An Empty Hammock

This week’s Aries Final Quarter Moon (July 9, 2023, 6:47 pm PDT, 17º35’ Aries/Most cancers) is the ultimate motion level within the Gemini New Moon cycle that started on June seventeenth. Gemini’s job is to gather all the data we are able to, however it usually confines its search to the issues we’re in a position to see, hear, learn, or motive by. In that New Moon chart, nonetheless, the Solar and Moon had been each sq. Neptune, a supply of data that’s intuitive – much less apparent however simply as essential. It’s been difficult to clear one’s head and make a plan.

The Final Quarter Moon highlights the Sabian symbols 18 Aries (Moon), An empty hammock, and 18 Most cancers (Solar), Hen scratching for her chicks. Most certainly, the hammock is empty as a result of though summer season invitations us to lie about and chill out, the Final Quarter it’s an action-oriented part in a extremely action-oriented signal, Aries. Finally, Neptune’s fog is lifting.

There’s good motive to maneuver, and transfer quick. The Sabian image for the Solar, Hen scratching for her chicks, implies that every one this operating round and onerous work aren’t essentially as a result of we really feel impressed or have lots of vitality, however as a result of others are counting on us to supply sustenance. We would even be residence extra simply now, giving thought to enchancment tasks and the right way to pay for them.

It’s a splendidly energetic Final Quarter Moon. When you’ve acquired tasks in your checklist that you just’ve been stalling out on, speaking your self out of them and discovering it onerous to maneuver ahead with them – this is among the finest lunar phases all 12 months for breaking by.

A Cranky Mars

After I was small, I used to be obsessively neat. For enjoyable, I used to brush the entrance path…and it was manufactured from grime!

And but, a few of my favourite locations to play had been messy, even chaotic. One relative’s residence was comfortably untidy, and it was liberating to spend time there, the place you by no means felt tense about leaving your crayons or comedian books mendacity round. It was a spot that fueled imaginative play.

Mars enters Virgo this week (July 10, 2023, 4:40 am PDT, by Aug. 27), and as a proud proprietor of a Mars in Virgo in my beginning chart, I can attest to its virtues. This Mars is tidy, confident, competent, and devoted to high quality work and a spotlight to element. However each Mars placement has its scratchy facet, and it’s the small issues that irritate us when Mars is in Virgo: the poor use of punctuation, the waiter who mixes up the lunch order, the buddy who’s at all times late.

If you end up slightly extra sarcastic, sharp-tongued, and important whereas Mars is right here, keep in mind that Mars acts because the guard canine of the ego – and Mars in Virgo reveals its cranky facet after we really feel we’re being taken with no consideration, or that the standard of our work is being impugned. To get perspective and steadiness on a cranky Mars in Virgo, take your cues from Saturn and Neptune in blurred-around-the-edges Pisces – focus much less on doing each completely, and extra on being useful and sort.

A Glimpse into the Underworld

As Mercury opposes Pluto (July 10, 2023, 1:48 pm PDT, 29º23’ Most cancers/Capricorn), I’m reminded of the distinction between greedy one thing along with your thoughts and understanding it along with your physique. An mental understanding and willingness to speak about profound points are an excellent place to start out. However except we’ve confronted these items ourselves, confronted life-threatening discrimination, watched a beloved one struggling to breathe, discovered ourselves and not using a residence, our skill to know them is restricted.

Pluto is on the Sabian image 30 Capricorn: A secret enterprise convention. Right this moment, we’re invited to glimpse the shadowy, Pluto underworld that a lot of our fellow people – and infrequently, we – name residence. Hear and watch, and hearken to their tales.

Aptitude and Flattery

After we embrace the spirit of Mercury in Leo (July 10, 2023, 9:11 pm PDT – by July 28), others have a tendency to concentrate after we converse. Below its affect we converse with utter confidence and actual aptitude. However how do we all know whether or not we’re as proper as we expect we’re?

When Mercury is in Leo (July 10, 2023, 9:11 pm PDT by July 28), it struggles a bit to do its work in addition to it’d. On the face of it, that’s counter-intuitive; certainly Mercury’s communication expertise would profit from Leo’s creativity and sense of enjoyable?

And I imply, it does – however self-expression is just a part of Mercury’s job. It’s additionally charged, to one of the best of its skill, with gathering and processing ALL info and data – not simply those that flatter us.

Take pleasure in Mercury’s transient journey by Leo. Play video games. Learn entertaining books. Inform tales. Make folks snort. However save analysis and evaluation for Mercury in Virgo (starting July 28); it’s too simple now to see solely what we need to see.

New Ideas, New Methods

The Solar sextiles Uranus (July 14, 2023, 4:02 pm PDT) on two evocative Sabian symbols. The Solar is on 23 Most cancers, Assembly of a literary society, whereas Uranus is on 23 Taurus, A jewellery store.

That “literary society” image brings to thoughts an meeting of erudite and opinionated readers, every with the unshakeable conviction that theirs is the one true interpretation of the textual content – notably as Mercury has entered confident Leo. However the Solar’s sextile facet to renegade Uranus presents a chance to let ourselves and our factors of view be modified. Uranus in Taurus can shake us proper off our excessive horses – and launch us from the rigidity of our sense of who we’re and what we imagine. Uranus’ “jewellery store” image hints {that a} reward awaits us if we’re keen to take this chance.

The Solar’s sextile to Uranus is reminder to embrace new ideas and new methods. This doesn’t imply we have now to accept chaos. However there’s little doubt we’ll stay extra versatile and attention-grabbing if we embrace change – even the change of our personal minds – quite than letting the worry of it cease us in our tracks.

Writing and pictures © 2017-23 by April Elliott Kent

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