August 14th ~ 21st
In the space between chaos and shape there was another chance. ~ Jeanette Winterson
We stand here in the void between the Solar and Lunar Eclipses, as if in the eye of the storm, or swimming in the funnel of a great water spout. Something is fading, and no matter how longingly we may cling to it, it is time to let go. Meanwhile, a future is emerging which we cannot yet see clearly. Therefore we proceed on faith that everything will turn out as it should. Some may feel like they are free falling in a vortex of activity, impending change, and chaos. Others will feel like they are being drained of their life essence. This is the veil between the eclipses, where change, insanity and time warps converge, and all we can do is walk through to the other side.
In the Caribbean Sea there is a strange ethereal phenomenon that can happen when a hurricane begins to form. These massive storms have the capacity to absorb the moisture out of all of the surrounding environs, leaving an eerie sense of calm, clear skies, not a drop of rain to be seen in the rest of the sea. It gives a false sense of safety and composure, even as the monster is gathering all the moisture, all the heat, feeding itself to immensity. Betwixt the eclipses there can be this feeling of a void. Even as the various pieces of our lives are succumbing to the impending storm that eclipse seasons can sometimes feel like.
On August 11th Mars entered Cancer where it went on to form a square with Neptune, the lord of the oceans, the ephemeral, illusive world of dreams, as well as our hapless nightmares. When Mars is in Cancer we have a tendency to circle the wagons, seek safety through community and respond to conflict with an emotional knee-jerk response. The wagons are circling but so is the divide. Venus is beginning to slow its speed in anticipation of a retrograde station in October. This is going to be much deeper than at first glance. We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg here. Venus opposes Saturn testing many of our most important relationships and alliances.
Look over there, Sancho Panza, my friend, where there are thirty or more monstrous giants with whom I plan to do battle.
What giants? said Sancho Panza
Those that you see over there with the long arms, some of them almost two leagues long…
Look your grace, responded Sancho, what you see over there aren’t giants ~ they’re windmills; and what seems to be arms are the sails that rotate the millstone..
It seems to me, responded Don Quixote, that you aren’t well-versed in adventure, they are giants; and if you’re afraid, get away from here and start praying while I go into fierce and unequal battle with them. ~ Miguel de
Cervantes
Mars/Neptune flirts in the murky world of illusion and delusion. And it is within this dimly-lit murky confabulation, also known as Mars square Neptune, that we currently find ourselves bumping into walls and tripping over our own shoelaces. We are being tasked with sifting out that which is true, from that which is false, all the while wistfully hoping that we make the right choices in the process.
Mercury is also trine Saturn this week, so we would all be wise to stick to the facts and not create mountains out of molehills, or giants out of windmills. However we might also want to ask ourselves what we are clinging to so tightly, perhaps to our own detriment? We may not be able to have all the answers right now, but in the void between the eclipses we are being asked to make space so that better things can come in and take root in our lives. Not nightmares. Not windmills posing as giants. But perhaps something new and different from what we were previously accustomed to.
Neptune isn’t just about lies and deception. That is merely its lower, distorted earth-bound expression. It has another, more subtle and compelling side as well. A side that we should and could and need to cultivate this week. Think of it as the remedy for those negative elements insidiously weaving their way into the tapestry of our lives. When channeled positively Mars/Neptune helps us to envision a far better world filled with a desire to alleviate suffering, transcend self-serving egotism, and cultivate compassion for all.
In order to alleviate some of the more negative attributes of Mars square Neptune and Venus in Libra opposite Saturn, cultivate their positive attributes:
Envision a far better world filled with empathy, kindness and art: Draw, paint, play music, sing, dance, write poetry, watch a good movie, read a good book, and allow yourself to dream what a far better, safer, more reliable world might look like for you.
Practices that help you to align with your spiritual center: Meditate, pray, chant, read inspiring texts. Take long walks in nature or near the water; or seek solace in sacred spaces. Reflect, journal, read the cards, toss the coins, and visit the oracles.
Let go of that which you no longer need to carry and is taking up too much room: Release. Forgive. Shake off the old leaves of regret, anger, divisiveness and sorrow, in order to make room for something better to be able to take root.
Slow down in order to find wisdom in the present: Pay attention, and you will see more, hear more, and feel more. Be present in order to honor and fully appreciate each moment.
Be flexible as we approach the Lunar Eclipse at the end of the month. Be open to the new. Just because something is new, and perhaps a little unfamiliar, does not mean that it is dangerous or wrong. We cannot evolve and grow if we are not willing to accept change.
Perform random acts of kindness and compassion. Stop to share a kind word, listen and be present for others. Volunteer your time or your resources for a good cause.
When we channel Neptune in positive ways we come to recognize ourselves as all swimming in this one great and magnificent Ocean we call Life. Know then that we are never alone, that there are others here with us, and we are all struggling together in common cause to ever evolve towards the realization of truth and understanding. We need to remember this as we approach the upcoming Lunar Eclipse in Pisces on August 28th
For next week’s horoscopes, click below: