The Bold Artisan: A Virgo New Moon square Mars in Gemini - Forecast for August 20-31st, 2022
Galactic Greetings,
Virgo Season arrives as we round out the month of August. Next week, I’ll be headed to the ISAR conference to connect with fellow astrologers and attend presentations. I’m thrilled to announce that while I’m in Denver, I’ll be returning to The Astrology Podcast to record the September forecast live in the studio with Chris and Austin! So stay tuned.
The Foundations of Astrology Course begins on 9/7/22!
Astrology Watch:
8/20 Mars enters Gemini
8/21 Mercury opposes Neptune
8/22 Virgo Season Begins
8/24 Uranus stations retrograde
8/25 Mercury enters Libra
8/26 Venus square Uranus + Sun square Mars
8/27 Virgo New Moon
8/28 Venus opposes Saturn
8/20 Mars enters Gemini, to stay through 3/25/23
Mars enters Gemini for a grand total of 7 months! We’ll be working with this bad boi for a while. Mars in Gemini tends to disperse focus, pique curiosity, and encourage us to take risks for learning’s sake. While retrograde (10/30 – 1/12/23), we can expect some definite problem-solving, rekindling of passion, and reconfiguring our navigation.
See my extended article, Renovations In The Gemini House + Mars Retrograde 2022 – 2023 to snag your personalized retro-scopes!
8/21 Mercury opposes Neptune
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been feeling this one build since Mercury landed on the Virgo scene. While we love mercury in Virgo for their problem-solving and brainstorming abilities, much of this talent fuzzies and distorts with the kaleidoscope filter of Neptune. Ultimately, we cannot plan for every crisis. We cannot know everything the future entails. Sometimes all we can do is trust the current we’re coasting in. The Universe is quirky, yet wise indeed. Mercury in Virgo belongs to a milieu of back-up plans, but inevitably, Neptune is the blind spot – the exquisitely rare terrain of Virgo in which no one could plan for.
So, if you’re driving yourself nuts trying to solve the unsolvable, try the zen approach of allowing the answers to find you. Rest. Listen to music, watch tv (for real). Sometimes the answer arrives through the character drama before you! Plant medicine offers colorful pathways of opening doors.
8/22 Virgo Season Begins
The Sun enters Virgo, the sign of the Virgin. Let it be known that classically, to be a virgin meant something entirely different. It meant “unwed,” which could also be interpreted as autonomous. Virgos are artisans. Multitalented, gifted with the mind, language and their dexterity, it would seem that there’s nothing they cannot do. Geared toward constant improvement, these artisans continuously elevate their craft. With a desire to serve humanity, and to fill a purpose in the world, Virgos want to channel their talents to be of service. As gifted as they are, Virgos are humble – perhaps because they constantly note room for improvement.
Virgo season invites us to get organized, to revamp our routines (prioritizing well-being) and to show up for others.
8/24 Uranus stations retrograde
Stationing at 18°55’ Taurus, Uranus brings excitement and shake-ups to the Taurus sector of our charts.
Uranus brings upheaval, rebellion, surprises and overall, a high-voltage spike into our human-sphere. As I sit here to write, journalists are speculating about the recent trends of vigilante uprisings. We are even hearing whispers of “civil war.” While Uranus is nowhere near the sign of Gemini yet (the Uranus return of the civil war), and Neptune is not yet upon the Aries cusp (the Neptune return of the civil war), we nervously observe what could be a prequel, as both tensions and insanity rise.
For a few days on either side of Uranus’ station, know that many people will be feeling this extra jolt in their nervous systems – anxiously nudging us to our edge. However, the choice is ours to leap. Oftentimes, anxiousness arises out of the nervous system’s recognition of unsustainability. Uranus can give us the push to do the big brave thing – and in Taurus, this can indicate a brave altering to a steady fixture in our lives.
Uranus in Taurus reminds us that sometimes we must remove ourselves from our comfort zone in order to create even more supportive, beautiful systems of nourishment.
Mercury enters Libra: 8/25 – 9/23, 10/10 – 10/29
Mercury’s Libra ingress tells us two important things:
1) Mercury retrograde is near
2) It won’t be so bad
We like Mercury Libra – a conversant air sign enriched in the art of exchange. A charming channel of aesthetic, Mercury in Libra is a natural curator. Mercury’s extended stay in an air sign (where they enjoy elemental rulership), is to our benefit. Skilled in negotiation, the art of strategy and designing solutions which appease everyone, indeed, Mercury in Libra is a smarty. The downsides? Mercury in Libra might care too much about what others think. Also, the retrograde part will be challenging.
Almost two months of Mercury in Libra will chide us to improve those communication skills. No doubt, with a thematic opposition to opinionated Jupiter in Aries, the challenge will be: How to speak your truth while remaining tactful. There is an art to diplomacy; there is an art to captivating your audience with an inspirational message; there is an art to masterminding enticing solutions which everyone can get on board with. We are all in for a good debate with this one!
8/26 Venus square Uranus, 8/28 Venus opposes Saturn
The last time Venus entangled herself with the Saturn-Uranus square, she was in Taurus, bringing an extreme swing to inflation. Prices of gas and food skyrocketed while crypto bombed. Now that she is in Leo, we see the price of gasoline waning, while food continues to increase. With Venus ruling the north node in Taurus, bringing extremes to the prices of necessities, Venus in Leo may be responsible for the tempering some of these extremes. If this is true, watch for Venus’ arrival in Virgo for a crash of some kind next month.
Venus’ configuration here can show up in a big way in our relationships. We might feel some pressure as Venus squares off with the nodes of fate, spurring us to make important decisions in the directions of our relationships. Venus’ opposition with Saturn invites us to put in the work on some level, while Uranus can offer brilliant solutions. This configuration is somewhat of a make-or-break energy. The fixity makes an excellent case for sticking it out, leaning into effort and facing of challenges versus throwing in the towel; however, Saturn will also make the reality clear: what is really worth our time? What do we ultimately want long term?
Indeed, finances and relationships are in the pressure cooker this week; while the pressure is certainly palpable, clarity in discerning the best solution for the long term drives the ship.
8/27 Virgo New Moon Sun square Mars
Synonymous with renewal, the new moon sweeps and clears our Virgo house, setting new intentions in the process. Appropriately, as new moons equal new beginnings, the Virgo New Moon introduces two new currents which will become mainstays in the coming months:
First, the Virgo new Moon is ruled by Mercury in Libra, headed toward an opposition with Jupiter. Due to retrograde motion, we will be working with this opposition through mid-October. This aspect will assist us in communicating more authentically, as well as gracefully. The artfulness of Libra and the expansiveness of Jupiter funnels into our Virgoan endeavors of improvement, organization and acts of service. Put some bling on it!
Secondly, the new moon forms a perfect square to Mars, freshly initiated into Gemini where Mars will stay until the end of March. Indeed, this will be a theme we are working with for the next 7 months. Curious and easily distracted, Mars in Gemini diffuses the routine, motivating us to differentiate in the spirit of learning. While Virgo craves definite quality of craft, precision and skill, Mars in Gemini suggests the importance of loosening up, humor and falling with grace. Overall, a new moon in a square with Mars can also spell fireworks – from DIY pipe bombs to verbal blowouts and gathering courage to jumpstart something new.