Full Moon fever spreads and makes itself felt on Day 1 of August. During the final days of July, we feel the energy building with tremendous force, like a volcano silently churning beneath the surface. This is one highly creative Full Moon: with the playful Leo Sun opposite the innovative Aquarius Full Moon. Ask: what is trying to be born? In yourself, in your life? Both Sun and Moon challenge Generous Jupiter in practical Taurus pushing us to keep it real, to have sound methods to our inventive madness and ground our ideas in reality.
The planetary friction may spark resistance in yourself to change,
how we can accomplish the task at hand;
or we might also experience others digging their heels in over how to problem
solve. Watch for “my way or the highway”
attitudes. At such a time, it is vital
to remember: all roads lead to
Rome. There is no one right way to do something, or live life itself. As
long as no harm is done, live and let live.
Better to turn the energetic push back from the Full Moon
into good old perseverance and grit.
When we apply this planetary strength to see our tasks through, we can
truly move mountains. So turn an
internal obstacle into long-lasting stamina to finish what you start. Helping us source solutions, Motivating Mars
and Messenger Mercury in efficient Virgo align with Jupiter, heightening our
versatility and adaptability. We have
what it takes to do the heavy lift right now along with a killer work
ethic. Applied mathematics comes to
mind. Our ingenuity is off the charts
combined with inner resources to do the
thing at hand. Take advantage!
It is wise to remember that Valuable Venus is retrograde motion
all month and into early September.
Venus rules love, money and relationships, the good stuff. Retrograde in festive Leo, this is the time
for reflection on whom and what we value in ourselves, in others, and in
life. The peak of summer is a very convenient
moment for Venus retrograde cycle to occur while many are on vacation or
working shorter hours, lending itself to the RE words: relaxing, rest and refreshment. Be sure to
indulge in these!
Please think before you spend during August. Hit the pause button and ask yourself if you
really need that pricey jewelry, car or gadget.
Venus retrograde comes with a notorious tag line of Caveat Emptor, Buyer Beware. We
tend to buy stuff we really do not need and end up not using. So before you wallow in buyer’s remorse,
sleep on it, your latest have-to-have.
For essentials, such as replacing a refrigerator, phone or washing
machine, make sure you buy the extra
warranty as you very well may end up needing it.
Between August 10th and 16th, is a particularly
tempting time to splurge as Venus and the Sun in Leo challenge change agent
Uranus. Ask: Are you getting the best value for your
money? What could you otherwise do with
that money? Temptation is very strong this week and this applies to affairs of the
heart as well our spending. Watch for new flames and especially old ones
resurfacing from the wee corners of your life, looking to re-ignite passions
quelled by time and/or distance. Others
from your past may re-enter, or those you never knew you had any connection to
begin with, from the likes of 23 and Me, or Ancestry.com.
In short, watch your heart and your wallet this month. Be cautious with both. Have your
long-term best interests in mind when facing choices. This is vitally
important heading into the New Moon in Leo on Wednesday, August 16th
which joins the Venus-Sun duo. Take a
beat and really feel into the intentions you choose to set. Carefully hand write three to five goals that
you want to manifest over the coming month or season.
Lean into the abundant super practical earth energies that
are also fortunately, built into the New Moon energy. Like a trusted old friend and ally, the earth
energies tame our urges to throw caution out the window. Like a caped crusader, fully half of the planets,
five out of ten, give us much needed support to counter any reckless notions we
harbor. Mars-Mercury align helpfully to
Pluto, Jupiter and Uranus now, serving as a strong and sturdy ladder on which
we may climb to our goals. They say, “stay the course, focus on your intention,
don’t look down”. Do not become
sidetracked by the serpent’s subtle whisper, seeking to distract you with all
of those glittery and shiny Leo Sun-Venus objects. Later on, you will thank your lucky stars you
did.
Instead, remember all
of your hard work that has brought you to this stage; the hours of love,
resources, energy and skill you have invested to date. Before you lapse into forgetfulness, toss out
who and what got you here, remember the
backbone and structure of what will get you across the finish line. Make the most of Venus’ retrograde and remind yourself of the solid systems all
around you. Take a day or week or two from life to regroup and reset. Then be sure to plant your New Moon intentions
in the warm, rich earth.
Cosmic waves stir heavily after the New Moon. Prepare for some stellar gear shifts as the
end of August is fairly bumpy. If you
haven’t taken time off by the final week, you may want to as not a whole lot of
work will get done through early September.
Back-to-school and work details or calendars may have to be re-designed
as Divine Timing has other ideas of how we are to focus our energy from August
22nd onward.
Expect the unexpected.
Wednesday, August 23rd Messenger Mercury turns
retrograde. In case we did not get the
message, the galaxy is doubling down with two interior planets, Mercury and
Venus now cycling in reverse. The good news is, we move through this all at one
time. The challenge is: our plans to push forward may have to wait. If ever there were a time to hold off on
larger purchases, this would be it. By mid-September, life starts smoothing
out. But from August 22nd
through September 15th, if you can delay buying homes, cars,
appliances, signing for loans, major documents, or purchasing electronic and
communication devices, DO. If you absolutely must proceed during this window,
buy the warranty and know your out
clause. You may very well need them.
By Monday, August 28th, Motivating Mars moves
into Libra. The mythical god of war,
Mars is not especially comfortable in Lovely Libra, sign of relationship,
balance, art and beauty. Watch any urge
to pick fights with others; practice giving the benefit of the doubt, even when you are certain you are correct
and in the right. This stretch is topsy turvy energetically and you do not
want to alienate anyone unnecessarily.
So if applying the law is called for, such as filing a lawsuit or going
to court, you really want to have your facts lined up. Even if you do, there is little guarantee you
will win, or that the law will be on your side now.
Two days later, the higher octave and older sibling of
Mercury, Change Agent Uranus turns retrograde on Tuesday, August 29th. This is a notoriously unpredictable gear
shift. If you can lay low the 28th-30th,
best to do so as Uranus notoriously provokes and kicks up dust. Its purpose is to keep us on our toes, awake,
on path and aware. When we become
complacent or fall off path, Uranus realigns us through surprising and often
unsettling events. So as this outer
planet, the only one in our galaxy to rotate vertically rather than
horizontally, shifts into reverse, make sure to have a Plan B, C and even D
just in case.
By month’s end, six out of ten planets are cycling in
retrograde motion. Trying to get anything done may feel like pushing a boulder
up a mountain. The energetically thick stew stays in place through
mid-September; so use this time to ask questions, do your homework, research
and reflect on what you want your life to look like and directions you may want
to take. If you try to initiate anything
right now, you may spin your wheels in the cosmic mud.
Timing is everything.
Soon, the right time to advance and proceed will appear. Until then, make love not war.
Of Special Note:
Artist Toni Carbone and I are offering our Creativity and Moon Cycles workshop
again this fall. Join us for this
popular class on Saturday, September 16th in Norwood, MA or
Saturday, October 14th in the beautiful Berkshires mountains of
western Massachusetts. The class runs 3
hours and is $180 including all art materials.
For more information or to enroll, please contact me: hilary@hilaryharley.com
