​Weekly Forecast: August 4 – 10, 2024. Kelly M. Beard, 6 August 2024

​This period is all about Assessments & Preserving what is growing strong, solid, useful & nourishing, while also releasing density, weight & excess to be composted into something more useful in the season to come. It’s a time of gratitude & celebration, in anticipation of the Fall Equinox Season of Harvest. Some call this the Pre-Harvest. You can get a jump-start on assessing the year if you’ve completed your “clearing & releasing” process. If not, this is the final *purge* in preparation for the Harvest Season.

The Leo/Virgo combination perfectly represents this Cross Quarter/Gate of Power and Portal to take you to your Heart (Leo) and through a purification & healing (Virgo). It’s time to position your Self for an expanded perspective at this time. Explore your options with fresh eyes! Allow your instincts to guide you on your Path and Trust the Divine Feminine within & around you to *contain, nurture and protect* all life, now and always. You are reminded to honor that which sustains you and to always aim your magical arrow at only the most precious dreams, your deepest heart’s desire.

8/4  ::  LEO New Moon:

As the Sun moves into Leo (7/22 – 8/22), it activates the Annual Check-In with your Heart & Authentic Self, are you being true to YOU? and expressing your own unique Light & Brilliance ~ from the inside out? Leo energy activates your Self-Love/Self-Worth issues. As you discover your unique strengths & gifts, it becomes your responsibility to share them with the Community to which you belong. There is an idea that is often true and it suggests that “whatever’s inside comes out” (especially under external pressures) … so if you are full of Love, Light & Truth, then a generosity of Spirit comes out … if you are full of fear & doubt, then obstacles and blockages come out. What’s inside you? in your true heart-of-hearts? Now more than ever, we must be congruent with our Inner & Outer Natures in order to thrive & evolve. If we are “serving two masters” (or incongruent on one or many levels) ~ having the private side of your nature be too drastically different from that which you present to the world ~ then you’re going to have challenges, blockages and delays until you get into more alignment. Leo energy teaches us all how to BE it (your Authentic Self), not just “appear” to be it; it asks that you know who you are (and next month, Virgo will perfect it ;-)). What has changed on a *fundamental* level (Cancer/Capricorn ~ personal & professional or at home & work) for you, that has now made you aware of how vital it is to honor your own essential nature (Leo/Sun), so that you are able to contribute to the whole (Aquarius/Uranus) in a more useful and delicious way?

This is an opportunity to expand & illuminate the lesson of courage, authenticity and deep self-love. When you’re connected and truly love your Self, it is easy to give & receive and share & attract LOVE! When you operate from a confident, strong center, rather than insecure ego, you radiate LOVE and magnetize a similar (loving/confident) energy to you. Collectively, when you love and take care of your community, it can come together and create new, innovative structures & institutions which actually serve & support the needs of the people in the here & now. Your community can be free to grow, thrive & prosper, handling each blessing, as well as each challenge, that comes along. Cancer brought us out of the first quadrant of survival issues & basic needs to more of the individuation process (Leo) when we tend to focus more on asserting ourselves and integrating all that we learned in the last quarter. Leo is ruled by the Sun and the Sun represents your Source – your Inner Light – and all that you have come to create & contribute to the community (Aquarius). Leo energy helps you expand the concept of who you are and what you are capable of, not to mention the value of the energy & service you provide to the community. It’s so beautiful when we can ALL be free, when we ALL do our own part. So use this Leo New Moon to call in your own Next Level Self and start creating space for that part of you to SHINE!

8/4  ::  Mercury Retro in VIRGO (until Aug 28th):

Mercury is going to linger in Leo/Virgo this year, facilitating a deeper shift in those departments of life (Houses). This means that we are also getting some extra time, energy & space to re-think our creative projects. They may not reflect your Authentic Self as both you and how you express are evolving or have evolved in big ways recently. Use the Retrograde to re-think if/when/how you have fun and integrate joy & playfulness into your life. These days, you have to consciously make space for all that because modern culture keeps us all in ‘survival mode’, spinning in this monetary system from the cradle-to-the-grave. Use this extended stay to re-think the issues of first: your Virgo House, then your Leo House. In Virgo, it is time for discernment & discrimination – you will have to choose or decide which ideas are worth investing more energy, time & resources going forward. It is time to get organized and create space to anchor these new ideas and integrate them into the new rhythm that is emerging. In Leo, we will reset what we think of ourselves and what we are presenting to the world. This is most relevant for those with strong Leo/Aquarius and Taurus/Scorpio energies in your chart.

