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 Cosmic Circumstances

An Astrological Weather Report
By Steve Robins

California Astrologer, Steve Robins, has been sharing his unique vision of how the planets affect mankind for the past two decades. Not content to follow the traditional horoscope model, Robins strives to place astral events into an organic context. His insight into the cosmic wisdom that can be gleaned from our solar system’s planetary movements is unlike any other.

For the week of September 13, 2004
 
We've reached the Virgo new moon, reinforced this year by the presence of expressive Mars and expansive Jupiter.  Sun, moon, Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter (soul, heart, mind, action, and creativity) all converge in the ripening fruitfulness at the end of summer.  They've each had to go through a gate of testing tension (some of them still are), where wisdom in tenderness and power in heaviness challenge from both sides, but they meet now in a place where the surviving fragments of summer's pressurizing combine to forge resolution in earthy practicality, the basis for moving forward into the new fertility cycle that begins with autumn.
 
A month from now, at the next new moon, all five of the planets reinforcing Virgo's harvest feeling will have moved into Libra, the land of love, awareness of beauty and harmony.  After Tuesday's alignment with the sun in Virgo, the moon, on its monthly journey through the seasonal cycle, leads the way into Libra, a preview of where we're headed, spending Wednesday and Thursday there before moving into Scorpio's emotional intensity Friday and Saturday.  By Sunday and Monday the heart spirit will be in Sagittarius, settling down to the bottom of things, rebounding Tuesday in the primal constructiveness of Capricorn just as the sun (physical vitality) meets Jupiter (expansive creativity) at the end of Virgo (practical resolution).  Wednesday is autumn equinox, the evening between night and day.  The sun crosses into Libra, colorful sunset for the year, and a season, maybe a year, of romantic feeling will have begun.

For the week of August 31 - September 5, 2004

Over the weekend we came through the Virgo full moon in tender Pisces.  Monday it included deep power Pluto completing months of retrograde/internalizing.  Tuesday the moon (heart) emerged into Aries, the spark of spring energy, just as Venus (love) and Saturn (centering) were meeting in Cancer (releasing emotion).  Wednesday it's more of the same as we reach the end of Mercury retrograde, mind internalizing, the mental tide beginning to shift forward again Thursday morning.  The moon progresses into the fertile earthiness of Taurus for Friday and Saturday, reaching thoughtful, verbal Gemini by Sunday.

For the week of August 23, 2004

We've entered Virgo, the last (resolving) earth sign at the end of the summer.  Ripening fruitfulness.  Things long in development now work out into practical solution.  This year big, expansive Jupiter, on its twelve year cycle, is also in Virgo (that's what makes it year of the monkey).  By the new moon on September 14, the sun (soul), moon ( heart), Mercury (mind), Mars (action), and Jupiter (creativity) will all be in Virgo, reinforcing the power of this year's harvest.  A month later they will all have moved into Libra, for a celebration in the land of love.
 
We begin the week with the moon, our reflective sensitivity, in Sagittarius, the warm spirit at the bottom of the seasonal cycle.  Sometimes there's low physical energy here, leaving us available to funky stuff percolating up.  And Mercury, our mental responsiveness, is still retrograde, apparent backtracking, its energy turning inward, giving us second thoughts, interrupted intentions, muddled feelings amidst all the stuff we need to do.  We need to accept this, especially at a time (Virgo) that emphasizes concrete productivity.  Flexibility is the key to reaping the unexpected benefits of a quirky mental tide.
 
Wednesday at dawn the moon hits bottom on its monthly trip around the seasonal cycle, moving into earthy Capricorn, the primal force rebounding with constructive power.  Since the sun's in Virgo, there should be a solid earthiness to things, especially after a couple days of spirit sinking.  But Venus (the light of love and beauty) and Saturn (our centering, grounding influence) are getting close in Cancer, emotional release.  An undercurrent of intensified sensitivity at a time of manifest practicality. 
 
Friday the moon enters Aquarius, alignment in awareness.  This can isolate us in our separate mindsets, but that's ok.  We get distilled down to our essence in preparation for subsequent emergence.  And since the sun (vitality) in Virgo (ripening) is exactly opposite (tense with) Uranus (deep mind) in early Pisces (tenderness), there's a challenge to accept the wisdom of vulnerability.
 
