Breaking The Drought, Scopes For All Signs, August Winds Of Change

Roaring through August.

Welcome Mercury to the retrograde crusade, marching alongside the titans; Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, forcing us to look back for a while.  The debt soap opera has wrenched just about every last bit of patience from most Americans not anesthetized by Jersey Shore, Gaga, Scalar cocktails, barbituate-chip-ice cream, ungodly heat and the mind numbing meanderings of a guy in a suit that has managed to royally piss off his base.  Yes, I am talking about that guy, who who turns 50 today.  I’m sure we’ll witness some royal fete, replete with pharaoh styled party hats and plenty of cold beer.

We’re looking back on how we got here, how we got to this place where the fabric of our lives hangs in a precarious balance, battered continuously by the gale force of bad news and trauma.  We wonder how we can strategize and define a life worth living against the backdrop of failed leadership and incompetence at the very least, and God forbid, a willful demolition and callous disregard for the masses lurking in the most unthinkable regions of the heart.  And while some of the world cannot wait to see us fall, let it be known that we are the last domino in a fragile, global ponzi scheme.  If we teeter off the edge, then we’re taking the rest of you down with us, so be careful what you wish for.  Goliath could leave an Earth sized crater in it’s wake.  We’re in this now and together.

Mercury retrograde in Virgo, hitting is hitting your inner skies and this brings us back to the personal.  Virgo is critical.  Let’s not beat around the bush.  I had two parents with Virgo Moons and they were harsh critics of their life, mine and just about everyone else’s.  They bonded by agreeing on the foibles of others.  They circled their emotional covered wagons around a critical view.  This upcoming Mercury Retrograde challenges us to forgive ourselves for not being perfect.  I haven’t done scopes for a while, so let’s see if I can build a campfire in my soul against the backdrop of darkened world.  Warning.  Candor ahead.

ARIES
Brakes and breaks are the two keywords for you. As Saturn moves further north of Uranus, it’s more gas and less brakes. Acceleration is on. The Leo Sun supports your efforts to move forward, especially in matters of amore. Where romance is concerned, merge with the flow on the free way of the heart. Let up on the brakes, or you’ll burn tread and waste precious fuel. When you realize that you can indeed, finally move ahead, the next level of breaks comes into play. We’re talking grace, pure and simple. You’ve got a few coming your way, so don’t allow what’s happened in the recent past to spoil any new momentum. There are new findings coming through about the efficacy of therapy and how it renews a contract with trauma without always resolving it, leaving the client in a state of perpetually reviewing their shadows, without truly setting them free. It might be the most powerful revelation in the case against particular types of therapy. You need to pay close attention to this. Move on.

TAURUS
While the rest of America is taking it in the shorts, you’re still rocking in the free world, thanks mostly to your sign taking a leisurely stay in the second sun. Pluto stays in a fairly close trine with Jupiter over the next few months, so the potential for reaping even greater gains and rewards is no mere illusion. You’ve got the wind at your sails. I know, that’s a funny metaphor for a bull, but I saw this amazing video recently of a version of the bulls running through the streets of Pamplona in Denia, Spain. They call it “Bous A La Mar.” It’s the closest I could get to the bull/sailing metaphor. The whole concept here is to count your blessings and accrue as many more as possible. If there’s a challenge in your world, it’s in the realm of the heart. With Virgo going backwards it gives you pause to review where you’ve just come from. You might be surprised when you clearly review the facts where you were right all along and maybe not so correct in other assessments. If you keep your mind and heart open, you might be surprised.

