ASTROMARK - Monthly Astrology Report

The following ASTROMARK Astrology forecast provides weekly planetary energy for all zodiac signs. ALL TIMES BELOW ARE QUOTED AS CURRENT PACIFIC TIME ZONE. USA Eastern Time is 3 hours later than quoted times. Global readers: add 8 hours to convert Pacific Standard Time (+7 hours for Daylight Savings Time) to Greenwich Mean Time.

There are three ways to get current information on planetary activities:

1) the monthly report on this page plus quarterly topics of interest that you can click on in the left column of this page

2) there is a full quarterly newsletter called Astromark that can be downloaded in the left column here in the purple-ish colored block-it is the same as the print newsletter that was postal mailed for many years at solstice and equinox points

3) The New & Full Moon Email newsletter which is a short, quick look at what's up immediately. Register for it on the index page.

Check out specific info about upcoming Mercury Retrograde cycles near the bottom of this page.

August Astrology Forecast :

The T-Square astrologers have been talking about all year is exact in early August. Expect intensity in your world, be it within yourself or through the people in your life. Old paradigms and thought patterns are breaking up now, so be receptive to the changes that are coming your way. Begin to take the initial steps to pioneer a new path for yourself, knowing that this motivational energy will come back in a more grounded way next year. I like to joke with clients that you can either walk arm and arm with Creator to your destination, or Creator can drag you kicking and screaming. Either way, you go; and either way, you wanted to go.

Communications planet Mercury turns retrograde in Virgo on the 20th. One of Mercury's two favorite signs is Virgo (Gemini is the other), so it will be interesting to watch what is coming. Virgo helps you simplify your life and become more efficient on the mundane level. Virgo can get caught up in nervousness and anxiety, so be certain to meditate and exercise. On the spiritual level, the goddess helps you clarify your connection to God-Source so that you can be of the highest service. I have been advising that you take some time for yourself this summer, so if you haven't gotten around to it yet, hop to it. It may simply be that you use this retrograde cycle to prepare for coming activities this autumn.

The Summer Quarterly ASTROMARK newsletter is ready for download by clicking on the blue box in the left column here.

A NOTE ON PRICING: Pricing is going to shift on Dec. 1, 2010. I'm still working on the details, but services like the Earthlines relocation maps and Seven Soul Ray Esoteric Astrology consultations require a lot of preparation on my part compared to the regular astrology sessions. The Election Astrology for auspicious timing always takes more preparation time than my charges indicate. So the services that I put a lot more energy into on a preparation level are going to increase somewhat.

Mark went off to see if Scotty will not beam me up for a ride back to his home galaxy, so here is the end of July along with the August report. I shall return your calls and emails after I get back:

July 25-31 : Hold off on important projects Sunday until after 12:38 PM PDT when the moon ends its void-of-course phase and moves into social Aquarius.

The Full Moon in Aquarius/Leo is exact at 6:37 PM PDT Sunday the 25th (4 degrees Aquarius). An Aquarius moon is excellent for meeting new friends and exploring something new. This is a good time to throw a personal revolution, or at least do something eccentric. The T-Square pattern that astrologers have been talking about all year is now coming into shape. Old structures and paradigms of thinking have been breaking down all year (as seen through world events like earthquakes, volcanoes, and oil spills). Do not get lost in the scary side of all this is shaking up of global and personal consciousness. The purpose of all this discord is to make it easier for more elevated ways of thinking and operating to come into manifestation. To paraphrase what the masters say in "The Life and Teachings of the Masters of the Far East" by Baird Spalding: when a structure has become so crystallized that it cannot change, then it is necessary to break apart old structures that no longer serve the consciousness that is being birthed. Like it or not, an Aquarius moon brings change. There is one element missing in a chart cast for the full moon, the water element. Water represents emotions, so it would be easy to think about your emotions and not feel them. Create space for your emotions to operate now. A trip to the ocean or a waterfall would be nice, or maybe just a dip in a hot tub under a starlit sky.

Monday morning July 26 brings a dreamy planetary aspect between mental Mercury and psychic Neptune, so pay attention to your dreams and remember to tune in through meditation or prayer.

A challenging planetary aspect that has been in play since the presidential elections completes itself on July 26th. Stabilizing Saturn has been opposing revolutionizing Uranus and now completes it's cycle. Part of you wants to chuck it all and go live in the woods, and part of you wants to be responsible. In the weeks ahead, consider how you can have more freedom while still being a stable person.

