SERVE YOUR BODY WELL AND IT WILL SERVE YOU AND OTHERS WELL IN RETURN !!!

The Sun began its "highly efficient" transit through the methodical, discriminating sign of Virgo yesterday, August 22nd, at 11:45 AM 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 to shine 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 teaches 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 the sign of Virgo with Mercury - that's a lot of energy that is focused like a laser beam on being exact, precise, paying attention to every detail and being very discriminating !!!  ... The Sun remains in the sign of Virgo until September 22nd !!!



During this solar transit through Virgo, along with the influence of Mercury for the first 15 days, we will be immersed in facts, figures, daily work and service issues, health and nutritional issues, and possibly family issues on some level ... and keep in mind the last 14 days of this solar transit, Mars will be in the initial stages of its retrograde journey for 2020, so we will have to be careful about all of the above mentioned issues and not move too fast !!!


We must 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 !!!

CROSS EVERY "T" ... DOT EVERY "I" - AGAIN AND AGAIN !!!

MERCURY - began its transit through the highly focused sign of Virgo yesterday, August 19th, at 9:30 PM 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 August 29th through September 14th, 2019 !!!

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 teaches us to learn to think through 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 the only planet currently transiting through the sign of Virgo, but the Sun will join the party this Saturday 8/22 ... Mercury will hop, skip and jump as it remains in Virgo only until September 5th !!!

NOW - let's talk about the upcoming third and final Mercury retrograde for 2020 ... even though Mercury will actually complete its transit the first time through Libra, it will return to Libra for the final part of this last retrograde period on October 27th ... once direct, Mercury will finally complete its business with Libra on November 10th ... Mercury will take its final retrograde journey for 2020 from October 13th through November 3rd going from 11 degrees 40 minutes back to 25 degrees 54 minutes Libra ... and, as I have mentioned numerous times before, this final Mercury retrograde period will be completely in the upcoming Mars retrograde which occurs from September 9th through November 13th ... Mercury will enter its next shadow point on September 23rd when it reaches 25 degrees 54 minutes Libra !!!



For roughly the next 18 days, 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 !!!

A REBEL WITH OR WITHOUT A SPECIFIC CAUSE ???

URANUS - the planet known as the great awakener, the rebel, the planet of intuition and the sixth sense and sudden and unexpected change as well as revolutions and breakthroughs, radicals and radical ideas and behavior, the ruler of astrologers and inventors, and the planet closely associated with electricity, technology and electronics - began its retrograde journey for 2020 today, August 15th, at 10:25 AM EDT at 10 DEGREES 41 MINUTES  TAURUS - do I hear a loud collective groan of  UH-OHHHHH as if we've had enough to deal with already this year ??? !!!! ... where you find Uranus in your individual natal chart is usually where you tend to do the unusual and break from the norm ... Uranus, which takes 84 years to make a complete journey through the 12 signs of the Zodiac, most certainly marches to the beat of a different drum !!!! ... and if you know or are an Aquarius born individual, you probably understand this very well !!! ... Uranus was last retrograde from August 11th, 2019 through January 10th, 2020 !!!



Uranus is the planet of the unconscious, and even during a retrograde journey that is where its energy will be most highly concentrated ... however, during a retrograde period the energy will tend to be even more pronounced ... people born with Uranus retrograde in their natal chart - and there are a lot of us out there since Uranus retrogrades for about 5 months out of each year - are frequently found on the forefront when it comes to change and actions that are oriented towards the future and on the cutting edge ... the desire to reform or rebel is perhaps even stronger during a retrograde period than when Uranus is direct ... if you've had a natal chart run and know in which house or houses 10 DEGREES 41 MINUTES TAURUS back to 6 DEGREES 43 MINUTES TAURUS fall, then you might get an idea in what area of your life where this particular retrograde energy will most likely play out ... you might also want to check and see if you have any natal planets, regardless of sign placement, at or close to the degree of the beginning of the retrograde and the degrees that this retrograde period will cross back over as events can suddenly spring up in regards to the aspect Uranus might make !!!