GEMINI
Now that Mars is about to pass from your sign to Cancer, your energy shifts as well. The outward force of activity and push gives way to something more pressing; the need to solidify and ground your base. You are not usually the sentimental type, but this cycle/phase has you pining for moments that were tender, vulnerable and sweet. There’s also a sense of turgid melancholy associated with this, like a bygone age rushing by you, a time you’ll never see or experience the same way, ever again. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it makes you a little anxious and you want solid ground, terra firma, at the very least for now. This has a direct impact on your heart and you will not settle for anything less than real relationships, meaningful encounters. The good news is, is that ironically, your faith is stronger now. You may not have everything exactly laid out the way you want it, but you have enough of a solid sense in your ability to carry out your the mandate of your soul. Proceed with clarity and as much surety as you can muster and you’ll be just fine.

CANCER
The early part of the month is intense. We’re talking power plays. When the going gets tough, you go sideways, but this time is different. There is a change your own, personal, new world order. The Sabian Symbol for One Cancer is “On A Ship The Sailors Lower An Old Flag And Raise A New One.” This Mars in Cancer establishes the end of one particular allegiance/alliance and the beginning of something new. All of this gets played out in the midst of criticism and censure and a massive power struggle for you against the mind-numbing forces of conformity. You can’t go back into your shell now, you cannot retreat and yet you know you will never win/succeed by using the same strategy and tools. So you adopt a new model, a new constitution of living and since you are the sign for the US, drafting a new set of bylaws or commandments is the only way you can triumph over the inner tyranny you’ve turned loose in the world around you. Yes, you knew that right? These struggles are phantasms of your own making, but realizing that is only the first step in turning the tide in your direction. As is often the case, when forming new alliances under the guise of a new flag, there are occasionally awkward moments where cultures collide. Don’t shy away from these. They’re essential and you need to integrate them into your life. Tear down the walls.

LEO
It’s your month. Let it roar. Venus is still in your sign so bungle in the jungle, or something like that. At the very least use the dog days of Summer, they won’t be so harsh on a big pussycat like you. Not only does Venus do a star turn in your sign, Mercury retreats from Virgo back into Leo on the 9th. This gives you an extra boost when it comes to voicing your intention. The only real issue I see for the majority of August is Jupiter’s square to your sun. But even that friction could work out well as Jupiter squares are not the most exacting of aspects. If anything, they offer too many choices. This manifests in your career sector and it dovetails with power. At the same time, you cannot indulge in benign indifference either. It’s essential that you lead as you always do, generally with your heart first, but trust me, your head shouldn’t be that far behind. The early part of the month has you reflecting on your stability and how you can batten down the hatches so to speak. But as Mercury shuffles backwards, you reflect on who you are and what your legacy is. How do you appear to others? And does it really matter? A long time ago, I was hanging out in Sirius and their spiritual leader told me that “the goal of existence was the redemption of matter.” It made odd sense then, but then most of the theosophical codes did. It’s where my head was at. But over time, I realized that it was an illusion, that all matter was holy and sacred and nothing needed to be redeemed. Nothing was fallen. And that means you as well.

VIRGO
No matter how hard I try, I still cannot unhook myself from the lessons of Virgo. The anaretic degree snags me all the time. When I pay don’t pay attention to details, I get slapped upside the head. When I mean details, it’s pretty broad. It extends beyond just one aspect of my life. If I’m not paying attention, anywhere, whack, the backside of the hand to the third eye. But it gets into etheric areas as well. Case in point. I pack my kid’s lunch everyday he’s with me. Yesterday was no exception. A day before, I remembered one time where I forgot it last year and had to bring out to his camp. Not fun. So this year I have been uber-conscious. Well yesterday I got a call on my radio show. It was my ex. She told me that she had gotten a call from his camp and that I had forgotten to pack his lunch and she called in because my mailbox on my phone was full. I actually hadn’t forgotten the lunch. He lost it. But that wasn’t the detail. It was the full mailbox, but even more, it was my thoughts. I helped dream that scenario into existence. The bottom line was that details mattered. They counted and they should for you as well. You know the drill, but now, even moreso, you are rewarded for following up and cleaning up your life (Jupiter makes sure of that). And you haven’t seen anything yet. When late August, early September rolls around, your cosmic essence will be richly rewarded. Trust me.

