Highlights for August 3-9, 2020: Outlaws

Outlaws

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Happily ever after

A young couple has just exchanged vows in a touching wedding ceremony. It’s just after sunset on a hot August evening as their guests spill out onto a vast lawn. Rows of tables are set for a formal reception dinner, and the Aquarius Full Moon begins to rise, its reflection glowing in a small pond. Before they’re seated, wait staff circulate with glasses of wine and hors d’oeuvres. The stage is set for a beautiful party.

In one corner, a wide flight of stairs leads to a patio. While the newly minted married couple wanders around greeting guests – co-workers of their parents, extended family members they hardly know – they notice that their friends have taken their drinks over to the stairs. They’re seated at all levels, kicking off their shoes, making themselves comfortable and laughing.

And just like that, the couple realize that they’re really adults. They long to shake off their formal clothes and have a beer with their friends, but they’re the stars of the show, with serious social obligations.

After dinner and speeches, it’s time for the first dance. Exhausted, they look at each other and, without a word, they kick off their shoes, loosen their clothes, and start running. Hand-in-hand, they jump into the nearby pond, with their young friends close behind.

Mercury is opposed Saturn (Aug. 3, 2020, 2 pm PDT) in the family signs of Cancer and Capricorn, so family obligations must be met. The Sun is in Leo, so the pageantry must first be performed. But then, the Aquarius Full Moon (Aug. 3, 8:59 am PDT, at 11.46 Aquarius)– still feeling its square to rebellious, unpredictable Uranus that morning – has its way. And so begins their happily ever after.

The Wild West

When you drive, do you ever exceed the speed limit? When you fill out your tax return, do you include the $50 bill you found on the sidewalk one day? Did you ever taste an alcoholic beverage before you’d reached the age of consent?

Probably, each and every one of us has broken the law at some point, even if only in relatively small ways. And as Mars continues its long journey through feisty Aries, there is a spirit of the Wild West in the air. But as Mars squares Jupiter in Capricorn (Aug. 4, 2020, 6:07 a.m. PDT), the wild west outlaw comes face to face with the Judge. And whether it’s the letter of the law or our personal sense of right and wrong, we have to reckon with – and justify – our actions and beliefs.

Mars and Jupiter came together in a conjunction on March 20, just as the United States was closing down in response to the pandemic. For about 15 minutes, it seemed, there was a sense of unity about what we were facing and how to respond to it. Now, as Mars is moving into the first of three squares with Jupiter, there is a profound lack of unity. Almost no one else, it seems, sees things as we do.

When people are free, or wish to be, conflicts arise. Sometimes, it’s because the law no longer accurately reflects the way society has agreed to live. Sometimes, it’s because society itself is divided about the best way to live.

We are fighting big battles, and the battlefield heats up this week. October 18 and Dec. 22 bring the other two campaigns in this battle.

When Mercury in Leo speaks

When Mercury in Leo speaks, people tend to listen. It speaks with utter confidence and real flair. But is it always as right as it thinks it is?

When Mercury is in Leo (Aug. 4, 2020, 8:32 pm PDT through Aug. 19), it struggles a bit to do its work. On the face of it, that’s counter-intuitive; surely Mercury’s communication would benefit from Leo’s creativity and sense of fun?

And I mean, it does – but self-expression is only part of Mercury’s job. It’s also charged, to the best of its ability, with gathering and processing ALL facts and information – not just the ones that flatter us.

Enjoy Mercury’s brief journey through Leo. Play games. Read entertaining books. Tell stories. Make people laugh. But save research and analysis for Mercury in Virgo; it’s too easy now to see only what we want to see.

No place like home

I hate to shop – with one exception: I love buying nice things for my house. I was born with Venus in Cancer, the sign of home, and it’s my happy place. I’m never happier than when I’m painting a wall, evaluating a throw pillow, or cooking dinner for friends.

Venus symbolizes pleasure and harmony, and this week it enters the sign of Cancer (Aug. 7, 8:21 am PDT, through Sep. 6). Right now, most of us are spending a lot more time at home than ever before – and the result is something that often falls somewhat short of these Venusian ideals. Our houses may feel too small, too full; we may be in fear of losing them; we may worry about keeping them filled with necessities, and miss having our friends over for parties.

Most worryingly, we may be at odds and out of sync with the people closest to us, including those under our roofs. As Venus moves through Cancer through September, it will oppose Jupiter, Pluto, and Saturn in Capricorn, and square Mars. This will be a month of tug-of-war, of negotiating terms, and of trying to seek common ground. So break out the smudge wand and candles. In the end, we may or may not be in agreement – but at least we’ll have cleared the air.