During a transiting Uranus retrograde, it's time for each one of us to ask ourselves what changes do we see happening in the world and ask ourselves how we are contributing to or working against them ... it is very important during the retrograde period to look at the connections between ones own personal changes and those that are occurring around the world ... how are they connected and do we need to find a better way to do that ??? ... are we helping mankind move forward through positive growth or are we being counterproductive through our rebellion to assert our individuality, independence and freedom and ultimately causing more problems than we solve ???



Uranus has been literally slowing down and sending out its often disruptive vibrational energy at the 10 degree Taurus position since July 5th creating a lot of tension and irritation on many levels no doubt especially since August 11th as it was pretty much "astrologically" at a standstill ... the Universe has been making not only Taurus and Aquarius born - who may especially feel the impact of this retrograde - but everyone else aware there WILL BE CHANGE which NEEDS to be and MUST be addressed while Uranus is retrograde ,,, and it may not always be pleasant and/or easy in some cases ... but keep in mind for all the uproar Uranus can cause it frequently produces sudden and unexpected flashes of intuition and outright genius !!!


There could be a lot of us who experienced this tension during this past week ... in some cases there may have been a sudden and/or unexpected change take place out of the blue ... or even a confrontational situation arose we were not expecting ... until the retrograde energy settles in, there could be instances of rebellion, disruption, explosions and confrontations  !!!



Uranus remains retrograde until January 14th, 2021 !!!



Aquarius born individuals, this is your yearly period to review and reflect on what is going on in your life and see how and where you might need to make some positive changes to further personal and spiritual growth ... you may especially want to pay attention to what has transpired in your lives since Uranus finished its last retrograde journey and resumed direct motion back on January 10th of this year ... along with Aquarius born individuals, we ALL will most likely have something illuminated from our subconscious that needs to be dealt with which certainly requires a necessary change as well  as rethinking something somewhere in our lives that we suddenly and probably quite unexpectedly took action against to bring about change that perhaps now we realize wasn't the best course of action to have taken ... but will we willingly do this or will the Universe force us to come face to face with our erratic actions ???

Now we have this burning drive turned inward urging us to move forward with purpose, to be different, to be independent, to have our individual freedom, to do things suddenly and unexpectedly and to be downright rebellious - that's the way retrograde Uranus rolls ... or should I say shakes ???



One thing is for sure - when we are dealing with the sudden, unexpected, disruptive, revolutionary energy of Uranus, which can lead to something highly innovative and ahead of its time or perhaps negatively something that is disastrous and life changing in a way we didn't want, it makes it absolutely a time to be prepared to EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED ... so the ultimate question becomes - will you become a rebel with or without a specific cause ???

ONE WHO INDULGES BULGES - FOR SOME POTENTIALLY IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE !!!

VENUS - the planet of love, affection, attraction, social interactions and desires began its emotional swim through the nurturing, intuitive sign of Cancer today, August 7th, at 11:21 AM EDT  ... Venus was last in Cancer from July 3rd through July 27, 2019 !!!  

Venus transiting through a WATER sign such as this takes on an even more emotional rather than an intellectual connection to everything it is attracted to ... Venus in Cancer enjoys home, food, nurturing and/or dependency ... it can be very sensitive and protective in relating to people, and it appreciates emotional warmth and attachments ... affection is expressed protectively, tenaciously and in a nurturing manner ... pleasure is found through security ... ones comfort level may well depend on feeling like part of a "family" !!!



Venus in Cancer produces a preference to share within a very closely attached group ... if one should lack faith under this energy, there could be a result of moodiness, shyness, over protection - including self and others, and stinginess which could interfere with the potential for closeness and the ability to enjoy life ... money and possessions are usually handled cautiously ... there is a desire to nurture and/or be nurtured in ones love relationships ... closeness involves dependency, care taking and receptivity ... this Venus energy can be somewhat thin-skinned and truly needs to hear the words "I love you" often !!!