LIBRA
Time tripping. That’s the theme for most of the other signs and for you, But for you, it’s all about past relationships and past lives. Saturn has a way of doing that. It moves us from where we are and usually takes us on a trip down memory lane. It’s not like its opposite, Cancer though. Cancer is brimming with nostalgia and sentimentality. Nope. Saturn is all about detachment. It’s about observation–viewing things from a 10,000 foot perspective. That’s what it’s calling you to do. Step back. Way back. This is like a past life review but without the attendant emotion. You’re here to simply observe and be detached. There are times to be empathic and feel, this is not one of them. When you’re divested of emotion, you can notice things, details that may get swallowed up in an ocean of feeling. I’m reminded of the scene in Fearless, where the jet is about to crash and Jeff Bridges is totally calm and relaxed and he can see every detail in all it’s horrific granularity. He’s a part of the scene and apart from it. While your life is no plane wreck, that’s really not the issue. With all of the cardinal energy still bouncing off and around you thanks to Pluto, Uranus and Saturn, slowing things down and ditching the subjectivity is worth the effort. Look back on your past relationships like your watching a documentary. You’ll learn a lot more.

SCORPIO
Complex. That’s the word that sums up the rest of this month for you. The dynamics are tricky. Jupiter is tugging on the backside of your perception. You’re usually the one sporting the gothic cool, the sexy underworldlieness; you’re a colossal pheromone attractor. But they key is that you’re in control. You’re the one that’s leading us into the shadowy depths of psychic oceans. A fixed sign, you’re in control. But Jupiter changes that equation. You’re less invested in having things your way and that’s not a bad thing per se, but if you’re not used to it, it can be awkward when you are not in control. Let’s throw a little Leo Sun and Mercury retreating backwards in Leo and it feels a little obsessive at times as well. So you’re really out of your element in some ways. The yellow flag I see around this is the a word; “addiction.” This can be a result of your feeling like you’re out of control. The upcoming Scorpio Moon on Saturday night adds yet more intensity, but the real vortex is the Full Moon in Aquarius on the 14th. We’re talking power, drama, edge–just how you like it. What’s the upside? Deeper integration between eros and psyche than you might imagine. Towards the end of the month, you’ll be smoking a clove cigarette in the sweet and breathless aftermath.
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SAGITTARIUS
You get a few chronological boosts per year and August is generally one of them. The call of the wild is strong and it’s usually a great time to travel, this year is no different, but Mercury Retrograde throws a little twist into your travel plans. If you’ve already purchased your tickets, then all you have to do is psychonavigate your journey. If you haven’t bought your tix and you are itching to go, I would never tell a Sag “no” or to “stay home,” but let me give you some travel ideas. One of my new favorite shows is “American Pickers.” It’s about two guys that travel around the countryside buying junk and antiques. It’s like “Antique Roadshow” on wheels, with two cornpokes from Iowa. The great thing about the show is that they get great bargains and equally great stories from the people they pick from. Are you getting my drift? Road trip. That applies to everyone, even you non-Americans out there. The whole idea here for you is to combine the concept of personal and cultural anthropology. Finding yourself amongst the landscape. I’ll give you even one more hint. If you keep your heart open, there’s a very good chance the sweet bluebird of love might just fly into it as you are speeding down the road of self-discovery. Okay, let’s say you don’t have any tickets and you can’t get away, you can plan sojourns that are just blocks away. Back in the early 90’s I used to go to this place called “The Russian Renaissance Room.” It was run by an old Russian guy named “Boris.” Boris loved Reagan. He had a picture of him and Reagan together on his wall. He had a one handed daughter who waited on tables and the cheapest Zubrovka in town. I felt like I settled in at the base of the Steppes every time I dropped in. That’s a clue for your alternate getaway.

