AstroCast: August 18 - 31, 2019

This period marks a palpable archetypal shift from inspirational fire to practical earth. The personal planets Mars, Venus, the Sun and Mercury (in that order) all transition from the determined fixed sign of Leo to Virgo, a mutable sign that relates to what happens in the threshold of endings and beginnings. Yet before the shift is complete, on August 21 Mercury makes one last aspect from Leo – a trine to Jupiter (in Sagittarius, another fire sign) – as a cosmic coda to this often dramatic sign affirming there is a lot more to the story than we realize, and that we must find a way to express it, creatively bringing the inner life outside for all to see, not matter if it makes us look like a hero or a fool. Mercury/Jupiter archetypally flings our mental portals wide open, inspiring us with a breathtaking panorama of the cosmos and all the potential for meaning it has to offer. This flowing aspect carries with it a brief but bold embrace of big ideas with big heart.

Thus inspired, Mars, Venus, the Sun and Mercury make the transition to Virgo on August 17, 21, 23 and 29 respectively. The threshold that Virgo represents is the transition from the world of Self (as characterized by the first six signs of the Zodiac) to the world of Others (embodied in the last six signs). Virgo is therefore in a constant critical state, which often expresses literally as criticism. Yet going deeper into the details, one may get a better sense of Virgo by imagining a scientific laboratory where chemicals are mixed together to form new compounds. The initial moment when the elements are on the verge of contact, there is a split-second recognition that something new is being introduced into the environment. In the world of Virgo, this represents the intuitive cognition that the self is about to meet other. We all have Virgo somewhere in our natal charts and when this area is activated it is useful to observe how we manage being in this constant critical state. The more we consciously build up our tolerance of it, the more easily we can move through our resistance and fear of receiving something that is scarily unfamiliar and then graciously accept whatever results of the meeting may come. In a chemical reaction it is important to note that no new atoms are created and none are destroyed. Instead, the bonds between the atoms break and then rearrange themselves to form new bonds to create something new. Being open to receive others transforms who you are.

As we prepare for this archetypal transmutation, Venus and Mars in Virgo provide the model for embracing Other when they conjunct on August 24. The unified front of the symbols for the anima and animus within marks the beginning of a new Venus/Mars cycle. Mars represents the Self in its nascent act of creation; Venus represents Other and the model for total relatedness. As they unite in Virgo, their individual atoms break down and reform into a new compound capable of giving and receiving the sustenance of the Cosmos, which is Love. 

Furthermore, the planets entering Virgo successively form reinforcing trines to Uranus in Taurus, a trailblazer that has the power to awaken us to new ideas and new ways of being related to what we find most precious in life. Venus trine Uranus on August 26 supports diversity in relationships and emphasizes the need for each party to remain free to express their individuality therein. Mars trine Uranus on August 28 activates the need to move into new territory, to be the pioneer breaking new ground. The Sun trine Uranus on August 29 can stimulate our inner revolutionary with a future-oriented purpose that serves the collective. To the personal planets in Virgo, details matter. Every step we take, every word spoken, every person we relate with represents an opportunity serve the greater good. It is through service that Virgo develops a sense of Self. The Virgo stellium’s stable earth trine to Uranus can provide a secure uplink to a new awareness of Self, if we pay attention to every pixel.

At 3:37 a.m. on August 30 the New Moon conjuncts the Sun at 6∞47’ Virgo. The Moon goes on to conjunct Mars and Venus in Virgo, trine Saturn in Capricorn and Uranus in Taurus, square Jupiter in Sagittarius and oppose Neptune in Pisces. All these aspects are thus galvanized into the new lunar cycle, indicating the coming month is encoded with the need to move, the need to interact with others and to do so in responsible and original ways. Furthermore, we need a meaningful purpose for it all that is based on compassionate service to humanity. The luminaries along with Mercury, Venus and Mars in Virgo place emphasis on making the connection between mind, body and spirit for a holistic approach to health. One thing we clearly need to do is support ourselves on all levels while taking care of all other needs. 

The New Moon is part of a tight 5-planet stellium in Virgo but its closest aspect is a nearly exact trine to Uranus. This powerfully grounded alignment suggests there may be surprises in store, but ones we have prepared for. Even if we are in crisis as the New Moon unfolds, it may correlate to an opening to see that crisis in a new way. Breakdowns can lead to breakthroughs if we are willing to be present with and face the crisis directly. If we are honest about how we are living life, we may see how we bring crisis upon ourselves by ignoring our so-called ‘Sun through Saturn lessons’ thinking they will resolve themselves. Instead they recur with increasing intensity until we are forced to pay attention to them. If however, we have mastered the mechanics of life and are living with integrity and taking responsibility for our every thought and deed, then whatever crises we face are generally the ones life throws us into, usually triggered by transiting outer planets like Uranus, to give us the OPPORTUNITY for radical transformation. Crisis, like being in a constant critical state, is not to be avoided, but embraced and honored as the cosmic consciousness’ tool for teaching us how to participate in a metamorphosis so we can join our fellow Galactic Beings at the frontier of consciousness. Transformation is about rising above the ego self to the level of the soul Self in terms of attentiveness to our purpose in this lifetime, living the law of our own being and contributing to the evolution of consciousness itself. Bring it on.