On Thursday July 29, aggressive Mars moves into peaceful Libra, helping you to take action to put your relationships into balance. Friday morning can be disruptive, so allow extra time in traffic and avoid reacting to angry people. Saturday morning has a productive tone to it, then do something fun later in the day.

August 1-7 : An Aries moon on Sunday supports physical activity, so exercise or go for a hike in preparation for increasing energy this week. The challenging (motivating) T-Square that has been building for months is really pushing buttons early in August. Tuesday is one of the peak days when action planet Mars, expansive Jupiter, and transforming Pluto are precisely challenging each other. Watch for impatience or anger issues in yourself and others. Odds are there will be some bad news in the media such as a major accident (aviation?). The plus side, so as not to leave you in fearful thinking, is that this week is a good week to put action to your philosophical views and visions. Take steps to create your dream. On another level, it would be nice to get out in nature this week.

On Friday the 6th, Venus enters the sign of romance, Libra. This makes the time between now and September 8th a good time to take care of your relationship needs. The only possible contradiction to that is Venus is moving closer to serious Saturn this week. Venus combined with Saturn is better for business than romance. It is also a good combination for becoming clear on where you are in existing relationships. Good relationships get better and relationships operating in illusion will show you the reality. If you have important purchases to make on Saturday, make them before 11:46 AM PDT.

August 8-14 : On Sunday, the moon is in its quiet, void-of-course phase until 4:23 PM PDT. Tend to routine chores and humble projects during the day, then make room for pleasant social activities in the early evening.

The New Moon is exact at 8:08 PM PDT on Monday August 9 (18 degrees Leo). Leo is the sign that urges you to open your heart to the playful child within. At the same time, the challenging T-Square pattern that is pushing your buttons now, wants you to set boundaries to bring your life into balance. It is a complicated mix because part of you wants to run and scream off into the woods, and another part of you is preparing to step into a larger service in the world. Somehow, you must find the path to increase your freedom while still maintaining responsibility. The best way to do this (maybe the only way, really!) is to surrender your need to control the process while opening to the higher frequencies of your soul. Go off to some natural place that makes you feel good, then get quiet and listen to what your inner being is telling you. With so much chatter going on now, it is really important to make room for the quiet voice that knows the best answers for you. A sacred Sabian Symbol for this new moon is "a chemist conducts an experiment for his students." Meditate on the meaning of this symbol for the next month. Author Dane Rudhyar suggests : "In inquiring into the hidden process of nature, the human mind experiences the thrill of discovery."

Tuesday is a bit quieter and the middle of the week supports efficiency and hard work. On Friday the 13th, electric Uranus moves backwards into Pisces to help you finish old business and activities since it first moved into Pisces in spring 2003. A current example is that when Uranus was in Pisces last May, the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster occurred. So cleaning up and completing the spill control process goes on between now and spring 2010.

August 15-21 : On Monday afternoon, expansive Jupiter is opposite contracting Saturn. Pay attention to timing issues, as this combination can complicate things (think of the relationship where one partner wants more and the other pulls back, then they flip roles). Cautious expansion is a good combination here. Tuesday and Wednesday are the most playful and social days this week.

Tend to details now because Mercury turns retrograde on Friday the 20th. The next three weeks helps you finish those little projects you have been putting off all summer. Virgo is a hard worker, but do be careful of burning yourself out. Virgo is also a goddess sign, so make room for the sacred side of life. Also on the 20th, relationship planets Venus and Mars align in the relationship sign of Libra. It sounds like a good time to put effort into your love life and other relationship commitments.

Saturday morning is mildly challenging, but most people in North America will be asleep as restructuring Saturn makes a challenge to death/rebirth Pluto. Avoid doing too much hard work in your dream time!

August 22-28 : The sun enters Virgo on the 22nd, beginning a month of accomplishing practical tasks prior to the coming of autumn. Since you are not ready to hear talk of autumn yet, it can also be said that Virgo presents an opportunity to go off for some quiet, goddess time.

