FAMILY MATTERS | Weekly Horoscope | September 2nd – September 8th 2024
On September 4th, Mars enters Cancer. Cancer is the zodiac sign most associated with hearth, home, and family. Many people equate it with an idealized past, giving it the rumpled folksiness of a Norman Rockwell painting, but not all families are the Waltons. Sometimes they're the Sopranos, and Mars traveling through this sign is bound to bring up conflicts with the outside world. Cancer is tribal by nature. Blood ties will always supersede social ones, so don't be surprised if you find yourself torn between family and friends, tradition and love, or facing some kind of upset in your personal life. This may fly in the face of what feels comfortable and familiar, but we don't live in a world of white picket fences and manicured lawns anymore. “Family” has evolved in both meaning and reality. It may feel strange having to make certain adjustments and sacrifices over the next few weeks, but it's meant to expand your understanding of family and not diminish it. Mars will be in Cancer from September 4th to November 3rd.
WAKE-UP CALL | Weekly Horoscope | August 26th – September 1st 2024
Uranus retrogrades are famous for pendulum swings. They're not as abrupt in their about-faces as a typical Uranus transit, but they can be just as absolute and uncompromising. Let's say you've spent months rallying against a cause, refusing to yield an inch on a hotly contested point or even considering seeing things from a different perspective. Well, when that pendulum swings – like it will on September 1st – you may find yourself waking up on a different side of the brain. You may start to embrace (if not exactly champion) the very things you once found objectionable. But instead of it hitting you suddenly like a bolt out of the blue, this realization will gradually dawn on you over the next few months so that the changes you elect to make are more gradual and long-lasting. Uranus will be retrograde until January 30th.
CROWDED SKY | Weekly Horoscope | August 19th – August 25th 2024
There's an extraordinary cluster of planetary squares all taking place on August 19th. It begins with a T-square comprised of Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn followed by a Full Moon/Uranus square and then concludes with an extremely rare Jupiter/Saturn square. This is a raucous combination and you can expect things to get dicey. That's because squares are combative energies in Astrology which means that none of these planets are in the mood to cooperate, much less back down. Think of a barroom brawl from one of those old Western movies where chairs go flying as cowboys tumble over tables or smash bottles over each other's heads. It's absolute mayhem which means it would be a good idea to find a quiet spot to wait things out. In the end there will be a return to calm and peace, but only after the planets have exhausted themselves which should be some time around August 29th.
IT'S ALL FUN AND GAMES UNTIL SOMEONE GETS HURT | Weekly Horoscope | August 12th – August 18th 2024
There's no denying that there's a rambunctious quality to the Mars/Jupiter conjunction on August 14th. That's because Jupiter is exuberant by nature and can't help but enliven the energies of any planet it's near. One becomes more daring, loud, and boisterous when Jupiter is next to Mars, and given that they are both traveling through the zodiac sign of Gemini, baiting. This is all right as long as it's in the spirit of fun, but Mars, when aroused, has a tendency to take things too far. It's not unlike a child in a classroom who—emboldened by a prank—tries to outdo himself. Whatever the joke, stunt, or escapade, things look like they'll get out of hand, which will result in a slapdown courtesy of the Mars/Saturn square on August 16th. How severe this will be all depends on taking responsibility. Come clean with what happened, and you'll get off with a light reprimand; pin the blame on somebody else, and things will only get harder.
COSMIC MONKEY WRENCH | Weekly Horoscope | August 5th – August 11th 2024
Mercury retrogrades are famous for sowing the seeds of confusion, sprinkling flies in the ointment, and making you look left when you should have been looking right. They're not exactly deal breakers, but they can certainly throw a cosmic monkey wrench into the smooth workings of your day-to-day life. That's why it's always a good idea to add two weeks to any deadline that you're working with and to go over any contract or agreement with a fine-tooth comb.
You don't want to get snagged on a hidden technicality or brought up short by an overlooked addendum. You might also postpone purchasing any big-ticket items during this time because chances are you'll find some kind of fault in the merchandise or discover that the price was inflated or the property over-valued. Mercury will be retrograde from August 5th to August 28th.
