August: webs coming to light
Eclipse Season is here!
In late July, the lunar node axis shifted from Virgo-Pisces to Leo-Aquarius. The nodes determine where eclipses are taking place, bringing shakeups, pivots, and wildcard energy to a new area of life — both in our own charts by house and universally by topic.
The North Node
With the north node, or the hungry head of the dragon, in Pisces for the past year and a half, we aggressively fed on the world's shadows, illusions, secrets, and institutional failings. The most complex and slippery aspects of life have been falling apart, leaving vacuums for those who would prey on the debris of chaos. We've simultaneously unpacked complex secrets, such as the Epstein Files.
Secret maneuvering has come out from the shadows, been seen for what it is, and has still been acted on by the hungry mouths who have no shame. I do feel that we have been witnessing and gaining understanding around the worst of the worst. As the hungry north node mouth moves to Aquarius, we will still (always) devour shadows that can no longer hold, sprung into view due to porous boundaries where the dragon's head feeds.
Shadow work through the north node moves in reverse, from the most nebulous and abstract to more and more specificity over a 19-year cycle. In Aquarius, we will more clearly witness and detangle the web-like networks that have fostered shadows. A little more accountability will start to come down the pipeline — from naming a general monster and giving huge shadows a singular name and face, to seeing webs of groups, organizations, and technologies used to mask secrets. Rather than one or two names — Diddy, Epstein, Trump, Tate — that hold the symbolism of a shadow world and lots of unanswered threads (which leave gaping holes for conspiracies to spiral), we will pin down the webs, schemers designing shadow futures, technologies, and operators of networks who have made shadow worlds possible. We will also unpack how networks and collectives are generally failing in systematic ways, not necessarily due to any specific person or agenda.
Aquarius has already been in the shadows for the past year. We've already been unpacking secret networks, but new and full moons have not seeded in the Aquarius shadow degrees until this year — being able to pin these down has been elusive. For example, we know there is a web of others and groups involved in the Epstein Files, and yet that web has been evasive and kept safe by networks spun like webs.
The Aquarius New Moon earlier this year seeded in shadow territory behind the north node, but it really takes until we reach the next Aquarius Season to see it come into its strength. The Aquarius Full Moon (or the Earth vs. solar seed) was activated behind the north node on July 29th. We will start to experience cracks in relation to greater systemic networks that affect our experience of life. The chart for the Aquarius Full Moon is a rough one. Jupiter is opposed, and it conjuncts Pluto. Politics, power, psyche, and death hold intense pressure amplified by tensions with judgment, culture, and perspective.
The Lindsay Clancy trial is an excellent, albeit heartbreaking, example during this season's Aquarius Full Moon and midway point of the Aquarius New Moon (solar eclipse). One could say that there is a spotlight upon, as well as an excavation revealing, how poorly the connective fiber (networks/webs) between institutions handles mental health crises. The Jupiter opposition could be said to highlight how courts handle mental health and women, with Jupiter (the court system) opposed to Earth (yin/women).
An astrological aside to see how the stars line up: Lindsay's north node is at 7° Aquarius (very close to the full moon degree), and her south node is at 7° Leo, where Jupiter and the Sun have been. The night in question in 2023 (I'll let you Google the story if you aren't already aware of this case) had the Sun at 4° Aquarius, right behind Lindsay's north node, where things dissolve. Her trial is happening at these same degrees — Sun around 4–7° Leo and Earth 4–7° Aquarius — with the Aquarius degrees right behind the north node where things dissolve, the same as in her own chart.
At this full moon, along with the Clancy trial, we also had the Fauci Senate committee hearings. Tension between shadows in politics and humanity, and critiquing the service of truth and leadership, makes this face-off very loaded. The story at this full moon is literally one of feeling pressed on by political agendas and a Jupiterian tension of having to stand up to these powers with truth and courage. I'm sure there are things worth getting out of Fauci, but the chart of the full moon during this hearing showed immense force and dogma.
