The Planets of August, 2018: We Start the Month With 3 Planets in Retrograde Status

AUGUST 2018 – I am creating this Blog post a week late. Will I blame it on the retrograde planets? You bet I will! (plus a residence move a few days ago). We start this month with three planets in retrograde motion: Mars, Saturn and Mercury – and the latter is also combust the Sun. Thus do not be surprised at experiencing challenges, delays and unexpected obstacles.  Plus, not to forget, we are still recovering from the one-two punch last month of the partial solar eclipse, and total lunar eclipse. It’s a real “planet soup” of intense energies right now for us as individuals, society and the planet.

August 1st – VENUS, great benefic, symbolizing beauty, art, music, comforts and partners, entered Virgo, its sign of Debilitation.  It remains there until September 1st.  Ironically, Venus brings some helpful financial gains to those with Virgo Ascendants or Moon signs, due to the houses it rules for them, even though its energy is weakest when it is debilitated in that sign.  Venus rules Taurus and Libra. It’s a good house placement for those with Taurus Rising or Moon signs in their natal charts, for this is their 5th house of children, success, learning ability and romance. It’s more challenging for the Libras, as Virgo represents their 12th house of loss and expenses, solitude and isolation.

August 1st – MERCURY began traveling too close for comfort to the Sun this day, bringing more edginess to the field of communication in general (and that, added to the fact that this planet is in retrograde now, until August 18th). As usual, those with Virgo or Gemini Rising of Moon signs will feel it the most, as Mercury rules their sign. In addition to communication and any equipment that deals with same, Mercury represents commerce and trade, as well as diplomacy and tactfulness.  All of these qualities will be strained and frayed at the edges during this time. Mercury gets out of combustion on August 16th.

August 11th – Partial solar eclipse in the sign of Cancer.  Those who may feel it the most are the Cancer and Leo Rising and Moon sign people. Once again, we are fortunate that it will NOT be visible in the USA, so the influence will not have as big of an impact on us here. The eclipse will start out over the North Atlantic Ocean and Greenland, moving north and east so that the shadow simultaneously moves toward Iceland, northern Europe and the northern polar regions. Continuing its path over the top of the planet, the shadow will be wide enough to cover most of northern Russia from east to west. It will then dip down into Mongolia, China and surrounding areas.

August 16th – The SUN enters Leo, its own sign, where it is strong and powerful. Those with Leo Rising or Moon signs, will benefit from this strengthening of the ruler of their charts. However, it can contribute to both their leadership qualities AND being a bit top-heavy on ego or arrogance during this one month transit. Cancer chart individuals benefit from having their 2nd house of wealth, family and communication strengthened. Cancerians have already had enough to put up with rough and volatile Rahu crossing their sign since September 9, 2017. And Rahu and Ketu do not change signs until March 23, 2019, so both Cancers and Capricorns have to dig in and just “handle it” until the nodes leave their respective signs. Remember that there are planetary “yagyas” – ancient Vedic remedies, to allieviate the intensity you may be feeling. Just contact me for some references to these services, which I enjoy utilizing myself.

August 27th – MARS goes direct motion. Well, that’s a step in the right direction.  Remember that Mars has been crossing Capricorn, its sign of exaltation, which would be great for Capricorn Rising and Moon sign people, were it not for the fact that malefic Ketu (south node of the Moon) is also traveling there with it.  Now Mars will march forward once more, but does not change signs and thus get away from Ketu’s hindering influence until November 5th. Otherwise, the Capricorns would enjoy the burst of drive, energy, courage, clarity and initiative that Mars is trying to bring them, as well as some good karma with real estate. There will still be some of those benefits to a good degree. It’s just that Ketu hinders or degrades otherwise promising situations.

Please refer to my last month’s blog to review the significance of retrograde planets and eclipses.

All the best, from the Sunshine Corner, here in Boulder, CO.  Tel: 720-448-3742.  Thank you for referrals you send me.  I offer many services such as: natal chart readings, yearly updates, couples compatibility or astrocartography (location) readings.  If you would like to book an appointment for yourself, or as a gift for a family member or dear one, please call me, and we can schedule a 90 minutes, recorded session.  Thank you, Mary Stevenson, Vedic Astrologer, healingevents@yahoo.com http://www.vedicstarcharts.com

Finally, SATURN MOVES!! November 2, 2014

Ready, set….go, Saturn, go!  What a relief for everyone with Libra Rising or Moon Signs, at long last.

Saturn is our slowest moving planet and only changes signs approximately every 2.5 years.  On November 2, 2014 it enters the fixed water sign of SCORPIO.  Before you freak out, Scorpios, I want to point something out.  I actually feel that this will be an improvement for you as well, to get Saturn out of your 12th house of Loss and Expenditure. Sure, Saturn will require that you focus, work hard and keep a structured schedule for the next couple of years, but it owns your 3rd and 4th houses. That means it can bring you more courage, vitality and energy, in a Saturn sort of way, and also bring you “friends and supporters.”  It will be an interesting time in which you may feel more philosophical and more inward detachment from the problems of this mundane world.