Venus in Cancer teaches us to learn to love oneself as well as others through the process of nurturing ... it believes that home is indeed where the heart is ... the expression of love here is tied into the need to give or receive comfort and security ... there is the trap to become so concerned with receiving love that you forget the quality and quantity of love you actually give ... this love is usually of the most instinctive kind ... there is a romantic leaning towards the sentimental ... there also comes a rather changeable nature in showing or accepting affection which usually is a result of doubts about ones own attractiveness ... home and family are central to ones happiness here ... there is the possibility that one possesses cooking, decorating, or other domestic skills under this energy ... sometimes the fear of change and/or disruption within the home and family produce worry which physically expressed manifests in the form of stomach or throat problems ... the  energy of Venus in Cancer can be expressed the following ways:

POSITIVE: gentle, kind, tender, romantic, sentimental, sensitive, compassionate, dreamy, devoted, loyal, unselfish, dependable, caring, protective, motherly, sympathetic, home-making, reassuring, comforting

NEGATIVE: timid, gooey, fawning, easily hurt, moody, muddled, clingy, too attached, weak-willed, dependent, fussy, shy, insecure, fears unfamiliar, gluttonous, vulnerable, taking others for granted, emotional threatening, inhospitable



Cancer born individuals, this is your time to "glow" as Venus moves through your birth sign and shines its "love light" on you ... be nice and kind enough and you just might get what you ask for !!!

Venus is the only planet currently transiting through the sign of Cancer ... Venus remains in the sign of Cancer until September 6th !!!

For the 30 days, try to relax and enjoy as the Universe is guiding us and teaching us how to gently navigate through the emotional "waters" of love ... perhaps we all now could try and use Mother Nature as a "role model" for how to nurture and nourish  ourselves as well as others ... allowing others to sometimes lean on you will help prevent you from continuously leaning on others too much ... by admitting to our hopes and what hurts us we can ultimately encourage others to do so as well !!!



Be on guard though because, with the potential for the love of food, along with "other" things, being greatly heightened, as the old saying goes, ONE WHO INDULGES - BULGES ... and in the case of this particular "loving" energy, it could be in more than one way, right ??? 

CURTAINS UP ... LIGHT THE LIGHTS ... EXPRESS YOURSELF - DRAMATICALLY !!!

"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 yesterday, August 4th, at 11:32 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 in Leo from June 26th through August 29th, 2019 due to a retrograde period but that will not be the case this time around !!! 

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 now joins the Sun already transiting through the sign of Leo ... you can bet those ideas are most likely going to be grand and scathingly brilliant - at least in the mind of the one from which it sprang !!!

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 !!!


There are only two more full sign transits to go before Mercury takes its third and final retrograde journey for 2020 which will occur from October 13th through November 3rd going from 11 degrees 40 minutes Scorpio back to 25 degrees 54 minutes Libra ... I did say there were two more full sign transits to go, but Mercury will actually complete its first complete transit through Libra before stationing retrograde in Scorpio and then return to Libra briefly on October 3rd, and once direct will exit Libra on October 10th and return to Scorpio for its full sign transit ... Mercury enters its next shadow point on September 23rd when it reaches 25 degrees 54 minutes Libra which, of course, is where it will conclude its final retrograde journey for 2020 ... and yet another reminder, this final Mercury retrograde will occur completely inside of the Mars retrograde which occurs from September 9th through November 13th !!!



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, is only as good and true as that which dwells in your heart ... So, curtain up ... light the lights ... cue applause ... now, let's 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 ???

"WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE LIVING FOR ... APPLAUSE ... APPLAUSE" - AIN'T IT THE TRUTH !!!

The Sun begins its "majestic" transit through the dramatic, romantic, proud sign of Leo yesterday, July 22nd, at 4:37 AM EDT ... this solar energy is all about is being acknowledged, appreciated and applauded !!!



