Early October 2005 brought Saturn and Neptune within orb of opposition. Ever since, certainties, goals, faith in ideas…people…choices….they’ve all been in-then-out of focus. Sometimes things seemed perfect. Sometimes they seemed very not perfect. The strangest things proved true...and many things we wanted to believe most were often revealed as untrue.

By this time, after almost two years of this "good/bad","real/not real" fogbank, all the making and remaking of decisions and opinions has tried, tired and alienated most of us up one side and down the other. So I’ll bet you’ll be happy to know Saturn and Neptune are ending this dance.

And not a moment too soon, right?

Yet…there must have been a point. After all, if everything happens for a reason, there must have been a really good one behind this trial by Saturn/Neptune.

And yes, there was a purpose. It’s just that not all cosmic lessons are all that cuddly.

Taskmaster Saturn represents all forms of solidity, structure and that reality which requires responsibility and self discipline. It symbolizes all processes which force us to invest in long-term effort towards building a life we will respect ourselves for having. Those who apply patience and effort with dedication, diligence and perseverance earn rewards: they achieve, they become empowered, they are thereby freed to go out and be ever more effective in their world. Just don’t get impatient…the more impatient one gets, the longer things seem to take. That’s Saturn too.

As for Neptune, it represents all things which alter perception, cause us to surrender our ego, feel faith, become inspired, conceptualize ideals, act with altruism and listen to our intuition. Neptune also rules any and all means by which we exercise "escapist tendencies"—from spirituality to entertainment to sexual fantasies to drugs.

In other words, Neptune is pretty much antithetical to Saturn. So when joined by opposition, the effect is to teach us that perfection is an ideal to be cherished—but that reality isn’t perfect. Nor is it realistic to think reality is ever going to be perfect. This pairing symbolizes the need to reconcile our longing to be part of a "collective" versus our need to be individuals and achieve individually…and how difficult these two ideas are to keep in balance. Those who tend to be staunch individualists have found they need to be more accepting of themselves, of others, of the oh-so-human qualities in relationships—and in being human. Those who have spent their time as part of a group or in constant attachment to others have faced needing to devote quality time to their individuality and growth of the individuating kind.

Whatever has happened, the "active phase" of this lesson is now over. As of August 1 we move on, either accepting our lessons by integrating them into our life(style) or by rejecting same, ending up struggling madly against self-defeat in the process.

That being true, August also begins with Venus retrograde in Virgo, a sign that it’s time to reflect on what we are doing with our lives—and how we’re doing it. Where do we need to make changes? Trim the fat? Be more effective, prudent or less wasteful? No, this isn’t a particularly convenient moment, but there’s no avoiding whatever needs taking care of.

The good news is with Sun in Leo, once you get past whatever reluctance you may have about the task at hand you’ll find you can get the job done—and done well, should you really invest yourself (which well may happen). In such involvements, you may even discover a new level of mastery or recognize some startling idea (or change of circumstance) which leads you to an unexpected opportunity.

With Mars in Taurus, you may have to make a few compromises along the way, yes. And moments of frustration are likely. But provided you rely on your sense of self and not the opinion of others, you’re likely to do great deeds. Best courses of action involve challenging yourself with something really worthwhile, something which actually has a long-term potential to harness, utilize and capitalize on your talents, and while the rewards for this won’t be immediate, they may well ultimately prove more than satisfying.

Beginning August in Cancer (suggesting sensitivity to to situations and emotions), Mercury moves into Leo on August 4, adding an upbeat aura to your days. Combined with Venus in retrograde, this Mercury/Leo combination also speaks to "localized" creativity, making it more likely that you’ll be developing a plan rather than executing it. It's also a good time for finding out the truth behind assumptions, but be prepared—you may learn more than you bargained for.

Yet all this isn’t happening in any vacuum, mind you. As indicated by Jupiter going direct and Mars moving into Gemini on August 7, this is also a time when all things feel important and "personal," and when what you do (or don’t do) may well have an effect on times to come.

On the Jupiter side, given the proximity of two dwarf planets (Ixion and Quaoar) one centaur (Crantor) an asteroid (Vesta) and Uranian Cupido to Jupiter’s station (the "turning point"), around August 7 there’s a lot of trying to make things happen. The caution here is "don’t rush." It’s easier than you suspect to create conflict or compromise momentum, so play your cards patiently. By being supportive, you’ll receive support, making this an excellent time for negotiations and for smoothing over problems, hurt feelings and arguments. Just watch what you say—create a peace, don’t justify the war.

Mars’ contribution to this August 7 melange is its entrance into Gemini in the company of TNO Chaos and asteroids Lachesis, Magdalena and Dionysus (alternately known as Dyonysus). Taken all together, this is a reinforcement of the "bridging the gap" theme—just know what you’re doing, lest you undo or inhibit that which you actually want to accomplish.

