Sunday, August 7, 2011

Venus Conjunct Sun in Leo


On August 16 venus will be facing us from the far side of the sun, or conjunct the sun, in the sign Leo.

At the same time, mercury will be passing between us and the sun, so that it too will appear conjunct the sun, but retrograde. We will have a tight-as-a-tick cluster of three inner planets in the sign ruled by the ego. 
This will be a vulnerable time for venus, the star of diplomacy, as fairness will be out shined by intractable egos.  Mercury, or the mind, whose function is to contain the knowledge of real existence, will be speaking with a powerful ruler who prefers sunny reports over reality; so this is not a good time for the messenger either.

In world events we will see the same people who in February were successfully challenged by willful crowds, rising in stature before diplomats who have become ignored adornments in flashy window displays.  Messengers who in February had the power of moral stature behind them will be reduced to caricatures. 

I am showing a chart for Aug 17 when the moon, at 5°a58, is in line with uranus.  Passions built up during these challenging seasons are released on days when the moon is lined up with invested planets.  Uranus is the planet associated with crowds in the streets demanding radical changes in government.  Though the theatrics, for better or worse, will continue through Aug 22; the dramatic peaks will occur Aug 9, 10 when moon is conjunct pluto; Aug 16, 17 (moon conjunct uranus); and Aug 24, 25 when moon lines up with mars opposite pluto.

Regardless of theatrical displays, with mars in cancer the will is currently weak.  We all feel anger and frustration at the institutionalized cruelty of civilization (mars is opposing Pluto in Capricorn) but there is little more we are capable of doing than throwing tantrums for the next couple of weeks.  When venus and sun enter Virgo people will turn once again to the unglamorous facts of real life and we will be back on the path to rational discussions. 
 
One thing we can all do is follow our gut feelings, or respond to the moon, which is currently mar’s dispositor.  When you feel the rising urge to commit an act of kindness, in the face of obstacles which exist in the daily necessities of living, make a note of the time when you overcome the obstacle and cast a chart for that moment.  This will draw you into the philosophical meditations that give astrology its value.