August 2024 comes with the joyful Leo New Moon and change-focused Aquarius Full Moon as Mercury retrograde is swirling. What's in store for us? P.S. Make sure to sign up for the free monthly worksheet so you can keep track of planetary events like new and full moons every month! What is a New Moon?
A New Moon occurs when the transit (moving) Sun and Moon are in the exact same position in the Zodiac (called a conjunction). New Moons are related to beginnings, have high energy, and are enthusiastic.
What is a Full Moon?
A Full Moon occurs when the transit (moving) Sun and Moon are in the exact opposite positions in the Zodiac (called an opposition). Full Moons are related to endings, culminations, and are emotional energy.
New Moon in Leo: August 4th 2024 (7:15AM ET/4:15AM PT)
The Leo New Moon is traditionally a nice New Moon since Leo is a positive, happy fire sign. Leo rules love, both the people we love and the things we love to do, and how we connect to our hearts and be joyful. This is fun, carefree, and represents our inner child. We want to laugh and play, goof off, and not take anything too seriously. This is a great time for vacations and getaways, for romance and dating, and for sparks flying.
This is also a highly creative New Moon, and we may focus on starting new creative projects and ventures, or bringing creativity into whatever we're already working on. We may want to take up a new hobby, and this can be a creative one, or one that allows us to channel our creative energy into it. This is welcome after the very heavy previous New and Full Moons, and we could use the break from the serious and intense! The day after this New Moon, on August 5th, Mercury turns retrograde (appears to move backward) in Virgo, and Mercury will retrograde back to Leo on August 14th, where it stays retrograde until August 28th. This complicates things since Mercury retrograde likes to throw things off, and we may become aware of issues we have with love, joy, and ways we haven't nurtured our inner child. We may feel we lack a real connection to our hearts, and this can make us pessimistic. But it's better to actually work on the issues instead of letting them fester and grow. Retrogrades are times for do overs and second chances, so this New Moon might bring with it opportunities to redo, revise, revisit, rethink, reconnect, and recover. This can especially be helpful for reconnecting with the heart or with old flames, for picking back up old hobbies or creative projects, or for redoing something that brought you joy in the past. The New Moon is sextile (beneficial aspect, two signs away) transit (moving) Jupiter in Gemini, and this actually helps with the positive focus for this New Moon since Jupiter is the happy, optimistic planet. We generally don't want to get wrapped up in anything too serious or mundane, though the Mercury retrograde might try to drag us down. We can resist and try to work with this energy instead. The New Moon occurs at 12 degrees 34 minutes Leo. The aspects to the New Moon are: Conjunction: 10 degrees 34 minutes - 14 degrees 34 minutes Leo Sextile: 10 degrees 34 minutes - 14 degrees 34 minutes Gemini or Libra Square: 10 degrees 34 minutes - 14 degrees 34 minutes Taurus or Scorpio Trine: 10 degrees 34 minutes - 14 degrees 34 minutes Aries or Sagittarius Opposition: 10 degrees 34 minutes - 14 degrees 34 minutes Aquarius Full Moon in Aquarius: August 19th 2024 (2:25PM ET/11:25AM PT)
The Aquarius Full Moon brings attention to independence, change, and individuality. We can focus on giving ourselves more independence to be true to ourselves, and if we feel boxed in, we can fight back in a big way. This is excellent for getting out of ruts we've been stuck in, but we do need to be mindful of being impulsive, impatient, and jumping without thinking about it first. That just puts us in more hot water, so we need to avoid that.