The Sun in Leo is very happy here ... in fact it is in dignity as this is the sign it naturally rules in the zodiac ... when a planet, or luminary in this case, is in dignity, you control the circumstances in whatever area of your life the sign falls !!! ... The Sun is extremely efficient with its energy transiting Leo being dignified in this position ... but just how "dignified" and efficient the first part of this transit will be becomes the "burning" question with Mercury retrograde for the first ten days of this solar transit !!! ... if you've had your natal chart done, then you may gain awareness on what "stage" of your life this energy may affect you during this 32 day solar transit !!!

The Sun in Leo bestows us with a pronounced craving for attention ... Leo energy usually loves giving and receiving hugs ... The Sun in Leo encourages one  to shine through creative endeavors, seek recognition through risk-taking or exciting activities, shine through ones generosity, and certainly shine through ones own charisma ... this is the ultimate in fire energy - it is very happy,optimistic energy ... and isn't the Sun pretty much at its peak in Summer during July/August (at least in the Northern hemisphere !!!) ??? ... it's easy to see why these native born individuals are so warm and cheerful - unless of course they are modified by some other "darker" energy in their natal chart !!! 

Leo is a masculine/fire/fixed sign which makes it enthusiastic, powerful, expansive and creative, generous and extravagant, dogmatic and VERY FIXED in its opinions ... as previously stated, Leo is ruled by the Sun, so the Sun is extremely happy to be transiting through this sign !!! ... the Sun is the center of our solar system and therefore the most powerful planetary influence which bestows vitality and authority !!!

Leo's symbol is the Lion - regal, brave, dominating,possessing nobility and pride, and sometimes insensitive to pain ... the glyph for Leo represents two valves of the heart ... it is also the Greek symbol for the first letter of Leo ... symbolically, it is two incomplete circles of the Sun joined by a crescent Moon (its tail) which symbolizes that power is derived from both the intellect and the emotions ... its key phrase is "I Will" and its keyword is "Magnetism" ... the Sun is the main expression of the individual ... it shows the qualities of leadership and success ... it represents the masculine principle, the father, husband, and men in general ... it rules health, vital principles, authority and bosses, rank, title, high office, progress, dignity, energy, sense of identity and capacity for experience ... wherever the Sun is located in your natal chart is where you find the life and heart of your horoscope - it is where you truly want and need to shine !!!

Leo anatomically rules the heart, back, spine, the right eye of the male and the left eye of the female ... emotional strain and physical overexertion can cause back and spinal ailments in Leo born people ... sometimes Leo born people can be overbearing and challenging to the point of unknowingly provoking others into impulsive violence !!! ... Leo is the sign directly opposite of Aquarius in the natural zodiac ...

Leo naturally rules the 5th house of the horoscope ... it is a house of life whose keyword is "Creativity" ... the 5th house represents children, artistic expression, love affairs, romance, pleasure, amusements, holidays, vacations, games, speculation, hobbies and what distracts you from your main employment ... it also represents your emotional attitude, the love you give, your enterprise, sports, originality and creative outlets, shows dramatic, literary or artistic ability, shows publications, politics, the fine arts, social affairs, pregnancy and the education of children ... also represented here are any groups to which you may belong that relate to having fun ...

The Sun in Leo teaches us all about learning to live through the process of creating and being creative ... it is one who is truly a child of the Sun ... it wants to shine and be the center of attention ... even if you are shy or lacking in confidence, you will want to be noticed in some way ... respect is vitally important not only for yourself but from others as well ... respect is dependent on self-respect ... a radiant glow is often physically noticeable !!!

Leo can create an "air of certainty" which makes many things possible ... but for all the apparent confidence streaming forth from ones heart, it can belie the fact that one is highly dependent on being appreciated !!! ... here one must pay special attention to critics and admirers alike to avoid being blinded by ones own light and thus destroying whatever it is that one originally tried to create and maintain - a relationship, ones home, health, profession or even ones own children ... just like the Sun, Leo energy cannot see the shadow it casts ... ultimately Leo must realize that its power and influence shine through it and not from it ... and when that power is wounded or challenged, it is very much like the Sun disappearing behind a cloud - the world becomes a colder and darker place ... the energy of the Sun in Leo can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: noble, confident, generous, gracious, encouraging, commanding, ambitious, enterprising, proud, cultivated, dramatic sense, impressive, self-expressive, wealth of ideas, fun to be with, warm, affectionate, loyal, romantic

