The Intense Planets of August, 2017

We have no less than TWO eclipses and a Mercury Retrograde period to get through, coming up in August. Read on….

To get the most out of my blogs, it is helpful to know your Rising Sign (Ascendant or Lagna) and your Moon sign. Have you ever had a Vedic Astrology reading? If so, that information would have been provided to you. If not, you can always schedule a 90 minute session with me.

August 7th/8th – depending on where you live, the partial lunar eclipse will occur late in the evening of the 7th, or the wee hours of the 8th.  As a reminder, all eclipses are inauspicious and it is not good to view them.  Fortunately, this one will not be visible in the US, except for Hawaii.  This eclipse will be seen in much of Europe, much of Asia, Australia, Africa, east in South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Antarctica.  It occurs in the sign of Capricorn, which is the 7th house for Cancerians, the sign ruled by the Moon. Thus the Cancer Rising and Moon sign people’s tender feelings may be more sensitive than usual, and they could have trouble being “seen” in their primary relationships, as the 7th house governs marriage and partnership.

August 12th – MERCURY RETROGRADE, once again. Get ready for another three weeks of communication snarls and mishaps, which also applies to any equipment or devices that deal with communication.  Mercury rules the signs of Gemini and Virgo, so those with these Ascendants or Moon signs will feel this appearance of Mercury’s “backwards movement” the most.  It occurs in the sign of Leo where it is conjunct malefic Rahu, who causes chaos in the best of times, so just hang on until Mercury again goes direct motion on September 5th.

August 16th – SUN enters Leo.  Now normally this is a good position for the Sun, to be happily empowered as it crosses through its own sign in transit.  But let us not forget that Rahu is just lurking there, waiting for the right moment to swallow this important luminary in our solar system and put out its brilliant light. More on that event below.

August 19th – MERCURY goes COMBUST the Sun. That means traveling too close for comfort to its friend, the fiery orb.   This makes any planet angry and irritable and those it rules will feel its weakened condition (Geminis and Virgos) on top of the ruler of their charts being in retrograde. The combustion lasts until September 2nd.

August 20th – VENUS enters water sign Cancer, bringing all its good qualities to bless the Cancer Rising and Moon sign people. They will feel more attractive, and be more affectionate, as their focus turns to either artistic or creative projects, music, entertaining or love and romance.  Taurus and Libra are ruled by this great benefic and this sign represents a good position for them both, thus many of them will be enjoying Venusian qualities late in the summer. Remember that your dashas i.e. your personal planetary cycles “rule” and are more important than most of the transits. To learn where you are in that sequential flow, contact me for a reading.

August 21st – TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE, with total visibility in the USA from the Northwest, through the heart of the Midwest (below Iowa) and finishing its route through our country, as it passes through South Carolina. Not auspicious at all, and I don’t recommend trying to look at it, both for your eyesight’s sake and to avoid the malicious effects of Rahu’s attempt to put out the light of the Sun. However briefly that lasts, it is certainly not good for any Leos, as the Sun rules their sign and this eclipse happens to occur IN the sign of Leo, so that is like a double whammy.  The classical Vedic literature describes eclipses as being bad omens, not a good time to make major decisions or begin new projects. It’s more of a time to go inward, meditate, read scriptures and spiritual literature and fast during the height of the eclipse, a couple of hours on either side of it.  One of the most famous Americans who will surely feel the effects is Leo Ascendant Donald J. Trump.

August 25th – SATURN goes Direct. At long last, this ruler of the signs of Capricorn and Aquarius, will begin to move forward, and not a minute too soon for the Scorpio Rising and especially Scorpio Moon people, who have been hosting him.  He doesn’t get out of this sign until October 26th, but at least the forward motion helps the Capricorns and Aquarians now, to experience more progress in their projects, long-held desires, goals and aims.  This is our slowest-moving planet so any shift of gears in Saturn’s path is a big deal to consider.

August 26th – MARS moves out of Cancer, its sign of debilitation, and into its friend’s sign, LEO.  It will be quite the planetary pile up in this fire sign, with four planets conjunct there now: Mars, Rahu, Sun, and the retrograde Mercury. It bears noting that Rahu and Mars will be at the exact degree on this date, which is not so helpful to Mars, and the signs it rules, Scorpio and Aries. So please take note of this date and protect yourself from unnecessary risks and accidents.

My September blog next month will also feature some big planet changes, with more of the slower-moving planets shifting signs: Jupiter, Rahu and Ketu. So stay tuned to the Sunshine Corner, currently operating from Boulder, Colorado.

Tel: 928-284-4060.  Thank you for any referrals you may 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 schedulea 90 minute session.  Thank you, Mary Stevenson, Vedic Astrologer,  healingevents@yahoo.com. http://www.ethereal-grain.flywheelsites.com