AN INTELLECT FOR WRITING, TECHNICAL CRAFTS, CONVERTING IDEAS INTO TANGIBLE FORM ... A TALENT FOR ORGANIZATION !!!

MERCURY - began its transit through the highly focused sign of Virgo yesterday, August 25th, at 7:04 AM EDT ... thinking and communicating processes now shift from what was a fiery, highly creative energy to being more rational and efficient sometimes to a fault  ... and even though Virgo is an Earth sign which is somewhat prone to slower movement,  Mercury is dignified in this position, very happy and very much at home here and functions well as this is one of the two signs it naturally rules - the other being Gemini ... Mercury was last in Virgo from September 2nd through September 18, 2025 !!!

Mercury in Virgo usually gives the mind a rather precise, thorough and analytical ability ... communications and thinking can be logical, helpful, critical, negative, skeptical, practical or humble ... one is apt to put their mind to work doing their job ... this intellect is excellent for writing or technical crafts, and converting ideas into a tangible form ... there is a talent for organization, but sometimes the discriminating and highly focused mind could get mired in too many details and become excessively critical ... one of the challenges of this energy is to learn to step back and look at the bigger picture in addition to avoid getting immersed in all the fine details ... learning is best achieved in an organized sequence and a logical presentation !!!

Concern for details can often lead to the syndrome of "not being able to see the forest for the trees" ... there is also likely to be an interest in health, nutrition, competence and ones day to day work ... this Mercury says exactly what it wants to say - no more no less ... to quote a familiar television phrase,  this energy wants to know "Just the facts Ma'am" !!! ... it has a quick, dry wit, bestows a fine eye for detail, and usually produces very neat and readable handwriting ... this energy can also make one very skilled with their hands and often craftspeople are born with this energy in their natal chart !!!

Mercury in Virgo is very impartial and gets to sorting through all the details to where the logic and precision can discover the heart of the matter ... with this fine intelligence, systematically clarifying and refining information received and understanding the patterns comes naturally ... here we have a logical, practical mind that produces a quick learner ... on the challenging side, Mercury in Virgo can make ones mind so very active with all the extraneous processing that it is sometimes difficult to quiet and still the mind yielding restlessness and/or the inability to sleep ... just ask someone born with Mercury in Virgo !!!

Mercury in Virgo encourages us to learn to think by analyzing ... it's the pure mind ... the ability to reason functions very well here ... a big challenge though is to not live totally in your mind and understand there is a big difference between knowledge and actual experience ... this energy also can help one assist others in seeing things more clearly - in forms such as writing, editing, counselling, teaching, drawing and translating ... there is the ability to assimilate vast amounts of complex information !!!

Ironically, when it comes to expressing something close to ones heart, this energy can make one obscure it in a lot of irrelevant references ... this energy makes it necessary to thoroughly grasp a specific subject as without training or education one is more likely to suffer greater than others from being unemployed, underemployed or unemployable ... the ultimate goal with this energy is to appreciate that what gets in the way of understanding life is thinking way too much about it - a totally clear mind is really no mind at all !!!! .... the energy of Mercury in Virgo can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: analytical, objective, systematic, logical, discerning, precise, meticulous, clever, eloquent, well-read, well-informed, accurate, retentive memory, fast learner, highly efficient, good worker, modest, helpful, practical

NEGATIVE: unfeeling, remote, clinical, cold and dry, hypercritical, trivial, worrisome, wordy, bookish, intellectual snob, misses the point, greedy mind, impatient, high strung, workaholic, self-critical, skeptical, slave to reasoning, pointless

Virgo born individuals, no doubt you will be infused with plenty of practical ideas as Mercury passes through  your birth sign ... for all of us, with Mercury in Virgo we should remember that the point we are trying to communicate should be remembered, researched, rehearsed and then expressed ... make the best of what you actually know ... what's the use of knowing everything and feeling nothing ???

Mercury is currently transiting through the sign of Virgo with the Sun !!! ... Mercury remains in Virgo until September 10th !!!

Only one more full sign transit, that being Libra, before Mercury takes its third and final retrograde journey for 2026 ... this will occur from October 24th through November 13th ... the third and final retrograde period completely in a water sign this time being Scorpio ... it will go from 20 degrees 58 minutes back to 5 degrees 2 minutes of Scorpio ... AND ... it will be completely embedded in the final days of the upcoming Venus retrograde occurring from October 3rd through November 13th ... Mercury will enter its next shadow point on October 4th when it reaches 5 degrees 2 minutes Scorpio !!!

