Monday, August 22, 2016

NorthPoint ASTROLOGY JOURNAL: Your Guide to Planetary Energies for August 22 to 28, 2016 By Pam Younghans


Highlighted Aspects This Week
MON: Mercury conjunct Jupiter, Neptune trine Vesta, Sun enters Virgo, Sun sesquiquadrate Pluto
TUE: Mars sesquiquadrate Uranus
WED: Mars conjunct Saturn, Venus opposite Chiron
THU: Venus quincunx Uranus, Mars square Neptune
SAT: Venus conjunct Jupiter, Sun trine Ceres
SUN: Mercury conjunct Venus

IF WE TOOK A SURVEY, I would guess that many would say last week's "not-an-eclipse" felt very eclipse-like! Perhaps you also had surprising events occur, or felt the pressure of the shifting energies, or sensed that karmic events were unfolding -- all signs of eclipse activity.

As those who attend my teleclasses know, besides looking at planetary influences, I also like to pull a tarot card for each month. The card I pulled for August was The Tower. Here's a partial description of that card, taken from Voyager Tarot by James Wanless:

"The Tower, symbolizing the law of purification, is a revolutionary self-cleansing. What is being purified is our egos and the structures we build to support our vanity. In reality this is but a 'tower of babel,' a house of cards destined to be destroyed. Big mouths are always taken down in the end.

"The tower represents the highest point of observation. From the unobstructed view, you are able to see yourself clearly. This awareness is the fire of purification. Move away from your daily world of habitual living and see yourself with new clarity.

‘It is through disintegration that union results. Out of the fire of transmutation is fashioned a new soul and a new life."

THIS COMING WEEK is another barn-burner, although in a slightly different way. Mars is coming into alignment with Saturn in Sagittarius, and is activating the effects of the Saturn-Neptune square. Since last November, we've been working with this challenging influence, as the planets compel us to release ancient karmic patterns that have limited our perceptions and interfered with our spiritual growth.

With this influence in effect, we may feel frustrated and confused about what actions to take. But, we can also successfully combine effort and patience, if we are acting in agreement with our highest values and beliefs. We will need to be very conscious about where we put our energy, and to streamline our efforts if we have spread ourselves too thin.

PROBLEMS may arise if we try to figure it all out from a purely human or left-brain perspective. Neptune, when in hard aspect to Mars, beckons us to rise above an ego-based viewpoint and to find our answers and solutions on a soul level. We may feel disillusioned and disappointed if we see events solely through the eyes of the personality.

In discussing the effect of the Saturn-Neptune square -- which is very strong now through mid-September -- astrologer Nick Anthony Fiorenza writes that:

"This period impels us to recognize and shed any fear-based, self-sabotaging ways of being we may have been using to hide behind or that keep us from living with a greater freedom of being, free from any repetitive patterns of the past. We find that the constrictive patterns we once sought solace in are no longer of value, or simply no longer work."

OPTIMISTIC Jupiter is on hand to assist us through this demanding time. Jupiter aligns with Mercury in Virgo on Monday, helping us be both practical and visionary. New ideas and solutions may come forward with this alignment.

Jupiter then aligns with Venus next Saturday, increasing our awareness of those supportive beings -- both physical and nonphysical -- who are helping us in very tangible ways. This influence carries into Sunday as well, when Mercury and Venus are exactly in sync, opening new avenues of communication that will guide our steps going forward.

Also in effect this week is a harmonious aspect between Neptune and the asteroid Vesta. This combination strengthens our commitment to holding a spiritual perspective, and enables us to more effectively release emotional issues that are causing instability.

IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS THIS WEEK: You will have many options before you this year, and therefore will be making important choices about how you want to proceed. Qualities such as discipline, perseverance, and organization will be required in these choices, especially since you will also be dealing with a fair amount of uncertainty. This is a good year to focus on your long-term goals, and to be ready with alternate routes if circumstances change.

In peace,

Copyright Pam Younghans 2016. All rights reserved.

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