Cancer on August 1st, and that was going to bring comfort to this escalated process of the eclipse wormhole.
Water is fluid, emotional and feminine. Fire is transformative and masculine. Though she has been operating relatively in the background thus far in the wormhole, yesterday began a few days of beautiful activation of Venus’s loving presence with her Sextile to Mercury and what was available as a comfortable alignment between our thoughts and our feelings. She continues that oasis today with a Trine to Neptune. When Venus and Neptune Trine, Love is everywhere and available to us in a rather enormous flood from the planets that hold the lower octave of Love at the personal level (Venus) and the higher octave of transpersonal Love (Neptune). When they are in harmony like this, there is no escaping the adage that truly, Love is all there is.
In a complete counterbalance to this beautiful, watery landscape, the Aries Moon brings a whole mess of fire to the day. Tomorrow’s lunar aspects are quite harmonious, but today’s are a little more agitated. In some ways, it’s like today we strike the match, and tomorrow the fire burns easily. It’s hard to predict exactly how the Moon will impact you because we will each experience this early part of the Aries Moon cycle very individually. The planetary activity of the day is so very watery, harmonious and lovely. For some, the agitated lunar aspects will add just enough friction to make the day one where we’re not actually floating away on the sea of tranquility, but can actually get something accomplished. For others, the lunar agitations will result in some events that generate a bit of challenge. Fortunately, even if that’s your story, the difficulties can’t come anywhere near the beauty of what Venus and Neptune have in store for us.
August 11, 2017
It is an interesting fire/water day, where both of these elements which have been dominating the atmosphere in the past few months are activated simultaneously. I have written about this in terms of the image of the craftsman working in the fires, pounding something out in hot, molten metal, (May/June) then thrusting it into water (July) and then back into the fires again (August). However, Neptune, the Great Spirit and Chiron, the Great Healer, are both still in Pisces, the deepest water of the zodiac. It may seem like ages ago that I mentioned this, but Venus entered Cancer on August 1st, and that was going to bring comfort to this escalated process of the eclipse wormhole.
Water is fluid, emotional and feminine. Fire is transformative and masculine. Though she has been operating relatively in the background thus far in the wormhole, yesterday began a few days of beautiful activation of Venus’s loving presence with her Sextile to Mercury and what was available as a comfortable alignment between our thoughts and our feelings. She continues that oasis today with a Trine to Neptune. When Venus and Neptune Trine, Love is everywhere and available to us in a rather enormous flood from the planets that hold the lower octave of Love at the personal level (Venus) and the higher octave of transpersonal Love (Neptune). When they are in harmony like this, there is no escaping the adage that truly, Love is all there is.
In a complete counterbalance to this beautiful, watery landscape, the Aries Moon brings a whole mess of fire to the day. Tomorrow’s lunar aspects are quite harmonious, but today’s are a little more agitated. In some ways, it’s like today we strike the match, and tomorrow the fire burns easily. It’s hard to predict exactly how the Moon will impact you because we will each experience this early part of the Aries Moon cycle very individually. The planetary activity of the day is so very watery, harmonious and lovely. For some, the agitated lunar aspects will add just enough friction to make the day one where we’re not actually floating away on the sea of tranquility, but can actually get something accomplished. For others, the lunar agitations will result in some events that generate a bit of challenge. Fortunately, even if that’s your story, the difficulties can’t come anywhere near the beauty of what Venus and Neptune have in store for us.
August 10, 2017
You may want to look back at the post for the Full Moon on August 7th, because in it I talked a bit about the Finger of God created by Mars and the Sun pointing into a new direction. The flat end included Neptune (Spirit) and Pluto (Transformation) providing the impetus and support for choosing that new direction. This pattern is a big part of what makes this wormhole so powerful, and today is a peak of one aspect of that geometry. Mars will Inconjunct Neptune today as part of this fate-filled opportunity to make important choices – choices that count for more than usual – especially as it relates to being disciplined with your spiritual practice.
Mars dictates the choices we make and certainly impacts what we do each day. Neptune rules our spiritual nature, but also can create things that challenge us like confusion, escapism, and delusion. This fork in the road between these two planets is inviting us to make the higher choice, and today is the peak of this particular wave generated by this transit. Make sure you are tapping into the higher nature of what Neptune has to bring, and not capitulating to his lower, more foggy iterations.
This should be outrageously easy to accomplish today, thanks to two beautiful Sextiles, one between Mercury and Venus, and a second one between the Sun and Jupiter. You can’t get much more optimistic, effective, positive and productive than this. The Mind and the Heart are working so well together courtesy of the first Sextile, and our sense of expansion and the feeling that anything is possible emanates out of the latter.
