CURRENTLY:
Sun at 11 Leo (in rulership, very strong)
Mercury at 14 Leo
Venus at 15 Virgo (in detriment. No Venus Magick now)
Mars at 3 Virgo
Jupiter RETROGRADE at 29 Aquarius
Saturn RETROGRADE at 10 Aquarius (rulership)
Neptune RETROGRADE at 22 Pisces (rulership)
Pluto RETROGRADE at 25 Capricorn
North Node at 8 Gemini

Mars joined Venus in Virgo last week, and now we’re busy organizing our lives. In Virgo, Mars lets go of his armor and becomes a specialist who makes lists and gets things done. There is amazing focus available to us right now, as well as attention to detail. Virgo wants to be of service by providing a practical way of reaching our goals, without losing track of the details (or ourselves). Avoid nit-picking arguments and being overly critical of your efforts. Mars and Venus in Virgo can be cranky and irritable.

We begin this week with a balsamic, fallow Moon, building towards a New Moon at 16 Leo next Sunday. Leading up to this New Moon, we have an opportunity to release our laziness, procrastination, and fears of the future (i.e. Sun in Leo). And Sunday was a Sabbat, the ancient festival of Lammas! Lammas is the first harvest festival of the year, signifying the height of Summer and the turn towards Fall. Here are the Goddesses and Gods of Lammas:

Demeter/Ceres: Goddess of grains and the harvest, and mother to Persephone, who is about to return to the Underworld for the Fall and Winter. The change in weather is the grief of Demeter being separated from Persephone.

Cronus/Saturn: Greek god of the harvest and the first father of the universe. He is usually portrayed with a sickle in hand, and is considered a harvest God. He had his own holiday, called the Kronia, when the Greeks celebrated the harvest. It was held in the month of Hekatombaion, with equates roughly to July/August.

Hestia/Vesta: Goddess of Fire and the Hearth, she protects the homes of her worshippers.

Lugh: This is the Celtic God that gave Lammas, or Lughnasadh, it’s name! Lugh is the god of light, truth, oaths and the arts. Tradition says that Lugh created the festival of Lughnasadh in honor of his foster mother and earth goddess, Tailtiu.

Renenutet: Egyptian goddess of nourishment, the harvest, and fertility. Also goddess of the soul’s true name. Sometimes considered the wife of Sobek.

Sobek: Egyptian crocodile god, he was also the god of the Nile. In Egypt, the flooding of the Nile is the primary source of essential nutrients and minerals to the fields, so if the Nile does not flood or has a poor flood in a given year, it can cause a bad harvest. Sobek would be important around this time of year, as the people would want to thank him for a good harvest. Also a protective god and a creator god.

Monday, August 2nd: Moon in Gemini makes a couple of tough squares with Jupiter and Mars. There’s also a big Saturn influence over the beginning of the week due to the Sun’s opposition with Saturn in the middle of the night. Today could be kinda tough, with all of us needing to come up with the hard, cold facts. With the Moon in Gemini, we will find the way through this with our quick minds and communications.

Tuesday, August 3rd: Moon in Gemini makes four nice aspects today – taking the edge off Mercury squaring Uranus in the early evening. This aspect can bring sudden changes and nervous energy. Conversations could take unexpected turns, and it might be difficult to reach understanding through the drama. Leave it for tomorrow. On the bright side, we had a revolutionary Venus trine Uranus in the middle of the night which can enhance our imaginations and relationships.

Wednesday, August 4th: Moon in Gemini goes void at 12:38pm, then moves into Cancer around 2:15pm Pacific. Bring on the hugs and food lol. Moon trines Jupiter around the same time, adding to the feelings of indulgence. Sun trine Chiron today brings lovely opportunities for healing to our old wounds, or healing through children.

Thursday, August 5th: Moon in Cancer sextiles Mars and Uranus, but other than that it’s a quiet day. We are in the darkest phase of the monthly moon cycle, preparing for rebirth this Sunday. Lots of old feelings and issues could be coming up, so we can release them. The Cancerian Moon loves a visit to a pool, lake, river, or the ocean.

Friday, August 6th: Moon in Cancer goes void of course at 3:12pm Pacific, and makes a couple nice aspects with Venus and Neptune. There’s an opposition with Pluto in the late afternoon which can bring up control issues. Then we have a biggie – Sun square Uranus – which can bring up that nervous, dramatic behavior. Take a different approach to issues from earlier in the week. Embrace liberation and independence.

Saturday, August 7th: Moon in Leo opposes Saturn in Aquarius today. We get a glimpse into the underlying tensions of 2021, so be present for what occurs today. Pay attention, the Universe is sending you messages. Also, walk carefully around people’s feelings, because Moon opposing Saturn can bring negativity, pessimism or reality checks. The New Moon is tomorrow morning!

Sunday, August 8th: New Moon in Leo at 6:50am Pacific squares Uranus. Today is fabulous for Sun Magick, since this New Moon occurs on a Sunday. It’s a rare event, allowing magicians to fully access the enormous power of the Sun. Just Do It! Today is the rebirth of creativity, romance, and all things artistic. Tarot card of the day is Strength – tame your inner lion with compassion and patience.