We can be willing to make changes that we feel will help push us forward in a big way, and we can see progress being made with changes we've already been working on, are invested in, and are going about the right way. Any changes where we're not doing that, we may experience setbacks or blocks, and need to work through that in order to make progress. This Full Moon is opposite Mercury retrograde, and square (challenging aspect, three signs away) transit Uranus in Taurus. The Mercury retrograde begins with the New Moon, but gets triggered by this Full Moon, and oppositions can feel out of our control, so we may experience developments that feel like that. With the square to Uranus, this may seem like it comes out of nowhere, and we're really blown away by it. This can easily throw us off of our game, and we can lose sight of what we're doing. It's super important that we remain in control of ourselves as much as possible with this Full Moon. Emotions likely run very, very high, and this can lead to bad decisions and hasty actions that cause more problems. We need to be smart and not let emotion cloud our judgment. But it truly is fantastic energy for getting out of a rut. We have the drive and desire to break out with this Full Moon, and we can make it happen. Look around at your life and see where you've been most stuck, and how much it's impacted you. This can be where you take action - just be smart about it! The Full Moon occurs at 27 degrees 15 minutes Aquarius. Aspects to the Full Moon are: Conjunction: 25 degrees 15 minutes - 29 degrees 15 minutes Aquarius Sextile: 25 degrees 15 minutes - 29 degrees 15 minutes Aries or Sagittarius Square: 25 degrees 15 minutes - 29 degrees 15 minutes Taurus or Scorpio Trine: 25 degrees 15 minutes - 29 degrees 15 minutes Gemini or Libra Opposition: 25 degrees 15 minutes - 29 degrees 15 minutes Leo Suggested Reading: The New & Full Moons page for general interpretations by house and aspect Here comes the second Mercury retrograde for 2024! It begins in detailed Virgo and ends in active Leo. What will this retrograde do for us? And if you want to keep track of planetary happenings every month (like Mercury retrograde), make sure you're signed up for the free monthly worksheet! The Basics - What is Mercury retrograde?
A retrograde occurs when a planet appears to be moving backwards from our vantage point here on Earth. It isn't actually moving backwards, it just appears that way. Mercury turns retrograde most often, about 3-4 times per year, and lasts for several weeks. When a planet retrogrades, what that planet rules tends to be thrown off, along with what the sign it's retrograding in rules.
With Mercury retrograde, we experience a shadow and a storm. The shadow period starts when Mercury first hits the point in the Zodiac it will turn direct at, and ends when it last hits the point in the Zodiac it will turn retrograde at. Most people don't feel the effects of Mercury retrograde until it enters the storm period though. The storm period of Mercury retrograde is when Mercury is moving at its slowest, less than 40 minutes per day. Mercury is a fast-moving planet and hates it when it's moving slowly. There's usually two storm periods, one around the time Mercury turns retrograde, and one around when it turns direct. Mercury Retrograde in Virgo & Leo 2024 Key Dates:
Mercury Retrograde Effects:
This Mercury retrograde begins in Virgo, and Virgo is one of the signs that Mercury naturally rules (along with Gemini). This increases the impact of the retrograde energy, and it's extra strong for our daily lives, work lives, and health. We can be super stressed out, picking apart the details to the max, demanding way too much of ourselves, and taking on way too much work.
This is especially strong at the start with Mercury retrograde beginning at a critical degree, 4 degrees Virgo. There are 30 degrees in every sign, 360 degrees total, and some placements are called critical degrees (linking to the Lunar Mansions). These placements have charged energy, and we have to work at managing them in more productive ways, especially with this one in Virgo. Mercury is at 4 degrees Virgo starting August 3rd (before the retrograde begins) to August 7th. We need to go easy on ourselves, and not demand perfection that is attainable. We need to have healthy outlets for stress and frustration, otherwise we can get overwhelmed, break down, and fall apart at the seams. This can be good energy for picking back up old work or projects, for reconnecting with old coworkers or employees, or for reorganizing, changing your routine or regimen, or improving your schedule. But this retrograde doesn't occur entirely in Virgo, and Mercury goes back to Leo on August 14th, and spends the rest of the retrograde in this fire sign. In Leo, this can bring more attention to love, both who and what we love, and we can become aware of issues in our love relationships that we need to work through, and may want to reconnect with old flames. We may want more time to enjoy ourselves, to have fun and let loose, and to avoid any work, but we either don't get that and have a hard time with focus, or we avoid work completely and it piles up. We go from overworking to slacking big time! We need to find some balance with this retrograde, balance between work and play, the mundane and fun, the details and the joyful. While in Leo, creative energy can surge, and this can be channeled into everything we do. It can be a good time to pick back up a creative project, reconnect with an old hobby, or