August 6 Venus enters Virgo Venus, the planet of love, travels through the sign of Virgo from August 6-31. Virgo is a sign that is often misunderstood in our culture, due to various misinterpretations of its fundamental purpose over the centuries. The images that we have of Virgo, particularly Venus in Virgo, are the spinster, the chaste woman, and the celibate. In other words, Virgo has not been seen as a particularly sexy sign! If we go back to Greek mythology, though, we find the sign Virgo represented by the vestal virgins, sacred priestesses that tended the eternal flame in the temples. They were known as virgins not because they were asexual, but because they remained unmarried and belonged to no man and were whole and complete unto themselves. The vestal virgins also knew the secrets of how to awaken the kundalini energies within the body and were knowledgeable about Indian yogic practices such as tantra. Far from being chaste, the virgins practiced the high art of sexual devotion, and were masters at transforming sexual energy for the purposes of enlightenment. When Venus is in Virgo, all of us have the opportunity to look at how we are manifesting our sexual energy. Are we repressing it, denying our own needs? Are we in touch with the desire to make our sexuality part of our spiritual path and not separate from it? I have found this to be a huge issue with many of my clients, often expressed this way: "If I can’t integrate the sacred into my sexuality, then why bother?" It seems that many people are just not willing to separate their sexuality from their spirituality anymore. This is reflected in the growing interest in tantric practices and other forms of sacred sexuality. August 6 Mercury enters Leo Mercury journeys through the sign of Leo this month from August 6-21. With Mercury in Leo, the emphasis is on using the imaginative and playful aspects of the mind to create your own reality. Since the subtle or intuitive mind is a nonlinear or non-analytic function, during this transit the best way to benefit from the power of the mind is in playful, creative ways. Try art, dance, creative writing using the non-dominant hand (usually the left hand for most of us), and the techniques of brainstorming to further your creative efforts this month. As we suspend the critical and analytic part of our brains, we often can come up with undreamed-of solutions to everyday and major life decisions. By using the power of imagination and play, we free the mind to generate new possibilities that far exceed the dualistic "this or that" mentality of the concrete mind. You can also use this Mercury in Leo transit to rethink your own creativity. Most people associate creativity with overt forms such as music, art, or other artistic expressions. With Mercury in Leo, we have an opportunity to get in touch with our creative muse, the divine child within. Use this transit to tap into your creative child. Find out how he or she would like to play. For many of us who are "doers," this is a tough assignment, as we were taught that we could play when the work was done. And guess what? The work was never done! By giving your child permission to play, you will unleash the creative force within. Let the play be with you! August 8 Saturn enters Gemini Saturn, which has been in the sign of Taurus for the last two and one half years, begins its new journey through the sign of Gemini from August 8 through June 2003. In some ways, Saturn is less comfortable in an air sign like Gemini than in an earth sign like Taurus. The challenge with Saturn in Gemini is to keep grounded (Saturn) in the face of rapid change (Gemini). Globally, we will see many new developments in the communications field with Saturn in Gemini, as Gemini is the sign associated with the communications field. High-speed Internet connections capable of simultaneous audio/video broadcasting will be developed, along with wireless technologies that will revolutionize the way we receive information. Look for the integration of television, radio, and the Internet in a proliferation of new Internet appliances. There will also probably be quite a format war going between high-tech manufacturers vying for the greatest market share in terms of consumer electronics. On an individual level, Saturn in Gemini is challenging us to learn how to remain grounded in an increasingly complex and information-intensive world. A recent editorial cartoon I saw says it all. Two guys are sitting next to each other in cubicles, and one leans over to ask the other if he got the e-mail that he just sent. The other guy says he didn't, but requests that his friend send it again because he needs the information right away! The challenge with Saturn in Gemini, then, is to balance the benefits of new technologies with common sense! As new technologies come into our lives, we have the choice of either being seduced by them or learning how to use them so that we can free up time to devote to our relationships, family, and community. August 12 Chiron goes direct Chiron, which has been retrograde since March 30, goes direct on August 12 at 11 degrees Sagittarius. Pluto also goes direct this month on August 20 at 10 degrees Sagittarius. With both Chiron and Pluto retrograde in Sagittarius since March, the focus has definitely been on healing the wounds we have around trusting our inherent wisdom. Now that both planets are going direct, we can focus on this issue more consciously. One of the ways to do this healing is through letting go of the hold of the conscious mind. It is our need to know, to do it right, or to have everything figured out in advance that prevents us from tapping into the collective wisdom represented by the sign of Sagittarius. Many believe that this collective wisdom is now emanating from the galactic center of our galaxy, which is currently situated at 26 degrees, 51 minutes Sagittarius. Astronomers tell us that the galactic center emanates one hundred times the energy of our sun! It is thought that the galactic center is a source, or origin, for universal consciousness beaming down to the earth. The challenge with Pluto and Chiron in Sagittarius is to suspend the rational mind long enough so that we can experience this truth for ourselves. August 15 Full moon in Aquarius The full moon occurs at 22 degrees Aquarius on August 15. For this next month, the emphasis is on learning how to detach emotionally in a positive way. The moon in Aquarius calls us to learn how we can be emotionally present to others while maintaining our individuality and our own center. The Aquarius moon will also heighten our desire to find the "tribe" or community that supports and nourishes our vision. August 22 Mercury enters Virgo Mercury also moves through the sign of Virgo from August 22-September 7. Use this period to focus on the details of your life that have not been attended recently. Even though we may not be consciously aware of it, our energy is continually being drained by incomplete actions. For example, if you have borrowed a book from someone and you have been meaning to return it but haven’t, some of your attention and energy is being drained to track that incomplete action. Use this Mercury period to clean up any energy drains in your life so that you will be clearer and have more energy to focus on your highest priorities. You can also use the discriminative and analytic powers of Mercury in Virgo this month to get clear on the ways that you can streamline your life in the areas of health, daily routine, mind/body awareness, and work/service. August 22 Sun enters Virgo The sun moves into the sign of Virgo on August 22 at 12:48 a.m. The reaping of the harvest begun in Leo now reaches full harvest in Virgo, a harvest culled using the discriminative faculties with the intent of doing it cleanly, precisely, and with care. The Virgo principle involves analyzing and improving upon the creative output generated in Leo through discernment and efficiency. Our job during the sign of Virgo is to utilize the discriminative faculties of the mind and our discipleship to improve and perfect the physical vehicle so that it becomes a purified vessel for divine spirit. August 29 New moon in Virgo With the new moon in Virgo, our awareness is focused on taking care of ourselves on an emotional level. Use this month to find out what your body needs to support your emotional health. Maybe it needs more exercise, better nutrition, or more attention to your diet. The new moon in Virgo helps us to tune in to how we can nurture the relationship between body and mind. August 30 Venus enters Libra Venus also shifts into its second sign this month as it travels through Libra from August 30-September 24. Venus, known as Aphrodite in the Greek tradition, is very much at home in the sign representing balance, harmony, and beauty. Venus is the goddess who brings the power of the Divine Mother (the moon) into physical manifestation. She is one of the primary archetypes of the creative feminine energy. When Venus occupies Libra, we have an opportunity to express our creativity and passion through manifesting beauty and harmony in our world. This is a wonderful time to reconnect to the feminine through art, music, dance, or design. It is also a time for communing with the harmonious vibrations of the natural world. James Jarvis, M.A. is a master astrologer, professional life coach, and transpersonal counselor. He is available for astrological consultations and life coaching sessions by phone. His new booklet, "Transformational Astrology: Published Articles 1990-2000" is now available for $12 including shipping and handling. See Web site (below) for ordering info. For information on private consultations or presentations and workshops during James' September 14-19 visit to Seattle, call (206) 523-3726. For a brochure of his services or to schedule phone or mail-order consultations, call (831) 688-0574, e-mail <jjarvis@lifeqwest.com>, or visit <http://www.lifeqwest.com/>. |
By adding the universal year 2000 (2+0+0+0=2) to the 8th month of August, we come up with the vibration of 10/1. The 10/1 month is a time for new beginnings. It is a particularly good month for initiating any new projects that require you to pull from your creative energies. Take some time this month to reflect on how you can bring more joy and meaning to your work. If you have wanted to begin a new project that you are really passionate about, now is the time to tune in to how you can make it happen.