An astrological aside to see how the stars line up: Fauci's Pluto is at 4° of Leo. Transiting Jupiter is conjunct it and transiting Pluto is opposed it. His Moon is in the early degrees of Scorpio, opposed by his Jupiter and Saturn conjunct in the early degrees of Taurus. All of these are being squared by the transiting Jupiter-Pluto opposition. His chart is in an awful tangle with the Aquarius Full Moon chart. I don't think this is over for Fauci. In general, transiting Pluto opposite his own Pluto for a good year is a time of having to find ground for your own power against greater powers trying to control you. It's also a time of having to mature in how you hold power. I'm not saying I know what was or wasn't nefarious on his part, but looking at the current chart, his part in conspiracies is more than likely overblown.
Now that we have seeded both Aquarius new and full moons in the shadow of the north node, or dragon's mouth, over the next 6 months to a year we will start to expose, pin down, and liberate shadows in networks, technology, science, scheming around humanity's future, and in the non-profit sector. We move from seeing the greatest shadows of our past — the secrets behind secrets and illusions behind illusions in our institutions and in areas such as Hollywood, fashion, and addiction — to detangling networks, organizations, and technologies that have helped to create these shadow lands, or shadows of their own. It's like moving from being able to name Voldemort and suspect certain groups and individuals of being a shadow network, to those shadow networks being truly exposed. We might be surprised by some names and groups that come to light, and equally surprised by some who weren't what we thought, or by a few who have been double agents in the webs all along, like Snape in Harry Potter.
South Node
Jumping to the other side of the nodal axis, the South Node has moved in reverse from Virgo to Leo — from edits, critiques, and refinements that push us to let go of full control of the fruits of our labor, to refinement, edits, and maturing around heart, leadership, and play.
The Virgo eclipses have been about editing out personal systems that are meant to serve us and having a sense of purpose in life. Virgo loves ecosystems, with agricultural metaphors thriving in this sign. Over the years, I have also noticed it has a strong tie to natural disasters as part of its love of nature's cycles, but it can also be used as a barometer against what's typical in natural disasters versus what arrives. We are seeing a reckoning right now around this with wildfires.
The world, it seems, is on fire everywhere — out of control, massive burning across the globe. It is way above what is natural. Our report card in Virgo territory and using holistic ecosystems is a big fat F. We will now need to face the mirror around this. Food systems are also collapsing, and farmers are going bankrupt. You name it. Especially in US culture, we did not listen to this wise feminine sign. At all. We tapped Virgo's ability to create productivity and channel workhorse drive, but we did not do it sustainably as she prefers, with whole and sacred rhythms. We just chained the necks of our Virgo energy to corporate profit and hustle, and ran.
I believe that Ceres (Demeter in Greek) is a co-ruler of Virgo. She is most certainly in mourning right now, allowing our world to die because Pluto (Hades) has kidnapped her child (the fruits of her labor), Persephone, to the underworld. Ceres' myth feels like it is playing out in real time right now, and I'm not sure how long she will be in mourning. It will be in direct proportion to how we, as the thieves, respond and reckon with her wishes and find balanced compromises around productivity, ecosystems, and what's sacred about life cycles rather than an endless summer harvest of fruit. Virgo, being the 6th sign, has association with the hexagram (a 6-pointed star made of one triangle pointing up and the other pointing down). It knows how to cultivate balanced rhythms that have the potential to bring heaven to earth. Out of balance, it manifests as natural disasters that are out of proportion and devastate our lives. In short, it can create our heaven or hell, depending on how we use it.
Live in partnership with life cycles and balanced rhythms, and know your priorities rather than being spread thin. Generally, cultures across the globe have pushed this sign in terrifying ways, but in our own lives, the past year and a half has helped us to refine what we give our attention, practice, skill, and sustainability to — and to grow up around how this is meant to serve and be useful rather than hoarded and possessed. Our health has signaled to us what is working and what is not. Virgo can signal where we need to open our eyes to acute illness and pain so that it doesn't become chronic. If health issues that have come up in the past couple of years are ignored, these could turn into chronic issues in the coming years.