restore inspiration. It'll be especially important when Mercury first goes back to Leo to try and use the energy well as Mercury will be at the anaretic degree (29 degrees of any sign) August 14th - 16th, which is extra supercharged and might bring out some difficulties, selfish behavior, being taken advantage of, stubbornness, pride getting in the way, inflated egos, or all talk behavior. But the retrograde also ends at a critical degree, 21 degrees Leo, so we're charged coming in and going out. Add on the Moon in the signs Mercury naturally rules at the start and end (see the Moons section), and we're riding some major emotional highs and lows and might not be making the best choices! And oh yes, while in Virgo, we'll have a temporary mutable t-square going on. T-squares occur when two or more planets oppose one another, and they square a third (or more) planet. Neptune and Saturn are in Pisces, and Mercury retrograde in Virgo opposes them as they all square Mars and Jupiter in Gemini. We have a mutable t-square cooking as soon as Mercury first enters Virgo on July 25th, and lasts until Mercury comes back to Virgo and exits on September 26th. Mutable t-squares can send energy zinging around haphazardly, and this can be difficult to control so we're all over the place. T-squares focus on the squared planet(s), which is Mars and Jupiter in Gemini in this case, so we might be overthinking things, communication can be out of sorts, and we're not correctly paying attention to what's really important. There can be a lot of talking but not much listening. The way out is through the missing sign that opposes the squares planets, which is Sagittarius in this case. We need to take a step back, see the big picture, and not get lost in the weeds. We need to be more optimistic and gregarious, and open our minds. Mercury Retrograde in Virgo & Leo 2024 Aspects:
During the retrograde, Mercury will make 5 major aspects to the other transit (moving) planets. They are:
- Conjunct Venus on August 7th 2024 @ 3 degrees Virgo: Mercury conjunct Venus often denotes pleasant communication and expression. We can be more understanding, and we may find that communicating in new, different ways is more effective. We can also reconnect, recommit, and find new ways of coming together and benefiting from alliances. This can help us in our daily lives or with our work in Virgo. - Square Uranus on August 18th 2024 @ 27 degrees Leo/Taurus: Mercury square Uranus is a challenging aspect, and we may struggle with impatience, impulsive energy, and are most prone to lashing out around this time. We can jump into things without thinking, and this leads to more problems. We're itching about something, and we need to get to the heart of it in order to find a solution. This can be a good time to get unstuck with something that has been too stagnant for too long, but we do need to be smart about it. - Conjunct the Sun on August 19th 2024 @ 26 degrees Leo: This is the Inferior Conjunction, a positive point in the retrograde for starting something that can be a focus for the next 6-8 weeks; find where it falls in your chart, and that may be where you can start something. With this one in Leo, we can make use of creativity. - Trine Chiron on August 23rd 2024 @ 23 degrees Leo/Aries: Chiron is the wounded healer in astrology, governing our great wounds but also healing abilities. This aspect can highlight existing wounds in the world and in ourselves, and it can be easier for us to take care of ourselves and others. We can find relief, and we can get a better understanding. Chiron also rules health so there can be greater emphasis on health matters. - Sextile Mars on August 24th 2024 @ 22 degrees Leo/Gemini: Mars is the planet of energy and drive, so this aspect can bring more mental energy and a drive to take action with ideas and plans. This might involve old ideas we pick back up, old plans we want to try again with, or we might make some tweaks to new ideas or plans to get better traction. The Moons of Mercury Retrograde:
The Moon travels through both signs Mercury naturally rules during this retrograde, and in fact, it starts and ends with the Moon in its home signs. The Moon enters Virgo (ruled by Mercury) shortly after Mercury retrograde begins on August 5th (5:17PM ET/2:17PM PT) to August 8th (5:31AM ET/2:31AM PT).
Virgo is also the sign the Mercury retrograde starts in, so this increases anxiety and stress, as well as brings strong focus to the retrograde. We're likely going into this retrograde with a lot of little issues worrying us to death, and we need to be better at taking care of ourselves and having healthy outlets for stress. Mercury also being at a critical degree isn't helping, and we need to be much more mindful of our actions and choices. The Moon is in Gemini (ruled by Mercury) near the end of Mercury retrograde, from August 25th (11:03PM ET/8:03PM PT) to August 28th (4:48AM ET/1:48AM PT), which is the same day the retrograde ends (is ends just over 12 hours after the Moon exits Gemini). This can increase scattered, unfocused energy and a need for a mental outlet, and we're likely pretty harried and ready to move forward coming out of this retrograde. Emotions can run quite high as this retrograde starts and ends - be careful! Final Notes:
The retrograde starts at 4 degrees Virgo, so those of you Virgos born August 24th - 30th may feel the start of the retrograde most. The retrograde ends at 21 degrees Leo, so those of you Lions born August 10th - 17th may feel the end of the retrograde most.