RUDE AWAKENINGS | Weekly Horoscope | July 29th – August 4th 2024
Unexpected turnarounds and surprise about-faces abound when Venus in Leo forms a square to Uranus in Taurus on August 2nd. And in the most public way! You'll be discovering sides of people you thought you knew (but now realize you didn't) while finding yourself left high and dry by those who promised to be there for you.
It's both eye-opening and jaw-dropping because this planetary square impacts those relationships that have always appeared fixed and solid. But it's not all bad. You could also see the welcome return of friends you haven't seen in years as well as old bosses, ex-clients, and secret crushes who are now ready to confess that they had feelings for you all along. It's a wild and crazy week so eat lightly, remember to breathe, and keep your sense of humor handy.
TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY | Weekly Horoscope | July 22nd – July 28th 2024
Few planetary aspects are as unforgiving as a Sun/Pluto opposition, and given that the one on July 23rd will be the first to occur in the zodiac signs of Leo and Aquarius, you can expect it to be especially powerful. Whatever thin hope you were banking on will be abruptly removed. Beginnings are over before they've begun, endings are as swift as they are premature, and any chance to appeal or regroup is immediately snuffed out, which means you'll have no choice but to accept defeat on July 23rd.
However, the Sun always rises on a new day. It's something we all know but don't fully appreciate until we've reached the nadir. Moreover, the Sun doesn't rise any brighter or stronger than when it's traveling through its own sign. This won't restore what you've lost, but it will pave the way to a new future. As July is succeeded by August, you will see your faith rekindled, your heart emboldened, and your optimism restored. The Sun in Leo is an indefatigable reminder that tomorrow is another day.
FRENEMIES | Weekly Horoscope | July 15th – July 21st 2024
Mars in Gemini stokes rivalries – the reason being that twins are siblings and sibling rivalries are the earliest form of competition. Everything you learned about winning, losing, thwarting, and outwitting comes from those early years spent battling with your sibling for Mom or Dad's attention.
All of this will come rushing back while Mars, the planet of combat, is in Gemini from July 20th to September 4th. You can expect to lock horns with a competitor during this time, but instead of a knock-down, drag-out fight, you may discover that this person is a plus, not a minus. Why? Because a competitor motivates you to try harder than you would have on your own.
They'll also tell you things your friends won't because friends will only say what you want to hear while a competitor tells you the things you need to hear. It's one of life's weird contradictions how an enemy can be a friend at the same time, but that's how Mars in Gemini works. Mars will always push you to be the best that you can be according to the zodiac sign that it's in.
BEING THE BIGGER PERSON | Weekly Horoscope | July 8th – July 14th 2024
Are you playing games with somebody’s heart? Or is this person playing games with yours? These are questions worth asking when Venus, the planet of love and beauty, forms an opposition to suspicious Pluto on July 12th. An opposition is when two planets sit opposite one another on the cosmic seesaw. And like a seesaw, one planet dips while the other planet rises and vice-versa. Seesaws aren’t balanced, so don’t look for anything that’s fair and even-keeled. There's nothing equitable about them. The problem is that each of you thinks that it's the other person who's being manipulative, which is why there is so much withholding, testing, and maneuvering going on. In the end, this is all about relationship – whether it's romantic or financial – which means that you must either find a way to build trust or end this association because right now it is bringing out the worst in both of you.
I WANT TO BELIEVE | Weekly Horoscope | July 1st – July 7th 2024
Hopes and wishes dissolve before your eyes when Neptune turns retrograde on July 2nd. It's disappointing to say the least, but like all retrogrades, this is the Stars’ way of testing you to see if you are truly committed to the path you're on. The dreams you have when you're asleep aren't the same as the dreams you have for your future.
Nighttime dreams are often a jumble – they require interpretation to make any sense of them. The dreams you have for your future are Neptune dreams. They inspire you to make something of yourself, to give that vision of yours your best shot. If this week's disillusionment is all it takes to quash your spirits then maybe your vision wasn’t that strong to begin with. It probably was just wishful thinking after all.
However if this setback inspires you to brainstorm, to test-drive different approaches to bridging the gap between the way you see things in your mind's eye and reality – then Neptune’s retrograde is doing its job. Visualization is the first step to realization as you will discover on December 7th when Neptune resumes direction.