For now, the thrust of Mercury's mission in Virgo boils down to encouraging us to analyze and scrutinize every piece of information, and to ultimately make sure we have crossed every T and dotted every I  .... over and over again which ironically is just what Mercury loves to do in Virgo anyway whether in direct or retrograde motion ... hopefully everyone  wont lose too much sleep while the mind is now racing while analyzing so much information that will be coming and going !!! 

LEARNING TO LIVE PRODUCTIVELY THROUGH RATIONAL ANALYSIS - NEEDING SOME KIND OF WORK OR TO BE OF SERVICE FOR LIFE TO MAKE SENSE !!!

The Sun began its "highly efficient" transit through the methodical, discriminating sign of Virgo Saturday, August 22nd, at 10:19 PM EDT ... the cosmic solar energy now lowers the curtain on the flamboyant and dramatic energy of Leo which can produce so many overblown egos and has shifted into a slower, more highly work oriented mode of operation ... with the Sun in Virgo, one likes express themselves through their competency, through their work and/or health, through being pragmatic, and through their tendency towards discretion !!!

Virgo is a feminine/earth/mutable(flexible) sign ... it is reserved, modest, practical, very discriminating and industrious, highly analytical and painstaking, and always seeking to know and understand ... its key phrase is "I ANALYZE" and it's keyword is "Practicality" ... its glyph is the Greek spelling for the word "virgin" ... anatomically it rules the nervous system and the intestines - this energy can make one prone to illness caused by stress and nervous tension ... it can also make one highly prone to ulcers ... it is the sign directly opposite of Pisces in the natural zodiac where one can be dreamy, given to imagination, self-delusion and escapism ... Virgo is the sign of work and self-improvement yielding a perfectionist nature which will dissect and analyze - often over-analyzing - all of the facts in order to obtain the ultimate truth and gather all available information !!!

Virgo is ruled by the planet Mercury ... this is the second sign Mercury naturally rules - the other being Gemini ... Mercury is the ancient God of communication and commerce ... Mercury rules intelligence and reason, and tends to give one a rather high strung temperament ... Mercury represents the intellectual urge, reasoning ability and all avenues of expression ... so naturally it would rule mental capacity, dexterity, rationalization, sensory perceptions, travel - in particular short trips, brothers and sisters, children, speaking, writing, bookkeeping, secretaries, neighborhood activities, letters, mailings, means of transportation, trade and techniques ... where you find Mercury in your natal chart is the place which shows where and how you best communicate !!!

Virgo naturally rules the 6th house of the horoscope ... it is a house of duty and substance ... it relates to ones work, health and habits ... it shows employment, employees, tenants, servants, pets, and dependents ... it also shows service to others, routine day to day matters, ones clothing and how it is worn, hygiene, interest in food and health, sickness and all conditions that would affect ones health ... this house also shows aunts and uncles, self-adjustment, and the unconscious mind ... in this house, work and health are tied together !!!

The Sun transiting Virgo helps us to learn how to live productively through rational analysis ... here we have the perfectionist ... through constant analysis we are seeking a state of purity ... this energy must have some kind of work or be of some kind of service for life to make sense ... it is energy that is continuously preparing for something ... there is a need here to perfect some kind of technique through vigorous study and training and through this one can reduce the everyday wear and tear on the nervous system and the intestinal  area ... proper rest, retreat and good diet are a MUST here ... serve your body well and it will serve you and others well in return !!! ... the energy of the Sun in Virgo can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: thoughtful, analytical, lively mind, observant, scholarly, precise, pure intentions, discriminating, helpful, problem-solving, wholesome, health-conscious, industrious, methodical, efficient, reliable, modest, considerate, pure

NEGATIVE: over thinks, skeptical, worrier, critical, dry, fault-finding, interfering, problem-making, fussy, hypochondriac, workaholic, inflexible, overly mechanical, spoil sport, unsure, stand-offish, sterile, petty, melancholy, picky

HAPPY SOLAR RETURN VIRGO BORN !!! ... the Sun is now transiting through Virgo all by itself ... that's still a lot of energy that is focused like a laser beam on being exact, precise, paying attention to every detail and being very discriminating !!!  ... During this solar transit through Virgo, we will be immersed in facts, figures, daily work and service issues, health and nutritional issues, and possibly family issues on some level !!! 

The Sun remains in the sign of Virgo until September 22nd !!!

For now, it's time to learn to step back and look at the larger picture which is a very difficult and challenging task under this energy  ... if something is working, DO NOT TRY TO FIX IT !!! ... help where it's not needed becomes a hindrance ... understand that true perfection consists of being able to accept life's imperfections and not worry so much about picky, petty issues ... think of the mind as a "lens" with the ability to focus on what is not only close up but far away as well !!!