With Leo now in the south node hot seat, it's not going to help the fire energy blazing through our summer (on top of a yang Fire year in a runaway gallop under the Horse and a 1 year ruled by the Sun). August 7th brings us to a Fire Monkey month as well, further intensifying the yang fire energy. On the same day, we enter the west direction of the year (in Celtic and QiGong symbolism), done with the quarter that holds the longest days and hottest energy in the Northern Hemisphere. Maybe this will help to balance some of the heat. See the bottom of the Summer Quarter page for more context and detail about this shift in light.
Leo energy holding south node eclipses will start to be critiqued, edited, and made more holistically purposeful. What is the service, the use, and the skill of our creativity and leadership? Leadership will be assessed for its maturity, efficacy, sacredness, service, and purpose. It will be stripped, searched, and put through its paces. I'm here for it. I think leadership has been pure trash for a long time, but especially since Trump entered the ring. Creativity, play, sex, and romance will also be put through maturing processes. Being admired and getting caught up in drama can be exhilarating, but how do our actions around the heart affect others when we have come from a self-absorbed space? It's time for us to grow more thoughtfully in relation to our penchant for drama and the spotlight.
I think this is going to bring a downfall for all sorts of leaders who have not used their courage and command for good, with purpose, and as a service. Ego, narcissism, and petty dramas will be put to the test. Eclipses in Leo often bring regime changes in leadership: presidents, monarchs, religions…
I looked at both Trump's and Vance's Leo risings in last week’s Substack video on the nodes shifting signs for the coming year and a half. Check it out for examples of what I feel is coming. Their downfall already feels like it's gaining traction.
The Lunar Ebb and Flow of August
August began under the moon's most productive phase during the year's most productive season (in terms of concrete utility and life growing). Until the 5th, we can take advantage of nurturing and maturing what we are growing this year. What can you create that is real and in front of you? Summer is not an intellectual or abstract season; it's concrete and utilitarian. See more about how to develop your Cheetah energy at the very bottom of the Summer Quarter page.
A good archetype for Leo energy in general is Marianne from Sense and Sensibility. Leo's full moon week energy would be her growing up and learning that the heart is not the only priority in making matches, and that sincerity on one side does not guarantee it on the other. This is the time between holding out hope that Willoughby will return to her despite clear cracks in her perception, and understanding that Willoughby has abandoned her for an heiress. This is a season to reconcile how the world works with your own longings and desires. In Leo energy's own 19-year cycle, this is generally where its energy sits (and will sit for the next year and a half).
After August 5th, we move to the last quarter moon week, which is more relational and communal. Exchange your light, your creativity, and your heart. Shine a light on others and receive it back. Enjoy conversations of the heart and relational heart tensions. In the Marianne comparison, this is when she moves through heartbroken grief and illness to accepting a mirror that allows her to assess her accountability and naivety. This is when she starts to see deeper traits in others, finding greater admiration for her reserved sister and Colonel Brandon. She shifts from only paying attention to what she feels to asking how she wants to feel and what's reliable in character. This is a great week to find what's under the surface in your heart through interacting with others, accepting realities of heart and command, and contextualizing the character of heart and leadership.
August 12th brings us to our Leo New Moon Total Solar Eclipse, with pressure, responsibility, slowing down, detaching, and taking in the view of past, present, and future of heart and leadership. New cracks are forming as eclipse season energy peaks this week. We will start to get an idea of what's on the table with Leo eclipses for the next year and a half. Wild card energy seeps in. If you can, it's a good week to take breaks, sleep a little extra, and tap into collective threads of heart and leadership, and put planning energy into creativity and leadership goals. Continuing with the Marianne metaphor, this is when she integrates her experiences and finds deeper wisdom. She is still big-hearted and passionate, but she sees herself and the hearts of others much more deeply. Music, big feelings, and beauty are still sweeping through her character, but she has moved beyond impulsivity and found what endures.