CAPRICORN
Just like Aries, Libra and Cancer, you’re part of the “Sacred Order Of The Cardinal Cross” and with Mars drifting into Cancer, Saturn languishing in Libra, and Uranus moving backward in Aries, the meeting of the ancients is now called. In the four quadrants of the inner circle, you must enter into the following chambers in this exact sequence; In the North Circle on the 4th, you’ll need to strike a compromise in your work that appears like you are giving in and in fact, you really might be, but the truth of the matter is, is that you need to master the art of winning without winning. Your next station occurs in the West Circle on the 11th, where you have to face yourself, literally and figuratively. You’ll need to take seven minutes, three times a day to place your visage in front of a mirror and simply observe. No judgment, just pure observation. On the 18th, in the South Circle, you’ll have to do something in your home that will not make you popular. Consider it your very own cremation of care. No more Mr. or Mrs. Niceguy/Nicegal. We’re talking politically incorrect. Neighbors count by the way. Here, you’ll be sacrificing some drastic aspect of sentimentality. Lastly, on the 25th, in the East Circle, you will need to practice aggressive empathy. What does that mean? It means that you’ll need to go out of your way to understand your lover. I’m not advocating a master/slave relationship, but something along those lines, only softer and sweeter. We’re talking extended massage session, cooking all three meals in the day, drawing your beloved a bath and with their permission, even joining them. What these four initiations in the “Sacred Order Of The Cardinal Cross” will do for you is allow you to move with the energy and not have the energy blast you into the next county.

AQUARIUS
While Aries, Cancer, Libra and Cap have their Cardinal Cross passion play going on, you, Leo and Taurus have your own love affair with oppositions and squares this month. The biggest piece for your triangle/tangle is that slippery Mercury in Leo retrograde. You’re talking about commitment and what it means to be in a relationship. Talking, talking, and more talking. Can you live up to your agreements and still maintain the autonomy that you crave? How can you keep from turning your partner into a parent? Love isn’t about authority (unless you’re a parent), so your challenge is to keep your passion from becoming rebellion. You don’t want anyone to cramp your style and yet at the same time, you need structure so someone that holds you to your word, your agreements is critical. Why? Because the other player in your chart, Jupiter is impacted by this as well. It’s all about grounding and getting and feeling more solid as a result of your conscious communication in this realm. On the 21st, the Full Moon in your sign is the ultimate arbiter. Will instinct outweigh reason? Will you forsake security to follow your eccentric muse? Under the light of the Moon, you’ll discover a more than just a little piece of your immediate destiny.

PISCES
Of all the signs, you’re the most sensitive, hands down, bar none. So when shifts take place to the outer planets, especially Neptune (Your planet), you feel it. That means you’re a vastly collective being. As Neptune retreats (along with Chiron), you feel it like the tide going out and with the Sun approaching Virgo at month’s end, One of my favorite Pisces, Hines Ward, he of The Pittsburgh Steelers recently got popped for a DUI. No doubt, Hines was feeling the psychic emanations of the retrograde exodus. another strong Pisces, Braylon Edwards recently got into a bar fight where there was two stabbings. These guys need to drop the medication and get into meditation. I would highly suggest that you be pretty gentle on yourself. I’m not advocating that you go and run off to a monastery for the next sixty days, but I would certainly advocate a little well timed, time out. But it’s not just for self preservation that I am advocating your “you time” it’s also a prime time for firing your psychic awareness. Mars in Cancer is intensely psychic and a real ally for you adding a soft, yet dynamic flow in concert with your Sun sign. Early Pisces get the benefit from Mars also supporting transiting Chiron. That means catharsis. Healing. Reclamation. By you doing your inner work this month, you’re actually taking your place amongst the pantheon of modern heroes.

This post hopefully breaks a drought of sorts for me. I have been woefully neglectful of this site and my art. I’ve been breaking down some internal structures and it’s not always easy to create when the wrecking ball of deconstruction is swinging wild and free. For those of you that actually follow this site, thanks for being patient.