As a footnote here, with Chaos conjunct Dionysus (a Greek entity similar to, if not exactly like the Roman god Bacchus) there’s a separate warning not to lose one’s self either to emotion or through intoxication. The presence of Lachesis, one of the three Greek spinners of fate (and the one assigned to determining a person’s fate and length of life) also speaks to the idea that actions (Mars) and the viability of choices (Gemini) will have long-lasting repercussions (Lachesis).

Bottom line: if used well, this Jupiter/Mars moment can either signal advancement and accomplishment—or regret and the souring of one’s efforts. It’s all in how you utilize the abundance of energy which surfaces at this time.

Inevitable is inevitable, folks. However reluctant you may be to move on in life, life moves on. You can stay with it and enjoy it, or linger in self-crippling reluctance. The choice is yours.

Beyond this, Mars in Gemini is typically a time when the pace of life and communication picks up, often causing distractions, impatience and forgetfulness unless you really keep on top of things. Details are as important as the big picture now, as is making good use of your time. Those who keep on track are likely to move forward in a decisive, optimistic, well considered manner. Those who allow themselves to get over-committed or scattered will satisfy no one—particularly themselves.

This theme continues with the arrival of the New Moon at 19 Leo on August 12, a moment which asks whether we have the courage of our convictions and are willing to pursue constructive activities without waiting for validation or guarantee. Those who base choices, actions or points of view on ignorance (or the conviction that they know how to manipulate things and therefore don’t have to try) will in due time be thwarted by someone more manipulative…or by some rule or mechanism that doesn’t care and won’t budge. For projects already under way, this Leo New Moon supports creative developments, although with Venus in retrograde, don’t assume all is said and done. Keep exploring. Keep coming up with new ideas. Keep the conversation going—even if you’re talking to yourself.

Come August 19, Mercury moves into Virgo, opening a three-week period traditionally considered beneficial when it comes to just plain ol’ getting stuff done. This is definitely a thinking and doing person’s transit, so have at it. Get out there—be busy! Go after what you want to achieve. Between the 19th and 23rd, people you’re trying to get in touch with may well be unable to interact as you’d like, but that will straighten out once the Sun moves into Virgo on August 23. After that, the byword is "productivity."

The last astrological event of the month is a Lunar Eclipse at 4 Pisces on August 28. Lunar Eclipses are typically emotional periods no matter what sign they’re in, and with this one taking place in the zodiac’s third (most worldly) water sign (mode of expressing emotions), it’s likely we’ll all be going through a period of sensitivity. Non verbal communication transmits more effectively now, and much which has been ignored or denied suddenly becomes apparent. Some people will experience waves of inspiration, others will just get swamped by surging emotions.

Because this eclipse occurs in the first decan (first 10 degrees) of Pisces, the effects of the event are likely to come to, and be reflected in our physical daily life—and without question, this eclipse will play out most dramatically in the lives of those born under (or who have an Ascendant or Moon in) early Pisces, Virgo, Sagittarius and Gemini OR late Aquarius, late Leo, late Taurus or late Scorpio.

Yet no matter who you are, don’t be surprised if events or people "leave you in the dark" for a time now. And no matter what you think, this period of being "left" isn’t so much about them as about you. This eclipse is all about stripping away veneers in order to reveal realities. Some will be painful, some will be wonderful and all are entirely useful to understand, no matter what one thinks at the time.

So—does all this mean you’re going to be unhappy or shaken up? Not necessarily, although because this eclipse is colored by centaur Typhon and asteroids Hermes and Osiris, the implication is that things will be a bit topsy-turvy as we each go through self-confrontation and journey on towards understanding.

Lunar eclipses tend to run their course in about three months and generally function in one of two ways, depending on how the eclipse affects your chart. Some people will "get" the message right away and turn to applying their epiphany to a task which lasts about three months. Others will come to understand something as the three-month period ends (around November) and just go on with a new tool added to their personal arsenal.

However this cycle works for you, the theme is about recognizing that by dealing with difficulty, we grow and learn. Each test or challenge offers something which is at least as positive as any negative encountered along the way, as universal energy is reciprocal. Through trials we learn critical human values; through surviving difficulties we experience our own strength.

So! Whether your recognitions come when you’re watching a movie, taking a shower, listening to someone speak, getting a cast off your foot or when you’re standing on the beach watching the surf roll in, know that this is a moment for moving beyond imagining,through understanding to some truth about you.

This eclipse is also a signal meant to ready us for a new phase of life which begins next month as Saturn moves on into Virgo. Until then, do your best, but allow all to be. Sometimes it’s not what we do, but recognizing who we are in the midst of the doing which allows all to come to brilliant fulfillment.

All the best —
Boots Hart, CAP

  © Copyright 2000-2007 Boots Hart, Daykeeper Journal. All Rights Reserved.