For the rest of you, check the house(s) Mercury will be retrograding in your own natal chart, and any aspects Mercury will make during its retrograde to your natal planets, to fully understand how it will impact you personally. If you have Mercury retrograde in your natal or progressed chart, you may not feel the worst of this. Those individuals generally don't experience the difficulties of the retrograde because it feels more natural to them. Of course, chances are everyone else around them doesn't have the same aspect, so they can still experience difficulties brought on by others. If it's in your natal chart, check out this article about Mercury retrograde in the natal chart. Suggested Reading: The Mercury, Venus, & Mars Retrogrades page for interpretations In astrology, we have something called aspects, and an aspect is when two planets or bodies are at certain distances from one another in the Zodiac. There are 360 degrees in the entire Zodiac, 30 degrees per sign (12 x 30 = 360), and certain distances by degree are certain aspects. Aspects are split up between major and minor, and two of the major aspects are the sextile and trine. The sextile occurs when two bodies are 60 degrees apart, so they are about two whole Zodiac signs apart. The trine occurs when two bodies are 120 degrees apart, so they are about four whole Zodiac signs apart. Both sextiles and trines are considered beneficial aspects, and sextiles require some effort while trines are effortless. Sextiles are BENEFICIAL WORK, and trine are EFFORTLESS BENEFITS. Sextiles and Trines in the Natal Chart
Sextiles and trines in the natal chart are usually given the smallest orbs of influence, and many keep the two bodies to no more than 4-6 degrees from forming an exact sextile or trine. This is because these are easy aspects, and they don't have as much strong energy as the challenging ones.
Your natal chart is a snapshot of the location in the Zodiac of the planets and other bodies at the exact moment you were born and from the location you were born at. The natal chart reflects your personality and all parts of your life. Planets or bodies that are sextile or trine in the natal chart work well together in harmony. They provide assistance to one another, and you can use them to your advantage. This requires some effort on the part of sextiles, so it's not automatica with them. It can be automatic with trines, however trines are easier to be lazy with, and you end up missing out on the positive energy, squandering it. Trines put the bodies in Zodiac signs of the same element, and they naturally jive very well because of this. If you have planets in all 3 signs of an element, this is a Grand Trine. This can be a point of natural talent and ease for you, but again, it can be easily squandered, so you have to make sure you're using it. The signs of the elements are: Fire: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius Earth: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn Air: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius Water: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces Sextiles and Trines in Transit
The transit, or moving, planets and other bodies can sextile or trine one another, and when they do, this helps them work together in a way that is available to all of us. This is beneficial for the world at large, and it can be easier for us to use their energy as a whole.
The beneficial energy between them is something we can all use, and on an individual level, it's usually something that plays out involving the areas of life ruled by the houses in your natal chart the two transit bodies are located while making the sextile or trine. Whatever those two houses rule can work well together, have a positive influence on one another, and you can see beneficial developments impacting both. Whenever the slower planets (Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, or Pluto) are sextile or trine each other, this can show good things happening in the world at large. We can work well together, and can create positive developments in situations. Transit Planets Sextile or Trine Natal Planets
The transit planets can make aspects to your natal planets and bodies, and when they are 60 degrees away, they are sextile, and when they are 120 degrees away, they are trine. This brings beneficial energy from the transit planet to whatever is ruled by the natal planet or body.