So what is there left to say ??? - JUST WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK ... WORK ... WORK ... and once again, this time around, "MIND HOW YOU GO" !!!   

PULLED BETWEEN EXPRESSING ONES FEELINGS OR HOLDING THEM IN ... ENERGY LEVELS THAT RISE AND FALL WITH ONES MOODS !!!

 

MARS - the planet representing the urge to get what you want, personal drive, sexual drive, initiative, courage, raw energy, as well as selfishness, abuse and violence -  began its transit through the emotional, nurturing sign of Cancer on Tuesday, August 11th, at 4:30 AM EDT ... Mars being a fiery planet does not fare too well in a water sign like Cancer as water tends to rain on its parade of initiative as well as aggression which in some cases can be a very good thing and in others cases very detrimental to its course of intended action !!!

Mars in Cancer is said to be in the sign of its "Fall" - that is it's in the sign opposite of Capricorn, where it is Exalted and tends to function even more efficiently than in the sign it naturally rules which is Aries ... so this Mars often has trouble expressing its true nature ... it's "fire" gets "watered" down and that can either produce irritating steam or sensual steamy energy ... it is like staying in someone's home where you do not feel comfortable !!! ... Mars was last in Cancer from September 4th, 2024 through April 17th/18th, 2025 ... a much longer than usual transit due to its retrograde period which was a dual sign going from the very early degrees of Leo back into Cancer - anything come to mind from that period in regards to this kind of energy produced when Mars transits Cancer ??? ... this transit will be a normal one without a retrograde period involved !!!

Mars in Cancer can be highly emotional and is pulled between expressing its feelings and holding them in ... there is a great need for emotional security ... one may assert themselves here indirectly, shyly, sensitively or carefully, but this Mars is definitely prone to emotional outbursts ... identity is closely tied to home, family, and feelings ... energy levels seem to rise and fall with ones moods ... if your heart is involved in something, then this energy can truly accomplish anything it sets its mind out to do ... anger is more often expressed through crying rather than screaming and yelling ... one has to be careful with this energy not to give too much to others just to avoid confrontation !!!

Mars in Cancer shows us that to get what we want, we must do so through nurturing ... its fighting or taking flight ... the sex drive is usually very strong here but that can be good or bad depending on how the energy is expressed ... one of the challenges with this energy is to find out what is really making you angry and deal with it ... figure out who or what it is that you genuinely care about also ... ultimately we must learn where the fine line falls between stimulation and outright aggravation !!! ... We now leave behind our minds being set on fire for a thirst of knowledge as well as the desire to move about and that drive becomes turned deeply inward to address our emotions and what we feel we must nurture !!! 

As Cancer is ruled by the Moon, and the Moon naturally rules the 4th house, we may encounter problems with the stomach - there could be a lot of you out there that become the victim of reflux, acid indigestion, heartburn, and frequent upset stomach issues - keep the Tums nearby !!! ... also the home, family, the mother or a maternal figure, women in general and the public in general are areas where one could find issues arising if you react too quick without thinking things through ... and of course whichever house or houses the complete degrees of Cancer fall in your natal chart is certainly where you will find this increased "watered down burning" drive to occur !!!

This Martian energy likes close involvements, a secure sex life, and an active home life ... it does not like mild mannered emotions, distress within the family setting, inner doubts and domestic "fires" ... the energy of Mars in Cancer can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: sensuous, provocative, passionate, sexually subtle, tenacious, protective, bold, hardworking, complex, adaptable, sensitive, healing, intuitive, original, occultist

NEGATIVE: irritable, evasive, too intense, sexually unsure, possessive, defensive, compulsive, neurotic, moody, quarrelsome, confusing, fatalistic, weird, spooky/spooked

Mars is currently the only planet transiting through the sign of  Cancer ... Mars remains in Cancer until September 27th !!!

Heads up for those who like to be informed ... Mars will take its next retrograde period from January 10th through April 1st, 2027 ... it will go from 10 degrees 25 minutes Virgo back to 20 degrees 55 minutes Leo !!!

CANCER BORN, there exists the potential for you to become restless and/or "fired up" about something or someone during this period ... as always be careful not to incinerate, or in this case should I say perhaps be careful not to flood others with your heightened emotional state, the object of your increased drive and desire - and that goes for everyone as well !!!

We all will be experiencing this energy on some level of our lives ... we will be urged to keep the "home fires" brightly lit, but we must be careful not to go overboard and end up  "burning down the house" or "crying yourself a river" !!!

"ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE ..." - THINKING AND COMMUNICATING DRAMATICALLY AND WITH THE HEART !!!

