AUGUST EDITION

There is no thunder, no relieving pain. These are strange and breathless days, the dog days, when people are led to do things they are sure to be sorry for after...

---

It’s going to be a very heated summer.

This August/Leo season looks to be hot and heated in many of the unlikely and unwelcome ways, leaving us to navigate through high temps and humidity, fires-both literally and figuratively-and emotions of uproar with nothing but our own instincts and personal authority. May these instincts be responsive rather than reactive.

Ah, those dog days…

The Dog Days of Summer this August may have much to roar about, given the particularly pernicious planetary alignments this Leo season…

This intensely tense and volatile energy needs to express inner tensions-regardless of the weather-regardless of what they may be, for better or worse… on the other hand, these more spirited energies could be a real opportunity for self-assertion in more constructive ways, as well as leadership roles, such as becoming more independent, or tapping into that precious place within that we romantically refer to as courage.

A likely scenario of how these energies might manifest-you’ll feel a strong inner need to express yourself, in new and creatively genuine ways, but, for whatever reason, you’ll be unable or unwilling to do so-highly likely scenario being that you’ll fail to trust in expressing your own vulnerability. Or these new expressions of selfhood, should you conjure the courage to express them, will not be taken well, or easily, or could be misunderstood entirely.

Not until roughly a week after the sun moves into Virgo (September 10th) will we receive any real meaning or reasoning or rational understanding toward what these overheated dog days represented for us personally.

---

Beginning on August 5th the first quarter moon in Scorpio at 13*02′ represents ‘the need to establish new lines of communication’ (Rudhyar)… though these new lines may feel a smidge firm, aggressive, or even unforgiving to others, as what you may need to be communicating to others describes past pain, underlying motivations, and/or anger gone repressed-either way: you will be heard, and it will be remembered.

August 11th will offer the full moon in Aquarius at 19*21′, and with it: messages-though it is likely that the ‘message’ could have everything to do with progressive directionality through very mature measures of determined ideals… whatever that means lol, but most definitely-the message will be received patiently, or possibly not at all. It will also depend upon whether you’ve ‘stepped up’ through the tensions abound… and whether you’ve responded-or reacted.

The last quarter moon on August 18th is in Taurus at 26*12′ and will likely quite firmly confront you upon all the ways in which you may be underestimating yourself or your talents…

And August 27th is the new moon in Virgo at 4*04′-a moon which could influence a much-needed need for retreat or solitude… this lunarly event is exactly square Mars in Gemini, and so this might suggest an emphasis toward personal mentalities, such as perspectives, mindsets, opinions, beliefs, philosophies, or frequencies through which you are (in)directly experiencing your personal reality.

There will be much to think on by the end of the month, as the month’s introduction toward emerging change and chaos will provide plenty of inspiration for even more eventual pondering…

---

Astrologer Dane Rudhyar gave the nineteenth degree of Taurus the headliner of ‘A New Continent Rising Out of the Ocean’, keynoting the “surge of new potentiality after the crises”, with spontaneity being the word of mantra… what was intended within this transcription?

Newness. Emergence. Rising to the occasion. Birth. Rebirth. New blooms. But also, naturally, unfamiliarity, strangeness, discomfort, and potential fear. And I would argue that, with all of these descriptions-a smidge of pain is inevitably experienced; that crisis is inherently essential to the overall process.

When Mars and Uranus collide in conjunction, this pairing typically speaks to impulsivity and highly likely disruptions, sudden mishaps or accidents, and/or out of nowhere insights toward innovative (re)constructions, be they personal or practical. Speaking of which, when these two planets collide in conjunction within Taurus, these mishaps and massively mammoth machinations tend to be just that-most practical (though it may very well not feel as such at the time). Despite whichever house Taurus rules in your chart, as you will absolutely be feeling any manifestations of this collision within this sector of your life-perhaps it’s also worth considering: where in your life are you being too practical, routine, or dull?-because Uranus will want to shake this up.