Sunday morning the moon (heart) moves beyond the aligning freeze of Aquarius into the thaw of Pisces' slushy vulnerability, where it will be full at sunset.  Since Pluto (deep power) is finishing its months of retrograde (internalizing), a season of earthy practicality may give us a full moon of tender longing.  Part of our own spiritual ripening.

For the week of August 18, 2004

We have turned the corner on power alignment for this year.  Sunday night, when the moon met the sun in Leo, mid-summer's peak passion, it was the culmination of pressure that's been building for months.  Now we round the bend into ripening fruitfulness and the autumn beyond.
 
With Mercury retrograde (mind internalizing) right now, mental processing is constantly undermining intention and expectation, yet bringing surprising solutions amidst the changes. Monday the moon (heart) joined Mars (action), Mercury (mind), and Jupiter (creativity) in Virgo, the earth sign at the end of the summer.  We experience a concentration of energies in the practical details of power's reorganization.  Since deep mind Uranus is opposite the Virgo planets, in sensitive Pisces, there is a kind of gateway test in vulnerability through which these emerging earthy energies must pass.  It culminates on Wednesday when Mercury and Mars (mind and action) meet in Virgo (resolving earth) opposite Uranus in Pisces (wisdom in tenderness).  Wednesday afternoon the moon, our sensitive heart, crosses into loving Libra for the next couple days, where much energy will gather in early autumn.  By the weekend the moon progresses into magnetic Scorpio, and Sunday the sun moves beyond Leo's passion and joins the other planets for a month in Virgo's ripe earthiness.
 
This has been a powerful turning point.  We endure pressure's stabilizing alignment, adjust to the challenging consequences, move into a harvest of productivity.

For the week of August 6-13, 2004

We've reached the mid-point of summer, the peak of Leo, where passion reaches the boiling point, breaking out into powerful manifestation.  It's been intense lately for a few reasons, some of which starts to release and flow this weekend.  By the new moon on the 15th, we turn the corner toward late summer's ripening fruitfulness, radiant energy powering us down the track like a steam locomotive.  This time of year has often seen dramatic developments, things that have been building for awhile finally shifting in karmic adjustment, sometimes where we least expect it.  (Personally, I'm worried about an explosion in Korea--but that's probably me projecting.)  Whatever happens, it really is just nature breaking through the tension, releasing its energy to take us somewhere better, no matter how rocky the ride.
 
Thursday was part of this year's unique challenge.  As the sun, vitality, reached the mid-point of summer, Leo, it was exactly opposite Neptune, deep feelings, at the mid-point of winter, Aquarius, for the first time in 164 years:  Tension between soul in peak passion and dreams in peak awareness.  Friday afternoon, tension broke between expansive Jupiter in earthy Virgo and deep expressive Pluto in warm Sagittarius:  Creativity in resolving matter and power in resolving passion.  Then there's Venus.  This light of love, which travels close to the sun in our sky, has been in Gemini, the nervous awareness at the top of our seasonal roller coaster, since April 3rd, four months of love feelings sitting in the anxious suspense of endless mental processing, thinking and talking.  Finally, Saturday morning, the spirit of love spills into flowing Cancer's emotional release.  Again, this may be a bit to handle, but, especially after being hung up in the head for so long, it's got to be good for us.
 
The moon, our heart sensitivity, starts the weekend in Taurus, the peak earth fertility and groundedness of mid-spring, climbing steadily toward the top of the seasonal cycle.  Sunday night it rises into the lofty vision of Gemini for a few days.  All the passion of Leo sun, and all the suspense in awareness of Gemini moon.  This happens just as Mercury, our quick mind, seems to slow to a stop and begin backtracking (retrograde) for a few weeks, mental processing--thinking and communicating--turning inward.  There is nothing wrong with this, no matter what you've heard.  The problems come from not accepting it, letting us benefit from its quirky magic, instead of trying to push past its mental internalizing, only to end up with missed connections and misplaced intentions.  We need to give in to Mercury retrograde.
 