The first quarter moon arrives on the 19th, bridging us from Leo to Virgo Season. It's a week to put more active elbow grease into life. What are you growing? What is your heart daring? What command do you need to put initiative into? Until the night of the 22nd, this returns back to early Marianne, where impulsive love and ecstasy run wild and daring. Once Virgo Season arrives on Saturday evening the 22nd, initiative meets to-do lists. What do you need to give rhythm, productivity, and organization to? Where are your priorities pointing you?
This is like Marianne's more pragmatic and reserved sister, Elinor. Rather than following Marianne's arc of learning to contain her feelings, Elinor has to learn to trust hers. This is the Elinor who puts duty before herself, burns out, and doesn't take care of herself as she feels responsible for everything and everyone else. The spring of her arc starts with being totally self-sufficient rather than knowing she can and should ask for help or give space to her feelings and desires. Especially between the 23rd and 26th, get things done, but ask how much of your action-oriented energy is in service to others and how much is answering your own desires and passions.
We come to our last eclipse of this eclipse season on the 27th with the Pisces Full Moon eclipse. In my view of lunar seeding charts culminating a year later, I think all of Virgo Season will hold strong eclipse energy. Trigger events will likely occur with the eclipses seeding in August, but through mid-September, I believe we will see storylines from last year's eclipses reach their culminations. A notable event that took place last Virgo Season during eclipse season was the assassination of Charlie Kirk. How has the world responded? How has it changed? What do we know now that we didn't know directly after the fact? In your own life, reflect on last Virgo Season's wildcard pivots, endings, detours, and disturbances. What is culminating now that began then? What transition are you starting to find acceptance around? What purpose have you found despite, or due to, grief or a redirect? How did your life veer in new directions? What does this now mean to you?
Whatever comes at the eclipse on the 27th, the Pisces Full Moon will ask for refreshes and new directions when it comes to your art, spirituality, compassion, and dreams. More generally, the full moon week brings play, productivity, and getting life's priorities in order. In the Elinor comparison, this is when she learns of Edward's engagement and bears the heartbreak inwardly as she continues to care for everyone else with composure. If you are bearing an inner burden while appearing unchanged to others externally, tell yourself: Taking up a little dramatic space won't mean losing a centering of maturity and purpose.
August Headline Transits
August 6th - September 10th: Venus in Libra (until September 10th)
Until early October, Venus in her Heroine's Journey is starting to let pent-up emotions and barriers to hidden depth break open. It's a bit messy and vulnerable, yet so relieving at the same time. Venus is in the midst of an Aries-themed journey for autonomy — owning her rage, her independence, her passions, and fresh direction in life. In Virgo since early July, a lot has been breaking down and breaking through around worth and perfectionism, finally owning that as long as you are authentic in your passions, you don't have to be perfect.
In Libra starting on the 6th, Venus will now oppose where her journey started, as well as sit more comfortably in domicile (a sign she rules). There is something here about finally gaining empathy and seeing in the mirror how your authenticity and passion have enhanced your ability to feel truly balanced in life. There will be more barriers to break down and through around holding back your authenticity in order to be cooperative or make peace. Stick in there. You are in the process of reclaiming and choosing yourself as you reassess old interpretations of fairness and balance.
August 17th: Opposed Neptune in Aries — feel into the tensions around a mirror being held up to you that is a bit rose-colored in its hue. How is this glamorous version of you deceptive, and how does it add a bit of magic and inspiration to your self-worth? Be discerning.
August 21st: Opposed Saturn — a reality check promptly follows Neptune's fantasy check. New responsibility and enduring goals will mingle with how you are and aren't willing to cooperate with others. Stay true to yourself and don't be bullied by domineering forces.