Whatever volatility you experience is to awaken you from a mundanity that has gone unchecked or overlooked, ignored or denied for too long and is now considered to be out of control, regardless of however controlled it may very well be. Truly, depending upon your personal circumstances, both realistically and celestially, these manifestations may be incredibly upsetting, infuriating even… as change sometimes entails the uncomfortable-and sometimes this means upheaval, or risk.

And as these two planets collide in tandem with a conjunction to the North Node… this suggests rather loudly (though in Taurus, it wouldn’t be so much loudly as it would be firmly) that these manifestations have the innate power to reposition your reality as you know it. Because the North Node is currently moving through Taurus, this would further rather firmly suggest to you that your response to any manifestations should consider most practically your needs, particularly toward that which enhances or supports your sense of security and well-being, your self-worth, and essentially, your overall personal values-these are likely more important to you now than ever, as it’s the beckoning of an entirely new consciousness upgrade, if you’re willing…

Still. (Be still.) All this volatility and potential upending-don’t expect these new needs to come easily. All these new-cycle changes will be yours alone to make. For yourself.

---

The final, though inexact, square aspect between Saturn and Uranus this year occurs through a one-two degree difference of separation beginning through the last week of August. However, though inexact, this duo will cohabitate within the nineteenth degree through October before fading out via stationing…

The several-year ongoing Saturn/Uranus square is finally tempering out… but not before making one more very strategic move toward an ultimately personal goal.

This degree of Aquarius regards indomitability, as well as the ‘skill and courage necessary to bring under control the destructive potentials of carelessness…’ and is thereby in potentiality of crisis. In many ways, we are being given one last chance to ‘right any wrongs’, and to ultimately rise to the occasion of our lives, for our own future growth.

---

Mars will move through Taurus, continuing to button-push and plug-pull, until August 20th, wreaking potential havoc or highly charged sparks of insight. Expect hot irate heat, and primal anger or passions, frustrations, tensions, emotional resistances, and even the most spirited of motivations to become more forceful than preferred, or loudly/aggressively protested.

Try your best to be flexible. Beware of your own ego/pride.

---

So, what’re we thinking about through August?

How are we able to make sense of what may feel like a seemingly endless experience of changes and changing-all of it occurring so quickly, too quickly to fully process appropriately…?

In what ways can we keep a reasonable outlook upon what may feel like an emotional overload?

Fortunately, Mercury moving through Virgo can inspire and conjure rational thinking overall, particularly overriding any more emotionally-charged emotional thinking, and focusing more upon those more useful thoughts which are very much ensconced within those new personal goals toward a much-needed revival regarding our sense of security and well-being, a renewed acknowledgement and demand of self-worth, as well as those personally genuine values now being held toward a new, more illuminated, light.

With the impersonal protections of reason and rationality supporting your thinking and mindfulness, you are much more inclined to remain cool, calm, and collected-particularly when the inevitable heat gets turned up this month. If you’re able to rise above and embrace the chaos that is with flexibility, it will allow you to shift and bend and you’ll be that much more focused toward your next moves-moves that you aren’t as likely to regret. You’ll also be more appropriately aligned to remain unattached by ego toward whatever it is attempting to bring you down or charge you up in deconstructive ways.

Like your own personal algorithm, Mercury in Virgo works like a sort of spell-check of sorts between all left-brain and right-brain automations, allowing for a clearer awareness toward what to take personally-and what to leave alone because it has nothing to do with you.

Keep your wits about you and make good choices-and try your best not to navigate your moves through your mood!-that’s always a risky way to navigate anything.

---

Where Jupiter moves is where we are most inspired toward where it is we feel less than, undervalued, or without credit… so where in your life are you living beneath your potential or ability?

When Jupiter moves through Aries, this focus is shamelessly put upon our own shoulders-and upon our own volition for personal growth and change… since January you have likely been striving quite willfully toward/for something that allows you to feel that much more capable, that much more qualified, that much more powerful-that much… more.