 

"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts" ... to that end the Cosmic "curtain" rose on yesterday, August 9th, at 12:28 PM EDT as Mercury began its dramatically expressive transit through the ambitious, optimistic sign of Leo ... Mercury is now ready to blaze through Leo where the mindset and communicating functions will most likely become "center stage" somewhere in your life for the next few weeks ... as Leo is a fire sign it will bestow Mercury with a lot of creativity ... this Mercury is quite the performer who wants to get your attention along with your admiration any way it can ... Mercury was last transiting through Leo from June 26th through September 2nd, 2025 - a longer than normal period due to a retrograde period, but that will not be the case again this time !!! 

Mercury is considered to be in its "fall" in Leo ... that meaning it is in the sign opposite to the one where it is considered to be in "exaltation", which in this case is Aquarius where it expresses its energy harmoniously with its forces increased and its virtues magnified ... HOWEVER, Mercury in its "fall" in Leo can yield a difficulty in expressing its real nature ... it is said to be like staying in someone else's home and being where you do not really feel comfortable ... Nevertheless, there is a lot of positive potential from this mercurial energy !!!

Mercury in Leo thinks dramatically and always with the heart ... here one can become a visionary and  highly idealistic ... romantic attachments tend to take a major portion of ones concentration ... there is a display of dignity, a sense of innate refinement, and a desire to make good impressions on others ... there is also a desire to be the authority in ones chosen field ... there is ability to solve problems, but sometimes the details are ignored ... ambition abounds under this energy ... and since this is a very dramatic energy for communication it should not be a surprise that every now and then comes the tendency to exaggerate, be self-centered, or tell a little white lie or two !!!

Entertainment could easily be ones forte with dramatic talent being given here - okay all you wannabe actors, now it's time to show us what you got !!! ... this is often the natal placement of those in the entertainment industry ... there could be skills at sales, advertising, promotion or any means of persuading people with ones mind and tongue ... there could also be a desire to have ones thinking or style of communication given a lot of attention ... speech is made with abundant energy, great pride, liveliness and a lot of charisma ... drama and humor is frequently used in communications ... learning is best achieved when one is aroused and excited by a particular topic ... sometimes the ego has a way of getting involved here which could lead to fixed thinking or limited objectivity ... presentations are usually dramatic and magnetic ... one could become interested in power, children, fame and creativity under this energy !!!

Mercury transiting through the sign of Leo teaches us to instill our thinking process with ambition and creativity ... its the idea person ... one is usually proud of their intellectual talents and capabilities ... with the mind being so closely connected to the heart, there is great passion, strength and originality in the mode in which one thinks and communicates ... sometimes insecurity here can lead to one coming on too strong or even cause one to underestimate the power of their mind !!!

Mercury usually functions best when it is cool and detached from the ego, but this can become difficult in the self-conscious sign of Leo where personal aims and intentions appear to be to all-important and other important factors become far less important ... it is wise to realize that people give up trying to help others who always think they know better ... but ultimately, being able to combine ones own creative and enterprising mind with an awareness of others ideas and attitudes that are involved in your personal drama will benefit everyone ... problems are usually approached with great imagination and energy ... learning to use the input of others will allow one to avoid being a one-person endeavor, and then the mind will become a vital spark that will ultimately ignite a larger group endeavor ... the power of Mercury in Leo can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: mentally creative, distinctive verbal style, warmly articulate, identifies with popular ideas, grasps the entire issue, intellectually confident, focused concentration, fixed intentions, enthusiastic worker, convincing speaker, outspoken and optimistic, knows ones own mind, teaching and planning ability, foresight, executive mind

NEGATIVE: mentally conceited, liking the sound of ones own voice, only interested in ones own ideas, overlooks details, mentally arrogant, inflexible mind, stubborn and one-track mind, self-centered, feels superior at work, craves appreciation, verbally over-bearing, talks "AT" others, wrapped up in pet projects and theories

Mercury is now transiting through Leo with the Sun and Jupiter !!!

So exactly what kind of "scene" from what kind of "play" will each one of us be "acting out" during this dramatically expressive transit of Mercury ... new ideas and projects just might have quite a theatrical air about them ... Mercury remains in Leo until August 25th !!!

Only two more complete sign transits, those being Virgo and Libra, ere Mercury begins its third and final retrograde period for 2026, completely in the sign of Scorpio, which will occur from October 24th through November 13th going from 20 degrees 58 minutes back to 5 degrees 2 minutes Scorpio ... and to reiterate one more time it will be embedded completely in the final days of the upcoming Venus retrograde which occurs from October 3rd through November 13th ... Mercury enters its next shadow point on October 4th when it reaches 5 degrees 2 minutes Scorpio !!!

