Spirit of Fire[/caption]Can you feel it? The intensity is palpable! I sure can. Yesterday, it seemed wherever I went, people were cranky, easily irritated, upset and ungrounded. The current transits (grand cross formed by Saturn, Pluto, Uranus and the Sun-Venus, and soon Mars) are heating things up, to put it mildly.
We are being super-charged now. The effects of the July 14th Capricorn full moon has had an immense impact on us. It was heightened by three eclipses that occurred one after another (June 1st, June 15th, July 1st) and was then followed up by the current grand cross between Uranus, Pluto, Saturn and the three planets transiting thru Cancer--the Sun, Venus, soon Mars. These aspects are long-standing, meaning they will be impacting us for months, and stirring up chaotic aggressive energies.
There are many reasons for this:
- the grand cross is in cardinal signs, initiating new beginnings
- the outer-planets in the grand cross seek to liberate and unearth our deepest collective and personal shadow conditioning--and there is much resistance to authentic change
- the transiting Sun, Venus, Mars are square the US Saturn in Libra--Saturn is about Karma and the US is having a Saturn return (not easy or comfortable--very narrowing energy)
- the effects of eclipses last for as long as six months
In addition to the reasons mentioned above, evolution is speeding everything up (each day it seems) and there is no lag time between our thoughts and there outcomes. If we are vibrating at a low frequency (negative thinking, fear, judgment rather than compassionate discernment) that's what we will draw to us, thus the importance of initiating in activities and thoughts that support the higher road. Not an ungrounded idealist or the know-it-all road, but an integrated embodied one, conscious and awake to who we really are (the cosmic truth, thus the importance of not being asleep to our unique contribution to the here and now of the collective evolutionary renaissance at our doorstep).
What I notice when I look at the chart for today is, soon the Sun and Venus will move into Leo and trine Uranus, the planet of liberation (the Sun is already forming a loose trine). With this aspect of ease and grace connecting with Uranus, there will be surprisingly great speed with which our heart's desire (Leo) occurs. So be sure to consciously declare that which you want to manifest (fire signs are all about manifestation). There's plenty of rocket fuel available.
Mercury currently is in Leo, at 23 degrees. By August 2rd, it will reach 1 degree of Virgo and move into retrograde motion until August 26, when it will move forward again at 18 degrees Leo.
Similar to the previous Mercury retro cycle in Aries, this retrograde period is fueled by planets in the same sign Mercury will retrograde in (Leo). For those of us who are comfortable being internal and intuitive, this is not a big deal, but for people who like to be in outward action and push the envelope, it may be a difficult time.
A nice addition to all this energy is the upcoming New Moon, which occurs on July 30th at 7 Leo. This aspect trines Uranus in Aries and adds more fire to the pot. This will help bring forward that which wanted to initiate in March/April during Mercury's retrograde in Aries. (There were so many planets in Aries, at the same time Mercury was retrograde, taking action didn't actually occur for some of us.
This Leo time is for create, create, create, but WITHOUT DRAMA! Leo is all about creativity (performance, art, romance, children, authenticity, golden light) and if its energy isn't channeled in a positive direction, it comes out in an overly dramatic way. So it's a good idea to be conscious of what we are creating.
Retrograde planets operate more internally, making the effect of the normally direct planet within our psyches either more attuned to its energy or in complete denial of its influence. This is because retrogrades actually have great force, but that force is being sent in another direction, inward (or backwards), thus Mercury in retrograde engages the intuitive right brain, and needs more literal time to process the thoughts coming through before any apparent action in word or deed is taken.
Now as transiting Mercury begins its retrograde phase, it will help us to engage the right brain because Mercury opposes Neptune--the higher octave of Venus. Since Mercury rules our thinking process and Leo the heart (and Virgo discernment), the logic of the heart will merge (Neptune) more readily with our compassionate dreams, supporting the collective mind to become inflamed with creative compassion.
What calls to us during Mercury retrogrades are themes such as regrouping, reclaiming, relaxing, regenerating, rejoicing, renegotiating, renewing, and so forth. When we don't heed the call of the retrograde is when we get into trouble. Forcing, dominating, etc, will only bring too much fire to the mix and we don't need any additional fire right now. There's enough electricity available via the evolutionary air waves to fuel us forward, though with Mars moving in to join the Grand Cross in the second week of August, 'we the people' will most likely become enraged (Leo) with the government (see Nancy Sommer's blog for the political overview).
Events that occur(red) during Mercury's initial pass over the mid-to late degrees of Leo to 1 degree of Virgo (15th of July-Aug 2), will become highlighted during Mercury's retrograde period. Astrologer, Gary Caton, during his lecture series this spring, spoke about the Mercury retrograde cycles for this year, mentioning they all occur in fire signs, thus events that occur during this time will have to do with the element of fire, i.e., volcanic eruption in Italy. So it's not surprising how hot it is. Hopefully it won't get worse throughout the retro period, especially the weather!
The heat is on in other arenas too. How about the Rupert Murdoch scandal? Mars' transit thru Gemini (in relation to Murdoch's natal chart) brought News Corporations misdeeds to the fore for the world to see--good news for democracy! Sinister empires are beginning to tumble, revealing to us the shocking positive, potentially scary, disruptive power the Uranus-Pluto squares will bring, as they come more and more into exact aspect (Uranus in Aries--seeks liberation from corporate misuse and control--Pluto in Capricorn).
Personally, I have felt a lot of grace pouring through (from Chiron-Neptune in Pisces) but only when I am aligned with love, non-judgement, and multi-dimensional aliveness (the evolutionary deep knowing and acknowledgement that we are all one). All the activity in Gemini has squared my intense mutable chart, and now all the Cancer transit activity squares my Mars, which means there is strong potential for others to project their stuff onto me (which has definitely happened) and there is potential for accidents to occur (I fell yesterday).
The way to curb these kind of influences is to be mindful, grounded, and focus on the grace, not the chaotic static electricity flying through the air. And to continually check-into our internal barometer. Is your temperature getting fuel from the past (resentments, shame, etc) or is it heartfully embracing the present, and future moments with embodied clarity, compassion, and humility that only come when we are not in our heads, but in our hearts?
Thankfully, I am blessed to have many spiritual reminders to continually stay connected through heart, mind, body and soul, though as an empath it's not always easy! One of the reminders in my life is Spiritual Belly Dance. I have been blessed to dance with Clementina Brown for fifteen years. She recently moved back to the DC area, at least for half the year, and I have been to her class twice. WOW-its so healing and lovely--I have missed it.
Stay cool emotionally, mentally, and physically (the color blue is very helpful with this).
Wishing us all the very best.