The Void Pisces Moon is a beautiful, inward-focused and feminine principled energy and we bask all day in this space; a whopping 16-hour Void that starts around 6:30am PDT and lasts until the Moon enters Aries at 10:21pm PDT. The Sun/Jupiter Sextile, in fact, happens inside of the Void, which makes its particular energetic palpable on the inside of our Being. Truly, a lovely setup for a good-feeling day. As long as – yes, there is a catch – you use the fork in the road between Mars and Neptune for the higher, more spiritually based choice. Put in a good amount of effort in your spiritual practice today and you should reap great rewards in terms of well-being.
August 9, 2017
The Pisces Moon is a calming sensation after the burst of energy that was brought on by the eclipse. And though a Trine with Venus makes this a very heart-centered day, I’m not sure even that will be able to balance out the difficult aspects being made by Mars and the Sun. If we weren’t inside a wormhole, I might think of this day as somewhat insignificant. But we are in mighty powerful territory, so this day merits a close look for what is possible.
Both Mars and the Sun are in Leo, and this is one of the factors making this wormhole so intense. The Sun is always in this territory during most of the month of August, but the planet of action joining up with the Sun has the effect of making the Leonean wave much, much bigger. (If you know where Leo falls in your chart, then you will have a good idea of what area of life is being most impacted.) These two are now four degrees apart, so their influence is beginning to wane, but that’s close enough that anything that triggers either one affects them both. And since we feel Mars aspects in our body and Solar aspects in our sense of Self, today’s transits, though subtle and brief, are going to be felt by us, for sure.
Mars and Chiron are in the sort of agitation that reminds me of an itch that will not let your attention go anywhere else unless you scratch it. Chiron holds our wounded nature, so be sure that if something is troubling to you today, you let it inform you of something that is ready to be forgiven or put to rest. The Sun and Pluto interact in the 150-degree angle known as the Great Eliminator, so we are ready to drop something that may have been previously hidden, as Pluto sometimes does as Lord of the Underworld. If you take these two transits together, they are a great opportunity to allow something that is ready to be released to rise up – like an old hurt or place of unforgiveness – and then turn away from it for good. The Moon in Pisces practically invented Forgiveness, and the Trine to Venus mentioned above opens our Hearts wide to the most beautiful sense of oneness that the zodiac has to offer.
Whether you need to do the forgiving, or are helping someone else do this work, today is all about feeling a bit of pain, letting it inform you of where the work needs to be done, and then doing it with love and compassion. For some, this day will feel lovely. If that is not the case for you, if there is a sense of suffering, please know that it is not in vain. This is the day to surrender and find some Freedom by letting more Love in.
August 8, 2017
The Moon starts this day off in Aquarius and so we continue to vibrate with the Full Moon until just before 3:00pm PDT when she changes signs and moves into Pisces. Three hours before that, she will make a Sextile to Uranus and drop into the Void; that still, inner space between the last major geometry and the change of signs. This is a relatively brief Void today, but a pretty significant one because it is part of the eclipse of yesterday. It is also created by the planet that rules this eclipse, Uranus. The Great Awakener is a huge part of this month’s intensity, and this three-hour stretch is like a dip into some powerful, inner inspiration and stimulation.
The Void Moon is not good for anything that requires the outside world to respond to you, so don’t expect much from anywhere but the inside of your consciousness till the latter part of this day. This particular Void may feel rather stimulating and seem like a call to action. Don’t let that fool you; nothing productive can come trying to make things happen that require a response. Though the Void is a feminine moment, this one is going to feel much more masculine. Just take the electrifying energy created by the Moon and Uranus and be still with it, even if that is a bit challenging to do.
Venus will interact with the Nodes today and any connection to the Nodes of the Moon during an eclipse wormhole is even more significant than usual. This is a very subtle aspect, but it may create some important connections with groups or individuals that are important to your emotional well-being. Any nodal transit usually increases the amount of interactions taking place on the planet. This subtle geometry is, however, mildly conflictual, so with the intensity of the Full Moon and the eclipse, do not be surprised if connections feel disruptive or bumpy, especially during the Void between 12:00 and 3:00pm PDT.
The essence of Aquarius, and by rulership Uranus, is freedom-oriented and favorites a sense of uniqueness and a drive toward rebellion. The spirit of that archetype is all over this day. On the positive end of the continuum, this will support unique approaches to any and all circumstances. On the other end, you may want to be on guard for righteousness and an inflated sense of superiority in your connections with others (both from you and toward you). Once the Moon moves into Pisces, the crackling atmosphere may smooth out a bit.