While Mercury is in Leo it is wise to remember that we should teach others what we really want to learn our self ... we stand or we fall by what we say and how we say it ... do not ignore that "small still voice" that is an important part of the greater good !!!

One final word of advice - be aware that whatever springs from your mind, and ultimately from your lips most likely in a dramatic fashion, especially during this extended transit, is only as good and true as that which dwells in your heart !!! 

So, curtain up ... light the lights ... cue applause ... now get out there, take center stage, think big and then communicate with a dramatic flair which for certain people will not be a difficult task at all will it now ??? 

A HIGHLY MENTAL APPROACH TO LOVE AND ROMANCE - THE EMOTIONAL FACTOR OFTEN COMING IN TO PLAY LATER !!!

Venus began its "loving" transit through the charming, sociable sign of Libra on Thursday, August 6th at 3:13 PM EDT ... Venus is very much at home here - considered to be in dignity - as this is one of the two signs it naturally rules - the other being Taurus ... Venus was last in Libra from October 13th through November 6th, 2025... anything come to mind during that ride of emotions, relationships and possibly financial issues ???

Venus in Libra tends to first have a highly mental approach - because Libra is an air sign - to love and romance with the emotional factor often coming into play later ... it enjoys art, harmony, and certainly people ... it can be charming, diplomatic, and graceful in relating to others ... affection is expressed with elegance, charm, and consideration ... fairness, balance and gentleness are qualities used when interacting with others ... sometimes there can be such an excessive desire for peace and tranquility that one avoids having to face issues which ultimately can inhibit intimacy ... there is pleasure found in balance and in beauty ... this energy appreciates symmetry ... the handling of money and possessions is most likely cooperative even though at times there could be a competitive edge ... Venus in Libra wants affection, beauty and ease in love relationships with a need for equal sharing between one and ones partner ... this Venus is also equally concerned about justice and fairness !!!

Venus transiting through Libra is all about how to love through relating with others ... it's the aesthetic ... one can appreciate and understand art and society on their own separate levels ... there is an inner sense of harmony here which yields the ability to see life in terms of beauty and justice ... this ability comes from more of a mental approach rather than an emotional one ... here one recognizes that beauty is important with the question arising whether or not it is more than or simply skin deep ... the ultimate answer is that it is both !!!

Venus in Libra can easily be attracted to ones inner beauty in addition to or rather than their outward appearance ... there is also probably a fear of conflict and disharmony ... ugly scenes, feeling unattractive, uncouth behavior and fake love are strongly disliked ... this energy is likely to attract either popularity or wealth, or both ... social harmony, tastefulness, being in love, beautiful surroundings and true marriage are highly appreciated here ... the energy of Venus in Libra can be expressed in the following ways :

POSITIVE: eye for beauty, strong color sense, good ear, artistic, affectionate, likable, magnetic, fair-looking, refined, graceful, pleasant, socially correct, romantically steadfast, relates well, harmonious, just, empathetic, broad-minded

NEGATIVE: hung up on appearances, oversensitive, music snob, art snob, takes personal liberties, frivolous, seducing, vain, affected, phony, overly concerned with etiquette, superficial, insincere, avoids conflict, indifferent, cold, cynical, social outcast

Libra born individuals, this is your time when the love light of Venus shines on you - even though it usually always does as it is your ruling planet !!! ... and, as always, ask for what you want especially during this period as you might just get it !!!

Venus is currently transiting through the sign of Libra by itself ... Venus will not actually be finished with transiting Libra until December 4th due to its upcoming retrograde period for 2026 ... it will complete the first transit through Libra on September 10th ... once stationing retrograde on October 3rd, it will return to Libra on October 25th where it will complete its retrograde journey ... the upcoming retrograde period will occur from October 3rd through November 13th going from 8 degrees 29 minutes Scorpio back to 22 degrees 51 minutes Libra ... and to add to the "festivities", Mercury will be taking its final retrograde period for 2026 completely embedded in the final days of the Venus retrograde ... Venus will enter its next shadow point on August 31st !!! 

Meanwhile, remember ones personal ideal is something to strive towards and not stubbornly insist upon ... relationships will ultimately prosper on love and understanding of the best AND the worst ... and certainly the undeniable purest expression of Venus in Libra is developing the ability to lend grace where awkwardness exists and to gain understanding in the midst of strife !!!

For now, it's time to seek beauty and learn to appreciate it for what it is ... determine where your passion for the pursuit of justice truly lies ... play nice with the other children ... and ultimately it's time to discover and understand the "true beauty" of partnerships and relationships and how they can manifest positive personal and spiritual growth in your life !!!