Jupiter retrograde in Aries offers the opportunity to look forward and backward to acknowledge how far we’ve come, and to reflect upon how our philosophies have changed, or how they may still require some changes, or how some may not have changed at all… taking this pause to consider next moves should be taken with trust-that where we’re going is new and unknown, and in knowing that we’ll need to prepare for such moves through our inner compasses and personal values alone…

With Jupiter now stationing to retrograde, we are given the opportunity to take a pause to reflect upon these changes and personal upgrades, and realize a new or renewed meaning toward these changes and philosophizer our next moves.

This pause, should you be able to tame yourself from animating this month’s reactionary potentials, and find a way to be still… this could offer many flashes of inspiration, illumination, and even something of an inner clairvoyance, as well as a much more empowered stance toward adapting to a more flexible response. Further, this retrogradation could bless our triggers of impatience, through any attempts to balance-reorienting toward a more authentic or appropriate goal, and/or taking time to look inward and within for insights, guidance, and deeper meaning. We are ever-more creating our tomorrow within our todays.

---

The Sun card of the tarot would seem to be a given come Leo season, as the sun, when in Leo, seems to shine so boldly through the months of July and August in the Northern Hemisphere… these dog days of summer keeping us quite hot, definitely heated, and sometimes even bothered. The Sun card reminds us to be optimistic throughout whatever we come up against-however, it is the Strength card that is traditionally associated with Leo.

The Strength card, naturally, represents strength-strength of character, strength of will, strength of determination… all within an overall context of spirit.

---

---

Jean-Jacques Rousseau said in his autobiography, ‘Confessions’, that “there are times when I am so unlike myself that I might be taken for someone else of an entirely opposite character…” and perhaps you will soon empathize with this sentiment…

Changes are upon you, upon us all, and it’ll likely take one hell of a roar to get many of us to willingly make the necessary changes needed to be made to be living in our best light… and it might just take a thorn in the paw for those refusing to change. Truly, what creates an even further frustration through these heavily heated hot dog days of extraordinarily Leo summer is that not much clarity will be achieved until well into September… that through all the tensions and aggravations, potential upsets-however constructive, obstacles, and upheavals, and all the balancing between the inner and outer influences of heated feelings-we must continue to wait in a patient pause before knowing precisely why it all mattered. Well, Leo energies aren’t too keen on all that… as we’ll see.

Should you be kind enough-and working within a higher mind of consciousness-you will rise above all the anger and upset, into the realm of true breakthrough and enlightened fortitude… these dog days, then, for you, will represent something much more constructive-much more empowering-these dog days of August will become your crucible for real alchemical gold!

Much like how diamonds are created through friction and pressure, it is known that melting gold is the oldest way to purify it… though, it is not as widely known that to melt gold is to take on the highest risk for severe burns. And so it is this August…

Essentially, August is providing for us, albeit confrontationally, a direct route to personally authentic gold, should we choose to take it-though, depending upon the route you choose-you either melt the gold or burn your skin… though, through Leonine influence, it would be your pride that gets burned. And perhaps this is where our tempers need tamed this month-learning not to allow our ego/pride to motivate our moves, but rather-to allow our true light, our inner guidance, which is always impersonal to a fault yet always without flaw.

Perhaps such empowered mercurial influence will inspire this month-inspire those of us who are not as adept toward flexibility to ease a bit in such firmly rooted stances, be it a position, a belief, a personal motivation, or an ideal… the manner in which we address, avoid, embrace, or resist change is directly tied to our character, and our character-when shining-is directly associated with our sense of inner confidence… and with our confidence fortified-we create metaphorical gold simply by believing it possible, by trusting that we can.

Make good choices, friends-and remember that sometimes strength yields…

Also, I have high hopes of pulling this newsletter idea off monthly through December, upon which, beginning January of 2023, will be offered only to subscribers (for $8/month), in addition to additional posts regarding weekly and monthly planetary placements, transits, aspecting, asteroids, and maybe even quarterly horoscopes!-if you can sweet talk me into it… wink wink

Be well, XO JJ

The measure of intelligence is the ability to change…

Albert Einstein

---