Monday August 7, 2017
The Full Moon Partial Total Eclipse today is in the sign of Aquarius, ruled by Uranus, and the New Moon on the 21st is the second Leo New Moon of the month, and is ruled by the Sun. As the central core to our Being, the Sun’s job is to take in everything that happens in the gear shifts of the system that surrounds it. This is always, perhaps, the most raucous of lunar cycles because of Uranus’s propensity for shaking things up, and the Sun’s response to everything as an instant-integration. And built right into this trajectory of the 5th and the 11th sign of the zodiac, we experience an enormous element of our evolution through consciousness. In the 5th House, we learn about joy, creativity, and all forms of personal expression. When we take that across the cosmos, the 11th House shows us that we get to share this magnificent creation with a community that will, in turn, nurture and support us, so that we can continue creating all the joy we feel we deserve. You see how this works in a never-ending continuum?
This is our moment of release, where we cast aside everything that we have been working hard to be free of. In fact, there is a monumental geometrical setup for making bold choices during this eclipse, designed to start up the two-week wormhole facing in a brand new direction. In case the notion of a wormhole is new to you, it’s the idea that a particle can be in one place in the universe, rip through the fabric of time/space, and find itself in completely new territory in an instant. In the time between the eclipses, which is the two-week journey that begins today, you are the particle, so fasten your seat belt. We are all in for the ride of our lives.
A Finger of God, or for those of you who are less inclined to enjoy that word, Finger of Fate, is a long, narrow triangle created by at least three planets that looks a bit like a pointer. It is an unstable energy that forces a choice to be made. It has this name because the compelling need to choose is so strong, it is utterly unavoidable; fated if you will. Something must shift, so be ready. The players in the pattern help to describe it. The pointy end is the direction we head in, and the flat end represents the resources that support and propel the choice. Even this is working for our benefit, so let me break it down for you.
Mars and the Sun are still close enough together to be considered Conjunct. Our conscious awareness (the Sun) and the planet that governs our walk through life, and how we embody all that we know, (Mars) has been emboldened by his recent connection with the absolute Center of our Being. This is the pointy end, so right now, it’s all about your walk. Where you are going and how you are getting there. They are in the sign of Leo, where all the action is right now. Leo is about full self-expression, and creativity at its highest vibration. This is a time to step into leadership in your life and all that that might mean for you.
On the flat end is a Sextile between two planets, which is the geometry of productivity and creativity. Any two bodies relating in this angle can be harnessed to tremendous benefit. In this case, it’s Pluto and Neptune, so our capacity to change, transform and purify parts of our Self (Pluto) is engaged with our connection to spirit (Neptune) in a way that can transmute anything. Even a pattern of behavior, difficult relationship, or old thought paradigm that you thought you’d never be rid of can be released under the influence of these two planets. In the signs of Capricorn and Pisces respectively, we have structure and spirit working for us to make miracles happen, and bring them into form.
And speaking of Sextiles, there are bunch more that are setting the stage for a very powerful process. Now I am a purist as an astrologer, so for me these Sextiles are a bit weak because they are not quite perfect 60-degree angles. But they are close enough to be felt and utilized by us, so the more mindful we’re being, the more assistance we’re going to experience as we hurtle through consciousness over the next two weeks. Jupiter, the Great Expander, is working with the North Node, the Great Way Pointer, so we’re moving into more abundance and prosperity as our birthright. Jupiter is also working with Saturn, so expansion and contraction in the world are working well together, instead of at odds as we sometimes are. We move forward, then just a bit back, in a tightly knit design that truly lets us create things that last. Do not despair of delays and breakdowns, for they are always a part of divine order guiding our pace.
Even our Minds and Hearts are getting in on the act, with a Sextile between Mercury and Venus, allowing us to work well together in the two arenas of our functioning that don’t always understand each other. Venus in Cancer knows how to keep the focus on the self and self-care, honoring our feelings. Mercury in Virgo is at home in one of his ruling signs that understands how to process and integrate from an intellectual perspective. This is a great combination for seeing with the Mind, but being led by the Heart. I am fond of saying, “The Mind sees far, but is always wrong.” In this combination, we use our heads to navigate, but we lead with where the Heart wants us to go. And because Mercury will retrograde just up ahead, he will come back to this territory two more times, though this is the only instance where Venus is nearby. Ask yourself what does your Heart want, and then declare in the loudest, Leonean voice you can muster, “I Am That!”
Aquarius is an air sign, and that means the process of writing is always in alignment with the element of the moment. Write out what you are grateful for and what you are ready to release as you move into hyper drive. The exact moment of the Full Moon is 11:10am PDT, so if you can be still during that time frame to do your ruminative reflection, do so. You can’t miss out by doing this at another time, but just knowing that you are meeting with your conscious awareness and unconscious mind at the exact moment when the Sun and Moon are doing the same, you may just dive a bit deeper.