Sextiles and trines by the transit planets or bodies to our natal Sun or Moon can bring good moods and opportunity. With the Sun ruling the self, we can take the initiative and really feel at ease with the transit planet, and with the Moon ruling emotions, this can be a source of emotional stability and security. Transit planets and bodies sextile or trine natal Mercury impact our ideas, expression, and outlook; sextile or trine natal Venus, impact our relationships and connections; sextile or trine natal Mars, impact what we're taking initiative with and how; sextile or trine natal Ceres, impact our resources and support; sextile or trine natal Jupiter, impact our opportunities and experiences; sextile or trine natal Saturn, impact our goals, direction, and lessons; sextile or trine natal Uranus, impact changes we're making and our dreams; sextile or trine natal Neptune, impact our intuitive and creativity; sextile or trine natal Pluto, impact our personal power and control; and sextile or trine natal Chiron, impact our healing and wounds. P.S. Make sure you're signed up for the free monthly worksheet so you can keep track of the planets every month and know what they're doing! Sextiles and Trines and Progressions and Returns
Your progressed chart adds one day to your date of birth for every year you've been alive to create a new chart reflective of your maturation and growth. Progressed planets and bodies move through the Zodiac, but at a very slow pace, so it can be significant when they make an exact sextile or trine to something in the progressed chart or in your natal chart.
This can trigger super beneficial energy for whatever is being sextiled or trines, and the energy of the progressed planet or body and whatever it rules can have a positive impact on the natal body. A return occurs when a transit planet or body returns to the exact position it was at when you were born, so when it conjuncts itself in your natal chart. Returns tend to be very important when they occur for whatever that planet or body rules, and we can experience events directly related to it. Sextiles or trines to the Return planet in the Return Chart can show helpful energy for whatever the planet rules for however long the chart is in play. Suggested Reading: All About the First House in Astrology Astrology has something called aspects, which occur when two planets or bodies are at certain distances from one another in the Zodiac. There are 360 degrees in the entire Zodiac, 30 degrees per sign (12 x 30 = 360), and certain distances by degree are certain aspects. Aspects are split up between major and minor, and one of the major aspects is called the conjunction. The conjunction occurs when two bodies are 0 degrees apart, so they are in about the same spot in the Zodiac. Conjunctions are seen as neither good nor bad, and rather amplify the energy of the bodies involved in the conjunction. The main keywords for conjunctions are NEUTRAL and AMPLIFY. Conjunctions in the Natal Chart
Conjunctions in the natal chart have a wide orb of up to 10 degrees, so the two bodies can be as much as 10 degrees apart and considered conjunct. This is for the planets; asteroids only get about a 2 degree orb, and it can also be small for non-bodies.
Your natal chart is a snapshot of the location in the Zodiac of the planets and other bodies at the exact moment you were born and from the location you were born at. The natal chart reflects your personality and all parts of your life. Planets or bodies that are conjunct in the natal chart have direct influence on one another. With the planets, they can take on the energy of the other planet, each planet can take on traits of the sign the other planet naturally rules. This can be especially evident with your natal Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, or Mars conjunct your natal Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, or Pluto. The Sun and Moon are the luminaries, ruling your true self (Sun) and emotional self (Moon), while Mercury, Venus, and Mars are the personal planets, ruling your mind (Mercury), relationships (Venus), and how you take action (Mars). Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto dominate when conjunct your natal Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, or Mars. Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto have very strong energy, and the others don't really stand a chance against them. They can seem more like the sign ruled by Saturn (Capricorn), Uranus (Aquarius), Neptune (Pisces), or Pluto (Scorpio). And if they're already in that sign, it's extra-extra strong! You generally need to work on whatever issues are associated with that conjunction, since it tends to be indicative of some sort of early life trauma or baggage. Once you work through the issues, you can utilize the energy in a productive way. Conjunctions in Transit
The transit, or moving, planets and other bodies can conjunct one another, and when they do, this brings their energy together in a way that is available to all of us. This tends to be very strong, and we can put it to use or experience developments in the world at large.
We tend to pay close attention to conjunctions between Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto since they move slowly and don't conjunct very often. This year (2024), we had Jupiter conjunct Uranus in April with both in Taurus, and next year (2025), we'll have Saturn conjunct Neptune with both in Aries. When Jupiter conjuncts Saturn, this is called the Great Conjunction, and it occurs roughly every 20 years. This signals the start of a whole new cycle, a new generation, a new phase. They occur in the same element of signs (fire, earth, air, water) for a period of time, and when they change signs, this is called the Great Mutation. This occurs roughly every 200 years. Ww just experienced the Great Mutation in December 2020 when transit Jupiter and Saturn conjuncted in Aquarius. This set us down a whole new era (that's really getting kicked up with transit Pluto in Aquarius now too). We also tend to pay close attention to when the transit Sun and Moon conjunct. This is the New Moon, which occurs roughly every month, and can act as a trigger for new beginnings, new ventures, and new developments. Transit Planets Conjunct Natal Planets
The transit planets can make aspects to your natal planets and bodies, and when they are in the exact same spot, they are conjunct. This brings the energy of the transit planet or body to whatever is ruled by the natal planet or body.