Wednesday the moon moves from mental Gemini into sensitive Cancer, joining the sun and five planets all in the summer part of the seasonal cycle.  Here we go.  The last cars of the roller coaster have made it over the top into release, setting up this summer's maximum convergence in heat's radiance.  The sun in Leo is trining Pluto in Sagittarius: soul in peak passion blending with power in resolving passion.  Venus, just into Cancer, is trining Uranus, just into Pisces: beauty in flowing emotion blending with wisdom in resolving emotion.  With this as undercurrent, after a few days of moon in Cancer's watershed release, it progresses into fiery Leo Friday night.  The moon (heart) joins the sun (soul) at mid-summer for a peak passion weekend, culminating Sunday night with the Leo new moon alignment.  This is the power turning point for the year.  It will carry us forward.

For the week of July 30-August 6, 2004

We're getting into Leo, the middle month of summer, the peak fire sign.  This time of year has seen many historic events where passion that's been building for awhile builds to a boil and breaks out into the open.  We need to accept the intense energy coming through us.
 
Friday the moon (heart), on its monthly trip around the seasonal cycle, is rebounding off the bottom with primal earthiness in constructive Capricorn.  Friday night it progresses into Aquarius, the peak air sign emphasizing awareness, where it will be full on Saturday.  When the moon is full it is opposite the sun, and in some ways this is the most polarized full moon of the year.  The sun, our radiant source of physical vitality, is in Leo, the peak fire passion expression of mid-summer.  The moon, our reflective sensitivity, is full in Aquarius, mid-winter in the seasonal cycle, where the pressure of spacious cooling forces us into alignment with our separate centers, aligning us in awareness amidst life's panoramic pattern.  As the full moon (heart) rises on Saturday night, it will be meeting Neptune, the pull of deepest feelings, at the mid point of Aquarius for the first time in 164 years.  This a powerful, polarized alignment between peak passion and peak awareness, forging a deep spark that will culminate at the Leo new moon in two weeks. 
 
There is also a bit of tension breaking between the immediate and deep levels of mind (Mercury opposite Uranus).  Sunday afternoon the full moon gets a final kick from Mars (action) in Leo (passion), then Sunday night it crosses into the tenderness of Pisces, the thaw beyond the aligning freeze.  Monday and Tuesday, just as we are getting deep into this season of peaking passion, the heart will be saturated in vulnerability and its emotional expression.  By Wednesday morning we awaken with the moon (heart) emerging in Aries, the spark of dawn, the spirit of early spring.  With moon in Aries, the first fire sign, sun in Leo, the peak fire sign, and deep power (248 year cycle) Pluto in Sagittarius, the last fire sign, there is now a "grand trine" in fire, solidly reinforcing passion's intensity.  The sun in Leo is now exactly opposite Neptune in Aquarius (soul in passion tense with dreams in awareness), breaking open, releasing it's energy Thursday night.  The drama of the moment is building.
 
Friday afternoon, as the moon progresses into peak earth Taurus, expansive Jupiter, in ripening earth Virgo on its twelve year cycle, reaches its right angle (tension breaking) with Pluto, heavy expression, in Sagittarius, the last (resolving) fire sign (passion).  On September 14, when the moon meets the sun in Virgo's ripening fruitfulness, they will be joined by Mercury (mind), Mars (action), and Jupiter (creativity).  One month later, at the next new moon, all five will have moved into Libra, the land of love and beauty.  Right now we have to get through Leo's powerful rite of passage.  Let everyone be settled with the fire in their heart as the drama plays out.For the week of July 23-30, 2004

We've entered Leo, the middle month of summer. The vitality of the sun is now in peak fire passion. Many historic turning points have happened here, power that's been building for a while finally breaking out into the open. This year we begin Leo with the moon, heart spirit, in Libra, the love of beauty and harmony. At the end of September we'll have a big planetary shift into Libra's good feeling. This is a nice preview of where we're headed.

Saturday afternoon the moon progresses into Scorpio, the peak water sign magnetism of mid-autumn's concentrating emotion. The Scorpio moon/Leo sun right angle (square) Saturday night should charge the air (and all the rest of us) with electric intensity. Especially since Mars (action) in Leo (peak fire sign) is blending with Pluto (power) in Sagittarius (last fire sign), immediate and deep levels of expression aligned in fire's passion. This happens just as Venus (beauty) in mental Gemini (resolving awareness) is exactly opposite Pluto in Sagittarius (power in fire), their tension breaking early Sunday morning. A time of reinforced passion and emotional intensity, with love thoughtful amidst it.