Those with Scorpio Moon signs will be entering the middle part of their Sadhe Sati. Those with Sagittarius Moon signs, will be just beginning their 7.5 years of this cycle in which malefic Saturn transits the sign just before their Moon, then right on their Moon, and finally in the 2nd house to their Moon.  Those with Virgo Moon signs will be fully out of Sadhe Sati on November 2nd!

I urge you to google Sadhe Sati and read more in depth about its impact on an individual’s life.  While it certainly can bring obstacles, delays, grief, depression, separation and the like, if one decides to work WITH Saturn and learn the inherent lessons this period offers, it doesn’t have to be all bad. It certainly does not mean that there will be no successes or happiness at all during this period.  Saturn in such a transit allows us to “recondition our attitude,” to a big degree. If we choose to have an attitude of service to others, and to our duty to job, home, family, etc. , then life will go more smoothly.  If anyone has been trying to hang onto selfish, lazy, arrogant, egotistical, or unkind attitudes, you can either kiss that approach to life goodbye, or prepare for some hard, spiritual lessons that Saturn will be happy to deliver! Saturn is pretty obliging that way.

I find it interesting to watch the pellmell pace at which our western society seems driven to obtain name and fame, wealth and status, power and position, as though this journey is all about some materialistic competition. I guess when the Ego is in charge, that is what it becomes. All bona fide spiritual traditions, however, hammer home to us the need to evolve spiritually, to be the best people we possibly can be in this lifetime and to “do unto others, as we’d have them do unto us.”  We could have Heaven on Earth if those in power in every country would just kindly remember what we really came here to accomplish, eh? Well, something to dream about, as Saturn shifts its weight and brings these changes, ready or not.  At least you cannot say that I didn’t warn you!  There’s a lovely quote from Shari Alyse: “You can never lose your way, for your Light will always guide you back home.”  I feel that’s true, but we can go the easy way, or the hard way. That is up to our free will choices.

Please remember that to fully understand your Vedic Birth Chart, it’s as simple as taking all planets and the degree of your rising sign from your western astrology chart back by approximately 23 degrees. That is a simple rule of thumb to go by. You can read about the difference between western and Vedic Astrology in one of my website articles by the same name at: http://www.vedicstarcharts.com

Currently, Venus has been very combust the Sun (traveling too close to the fiery orb, i.e. a “crispy critter” which affects all its significations) for the past several days. Yesterday, I experienced that condition as being quite similar to Mercury Retrograde! (which ended on Oct. 25).  VENUS will go non-combust on December 4th, and that will be a nice relief, especially for the Libra and Taurus Rising and Moon sign folks, whose charts it rules.  Combustion of a planet makes it more “angry” and ready to snap, than is normally the case.

November 4 – Mercury moves into Libra. This is a positive transit for our Libra friends, bringing smoother communications, attracting support of Nature and spiritual guidance now.

November 11 – VENUS enters Scorpio, bringing blessings to this fixed water sign.  You will now attract partners and business, plus be feeling more attractive and creative. Enjoy!

November 13 – Mercury goes combust until the evening of January 1, 2015. This can put a damper on communications in general and especially for the Virgo and Gemini Rising and Moon signs. This cycle in which a planet travels too close to the Sun makes it feel grouchy, angry, more reactive than normal. Combustion occurs more frequently for Mercury than any other planet, because it habitually travels closer to the Sun. Nonetheless, you may feel the effects of just being more sensitive or reactive to things you normally would let pass. Employ meditation practice to maintain your equilibrium and peace of mind during these cycles. Mercury rules the skin and nerves, so being combust the Sun may cause imbalances in either of these areas now.  At least we are done with all the Retrograde periods of Mercury for this year!

November 16th – the Sun enters Scorpio, ending its one month stay in its sign of debilitation, Libra.  Those ruled by the Sun, Leo Rising and Moon sign people, should feel better energy now.  Scorpios will enjoy the POWER which the Sun supplies, both from its own characteristics and the fact that it rules your 10th house of power, name and fame. Thus it brings those qualities to you, as it crosses your first house of self and body. The Sun will remain in this sign until  December 15th.

November 24 – Mercury enters Scorpio, joining the Sun, Saturn and Venus there for a nice “planetary pile up”  – lots of energy condensing for you Scorpio Ascendants and Moon sign people to harness and make work for you in productive ways.  It can be a very powerful time, if you don’t let Saturn’s tendency for obstacles slow you down.

November 27 – Mars enters Capricorn, its sign of exaltation. This is great for both signs ruled by Mars, Scorpios and Aries Ascendents and Moon signs. It also brings much energy to earthly Capricorns, increasing your opportunity to benefit from real estate endeavors now.

To understand how these planetary shifts affect your own life, please call me to book a reading! 

All the best, from the Sunshine Corner, here in Sedona, AZ.  Tel. No. 928-284-4060.Thank you for your referrals. I offer many services such as: natal chart readings, yearly updates, couples compatibility or astrocartography (location) readings.  If you would like to book an appointment for yourself, or as a gift for a family member or dear one, please call me, and we can schedule a 90 minutes, taped session.  Thank you, Mary Stevenson, Vedic Astrologer, healingevents@yahoo.com