This is also an opportunity to do some personal healing of the Mental Body. We have been cracked open to all new consciousness in recent years (and there is more to come) so it is a good idea to use this time to pause, reflect & recalibrate your Mental Input & Output. Consider how much you taking in, processing and putting to good use and how much are you cultivating your own unique ideas and sharing them with others. It is time upgrade your personal systems and do your processing & integration of all that you’ve learned in the last year so that it becomes embodied wisdom. Any Mercury Retrograde is an upgrade & re-wiring of your Mental Body and since we get them 3-4 times a year, it is good to get into the conscious practice of taking some time to review that Area of Life – in this case, your Leo/Virgo Houses. This will be most relevant for those with strong Leo & Virgo activated in your chart.

DATES to Remember:

Mercury Enters LEO :: 7.2.2024
Mercury Enters VIRGO :: 7.25.2024
Mercury Retro 4* VIRGO :: 8.4.2024
Mercury Rx RE-Enters LEO :: 8.14.2024
Mercury Direct 21* LEO :: 8.28.2024
Mercury Direct RE-Enters VIRGO :: 9.9.2024
Mercury Enters LIBRA :: 9.26.2024

8/4  ::  Venus Enters VIRGO (until Aug 29th):

Venus (values, priorities, resources, love, art, beauty, culture) in Virgo (earthy wisdom, systems for living & natural timing) is a time to focus on healing the mind/body connection and perfecting the Spirit-in-Human-form. The current values & priorities should focus on how well your own systems for living are serving you and where you need to simplify your life in order to be more effective. As Virgo precedes the Libra focus of relationships and the response of others (to you), I recommend keeping the focus on you, and what your mind, body & spirit can actually handle & manage on a day-to-day basis. It’s time to release the nonessential, extraneous or redundant and make room for more quality nutrient, inner clarity & self-discipline. It’s time to focus on quality control and question everything ~ is it worth it? Is it practical? Does it make sense for you personally? Is it natural? Is it really important or valuable? Venus rules our romance & finance departments and in Virgo, you have to ask: does it actually work?

8/7  ::  Sun (core Self) ~sextile~ Jupiter (optimism):

While this energy is sometimes perceived as “lucky,” but the success you attain under its influence is more likely attributed to a positive outlook and a clear understanding of who you are and what you want. Your life is expanding, and your self-awareness is deepening, making it easier to connect with other individuals of common goals & higher consciousness. This fosters improvements and creates opportunities that benefit, not just you, but the larger community too. There is a healthy dose of optimism surrounding a grand plan, and things are in motion. However, it is crucial to create space for laying the foundation that will support this broader vision as it materializes in reality. For those in a teaching, guiding, or leadership role, this energy provides substantial support for your community or group efforts. Conducting your own and taking workshops, seminars or new classes is totally supported and will benefit you, while serving others.8/7  ::  Mercury Rx (ideas, thoughts & concepts) ~conjunct~ Venus (values, priorities & resources):

This energy invites you to perceive the underlying harmony or cohesive thread weaving through the tapestry of your life, encompassing its diverse experiences across time. It heralds a fresh perspective on communication, self-expression, and the worth of your ideas, thoughts, concepts & creative projects. You may find yourself articulating long-held ideas with newfound clarity, perhaps even expressing affection or emotions in profound ways. It is a fertile period for your Inner Artist, where creativity flows unbounded, allowing for innovative expressions that you have yet to explore. Embrace the freedom of imagination, exploring ideas without fixating on outcomes. While delving into these connections & revelations, resist the urge to over-analyze; instead, relish the depth that they offer, fostering personal growth and a deeper comprehension of life’s unfolding magic customized for your own level of consciousness. Recognize the purpose within past challenges and acknowledge your journey toward personal self-mastery. Embrace this moment to cultivate fresh thought patterns that imbue your life with greater beauty and a deeper sense of peace & harmony.

8/9  ::  Juno Enters LIBRA (until Nov 3rd):

Juno represents how you relate and get your intimacy needs met (or not). It represents your style of relating, compatibility, sharing & trust that happens in all relationships and intimate ones in particular. So the work in this realm deepens and continues. This is an opportunity to claim all new ways of relating that are more balanced & reciprocal. This is a time when people who have been “going along to get along or getting along to go along” usually break down because that tactic no longer works, but it precedes the inevitable breakthrough as well. It is a time to clarify your true needs and desires for partnership and living, working or playing with others in any capacity. For those of us with Cancer/Capricorn/Aries/Libra activated, we will likely be able to identify this renewal process personally, but probably not until she’s done moving through your Libra House and initiating a new balance so that future relationships, partnerships & collaborations are based on mutual respect, clear communication, sovereignty, love and a common goal.

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