NEGATIVE: pretentious, self-righteous, flamboyant, domineering, demanding, intolerant, overestimating, vain, snobby/stuck-up, melodramatic, show-off, self-centered, overbearing, overblown, scorching, affected, fierce, impossible, unrealistic



HAPPY SOLAR RETURN LEO BORN !!!! ... Leo born individuals this is your time of year to SHINE - even more so than you usually do most of the time !!!



For all of us, we should remember that most of those who love us do so for our inner glow more than our outer show ... the Sun never tries to shine AND set conditions - THE SUN JUST SHINES !!! ... recognize, appreciate, respect and pardon both yourself and others ... take time to get in touch with your inner child and try to enjoy the simple pleasures of life !!!

The Sun is currently the only luminary transiting through the sign of Leo, but I think it is just fine with that and all of its fiery energy !!! ... the Sun remains in the sign of Leo until August 22nd when it moves into Virgo and we become highly focused on daily work and service, health and nutrition and possibly family issues !!!



This larger than life energy compels each one of us to take "center stage" in some area of our life ... and as the lyrics to that famous song goes - "WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE LIVING FOR ... APPLAUSE ... APPLAUSE" !!!

"A-HA" OR "UH-OH" ... ARE THE "LIGHTS" STARTING TO COME BACK ON YET ???

MERCURY completed its second retrograde journey for 2020 and stationed back into direct motion Sunday, July 12th, at 4:21 AM EDT  - do I hear a BIG SIGH OF RELIEF out there, well sort of  ???



Hopefully, some of the disorientation, confusion, frustration and outright irritation along with the sudden and unexpected issues that may have been produced by this Mercury retrograde is beginning to clear and subside as it becomes time to move forward into the swing of things on all levels !!!

Now that is has been 9 days since resuming direct motion, continuing over the next few weeks or even months, there will undoubtedly be quite a few "a-ha" as well as "uh-oh" lights coming on in regard to decisions made or actions taken during the retrograde period from June 17th/18th through July 12th, and possibly as far back as June 2nd when Mercury entered its shadow point - the point where it would come out of this retrograde journey on July 12th at 5 degrees 30 minutes Cancer ... did issues and complications or questioning arise in regards to things done during the last retrograde period from February 16th through March 9th??? ... or maybe even as far back as the retrograde period from October 31st through November 20th ??? ... and it's a sure bet that as Mercury moves forward once again crossing back over the degrees it covered during this retrograde period issues may begin to arise potentially sooner than later in whatever was going on the first time it crossed over the retrograde degrees !!! ... Mercury crossed over 5 degrees 30 minutes Cancer through 14 degrees 46 minutes Cancer from May 26th through June 17th/18th, then went backwards over them during the retrograde, and now moves forward over them once again from July 12th through July 26th - the good old "scrubbing effect" as we sometimes like to refer to it !!!



Mercury retrograde periods, even though annoying and extremely frustrating at times, are actually a very beneficial thing, especially for those who were strong and fearless enough to dig deep down, as we need to validate, or in some cases invalidate, actions and situations gone awry and deal with them in order to finally release them to produce a calmer, positive and more productive state of mind thus allowing us to move forward to bring about greater personal and spiritual growth !!! 

If you've had a natal chart done, you should look to see in which house or houses 14 degrees 46 minutes Cancer back to 5 degrees 30 minutes Cancer falls - what kinds of issues did you have to  deal with in the areas of life governed by that house or in some cases those houses ??? ... how many of you went with the flow and how many of you tried to swim upstream in the raging current of Cosmic confusion ??? ... I heard from many people that this Mercury retrograde was particularly rough especially while it was retrograde during the last 7 days of the recent Venus retrograde in Gemini which is one of the signs that Mercury naturally rules !!!

