24th July 2014 – A Busy Day in The Big Picture (including Water Grand Trine #1)

Today, the 24th of July 2014, is an 11 numerological day.  11 energy is the energy of community and collective.  It is recognizing the unique contributions of each individual within the collective whole, knowing that each person brings something only they can bring to the big picture of humanity.  Without their contribution – without their expression of their individual Light – the picture is not complete.

This day is a call for each and all of us to find the Leo Sun within us and allow ourselves to shine our brightest to the benefit of something bigger than any of us could do alone.  We are being asked to recognize the contributions that our fellow humans make, but maybe more important, the contributions we have to offer to the world community that no one else can.  Some of us will feel empowered to allow ourselves to be known fully today.  Others of us may feel overwhelmed when we realize who we are and exactly what we are capable of.

That said, there is so much happening astrologically on this 11 numerological day that may assist us in fully stepping into the expressions of our brightest and boldest individual selves that it may be best to simply give you a rundown transit by transit.

2014 Uranus Retrograde in Aries – What Are You Fighting For?

Just as Saturn in Scorpio turns to direct motion, Uranus in Aries begins its latest retrograde at 7:53p PDT on Monday 21st July 2014.

Uranus has been more than vocal about and very active in exercising its rebellious intentions since it began its latest pass through Aries in March 2011.  However, rebellions aren’t getting the best reviews lately, and these unruly individuals and factions may want to take the feedback they are getting and take a second look at their agendas.

Who and/or what are they fighting against?  What exactly are they fighting for?  They may find that their answers to those questions may have become complicated or forgotten entirely over the last few months and days.

With the objective of rebellion lost or forgotten, it may be a good time to ask: What is all of the fighting really for?

Saturn Direct in Scorpio – July 2014 – Out of The Shadows

Scorpio reminds us that remaining in our comfort zones usually doesn’t serve us well.  Saturn reminds us that focus and discipline are necessary if we are going to produce anything of significant and lasting value.  Together, Saturn and Scorpio combine to remind us that in order to experience breakthroughs in our lives, we must be willing to transform who we believe ourselves to be in order to transform our lives.

For the last few months, Saturn in Scorpio has been moving in retrograde motion and external events and experiences have been helping each of us see where we need to transform our internal emotional focus and discipline.  Now, we get to put our new emotional-spiritual focus and discipline on display as Saturn in Scorpio moves back into direct motion today 20th July 2014 at 1:35p PDT.

Mercury in Cancer Trine Neptune Retrograde in Pisces and Cancer 5 Sun Square Mars in Libra – Choose Wisely

There is a confusing and possibly deceptive quality to the communications that are occurring now, thanks to a trine between Mercury in Cancer and Neptune Retrograde in Pisces, exact at 10:36p PDT this evening of 18th July 2014.  The degree to which we may be choosing to delude ourselves may be made more clear by a square of the Cancer 5 Sun and Mars in Libra, exact less than an hour later at 11:42p PDT.

Neptune has rather escapist tendencies as the ruler of Pisces, and in its own sign, it’s more apt to act upon these tendencies.  With the planet in retrograde motion, this indicates that each of us may be more inclined to allow ourselves to be deceived rather than being deceived outright or unknowingly by others.  It may seem strange, but through this transit, there’s a likelihood of our being tricked into taking responsibility for the delusions of others.

Mercury in Cancer reveals that our minds are being swayed by our emotions.  There is much to say about how we feel, yet it is wise to keep in mind that in the sign of Cancer, we are in protective mommy mode when it comes to what we are emotionally invested in.  Our minds aren’t really objective as we are focused on how to protect and defend the people and projects we care about most.

Venus Enters Cancer – July 2014 – Protect At All Costs

Venus entered the sign of Cancer at 7:06a PDT today, 18th July 2014.  In some ways, it couldn’t have come at a better time. In other ways, it couldn’t have come at a worse one.

It’s often overlooked that Venus is the ruler of Libra – an air sign.  Think of it like a quintessential multi-tasker in the sense that it needs to be very objective in order to get things done.  It isn’t that it doesn’t care.  It’s that it needs to be somewhat emotionally detached to be able to do it and move on to next point of business to be of support to its partner(s).

In the sign of Cancer, Venus becomes a very emotionally supportive partner.  Cancer is the maternal energy of the Zodiac, so Venus’ expression is softened and more sensitive here.  Under its influence, there is an increased desire to nurture and protect the people and things that are emotionally important to you.

