2012 August Mercury Retrograde and More

Wondering what is coming up in the rest of August, 2012?
August 7/8 (depending on time zone): Mercury Retrograde:  We like the Cafe Astrology treatment of this upcoming Direct Station.  Regardless of your natal sun sign, the few days after the direct station are a good time to launch something.  The two weeks after the direct station (and before the retrograde station) can have some rough spots, but consider launching anyway.  Sometimes (overdue) things come to instead.  Whether this is “good” or “bad” depends on your values and what you have done in the past.

August 17: New Moon: This late Leo new moon perfects in all U.S. time zones, England, and Western European (and some Eastern European) time zones on this date.  As with all New Moons, the week before is a good time to clean out and throw away, especially if you plan to return to school this fall.  You can probably find some great sale items in this period but BE CERTAIN TO CLEAN OUT FIRST.  The ten day period from the Direct Station to the New Moon is probably a good time to do this.  If you can, think about giving something to someone who can use it or someone less fortunate.  Avoid the landfill if you can.

Although I will not delineate the details in this particular blog post, this is an unusually important new moon because of its location (25 Leo).  Both 15 Leo and 25 Leo have long been a source of controversy.  This New Moon squares Algol, among other things.  (Although Algol is now at 26 Taurus, for most people born prior to the year 2000 it was at 25 Taurus.  And, the orb for a New Moon is typically 5 degrees.) We have discussed a Moon / Algol activation elsewhere, and it began a period of time characterized by a coal mine disaster, large loss of life in an airliner crash in Eastern Europe, and that culminated the Deepwater Horizon disaster.  (We are guessing that the chain of events here could also extend a similar period of time.)

This New Moon also precisely opposes the Aquarius Moon (25 Aquarius) of the United States’ “Scorpio Rising” chart.  (This article about that chart and U.S. Presidents is interesting.)  A brief check of the history of August 17, in general, shows a remarkable number of military operations on this date.

The period ranging from August 14th through the end of August looks like a period of instability with potential for a significant disaster of some kind.  The New Moon looks especially risky.  And, again, this period may extend as far as the Autumnal Equinox.

The period before a new moon is often used for fasting for both physical and spiritual reasons.  It can be a very good time for weight loss, so you might successfully start a diet the day after the Mercury Direct station.  Some yoga practitioners conduct a brown rice fast at this time.  And, pray for peace.

August 21/22: Sun Enters Virgo: about 3 to 4 hours prior to the entry of the Sun into Virgo BOTH the Sun and the Moon are void.  Most of us are asleep at this time.  BUT, this is a very good time to “let go” of things.  You will want the precise times for your time zone.  Locally, in Plano, the period begins shortly after 2am and ends just past noon.  (That is not three to four hours, but the Moon leaves its void and enters Scorpio about 4am.  But the Sun does not enter Virgo until just past Noon.  And, THAT is when the period is completely finished.)

Try not to to schedule anything important during this period.  Again, the best use of this period is to “let go” of something, “break a habit,” start weaning a child, or something similar.

PRIOR to this period, for most or all of August 21st, is a period that is probably extremely useful for creative problem solving and/or brainstorming.  This is a good time to develop a plan, or solve any nagging problems, as a prelude to the period of “letting go” described above.

Mars is also void starting about an hour earlier (1am locally) until a bit past 10am on Thursday, August 23rd.  If you could extend your “letting go” period until this time, then that would be even better.  Many of us cannot do that.  So, keep things routine until past the 23rd.  (But, the Mercury sextile Jupiter the evening (Plano) of August 22nd would be a good time to write letters, poetry, novels, etc.  Just do not mail them or act on them until Thursday afternoon or later.

August 24:  Sun (Virgo) opposes Neptune (Pisces).  Great for poetry and insights.  A possibility of illness, especially for Gemini, Virgo, Sadge, and Pisces.  If you are an alcoholic, drug addict, or “just party too much,” then a risky day for you.  Moon in Sadge makes this aspect a T-Square and picks up Chiron in the process.  It is a tough day, though Jim Shawvan finds an Opportunity Period here.

August 25: Mars Trines Neptune either late Saturday (Plano & East Coast) or Sunday (California).  This is a very good time for “smooth talkers” and a bad time for those who tend to be even a little bit gullible.  Essentially the aspect governs the day, and probably the prior Thursday and Friday, and makes this a risky time for many.  Just do not believe ANYthing a politician says at this time.  They, and the talking heads on TV (including financial sector), just cannot be believed.  Sign nothing.  Commit to nothing.  Pay close attention to whomever you meet at this time.

For some, Sunday will be a day of reckoning when the Moon enters Capricorn and then conjoins Pluto.

August 29th: Sun (Virgo) trines Pluto (Capricorn).  Financial services industry becomes “interesting” again.  People coming back to school find this day difficult.  Power struggles emerge, and bullies pick this day to assert themselves.  (Proper planning, but not action, on the 24/25th can shift this.)

Mercury (late Leo) sextile Saturn (late Libra) creates an atmosphere of semi-panic about overdue work consequent to procrastination that must be finished now.  Students experience the first truly difficult homework of the semester.  Other find things left from earlier this summer (Mercury retrograde) that were not done but now must be completed (possibly by the nearby end of August).

August 30th:  Sun (Virgo) opposes Chiron (Pisces) causing old dramas to re-surface.  For some returning to school at this time, this will be a difficult day.  Some of the pain may be consequent to events that occur the day before.  The Sun is also inconjunct Uranus (Aries), and by itself that would make this a difficult day.  If that happened by itself, that would make today difficult, but more happens.  Then, Mercury goes void (that can be a hair raising time) about 1pm (Plano, CDT) and stays that way until about 9:30p Friday.  Watch what you say; words may be difficult to impossible to “take back.”

The waxing full Moon is felt most strongly this evening, and being in Virgo/Pisces secrets will slip out and you WILL tend to say things you regret.  This is a great night (and day) to stay home unless you are one of the slick teflon people mentioned earlier.  This would also be a good evening for the police to “go after” slick teflon people.

August 31st:  Full Moon.  In addition to the above issue with Mercury, the Moon goes full on Friday morning.  This is a Piscean Full Moon opposite a Virgo Sun.  Moon (Pisces) sextiles Pluto (Capricorn) first (a bit more power struggle), immediately joins Chiron (the wounded healer) which leaves certain people contrite and others feeling an (overdue) sense of justice, opposes the Sun (spilling more secrets), and then squares Jupiter (Gemini).  This last one might lead to unnecessary expenses or overeating.  (Or might lead to a need for bail money for some of the teflon guys.)  This is a VERY good time for police to conduct criminal investigations and make arrests.

September 1st: Another Teflon Saturday.  Mercury (Virgo) opposes Neptune (Pisces) and more people spill secrets they should keep to themselves.  This is a very good day for writing poetry and song lyrics.  And, all of this Neptune / Pisces activity (since the previous weekend) is very good for filmmakers and photographers.  Artists will like this time.  But, don’t spill the beans if you can avoid it.