The Full Moon is on Tuesday August 24th at 10:05 AM PDT (2 degrees Pisces). This is the full moon where you balance spirituality and practicality, making time for both in your life. Relationship planets Venus and Mars are conjoined in Libra. This puts an emphasis on your relationships and relationship needs right now. With communications planet Mercury in its retrograde cycle until September 12th, this is a good time to communicate your changing relationship needs. This really is an important point because Venus will be affecting your love and money life come October. This full moon gives you a hint about re visioning your love and money needs this fall. The challenging T-Square pattern that was precise earlier this month is slowly beginning to pull apart, although you will get to see various aspects of it again in 2011. This makes the next few weeks an excellent opportunity to complete practical tasks around the house, then take a short trip to a location that helps you to purify and regenerate yourself for the coming months.

Wednesday evening is quite pleasant as the energizing Sun makes a harmonious trine to transforming Pluto. With the moon in Pisces, an inspiring movie, music, or spiritual activity would do your soul good. The moon moves into Aries for the weekend, urging you to get physical.

August 29-31 : The moon moves into sensual Taurus on Sunday, helping you to participate in activities that feed your desires. Taurus also likes to accomplish something tangible, so mix business and pleasure early in the week. By the end of the month, the moon moves into Gemini helping you to pick up the pace.

September 2010 continues Mercury retrograde through the 12th. Both Jupiter and Uranus move backwards into Pisces to finish the year, now that they have given you a preview of the impatience and impulsiveness of teasing you in Aries for the summer. Check back for details.

The trip to Greece and Crete is coming in late May-early June 2011. Please start a travel savings account if this journey calls to you. Details will be coming out by late summer.

Wounded-healer Chiron enters the psychic sign of Pisces. Neptune also enters Pisces for the next 14 years. This trip will help you tune into these energies which include healing, psychic abilities, visionary anything (art, music, world advancements).

Several people have expressed an interest in another trip to Egypt. I am tentatively thinking that early fall 2012 would be a wonderful time to go back.

Upcoming Mercury Retrograde cycles

When people question whether astrology is a viable tool, I like to advise them of Mercury retrograde cycles so they can watch for themselves. Mercury represents scheduling, planning, ideas, communications, transportation and things that happen in a short, quick way. Retrograde means that a planet appears to move backwards. Although planets do not actually move backwards, they do provide an optical illusion of doing so. Imagine you are on a train and another train passes you going in the same direction. For a brief moment, your brain is fooled into thinking you are going backwards. Sometimes you also experience this feeling in a parking lot.

All of the planets (except the moon) turn retrograde relative to our view of them from earth. Each has their own cycle. Mercury is retrograde for about 3 weeks and approximately three times each year. A distant planet like Pluto is retrograde for almost six months each year.

In the case of Mercury, communications and scheduling can get screwed up. You must practice better communications during these times. For example, I was to meet some friends at a Thai restaurant in Portland's Sellwood neighborhood. It is a relatively small neighborhood so I thought I knew exactly where the restaurant was based upon the friend remembering only that the restaurant had a 'fruity' name. I assumed I knew exactly where it was, having been to Papaya Thai before. My friends had a wonderful dinner at Mango Thai and I ate alone at Papaya Thai (I even forgot to take my cell phone!). So, clear communications are important in Mercury retrograde.

You also want to back up your computer, repair your car, balance your checkbook, or catch up on phone calls during the shadow period that begins about ten days prior to Mercury retrograde. As a rule, astrologers frown on signing important contracts during Mercury retrograde. I have seen several people buy perfectly good cars during Mercury retrograde only to find that the interest rate was excessive after they hurriedly signed the lease.

Mercury retrograde is good for retreat, re-visioning, and other "re" words. It is good for making a general plan, then hammering out the details later. Behind the scenes preparation or learning something new is good under Mercury retrograde.

Below are upcoming Mercury retrograde cycles and the degrees and signs they are in. If you know where the sign (s) land in your birth chart, you know the areas of your life that are up for re-visioning during the cycle. If you have natal planets that Mercury crosses over, you would also look to the meaning of that planet for added information. For example, if Mercury is retrograde in Libra in your seventh house, you would be communicating balance and harmony in your relationships. If you have Saturn placed in your seventh house when you were born, you would be communicating boundaries in your relationships. There is a free pdf download of a Basic Astrology Primer in the left had column of this page. It will help give you basic meanings of the signs and houses to help you.

The main thing during Mercury retrograde is to practice mental flexibility. If the important person you need to talk to is on vacation, then there is no sense being in anxiety while you wait for them to return. I like to leave extra time in my schedule in case something changes. If you know that this disruptive energy is up, then you don't take the world quite so seriously.