This Venus in Cancer energy dynamic could be equated to a mother defending and protecting her children.  A mother’s logic is to defend and protect her family at all costs.  Therefore, anyone or anything that you consider to be home and/or family will be something you may find yourself going to great lengths to safeguard.

Considering the energetic climate right now, there is a great deal to protect and defend from.  This is where the presence of Venus in Cancer could be both good and bad.  If objectivity could rule the day, this could be good.  But if the emotions rule the day (which is more likely), this could be a rough few weeks.

2014 Jupiter in Leo – The Biggest Coming Out Party Ever?

Jupiter has moved out of the emotionally nurturing sign of Cancer into its fun and fiery successor Leo earlier this morning at 3:30a PDT on 16th July 2014.  In some ways, this will lighten things up a bit as Jupiter is a rather jolly optimist who enthusiastically believes there is never too much of a good thing.  Yet in other ways, this may intensify matters as we may find that in some cases, bigger isn’t always better.

In Leo, Jupiter will want to make its presence known as much as it possibly can between now and August 2015.  In fact, it will go to great lengths to come out of hiding and make sure that it gets acknowledged for being bigger and brighter than anything else when it does.  Not only does it want to grow and expand its jovial presence, it wants to stand out and make its growth and expansion known to everyone and everything around it.

Leo often gets a bad rap for being an attention whore type of energy, but I’ve learned that Leo only gets to the point of attention-seeking when it doesn’t get what it really wants, which is acknowledgment.   Leo wants to be acknowledged for being a unique and special individual.

With Jupiter being the planet of positive energy, growth, and expansion, this Jupiter-Leo combination has the makings of a pretty epic “coming out party”.  Not only does Jupiter in Leo encourage a desire to be acknowledged for one’s specialness, it wants acknowledgment in a big and bold way.  It’s likely that under  Jupiter in Leo’s influence, many people won’t be shy about asking for what they want over these next 13 months, and may prove to be quite bold in their requests for recognition.

Mercury Re-Enters Cancer – July 2014 – Second Time’s The Charm?

Mercury’s second entrance into Cancer in 2014 is a bit more subtle this time around.  Coming in at 9:45p PDT on 12th July 2014, Mercury sneaks back into Cancer under the hype of the Capricorn Full Moon and the combustible Libra Mars-Ceres conjunction.  It does not directly aspect any other astrological bodies upon its entrance, which makes its energetic shift somewhat unnoticeable at first.  Whether this quiet entrance is for better or worse has yet to be seen.

Mercury’s mindset shifts back to emotional nurturing, caring, and protection in the sign of Cancer.  However, this is not an easily fulfilled role for Mercury as Cancer is a water sign, which means it is rooted in emotion.  Not only that, Cancer is known as the Zodiac mother, making this the sign of fundamental emotional energy – it is where the basis of our individual emotional principles is established.  The Moon (the ruler of Cancer) represents our emotional core, but where Cancer resides in your individual chart is where you feel most emotionally stable and secure and where in your life you are inclined to nurture, care for, and protect others, especially your loved ones.

Mercury is not comfortable with any of this, as it is a quick-minded intellectual.  Curiosity, reason, and mental playfulness are its preferred methods of operation.  Mercury takes emotions and tries to process them intellectually – it tries to make logical sense of them.  It’s not easy or fun as emotions rarely make logical sense, which makes this a very challenging combination as Mercury has to modify its usual emotionally-detached approach to accommodate Cancer’s emotional sensitivities and needs.

The objective for Mercury in Cancer is to bring a consideration of emotional investment into the logic and reasoning process, and to do so with efficiency, charm, and wit. 

Mercury Direct in Gemini – 12 Days of Swiftness

IT’S OVER!  The dreaded (or for some, welcomed)  Mercury Retrograde ended earlier this morning, Tuesday, 1st July 2014 at 5:50a PDT in the sign of Gemini.  Now in direct motion in its sign of rulership, Mercury is happy to be at home in its element of quick-moving intellect and information for the next 12 days before moving into the emotionally nurturing sign of Cancer on 12th July.

Of course, just like anything changing direction, there is a bit of a pause before things are going full speed ahead.  Even though Mercury in Gemini is now direct, things may still be a bit slow for a day or two more before suddenly increasing their rate of motion into a fast-moving stream of mental and communicative activity.  Take advantage of the (very brief)  momentary lull.