Monday we awaken with moon at the end of Scorpio, in the feeling aftermath of whatever it's just put us through. Monday night it moves into Sagittarius, the mellow warmth at the low ebb of the seasonal cycle. There's sometimes low physical energy when the moon (heart) is sunk down to the bottom of things, but, this being mid-summer, the spirit of adventure might reach us there. Venus (the girl) and Mars (the boy) are enjoying a complementary harmony right now, a fraternal sympathy despite their elemental differences. With the sun (soul) getting deep into Leo (peak fire/passion) and the moon (heart) in Sagittarius (last fire/passion), this might be a time to let them have their way with us, becoming solid with our own core warmth.

Wednesday night the moon hits the bottom of the seasonal cycle, Capricorn, the first earth sign. The heart feels the ground and rebounds with primal realism. We'll wake up Thursday feeling the difference, the radiant Leo sun now expressing through the earthy, constructive, Capricorn moon. A good kick forward, especially after last weekend's intensity and a week of processing it.

For the week of July 16-23, 2004

Late in the first month of summer, we've finally reached the first new moon of the season.  The moon (sensitivity) is aligning with the sun (vitality) in Cancer, the release of spirit flowing over the top of our seasonal roller coaster.  It's the culmination of an emotional month.  The moon went into Cancer, the first water sign, on Thursday, and meets the sun there early Saturday morning.  Since Saturn, thirty-year-cycle planet of grounding and centering, has also been in this sign since last summer (it last made this shift in '73-'74), we've been forced to get real with our true feelings and live with the consequences.  This new moon, coming late in the month this year, is a baptismal graduation.
 
Friday is a complex rite of passage.  (Try to follow this.)  With moon (heart) meeting Saturn (grounding) in Cancer (releasing emotion), on its way to alignment with the sun (soul) there on Saturday, Mars and Venus, expression and reception, are in complementary harmony with each other.  Nice.  But it's tricky:  Mars, action, is out in Leo, mid-summer's peak fire passion (where we're headed next month), exactly opposite (peaking in tension with) heavy, deep feeling Neptune, the pull of dreams, in Aquarius, mid-winter's isolating alignment in awareness.  At the very same moment, Venus, light of love and beauty, is in mentally active Gemini, resolving awareness, making a trine (blending with) Neptune (yes...dreams).  Venus and Neptune, immediate and deep receptivity, are supportively connecting in air signs, encouraging awareness, at the same time that impulsive Mars, in passionate Leo, reaches the breaking point opposite164-year-cycle Neptune's historic arrival at the peak of awareness.  Venus and Mars, the love birds, are somehow ok with each other amidst this, so maybe we should be too.
 
Saturday morning, heart and soul (moon and sun) meet in flowing feeling (Cancer), a blending in all the emotion that has saturated us.  From here we head toward the middle month of summer, Leo, the peak fire sign, starting with the moon crossing in on Saturday afternoon.  Sunday night the moon (heart) meets Mars (action) there just as it is releasing its dream charge from Neptune.  Passion is powerfully expressive through Monday.  Tuesday the moon moves on into practical Virgo, the resolving earth sign.  Venus (love, beauty), finishing months in mental Gemini, breaks open a charge it's been getting from expansive, creative Jupiter, out in Virgo (ripening) this year.  When the moon (heart) meets Jupiter (creativity) in Virgo (fruitfulness) on Wednesday, it'll be a good dose of the powerful convergence we'll enjoy there in mid-September.
 
Thursday morning we complete the first month of summer, and the sun progresses from the flowing emotion of Cancer to the radiant passion of Leo.  At the same time, the moon crosses from Virgo's practical earthiness to Libra's love of harmony.  This is the move that will happen in a big way just a couple months from now, when five planets meet in Virgo, late summer, for a strong harvest, and then, a month later, all five will have crossed into Libra, early autumn's romantic color, for a celebration in the land of love.  A cosmic wedding?  Let's get through Leo, the peak of passion, first.

For a complete personal astrology package, including descriptive birth chart and daily calendar, with instructions, or an individual reading, contact:

Steven Robins
Cosmic Circumstances
Box 243 Felton, California 95018
831/425-1952
steven@cosmiccircumstances.com or www.cosmiccircumstances.com

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