Your friends will also see that astrology really does work just by paying attention to Mercury retrograde. Of course, then they are hooked and will want to learn more!

April 17 -May 11, 2010, 13-2 degrees Taurus. Money, real estate, sensual pleasures, comfort, possessions and your values are all represented by Taurus. This would be a good time to prepare for a garage sale, getting rid of those things which no longer hold value. If you are planning to sell your home, this is a good time to be doing cosmetic fix up. As a general rule, astrologers do not advise signing contracts during a Mercury retrograde cycle. If you are signing up with a real estate agent, it would be best to do it before this cycle begins, or do the research on which agent to use but hold off on the signature until the cycle ends. In the body, Taurus rules the throat and thyroid areas of the body, so pay attention to any special needs here (Mercury was retrograde in Taurus in May 2009, and I got laryngitis).Taurus also rules money, so watch your own checkbook as well as the changing of the value of the dollar.

August 20 -Sept 12, 2010, 20-5 degrees Virgo . Mercury rules Virgo and Gemini, meaning that this retrograde cycle is in one of Mercury's favorite signs. It is time to get organized and simplify your life. This is a highly mental combination, so tend to mental clutter. On a good level, you can use this cycle to become more efficient. Release those tasks that could be called "too many straws on the camel's back." Avoid critical voice and all will be well.

December 10-29, 2010, 5 degrees Capricorn back to 19 degrees Sagittarius. This Mercury retrograde begins with Mercury aligned with transforming Pluto just as was the case in January 2010, so the same energy is like a bookend at the beginning and end of 2010. The difference is that now action-oriented Mars is aligned with the two. Although Mercury is behind the scenes planning when retrograde, you can bet that you will be ready to take action on decisions that did not quite come to fruition this year. In other words, you get serious about the decisions you made in the back of your mind, and they come out strongly as we get into 2011.

March 30 -April 23, 2011, 25-12 degrees Aries . Keywords for Aries are: pioneer a new path, courage to do something that has never been done before, enhancing self-reliance, and communicating right action. Aries rules exercise, the brain, headaches, and blood circulation. Negative traits are impatience and forgetting that others can be right too. During this cycle, it would be good to give extra attention to the needs of your physical body, meaning exercise. Behind the scenes planning for some future event would be good, especially where you are brining something new to the world. Consider where you need to take actions that will require greater courage on your part. Do you need to go it alone in some area of your life?

Laminated pictures of the Violet Flame and Ascended Masters are available for your meditation altar.

GIFT CERTIFICATES are easy, can be purchased in any dollar amount towards any service, and can be used world wide. Call to purchase: 503-252-1558.

FYI: The Central Sun Meditation CD is available. During 2009, there is a $5 discount on the CD when you purchase it at the time of your consultation.

Mitakuya Oyasin

Regarding email problems (bounce backs)to mark@astromark.us: A few people have been having problems with their email being bounced back to them, or having them lost in cyberspace. I am excellent at returning phone calls and emails, so please call if you experience a problem.

Regarding unreturned phone messages: I am really good at returning all phone calls. Sometimes people leave a message from a cell phone where the reception is poor, then I get a partial phone number on the recording and cannot return the call. Please call back and do leave your phone number twice.

Nikola Tesla – Cancer Sun

Nikola Tesla was a genius, yet his fame and fortune experienced numerous highs and lows. Born during the sign of Cancer, this is not a surprise. Cancer is associated with things that move in cycles, like the moon, emotions, and public image. He was both wealthy and poor at different times of his life. His popularity has its swings too, considering his conflicts with Thomas Edison. Aquarius Edison experienced greater public success because he was a better people person than Tesla. Nikola Tesla’s sun sign was harmoniously linked to the planet Neptune, a psychic visionary. Tesla would get his ideas in his dreams at night, and he could even “see” his inventions working before he built them. In this way, he repaired or redesigned his inventions before they were even built. The sign Cancer and the planet Neptune are associated with empathy and compassion. Rather than letting one of his electrical inventions bankrupt the Westinghouse Company, he tore up the $12m contract so that people could receive electrical power at an affordable cost. Of course, Neptune can bring an idealistic or fantasy-like form of love as well. Rather than fall in love with a woman, he fell in love with one of his pigeons!