“The greater the tension, the greater the potential” - Carl Jung. This weekend starts off with Venus in a trine to Neptune and Mars in a Square to Saturn - we’re met by a frustrating aspect that makes it feel like the world is working against us. However, Venus in a trine to Neptune allows us to get lost in a daydream, and the energies will be perfect for artistic pursuits instead of tedious work - use the for enjoyment if you can, allow yourself to release any pressures. August 4th - 6th we find ourselves in the First Quarter Moon Phase, in Scorpio. First Quarter phases clarify for the upcoming lunar cycle (the Full Moon in Aquarius). Leo & Scorpio bring attention to our emotional nature and the way in which we express ourselves. They bring attention to our pain and our passions, past and present. This First Quarter Moon opposes Uranus in Taurus. Expect the unexpected. Not conducive for travel or communication. We’re looking for authenticity & unshakeable trust. Monday hurdles on the scene in anticipation of Thursday’s Full Moon in Aquarius, with Venus (Love & Values) Opposing Pluto (Destruction & Rebirth). This transit adds intense pressures to your closest relationships. People may feel suspicious, jealous, possessive, or threatened. Relationship drama due to manipulation or power plays is common with this transit, as well as obsessions & compulsive attractions. Gossip and rumors can lead to sabotage in major areas of our lives under this paranoid aspect. The best way to handle overpowering feelings is to work out where they come from. Be open and honest with people, but most importantly with yourself. Thursday is like lightning, as the Full Moon in Aquarius meets
Mars in Taurus sextiling Neptune in Pisces and the Sun in Leo squares Uranus in Taurus, and Venus enters Leo. Do know, this highly charged series of transits are intense and challenging, but with courage & determination, its creative potential can be liberated & utilized. An important step in a collective "birthing process" is now taking place, and as with a real birth, there is now only one possible direction of movement: forward. Stability now means surrendering to the flow of development while remaining focused. Aquarius is the Socially Idealistic Humanitarian, Ruling the 11th House of Friendships & Community. Aquarius, an Air sign who carries a vat filled with All Knowing Water, is rational, cool, emotionally detached, and supremely innovative. The Sun is in the opposite sign (what occurs at every full moon) of the Water Bearer, Leo. Leo is warm, inspired, expressive and performative. Leo risks everything in order to be received by its audience. Aquarius understands itself and could not care less if you do too. Aquarius is ruled by Uranus, which symbolizes technology, rebellion, the unexpected, & innovation. Uranus strikes in order to create groundbreaking, dynamic change. As Full Moons are about release, this Full Moon is an ideal time to leave toxic friend groups behind and go your own way, so you develop healthier relationships elsewhere. Tread carefully & move slowly. During Venus’s transit in Leo we feed on attention, acknowledgement, validation, & adoration. Venus in Leo loves to be adored, pampered, and admired. Pride and Passion are hallmarks of this cycle. We will have strong ego investments in our love lives - the negative expression of this timeline is overstating our feelings for the effect, as well as extravagance in the form of vanity of the ill variety. Moving forward from these first few August weeks, the tension that has been building in the House that Taurus rules in your birth chart will start to release later in this month. It’s best to take nothing personally in the upcoming days, recognize that everyone is feeling the push to honor their own needs, which serves us all best in the long run.