We tend to feel transit planets or bodies conjunct our natal Sun or Moon pretty strongly. Because the Sun rules the self, any transit body conjunct it can have a strong impact on our personality, outlook, and approach to life, and what we're most focused on at the moment might be ruled by the transit body. We may seem a little more like the transit body naturally. Because the Moon rules the emotional self, any transit body conjunct it can have a strong impact on our emotions, the way we express ourselves emotionally, what we're emotionally focused on, and whatever the transit body rules can be more important for our emotional stability and security. Transit planets and bodies conjunct natal Mercury impact our ideas, expression, and outlook; conjunct natal Venus, impact our relationships and connections; conjunct natal Mars, impact what we're taking initiative with and how; conjunct natal Ceres, impact our resources and support; conjunct natal Jupiter, impact our opportunities and experiences; conjunct natal Saturn, impact our goals, direction, and lessons; conjunct natal Uranus, impact changes we're making and our dreams; conjunct natal Neptune, impact our intuitive and creativity; conjunct natal Pluto, impact our personal power and control; and conjunct natal Chiron, impact our healing and wounds. P.S. Make sure you're signed up for the free monthly worksheet so you can keep track of the planets every month and know what they're doing! Conjunctions and Progressions and Returns
Your progressed chart adds one day to your date of birth for every year you've been alive to create a new chart reflective of your maturation and growth. Progressed planets and bodies move through the Zodiac, but at a very slow pace, so it can be significant when they make an exact conjunction to something in the progressed chart or in your natal chart.
This can trigger an important new phase in your life, new developments, and the energy of the progressed planet or body and whatever it rules can have a direct impact on the natal body. Meanwhile a return occurs when a transit planet or body returns to the exact position it was at when you were born, so when it conjuncts itself in your natal chart. Returns tend to be very important when they occur for whatever that planet or body rules, and we can experience events directly related to it. Suggested Reading: All About the First House in Astrology Asteroid Amor soon moves from slow and steady Taurus to mental Gemini! How does this impact the asteroid of romance? P.S. Make sure to sign up for the free monthly worksheet to help you keep track of Amor every month! About Amor in Astrology
Amor is an asteroid in astrology, and there are tens of thousands of asteroids, and each connects to something different. Many are simply names, but some like Amor connect to specific energies.
In the case of asteroid Amor, this is the asteroid of romantic love. Amor shows how we express love and romance, and in transit, we can see this via the Zodiac sign Amor is touring, and the natal house it's touring in your natal chart. Asteroid Amor in Gemini 2024
With Amor in Taurus, love was more grounded, steady, reliable and loyal, though slow to get into. Gemini wants to pick up speed, and bring communication into the mix.