Of course the recurring question we may find ourselves asking now that Mercury is back in direct motion is "WHY" ??????? ...What actions did you take yourself or have taken against you that you or the other person may now be regretting. or you may be simply wondering why you chose to do what you did or why you were the victim of a particular course of action from other(s), and why didn't you or the other person wait a little longer ...  or perhaps you are simply now trying to figure out why it even happened ???



Relationships may have come to an end - some needed to be released and others may have jumped the gun and you are now wondering, or will be, why did I do that or end things during this period ...  how many of you had relationship issues surface or resurface - extremely likely in a Mercury retrograde - that you thought surely had been resolved or didn't even realize existed ???  ... or how many of you had one or more people come back through your life that you thought you had seen the last of or even forgot about and now most of them are gone or going once again ???  ... and how many of you began new actions within a relationship, personal or professional without waiting for the retrograde period to conclude ??? ... AND ... how many of you got married - OOPSIE  ???



Did anyone make any major purchases - homes, cars, electronics - that now don't seem like the best thought out course of action or that you are beginning to regret or will do so in the days ahead ??? ... there could be problems regarding any purchases made especially with anything where electrical energy and/or computers were involved ... all of these scenarios are possible as the energy of a Mercury retrograde is one where communications and mental energy is going "backwards" ... so now that the mental processing facilities are no longer going backwards - at least for most of us - in regard  to Mercury and its functions, it's time to finally RELEASE these emotional holds and allow ourselves to move forward with our lives ... let go of what is best left in the past so you can achieve greater personal and spiritual growth !!!

Mercury retrograding in the sign of Cancer yielded an emphasis for an opportunity to rethink how we emotionally respond to life ... and being in a water sign, Mercury retrograding in Cancer produces a strong desire to retreat inward ... when Mercury retrogrades in a water sign our feelings and emotions are strongly activated and, as challenging and sometimes even painful as it can be, we MUST address them in order to promote personal healing by making us have to work harder at producing a more stable balance between our emotional and the mental processes ... as waters can run very deep, that is where we most likely are going to have to dive into ourselves to come face to face with our innermost feelings and emotions ... and wherever this retrograde energy fell by house in your natal chart, actions could have arisen in that area of your life causing you to undergo a careful and hopefully honest examination to determine if these feelings and emotions are producing a positive or negative contribution to the quality of your life !!!



This was also an excellent time to keep a dream journal to discover what the Universe is revealing to us deep within our unconsciousness ... even though this could have been challenging, it could have been an excellent time for honest self evaluation if we had the strength, trust and courage to allow the process to unfold !!!

In addition to the "usual suspect" issues which arise during a Mercury retrograde, being in Cancer there was the potential for issues to have arisen which included : your home, parents, family, foundations, psychological roots, personal security, property - houses and/or real estate, for some the closing years of life, and endings of any kind ... these are all issues addressed in the 4th house of the zodiac naturally ruled by Cancer !!! 

In regards to overall health, remember Mercury is the natural planetary ruler of the 6th house which rules health, so there could have been more chances to have health issues in general during the Mercury retrograde period ... retrograding in Cancer there could also have been issues in the areas of the breast and stomach ... the stomach area most likely being activated by emotional stress conflicting with the digestive process !!! 

A Mercury retrograde is usually not a good time to have surgery as the healing process could be slowed down or there could be the chance of having to go back at a later date and take care of something that wasn't done correctly - especially in regards to cosmetic surgery ... hopefully if you did partake in any kind of elective surgery it won't run into any issues down the road !!!  ... as for emergency surgery, we have no control over that and trying to put that off might have produced catastrophic results !!!

Gemini and Virgo born since Mercury is your natural ruling planet, did you "try" and slow down for personal review and rethinking - especially in regards as to what has transpired in your lives since Mercury last resumed direct motion back on March 9th??? ... what have you learned about yourself in regards to where you are going and whether or not you are proceeding wisely in order to become more successful ??? ... what did you discover that MUST be changed - in fact what did anyone discover that MUST be changed so you are not left stagnant and hanging in limbo ???

