July 24, 2005

The sun has moved into Leo, the peak fire of mid-summer. Saturn, thirty-year cycle centering/grounding influence, has also just crossed into Leo, reinforcing the experience. We've entered a time of intensified passion. With Mercury's mental tide retrograde/internalizing for a few weeks, we are challenged to accept and adjust to mental reflection amidst it.

The last week of July, the moon (heart spirit) builds in spring energy. By the weekend, it's charged with anticipation, going over the top into emotional release on Monday, August 1.

Mid-summer, especially the first week of August, has often seen historic events where situations building for awhile burst into dramatic manifestation. With activating Mars moving into peak earth Taurus for the next six months (rare), the force of true nature is asserting itself. The new moon in Leo on the night of Thursday, August 4 is the power break-out turning point for the year. Passionate spirit comes out as the moon goes down the seasonal cycle, hitting bottom, rebounding in earthy Capricorn, the night of Monday, August 15, just as the mental tide (Mercury) completes its internalizing and begins to move forward again.

By the full moon on Friday the 19th, with creativity and dreams blending in awareness (Jupiter trine Neptune in air signs), energy released in the wake of the new moon will polarize--sun in passionate Leo, moon in visionary Aquarius--into a new power alignment. Next is Virgo, late summer's fruitful harvest, then a magnetic autumn.