Amor in Gemini says, speak up about how you feel! Gemini rules communication, so use your words. Talk about your romantic feelings, write love letters, listen to love songs, read romance novels, and let your mind roam with romance. With Gemini ruling communication, we may find that communication in general is more pleasant and it's easier for us to express ourselves in sweet ways, no matter what we're focused on. This is a great time for writing, speaking, teaching, and learning in general. We can also bring this romantic view to everything in our lives, and our outlook can be rosier. This can help us become more optimistic, and we can open up options in our lives. We can enjoy using our minds, and want to keep our minds busy and active with new ideas and new plans. Words can mean more to us, but in a sweet way rather than a paranoid way. Gemini rules our neighborhood, community, siblings, and cousins, so we can also have an easier time dealing with neighbors, and might do work in our communities to improve them, especially aesthetically. We can enjoy time with siblings and cousins, and those who we have that type of relationship with. Amor spends an extra amount of time in Gemini thanks to a retrograde period entirely in Gemini. A body is called retrograde in astrology when it appears to be moving backward through the Zodiac, and this can throw the energy of that body off. With Amor, we may have difficulties expressing romantic feelings, and can keep our mouths shut about them. We may struggle with creative focus at times, and expression in general can be challenged in some way. The turn retrograde begins October 29th 2024 at 29 degrees Gemini, and is especially interesting for two reasons: one, it's anaretic (there are 30 degrees in every sign, and 29 degrees is the last degree and called the anaretic degree; this is supercharged energy and can be challenging with retrogrades, so struggles can be strong at the start of this retrograde, yet we can also feel more drawn to expression in some way; and two, another love asteroid, Cupido (asteroid of crushes and infatuations), turns retrograde just two days later at 28 degrees Gemini, so less than 1 degree apart! Suffice it to say, that is a challenging time for love, romance, and crushes (maybe avoid getting married at that time, ha!). BUT with Gemini and retrogrades connecting to karmic connections, we could see more Twin Flame reunions and soulmate connections being made. The retrograde ends on January 29th 2025 at 6 degrees Gemini. While in Gemini, Amor will conjunct (align with) Mars on August 2bd 2024, and this can increase energy and drive toward expressing love, romance, and being affectionate, creative, and inspired. Amor will also conjunct Jupiter in Gemini on September 3rd 2024 (at 23 degrees), December 14th 2024 (at 19 degrees with Amor retrograde), and March 2nd 2025 (at 12 degrees). Jupiter expands energy, so it can expand on romance and expression of love and creativity. The one challenging aspect is Amor square Neptune on October 11th 2024 and November 20th 2024, with both at 27 degrees (Pisces for Neptune). Hard Neptune brings foggy energy, so we may have issues with seeing problems with expression, creativity, romance, and love. Something is getting in the way of us being realistic about it, or is outright hiding it from us. We may have some karmic issues to work through, and some old baggage likely needs to be released. Amor tours Zodiac sign Gemini for about almost 9 months, from July 9th 2024 - April 7th 2025. Asteroid Amor in Gemini for the Zodiac Signs
Aries: Asteroid Amor in Gemini can help you connect with others mentally, and this can give you a chance to improve communication and let it flow. You can speak words of love and romance, and can come up with new ideas for how to express romantic feelings. When Amor is retrograde, you may need to work on blocks to expressing love, and might need healthy outlets for your mind.
Taurus: Asteroid Amor in Gemini helps bring some stability and security to love in your life, and you can take some time to express love and affection, but can be loyal to those you do. You can focus on romance that can be expressed in both a mental and physical way. When Amor is retrograde, you may feel a bit stuck in love, and need to work on blocks with both love and creativity. Gemini: Asteroid Amor in your sign can make you more romantic in many ways, and you can have a romantic outlook on life. You can seem more attractive, and others can show affection with you. You can be pleasant and easy to be around, and creativity can be high. While Amor is retrograde, you may need to work on issues with love, and may want to reconnect with an old love or with an old hobby or creative project. Cancer: Asteroid Amor in Gemini can make you extra romantic, but you may be shy in expressing that openly. When alone with those you love, you can express your feelings freely. You may want to be more helpful with those you love, or may reflect on past loves. While Amor is retrograde, you may need to work on old love baggage, or work through some karmic love issues. Leo: Asteroid Amor in Gemini can make you express love and romance in new ways, and you can be more pleasant with friends and in groups. You can enjoy pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, and can focus on your dreams. When Amor is retrograde, you may need to work on adjusting to sudden events in love, or work on issues with friends or your dreams. Virgo: Asteroid Amor in Gemini can make you more traditional with love and romance, and you may go for the standard nice dinner, fine wine, red roses, and candlelight. You can take love more seriously, and be more committed to the commitments you have. While Amor is retrograde, you may want to work on the responsibilities you have with loved ones, and can feel more limited with expressing love, and need to work on blocks. Libra: Asteroid Amor in Gemini