Mercury now moves forward to complete its entire transit through the sign of Cancer on Tuesday, August 4th which initially began back on May 28th ... below is a reminder of what this mercurial energy is all about should you need to "review":

MERCURY began its transit through the domestic, sympathetic sign of Cancer on May 28th, at 2:09 PM  EDT ... our thought and communicative processes now turn from a highly intellectual mode towards a more emotional mode of operation as the ruler of Cancer is the Moon which, among other things, rules the emotions ... our thinking and communicating often ends up resulting from how we FEEL !!! ... Mercury was last in Cancer from June 4th through August 11th, 2019, a longer than normal transit due to a retrograde period and that will be the case again this year !!!



Mercury in Cancer has a way of subconsciously picking up signals from everyone else .. the mind becomes as much a receiver as a transmitter under this energy ... here we have a highly intuitive mode of thinking and communicating ... this placement also usually bestows a very good memory along with strong poetic power ... Mercury in Cancer thinks with the heart and often interprets the meaning of others communications through how it "feels" !!!



Mercury in Cancer does not always say everything it is feeling as it tries to avoid hurting itself and others as well with careless ill-spoken comments ... one is very protective of their thoughts ... it likes to nurture ideas and encourage growth before sharing ... one uses emotions as well as logic and often may end up letting sensitivities sway ones decisions ... subconscious fears, habits, or prejudices could inhibit ones objectivity or openness to the new !!!



There is usually an above-average psychic ability ... one learns through absorbing their experiences and making emotional connections ... interest here may include family, the home, the land, the past, the public or security ... Oh yes, we most definitely may find ourselves thinking about food A LOT, and hopefully that thinking doesn't become a nasty habit of overeating causing us to expand in ways we would rather NOT !!!

Mercury in Cancer teaches us the importance of about thinking through nurturing ... it is a caring mind ... one has to be careful not to take everything so personally here ... it is important to remember to look at the facts in addition to the opinions of others ... it is also important to remember and be aware that each one of us is our own source of light and warmth ... most importantly it is necessary to make a collection of good memories that will give rise to clear and positive thinking ... the energy of Mercury in Cancer can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: mentally tenacious, good memory, reliable, sensitive mind, poetic, intuitive, agreeable, absorbs information, attuned to public opinion, profound, polite, softly-spoken, discreet, diplomatic, arouses sympathies, emotionally appealing, persuasive speaker

NEGATIVE: mentally habit-ridden, distracted, inflexible, overly impressionable, impractical, irrational, yes-person, too open, taking things too personally, depressive, self-conscious, unclear, incomprehensible, diffuse,  prejudiced, untruthful



While Mercury is transiting through the sign of Cancer, one should realize that the natural ability to influence others is worthy of only our highest motives ... tuning in to ones finer feelings and expressing them is ultimately more rewarding ... and finally, try to focus on what you are after, who you are with and why ... and then stick with that !!! ... and by all means - enjoy the mental trips down memory lane as they will surely "light the corners of your mind" !!!

Mercury will exit its retrograde zone on July 26th when it reaches 14 degrees 46 minutes Cancer, the point where it began this second retrograde journey for 2020 back on June 17th/18th ... Mercury remains in  direct motion until October 13th when it begins its third and final retrograde journey for 2020 at 11 degrees 40 minutes Scorpio ... it will be a dual sign retrograde going from 11 degrees 40 minutes Scorpio back to 25 degrees 54 minutes Libra where it will station back into direct motion on November 3rd ... Mercury enters its next shadow point on September 23rd when it reaches 25 degrees 54 minutes Libra !!!


And a very important caveat here, the final Mercury retrograde for 2020 will be completely embedded in the upcoming Mars retrograde which takes place from September 9th through November 13th completely in the sign it naturally rules which is Aries ... this could prove to be yet another extremely challenging and frustrating period for many !!!


But don't start worrying about that now ... stay focused on the here and now and the most important fact that it is definitely - TIME FOR MOVING ON !!!