August 9th - 25th: Mercury in Leo; August 25th - September: 10th Mercury in Virgo
Mercury will come out of its post-retrograde shadow on August 6th, with life finally feeling like it is moving forward with traction. It's a great month to get wheels in motion, make connections, and generate possibility. The very end of the month, into early September, will be when we settle into more specific directions and objectives with plans, projects, contracts, and purchases — the general wheels of life.
Now in a Cancer-themed journey, our Trickster side is ready to poke holes, test, turn things upside down, and get curious about care, stability, women, and home. In Leo starting on the 9th, our minds will move through phases of feeling out of our depths, to finding new resourcefulness and allies, to some distractions and seductions that take us meandering off course. Through Leo's lens, recreation, drama, the heart, and leadership are what we will be using to poke holes in how we are and aren't thinking about security, depth, and imagination.
Starting on the 25th with a move to Virgo, things get instantly more serious. A need to pull our ideas, projects, and minds together with more discernment and analysis moves in. It's time to pick a lane among all of the pathways we've opened up. Virgo gets along great with the Cancer theme of this journey and is one of Mercury's domiciles. Take advantage of your mind feeling more focused, skillful, and purposeful after some weeks of mental drama. Cancer's connection to this journey will appreciate the grounding that arrives at the end of the month and Virgo's ability to think in cycles and phases.
August 11th: Opposed Pluto — don't be pushed around by powers that have outgrown their welcome. Stand firm in your line of thinking despite some intimidation.
August 15th: Conjunct Jupiter (sextile Venus) — a very fortunate day for making connections and catching big ideas. Gather your resourceful creative thoughts and plant new intentions around ideas that broaden your sense of possibility.
August 27th Cazimi: This is a day of becoming deeply aware of how discernment has strengthened your mind. This will help you gather scattered possibilities and pick a lane on which to charge forward.
August 11th - September 27th: Mars in Cancer
In a Cancer-themed journey, we've been fighting for the kind of home, soil, security, and depth we want. We've seen into the undeveloped depths of the masculine and witnessed the extent of harm men do to the feminine. Each of us has seen how resilience and emotional intelligence are created through actively caring, and how so many lack this in the world we've built under patriarchy, capitalism, and consumerism. We are seeing the gaping holes in how assertive energy meets the feminine — from others and men, but also from within ourselves.
I feel like I've been shouting it for years that feminism has pointed us toward women being able to own their yang side. This is great. But now both men and women are living fully yang. The yin has dropped off the face of the earth, and it is burning in the unsustainable, unbalanced, excessive heat. With this journey theme, I have finally seen some really great teachings about what it means to actively live in more yin energy — that it's not becoming a trad wife, a meek support system, or being barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. @rhythmsofhealth in particular teaches from Traditional Chinese Medicine how the physiology of yin and yang works and how to be more active about cultivating the yin side in all humans.
As Mars returns to Cancer on the 11th of this month, we start to take more accountability around how we act with more bravery in claiming our yin qualities — stillness, pleasure, holding, grounding — verbs for Mars to work with Cancer's feminine orientation. There are still a lot of men out there throwing fits about what Mars has been trying to teach them, reacting with even more harm. That reactivity is energy with nowhere to house it, ground it, and find a sense of being held in life. Women aren't much better, but I see so much great work coming out of this time despite the horrors of wars around who can call what land home. A return to the seeding sign of this journey is like a return call home where we have to be accountable for what we've learned, for the actions we've taken, and find the courage to integrate more yin into our actions rather than run from it. Hustle culture is burning our world and ourselves down. Stop and face what you have come to understand so that you can integrate and bring it back to the world through your own design and energy.
August 17th: Square Neptune — make sure your actions are realistic and not based on impulsive fantasies.
As we approach September 1st, Mars will be building toward a square to Saturn. The last days of the month could feel confounding, with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake, grinding some gears that end up breaking down for repairs. With Neptune and Saturn so close, there has been a push-pull in Aries around moving and halting gas and oil. With Mars entering the chat in a square, no doubt the end of the month will be precarious around oil issues and conflict.