can help you be more adventurous in love and romance, and you may want to enjoy yourself with those you love. You can be more gregarious with others, and can express romance in big ways, and can enjoy new experiences. When Amor is retrograde, you may need to work on issues with getting enough space with loved ones. Scorpio: Asteroid Amor in Gemini can make you more focused on strengthening emotional bonds with those you love, and you can merge emotional ties with mental ties. You can be passionate with romance, and may transform via romance. When Amor is retrograde, you may need to work on old love baggage, old issues that impacted romance and love, and need to make a transformation of some sort. Sagittarius: Asteroid Amor in Gemini can help you commit to loved ones, and you can be more romantic in general. You can be pleasant with others, and may attract more romantic people into your life who are pleasing and easygoing. When Amor is retrograde, you may need to work on love and commitment issues, and may think about reconnecting with an old love. Capricorn: Asteroid Amor in Gemini can help you pay close attention in love, and you can find small ways to express love and romance. You can also have more love for the work you do, or for a project you're working on in your daily life. When Amor is retrograde, you may need to work on issues that are making it difficult for you to show affection or use creativity. Aquarius: Asteroid Amor in Gemini can increase your romantic side, and you can be super romantic and creative. You can enjoy getting time away from work and bringing more fun into your life, and you want more love and romance. When Amor is retrograde, you can focus on working through love issues and blocks to connect to your heart. Pisces: Asteroid Amor in Gemini can help you focus on emotional connections with others, and you can find ways to express how you feel. You can be more pleasant at home or with those you think of as family. You may want to be more supportive of who and what you love. When Amor is retrograde, old emotional issues can get worked on that have impacted love. Suggested Reading: Transit Asteroid Amor in the Houses & Aspects In predictive astrology, we have something called a Return. When the transit (moving) planet or body returns to the exact position it was at when you were born, you experience a Return for that planet/body. Solar Returns, where the Sun returns to the exact position it was at when you were born, and Saturn Returns, where Saturn returns to the exact position it was at when you were born, are likely the most known and commonly used. You can create a chart for the moment of a return, and that chart can give indications of how the return will impact you. The return chart is in effect until that planet/body returns again. Returns are significant for whatever the Return planet or body rules. In addition to a Return, you can also experience an Opposition. In the case of an Opposition, the transit planet or body returns to the exact opposite position it was at when you were born. You can create a chart for the moment of an opposition just like with a return, and that chart also gives indicators of how the opposition will impact you, and is in effect until the planet/body opposes again. The schedule for an Opposition is about the same as for a Return so you experience a Solar Opposition once each year (about six months from your birthday), a Lunar Opposition once each month (this is for the Moon; it's about 2 weeks from your Lunar Return), a Mercury and Venus Opposition about once each year (up to 3 times if it'll retrograde over the opposition position; this is about 5-6 months from your Mercury or Venus Return), a Mars Opposition about once every 2 years (up to 3 times if it retrogrades over the opposition position; this is about 1 year from your Mars Return). a Ceres Opposition about once every 4-5 years (about 2-3 years from your Ceres Return), a Jupiter Opposition about once every 12 years (about 6 years from your Jupiter Return), and a Saturn Opposition about once every 28-32 years (about 14-16 years from your Saturn Return). The Opposition occurs roughly halfway between your Returns, so it's a midpoint from one Return to another. That makes it a time to check in with that planet/body, and to see how you're progressing with it. You can look back to the previous Return, and look forward to the next one, and make adjustments with the Opposition. You can interpret an Opposition Chart on its own, as well as in concert with the Returns Charts before and after it. Just like with a Return Chart, the most important planet or body in an Opposition Chart is the body itself. The sign will be the exact opposite of where it is for you natally, and this brings attention to a blind spot in some ways. Balance is required with oppositions, and we need to work on making sure we're not ignoring anything. The house in the Opposition Chart the planet/body is located gets more attention, and the areas of life it rules may require you to see something you've been missing. Much like with Return Charts, you can assess what the other planets and bodies are doing as well, and the story they're telling with the Opposition. It'll be significant when any planet or body is conjunct an angle (Ascendant, Imum Coeli, Descendant, Midheaven), or when the North Node is conjunct a planet/body or house cusp (the very beginning of a house). That can get a lot of attention for where you have to pivot, assess, or push through progress. If your Opposition planet/body is conjunct anything in the Opposition Chart, that'll get the most focus and likely make the Opposition extra important at the time. It can act as a catalyst for developments and trigger events. Whatever its conjunct gets the main focus and is where energy is directed. Suggested Reading: Lunar Returns & the Moon in Solar Returns Charts |
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